Park Head Quarry

NB: CLIMBING IS BANNED AT PARK HEAD QUARRY

"Chris Bonington is the only person to climb the length of the crag backwards and forwards six times without falling off...."

"Who told you that..?

"Chris Bonington did......"

Park Head Quarry is a south-facing outcrop of quarried limestone in a truly delightful setting, perched on the side of a hill overlooking the valley of the River Caldew, with fine views towards the Caldbeck Fells.

The rock rises out of a meadow, whose soft grass provides perfect landings. It is a warm friendly place, ideal for an odd hours quiet bouldering. The rock is generally perfect, although the top of the crag is loose. Climbers not hell-bent on tearing tendons on the steep walls and traverses will need to take care when finishing the pleasant, middle-grade, micro-routes.
 

Approaches & Access
Park Head Quarry is easily reached from either Carlisle or Penrith. From Carlisle , follow the B 5299 passing through the villages of Dalston and Welton. One and a half kilometres south-west of Welton is a cross roads by the String of Horses Inn at Goose Green. Cross the B 5305 and continue past the inn and up the steep hill of Warnell Brow for just over one kilometre. At a sharp right-hand bend in the main road, a signposted minor road on the left leads in one kilometre to Parkhead. From Junction 41 on the M6, just North of Penrith, follow the B 5305 passing through the village of Sebergham . Two kilometres beyond Sebergham is the Goose Green crossroads. Turn left onto the B 5299 at this junction and follow the route described.

Unfortunately the owner of Park Head Quarry has banned climbing here and efforts to resolve this have not met with success. There is therefore a complete BAN ON CLIMBING AT PARK HEAD QUARRY. This information is recorded for historical purposes and so that it is not lost should climbing be allowed here again.

The crag is approached from its right-hand end. A lime-kiln marks the right-hand end of the obvious Long Wall. The short wall 15 metres left of the Long Wall is called Short Wall. Left again are five walls separated by two aretes and two corners. This is Five Walls Area.

Because the quarry is so small in extent it has been decided to start describing the climbs from the left hand end, from left to right, a logical trend, sometimes followed in modern guidebooks.

Five Walls Area is found about 100 metres left of the limekiln and consist of five walls, set at right-angles to one another and separated by two aretes and two corners.
 

Everyone has climbed at Parkhead. The traverses are legendary. Botterill, Whillance and Lamb climbed anything that looked worth doing, way back in the Eighties. Ron Kenyon, Stew Wilson and disciples added Gnorman whilst Stew unearthed Tutu whilst preparing this guide. A Shoulder To Cry On was the work of the inimitable Karl Lunt.

For a PDF of the climbs at Park Head Quarry from of the long out of print Stewart Wilson's North of England Rock Climbs (1992) please click here.