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SCAFELL, WASDALE & ESKDALE
Wasdale (pages 146 - 211)
Page numbers refer to the FRCC Guide:
Scafell, Wasdale & Eskdale (1996) |
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FELL and ROCK
CLIMBING CLUB
of the
English Lake District |
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A Plea for Photographs |
Photos of crags in good light in summer are needed for the next edition of this guide. Please contact the FRCC Guidebook Photographs Editor if you think you have any such photos (in any format). Needless to say any good action photos would also be well received - for these we need to know: crag, route, grade, pitch, name of climber, name of photographer. You don't get paid I'm afraid, but you will get a free guidebook if we use any of your pictures! |
WASDALE
Cam (160 048 alt 400m West Facing) |
| This crag lies on the Wasdale Screes, about 200 metres up and left of Low Adam Crag, and can be reached in 1 hour from the Youth Hostel. It is easily recognised by its ferocious-looking overhangs. |
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Hasty Sin Oot Ert Hoonds? E9 6c (5.14a x).
The plumb line to the left of the striking arête of Nowt but a Fleein' Thing. The climb is a very serious affair with only dubious protection for the first half of the line which also contains the hardest climbing in the form of a series of steep, strenuous 6c movies from under-clings, side-pulls and the odd gnarly crimp. Placing the no.4 wire on the lead at about 12 metres (the first good protection) is as hard as the crux sequence lower down and puts tremendous strain on the left arm. From there the angle eases slightly and the protection is good but well spaced amongst the sustained 6a/b reachy climbing to the top.
David Birkett, 20th July 2007
Photos and video clip from Alastair Lee at Posing Productions. |
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Above: Two shots of Dave Birkett on the first ascent of his new E9 Hasty Sin Oot Ert Hoonds? The top one shows him placing the crucial wire (Alastair Lee)
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Above, right and below: Stunning images by Karen Magog/Al
Wilson of David Birkett's latest new route Nowt but a
Fleein' Thing (E8).
Nowt
but a Fleein' Thing 27m E8 {F8a(hard!)}
Wild! Protection is mainly peg runners though a Friend and
wire were placed low down. The pegs are shallow on the middle
section. Start at the toe of the buttress.
(6c). Climb easily to a crack beneath a peg runner. Follow
the steep crack until hard moves lead to a rest in a groove.
Pull out left (peg runners), then back right onto a hanging
slab with difficulty (peg runner). Move up more easily to
a peg belay. It is possible to continue to the top (Severe)
but this is loose and it is better to abseil from the belay.
David Birkett, 14th May 2005
Some gear pre-placed.
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'On
that second visit we enquired of Auld Will (Will Ritson, Landlord
of the Wasdale Head Inn) if he knew of a climb we had done
to the right of Mickledore which led to the top of Scafell.
(The course has since been known as the North, or Penrith
Climb.)
“No,” was the reply, “an’ if it’s t’ seeam pleeace as Aa mean
Aa doan’t think ye’ve been up. Nowt but a fleein’ thing
cud git up theer.” Then he blurted out, “What’s makkin’ ye
fellas fash yer’sels seea mich aboot climmin’ t’ crags? Isn’t
t’ fells big eneugh for ye?' |
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George
Seatree, “Lakeland Memories” (R Scott, Penrith, 1923)
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WASDALE
Overbeck (p148) |
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Zool 30m HVS
Start
as for Gargoyle.
(5a).
Climb Gargoyle pitch 1 until it is possible to gain a groove
in the left wall. Climb this, pulling out left at its top. Move
up through the traverse on Gargoyle pitch 2 and climb the
wall above to an overhang. Pull directly over this , avoiding
the large suspect block on the left. Move up rightwards to a flake,
then step left around a rib to an easy groove.
T
Thompson, B North, 3rd May 1998
Ga'n Yam 35m HVS
A direct line
up the clean wall to the left of The
Gargoyle. Start as for The
Gargoyle.
(5a). Climb The Gargoyle corner for a metre or so and then pull leftwards into a steep groove.
Climb it to the top and trend rightwards to a big spike runner
and a junction with the traverse line on pitch 2 of The Gargoyle. Climb directly up the wall to the overlap (Friend ½).
Pull directly over this
and ascend the narrowing wall.
RJ Gordon, A
Swann, 18th April 2000
Could
be Zool?
Queen of Change - Variation finish to pitch 3 E4
(6a).
As for the parent route to the large holds in triangular recess.
Move up rightwards and gain the diagonal crack with difficulty.
Follow this, quickly, rightwards to the top.
T
Thompson, R Southall 16th June 1996
A Crazy Man’s Utopia 35m E5
The
main pitch climbs the wall right of Queen of
Change. A fall from the final moves may well have a
grassy landing! Start as for Gargoyle.
1
15m (4c). Move left up easy rocks and climb a crackline on the
front of the buttress to a thread belay at the end of Gargoyle
pitch 2.
2
20m (6a). Approximately 3m up the grass ledge is a small bulge
at head height. Surmount this to gain a side hold on the left.
Pull up to another side hold on the wall and make a long reach
up left to a finger jam (RP2). Continue direct on small flat holds
to finish at a jammed flake at the top of a diagonal crack.
T
Thompson, B North, 31st August 1998 Tope roped prior to leading.
Zig
Zag HVS, top pitch thought to be 5b/c by Rick Gordon & Alan
Swann
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WASDALE
Buckbarrow (p172)
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Witch
Buttress
Wee
Boots VS
Start as for Pace Maker.
(4b). Follow
the first corner of Pace
Maker to the bulge. Move right onto the mossy slab and climb
it trending slightly right on good holds to reach a grassy ledge
(block belay). Climb the short corner left to the top.
Trevor Morgan,
Peter Kelly, Heather Morgan, August 1999
Lakeland
Pioneers Area -
Rusty
Wall
Approach
as for Witch Buttress
to the small buttress below Moss
Slab, then follow a sheep track, crossing the base of White
Band Ghyll, then slant up left to the central scree gully (20
mins). Or descend a gully from Lakeland Pioneers.
Hammerite 20m
HVS
Climbs
the left edge of Rusty Wall.
Start behind the embedded flake.
(5b).
The left arete is followed over the pinnacle and up to a good
ledge. Hard moves up a steep little wall leads to a corner crack
and the top.
Variation:
(4c). From the good ledge, traverse right 2 metres then diagonally
back left to the corner crack.
WE
Pattison, DA Barrass, 8th August 1999
Three
metres right of and below Rusty
Wall is a steep groove.
Ground Force
25m E1
Varied
and interesting.
(5b).
Climb the groove and exit awkwardly onto a blank slab. Step up
left and follow the blocky buttress to belay above a dry-stone
wall.
C
Johnson, WE Pattison, 15th June 1999
Four
metres right of Ground Force
is a clean recessed slab.
Box Car Willey
20m VS
Nice
climbing.
(4c/5a).
Climb the slab to a large flat-topped flake. Climb the steeper
slab on the left into a groove and up to a belay above a dry-stone
wall.
DA
Barrass, WE Pattison, 1st June 1999
Seven
metres to the right is a second rust coloured wall with twin oaks
up in a dirty corner to the left. A sheep track runs across the
base of the wall. A steep crack runs up the left-hand side of
the buttress.
Charlie Dimmock
20m HVS
Exciting
no-pro crux! Start from blocks on the sheep track.
(5b).
From the blocks, traverse delicately left on a small curving ramp
and pull over the bulge into the crack and welcome gear (don’t
fall off!). Up the wall and crack and over a second bulge to good
belays.
WE
Pattison, DA Barrass, 1st June 1999
Round
the corner right of the last route is an obvious square-cut corner.
Dolly Parton
15m
MS
Short
but well endowed!
(4a).
Nice climbing up the corner and over a final bulge.
WE
Pattison, DA Barrass, 1st June 1999
Descents:
from Charlie Dimmock
and Dolly Parton, follow sheep tracks down
left (facing out) and back right under the routes. For Box Car Willey, Ground Force
and Hammerite, move
left (facing in) and descend carefully down grassy ledges, then
traverse left into Central Gully, or from the belay scramble
up to descend as for Crack
Special.
Eastern
Crags
Clart
21m VS
Start
in a small chimney just to the left of the gully between Lakeland
Pioneers and Eastern Crag, about 7 or 8 metres right
of Toby.
(4b).
Awkwardly climb the chimney for 5 metres, then cross a small heather
ledge, and boldly climb a smooth slab for 6 metres to a ledge
on the right. Step right to a cracked slab above the gully and
climb the crack to the top.
Sean
Johnston, James Foster, 19th April 2003
(recorded as a "possible new route")
Rather confusing arrangement of routes here due to the fact that Going Straight is merely a direct start to Midsummer Madness (which is more like E1-), and Sidewinder is worthy of a star. Between Shock Treatment and Sidewinder is:
Killswitch 33m E2+ **
An excellent sustained route which climbs the central stepped groove-line. Start 2 metresright of the block of Midsummer Madness, below a smooth groove-line.
(5b+) Climb the groove with interest to a doubtful wedged hold at the top (seems to be mechanically sound, though), swing right and move up to good holds below an overhang. Pull into the groove above (Useful hold out right) and continue directly until you can step left onto a ledge and a good flake. Climb the upper slabs directly to the abseil point.
A Phizacklea, JL Holden, 15th September 2007
Fall Out - There's no way that's E1! AP writes I backed off it because I couldn't get any gear into the "slot" - I was off balance with only a mossy side pull to maintain contact with the rock, my only protection was a skyhook on my foothold, that was only kept in place by standing on it! It'll obviously need another look. It'll be at least E2, though.
Schweppes 42m HVS *
Basically pitch 2 is a direct variation on of Cadbury, by climbing the clean front of the pillar.
Start by the right-hand rowan below the lower wall.
1 12m (5a). Pull into a vague groove just left of the clean slab, and step right and up to finish at a short pillar, with a gorse-filled pull onto the ledge. Move up left to the upper wall. (This is a left-hand start to pitch 1 of Fall Out).
2 30m (5a). As for Cadbury, climb the light coloured groove to pull out right at a spike. Step up, then pull left onto the clean pillar and follow this to its top (runners in the crack on the right). Step left and pull through the overlap on good holds.
A. Phizacklea, JL Holden, 15th September 2007
PS. Cadbury finishes through the same top overlap, and it deserves HVS. |
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MOSEDALE
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| This
is the valley running north from Wasdale Head, which is well known
by those taking the popular path up to Black Sail Pass. The steep,
rugged eastern face of Red Pike forms the left-hand wall of this
valley, and it is on this face that the following climbs are found.
There are many short crags and broken outcrops along the length
of the valley, these were first mentioned in Haskett-Smith's Climbing
in the British Isles (1894). Most of the crags contain poor
quality rock, especially around those accessible areas close to
the summit of Red Pike, and this has contributed to an erroneous
impression of the area as a whole. There are outcrops of excellent
quality rock to be found, but their development has been slow. There
is scope for over a hundred new routes of all grades here and what
this area needs are inquisitive teams who are prepared to do a bit
of cleaning. By the time the new guide to Pillar comes out, this
should be a venue worth seeking out. The crags are described in
order as you walk up the valley.
This
valley is logically part of the Wasdale Area and will not appear
in the next Pillar Gable guide. Instead it will appear in the
next Scafell, Wasdale & Eskdale guide.
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MOSEDALE
Elliptical Crag (p108
of the FRCC Guide, Gable & Pillar (1991)) |
| The
1991 Gable and Pillar guidebook, (and many before it) contain inaccurate
information about the location of Elliptical Crag.It is described
in that guide as "obscure and chameleon-like", and no
wonder, because it isn't there. Its actual location is in Black
Comb, at GR166 115. I believe the error occurred because the crag
used to be described as being to the left of the path up to the
Scoat Fell-Pillar ridge. This used to be a correct description,
because the old-timers used to walk up Black Comb. However the modern
path goes further right to Wind Gap. If you correct the information
in the next guidebook - including the location diagram - then others
will be able to discover - like myself - that this dismal crag has
nothing much to offer - Richard Smithson. |
MOSEDALE
Mosedale Needles (177 094) |
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A group of three
pinnacles. The routes are on the main pinnacle (Crooked Pinnacle), the one attached directly to the mountain.
The
Crooked Pinnacle
10m VD
Climb easily
up the northern side until a more awkward pull onto a slab on
the right just below the summit.
Andy McNaughton,
Graham Uney, Easter 1998
Slab
Happy
10m VD
Climb the slab
above the col that connects the Crooked
Pinnacle to Yewbarrow, with a difficult start. Gain the Crooked Pinnacle climb at the top.
Graham Uney,
Andy McNaughton, Easter 1998
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MOSEDALE
Black Crag (169
100) Alt. 590m. East South East Facing |
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This
is the first concentration of outcrops high on the eastern face
of Red Pike. The crags are arranged in several disjointed tiers,
the rock type varies between friable and mossy to excellent.
There
are two ways to get to this crag, both require quite an expenditure
of energy The shortest approach is up the valley from Wasdale
Head, where the path across the old packhorse bridge is taken
up the left side of the beck. About half a kilometre beyond the
washed out scree chute of Dore Head, follow a beck which issues
steeply from a rather indistinct combe. There are many outcrops
high in this combe, the most prominent one from the valley floor
is a vertical wall on the left, Bull
Crag, but on closer inspection this is extremely mossy. This
is a steep and strenuous approach.
The
easier approach is from the car park at Netherbeck Bridge, half
way along the shore of Wastwater. Follow the steep ridge running
up towards Yewbarrow, but, before the crags on the ridge are reached,
follow the good path rising leftwards which eventually meets the
top of the Dore Head scree run, overlooking the lower end of Mosedale.
Walk up leftwards, towards Red Pike, passing the first projecting
shoulder on the ridge, before contouring across the steep fellside
to reach the crag, Either approach should take less than an hour.
Lower
Buttress
This
is the lowest collection of slabs and steep walls in the centre
of the combe. The first route starts at the lowest point, 100m
below and right of a prominent perched boulder.
Black Panther 20m
E2
The
clean left-hand arete of the wall, with climbing rather reminiscent
of its Pink namesake on Dow Crag.
(5c).
Pull into the short corner and step right onto a ledge on the
arete. Move up to a good nut placement in a small triangular niche,
then move up to an undercut in the centre and pull over this using
a crozzly pocket. Finish directly up the apex of the rib. An abseil
point lies 6 metres beyond.
A
Phizacklea, J Holden, 18th August 1998
Blackness
24m S
A
rather broken route starting just left of Black
Panther.
Climb
a short rib just left of a heathery patch and continue to a heather
ledge (spike).
Follow
the arete above to a second block spike at 20m, then either traverse
right to the abseil point on Black
Panther or continue up broken rock and heather to a belay
at 40m.
A
Phizacklea, J Holden, 18th August 1998
Black Diamond 25m E3
Good
sustained climbing which is spoiled by a chossy start, up the
diamond-shaped slab 10 metres up and left of Black
Panther.
(5c).
Climb a short dirty corner on the bottom left-hand side to a ramp.
Climb the slab direct, following a thin crack, to reach a block
belay.
A
Phizacklea, J Holden, 18th August 1998
Upper
Tier
The
wall right of the gully above the previous routes which leads
onto the summit ridge. There is a distinctive chockstone high
in this gully, the routes start 30 metres below this. The easiest
approach is from the ridge above, the chockstone can be passed
on its right side (looking out).
Wobbly Bob 35m
MS
Pleasant
clean climbing up the slabs just right of the gully. Quite exposed,
but well protected.
Climb
easily up the stepped lower slabs till the corner on the right
merges, and continue to a steepening. Step delicately left to
gain a groove on the edge overlooking the gully, and follow this
delicately to a blunt pinnacle at its top. Step right and move
up to a ledge, then continue up the walls behind to the top.
Stag Party 48m
S/HVS
A
fine first pitch up the arete right of Wobbly
Bob, followed by a steep and dirty second pitch, which can
(and should) be avoided. Start at the foot of Wobbly
Bob.
1
33m. Climb the right
side of the slab for a couple of metres until the grass gully
can be crossed to the foot of the arete. Follow the crack right
to the crest and climb this with increasing delicacy to a large
ledge.
2
15m. (5a) Step onto a flake behind the big block and make a fingery
pull up to pockets, which lead to a small spike hold. The blunt
rib right of a steep and dirty groove leads to the top.
A Phizacklea
(solo), 6th September 1999
Two
Tier Walls
These
lie about 250 metres right of the Lower
Buttress. The area consists of several isolated buttresses
formed into two tiers. The rock is generally good, but it displays
more striations on the Upper Tier. The only route recorded so
far climbs the prominent central pillar at the lower end of a
grassy gully, there is a conspicuous corner crack to its left.
Route X 23m E1
A
chossy start leads to excellent climbing higher up the pillar.
(5b)
Start up the corner and pull out right onto a juniper ledge. Move
across to the right-hand side of the upper arete, and dry your
boots! Step left onto a sloping ledge, and move up on good holds
to a flake crack which leads to a block. Step left onto the arete
and follow this to the top.
A
Phizacklea (unseconded), 18th August 1998
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MOSEDALE
Enigma Pinnacle (165
103) Alt.750m East Facing |
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This
area has only been viewed from a distance Is it a detached pinnacle
or not? What is certain, however, is that this is a prominently
striated area of steep rock. How solid this is, who knows?
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UPPER MOSEDALE |
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This
area is best reached by following the left-hand path up the valley
from Wasdale Head, and continuing past a prominent split boulder
(the Y Boulder). A few hundred metres past this landmark, cross onto the
right side of the main beck to avoid marshy ground. Soon the crags
of the upper combe (Blackem Head) come into view. The light coloured
slabs towards the head of the
valley is Elliptical Crag. (This has been given the
wrong grid reference in the guidebook). High to the left of this
a series of outcrops lie just below the summit ridge, the highest
point being the pronounced Summit Buttress. Below these crags,
and slightly below and left of Elliptical Crag are two areas of rock separated
by a deep, wet gully. The right-hand buttress is called Hanging
Corner Crag, and the left-hand buttress is called Damparse Crag. The approach is 3km and takes 75 minutes.
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UPPER MOSEDALE
Damparse Crag (165019) Alt. 590m. North
East Facing |
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This
is a steep rounded pillar of clean, solid rock, with a spectacularly
steep wall overlooking a large gully on the right (Damparse
Gully, 90m VD, insecure grass pitches interspersed with scree).
The base of this gully is always wet and it is this wetness around
the bottom which gave the crag its name. The crag itself dries
quickly. All the routes start from the foot of Damparse
Gully.
Thoroughbred 58m
E3
A delightful route up the left side of the main pillar. Only the
start of pitch 2 is dirty.
1
6m (4c). Scramble onto a large grass ledge on the left.
2
30m (5c). Pull into a hanging groove above the belay from the
right (Friend 0 and 1.5), and continue strenuously to a ledge
on the left. Trend right above the groove and move up delicately,
following a shallow scoop, to a ledge. Climb the slabs above,
keeping about 5 metres right of a corner, to an awkward finish
onto a large terrace. Walk right and up onto a higher ledge overlooking
the gully.
3
22m (5c). Climb a thin flake crack in the wall (5 metres left
of the gully arete) to a ledge. Continue up, trending slightly
left and follow the best rock to the top.
A
Phizacklea, J Holden, 20th June 1998
Dercajia
52m
E4
A
good route up the steep wall right of Thoroughbred.
The grade assumes that a cheating stick is used to position the
crucial runner!
1
6m (4c), As for Thoroughbred.
2 32m (6a). Climb a thin slab on the right to gain
a blocky ledge. The thin wall above leads precariously to a shallow
groove (crucial RP4), pull up (poor peg) and use the right rib
to reach a ledge. Step left to a poor spike runner, then go back
right through a bulge using a flake to another ledge. Amble up
the arete above until 3 metres below the grass cornice, then traverse
delicately right to a short finishing groove.
3 14m (4c) Pull leftwards into a hanging groove
and finish out on the left.
A
Phizacklea, K Phizacklea, 23rd September 1998
Dampers Crack 42m E4
A
sustained, strenuous pitch which follows the obvious diagonal
crack in the right wall of Damparse
Gully.
(6a). Pull onto the first ledge of Pedigree then step right to below a groove.
Difficult moves, protected by small wires, lead to better holds
where the crack runs rightwards. Superb climbing follows on flakes
and cracks to a spike below a steepening near the top. Step left
to a wild finish onto the big ledge.
K
Phizacklea, A Phizacklea, 23rd September 1998
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UPPER MOSEDALE
Blackem Headwall
(164 112)
Alt.720m. North Facing
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About
400 metres beyond Damparse
Crag, lies this final steep wall of immaculate rock. It is
above and left of Elliptical Crag. The remoteness of this
wall will deter all but the most determined of explorers. The
main eye-catching feature is a shallow vertical corner up the
centre of the wall. A lonely peg high in this groove indicates
that this is a desperate project.
Only the Lonely 16m
HVS
Start
above a rock step to the right of the corner.
(4c).
Climb up to a groove and follow this, then step right and rnove
up a rib to a grassy finish.
A
Phizacklea, D Kirby, 2nd May 1999
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