North Cumbria Crags

This year's winter project is the improvement of personal climbing skills. To this end after a couple of excellent days training with Glyn Mitchell where we visited Kendall Climbing Wall; Hutton Roof & Scratchmere Crags (near Penrith) - Graham Simpson & myself have been persevering with the up-skilling programme on nearby crags in Northern Cumbria. The current standard is very much V Diff - Severe & the cold weather is making Spring & Summer evenings look very attractive but some time off yet.

We've made a couple of visits to Headend Quarry, very much the local crag & climbed a good variety of routes here: Blah (S); Snail Wall (S); Piggy Malone (HS); Novice Route (V Diff); Birds Nest (D); Bilberry (V Diff) to name a few.

Graham after seconding Snail Wall at Headend Quarry

 

This week we made a visit to Seat Quarry just outside of Caldbeck, like Headend its an old limestone quarry. The guidebook describes the venue as being "flakey" which is fair - its horrible. The day we visited was fine & dry with bright blue skies but the temperatures were Baltic at just 3 degrees in a brisk North Westerly wind.

 

We had a go at Seat Arete (S) & Faulds (S) before retiring.

The rock here does, however, bite back - see bottom photo!

 

Seat Quarry

 

Graham on Seat Arete
 

 
Faulds

 

Rock That Bites