The term ‘climbing’ belies the stark differences between the many disciplines it is so often used to encompass. But as well as the major categories like ‘Traditional’, ‘Bouldering’ and ‘Alpine’, there are others that fill the gaps in between, making the link between some of the major disciplines more logical. One such subcategory is the subject of this...

I think it's fair to say that over the last 5 years St. Bees Head has become recognised as one of the 'must visit' destinations of UK climbing, and more specifically bouldering. In spite of its isolated location, on the far western coast of northern Lakeland, the magnetic draw of this fantastic sandstone....

So, why not go? Well, its a long way from anywhere, the ferry is expensive, the routes aren't that long, there might be midges, takes about an hour to walk in, you might get lonely. Yeah, best stop reading now.

In Mid September I had a week off, and the plan was to drive up the West Coast of Scotland, scouting out bouldering destinations. However my plans usually don’t work out as expected.

To quote the SMC Guide:-
“This is the best easy climb in Skye and a contender for the best easy climb in Britain”.

Once upon a time, in the early Ordovician period, the mountain range now known as Scafell was created through a lengthy volcanic cataclysm, forging a series of high peaks and canyons of finest dolerite, a highly compact and abrasive igneous rock, some 3000m thick.

With spring upon us and summer not too far away, this short piece of writing, and subsequent “Tick List”, is designed to be used in combination with the Rockfax Lakes Bouldering guide, the information on the LakesBloc website and the interactive map below, to get you off the beaten track, and to seek out some of the best boulder problems central Lakeland and the South Lakes limestone has to offer.

Whilst Kentmere might not be the first place you think of when looking for a days bloc sport in Lakeland, with the likes of the Langdale boulders, Carrock Fell and the Bowderstone springing more readily to mind, it may surprise you to learn that the Kentmere valley hosts the greatest number of recorded problems in Lakeland (over 130)

It’s been a while since an entirely new crag was found in the South Lakes but low and behold a couple of weeks ago one “turned up”!

With Easter almost upon us it’s always nice to try and find somewhere in UK where you can spend your bonus days off in a location which is preferably scenic, perhaps a little tranquil and most importantly has a focal point to concentrate ones efforts.