Northumbrian Mountaineering Club Venue Guide

Suggested Crags:

Buttress Alt. Faces Parking Approach & Est. Time

Raven Crag NY285064 200m S NY286061 0mile/0mins 0.4km, N/NE, 140m, 15-20m

Excellent single and multi-pitch climbs of all grades (D to E5): Middlefell Buttress (D), Centipede (S), Original Route (S), Evening Wall

(S), Revelation (HS), Mendes (VS), Bilberry Buttress (VS), Pluto (HVS) then a clutch of single pitch S-HVS climbs on East Raven Crag

just a couple of minutes further right/east.

White Ghyll NY298072 400m W NY286061 0mile/0mins 2.2km, E/N, 360m, 45-60m

The towering west bank of a steep ghyll which contains many classics such as Hollin Groove, White Ghyll Chimney (S); White Ghyll

Wall, Gordian Knot, Haste Not, Moss Wall, Slip Knot, Inferno (VS); Laugh Not (HVS); Chimney Variant, Do Not Direct, Waste Not

Want Not, Man of Straw, Feet of Clay, The Palestinians (E1); White Ghyll Eliminate (E2); Paladin (E3)

Gimmer Crag NY277070 525m SE-NW NY286061 0mile/0mins 1.9km, NE/NW, 450m, 60m

A high, exposed location with outstanding climbs combine to make this a lucrative and popular target; be prepared for a breeze at

least and more if heading for climbs on the NW side. Mostly multi pitch though the West face has a number of outstanding single pitch

climbs. Main Wall Climb, Gimmer Chimney, Ash Tree Slabs (VD); Bracket and Slab, A, B C and D Routes (S); North West Arête, F

route, Asterisk, The Crack, Bracket and Slab Direct Start (VS); Kipling Groove, Inertia (HVS); Outside Tokyo/Dight, Gimmer String,

Whit’s End Direct, Intern (E1); Equus, Spring Bank (E2); Eastern Hammer (E3);

Pavey Ark NY285079 570m SE/E NY286061 0mile/0mins 3.0km, E/NW, 515m, 1h 30m

Some Dave Birkett test pieces here amongst easier fare for mortals; can be slow to dry due to drainage lines and the climbs which end

on Jack’s Rake can be prone to dislodged rock from those on the Rake – you did bring a helmet, right?

Long Scar NY272036 and Black

Crag NY274037

580m S-W NY277027 4.5mile/15mins or

walk

1km, NW/NE, 170m, 25m or

3.2km, SW, 460m, 1h 25m

Single pitch fare, easier on Long Scar with some harder routes to E2

Refer to the guidebooks for other options such as Raven Crag (Walthwaite), Scout Crags, Neckband Crag, Flat Crags, Cambridge

Crag, North Buttress, Bowfell Buttress, Langdale Boulders (42 problems VB-V7+), Chapel Stile (37 problems (VB-V6).

Langdale Meet

Lake District

17-19 April 2015

Accommodation We are staying at the Barclays Bank Rambling and Climbing Club’s Raven Crag Cottage

which sleeps 24 and is immediately behind the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel and well

positioned for accessing any of the climbing in and around the Langdale valley.

More details online at http://www.bbrcc.co.uk/ravencrag.htm

If over subscribed there is the NT Camp Site which is a short walk away.

Some Useful Internet Resources:

Mountain Weather Information Service: http://www.mwis.org.uk/ld.php

UKC Guide to Raven Crag which is on the doorstep!: http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=344

Guidebooks:

Langdale FRCC definitive guidebook Langdale newly revised in 2013 (ISBN: 0850280540)

Lake District Rock FRCC guide to the best selected climbs in the English Lake District (ISBN: 0850280451) (See below)

Lakes Bouldering Rockfax guide to the best bouldering in the English Lake District (ISBN: 1873341512)

Maps:

OS: 1:25,000 Explorer: Sheet OL6 South Western area for the vast majority of Langdale crags, possibly OL7 for Chapel Stile

Harveys: 1:40,000 Lake District British Mountain Map

Kick start the season in the Lake District with the greatest concentration of South facing

Borrowdale volcanic crags in the district, single pitch, multi pitch, roadside bouldering,

scrambling, classic circular walks, mountain biking, real ale – Langdale has it all!

This is a great opportunity for new members to meet others in the club – everyone is very

welcome. Get your places booked for what promises to be a very popular meet!

Please note that this is not strictly an instructional meet; if you intend to climb you should come as a

competent leader/second or have already agreed your climbing or walking partner(s). Bring all of your own

gear and contact the meet leader, Adrian Wilson if you have any queries. Cost is £27 per person for 2 nights’

accommodation payable in advance.

Getting There

About two and a quarter hours by car from Newcastle: A69 West to J43 M6, M6 L to J40,

A66 W/R towards Keswick, B5322 S/L (towards Windermere) to A591, S/L to Grasmere.

R onto B5287, R onto Red Bank (narrow, steep road), take first R toward Langdale, R onto

B5343 and follow up Langdale Valley. R to Old Dungeon Ghyll, follow road up immediately

R of ODG up short steep approach to Raven Crag Cottage. Parking limited but passes for

National Trust car park which is immediately below are available at the cottage (Postcode

LA22 9JU). Maybe climb at Peel/Crag Lough or Castle Rock en route…..

Lake District Rock (2004) Lakeland Book of the Year award winner 2004. More than 500 classic rock

climbs on 64 crags from Difficult to E8 with the majority in the VS-E2 range. Classic high mountain

venues such as Scafell, Dow, Gimmer and Pillar Rock, low-lying outcrops including Shepherd's Crag,

Castle Rock, Raven Crag and Wallowbarrow, and good wet weather alternatives like St Bees,

Armathwaite, and Chapel Head, together with information on Bouldering, Crags for Groups, Climbing

Walls and Accommodation, are all ruggedly bound together in a handy pocket-sized format.