Lad Stones Guide

Lad Stones
Bouldering
By Greg Chapman
Introduction
Approach & Overview Map
Aspect
Approach
Situated on the southern flanks of Wetherlam, east of Levers Water and the
Coppermines Valley, the mighty Lad Stones sit in a quite corner of fellside,
casting a silent gaze over the well trodden Tilberthwaite-Coniston track and an
awe-inspiring panorama of southeast Lakeland. An intense yet excellent circuit
centring on two vast (Bowderstone sized) boulders awaits the intrepid
boulderer, 2km due west of Tilberthwaite car park. The rock is a metamorphose
volcanic, verging on granite in its consistency and as such it provides excellent
friction but can be tough on the skin.
Use in conjunction with map below:
Top Block
Panorama Stone
Bella
Approximately 3km (1.8miles) north of Coniston on
the A593 is a turn off signed to Tilberthwaite; follow
this single track lane to just before the end of the
road and a large (free) car park on the left.
Follow the steep steps and subsequent path, at the
east end of the car park, up the hill passing
Tilberthwaite Quarry on your left. Continue on,
avoiding any right forks in the path, to the top of the
ghyll, where the ground levels off into an open
expanse. Keep to the left side of the main beck and
follow the obvious track as it curves southward for
250m, whereupon some convenient blocks provide
stepping stones across the beck, 35m down to your
right (where the stream makes a series of tight
bends). Having crossed the beck contour around the
right side of a grassy knoll (keeping you out of the
bog) to reach another major track. Ignore and cross
the track, striking a direct line up the incline of a
small, shallow hanging valley in front of you. On
reaching the top you will see the boulders ahead.
Right: Tom Newberry enjoying his own Underground Butler, 7B.
Overview
Discovered by Andy Hyslop as recently as 2003, the Lad Stones have gradually
gained in popularity over the years with visitor numbers increasing as word
spread and problem numbers increased. The steep, high and imposing Bothy &
Panorama Stones offer a high concentration of mid to harder graded problems
and for those stronger boulderers seeking somewhere off the beaten track this
place is well worth checking out. Many notably strong and well known
climbers (including the likes of John Gaskins, Jordan Buys, Dan Varian, Ben & Jon Freeman, Dave Jones, Tom
Newberry, Dan Turner and Mick Adams) have visited and revisited the venue leaving a number of class
problems of varying styles.
Historically the rock and landings have been cause for the odd complaint, however the recent increased
popularity has helped remove many dubious holds and MUCH groundwork has gone into improving the
landings below all of the most popular faces. That said, many of the problems are quite high and the nature of
the rock means there are undoubtedly a few dodgy holds lurking within the continuum, and as such I’d
recommend visiting the area with at least 3 crash pads and a spotter.
The Bothy
Tilted Block
Conditions
High Tilberthwaite
N
>
A surprisingly reliable venue; reasonable conditions can be
found throughout the year. The situation of the boulders
protects them from all but a severe north/north-easterly wind
and with walls facing in varying directions you can usually
find shelter, whether from the sun or the wind. In summer the
Warstarter Face is a good bet for fair conditions, as it does not
come into the sun until late afternoon. The boulders also dry
very quickly, although one or two lines do take some drainage
immediately after a downpour. As the landings are predominately rocky platforms muddy terrain is rarely an issue.
Hodge Close
Car Park
Ye
w
da
l
e
Wetherlam
(762m)
Be
ck
250m
Tilbe
rthw
Right: One of four; Andy Goldsworthy’s touchstone slate
features in his renovated sheepfold opposite the car park.
aite
Gill
Tilberthwaite
Quarry
Grades & Stars
Some problems featured have had few repeats. As
such please don't get too bothered if the rating of an
odd problem is out by a grade or so.
Stars are used to denote problems of particular
quality. Generally anything with 3 stars offers a
good line, great climbing and a decent landing.
Problem Key
3-5+
6A-6B+
6C-7A
7A+-7B
7B+-7C
7C+-8A
8A+
Grassy
Knoll
08
09
Lad Stones
11
09
14
04
01
Yewdale
Moss
Virtual
Crag
A593
Approach Time:
25 Minutes
Ambleside
Coniston
Coppermines Valley
>
Font 3 to 4+ - V0
 Font 5 to 6C+ - V1 to V5
Font 7A to 7C+ - V6 to V10
Font 8A to 8C - V11 to V15
Project
<
>
Coloured diamonds are shown before each problem
to give an idea of difficulty at a glance:
Grade Spread (Font Grade)
Front Cover: Pete Wilkinson powering through the
brilliant Warstarter, 7B+. © Pete Wilkinson.
1
2
Coniston
Lad Stones | Tilted Boulder & The Bothy
Lad Stones | The Bothy
Tilted Block
This is the first boulder encountered from the
approach described. It offers a few reasonable
problems but on sharp rock
The Bothy:
Porn Star Face
Tilted Block
1) Tilted Traverse (6A+/V3) Starting on the far
left, traverse the lip right into and up the arête.
1
2) Monolith (7A+/V7) SDS A fierce problem up
the centre left, starting on a mono and a poor edge.
9
3) Principia (7A+/V7) SDS The arête is good
and sequencey but has a slightly infuriating landing.
The stand up is also a good 5/V1. Sharp. *
4
2
10
4) Shadow Wall (3+/V0) The short wall.
7
The Bothy: Front Face
The lower of the two main massive blocks,
The Bothy offers a selection of good, often
high and predominantly steep
problems on solid rock.
The Bothy: Porn Star Face
The east face of the Bothy hosts some brilliant climbs
tailor-made for board junkies everywhere.
6) Traci Lords (8A/V11) Use a good but tilted
LH edge and small crimp to pull on and up to a poor
RH crimp, then throw left to a good hold (crux) and
finish via easier moves. Both awesome & top-end! **
5
7) Traci Lords SDS (8B+/V14) SDS Start sitting
on a pointy rock down to the right and use a LH
undercut and RH square-cut crimp to pull on. Then
utilise poor holds to pull into the stand. Hard! **
3
8) Shyla Stylez (7C/V9) A cool problem using
the decent edge (RH) and an undercut pocket to pull
on and blast direct to the good hold and up. *
1
2
9) From the Earths Cauldron (6C/V4) The right
side of the beautiful rounded arête on nice rock. **
4
The Bothy: Front Face
1) Booze Baron (7C/V9) A hard problem up the
undercut wall off a block using some nasty quartz
holds. Was a good 7A+ until holds broke.
2) The Death Clock (7B+/V8) A quality and
powerful problem starting on the lowest of the big
pockets. From here veer up and right on small holds,
finishing just right of the overlap. *
3) The Crack (6C/V4) The highball crack
features good moves but sharp holds.
4) Smoking Guns (7B+/V8) Starting on slots as
far back a possible deploy some big burly moves to a
crux throw for a jug on the lip, followed by a high
but relatively easy top out, moving right to finish. *
6
8
3
10) Black Cauldron (7B+/V8) SDS A tough
sitter to the arête. For the full tick start actually
sitting, with your hands as low as possible. **
5) Bothy Traverse (6A/V2) A scary (pointless?)
highball traverse starting on the big blocks to the
left and finishing up the final moves of The Crack.
Above: Ben Freeman hanging tough on the crux
move of the superb Traci Lords, 8A.
The Bothy:
South Slab
The Bothy: South Slab
A good high slab featuring some nice problems.
Tilberthwaite Fells
“The area is rich in
geological & archaeological
features and was settled
from an early period.
However the most obvious
signs of human activity are
the extensive remains of
slate quarries and copper
mines. Many of the
industrial machines are
Scheduled Ancient
Monuments.”
11) The Slab (3+/V0) The easy slab direct
above a block is straightforward but high. *
12) Lard Lad (6B/V3) SDS Starting sitting in the
pit, use holds on the lip to gain the slab with some
difficulty before finishing direct with relative ease.
The stand is 4/V0. *
13
11
12
3
4
10
13) Sky High (3+/V0) The left hand side of the
slab starting off a big block provides nice delicate
moves on good rock.
Lad Stones | Spinal Block & Low Boulder
Lad Stones | Panorama Stone - The Niche & Stella Face
Spinal Block & Low Boulder
These two smaller blocks offer a few less grand but reasonable problems and are situated in close proximity to
one another between the two massive blocks.
Panorama Stone: The Niche
Photo-topo on previous page:
Panorama Stone: The Niche
Photo-topo on previous page:
19) Warm Up Traverse (4/V0) Traversing the
break rocking onto the ledge on the far left gets the
blood pumping. A sitter starting in the pit is 5+/V1.
23) Warm Up Wall Right (6B+/V3) SDS Use a
couple of good edges to start then veer up, slightly
right, on poor crimps to the break.
20) Project - The huge hanging arête started on
the right and veering onto the left wall near the top.
24) Warm Up Wall Centre (5+/V1) SDS Climb
the thin wall direct via some straightforward edge
pulling to the break.
17
21) Groove Armada (7C+/V10) Climb the
central line up the hanging niche. Originally head
pointed but has since been climbed ground up. ***
14
15
18
Panorama Stone: Stella Face
The Stella Face of the Panorama Stone features excellent rock and some fabulous high problems up a gently
overhanging face. Problems range in style from the super thin and technical Stella & Artois to the surprisingly
thuggy Underground Butler.
Low Block
Spinal Block
26) Finger Tingler (3+/V0) The pleasant wall
on great rock finishing at the ledge.
22) Project - Start up the niche bit then move
out left up the steep hanging nose before questing
on direct.
16
25) Warm Up Wall Left (5/V0) SDS Much of
the same up the line immediately to the left.
Spinal Block
Low Block
14) Spinal Caress (7A/V6) A decent problem
but with a poor landing. Start on the right side of
the ramp and traverse left and up the hanging prow.
16) Stoned Lad (7A/V6) SDS Up the undercut
prow via some tricky moves. All foot blocks are out.
Panorama Stone:
Stella Face
17) Aye Lad (6C/V4) SDS Start up the undercut
prow then veer left and finish centrally.
15) Spinal Tap (6A+/V3) Gain a big hold and
make a long stretch to the top.
18) Block Roof (6B/V3) SDS Climb the short
roof direct. Blocks for feet is allowed.
Bottom Right: Jordan Buys on Groove Armada, 7C+.
33
Panorama Stone: The Niche (Problem descriptions on the following page)
This vast boulder is the best block at the venue and provides 3 brilliant faces offering some of the finest harder
problems in the Lakes. The Niche face offers a handful of good crimpy warm-ups and, in Groove Armada, one
standout mega-line of national status. There are also a couple of impressive projects still to do.
32
28
29
34
Panorama Stone:
The Niche
31
30
27
22
21
20
Panorama Stone: Stella Face
Panorama Stone: Stella Face
27) Underground Butler (7B/V8) SDS From
two side pulls make burly moves up left to
underucuts and then to a good hold above. Now
veer left and up to gain the ledge via jugs. **
The stand is Dry Tooling Underground 5+/V1.
30) Arc of Despair (7C/V9) A ridiculously
morpho (and infuriating) sit start off the block to
the right into Artois. Start on a side pull and edge.
28) Crack Butler (7B+/V8) SDS This direct
version of p27 follows the thin crack to the ledge. *
19
26
25
24
29) Artois (6C+/V5) The high wall above a
platform is climbed direct. Despite a stretched start
and slightly sharp holds this problem is excellent. **
23
5
6
31) Stella (7C/V9) SDS A brilliant problem
starting on a low in cut hold on the arête and a good
edge on the face. Climb up to a big side pull and use
it to gain a vertical slot and then the break. Now
make a big move to an edge and the jug above. **
32) Wife Beater (7B/V8) SDS Start up Stella but
at the big side pull span right into and up Artois. *
Lad Stones | Warstarter Face
Lad Stones | Upper Outlying Blocks
Warstarter Face
If you like it steep with big moves this is the crème de la crème - a 35 degree overhanging face packed with
good, hard straight-ups and links. Whilst the style is similar throughout, the holds vary greatly; from deep
quartyz slots to tiny micro crimps. So whilst plenty of power and body tension is helpful a good base of digit
strength will also come in handy. The rock is generally solid, however a word of caution with regards to the RH
end of the central ledge: whilst this has had much of its loose material removed, it does still appear to be a little
fragile in places and as such should be respected accordingly.
BraveStarr Block
The small cave formed by a large perched block
immediately to the rear of the Warstarter Face hosts
one good involved problem.
Hobbledehoy Block
A decent little block, seemingly supporting the
Warstarter Face. Provides a trio of reasonable
problems.
Panorama Stone:
Warstarter Face
47
46
36
45
46) Cheap Seats (6C/V4) SDS Use small holds
to pull on and gain the left arête and then the top.
Can also be climbed into the reverse of p47 at 7A.
39
45) BraveStarr (7A/V6) SDS Starting matched
on the block at the back of the roof (marked with a
star) climb out of the roof direct. All other detached
blocks are out. Eyes of the hawk, speed of the puma!
33
47) Hobbledehoy (6C/V5) Starting on the far
right of the block traverse the lip leftward on slopers
topping out the far left.
35
40
41
37
Bella Block
An obvious low roof perched on a grassy platform
just up from the NW corner of the Panorama Stone.
Offers a gnarly one mover and a good traverse.
38
34
Warstarter Face
Warstarter Face
33) Mike’s Prow (7B/V8) The mega prow
above a ‘wicker’ landing. Start with two holds on
either side of the prow, make a tricky move to a tiny
crimp on the prow and lunge for the glory jug. *
39) Axis (7C/V9) SDS An excellent flowing line
starting as per Wartstarter but once at the lower
crimps cross through LH to the high crimp of WS
(i.e. the one you get RH on WS) and pull through to
a gaston and up to the centre right of the ledge.
Finish direct. Climbed starting up p38 is a good
alternative start but the same grade. **
34) Lancaster Bomber (7C/V9) SDS The full
sitter to the prow, using holds on either side, is a bit
sharp but still very good! Finishes on the right. **
35) Man Power (7C+/V10) Start 1.5m left of
the prow on a high, thin LH ‘clawable’ side pull and
RH flake-crimp. Pull on with great difficulty and
make hard move up right to in cut edge. Now rock
left to better holds and a finish above the ledge. *
36) Project - A direct finish to Man Power.
37) Warstarter (7B+/V8) SDS From sitting on a
block use a quartzy slot and decent side pull to make
big move up right to a good edge. From here quest
on up on very small crimps to the ledge. **
38) Warstarter RH (7C/V9) SDS Start in the
middle of the wall with both hands in quartz slots.
Make a hard cross over move to the lower crimps of
Warstarter and finish as per the original. **
48
49
40) Hades Lair (7A/V6) SDS From sitting on a
block use a quartzy slot and decent side pull to make
big moves direct, rocking left to finish. A lower start,
via a tweaky move, is possible at 7A+/V7. **
48) Bella Despectus (6C/V4) Traverse the lip
from the far right to the far left before topping out.
41) Rocko’s Modern Life (7A+/V7) SDS From
the far left side of the face use a big side pull to
follow a diagonal line of holds into Hades Lair.
49) Bella Roof (7A+/V7) SDS Use sharp
quartzy holds to pull on and make a tough move for
the lip and a mantle finish.
The Links
42) Battalyst (7C/V9) SDS Start up p41 but
continue right across the face and finish up p37. **
43) Axis Powers (7C+/V10) SDS Start up p41
but continue right across the face to finish up p39. *
44) Hades RH (7B/V8) SDS Start up p38 then
continue left across the face to finish up p40. *
7
8
Top Block
A sizable squat block located a few metres up the
hill above the SW corner of the Panorama Stone.
50
51
50) Slanting Arête (6A/V2) SDS The LH arête.
51) The Six Grand Skip (6A+/V3) The RH arête
rocking out left to finish.