Lad Stones Bouldering By Greg Chapman
Introduction Approach & Overview Map Aspect 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. 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. Approach Use in conjunction with map below: 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. Panorama Stone Top Block The Bothy Bella Conditions 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 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. Wetherlam (762m) N 250m Car Park Yewdale Beck High Tilberthwaite > Hodge Close Right: One of four; Andy Goldsworthy s touchstone slate features in his renovated sheepfold opposite the car park. Tilberthwaite 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 Coloured diamonds are shown before each problem to give an idea of difficulty at a glance: Grade Spread (Font Grade) 3-5+ 6A-6B+ 6C-7A 7A+-7B 7B+-7C 7C+-8A 8A+ 08 09 11 09 14 04 01 Approach Time: 25 Minutes Lad Stones Grassy Knoll Yewdale Moss Virtual Crag Ambleside A593 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 Front Cover: Pete Wilkinson powering through the brilliant Warstarter, 7B+. Pete Wilkinson. > Coniston Coppermines Valley < > Coniston 1 2
Lad Stones Tilted Boulder & The Bothy Lad Stones The Bothy 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 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. 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) Shadow Wall (3+/V0) The short wall. 2 3 4 9 10 8 6 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 3 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! ** 4 2 1 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. * 9) From the Earths Cauldron (6C/V4) The right side of the beautiful rounded arête on nice rock. ** 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. * 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. 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. 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. ** The Bothy: South Slab 13 12 11 10 Above: Ben Freeman hanging tough on the crux move of the superb Traci Lords, 8A. The Bothy: South Slab A good high slab featuring some nice problems. 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) Sky High (3+/V0) The left hand side of the slab starting off a big block provides nice delicate moves on good rock. 3 4
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. 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. The Niche Photo-topo on previous page: 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. 15 14 18 17 16 20) Project - The huge hanging arête started on the right and veering onto the left wall near the top. 21) Groove Armada (7C+/V10) Climb the central line up the hanging niche. Originally head pointed but has since been climbed ground up. *** 22) Project - Start up the niche bit then move out left up the steep hanging nose before questing on direct. 24) Warm Up Wall Centre (5+/V1) SDS Climb the thin wall direct via some straightforward edge pulling to the break. 25) Warm Up Wall Left (5/V0) SDS Much of the same up the line immediately to the left. 26) Finger Tingler (3+/V0) The pleasant wall on great rock finishing at the ledge. Spinal Block Spinal Block Low Block Low Block 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. 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. 15) Spinal Tap (6A+/V3) Gain a big hold and make a long stretch to the top. Bottom Right: Jordan Buys on Groove Armada, 7C+. 16) Stoned Lad (7A/V6) SDS Up the undercut prow via some tricky moves. All foot blocks are out. 17) Aye Lad (6C/V4) SDS Start up the undercut prow then veer left and finish centrally. 18) Block Roof (6B/V3) SDS Climb the short roof direct. Blocks for feet is allowed. 33 Stella Face 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. 34 32 29 28 The Niche 31 30 27 22 Stella Face Stella Face 26 25 24 23 21 20 19 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. 28) Crack Butler (7B+/V8) SDS This direct version of p27 follows the thin crack to the ledge. * 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. ** 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. 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. * 5 6
Lad Stones 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. Lad Stones Upper Outlying Blocks BraveStarr Block The small cave formed by a large perched block immediately to the rear of the hosts one good involved problem. Hobbledehoy Block A decent little block, seemingly supporting the. Provides a trio of reasonable problems. 47 36 45 46 39 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. 41 40 37 38 35 34 33 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! 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. 47) Hobbledehoy (6C/V5) Starting on the far right of the block traverse the lip leftward on slopers topping out the far left. Top Block A sizable squat block located a few metres up the hill above the SW corner of the Panorama Stone. 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. * 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. ** 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. ** 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. ** 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. 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. * 48) Bella Despectus (6C/V4) Traverse the lip from the far right to the far left before topping out. 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. 49 48 50 50) Slanting Arête (6A/V2) SDS The LH arête. 51) The Six Grand Skip (6A+/V3) The RH arête rocking out left to finish. 51 7 8