First Ascents List Lancashire Rock
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2 / First Ascents First Ascents / 3 FIRST ASCENTS LIST LANCASHIRE ROCK Lancashire Rock First Ascents Lancashire Rock First Ascents Introduction This document is an online resource to its companion BMC guidebook, Lancashire Rock. It gives all first ascent details Although the first climbs in Lancashire were described by list is a reasonably accurate record of the first claimed for the routes contained in that book. Laycock in 1913, which gives a timeline for some of the ascents. So apologies to anyone who sees someone else’s early climbing, by the early sixties there was still relatively name against a climb they did earlier, but if you do have The decision was made to produce this information as a separate, freely-downloadable document in order to save space little information about the routes themselves and even an earlier claim, if routes you did are not attributed, or if in the face of ever-increasing numbers of routes and more space being devoted to larger topos and photos. less about the climbing history. At that time, small groups you can supply any more details, please get in touch. of climbers were exploring their nearby gritstone quar- It is also hoped that this can allow first ascent information, a notoriously changable series of “facts”, to be more dynamic ries, but this was very informal and low key. The climbs and updatable as new information comes along. they did were often not named, and even if they were, it Format of First Ascent Lists was not considered necessary to record any descriptions, The guidebook can be purchased from the BMC, www.thebmc.co.uk/shop. because those involved all had a good idea of the likely The first ascents are grouped here by areas, with the crags grades. Guides were produced to some of the quarries, but listed within each area. This also includes some crags and If you have any information on the information contained here, please get in touch. these were generally hand written or typed and only dis- climbs that have been lost to infilling or requarrying over tributed fairly locally. the years. However, whilst these climbs may no longer email: [email protected] web: www.thebmc.co.uk phone: 0161 445 6111 exist, they are still part of the historical record. So where In1967 Les Ainsworth, encouraged by Walt Unsworth, a crag has been lost, a short summary has been given of wrote an article in the Climber magazine entitled ‘The the first recorded climbing and of any of the crags two Unrealised Climbing Potential of Lancashire’ and this or three star routes. Similarly, where individual routes are prompted some local activists to send details of several not recorded in the current definitive guidebook, these are quarries spread throughout the old county of Lancashire. identified by italics. This then led to the first definitive guidebook dedicated to the area. However, it provided no historical information. Finally, it is necessary to note that although this list was Indeed, at the time, the idea of recording first ascent de- used to add the dates in the definitive guidebook, the first tails was seen as an anathema to most Lancs climbers. As ascent list is continually being updated as climbers send Al Evans once put it “What I like about Lancashire is that in more information, so where there are discrepancies you just get down to the climbing, without seeking glory between the dates given, this list should be taken as the for doing the climbs”. Unfortunately, though some may more accurate. see this as an admirable trait, the lack of record keeping meant that the historical record of Lancashire climbing was for a long time very much an oral one. Furthermore, it was often limited to very small groups of climbers, who were often unaware of previous climbing visits, apart from the odd peg that they found. In the 1983 guidebook a first attempt was made to record the climbing history in print, by providing short histori- Lancashire Rock cal summaries for each area. However, these details were By Les Ainsworth, Ian Carr, Dave Cronshaw and Bruce Goodwin. Designed and typeset by BMC/Niall Grimes limited and it was another three years before detailed first ascent information was provided for the new routes in a supplement by Phil Kelly and Dave Cronshaw. Phil subse- Copyright © 2016 British Mountaineering Council quently went on to develop a fuller first ascent record, but Published by: British Mountaineering Council whilst this was an excellent start, it was compiled twenty years after many of the climbs had been done. Thus, by All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced or used in any form or by that time memories had faded and many of those involved any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanised, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and in developing Lancashire climbing could not be contact- retrieval systems – without the written permission of the publisher. ed, so inevitably there were gaps and inaccuracies. First printed 2016 Since then the first ascent record has been amended and Front cover photo: Naomi Buys on Master Spy Direct, E4 6a, Wilton One (page 56). Photo: Mike Hutton. updated and Phil must be thanked for helping with that. Nevertheless, it still remains incomplete. In particular, the best that can be claimed is that the current first ascent Lancashire Rock First Ascents Lancashire Rock First Ascents 6 7 The Bolton Area James McHaffie soloing Christine Arête, E3 5c, at Wilton One (page 46). Photo: Niall Grimes. First AscentsBolton / 9 1967 Leucocyte Right-hand Hank Pasquill, Ray Evans 1969 The Shakes (A2) Hank Pasquill, Des Britt 1967 Central Route, Christine Arête, Virgin’s Dilemma, First free ascent by Geoff Mann, Nigel Bonnett as K.P. The Bolton Area Cheat Hank Pasquill 14 july 1981. The holds on Cheat were reputed to have been carefully 1969 Josser (A2) Jim Fogg, A. Chadwick measured to Hank’s reach before their creation, to just be out of reach First free ascent by Dave Knighton, 1978. 1964 Aug 1 Grotty Muckden Les Ainsworth and party of Hank’s friendly rival, Ray Evans. 1969 Adrenalin (VS/A2) Jim Fogg, Graham ‘Penk’ Penketh Wilton One 1964 Aug 1 Twazack Left-hand Les Ainsworth (second did not follow) 1967 Ann Les Ainsworth, John McGonagle First free ascent by Hank Pasquill, Geoff Mann, 1981. Originally climbed with the Right-hand finish. The left 1967 White Slabs Bunt (2 pts aid) Hank Pasquill 1969 Adrenalin Direct (VS/A3) Hank Pasquill, Jim Fogg 1961 Eastern Terrace Graham Kilner, Harry Taylor hand start was not added until about 1975. Aid eliminated by Hank Pasquill, 1971. First free ascent by Gareth Parry as Chocolate Girl, July 1961 Rambling Route, Bird Chimney, Flywalk, Scimi- 1964 Aug Erythrocyte Les Ainsworth 1967 Fearful Frank (A1/VS) John McGonagle, Ray Miller 1996. tar Graham Kilner, Harry Taylor A few weeks earlier, Ken Powell and Bob Hampson had This was a peg start combined with the Wall Finish of 1969 Nothing Fantastic Hank Pasquill, Graham ‘Penk’ Penketh Rambling Route and Bird Chimney originally called climbed a similar line up the bottom section called Red Wall. Frightful Fred to make a virtually independent line. 1969 Rebellion Hank Pasquill, Jim Fogg Amen Reverse and Green Chimney respectively. 1964 Aug 8 Jean (1 pt aid) Les Ainsworth, Ron Atkinson First free ascent as Jimmy Mac, Bin Man Extraordinaire 1969 Dinosaur Hank Pasquill, Dave Hollows 1961 Sunset Boulevard (A1) Graham Kilner, Harry Taylor Aid peg dispensed with by Bob Hampson, Ken Powell by Phil Kelly, Paul Wood, Paul Pritchard, 5 Aug 1983. 1969 Roll Over Hank Pasquill, Dave Hollows First free ascent as Dawn, by Mick Pooler, Ray Evans, after removal of a block when placing the peg a couple of weeks later. 1967 Susan Les Ainsworth, Ian ‘Spider’ McQuirk Originally gained from Dinosaur. 1963. 1964 Aug 9 Ruby Les Ainsworth, Ron Atkinson 1967 Mary Terry Wareing, Les Ainsworth Line made independent by Ian Lonsdale, 26 July 1976. 1962 Mar Fingernail Mick Pooler, Dave Brodigan 1964 Aug 16 Helix Ray Evans, Bob Hampson (alts) Pre-1968 Kettle Crack (VS/A1) 1969 Bolton Buttress Les Ainsworth (solo) 1962 Apr 22 Christeena Mick Pooler, Dave Brodigan 1964 Aug 23 Green Wall Ray Evans, Ken Powell First free ascent by Hank Pasquill, Ian Lonsdale, 1971. 1970 Barbara Ann Dave Cronshaw, Roger Vickers 1962 Graveyard Direct, Graveyard Ordinary, Coffin Dig- 1964 Aug 23 White Crack Ray Evans (solo) Pre-1968 Flytrap Hank Pasquill 1970 Loopy Left-hand Hank Pasquill, John Grundy, Jim Fogg ger’s Spade, The Overhang Mick Pooler, Dave Brodigan 1964 Aug 26 Leucocyte Left-hand Ray Evans, Ken Powell Originally known as Bypass. 1970 Baby’s Bottom Dave Cronshaw, Les Ainsworth 1963 Mar 12 Blackout Dave Brodigan, John Nuttall, Ray Evans 1964 Sep 19 Tombstoned Ray Evans, Dave Sant (Various leads) 1968 Easter Willow Arête Hank Pasquill and party 1970 Thin Air Hank Pasquill, Dave Hollows 1963 Apr 12 Frightful Fred Ray Evans, John Nuttall 1964 Oct Niche Indirect Ray Evans, Bob Hampson 1968 Easter Baby Arête Hank Pasquill (solo) 1970 Master Spy Hank Pasquill, Dave Hollows (shared leads and Wall Finish by Ray Evans, John Nuttall, 15 June 1964. 1964 Oct 24 Stet (A2) Ken Powell, Bob Hampson 1968 Dinah (1 pt aid) attempts) 1963 Apr 17 Great Slab Ken Powell, Ray Evans (alts) First free ascent by John Monks, Tony Preston as Ego Aid eliminated by Hank Pasquill, 1974. 1971 Merchant Crack, This Dave Cronshaw, Les Ainsworth The route originally finished up 999, until the groove Trip, 6th Aug 1982. 1968 Paradox Hank Pasquill 1971 La Rue, Lime Street, T’other Les Ainsworth, Dave finish was cleaned by Les Ainsworth, Paul Hamer, 1966.