[dom]

I'm planning on going to the Lake District to do some bouldering for a few days soon, i checked out the lakesbloc and from the guides and photos, i reckon St Bees and Bowderstone look like the places to go.  I'm only climbing up to font 7a at the moment though, will i have enough here to go at, (its my first time in the lakes) or would i be better off somewhere else.  Also any recomendations on classic problems i should try?

[dave]

st bees and bowderstone are all good. not thousands of problems so just try everything!

[Fingers of a Martyr]

personally i'd wudn't bother with the bowderstone. despite the new topo makin it look great it ain't. not unless u climb v7/8 or higher really. i'd go to carrock fell or the gouther crag boulders instead as well as st bees.

[dom]

Nice, that vid is getting me psyced for the trip.  Found this photo as well, looks amaizing, anyone know the name and grade of the problem.
Its the third one down on this page http://www.ukbouldering.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=2421
i havn't figure out how to copy and paste photos on to here yet.

[dave]

this is hueco crack:



think its given V7. on that day we were srating sitting directly, slapping toa  sloper/pinch, getting a left foot heeltowbar above the head on the left, virtually take both hands off then continue where fbsf is in that photo. the top crack is not that easy either! great problem, perfect landing.

this is also it:

[Nigel]

...wudn't bother with the bowderstone. despite the new topo makin it look great it ain't

As a great man once said: "Of course you are entitled to your opinion, everyone must respect that. However, you must respect this - your opinion is wrong."

The new topo makes it look great because it is.  :  That said FOAMy cappucino is right that at <7a you won't get that much done there, it is pretty hardcore! Same with Gouther, you will never have good day here unless you climb V7 at least!

St Bees definately, then probably Carrock Fell. Details about Carrock are on a recent thread somewhere, a quick search should sort you out.  

Have fun!  :D

[Mr.Burns]

St Bees should defo be on your list is the bomb!!!

The Bowderstone is also great and you don't have to be climbin V8 to have a good day there, the problems are great to work out (even if you don't manage to link them all) and you will get a good work out.

St Bees on Sat and Bowderstone on Sun if you ask me. :D

[dom]

Cool, thanks for the reply's guys.  I'm going for a few days so hopefully if the weather is decent i'll be able to visit St Bees, Bowderstone and Carrock Fell.

[Jim]

Bowderstone is a good place to get strong and also good if its raining.
St Bees is well good, keep meaning to go back but not got round to it yet

[Fingers of a Martyr]

<7a you won't get that much done there, it is pretty hardcore! Same with Gouther, you will never have good day here unless you climb V7 at least!

yeah but there's v7's and then there's bowderstone v7's

[Nigel]

Whaddya mean?  :?

[Fingers of a Martyr]

doesn't matter...

[Bonjoy]

The grades seemed pretty standard to me, neither tough nor soft.

[Nigel]

If you mean that the're hard for the grade, then you should have said on the Bowder Chowder thread which was devoted to grade comments and such!

I would probably do the same thing in either case, and refer the honourable gentleman to the Forest of Fontainbleau.  :shock:

[Greg C]

So Fingers, tell me again which problems have you actually DONE at the Bowderstone and Gouther? I don't seem to recall you saying you had actually completed any problems at either venue  :trout:

[Mr.Burns]

[dom]

Back from the trip, and have to say i was well impressed with what i saw.  Got a couple of good weather days on tues and wed so headed to bowederstone and st bees.  Bowderstone is amaizing, i was too weak to do anyof the good hard problems, but i still got a good days climbing done.  I did the crack and the crack direct.  Played about on picnic sarcastic from standing, got to the flat hold out left, but kept coming off from there.  Did the ramp from standing, which should be listed a problem by itself since its the easiest thing on that face.  Climbing there was surreal though, it must have been school holidays cause there was a constant crowd of people watching us climb.  When i was topping out of the crack there must have been about 20 people standing and watching, i could hear people whispering 'i hope he doesn't fall off from that height' no pressure or anything.  then i got a round of aplause when i got to the top, very bizzare considering in when i climb in scotland im often the only person for miles.  Picnic sarcastic is an awesome problem, i need to go back when i'm a bit stronger and finish it.
St Bees is breathtaking, i got there in bright sunshine and when i was walking through the red sandstone boulders it felt like i could have been on mars or something.  Probably the most picturesque place i've ever climbed, and i've climbed at some really nice places before.  Didn't really get much hard done cause i was still feeling sore from the bowderstone.  Got in a couple of sport routes, not sure what grade they were, the rock was much more sandy, not as good as the boulders.  Played about on hueco crack, another one to go back and do once i'm a bit stronger.  had an amaizing day there, but i would not recomend trying to get there by public transport.  Cheers for the recomendations.