[andy popp]

You could probably drop all of Pex Hill and the wall climbs at Harmer's Wood into this thread. I've always liked a blank-looking wall but can understand that they aren't so striking to some. The quality of the climbing though: my God.

I've wondering all day whether to just post a list of Cheshire obscurities, The Dark Ark being top of said list of bland looking walls.

[steveri]

You could probably drop all of Pex Hill and the wall climbs at Harmer's Wood into this thread. I've always liked a blank-looking wall but can understand that they aren't so striking to some. The quality of the climbing though: my God.

I'd add the delightful Harold's Wall on Helsby Barrel. It might just be spectacularly me-centric but the reach for the sloper below the top is almost too far and needs a semi-dynamic tippy-toe teeter. Latching it just so at the point where you start to fall backwards, blows a satisfying raspberry to gravity.

Edit: just when it was looking Yorkshire centric, the balance rocks back towards Cheshire obscura

[moose]

Nice thread - I was going to suggest something similar but was delayed by wondering if it'd be apt or sexist to refer to such problems as "Jolie laide" - a woman whose face is attractive despite having ugly features!

[tomtom]

blank walls are a line in themselves to me and shouldn’t be in this thread. I don’t think they’re bland at all!

A blank wall with just the faintest ripple in it - or seam of tiny weaknesses...

[andy popp]

Edit: just when it was looking Yorkshire centric, the balance rocks back towards Cheshire obscura

I'm going to play my ace: Sufferer's Slab at Stonehouse Lane. Lump of quarried rock that looks like a big poo in a bit of scally wasteland in downtown Runcorn. Graffiti, old chipped holds, but this faint runnel is a beaut.   

[steveri]

I'm going to play my ace: Sufferer's Slab at Stonehouse Lane. Lump of quarried rock that looks like a big poo in a bit of scally wasteland in downtown Runcorn. Graffiti, old chipped holds, but this faint runnel is a beaut.

Excellent, been meaning to have a look at that lump for ages. Intrigued now, not least because it seems to be simultaneously 6a, 6C and 6C+ on ukc.

[bolehillbilly]

I have a fairly low threshold for what counts as quality generally but I remember being really nicely surprised by how well Balls Test at Balsow climbs.

[Fiend]

There's nowt surprising about that, apart from how previously underrated it was!

[Fiend]

On the subject of which nothing on Cheshire sandstone should be on here as anyone with half a brain expects the climbing to be full-on bangage.

Here's another one: Terrible name ("All 14 8000m Peaks" FFS), shameless eliminate with an easy arete right next to you, and a light dusting of scrittle compared to the send-train-bellend-fest chalk-caked thuggery of the left hand prow of it...



...but then again it's a lovely shield of rock, good landing, great scenic mezzanine mercifully far above the Deliverance-polishing chodes, obvious pull-on, cool moves that manage to be balancy, positional, frictional and powerful, leading a skin-of-teeth fall onto a jug to finish - mwah

[Will Hunt]

Having seen it slagged so much by the the cognoscenti, I had pretty low expectations going into Toit du Cul de Chien. I was delighted to find that it's a classic for very good reason.

[andy popp]

I'm going to play my ace: Sufferer's Slab at Stonehouse Lane. Lump of quarried rock that looks like a big poo in a bit of scally wasteland in downtown Runcorn. Graffiti, old chipped holds, but this faint runnel is a beaut.

Excellent, been meaning to have a look at that lump for ages. Intrigued now, not least because it seems to be simultaneously 6a, 6C and 6C+ on ukc.

It's not 6A! Climb straight up the faint runnel. Slight rules: don't use any chips (which are all low down) and don't use the pocket to the L on Stonehill Wall. It actually never occurred to me use it.

[remus]

Font is a complete gold mine for seemingly unpopular lines that are total belters. Trying to scrape a few from the memory banks, but one that stands out is a little arete opposite Le P'tit Toit at 95.2. Right in the middle of a super popular area, never has any chalk on it but a really cool, subtle couple of moves.

[SA Chris]

Le Bossu at Canon too, and the prob just to the left

[Scouse D]

Here's another one: Terrible name ("All 14 8000m Peaks" FFS), shameless eliminate with an easy arete right next to you, and a light dusting of scrittle compared to the send-train-bellend-fest chalk-caked thuggery of the left hand prow of it...



...but then again it's a lovely shield of rock, good landing, great scenic mezzanine mercifully far above the Deliverance-polishing chodes, obvious pull-on, cool moves that manage to be balancy, positional, frictional and powerful, leading a skin-of-teeth fall onto a jug to finish - mwah

I was there when my mate Bogg did that. We tried to talk him out of the name but he thought it was a stroke of genius.

[Fiend]

Can you kick Bogg in the cock please, ta 

[Ged]

Here's another one: Terrible name ("All 14 8000m Peaks" FFS), shameless eliminate with an easy arete right next to you, and a light dusting of scrittle compared to the send-train-bellend-fest chalk-caked thuggery of the left hand prow of it...



...but then again it's a lovely shield of rock, good landing, great scenic mezzanine mercifully far above the Deliverance-polishing chodes, obvious pull-on, cool moves that manage to be balancy, positional, frictional and powerful, leading a skin-of-teeth fall onto a jug to finish - mwah

I was there when my mate Bogg did that. We tried to talk him out of the name but he thought it was a stroke of genius.

Knowing Bogg quite well, I'd say we got off quite lightly with that route name.

[Bonjoy]

This one is well worth the very short walk in if you're in the market for a steep 6c prow. Much better than it's ultra obscurity suggests.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/carl_wark-893/toads_mouth_prow-444865