[r-man]

So now the days are getting longer and weekend trips and evening sessions are more tempting, what are the bouldering options if the downwards dampness arrives?

Would be nice to know about places everywhere, so there are bolt holes when away for a weekend and the weather turns foul.

Lakes
Red Wall
Bowderstone

Wales
Carreg Hylldrem
Parisella's
Roadside

Yorkshire
West Vale
Woodhouse Scar - Clingen Face
Almscliff - Virgin
Ilkley - Calf

Northumberland
Heckley

Lancs
Brownstones - Nexus Wall. Only a small wall, but some great dynos. You have to stay close to keep dry though.

Daan South

Peak
Stoney
Raven Tor (in summer)
Churnet - Wright's and Genlteman's
Westside story - stays dry in moderate rain if weather coming in from the west
Green Room slap, Stanage - Pretty shower proof, thanks to enclosed nature.
Turningstone Edge - Stays dry in moderate westerly rain. Not very many problems though.
eatswood - Steep rock, capping roofs and woodland keep the bouldering dry in all but the worst conditions.
Shining cliff - The Goose Creature buttress is protected from rain by capping roof.
Hueco and Babu Yagu wall, Cratcliffe - dry in most weather


Its always nice to avoid going indoors when everyone else does, so let loose the sneaky shelter seekage secrets...

[Carnage]

This is my wet weather spot. Never gets touched by a drop.  :D

[Jim]

was gonna do a similar thread.
Off to the cave today to beast myself

[dave]

the tor isn't dry in all weather, it seeps quite unreliably, though granted theres not many days in summer at least where nothing is dry. can also be quite dry in winter.

I've never been to stoney and found nothing at all dry.

[moose]

I guess the obvious Yorkshire grit choices are the front face of the Virgin at Almscliff (a touch limited unless you're a beast), Joker's Wall at Brimham and the back of the Calf at Ilkey.  Not sure if I would bother travelling any real distance to them if it was already raining though: they're more places you linger if caught in poor weather to have a bit of a boulder whilst weighing up the options.  Presumably there are some on limestone?

Northumberland options... can't really think of any.  Although parts of Kyloe "in" are sufficiently steep that they stay dry in light drizzle.. not really a true wet weather venue though (especially given sandstone's weakness when wet).

[Pantontino]

What about Heckley in the County? Stays bone dry in torrential rain.

Or Carreg Hylldrem in N Wales - again stays dry in torrential rain.

You might also be surprised how often you can climb on the Roadside Face - it's just steep enough to stay dry in a shower. As long as you don't top out, and just stick to inventing eliminates (all involving that awesome sloper) up to the ramp, you can often salvage a session from a shite day.

In Yorkshire, bits of West Vale and Woodhouse Scar stay dry in showery weather.

I would imagine that Devil's Gorge in the Clwyd Valley would stay dry in the rain - I haven't been (yet), just guessing. check this: http://www.northwalesbouldering.com/newsitem.asp?nsid=158

[Doylo]

devils gorge gets really soapy and horrible after rain and takes a while to dry out fully.

[Jim]

cave was in good nick today and split infinity, me calum and pete had a good session

[saltbeef]

did you tick anything beast?

[Jim]

Not wrong. We all did slim (V8), then worked bellpig and rock atrosity till knackered and fading light. Good session. All too knackered to do RA in a oner and I've still got the move to the glued undercut to do. Need to go back soon

[Bonjoy]

Bearing in mind that if the dreaded misty-drizzle is heavy, nowhere will be dry, some other peak spots:
 Westside story - stays dry in moderate rain if weather coming in from the west
 Green Room slap, Stanage - Pretty shower proof, thanks to enclosed nature.
 Turningstone Edge - Stays dry in moderate westerly rain. Not very many problems though.
 eatswood - Steep rock, capping roofs and woodland keep the bouldering dry in all but the worst conditions.
 Shining cliff - The Goose Creature buttress is protected from rain by capping roof.
 Hueco and Babu Yagu wall, Cratcliffe - dry in most weather
 The above four are all fairly low altitude and in the peak rainshadow, hence are often fine when the main edges are getting rained on. Other crags which benefit from this are Rivelin, Wharncliffe, Pleasley Vale, Roche Abbey and all the Cratcliffe area crag.

[moose]

What about Heckley in the County? Stays bone dry in torrential rain.
In Yorkshire, bits of West Vale and Woodhouse Scar stay dry in showery weather.

Never been to Heckley, thanks for the tip.  It looks okay on climbonline - is it? Or does it fall into the visit-once-to-say-you've-been category?

Re Woodhouse Scar - many hours spent under the Clingen Face, pondering whether to retreat to the Hudds wall or whether to work yet another ridiculously polished and fingery eliminate.  Worth noting for those who haven't climbed there that t'Scar has a sunny, low-altitude position and is often fairly dry whilst the Bridies and Widdop are fog-bound and dripping (which the former often is despite its exposure).  Worth stopping off to check-out on your way back to the M62 anyway (something I will probably end up doing this saturday).

I have never been but have heard that Armathwaite in the eastern Lakes stays dry - looks rather nice on the lakesbloc topo too.

[fatneck]

Heckley looked decent when we went in November. Unfortunately there were no less than three waterfalls cascading down the place. Although I imagine it's normally alright with less than two days of torrential rain... and would definately go back. Nice rock...

[r-man]

Some good suggestions. Keep em coming, and boulderers everywhere will be forever slightly less damp...

Have posted the same thread on ukc. Spead the net wide...

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=169729&v=1#2434225

What's Blake Dean? And is there anything worth doing at New Mills Torr? And how much of the Churnet stays dry?

[fatneck]

Was surprised the Churnet hadn't come up yet. Wrights Rock and Gentlemans stay pretty dry. Ousel and Cottage are relatively shower proof but nothing more than that.

[SA Chris]

Back Bowden can be bouldered at in the rain, some limited stuff under the big roof.

Right hand side of Baildon is possible in light rain, especially if there is a northerly wind. And you like quarries. And are desperate.

[r-man]

Desperate? Only when it rains...

[r-man]

I've never been to stoney and found nothing at all dry.

I have. Yesterday. Every single hold had a small amount of moisture on it. Damn. Then we thought we'd check out Rubicon, hoping the press wall would be dry. The lake was all the way up to the crag in most places. It was dry beneath the press wall, but the holds were soaking. I only know that because my friend took off his shoes and socks and waded in. He was more desperate than me...  :shock:

[andy_e]

That desperate to get 100 7as?

[Jim]

every single hold and piece of rock in the cave and split infinity were soaking yesterday  :cry:

[dave]

I've never been to stoney and found nothing at all dry.

I have. Yesterday. Every single hold had a small amount of moisture on it. Damn. Then we thought we'd check out Rubicon, hoping the press wall would be dry. The lake was all the way up to the crag in most places. It was dry beneath the press wall, but the holds were soaking. I only know that because my friend took off his shoes and socks and waded in. He was more desperate than me...  :shock:

even in the wettest winter days i've not had minus ten totally wet, evne when there were wet streaks down some problems. However I 've never been in bad damp fog though. toms roof is often wet from condensation. stuff like minus ten can dry pretty quick from chalk once it gets climbed on though.

I have had to wade out of rubicon before, but never in - that is keen.

[Pantontino]

Jim, I very nearly drove over to Parisella's yesterday. In the end I went to the wall - looks like I made the right decision (for once).

The sooner we get that web cam installed the better!

[saltbeef]

bet you enjoyed the drive though.

[Doylo]

I have had to wade out of rubicon before, but never in - that is keen.

Dave i bought some wellies last year so i could get in to Rubicon to try Zeke. I couldn't be arsed buying another pair for a belayer though so they remain unused.

Jim's journey wasn't wasted cos he had a stellar session on Wales newest and best board, the Denbigh Den.

[andy_e]

Fucking hell, it's pising down again- just before I go to sheffield  :cry:  :cry:  :cry:

I hope Stoney is dry?