[slackline]

List from Stone Country Bouldering in Scotland. List of venues that anyone might conceivably include

Cheers Chris, added them

and no one mentions Scugdale??
 

Tis on the draft survey

R-man where art thou!!!!

God this is tedious. There will end up being more areas on this list than there are people who use this forum and the end result will prove that some of us like some places and others like others and think that the places the other people like are shit.

NO SHIT SHERLOCK!!!

 

Don't worry Jasper, its just a bit of fun, after all, what else is the internet for...

welcome to the internet where people tend to disagree with each other.

[220bpm]

List from Stone Country Bouldering in Scotland. List of venues that anyone might conceivably include

Boltsheugh
Portlethen
Clashfarquar
Craig Corn Arn
Ruthven Rock
Duntelchaig
Cummingston
Cullen Caves
Glen Ogle
Ben Ledi
Loch Katarine
Stronachlachar
Loch Lomond East
Craigmaddie
Craigmore
Thirlstaine
Crifflel
Sandyhills
Labrax
Kishorn Boulders
Rhue Blocks

Outrageous 

I've been to ten of the above list, and none of them are better than Fhionnphort on Mull.
Glen Lednock is pretty damned good as well, also Reiff in the Woods and Sandwood Bay.
Glen Nevis <meh> not fussy about that one.

WTF is Craigmore doing in there?

My top 5 for Scotland would have to be (in no particular order):

Torridon
Fhionnphort
Glen Lednock
Coire Lagan/Ghrunndha
Wolfcrag
Criffel

I've not bouldered much south o' the border, but the good ones were:

Kyloe In
St Bees
Shaftoe

Lists ftw 

[SA Chris]

List is from index of guide (not my opinion) excluding those already in slacklines survey monkey page http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=svKeUg5fqeqOWKlS4MHWEg_3d_3d

Sandwood Bay - stunningly gorgeous spot, OK bouldering on UK scale. Would carry a surfboard over a mat (although mat is totally unnecessary anyway).

[webbo]

and no one mentions
 

as you requested.

[granticus]

Is Bonehill really the best venue in the south-west? If so its a tragedy, such great potential.

Wimberry is better than Widdop, likewise Crookrise. I prefer Bowden to Kyloe.

Is it a genuine UK top 20 list based purely on merit, or is the best of each area liable to creep in? Just about every venue in the Pennines is better than Bonehill.

I'm definitely biting on this one.  Bonehill's OK.. Smallacombe is OK... but if we're talking Dartmoor Granite there is one crag that IMO stands far and above all the others; Combeshead Tor - for location, quantity and for quality of lines.  It would hold it's own against some of the less impressive Penine stuff and could be a contender for top 20 UK wide.

I would also throw into the mix the following coastal venues as being best in the South West, but I honestly don't think they'd make a UK top 20 they're just not that amazing... Gwenver, Clodgy Point, Godrevy, Downderry, Northcott/Sandymouth/Hartland, Lynmouth.

[Idol eyes]

Its under developed, but Bosigran Lower tier will be on this list in the future...

[n_man]

Isn't that tidal/underwater?

[Bungle.]

come on Simon what about Woodhouse Scar and Stainland Quarry you virtually used to live there ??

[Pantontino]

Both Woodhouse and West Vale will always have a special place in my heart, and I still maintain that Piton Crack (at Woodhouse) is the second best V5 in Yorkshire.

[Johnny Brown]

  If that's true its a damning indictment of yorkshire bouldering.

Combeshead Tor - for location, quantity and for quality of lines.

Will have to check it out. A good objective view from a local is just what's needed

[Pantontino]

If that's true its a damning indictment of yorkshire bouldering.

I wouldn't put Woodhouse in the top 20, but if you don't rate Piton Crack you really have tipped yourself over the edge of sanity. I'm not being sentuimental about an old haunt - it really is a first class problem.

C'mon JB, get a grip, it's a strong visual line, with funky moves, it's even made of natural grit and is a bit scary. What more do you want? (something at the Plantation presumably  )

[SA Chris]

Combeshead Tor - for location, quantity and for quality of lines.

Will have to check it out. A good objective view from a local is just what's needed

One of the spots in the SW I regret not going to. Many people in the know have raved about it, and looks great on Javu.

[Johnny Brown]

C'mon JB, get a grip, it's a strong visual line, with funky moves, it's even made of natural grit and is a bit scary. What more do you want? (something at the Plantation presumably  )

Its a good problem yes, perhaps the best at the crag, but yarking on peg scars doesn't really fit my idea of 'great'. I remember it more for being bold than the quality of the moves.

The Plantation's not in yorkshire. Burbage is though, I daresay it would have a contender though I can't be arsed mentally translating all the grades. What is a V5? Clearly not just me.

[grimer]

If that's true its a damning indictment of yorkshire bouldering.

Combeshead Tor - for location, quantity and for quality of lines.

Will have to check it out. A good objective view from a local is just what's needed

I thought Combeshead Tor was the nicest of the places I visited down that way. To me it seemed like one of those special places with an almost spooky atmosphere.

[SA Chris]

What, a spooky venue on Dartmoor?

[Pantontino]

Its a good problem yes, perhaps the best at the crag, but yarking on peg scars doesn't really fit my idea of 'great'.

What pegs scars? You hold an undercut at the base of the crack, reach a natural two finger pocet out right, and pull through on two entirely unblemished finger jams. Yer going senile lad, this ain't London Wall!

What is a V5?.

here's your answer

[Johnny Brown]

So there aren't any of either in yorkshire? No wonder Piton crack's up there...

[Pantontino]

If that's true its a damning indictment of yorkshire bouldering.

Combeshead Tor - for location, quantity and for quality of lines.

Will have to check it out. A good objective view from a local is just what's needed

I thought Combeshead Tor was the nicest of the places I visited down that way. To me it seemed like one of those special places with an almost spooky atmosphere.

It's definitely the next place I'll be visiting down there. Granticus, fancy starring in a Stone Circles article? Is the rock as sharp as Bonehill?

[jern]

Yep, Combeshead's proper rough too. But the climbing's so good that you won't even notice until it's too late.

There's probably not as many problems or the conveniance of Bonehill, but the ratio of quality stuff is far higher. Gets a bit overgrown with bracken in summer apparently, but I've only been in winter.

Would be my SW choice for the list (if any SW venues qualify)

[Dr T]

Bonehill - once described to me as like climbing on soap which had been embedded with razor blades and broken glass   

[A Jooser]

I agree with the comments about Bonehill. When I saw it mentioned I thought 'Bonehill?! That isn’t even the best venue on Dartmoor!' Combeshead would definitely get my vote. I personally prefer the bouldering at Hound Tor or Saddle Tor to Bonehill but that just goes to show how subjective (pointless) such a thing as a 'Top 20 Bouldering Venues in the UK' list really is.

Maybe the average British boulderer needs to broaden their horizons? It seems to me that places are only considered worthwhile or good, if they appear in magazines or in UKC's database. So the popular places get more popular (more trashed perhaps) and the great spots that are off the beaten track never get the kudos or attention they deserve. On the plus side though, this means the best places can be enjoyed by the adventurous few in blissful solitude.

[wintermute]

Another vote for combeshead over bonehill.....

Only been there once (and spent most of the time wondering around aimlessly), but looking at the amount of quality looking stuff thats been uncovered there, surely the Bovey woods would be the venue of choice for dartmoor?

[tim palmer]

At the risk of saying something very unpopular indeed I am alone in struggling to think of 20 good bouldering venues in the UK?  I think there are alot of really good problems but very very few venues with more than one or two 3 star problems (after a recent trip to dartmoor I have a suspicion that there are only one or two 3 star problems in the entire national park). 

To be fair I have never been to yorkshire (where i understand the best bouldering the country to be) and only to a few crags in northumberland but I have bouldered reasonably extensively throughout the rest of the UK and i can think of maybe 10 I would recommend to someone visiting from abroad who doesn't have the time to go esoterica hunting and wants go venues with good rock with a reasonable concentration of decent climbing.  This would be my ten excluding yorkshire and northumberland due to lack of knowledge (but i do think bowden doors (not back bowden) is completely destroyed)

Scotland: Dumby (sack off the rest and i have been to glen crow, lednock, brin rock, portlethen etc etc)
Wales: The pass and parisella's
The Lakes:  The Bowderstone
The Peak: Stanage, Cratcliffe/RHS, Roaches, Burbage, rubicon/crag x (maybe if filth is your thing)
The south west: don't bother unless you have another reason for going there

[SA Chris]

Scotland: Dumby (sack off the rest and i have been to glen crow, lednock, brin rock, portlethen etc etc)

Are Torridon, Glen Nevis and Coire Lagan the etcs?

Also this is not a list of what you regard as good in the UK, it's what are regarded as the best in the UK.

[andy_e]

Top twenty you say?

1. Demon Wall Roof
2. Virgin boulder
3. Keel Boulder
4. Underhand boulder
5. Egg boulder
6. Pistol Whip wall
7. Crucifix face/underneath bit/pebble wall
8. Wall with Dreamland on it
9. South Cave
10. Wall of Horrors
11. Rift area
12. Morrell's wall boulder
13. The wall with Hanging Rib on it
14. Flying arete boulder
15. Teaspoon cave
16. Caley Crag
17. Caley Roadside
18. Simon's/Lord's Seat
19. Brimham
20. Earl crag

Biased? Me? No.