How should I plan a bouldering trip at Lake District as a Outdoor newb

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 Moo_Saidthecow 30 Jul 2022

Hello all,

A group of a friends and I will be heading to Glasgow mid August for a 3 week exchange program.  We're indoor boulderers, the country we're from has little to no outdoor climbing thus this will be new to most of us besides me with a tiny bit of outdoor lead and bouldering experience.

I've asked in another thread and it seems that Lake District would be a more ideal location to boulder instead of Dumberton which is much closer to us. We've never planned an outdoor trip and was wondering how it is recommended get started planning one. We have only an entire weekend for this trip at Lake District and our goal if possible is to try various style of outdoor boulders from slabs, to overhangs. 

It seems like we'll need to decide on the crags we wish to climb at first before deciding on accommodation?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Post edited at 16:52
 Mark Eddy 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

Yes decide on the area of the Lakes you want to visit then look for accommodation. Start looking pretty soon though as it's usually busy here in August.

There are some great bouldering venues here, a couple of areas that I'd recommend are Langdale  and Eskdale. Note that both these and many other areas will suffer from high bracken on approach walks during summer, so be prepared for that and wear long trouser/sleeves to help fend off the ticks.

This guide should help you decide on an area: https://rockrun.com/products/lake-district-bouldering

 HTH

 snoop6060 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

Well can’t offer much advice beyond just make sure you don’t think it’s a good idea to go to the bowderstone! St bees, defo go there. Lovely flat landings (mostly), but it’s well out of the way. It’s better to stay elsewhere.  

I’d actually go to Northumberland if you’re that far north mind you. Just don’t touch the rock if it’s even slightly damp or they might shoot you. But reckon it’s better suited to what you want. 

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 cragtyke 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

Do you have access to cars or will you be using public transport ?

 C Witter 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

Camping is the only accommodation answer unless you're made of money, at this time of year. Take a brush and at least two pads. There are some good boulders, but be prepared to walk.

You may do well heading to the "South Lakes" at some point: there are concentrations of good limestone boulder problems here:

Fairy Steps
Very close together are: Farleton Crag, Newbiggin Crag and Hutton Roof Crags

Good easyish grit here:
Windy Clough and Thorn Crag.

Otherwise, the Langdale boulders and Chapel Stile boulders can be visited in the same day and St Bees is really lovely but a bit of a trek. Brant Fell is small but delectable, with lots of goey 5 - 6A problems.

My tip, to start with, is not to overly commit yourself, because falling from the top of a boulder outside is not always a good idea, especially if you don't have much practice in falling well.

Enjoy!

Post edited at 17:47
 tmawer 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

I live in the Lakes but I'm a very mediocre boulderer and at my grades there's not a huge choice, but at harder grades there's loads dotted about. I generally think it's much harder outdoors than indoors so perhaps aim a bit lower than what you usually achieve indoors. What grades are you looking for? 

Thanks a lot for the advice guys! Its been really informative. Sorry I am unsure how to link multiple replies so I decided to categories my replies.

For Accommodations:

Camping may be impossible for us, we may have to take a look at hostels if they're available.

For Transport:

We're planning on renting a car to drive from Glasgow for that weekend. I'd imagine it would be hiking from the Hostels to the various crags?

For location / crag choice:

Our indoor boulder and board grades are roughly V6 - 8. I would imagine we'd have to look for outdoor climbs around the V3 range?

Should we decide which area (crags?) we would visit based on the amount of <V3 and below climbs or are there usually other factors we should consider?

For now, I would imagine that our biggest concern would be accessibility? We're from Singapore and outdoor hikes are few and far between. I'm a little concern when it comes to outdoor navigation especially if the crags are fairly deep. 

For Crash Pads

Are there common rental shops we can get them from? Do gyms (in Glasgow) commonly have them available for rental?

Post edited at 18:28
 C Witter 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

Crags are generally fairly spread around, so you will probably have to drive.

You should consider buying this map: https://shop.thebmc.co.uk/product/lake-district-british-mountain-map/ (£14 elsewhere).

You should also consider buying the guide mentioned/linked to above, to make the most of your trip and help you to plan.

The crags aren't too hard to find with a map and a guidebook, as they are both very good quality. You may be in for a bit of a shock grade-wise, but perhaps not. If you haven't climbed on grit, a day at Thorn Crag should be enjoyable. Topo here: http://www.lakesbloc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/guides/thorn-crag-guide.pd...

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 tmawer 30 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/carrock_fell_crag-447

This is probably as good as any with plenty to go at pretty much roadside, though the bracken is a pain and some landings not the best. It is extremely rough rock. St  Bees is really good and a stunning sea side setting, but a bit of a tricky descent to get there but worth the effort. I don't know if pad hire is a thing locally. 

 jdh90 31 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

I think Alpkit do pad rentals from their shops in Keswick or Ambleside (these are two of the main tourist villages in the Lake District).  This is an outdoor brand with a few stores in the UK selling all kinds of clothing and equipment including bikes and pads, maybe call/email ahead to check its still something they do, its been a couple years since I saw the sign in the window!

 jdh90 31 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

For accommodation, because you said you're a student I'm guessing that means you're looking for something budget. And since you're looking to hire pads and Singapore hasn't offered up much outdoor experience, you might not have tents etc for camping?  I'll throw in one more option to the hostel suggestion to say you might consider staying just outside the national park boundary where prices might be better.

If you look at the lakes like a clock face, a lot of the valleys radiate out from the centre, and the best roads are generally around the perimiter with limited passes over the middle parts which means going from deep in one valley to another can either be a bit awkward or take hours.

The coast being on the west and main motorway M6 to the east means that 11 oclock to 7 ocklock is generally more accessible. There's a good road going from about 11 to 5 o'clock but also some touristy towns which can slow the traffic down.

Penrith (1 oclock) and Kendal (5oclock) are two more major towns nearby with lots of bnbs and the budget chain hotels Premier Inn and Travelodge. Penrith would be handier for e.g. Carrock Fell and Borrowdale, also Armathwaite (outside the NP). Kendal better for e.g. Langdale, Kentmere, Eskdale or Duddon and also the North Lancashire venues mention by C Whitter.

From those towns you could get to those venues within an hours drive i reckon.  You would have to get out a little earlier to account for the additional drive - car parking can be hotly contested from as early as 9am and the villages can get bunged up with traffic.  Consider getting out early and breakfast at the crag, do some touristy stuff and rest middle of the day and do another venue in the evening when people have gone in to eat.

It would be unusual for a British person to consider these places for a lake district holiday, because we are conditioned to think any drive longer than about half an hour is long. But people do do day trips into the lakes for activities from places much further away like Manchester.

 JJ Spooner 31 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow

For a weekend I'd recommend the following bouldering spots in the Lakes. 

Carrock Fell. one of the largest concentration of quality blocs in the lakes.

Bowderstone. Perfect if you're climbing v6-8 on a board. 

Langdale and Chapel Stile circuit. Classic and close to road.

Seathwaite Circuit, Duddon Valley. Bit of a walk-in but nice problems and setting.

Eskdale fisherground and mitredale forest boulders. Great granite.

Kentmere: Badger rock and little fontainbleau.

Get the Lakes Bloc guide http://www.lakesbloc.com/

 wbo2 31 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:  Is the Lakes the best option for these guys?  Nothing a bit closer to home , easier logistics?  I guess the pad rental is a big help tho'

 jdh90 31 Jul 2022
In reply to wbo2:

I dont boulder much so I wouldn't be able to judge, but I almost asked whether there was anything in the lakes that was world class, worth making such an effort for.  Should they be changing activity in the lakes or changing venue for the bouldering. Then I reconsidered that these guys haven't done much at all outdoors and aren't from the uk so maybe it doesn't need to be the absolute best possible pick, just a fun adventure and going a bit further afield might be half the fun.

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 Cake 31 Jul 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

I've not really bouldered in the lakes, so can't offer local advice, but I can say that if you boulder V6-8 indoors and on a board, you should go somewhere that you can at least try something at that level to see how it feels, even if you don't get anywhere on them. Definitely go somewhere with plenty of easier stuff too, though.

Thank you guys so much for the info! 

Yea, currently pad rental and accommodation is a big issue. As car rentals are already fairly expensive, we were wondering if it'd be a feasible idea to drive back and forth from Glasgow to say... Carrock Fell and other crags daily. At least according to google maps, it'd take about 2 hours drive? Not sure how accurate it is as it was mentioned that traffic slows down going deeper in.

I'll definitely take a look at the accommodations available at Penrith and Kendal.

I really appreciate all the recommendations for the various crags. Never knew planning a short bouldering trip would be this overwhelming.

As for bouldering location, besides Dumberton that was recommended to us (But was also warned that it may rain daily in Glasgow during August), Craigton was also suggested which was much closer than travelling to either Lake District and Nothurberland.

 C Witter 01 Aug 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

> Thank you guys so much for the info! 

> Yea, currently pad rental and accommodation is a big issue. As car rentals are already fairly expensive, we were wondering if it'd be a feasible idea to drive back and forth from Glasgow to say... Carrock Fell and other crags daily. At least according to google maps, it'd take about 2 hours drive? Not sure how accurate it is as it was mentioned that traffic slows down going deeper in.

Too far to drive, no fun at all, and could easily add another hour on with traffic. In that case, ask around for things closer to you, because you'll have more fun for less effort.

If you are students and part of a university mountaineering club, you might be able to work something out through that, e.g. group trip with club hut.

All best wishes,

C

Post edited at 08:37
 jdh90 01 Aug 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

I was going to offer more help but didn't want to turn the thread into one where every other post is from me, you have email.

 spenser 01 Aug 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

Accommodation wise I would suggest bunkhouses/ hostels, usually £10-30 per person per night, usually plenty available if you book a few weeks ahead.

Access to the countryside in the Lakes is generally via rights of way (footpaths and bridleways etc) until you reach something called access land where you can go wherever you want (barring natural barriers). If parking at the side of a road make sure you are well off it such that a tractor can get through as there have been issues in the past. 

 sxrxg 01 Aug 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

I love Bouldering in the Lakes however if you are in Glasgow you are closer to lots of stunning bouldering that is further North than the rest of the country... You could maybe rent a pad and car (or campervan - accomodation and transport in one) in Glasgow and go explore. Scottish bouldering is much less developed than the lakes in general however you would get to explore some of the most stunning mountain and coastal areas of the UK. Some places you might want to look up are Torridon, Isle of Mull, Glen Nevis, Reiff. 

 Ben Harris 01 Aug 2022
In reply to Moo_Saidthecow:

If it's raining in Glasgow it's probably raining in the Lakes. If you're staying in Glasgow I would rent a car and pads there and do stuff in Scotland. There is lots of good bouldering you can do in a day trip from Glasgow (Dumbarton, Glen Lednock, various places in the Trossachs) plus if you want to go further then you could book some accommodation in places like Glen Nevis, Northumberland, Torridon or many others. Buy the Boulder Scotland guidebook plus a Northumberland guidebook if you plan on going there. You might get rained on or you might not but it's been pretty dry recently and looking like that at least for the next week or so (not sure when in August you are coming).

Post edited at 13:55

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