Lakes News: New Routes, New Shop, New Cafe, Charlotte Mason Closed

© Mick Ryan
A mixed bag of news from a snowy Lake District. A new shop, a new cafe, a webcam, new routes and as expected Charlotte Mason is locked up and mothballed.

The Climbers Shop Webcam

First off, before you head up to the Lakes, as well as checking the weather forecast and the UKC Winter Conditions page you can head over to The Climbers Shop webcam which is trained on the Fairfield Horshoe.

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The Climbers Shop webcam trained on the Fairfield Horseshoe
© The Climbers Shop

New Ambleside Outdoor Shop - The EpiCentre

Just down Compston Road from the Climbers Shop there used to be a restaurant called the Epicure, after a £1.5 million refurb this is now the EpiCentre, Ambleside's newest climbing and outdoor shop, a collaboration between Stuart 'Woody' Wood and Bradshaw and Taylor. Woody is a well known climbing character in the Lakes and managed the old Rock and Run and then made a success of the Mountain Factor. Construction, overseen by Woody, began last summer when the building was completely gutted.

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Earlier this year, Stuart Wood and Steve Ashworth begin work on their new shop
© Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com

Since then the building has been transformed and has to be seen to be believed. There are 4 floors, 6,000 square feet of floor space, a large slate extension has been added, oak trusses, cedar panelling, glass floors, a mezzanine; all top notch construction that has kept a whole crew of Ambleside craftsmen busy for the last 6 months.

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Woody and crew, and yes that is Rod Stewart on the right.
© Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com

The EpiCentre will have the now common 'shop within a shop' including a floor devoted to Mountain Hardwear and Patagonia, one to Icebreaker and Royal Robbins, and will stock Scarpa, Accapi and Keen shoes. The basement is being left as a surprise but Woody said that it may rock the boat!

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and last week......
© Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com
As well as Woody, the management team includes Rick Armitage (ex Climbers Shop, Outside and Nevisport) and mix master Steve Ashworth. The team are still hoping to open provisionally on Christmas Eve with a full opening in the new year.

New Lakes Winter Routes

When Steve Ashworth isn't at the Epicentre he's either out running (or with his family) or on the ice and with conditions getting better by the day in the Lakes Steve has been out new routing, he says on his blog the mixedmaster.blogspot.com "I have been out at a new crag today with Brian Davison and my Dad. It was a high NW facing crag we did 3 new routes; a grade 2, a III 4 and a VI 6, there's plenty more to go at so the exact location shall remain a mystery."

One new route that isn't a mystery was climbed by British Mountain Guide, Adrian Nelhams and Tim Lofthouse on Monday 21st December on the north facing Neckband Crag, Great Langdale. Taking advantage of the heavy snow and low freezing conditions Aidy and Lofty climbed a line around the central overhang that they and others had looked at often but had never been in nick.

Adrian sent us this description.

FWA - Forked Tongue VII 40m ***
Climb The Gizzard for 6m to an obvious thread. Traverse left for 2m past the obvious spike to beneath the steep wall and turfy crack of Adams Apple. Strenuous climbing tackles the steep wall and turfy crack above, to where it finishes beneath the main overhang. An awkward and exposed step left then leads into the top of Tonsure. Finish up Tonsure over a steep bulge and easier climbing via a rightward trending ramp line to the belay.

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The line of Forked Tongue VII 40m on Neckband Crag, Great Langdale
© Tim Lofthouse
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Adrian Nelhams tusseling with the lower crack on Forked Tongue
© Tim Lofthouse

Check this Winter forum thread out for the latest conditions... Topic - Lake District Snow/Ice Conditions

Bilbo's Cafe In Lakes Climber and Runner

If you are in the area climbing and walking and are in need of a cafe stop, Lakes Climber and Runner in Ambleside have just opened a cafe upstairs above the shop. Some may remember this was the location of Wilf's cafe when the premises was Rock and Run, before Wilf moved to Staveley. The new cafe is called Bilbo's Cafe after Martin Bagness a co-owner of Lakes Climber and Runner. I can testify that food is good and very reasonably priced.

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Ian Barnes, manager of Lakes Climber and Runner shares a brew with Stuart Wood of the EpiCentre at the new Lakes Climber cafe.
© Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com

Charlotte Mason to Close

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Save Ambleside
© Mick Ryan
Finally, the University of Cumbria's Ambleside campus, aka Charlotte Mason, is to close next year. The University of Cumbria has a trading deficit of £8.4 million and has to cut costs (see UKC News report from March 2008: Charlotte Mason - "Downsized). Below is the press release from the University of Cumbria.


The University of Cumbria is reviewing its business plan to reflect the current economic climate and other government funding issues.

As a result, significant changes are being proposed at the Ambleside campus. It remains committed to preserving its presence at such an important location however the campus is not considered sustainable and financially viable to continue to run in its current form and the university needs to look at re-profiling the site in a different way to deliver different activity.

The key aspects of the re-profiling of Ambleside are as follows.

  • undergraduate student recruitment to Ambleside will cease for the academic year 2010-11.
  • Existing undergraduate Ambleside students will be taught at alternative University of Cumbria sites. Outdoor education will take place at Newton Rigg, while teacher education students will use either Carlisle or Lancaster.
  • The Hilltop and learning resource buildings will be maintained, and used as a base for outdoor education and business support activities as well as the Mountain Heritage Trust.
  • The future use of the campus is still to be fully defined however current ideas include creating a 'Gateway' campus with specialised facilities with potential commercial and research interests

These measures are expected to save the university up to £2 million pounds.

Vice Chancellor Professor Peter McCaffery said: “We are living in difficult times, and like many other organisations, have tough decisions to make."


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23 Dec, 2009
I may have to migrate back from Oz now that a cafe has opened again above the old Rock and Run shop. Fond memories indeed. Good luck to all involved in the new ventures.
25 Dec, 2009
Good luck to you looks like a great venture ! Aye Dan
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