At last the weather is reliably warmish and sunny but the strong northerly wind forecast for the Lakes had Ron and I coming here for shelter.

I don’t think I’ve been in the car park quarry for years and was amazed at the in-growth of vegetation. OK it was never the most aesthetic of places to climb but I’ve enjoyed evening soloing sessions  here  and days washed out in the Lakes have been saved by a few quick ticks on the way home. Delectable Traverse, Leaning Tower and the Great Flake were always good value. Many of the routes are now inaccessible, sign of the times?  Despite this there was a group top roping a couple of sectors, maybe they will keep the place open.

The vegetation fights back.

So we trudge up through the trees on a maze of paths to somehow emerge at the Upper Crag which is prominent from the motorway but difficult to locate once here.

Its up there somewhere.

The climbs are short but on good quality limestone and they looked mostly clean. There are a series of grooves alternating with steeper walls/aretes. In the past I’ve set off mistakenly on the wrong route and the rest of the time made everything fit accordingly, who needs a guide book? Today we took a little more care to follow the correct descriptions. Despite the lowly grades I was pleased to be feeling more confident with my leading abilities and to follow Rod on his.

Rod on Yellow Wall.

Finger of Fun.

The descent gully was almost as hard as any of the climbs we did. Dodgy.

Dodgy descent route.

The day was hot and sunny so after a half dozen climbs or so we called an early finish, not like the old days when I would climb until it was dark.

The pink Valerian growing out of the rock faces back in the car park  was at its best, I’ve tried to transplant some to my garden with little success.

I managed to come home with a couple of ticks, of the insect variety.