Rock-climbing in the English Lake District / Third Edition

by Owen Glynne Jones

Fleetwith Gully is somewhat disappointing on close acquaintance. There are at least six pitches, but only two have any claim to individuality. These are generally moist, and are scarcely ever climbed, because they can easily be avoided on either side. Vegetation, water, and loose stones are the impressive features of the gully.

Green Crag Gully suffers from a drawback common to some others of the Buttermere climbs—in all but the driest weather a very considerable stream of water tumbles down it. As a climb it is somewhat disappointing, but the first pitch, a fine vertical rise of about 70 feet, is quite entertaining. Above this the going lacks character and is comparatively easy, although care is needed on account of the quickly disintegrating rock. Of a very different character is its companion climb, Toreador Gully. After some exploration work, during which a dangerous huge block was dislodged, a party of Fell and Rock Club Members, led by Mr. H. B. Lyon, subsequently made its ascent in August 1908.

After a somewhat difficult start, the gully eases off and seductively leads the climber upward to an 80-foot wet chimney, which is the crux of the climb. The walls are set at a convenient distance apart for ‘backing up,’ and for a while all goes well. However, just when the leader, who has worked upwards with his feet on the right wall and back on the left, is beginning to feel fatigued and in need of a rest, the difficulties increase, and it becomes necessary to transfer the body across and face the opposite wall. Of anchorage there is none, but the second man can back up to below the leader, and, firmly braced across the chimney, can at least support him by the encouragement of his proximity; whether he could hold his companion in the event of a slip is somewhat doubtful. By most careful balancing, and an exceedingly anxious time for the second man, the leader can effect a lodgment facing the left wall, whence, with great difficulty, he can work over the crest of the pitch.

Above this are two obstacles of a comparatively mild nature. There is no record of a second ascent, although we understand that this climb is quite justifiable for a really strong party.

The three remaining gullies above Warnscale Bottom are those on the Haystacks, to which we have already made reference. Of these, the left-hand or Y Gully can be summarily dismissed as containing too much loose and dangerous rock. The next cleft to the right, Warn Gill, suffers somewhat from the same fault, and, moreover, is generally wet. It was reserved by Messrs. Oppenheimer, Scott, and Shaw as a bonne bouche for Mr. F. Botterill to lead up, and, as the former naïvely remarks, ‘it proved rather more than difficult enough.’ After climbing six excellent pitches, one of which, a long chimney raked by a waterfall, proved to be abnormally severe, they were forced to abandon their project when about 40 feet below the top of the gully. A way of escape was found about 60 feet lower down on the right-hand side. This lay up a steep rock and heather buttress leading to a small chimney which took them to the top of the crags. The climbing throughout is of great difficulty, quite apart from the instability of some of the holds, and there is no doubt that this was a failure far surpassing in achievement many a climb which has been brought to a successful issue. It is perhaps well to note in passing that the name is a corruption of Warnscale Gill, and was not given with any idea of deterring subsequent parties.

Stack Ghyll, the next rift to the right, is a very different proposition. From below it looks most alluring. Peeping over the top of the ‘capstone’ of the first pitch is such a succession of chimneys as is bound to arouse the keenest feelings of pleasurable anticipation in a climber’s breast. One can well sympathise with the tantalising way in which this comparatively short, first pitch repelled all the earlier efforts to overcome it. All kinds of theories were evolved, but all were proved fallacious by the smooth, overhanging chock-stone. It seemed to be quite impregnable until, after repeated efforts, a small hole was found on the right of the stone. This ultimately proved to be the key to the pitch, and, as was but a just reward for many previous disappointments, Messrs. Oppenheimer and Craig succeeded in passing an ice-axe through the hole, and, by using the shaft as a handhold, emerged successful. A short time previous to this the pitch had been turned on the right, up some grassy ledges, and the gully entered fairly high up, whence it was followed to the top.

The going immediately above the first pitch is fairly easy, and leads by way of a narrow chimney, liberally supplied with chock-stones, to a small scree patch. Immediately beyond is a pretty 40-foot chimney, amenable to back and knee methods, which gives out on broken rocks. Above this an outcrop of rock bars the way, and after passing this on the left, one is soon confronted by the last obstacle.

The gully is here spanned by an unbroken wall of rock except in the right-hand corner, where is a fine cave, overhung by a huge block. This is too high to reach, but off a sturdy shoulder a handhold can be grasped on the right. A trying drag up, chiefly on the arms, then enables the leader to effect a lodgment above the pitch, in readiness for the others, who will derive much strenuous exercise unless they pocket their pride and accept a tug from the rope—an excellent gully and, if climbed during dry weather, but little inferior to the best in Lakeland.

The Birkness Combe Climbs.—The wild upland hollow dividing High Stile from High Crag contains one of the many Eagle Crags of Lakeland. This is the finest rock around Buttermere, and recalls very strongly in shape, height, and general contour the famous Cyrn Lâs buttress of Snowdonia. The rock of this Eagle Crag is of a much better type, however, from the climber’s point of view, and the fine climb, Birkness Chimney, made in August 1903 by Mr. L. J. Oppenheimer and Dr. Norman Sheldon, is much superior to anything on Cyrn Lâs.

A good climb also is that up the prominent black rift which faces High Crag. This is known as Birkness Gully, and it affords about a couple of hundred feet of climbing, the upper part of which is fairly difficult. The initial stages are quite simple, and the interest is not fairly aroused until, high up, a huge cave, roofed in by huge boulders, is reached. About 15 feet below the dominating boulder is a huge, wedged rock which bridges the gully; the climb on to this behind sundry smaller jammed stones is very pretty. It is well for the second man to pass the leader when on a level with the main bridge and traverse outwards on to it. He can then climb up to a higher cave immediately below the great capstone and belay the rope. The leader then comes out to the bridge and scales the vertical right wall immediately above it. The holds are small but sufficient, and the proceeding is rendered safe by the rope held by the second man. Above this nothing remains save a descent to the foot of the Gully, with a view to an assault upon Birkness Chimney. This is a climb of great severity, and, but for the possibility of threading the rope to belay the leader at the worst part, might be dismissed as unjustifiable. As things are, however, a strong—one should perhaps say a very strong—party will find great sport and a reasonable immunity from risk. The Chimney proper branches from the Gully described, at a point just below the serious climbing in the latter. It is entered by way of a steep, grassy corner, dominated by a chimney, generally moist, of about 20 feet in height.