Wallowbarrow climbing

Crag: Wallowbarrow, Duddon Valley, Lake District
Routes: Thomas (S 4a,4a:led p.1,2), Malediction p.1 (VD:led), The Plum (VS 4c:sec), Digitation (MVS 4b,4b:led p.1)
There aren't many crags 15 minutes walk from a road that are as quiet as this. Then again, there aren't many areas quite as exquisite and tucked away as the Duddon Valley, perhaps the finest corner of Lakeland. I'd only been here once before, during the Saunders Mountain Marathon in 2009, when the overnight camp was at Turner Farm and I gazed down on Wallowbarrow from my tent. We were en route to the YHA in Eskdale before tomorrow's fell race in Wasdale, so this seemed a logical choice of crag to stop off at for a few late routes, particularly as it is so difficult to access from the south and we were virtually passing it. Its low grade climbs seemed ideal as there were plenty of showers passing over as we enjoyed coffee and tea loaf in Broughton. Although it was late in the day, we did the 'long' walk-in from Seathwaite church, quite delightful, through oak woodland and across the river Duddon to Wallowbarrow farm and a little track to the base of the crag. The low-grade classic of the crag is Thomas, a three-pitch Severe taking a distinct central rib between the two main buttresses. I led up the first pitch in very light drizzle, planning to merge it with pitch two. This gave a wonderfully relaxed and lengthy 40 metre pitch. A crack led to easy angled climbing up an inclining wall to the normal belay ledge. Above, the route steepens and gives some lovely climbing up the front of the rib. The rain fell more steadily as I brought Vic up, and he led a short final pitch up a series of enjoyable grooves. A lovely route. After descending, I led up the easy broken ridge (p.1 of Malediction, just a scramble really) which gives access to three or four classic VS routes on the left of the crag. Vic went for The Plum at VS 4c, another good route which traverses right to juggy climbing up a steep slab, which gets steeper at a hanging flake and chimney groove. This gives a few interesting and quite steep moves, although there is never any need for thrutching, the solutions are always there. Perhaps the most obvious line on the crag, and very enjoyable again. After a bite to eat, we moved round to the eastern buttress, where the clean slab of Digitation inevitably attracts the attention. I couldn't resist, so led up the three perched blocks to gain some delectable slabby climbing up to a short corner. This gives a superb nut placement before delicate climbing leads to a horizontal break before a crux pull over a little overlap. Slabs lead to a big stance which breaks the route up a bit, but a nice steep crack kept things varied for Vic's second pitch before we jogged down to the car and drove round to Eskdale for a meal at the YHA and a couple of pints at the Woolpack. Lovely venue, beautiful location: all routes flowed very quickly, a very satisfying couple of hours work.