Swindale climbing

Crag: Gouther Crag, Swindale, Cumbria
Routes: The Fang (MVS 4a,4a:led p.2), Kennel Wall (S:sec)
Selected purely on the basis of its easterly location (with a weak weather front approaching from the west) this proved an inspired choice. I have done two mountain marathons based in nearby Wet Sleddale near Shap, and it is an interesting area which feels (to my outsider's eyes) like a distinct border zone between the landscape and culture of the Dales and the Lakes. But apart from those visits, this was new territory for me and Vic, and neither of us had been down the very quiet Swindale before. The valley is a dead end, which obviously cuts numbers, and Gouther Crag is semi-hidden and west facing up on the valley side. As we arrived at the crag, we were amazed and slightly appalled to find a team starting out on Truss Buttress, which I had wanted to do as a gentle warm-up. They had a very slow novice on board, so we gave up and headed over to the main buttress. This is not very big - perhaps 50m high - but is an impressive sweep of rock with some very attractive lines. Another team was at work! Extraordinary for such a remote location. So Vic led the first pitch of The Fang, which is rather easier than its better known Tremadog namesake. An easy chimney leads to a steeper wall, and good moves diagonally left on big holds. Superb, unpolished rock and a nice position. A higher crack leads to a platform, after which I merged the last two pitches. The finish moves right to take a few steep moves up an arete after which the finishing ridge is broken but still fairly interesting. Strong winds and cold hands, but just a little light drizzle: at least we were climbing on an unpromising day. Kennel Wall was just as good, taking a clean sweep of rock up to a steep final crack. It looks much harder than it actually is. Rain threatened, so I pelted up the route after Vic in five minutes. We then jogged back down to the car and drove over to the YHA in Buttermere, no easy task, to get there (just) in time for the evening meal: crucial, given tomorrow's race (the main reason we had headed up to the Lakes).