Hoghton Quarry Clean Up
brown text = work started
blue text = route cleaned
Route name / Grade / Comment / Volunteer? / Progress?Lamentably Gentlemanly / E5 6b**
Getting rid of the albatross / E6 6c***
The Wasp / HVS 5a** / Thoroughly cleaned. Has had several ascents
Goulash / E1 5b / Cleaned, maybe a bit of dust on holds
All roads lead to Rome / E5 6b *** / BR has been replaced. Needs a major clean
Boadicea / E2 5c*** / Cleaned. Tat on pegs sorted. Has had several ascents
For God’s sake burn it down / E4 6b* / Peg
Every face tells a story / HVS 5b ** / Cleaned. Has had several ascents
Thespis / HVS 4c,4c* / Peg belay, mossy
Burning the Phoenix / E4 5b,6a** / pegs + shared PB
Lady / HVS 4c,5a* / 1 peg + shared PB. Top bit cleaned
Route 1 / VS 4b,4c** / Bolt belay replaced, 1 peg needs checking,, mossy, particularly pitch 1
Golden delicious / E3 5c,5c*** / Shared BB replaced, 2 pegs, mossy 1st pitch, Top pitch cleaned. Bottom pitch needs a major clean
Knickertwister / E5 6a,6b** / Shared BB replaced, bolt runner replaced
Blind eye / E5 6c* / BR as per Knickertwister
Let’s go play / E5 6a* / 2 pegs and new bolt belay drilled but not fixed
Ten Minute Traverse / E3 5b,5c** / Shared BB, pegs
Mandarin / E2 5b*** / Big block removed at top. Has been cleaned and re-climbed several times at the same grade. Still superb
Slanting crack / E1 5b*
Greg Rimmer the motion picture / E4 6a* / Shares BB
The Dangler / E4 6b** / Existing bolt lower off re-drilled but not fixed yet
Sheer heart attack / E2 5c* / 1 peg
Do the Aqua Melba / E6 6b** / Shares BB
Void / E5 6b** / Shares BB, 1 peg
La lune dans le carniveau / E5 6b* / 1 bolt, 1 peg
Keep it coolin’ / E3 5b** / 1 peg
Hope Not / HVS 5a*
Silverside / E6 6c** / bolts
Slime Corner / HVS 5a,5a,4b* / Remove sapling and ivy from ledge
Spleen Road / VS 4b,4c* / 1 peg
Fall Out / E2 5b,5b*
The French Lt’s Marrow / E6 6b,4b** / Bolt belay, clean crack
Highway Star / HVS 5b,5a* / Bolt belay
Flight of the Rat / E4 5c,6a**
Burning Desire / E5 6b*** / Remove rhododendrons from base
DeafSchool / E2 5b* / 1 peg, clean crack
Goliaths groove / HVS 5a*
When the Levee breaks / E2 5b etc** / Big girdle, clean everything else first
Rhododendron arête / E3 6a*** / Trees intruding on route removed. Still needs cleaning
Cave Route / HS 4b,4a** / Reasonably clean and has had several ascents. Saplings on final pitch still need removing
Rhododendron Buttress / E2 5C*** / Cleaned, 2 pegs replaced. Has had several ascents
War of attrition / E2 5c**
Biodegradable Man / E5 6b** / Bolts, old peg
Strong’s flake / E2 5b*
Bowker’s Crack / VS 4c*
Visions of Jan / E2 4a,5b,4c* / 1 pegWould this be better with a lower off?
Choice exit / VS 4a,5a* / 1 peg
Zig zag / HVS 4b,4c,5a* / Bolt belay
Steppin’ in the slide zone / E2 5c*
Che / HVS 4c,5b*
Overhanging Crack / HVS 5b,5a*
Poo / E7 6c** / 2 bolts, bolt belay
Black pudding Team Special / E2 5c,5c** / Pegs, bolt belay
The luddite / E3 5c** / 1 bolt, 1 peg. Drilled for replacement of lower and upper bolts.
Hoghton Weaver / E2 6a* / Shares bolt, 1 peg
The excitable boy / E4 6b** / 1 peg
Assheton Arete / S 4a / Mossy
Book of fate / HVS 5a* / Mostly clean. Needs rhododendrons on either side ripping out
Chattox / HVS 5b* / Cleaned
Demdike / HVS 5a,4c** / 1 peg, moss and saplings. Cleaned and has been climbed but bottom pitch still needs some brushing
Suspended animation / S* / taken
Wilkinson’s sword edge / E1 5b*
Crème de menthe / VS 4b** / Cleaned and has had some ascents. Still a bit of dust on holds
Curacao / HVS 5b / 1 peg, remove moss
Artichoke / E5 6a* / 1 peg
The effect of alcohol / E2 5c*
Trappistine finish / HS 4b*
Benedictine / E1 5c*
Maraschino / E3 6a** / An important route that would be relatively quick to clean
In the pink / E1 5c* / cleaned
Goldwasser / VS 4b*
The following routes don’t get stars but are important lines and would also benefit from a good cleaning
Easy Route / D / A fair bit of work done, needs finishing off
Easier Route / D / As above
Hermit of tower wood / VD
Motorway / M / Cleaned but still need ledges shovelling off and some brushing
Advocaat / S 4a / Major clean needed
Notes: This list is only the starred routes and a few other key lines – obviously you are free to clean other routes as well.
We started out asking people to adopt particular routes for cleaning but the work is now well underway and this has all become a little confused. Henceforth take a look at the crag and this list and make your own choice about what would be best to work on. We want to get the crag climbed on so completing work on one route should take preference over partially cleaning several.
There are tools for everyone to use stashed under the roof below Boadicea. Please put them back there afterwards.
If you are removing vegetation/saplings/bushes please try to rip them right out by the roots (this particularly applies to rhododendrons). If this is too difficult then cut them back as close to the base as you can.
We originally suggested people avoid wire brushing but experience suggests that the residual green patina on some routes can only be shifted with a wire brush so we have agreed that wire brushing is ok if done with care, particularly on the softer yellowish rock.
Access to the top of the crag is now fairly easy and there are steps recently cut into the bank on the RHS.
Let Colin Struthers or Martin Kocsis know how for you have got with any route you clean so we can keep this list up to date.