Lake District Climbing

 

Whether you’re new to climbing or an expert, the Lake District National Park is full of opportunities to experience this high-adrenaline sport. This part of Cumbria is a hub for beginners’ scrambles, challenging sport climbing and everything in between. Whether it’s indoors or outdoors, with ropes or without, our guide has you covered.

Jump to:

• Mountain Climbing & Scrambling
• Bouldering
• Rock Climbing
• Indoor Climbing

Mountain climbing and scrambling in the Lake District

If you’re interested in climbing as an addition to your walk or hike rather than as a stand-alone activity, the Lake District has plenty of opportunities for scrambling. Scrambling is essentially the midpoint between hillwalking (when you’ll just use your legs to ascend) and climbing (when using your hands is essential) – it typically involves using both your hands and feet to ascend the steeper sections of longer routes. 

Striding Edge, Helvellyn

Start at: Glenridding car park

Striding Edge makes a good introduction to scrambling, and most competent hillwalkers will find the experience enjoyable in good weather conditions. One of the best things about this route is that it leads up to the summit of Helvellyn, where you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views and have the choice of carrying on scrambling over Swirral Edge or heading back down to the car via a gentler path instead. 

Sharp Edge, Blencathra

Start at: Small car park in Scales

Blencathra’s Sharp Edge is a Grade 1 scramble, so it’s not too technically difficult. However, this ridgeway has lots of slippery spots and is exposed, so you’ll need to commit to staying on the ridge and have a head for heights. Like all mountain climbing, you should only take on this route in poor conditions if you have the experience and equipment to deal with the weather. That being said, on a sunny day, with a light breeze, this is a fantastic adventure that can be enjoyed by most competent hikers. 

Jack’s Rake

Start at: The Langdales (National Trust)

Jack’s Rake is another challenging Grade 1 scramble, and you’ll certainly need some basic climbing skills before setting off. It can get busy here, but with a bit of patience you can put that to your advantage – watch how the climbers in front of you tackle each section, use your rest time to plan your route up, and learn from others’ mistakes. The rocks are fun to climb but crumbly in places, so a helmet is recommended. 

Our page on the best hikes in the Lake District involves several more routes where scrambling is possible. For more information and ideas, check out the UK Scrambles website, which has a detailed section dedicated to the Lake District. 

Bouldering in the Lake District

If you like the idea of scrambling but don’t want to hike to the top of a mountain first, bouldering could be a good option for you. This subcategory of climbing typically involves low-level routes and moving horizontally as much as (or more than) vertically. 

Popular Lake District bouldering locations include: 

Carrock Fell

Start at: Small car park near Stone Ends Farm

There is a nice and easily accessible cluster of boulders, slabs and walls on the eastern side of Carrock Fell. There’s a range of routes to try here, but keep in mind that birds (including peregrine falcons) are known to nest here, so you should proceed with caution. 

Dunnerdale Boulders

Start at: Birks Bridge car park

The rocks at Dunnerdale Boulders are mostly exposed and free of tree cover, so they’ll dry quickly after rain (unlike some other bouldering spots in the Lake District, which remain distinctly damp all year round). Handily, the nearest car park is just 300 metres away. 

Farleton Crag

Start at: Near Holme Park

If you’re a competent boulderer, this is a fun limestone area with plenty of challenging routes. While it’s possible to come here with just a crash mat for bouldering, some of the routes can be quite high and are technically classed as 'highball' bouldering routes, so ropes may be needed for new visitors, or those wanting to get more familiar with routes at minimal risk.

To find out more about bouldering in the Lake District, check out the UK Bouldering website, which has useful tips for newcomers and a forum where more experienced bouldering fans can exchange pointers.

Rock climbing in the Lake District

Climbing with ropes is another option in the Lake District. There are several variations of rope climbing – including sport climbing and trad climbing - and courses for beginners and improvers are available at several locations throughout Cumbria. 

While visiting the Lake District, you could go climbing at: 

St Bees Head

Start at: St.Bees parking

Located a short distance outside the national park on the Cumbrian coast, St Bees is home to fantastic sandstone cliffs in a spectacular seaside location. Both sport climbing and bouldering are popular here (although this location is known mostly for the former). It’s worth bearing in mind that this stretch of coast is owned by the RSPB, and climbers are banned from certain sections of the cliffs at certain times of year (usually between February and July) to protect nesting birds. 

Bram Crag Quarry

Start at: Layby parking nearby

This granite quarry is located in the heart of the national park, a short distance from the popular town of Keswick. The rock conditions and routes here are of a good standard and this is a popular venue for sport climbing, but the landowner only allows access on the condition that children and novice climbers choose routes elsewhere.

The UKC website has a huge range of documented climbs and bouldering routes, if you'd like to further explore the climbing options within this area.

Indoor climbing in the Lake District 

The Lake District and surrounding area also has a wide range of indoor climbing walls, which are great for rainy days. These places are particularly good for beginners and kids, and lessons are often available. 

 

Find more activities, sports and places to stay in the Lake District in our full guide.