THE BULLSTONES. Grid. Ref. SD 675 577.

A collection of boulders and small edges on the south slopes of White Hill aboveCroasdale in Bowland north west of Slaidburn. They lie in a high [450m] remotemoorland situation and stretch across the hillside for over a kilometre. The gritstone is ofmainly good quality, rough and pebbly, dries quickly and benefits from all availablesunshine. A lichen is easily cleared with a soft brush.Access is from the Salter Fell track. [The Hornby Road]From the centre of Slaidburn follow the road past the Hark To Bounty inn [opposite theyouth hostel] for 1.5K – here turn right onto the narrow Woodhouse Lane. Continueuphill past farms for 2.5K to parking places on the left before the fell gate, park withconsideration. The rough road now contours up the south of Croasdale, passing severalgates [locked!]. After a walk of 4K the top gate is reached at a height of 416m. [GR 667574] in about an hour. Less on a mountain bike. From the gate the track goes on downRoeburndale, this could give a long approach from the Lancaster side.For the most westerly boulders, The Cowstones, go through the gate and follow the leftside of the fence up the hill for 250m.For the main groups follow a vague track starting 10m short of the gate up the fellparallel with the fence for about 300m until level with a fenceside boulder. Here turnright with the track for a short way to continue contouring to the rocks visible ahead.The boulders are divided into ten sectors for ease of orientation, to help identificationthese are split into groups of problems – there’s a lot of rock!When the heather or bracken is high be careful amongst the boulders, there are somehidden ankle breaking holes.Grading – anything under 4a is given Easy – then good old British technical grades areused.

Sector I. The Cowstones.These are found west of the fence as described in the approach. Problems are describedright to left starting on the lower tier.

A. Lower Tier.1 Easy Coweyed. Front of the right boulder.2 4b Jersey. Rounded left side, no corner.

5m left3 Easy Milkmaid. Larger boulder, right end of right side wall.4 4a Dairymaid. Middle of same face.5 4b Guernsey. Bulging face just right of the arête.

* 6 4a Cowslip. Wall just left of the arête.** 7 5a Cowcatcher. Mantel the wall left of the groove.

8 4a Cowpoke. Higher left side of the boulder, stepped mantel.9 Easy Gaucho. Small boulder 10m left – the front face.

40m left.10 4a Cowboy. The front of pointed boulder.11 Easy Cowgirl. Crinkly side wall to the left.12 4a Silly Cow. Wall to a shelf and then the right arête.13 4b Sacred Cow. Left arête to a higher slab.14 4a Cowheel. The recessed slab.

15 4b Cower. Mantel the front of the block to the left.16 Easy Grovel. Where the blocks meet.

* 17 4c Cowark. High step onto a hanging arête.50m left.

18 4b Cowpat. Middle of the leaning wall of the square block.19 4b Coward. Left arête from the right.20 4a Charollais. The left side wall, right of corner crack.

* 21 4b Friesian. Green scoop left of corner crack.22 4a Shorthorn. Cracked wall to the left.23 Easy Galloway. The left scooped wall.

B. Higher Tier.24 Easy Triad. The right block of the higher triple buttress.25 Easy Triptych. Right side of the middle block.

* 26 4b Cowpox. Left side of the middle block, no crack.27 4a Foot. Wide crack.

* 28 4a And. Grooves on the front face of the left block.29 4a Mouth. The west sidewall.

5m left.30 Easy Cow Lick. Groove in front of small boulder.31 Easy C.J.D. Right wall of the larger boulder.

* 32 4a B.S.E. The right arête.** 33 5b Madcows. Front bulging face.** 34 4b Cowbell. Flakes in the left arête.

35 4a Dun Cow. Right side of west wall.36 4a How Now Brown Cow? Left side of west wall.

15m left.37 Easy The Udder One. Right arête of the next boulder.38 Easy Pull the…. Left arête.39 Easy Till The Cows Come Home. Small slab to the left.

The first five sectors to the east of the fence are named as Great Bullstones on the OSmap.Sector II. The Knob Boulders

A. High Edge.The first easy problems are on the left end of the low edge – suitable for small kids.The right end of the edge gives –

1 Easy Centre of a slab.2 Easy Centre of a slab.3 4a Cock And Bull. Over a small overhang.4 Easy Left side of a slab.5 Easy Right side of a slab.

B. Flat Boulder.* 6 4b Nippy. Left end of sloping face.

??? Middle at crack* 7 4c Frosty. Right arête of face.

C. The Knob.8 Easy Chilly Willy. The front face.9 4a Knob End. Direct onto the end.

D. Trackside Boulder.10 4a Way In. Left side of the west face – mantel.11 Easy Way Out. Right end.

Sector III. Taurus Boulders.

A. Slabs and Towers.** 1 6a Simon’s Starter. Left arête of the left tower.** 2 4c All Or Nothing. Right arête.

3 4a Bullshit. The slab with a topping block.4 Easy The groove system.

* 5 5b Mark’s Mark. Climb to a ledge below overhang. Jam out to right ledge.6 4a The right overhung corner.

B. Slabby Boulder.7 Easy Left edge of an easy angled slab.

* 8 4a Taurus. Direct up the middle of the slab, no edges.* 9 4b Bull Session. Left arête of the steep slabby boulder.

** 10 5a Just Stand On It! The vague groove just right.** 11 5b I’m Not Going. Direct up the centre of the slab, left of a low crease.

12 4a Warm Up. Right end of slab via a shallow crack.13 4a Rod’s Way. A crack in the right face without the arête.

14 4c Nomis. Right to left low traverse across the boulder.15 Easy Hidden. The slab above and behind the boulder.

C. Small Upper Buttress.16 4a Harrier. Small slab at the left side.

* 17 4a Short Eared. The left arête from the left.18 4c Bullfinch. Steep crack line.19 Easy Kestrel Cracks. Higher double cracks.

* 20 4b Stone Chat. Middle of the right wall.21 Easy Peregrine. The right arête.

D. First Visit Buttress.* 22 4a Bully Off. The left tower.

23 Easy Bully Beef. The green recess.* 24 4a Bully For You. An easy narrow slab then step across to the juggy arête.

25 Easy Bully Boy. 10m above is a boulder, climb the left face.

E. Right Buttress.26 Easy Lower entry slab.

* 27 4c Bulwark. The left arête above pockets.28 4b Bulging. The right narrow tower.

Sector IV. The Corral.

A. Square Boulder. [above path]1 Easy Bullstone. The left arête of NW easy angled face.2 4c Bull’s Eye. Rightwards up the steep triangular front wall.

* 3 4b Bullnose I. Left end of the undercut wall onto the slab.* 4 4c Bullnose II. Right arête onto the slab.

B. Low Boulder. [below path]5 Easy Round Trip. The left arête.

* 6 4b Round Up. Wall just left of a vague central arête.

* 7 4b Round About. Wall just right of central arête.8 Easy Round Table. The right hand scoop.

C. Higher Wavy Slab.9 Easy Bubbles. Front of the crinkly boulder below the slab.10 Easy Cattle Grid. Left side of the wavy slab by a long crack.

** 11 4a The Ranch. Middle of the slab between the cracks.12 Easy Bailey Arête. Right of the crack.

D. Pointed Upper Boulder.13 4b Bronco. Left side of a nose.14 4a Rodeo. Right side of the nose.

E. Bullfight Buttress.15 Easy Little White Bull. Stepped left edge and groove of the larger buttress.16 4a Picador. From the corner step up left into the right hand groove.

** 17 5c Toreador. The obvious hanging crack in the centre of the buttress.??? Right arête of face.

18 4c Tunnel Vision. In crevasse, from narrow right ledge at 2m step onto thewall and climb the left arête.

19 5a Don’t Step Back. From same ledge step across and climb the right arête.20 4c Banderillero. A block up to the right – left arête from a small boulder.21 5a Matador. The right arête of the block.22 4a Pete’s Pad. 15m right is a slabby boulder, climb the centre, no arêtes.

F. Right Buttress.* 23 5c Bullneck. Ledge and scoop on the left face.

*** 24 5a Take The Bull By The Horns. Step onto arête from the right, finish ongood holds.

25 4c Marking Day. Continue up left wall of recess via flakes.26 Easy Load Of Bull. Right corner of central recess.27 Easy Cattle Truck. Leaning slab to the right.

Sector V. Pinnacle Rocks.

A. High Left Blocks.* 1 4b Hark To Bounty. The west face and arête of the two tiered blocks.

*** 2 5b Bounty Hunter. From a crevasse climb the front face up a shallow scoop.3 4a Mutiny On The Bounty. The right arête from the crevasse.4 4a Hark Back. The mid level traverse – left to right.

B. The Pinnacle.5 4a Bull Market. Down left an undercut boulder – the arête.6 Easy John Bull. The left edge of the buttress with a step left at a low bulge.7 4a Bull Pen. The narrow chimney and crack above to a ledge.

** 8 5b One Pebble Slab. Centre of the steep slab.9 4c Bull In A China Shop. The left leaning crack and block above to a ledge.

*** 10 4c Gold Bullion. The narrow tower.11 4a Red Rag. The corner crack.

** 12 5b Brash Slab. The centre of the slab.* 13 4c Red Bull. Right arête of the slab and block above.

14 4a Bulimia. The slim right slab.* 15 5a Stan’s Tug. Traverse of lower break – from 6 to 14.

16 4b N-W Arête. Of the upper pinnacle.** 17 4c Alan’s Acme. West side of the pinnacle’s left arête [don’t fall off!]

??? Bold front of top pinnacle or right arête.18 Easy Easy angled boulder behind and above pinnacle, left side.19 Easy Right side of same boulder.20 4c Bullish. Right of the pinnacle – a steep tower to finishing jugs.21 5b Bullworker. The next steep tower to a flake.22 Easy The low angled slab to the right.23 Easy Corner crack.

24 Easy A lower slab leading to a steep block.25 4a Chrysalis. White topped boulder below the main area – high step up and

fragile flake just left of the arête.26 Easy Caterpillar. The front face of the boulder right of the arête.

B. Jumble Of Boulders.

27 Easy Groove in the left side of a low boulder.28 4a Right rippled wall of the same boulder.

* 29 4a Walk The Plank. Rippled slab and block above.30 Easy The left lower slab.31 Easy Setback adjacent slab.32 Easy Next lower slab to the right.33 Easy Narrow slab to the right.34 4a Bullhead. Bulging left arête of a higher block.35 Easy The front face of the same block.36 Easy Bulging block 5m right.37 Easy Left side of the top slab.38 Easy Right side of the same slab.39 Easy The left arête of a higher right block.

Sector VI. Cave Area.1 4a Cave In. The high left side wall.

* 2 4a Cave Arête. The hanging arête left of the cave entrance.3 4a Troglodyte. Right of the cave a rising traverse up the left side of the arête.4 Easy Caveman. The narrow left slab.

* 5 Easy Cave Slab. The wider slab.6 4c Bull Frog. The undercut wall to the right.

* 7 4a Bullate Wall. The higher rippled wall left of a tree stump.8 4a Bulldoze. 15m right, past easy slab is a higher wavy hanging boulder.9 4c Both Sides. The pointed boulder above.10 4a Snow Line. Slabby wall to the right with a mantel.11 4b Snow Plough. Front of the next rippled boulder.12 4a Snow So Easy. Undercut right end of the same boulder.13 Easy Stepped narrow lower boulder.14 Easy Left arête of roofed boulder.15 Easy Right side of the same boulder.

B. Blocks.

* 16 4a Barry’s Face. The narrow left face of the upper boulder.

??? Front rounded face17 4a Bovril. Left edge of lower boulder.

* 18 4b Bovine. Right edge of the same boulder.* 19 4c Neat. The right balancy face of same..

20 4c Grunt. The bulging boulder up right.21 Easy Oxlip. The middle of a higher slab to an overlap, easy slab above.22 Easy Ox. The lef side of a bulging block to the right.23 4a Oxo. The right arête of the same block.24 4a Oxbow. Left arête of the next boulder 5m right.25 Easy Oxtail. Right wavy side of the same boulder.

* 26 4b Mounting Block. Rock over problem on a lower edge.27 Easy Stumbling Block. Middle of a wall to the right. [Heather finish]28 4b Sitting Bull. An undercut boulder 10m to the right – sitting start.

C. Clough End Boulders.29 Easy December. Middle of the boulder above the path – 30m to the right.30 Easy Hogmanay. Left wall of boulder 30m right again.31 Easy Year End. Right wall of same boulder.

.32 4a First Footing. 40m right. Left side of upper block of larger group.33 4b Late Visit. Left side wall of main boulder, rounded finish!

** 34 4c Spring. Left arête of main boulder.* 35 4b January Sun. Middle of slab.

** 36 4c And A Happy New Year To You. The right edge.37 4a Filling Tine. The right rounded side wall.

There is a spring of fresh water 15m past Slate Delph Clough above the path.The next group of rocks, named Little Bullstones on the OS map, are 300m above and tothe right of the clough.

Sector VII. Bullock Stones.Described in levels as you reach them up the hillside from the clough. A complex area!

A. Lowest Level.1 4b Picos. Left bulging face of the lowest left boulder.

* 2 4a Pamplona Run. Slab just right of the arête of the same boulder.3 Easy Olé! Middle of the slab to finish right of a grassy pocket.4 Easy Toro. Right side of the slab.5 Easy Negro. 40m right. Left side of a smooth slab.6 4a Blanco. Middle of the slab.7 Easy Verde. The right side of the slab.

B. Next Level.* 8 5a Just Push. Furthest left, mantel a flat boulder.

9 Easy Left arête of blocks.10 Easy Bulges to a pointed block.11 4a Jug To Jug. Wall left of a crack.12 4b Too Hot To Handle. The crack.13 4a Spadework. Middle of the wall to the right.14 4a Lower separate upstanding boulder, mantel its west face.15 4a Pale Face. Left side of a boulder.16 Easy Red Flake. Middle of the boulder by a fragile flake.

** 17 5c Beware Of The Bull. The awkward rounded arête.* 18 5b Bull In The Field. A large block slightly below – a low traverse of three

sides, starting on the SW corner, using the top for hands.

C. Middle Level.19 4a Beefcake. Hanging arête of an isolated boulder up left.20 Easy Arête of a slightly lower boulder.

21 4a Beefeater. Mantel onto ledge of heathery blocks above.22 Easy Beef Burger. Two stepped arêtes at the right side of the same blocks.23 Easy Beefsteak. Larger blocks 10m down to the right, the left side wall.24 4a Beef Tea. The left arête.

* 25 4c Baron Of Beef. Vague rib from a high step.26 4b Bull’s Blood. The crack between the blocks.

??? Front face of boulder* 27 5a Shaken Not Stirred. The groove round on the right side wall.

28 Easy Consolation. Cracks to the right.* 29 4a Bullock Block. Small wall up to the right.

30 4a Gelded. Front arête of the block below.31 Easy Steer. Grooved right face of the same block.32 Easy Pride Before The Fall. Left side of the next rounded boulder.

** 33 5c Headstrong. The right rounded arête.34 Easy Relief. 5m right a low angled slab to a grass ledge and a higher slab.35 4a Elephant Bull. Right again is a long low wavy slab, the left arête.

* 36 4b Bull Whale. Left side of the slab via an undercut.37 Easy Humpback. Middle of the slab via a flake.38 Easy Minke. Right end of the slab at a groove.

* 39 4a Arrowhead. The left arête of the obvious boulder.* 40 4b The Wrong Trousers. Middle of the slabby face, no block or edge.

41 Easy Right arête off the block.42 Easy Rough Diamond. Large slab up right, the left grooved edge.

** 43 Easy Ace Of Diamonds. Straight up the middle of the slab.44 4a Cut Diamond. The right arête starting round the right.

D. Highest Level.45 4a Bull Baiting. The highest rocks up left, the left arête.

* 46 4a Bulldog. Mantel the front wall.47 Easy Dog Eared. The slanting scoop.48 4a Bull Mastiff. The slanting crack.49 Easy Dog Paddle. The groove.

** 50 4b Bull Terrier. Right of the groove a hanging arête above a hole.** 51 5c Pit Bull. From the hole the tower direct.

52 Easy Dog End. Small slab to the right.

300m to the right past many small boulders you come to –

Sector VIII. Stirk Slabs.A. Split Block.

1 Easy Crow’s Foot. Centre of the left block.2 Easy As The Crow Flies. The straight wide crack.3 Easy Crowing. Centre of the right block.4 4a CRoW Act. The right arête.5 4b Crow’s Nest. Mantel the right side wall.

* 6 4c Croasdale. The right face of the adjacent boulder, without the ledge.7 4a Croak. From the small ledge climb the right arête.

B. Slab Buttress.*** 8 5b Bull Run. Left edge of the smaller slab.

** 9 4b Bull Ring. Right side of slab from an undercut.** 10 5c Don’t Go Yet. Left end of the buttress side wall, high step and undercut.

* 11 5a Midsummer Nights. Middle of wall via a slanting groove and pockets.12 4a Bulrush. Arête of the buttress from the left onto ledges.13 4b Breathe In. Bulging front face just right of the arête.

* 14 4b Bulletin. Start up groove right of bulge continue up ledges.15 4c Stirk Slab. Middle of the slab.

** 16 4b Bullet Proof. The right arête from the left.17 5a Bare Backs. The side wall using the arête to start.18 4a Bully. Higher on the side wall from a boulder step left up to a break.19 4b Thug. The side wall 1m right to its highest point.20 Easy A small boulder below the buttress – the left face.21 Easy The right face.

C. Dream Buttress.22 4c Nigel’s Dream. The left arête of the higher west wall.

** 23 4c Dreammaker. The sloppy left side of the wall, passing a horizontal slot.* 24 4b Dreamcatcher. The right side of the wall finishing right of a crack.

25 4b Sunset. Lower left rocks, left arête.26 4a Daybreak. Up through the gap.27 5b Fantasy. Left end of the slab with awkward landing above the overlap.

* 28 5a Illusion. Middle of the slab and through the overlap.29 4a Delusion. The corner crack.30 4a Counting Sheep. Left arête of the lower wall and continuing slabby arête.

* 31 4a Dreamboat. Undercut slab to climb a prow and easy upper groove.32 4a Dreamworks. Middle of the lower slab, and higher right groove.33 4b Daydream. Right side of the slab by a crack to finish up exposed arête.34 Easy Dream Walk. Right arête of slab onto a sloping shelf, back left to finish.35 4c Castle In The Air. At a higher level round the arête climb a bulging wall

to a ledge and finish left of the scoop.** 36 4b Pipe Dream. Into the prominent scoop and a steeper finish.

??? Triangular face below scoop.* 37 4b Wet Dream. The wall just right of the crevasse, no use of back wall.

** 38 4b Dream On. The right arête of the wall.39 4c Dream Up. The steep side wall using the arête.

D. Two Tier Buttress.40 4b The Unknown. The left arête/side wall.

** 41 5b Black Hole. Middle of the bulging wall up past flakes.42 5b Thug On A Lug. Climb! past the protruding hold at the right end.43 Easy Mantel the short east face.

Sector IX. Trough Boulders.200m down the fellside below the slabs is a small group of boulders near a remarkablelarge stone trough. Problems described right to left.

A. Dinner Table. The obvious large block west of the trough.1 Easy Howard’s Starter. The NE arête.

* 2 4c Desperate Dan. The middle of the right side wall.3 4b The arête.4 Easy Obvious slot on front face.

* 5 4c Sticky Feet. The wall left of the crack.6 5a Pigeon Foot. The wall to a scooped finish.

* 7 4b Falcon’s Feast. The arête from the right side.8 4a Crumbs. The arête from the left.9 Easy Scraps. The left wall past a crack.10 4a Wall just right of arête.11 Easy The left arête.

B. Stream Boulder. 50m further west and at a slightly lower level.12 Easy The top right arête.

* 13 4b Legover Groove. The middle of the right face.14 4b Groom’s Delight. The nose.15 Easy The left arête above a hole.

C. Elephants Foot. 20m further down.16 Easy The wall just right or arête.17 4a The arête on flakes.

* 18 4c Steep wall left of arête.19 Easy The scooped wall without the next crack.20 Easy White crack.21 4c The arête from a sitting start on the left.22 Easy The left crinkled wall.

D. Little Smoothie. 10m to the west.23 Easy The upper stepped right arête.

* 24 4c The right side wall from a small slot.** 25 5a The right arête from a broken flake.

26 ??? Middle of front wall?27 Easy The left curved arête.

400m across the moor to the right, at the higher level, are some small blocks.Sector X. Calf Stones.

1 4a Fatted Calf. The left arête of the most prominent block.

* 2 4b Calf’s-foot Jelly. Middle of the face to a large pocket.3 4b Calf Skin. Right side to a small pocket without the arête.4 4a Calf Love. The right arête starting from the right.

* 5 4c Phone Barry. Middle of the side wall through a black scoop.6 4a Phone Alan. Further right on better holds.

* 7 4c Calf Ache. Traverse the whole block right to left without using the top.7a 4a Left arête from the left.8 Easy Scooped face of adjacent block.9 Easy Left arête of the right block.9a 4a Middle of face – no arêtes or pocket.10 Easy Baby Cow. The right arête.11 Easy Grooved wall round to the right

From this end of the boulders a way can be found back to the Salter Fell track. Dropdown the hillside, cross a small gully to traverse leftwards on a cairned sheep track belowReeves Edge. [don’t go too low]. This trod eventually meets up with a Landrover track ata bend, this is followed down to a ford and then back up to the fell road at New Bridge.This way can be used in reverse if only visiting Little Bullstones.