Boulder Guide --- Little Font

Parking is found beside the church & village hall at Kentmere but beware it can sometimes become congested at weekends . It is worth noting that the farmer opens a field for parking during summer, to ease congestion. This can be found on the right before the climb to the church. Walking from here, further along the Garburn Pass & above the ubiquitous Badger Rock, or the Brock Stone, as it is sometimes known, the ‘Little Font’ area can be found. Often overlooked by folk who travel into Kentmere to boulder. This ‘secret’ area hides in an obvious coppice to the right of the main Garburn track, providing some excellent solid bouldering & some true tests on the hardest problems in the valley, whilst still giving good long flavour to the afternoon for beginners. All problems climbed by Si, unless otherwise stated.

Immediately below Badger Rock there is a collection of short easy slabs beside a farm outbuilding. The overhanging prow is a wee bit more adventurous:

1. Seth* 6b, Font 6c(+) : A wet arse sit start (in a beck!) climbing the overhanging prow to better holds. Soc.

Low Stones. Easily visible above Badger, these boulders are tiny with good landings.
2. Fly Agaric 6c+, Font 7b+ : Traverse R-L-R on slopes through the steep prow to finish in a recess.
3. 5c+, Font 6a,b or V3 : The hanging arete & rightward crackline to the top jug.

Pine Stone. Situated near the track the Pine Stone is another much overlooked gem not 50m from Badger.
4. H’s 5c Eliminate 5c, Font 6+ : Low start the hanging corner & directly through the bulge. Ha.
5. Middle Earth 6c, Font 7b(+) : Squeezy cave start on low crimps or twin side-slopes to a central hard undercut & wall above.
6. Pine Stone Fly Boy 6a/b, Font 6c : A traverse of the face L-R-L from 12-7. Mid 6c on crimps only..
7. Sandbag 4c : Surmount the overhanging nose through its steepest section. There is a slight clue in the name.

Cave Stone. The cave, as well as providing a demanding roof problem or two, also makes a good rain shelter if it turns cats & dogs.
8. Suzis Laughing 6c/7a, Font 7c+ : From the back of the cave crimp desperately L & out to gain & finish up the airy headwall. Harder for dwarfs.
9. Loungin’ 5b/c, Font 6+ : The good leaning arete direct.

Leaning Stone. The slabs provide worthy bouldering in the easy grades. The steeper L wall however is a different coffee pot of marine life.
10. The Karma of Trees** 7a/b, Font 8a : Arete start into a poor mono then central desperate moves & dyno finish for a sloper.

Giant Stone. The obvious rounded boulder high up through the jumble has a large roof with no apparent holds (seriously!) & is not for the faint hearted. There is nothing easy on this.

11. A desperate traverse project nearing completion. 8b?!
12. Reverence 6b+, Font 6c/7a : A sit start from the back into a large undercut & bulge.
12a. Irreverence 6c, Font 7a (v) : An undercut Font variation traversing the bulge R-L-R.
13. Tourniquet* 7a, Font 7c+ : Obvious & brilliant. Starting low at 12, the groove of cruxy roof slopers rising R-L.
14. Re-invented Bright New Colour* 7a/b, Font 8a+ : Low start on tiny sidecuts then the desperate roof direct.
15. Little Women 7a/b, Font 8a : Start low on a small slope & mono sidepull then the roof L-ward & up.

Re-invented Bright New Colour Variation, Font 8a