Over the last year, Dan Varian has added some fine new lines in Langstrath. First up is an entirely new bouldering sector, focusing on the the distinct barrel shaped bulge at the base of Fat Charlie’s Buttress, an existing trad crag just up the slope to the left shortly having crossed the footbridge. This glaciated chuck of super solid rock has offered up a number of tough challenges. From left to right these are:
Big Boy Beeves (8A+) SDS on an obvious edge and make moves rightwards through the sparse edges to join the prow and crack. Follow this to the top.
Little Boy Beeves (8A) SDS A short version of the previous line starting the prow down to the left.
The Big Squeeze (7C) SDS Start on the lip of the roof with both hands at the lowest point of the mini box prow. Upwards progress is hard gained or well thought out. Top out or finish at the mid height break. There is also a hybrid version of this and the following problem.
Charlie Bit My Finger (6C) SDS The hanging arete on the RHS of the buttress up to the break, top out or jump off.
At the established blocks further up the valley, Dan and friends shifted a large block at the base of Eastern Empire, opening up a great new sitter coming in from way down to the right. Starting on the lowest possible crimps and a useful toehook, move left then straight up the wall to the right of Eastern Empire. This is Shieldmaiden (8A). The stand (starting at a letterbox hold) makes for a great 7B in its own right. Image above.