UK Classic Rock Summer Challenge

To celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Joe Brown Shops in Snowdonia, we've teamed up with our retail partners, The Climbers Shop and Joe Brown Shops and UKClimbing to offer you a fantastic summer rock climbing challenge in the UK.

In 2021, we challenge you to focus your energy this summer exploring these 15 Classic Rock climbs in the Lake District and/or 21 in Snowdonia, enjoying some of the best climbing at the grade; all of which are below VS.

Complete either the 'Lake District Classic Rock Summer Challenge' or the 'Snowdonia Classic Rock Challenge' (or both if you are feeling keen!) by climbing all the routes from the iconic book Classic Rock, and you'll get not only the satisfaction of all those adventurous days out trad. climbing and exploring the magnificent UK mountains, but a serious dose of FUN too! It's what climbing is all about! On top of that you will also get a digital £20 voucher e-mailed to you to spend at either The Climbers Shop in the Lake District or The Joe Brown Shops in North Wales plus a FREE three-month subscription to the brilliant Rockfax Digital.

These historical routes, we hope will offer you an amazing journey and adventure through some of the most iconic routes in the UK, as well as, for some, a vehicle to help focus precious time developing your rock climbing skills to become more independent, or perhaps prepare you for a guided experience.

All the Lake District routes have been climbed in a single 24-hour period, but we want you to enjoy a more leisurely approach, exploring these iconic routes over the whole summer, focusing your energy on spending more time outdoors, as we slowly come out of local and national restrictions and are able to travel more freely in the UK again.

• There are 15 classic rock routes from Very Difficult (VD) to Very Severe (VS) in the Lake District mountains
• There are 21 classic rock routes from Difficult (D) to Very Severe (VS) in and around the Snowdonia mountains in Wales

Even if you choose to do only a few of these classic routes, it’s a great way to plan your outdoor climbing.

We are here to help

If you need any extra instruction to help kick start your summer climbing, building skills and confidence to help you enjoy some of these classic routes independently, or if you would prefer a guided experience, perhaps trying outdoor climbing for the first time, on these or other routes please get in touch with the ISM office. We can talk through what you would like to get out of your climbing, whether you are new to outdoor climbing or moving from indoors to climbing outdoors.

If you need help and advice about your trad. climbing rack, need new ropes or have any other equipment or clothing questions, The Climbers Shop and Joe Brown Shops are happy to help either in store or on-line.

We hope you enjoy a great summer of rock climbing!

Classic Rock - Lake District routes

1. Bowfell Buttress (HS 4b) - Bowfell
2. Ash Tree Slab (VD) – Gimmer Crag
3. ‘C’ Route (S 4b) – Gimmer Crag
4. Bracket and Slab Climb (VS 4b) – Gimmer Crag
5. Little Chamonix (VD) – Shepherds Crag
6. Troutdale Pinnacle (S) – Black Crag
7. Gillercombe Buttress (S 4a) - Gillercombe
8. New West Climb (VD) - Pillar
9. Rib & Slab Climb (HS 4b) - Pillar
10. The Wasdale Crack (HS 4c) – Napes Needle
11. Needle Ridge (VD) – The Napes
12. Tophet Wall (HS 4b) – The Napes
13. Moss Ghyll Grooves (VS 4c) – Scafell Crag
14. Jone’s Route Direct (HS 4b) – Scafell Crag
15. Murray’s Route (S 4a) – Dow Crag

For information on climbing grades and grade comparisons to help with understanding the grades of any routes then have a look at a short article HERE

Classic Rock - Wales routes

1. Great Gully (S) – Craig Yr Ysfa
2. Gashed Crag (VD) – Tryfan
3. Overlapping Ridge Route (D) – Tryfan
4. Grooved Arete (HVD 4a) – Tryfan
5. Direct Route (VD) – Tryfan
6. Pulpit Route (VD) – Tryfan
7. Direct Route (VS 4c) – Glyder Fach
8. Hope (VD) – Idwal Slabs, Cwm Idwal
9. Lazarus (S 4a) – Idwal Slabs, Cwm Idwal
10. The Arete (VD) – Idwal Slabs, Cwm Idwal
11. Grey Slab (VS 4b) – Glyder Fawr
12. Nea (VS 4b) - Clogwyn y Grochan
13. Crackstone Rib (S 4a) – Carreg Wasted
14. The Wrinkle (VD) – Carreg Wasted
15. Flying Buttress (VD) – Dinas Cromlech
16. Spiral Stairs (VD) – Dinas Cromlech
17. The Cracks (HS 4c) – Dinas Mot
18. Main Wall (HS 4b) – Cyrn Las
19. Avalanche/Red Wall/Longlands (S 4b) – Y Lliwedd
20. Creagh Dhu Wall (HS 4b) – Craig y Castell (Tremadog)
21. Will o’ the Wisp (HVD) - Craig Cywarch