Giants Crawl - Dow Crag

Saturday was another LUMC trip, destined for Wallowbarrow in the Duddon Valley, one of my favourite parts of the Lake District. I've climbed at Wallowbarrow in the past and its a really nice crag, but with it being February and the forecast being cold and the potential for the rock being damp I decided a mountaineering day keeping moving was more in order.

We headed up at about 11am from Seathwaite following the Walna Scar road to col below Brown Pike, before heading up along the ridge to Brown Pike and Buck Pike. We stopped just below the summit of Dow Crag itself and descended the climbers descent gully to the left of A buttress looking at how to protect scrambles in descent with the rope. Once at the bottom we traversed across to the base of B buttress and geared up.

Bec and Josh before the descent to Dow.

Gaint's Crawl is an awesome route, I think I've done it 4/5 times now mainly for the reasons that its a fantastic route for beginners or people new to multi-pitches, and its good in the wet. It's diff and ~150m and given 7 pitches in the guidebook but lends itself more in my eyes, and is quite doable in 4, which is how I'll describe it. The first two lead up the impressive slanting gangway that cuts B buttress. These are often wet as they were on the day but the gear is good and all the holds are there, its fine in big boots as well. The exposure on these pitches is also good, increasing as you get higher. Next the route kicks back left, which a tricky move over a large block which leads to a good stance and the final pitch tot he easier ground above.

At the belay halfway along the gangway, looking across to A buttress.

About 18 months ago there was some rockfall on the final pitch, and while most of the loose debris has gone there are still a few large loose block hanging around. These could really do with being removed as they pose significant danger to people below on B buttress and around the rescue box if one was to become dislodged.

Myself on the final pitch.

We scrambled up to the summit of Dow, before dropping down to the Dow-Old Man col and then dropping down to Seathwaite tarn and following the access track back down to the valley to be in the pub shortly after 5pm. I was climbing with Bec and Josh who I think (hope) had a good day and were excellent company.