Bowles Rocks Bouldering Guide

The pictures are from Right to Left as this is how the crag is approached. The bouldering grades are in ‘Font’ grades. The text describes some of the harder bouldering problems. The coloured lines also show the grade.

• Green: grade 4 and below
• Yellow: grade 5’s
• Red are 6’s
• Black is any grade 7’s and above

Bouldering can be dangerous and ropes may be required for some of the problems!

We fully endorse the British Mountaineering Council’s participation statement:

“The BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions.”

1. Simple mantle shelf from a standing start. 4a
2. A pumpy traverse that finishes in the gully on the right. 5a

1. Continue to traverse, harder on the right side. 4a
2. Climb the rounded holds to a easy finish. The grade will depend on on which holds you allow yourself for the right hand. 6b.
3. High problems with a hard move at the top. All the holds on the left are excluded. 6a

1. A good boulder problem up the overhanging arete.5a
2. A interesting traverse that can be climbed both ways. 5b
3. I like this boulder problem, however it is an eliminate. You are not allowed anything in the left hand crack nor can you use the holds on the right hand flake. 6a
4. An OK problem. 6a

• A sitting start from a good jug. 6b
• A good problem with many variations. 6b
• A left to right traverse. 6a

1. A hard line that keeps below the main break. Hard to keep your feet of the floor. 7b+.

1. A pumpy bouldering traverse from the start of Birch Crack and finishing up Funnel. 6a+
2. Struggle up the arete. 5c
3. A good warm up problem on pockets 4b
4. Another good problem. 4b
5. The first moves of Scouter provides a short boulder problem. 4c
6. The beginning of funnel is the hardest part of the route as well as the least satisfying. 4a

1. Target Direct is a good bouldering problem on jugs and then using a small mono. 6b+.
2. Traverse under the nose from a sitting/low start. 7a.
3. A better finish to the previous route. After latching the hold under the nose move up to the round holds and finish on the iron. 7a.
4. This is the normal route for Target. Pop to the jug and then climb the crack on the right side of the nose. Traverse over the top of the nose to finish on the same iron hold as number 4. 5c+.
5. After completing number 3, bridge across the next wall. 4b.

1. This is the same bouldering problem as route 1 from the previous photo. 6b+.
2. A great line. From a sit start make hard moves right until you are underneath the nose. From here climb up to the slopers and finish on the ironstone jug. 7a.
3. The finish of a traversing line that starts on the left side of huge overhang 7a.
4. This line can be climbed from the left as well. 5a

1. Long moves from jug to jug. 6a+
2. The first moves of Cardboard Box provide a committing problem. 6c.
3. A good eliminate. 6c.
4. The first few moves of Conjuror provide a good boulder problem. 6b.
5. A great line, finish on the cairn. 4a
6. A jump for a sloping hold. 5c+

1. The finish of the Orr traverse (best shown on next photos). 5a.
2. This is the next link in the bouldering traverse. Using the good hand holds under the left side of the overhang, make a long move up a right to move good holds. Boulder the rest of the route at this level until you have turned the right hand arete. 6b+.
3. Good spotting required. 5c+.
4. Same start as route 2 but continue upward until your feet are on the break. 6a.
5. Sapper Direct. 5b.
6. A committing climb up the right arete. 6a.

1. Low level traverse under bolt wall has some hard moves. 6b
2. This is the part of the Orr Traverse that starts left of Mick’s wall. 5a

1. An eliminate sit start. Only use the poor handholds and boulder your way to the top. 7b
2. A low or sit start leads to some powerful moves to finish. 6a+
3. The Orr traverse. 5a

1. This is the finishing moves from the medium level traverse. Route starts on the left hand side of Bolt Wall and traverses the wall at this level. Hard technical moves lead to a welcome rest. 6b
2. A sitting start lead up to small handholds and poor feet to finish on the break. 7a
3. Low down moves off OK hand holds and a dyno to a further OK hold. 6c
4. Crimp from a standing position up to the break 5c/6a
5. Traverse at this level for 2m until a rest is reach at the start of Temptation. 5c/6a
6. More of the Orr Traverse 5a

1. A very low traverse starting on the right and working left. You are not allowed any holds in the break at the start of the problem but you are forced to use the last couple of holds in the break at the end. 6c
2. The Orr traverse is a classic line. 5a
3. This is another good boulder problem that can be a bit scary. Use the good holds on the nose/arete to reach the slopers. A big move out right leads to a welcome jug. 6a
4. An easy line that is also the way down! 4c
5. Without using the arete climb the right side of the wall. Easier for the tall. 5c

• Nicotine Alley is a classic traverse line that is normally climbed from right to left but can be climbed either way at the same grade. 7a
• Sugerplum is a pumpy traverse across the top break of Fandango Wall. 6b+
• The centre of the wall is a good crimpy problem. 5c
• A great, but high problem. 6b

• A good problem up the thin flake to finish on the jugs. 7a+ or 7b sit start
• An all too short boulder problem.6a
• Powerful moves on good holds to the 1st break. If you are feeling brave you can finish the problem with a dyno to the next break.6c.
• Powerful moves on good holds. Anything you can reach is in. 5b
• Starting moves of a classic climb. 5c
• A hard line. 7c

1. A interesting traverse that is only 6a if you find the right way. 6a
2. This short traverse is better from right to left. 6c
3. Dyno/bounce to the sloping hold. 7a
4. Banana Hammock is a classic problem up the line of sloping holds and finishing out left. 7a
5. A simple problem. 5b
6. Only use the holds on the right side of the banana. 6b

1. A boulder problem that is only useful as a warm up. 4c
2. A easy traverse that’s of limited bouldering value. 4c
3. Another pointless route. 4b