Climbs 38
Rocktype Volcanic tuff
Altitude 200m a.s.l
Faces W
Shaw Brown leading A Quick One, Pen (Main Crag) © Sue Underwood
There are two contrasting halves to this crag. The southernmost part, S of the stone wall abutting the lowest point of the crag, is a steep quarry-like crag while the northern section is 20 - 30m high slabs at an amenable angle. Rock quality is excellent. Parts of the slab are vegetated but the routes are generally clean.
A much smaller outlier, Pen Slab, is found just up the gully which flanks the southern crag. Upper Pen Crag is found in a beautiful open location on the south side of Pen, just below the summit with views down the Duddon Valley.
The crag lies on the west side of the small summit of Pen above the eastern side of Wallowbarrow Gorge. The crag can be discerned on the 1:25,000 map, as can the stone wall which descends from the crag to the river.
Access to the crag is difficult in the bracken season (June to November) as definite paths are non-existent.
1. From the footbridge at the south end of Wallowbarrow Gorge (224964) follow the path north up the gorge on the west bank of the R Duddon for around 300m. Tower of Flints buttress becomes obvious high on your left and Pen crag is less obvious but just visible on the right. Crossing the Duddon is only straightforward when water is low. Be warned! The best crossing point is before you are level with the crag where a huge pointed boulder stands in the river. From here the crag lies diagonally left up the hillside. About 15 min in favourable conditions.
2. The crag can also be reached by a pleasant (outside the bracken season!) ramble from the high land above Seathwaite Buttress taking a WNW line until the summit of Pen is reached. 30+ min from the road in favourable conditions.
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