Finedon Slabs. So esoteric, so underappreciated, so badly in need of a litter pick (!).
http://www.leicesterclimbs.f9.co.uk/FinedonI.htm Come on - doesn't it sound like the best climbing in Northamptonshire?
In darkest wild Northamptonshire
There’s hidden, as they say
A charming little craglet
That’s out near Finedon way.
One weekend we went there
With ropes and nuts and crabs -
The finest crag in Northamptonshire,
The famous Finedon Slabs!
Mick soloed up a corner
But very near the top
The ravening vegetation
Caused his ascent to stop.
Eventually off he fell
As the brambles raked his arm
But he hit a rotting mattress
And bounced up without harm!
We tried to climb the parapet
But found with cursing fear
Its crumbling concrete holes
Would not take our gear.
But then we found salvation
A rusting metal bar
Wedged into the concrete
A runner without par!
I gibbered up Sun Slab
But just to hamper things
Right before the top
I went and dropped my slings.
But the belay was in-situ
Which did just fine for me –
A pair of dirty knickers
Wrapped around a tree!
So it’s litter-strewn and concrete
With rubbish all about
But the best crag in the county
Without any doubt.
Why drive to Stanage polish
Or North Wales in the clag?
Come and climb at Finedon –
It’s a very friendly crag!
(This thread would have been a premier post sponsored by the Finedon Appreciation Society, but despite having a collection box at the crag for several months we're collected a grand total of four bottle tops, two unidentified foreign coins and a used french letter. Please don't use the collection box for rubbish - you've got the whole of the rest of the crag for that.) Apparently Finedon won't be/isn't in the new guide - wonder why? :