Scout Crag is the long, broken, gritstone edge on the north side of Widdop reservoir. There are three separate areas spread along the edge with worthwhile bouldering. Around the summit of the moorland, Grey Stone Hill, there are several boulders, including a big roof. The main edge in the centre of the hillside has a long, broken wall, with several large boulders beneath it. Right of the central area, a more broken edge known as Raven Stones has better bouldering.
Rigging Stones
This area isn't really Scout Crag at all, but it's close enough so what the hell. These are the obvious boulders on the same side as the hill as Scout Crag, but just over the border in Lancashire, down the hill from the high point of the road.
Grey Stone Hill
Grey Stone Hill is the summit of the edge, at the far left-hand side (looking in). There are numerous boulders here, including an impressive horizontal roof.
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The boulder in front of the impressive roof has several short sit-start problems. This climbs the left side of the left arete.
6a
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The front of the broken boulder, from a sit start.
7a
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Start as for Boggy's Roof, but move slightly right to finish past a large jug on the lip.
The Main Edge
A long vertical wall is the main feature here. There are numerous cracklines, giving short routes upto the grade of HVS. Beneath the edge there are several large boulders. One of these has a fiercely overhanging face, unfortunately with a poor landing. Another has a large triangular face with a couple of good problems.
The Last Boy Scout
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An excellent highball problem.
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In front of the main edge is a prominent triangular block. This takes the left arete.
Raven Stones
This area is more broken than the main edge, but better for bouldering.
The Slab
Beneath the left-hand end of the edge is a small slab.
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The centre of the little slab.
Big Overhang
Two large boulders next door to each other. The left-hand block has a steep front face split by a crack, while the right-hand boulder is undercut.
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Start at a sloping edge near the arete, and move up left past a jug to the top.
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Climb the edge between the overhanging wall and the vertical wall on its left from a sit start.
Paranoid Handroid
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The savage crack on the overhanging wall, using a poor sidepull out right just below the top.
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The wall right of the overhanging wall. Start with right hand on a large layaway and go straight up.
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Traverse the thin break across the overhanging wall from left to right, starting on the slab and finishing up the wall.
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The wall just right again, starting with right hand on a layaway and left on a layaway or undercut.
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The right arete of the vertical wall.
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On the next boulder, the wall left of the nose, with an awkward high step to begin.
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Start hanging on the jug on the lip of the roof, slap up to more good holds, finish direct up the right side of the arete.
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The flake crack in the centre of the right-hand wall.
Easy Aretes
Further along the edge two small aretes offer some easy problems.
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The left-hand, slabby arete.
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The right-hand, lower arete, climbed on the left or the right. Harder with a sitting start.
Small Overhang
The next worthwhile boulder has an small overhanging front face.
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Climb the bulge from a sit start.
Topo
Flake Crack
Further along the edge is this small boulder with a flake crack on its front face.
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The flake crack is good.
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Climb the crack from a super-low start beneath the boulder.
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The right wall from a very low start at the lip of the roof. 6a-ish from a hanging start on an obvious good edge.
The Bay
Towards the right-hand end of the crag, several boulders surround a grassy bay. There are more good problems on an impressive roof behind the bay.
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The undercut arete is excellent. Finish by moving left round the arete - the direct is harder and quite scary.
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The sit start to the arete is excellent.
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The horrible crack.
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A short crimpy problem up the right side of the wall from a sit start.
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On the low boulder at the back of the bay, sit start under the roof and climb the nose past a flake.
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Climb the centre of the slab right of the roof on slopers.
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The big jagged arete on the next boulder. Good.
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The wall right of the arete, immediately left of a big easy corner.
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The easy right side of the big corner crack is good.
The High Buttresses
The big buttresses right of the Bay have worthwhile climbing, but they're quite high.
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A problem on the right-hand side of the buttress.
The Far Right
At the far right-hand end of the hillside and directly opposite the main reservoir car park is a series of small boulders.
The Marble Man
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Start two metres right of Marble Man and trend slightly leftwards.
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Start one metre right of the chimney/crack and climb via a pocket.
The Human Torch
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