Strength and power day on Dorset’s big rock, the Agglestone
Strength and power day on the large sandstone boulder which is over 5m high and sat up in the middle of Studland heath in Dorset. Good bouldering on sharp, but positive holds which are mainly on very overhanging ground. Income places the bottom meter or so of the rock is very friable, so tread lightly. The east face has some good juggy traversing and vertical problems to f6B. The north face has some easier, but highball problems to f5+ finishing at the summit and the west face has the harder more technical problems to f6B.
Great for training strength and power because of the overhanging nature, long traverses and highballs. As you progress, strength can be increased gradually by selecting smaller holds and power by missing holds and going long.
Problems Climbed
- Stegosaurus – f4 – Hardish sit start to easier ground.
- Triceratops – f5+ – Hardish sit start to nice juggy slightly overhang.
- Low Traverza -f6B – Low sit start into an easier low level traverse with nice juggy holds on continually overhanging ground.
- Shelf Climb – f5 – Harder than it looks, especially if you sit start it from the poor low edges. A long reach or high feet also help.
- Non-Eliminate Face – f6B – Short lived, but hard moves all the way.
- Northwest Arete – f5 done as 4 x 4 with feet off start – Nice juggy holds on very overhanging ground to a highball finish.
Conservation
As mentioned the rock is very friable in its first metre. It would be best to use very light footwork or even better pull off the ground without feet engaged (more power training). If you must use chalk, personally I don’t see the need as the rock is so rough anyway, don’t use a brush to clean the holds. You will also notice the mass of graffiti etched into the lower sections of rock, please don’t add to it, no one actually cares who you love or when you were there!
The whole area of Studland Heath is a conservation area, so please take home all of your rubbish, even better take home that left by others as well!
