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The Roaches in January. 8 people stayed in a very damp Rockall Cottage. A poor weather forecast deterred anybody from arriving a day early. Saturday was supposed to offer the best weather so three intrepid members attempted to climb on the upper tier. The mist was thick enough to conceal the top of the crag and after one cold green slimy climb up a waterfall, they retired to the hut for refreshments before going for a walk. All the others showed more sense and just went for a variety of walks and runs. An evening in the cosy Rock Inn was extremely welcome. Sunday started with promise before settling down to misery. Five went to the Upper Limits climbing wall at Longnor, whilst the others went for a walk before heading home. <John Isard> Cwm Uchaf Bunkhouse meet at Crai, Brecon Beacons. The original 9 names were, by the time of the meet, reduced to just 3 (obviously the most intrepid) and so it was that we three met up, slightly later than planned due to a late return from Bury St E’s on my part. Brecon Beacons are not nearly as far as the Lakes and we arrived at Crai bunkhouse after a journey of about 3 hours or so. Compared with most of the huts it was fairly luxurious with TV, video, telephone (which was handy since no mobile reception in and around Crai) and with only 3 in the bunkroom itself we had plenty of room. Saturday dawned and we decided to walk together to Fan Brycheiniog (802 m 2631.2 ft ) in weather that was obviously promising to be interesting. And so it turned out – windy, wet and misty. At times v windy. We went to the top where there was a strangulation point on which was the standard markings including the number 29xx and I don’t think it is the height in feet. Answers on a pc please. So back down to valley and an exciting 4 or 5 mile road walk, when I say it was exciting what it was was that all day I had suffered from a corn on my L foot. Trying to minimise the pain from the said corn, I had managed to give myself a really painful, bruised heel. Hence the 5 mile road walk really was a bit much. I had been a few hundred yards behind the other 2 all day watching them disappear in the mist all the time and it was the same on the road – I just couldn’t keep up. So by the time I saw the village sign about 300 yards down the road at the bottom of the hill I didn’t need to be told to cry. But enuf of wingeing (there’s nothing quite like it really cathartic ) Meals were cooked, showers were taken, tv was watched, meals were eaten & the Pub was visited. 3 miles up the road at Defynnog were 2 Pubs I think we were in The Brewers Arms and the Welsh beer from a fairly local brewery was v good. Sunday I let the intrepid 2 do their intrepid thing & I pottered about checking out the garden & generally topping up on food, tea and all things good. Then I left them a note to say they should meet me at 2 o’clock at the Brewers Arms and asking them to bring on my 2 bags and set out on what might have been a pleasant stroll IF I hadn’t had a sore left foot AND an inclination to take totally wrong directions. At 2 pm I tried ringing the bunkhouse. RTNR. Then their mobiles. Thank god for communications. Soon I was aboard and heading home. Another meet under the belt. PS I should just say that the Park is of great ecological interest. Due to the weather not much was observed at least by me but not so far from Bedford and a huge area to walk in Brecon Beacons or Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog will repay many future visits. <Topper Price> March weather in Gwydyr. 9 people stayed in the spacious Gwydyr MC hut in Capel Curig. Fortunately it has an extremely effective drying room. Friday greeted the advance party with hail and sleet on Moel Siabod, before rain soaked them on the descent to the hut. Stronger winds and milder weather persuaded most people to walk through the Gwydyr Forest to Betws y Coed on Saturday, though one member placed such faith in the forest canopy that she left her waterproofs behind. After 90 minutes of walking through felled timber, she returned to the hut to correct the omission, collect a car and drove to Betws y Coed to rescue the least hardy members from their marathon gear shopping. All this time one contrary druid circumnavigated Moel Siabod before getting lost in the Glyders while practising his rain dance. Everybody was re-united in the bar of the Tyn y Coed Hotel. Sunday started well and just got better. Two went climbing on Tryfan and experienced a brief hailstorm, whilst others did circuits in the Carneddau, went buzzard spotting around Llyn Crafnant or simply not believing their good fortune, went home early. <John Isard> A late winter 'high' in the Lakes.. Huge interest in this meet was pared down to 12 for the George Starkey hut in Patterdale. We were sharing the ABMSAC's converted school house with a party from Bewdley Mountaineering Club and it was completely full. Fortunately we didn't need to test the capacity of its drying room. On Friday, the advance guard walked round the Far Easedale Horseshoe from Grasmere though their start was delayed to avoid the only rain of the weekend. Later arrivals went up Place Fell from the hut. Saturday was forecast to be the best day with strong cold easterly winds. Almost everybody headed for Fairfield and Helvellyn and two attempted Westmoreland's Climb on Dove Crag. With temperatures just above freezing, the pair abseiled off the route above the crux pitch because they were climbing too slowly. Three hours later, numb fingers and greasy rock seemed a distant memory as they followed the steep bucket steps off Helvellyn towards a completely wind-free Striding Edge. Luke joined us after a hard day's work; The White Lion was heaving so we all spent the evening in the Patterdale Hotel. Sunday. Mike and Katherine
visited us from Dumfries with news of life north of the border and we all
went up High Street by various routes. On returning to the hut, we found
that the Bewdley party had cleaned up the hut for us. Thank you. A glorious weekend in the Yorkshire Dales. Twelve people came to the Yorkshire Ramblers Lowstern hut at Clapham. The weather was hot and sunny, wildlife abounded including many curlews and even a ferret running in front of us carrying a poor baby rabbit. Brian P. gave us a master class in sheep and lamb whispering. The weekend
activities included cycling, walking and climbing. There were many
highlights including Sam, Sarah and John successfully completing the Three
Peaks walk, with Sam completing it in well under 10 hours after running
the last few miles! Brian P continued his annual survey of the Forest of
Bowland and Topper managed to squeeze in four naps on Ingleborough. There
were numerous other, though less sleepy, assaults on Ingleborough from
various directions by Jo, Linda, Molly, Tug and Alex. Training was
also provided as Tug presented his two protégées (Molly and Alex) with a
lesson in map reading. It’s a shame that their newly acquired skills were
looking a bit rusty when they struggled to locate the start of the
Waterfalls walk on Sunday. Twistleton Scar was a great venue for some
climbing instruction before a thunderstorm drove everybody back to the
car. North Wales in June. Ten came to the Oread MC house in Rhyd Ddu after the petrol crisis marooned two without fuel. The weekend was characterised by blue skies and a chilly north wind. During the course of the weekend nearly everybody walked circuits on both Snowdon and the Nantlle Ridge involving various scrambles. On Saturday, two headed off to the Rhinogs to collect a few more 'Nuttalls' and others soloed some easy rock climbs on the Glyders on Sunday. <John Isard > Wasdale
in July Ten
camped at the National trust
campsite in Wasdale Head. The long drive is amply rewarded by Lakelands
best views. As Saturday promised better weather, many walked and scrambled variations on the Wasdale Horseshoe, decending Scafell by the now stable Lord's Rake after being warned against the Foxes' Tarn route. The ascent of Great Gable was against the flow of the Wasdale Fell Race descending in 'free fall'. Scrambling on The Napes was quite greasy with the recent rain. Others ventured over the tops above Mosedale. Sunday promised the best weather but the sun was late in coming.. Some headed over Yewbarrow towards Red Pike whilst half the group linked various scrambles up Middlefell before returning beside Netherbeck. The lower level rock was dry and extremely flattering compared to the previous day on Gable. <John Isard > Autumnal weather in the Forest of Dean. Nine people camped in the Bracelands campsite near to Symonds Yat. Two were sporting their fractured arms, both incurred from cycling. They started arriving from midday Friday and the advance guard went mountain biking while a later party sought out the nearest pub offering a bargain and the vote went to Staunton. The mountain bikers returned with one broken bike to add to a fractured arm.
Saturday was forecast to have
bad weather, so most most went off on large circular walk past dripping
limestone crags which arrived at the pub from the previous day. They
walked (staggered Ed.) out of the pub to be greeted by the first spots of
a twelve hour shower. Meanwhile the remaining member avoided all
this subterfuge and simply went on a pub crawl. Sunday dawned to clearing skies. One party reversed Saturday's circuit and as the youngest member wasn't even breathing heavily, she was sent on a futile run to locate missing walking sticks abandoned by the teams token cripple. The other cripple joined a party to cycle around the Forest of Dean on trails from the Pedalabikeaway Centre (Yes, they really exist. Ed.) where a kind man fixed Friday's damage. The third party put their ML training to good use and simply got lost in the forest, resorting to a GPS to find the car. <John Isard >
Misty days in Dunnerdale. Despite
a last minute panic over a non-existent hut key, twelve members stayed at
Beckstones in the south-west corner of Cumbria and
many chose to arrive around
midday on Friday. Saturday followed Friday's pattern. Those who went scrambling found thick cloud on Dow Crag and the Coniston Old Man which never cleared the tops. The others were split between circuits around Harter Fell and further exploration of the lower sections of Dunnerdale. Sunday tempted some to scramble on the outcrops around Harter Fell or explore the mist shrouded ridges of Dow and the Old Man. The majority shunned the high tops for the more appropriate choice of Black Combe and its satellites (White Combe and Black Crags) - the most remote south west fells. <John Isard > Borrowdale in October. After many last minute changes, eleven came to the Bowderstone Hut. Unfortunately the five who arrived early were greeted by appalling weather on Friday and the rain only diminished with night fall. Saturday broke to clearing skies. Most explored the eastern ridges from Watendlath to High Raise, whilst others went over Dale Head towards Buttermere. Three more spent the day climbing on Shepherds Crag and included the classic Little Chamonix after the wind had dried out the rock. Sunday had a misty start and the clouds never lifted off the main tops. Some went scrambling above Seathwaite and continued in a circuit over Green Gable whilst others headed over the fells above the Honister Pass. Three climbers 'enjoyed' the incredibly greasy rock of Woden's Face beside the Bowderstone path before heading home at midday or running round the trails at the southern end of Derwentwater. <John Isard >
November at Froggatt.
Eight people attended
the November meet which made for very comfortable living in the Froggatt
Climbers Hut especially as there were no Climbers Club members. Apparently
the hut is supposed to accommodate 21 people – which would be a bit like
going on a weekend in a battery chicken shed! Point of note never go to
this in the months when climbing can be done! Saturday dawned damp but with no active precipitation – 2 groups set off both passing through Hathersage for a cuppa at some stage. One group walked through the woodland under the crags till Curbar Gap and then along Curbar and Froggatt Edges heading ultimately to Hathersage through the Longshaw estate. The return home trip for both parties was along the Derwent Valley long distance path an enjoyable walk along the river. The autumn colours were spectacular. Cakes and tea supplied by Mollie and Ann – and a trip to the Chequers Arms made a pleasant gastronomic end to the day. Sunday dawned with blue sky apparently, though not many of us saw that! An early start by BMC standards 9.15 am – with the majority heading to Eyam across the fields. Jo was able to give us a guided tour of the historical points of interest relating to the plague – then up onto the moors northwest of Eyam – where winter has already set in – no leaves on trees up here and the wind and rain arrived. A rather unpleasant couple of miles walking along a muddy road ending up at an active quarry not the best of scenery! Although of interest as I was unaware that there were such large quarries in the Peaks National Park. This relatively uninteresting stomp was to get us to a delightful deep typical White Peak valley called Rough Side – once we dropped into this weather and terrain improved. The valley took us down to the road between Stony Middleton and Calver. Resisting the gear shop at Calver we made our way back onto another part of the Derwent Valley Path to return back to Froggatt village and the invigorating walk up the hill to the hut. Highlights of the weekend were definitely the wonderful autumn colours, good company, and the fact that as soon as we all got in the car to return home the rain started lashing down and didn’t stop. <Linda Exelby>
Christmas Dinner Meet in Snowdonia (December
2008). This year the
Christmas Meet was held at The Eagles Inn, Penmachno, near Betws-y-coed
and 17 were booked for the weekend. The venue turned out to be good and
the accommodation was an excellent bunkhouse.
On Saturday various groups explored the local area –
which was rich in the history of slate mining. Under foot it was extremely
wet and wellingtons might have been more appropriate.
Sunday saw a brief view of blue sky. The groups
walked/shopped and visited friends.<Ann
Clark> |