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April 1999 Meet Reports
December 6th 1998 Kettleshulme Meet Phil Ramsbottom
Members Present: Len Stubbs, Ken Beetham, Iain McCallum, Derek Seddon, Dave Summerfield, Bob Haynes, Sylvia Haynes, Joe Flynn, Duncan Lee, Dave Wylie, Sue Lee, Chris Williamson, Mark Garrod, Michelle Harvie, Margaret Baldock, Lester Payne, Pete Walker, Rick Kruze, Ruth Ashton, Dave Dillon, Lorna Marsland, Frank Williams, Margaret Williams, Alan Barber, Tony Gask, Liverpool Jones, Roger Mapleson, Brigette Mapleson, Dave Bone, Eric Hallam, Phil Ramsbottom and last but not least Sabrina Cosulich (that what it says on this list here - sorry Sabina)
Guests: Christine Beeston, Mike Graves, Heather Brooke, Adam Bradley
Apologies: Jim Gregson, Sandy Gregson
After typing that list out all I have to say is that, as the weather was faultless with unremitting sunshine to warm up a crisp frosty day, this meet was as successful as ever with most people following a familiar route, although some opted to do their own thing and others arrived later.
After some problems finding the way out of Kettlehulme we were off (I found it interesting to note how many of us have been happy to blindly follow Ken for all these years without taking any notice of the fine detail of the route).
The walk crossed over into the Goyt where we stopped for a break on the bench donated in memory of Cliff Wood. After elevenses we continued past White Hall and up to Combs Edge, where we enjoyed wonderful views as we made our way round to Castle Naze before dropping down to the Beehive at Combs for refreshments. As we left there chaos reigned until all the stragglers were rounded up and guided down to the A6 and over the last grind of the day up Taxal Edge and back to the warmth of Lens bungalow.
And that really was that, the day was too nice for controversy - and anyway he wasn't there to start it off.
Thanks to everyone who turned up, to Len for the tea and hospitality and to Eric and Ethyl for the catering - see you all next year.
January 17th Local Walk - The Roaches Brian Taylor
Present: Jim and Sandy Gregson, Roger Dyke, Tony Gask, Lester Payne, Iain McCallum, Frank and Margaret Williams, Margaret Baldock, Brian Taylor, Alan Liverpool Jones, Alan Hyde Jones and Ken Beetham (spotted somewhere in the vicinity).
Memorable things of note on this meet was the fact that there was some snow on the ground, we lost Ian McCallum early on in the meet and the ground was exceptionally boggy underfoot.
It was good to see the Roaches covered in an inch or so of snow as we left the Tittesworth Reservoir car park bang on 10 o'clock. We got off to a cracking pace as I was concerned that I had organised the start time too late for a short winters day Within the first muddy mile or so Ian decided to take his own alternative route with the intention of meeting up with us just below the Roaches, unfortunately when we arrived at the Roaches ridge there was no sign of Ian. Anyway we headed off up the broadish ridge hoping that we would meet up with Ian later on. Weather was proving to be not too bad with an inch or so of fresh snow on the ground and a bracing wind above. Good progress was made and in no time at all we had arrived at The Hangingstone. (still no sign of Ian.) From there we headed back on ourselves towards Luds Church where we had our lunch. Ian appeared from the other direction having met Ken Beetham in the vicinity of the gap between the Roaches and Hen Cloud, no need to send out a rescue party!
In the afternoon a decision, on the advice of Jim, was made to head down to Gradbach and from there to Gib Tor and then back via the gap between The Roaches and Hen Cloud. Despite the fact that Jim told me at the start of the walk that he did not relish the prospect of crossing boggy farmland he instead led the Second half of the walk (with my agreement, honest!) across extremely boggy moorland(it must be said that everywhere was exceptionally wet on that day).Unfortunately the heavens opened late in the day and we got a good soaking. We got back to the car park just before dark. After the walk a number of us had a welcome pint in the local hostelry.
A welcome bit of exercise and fresh air was, I think, had by all. Thanks to everyone who supported the meet. It was a pity we never met up with Ken.
January 29th-31st Working Meet Iain McCallum
Present: Bob. Anderson, Iain and Pam McCallum, Lester Payne, Chris. Thickett, Frank and Margaret Williams.
The following tasks were carried out:
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1. Ladies toilet: |
Wall replastered by Bob.
Air bricks inserted in wall and floor retiled by Iain.
Modesty screen sanded and varnished by Iain and Pam. |
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2. Gents toilet: |
Slate wall fitted with battens ready for lining with plasterboard by Frank and Bob. |
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3. Hall: |
Old ceiling removed and replaced by Chris. Iain and Lester. |
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4. Other tasks: |
Cleaning cooker, pan shelves, fridge, members' old dorm, stairs, lounge and shower in the ladies toilet, by Margaret and Pam assisted by Lester. |
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5. Catering: |
Lunch was organised by Pam. |
Five hundred square feet of plasterboard and timber were delivered on Friday afternoon - in the rain of course. The delivery arrived late due to the driver trying to deliver his load to a property below the Dinorwig turn round. After the delivery, we started work in the hall removing the ceiling and in the ladies toilet inserting air bricks and retiling the floor. Most of the work was completed by Saturday evening with the last few jobs being finished off on Sunday morning.
At 11pm on Friday evening we were joined by Richard Bloxham and his "Offmeet inspection team". A surprise visit I The following day his guests who were clearly unaware of the working party did not seem very happy to find themselves in a Hut with lots of debris, dust and dirt and with use of some of the essential facilities restricted. (Please note that it is a rule of the Club that members should not stay at the Hut on weekends set aside for a Working Party Meets unless they are prepared to work for one day. Afterall there are only three or four such meets per year)
A very successful working party. Thanks to everyone for support and all your hard work.
February 7th Local Walk Frank Williams
Members Present: Dave Dillon, Lorna Marsland, Andrew Croughton, Linda Crossley, Richard Bloxham, Dave Wylie, David Summerfield (and Beth), Sheena Hendrie, Sue Brooke, Iain McCallum, Keith Williams, Margaret Williams, Frank Williams, Chris Thickett, John Dwyer, Margaret Baldock, John Dobson, Graham Harkness, Sue Harkness, Alan Peck, Alan Jones (and Meg), Lester Payne.
Guests Present: Mike Graves, Peter Blythen, Roy Blackburn, Neil Perry, Heather Brooke, Dave Walker, Christine Beeston, Christine Jones. (30 members and guests and two dogs).
Saturday was atrocious, the Sunday forecast was what I'd ordered so was not believable. Bitter north wind, overnight freezing down to minus three and bright sunny intervals on Sunday with the north wind continuing.
I got worried as more and more people turned up at Ribble Head, all in exceptionally cheerful good mood, a reaction after all that rain and mud of the past months. How oppressive this could be, with an army of thirty or more! But the weather was as forecast and the pools were frozen solid in the car park, the moorland was firm and crisp, we might even have a bit of the white stuff. The north wind drove us to a cracking pace as we took of f towards the
southern portal of the Blea Moor tunnel. We soon warmed up and it was a delight walking on the line of the tunnel without slutch underfoot. Arriving at Bridge End at Dentdale Head we had a brew stop in sunshine, but the goats' milk place was for sale.
Walking on the road next to the Dee, past the YHA and even the pub, because it was closed, early as we were, was a delight and there were no complaints as we walked downhill alongside the stream, glistening on the bedrock and rushing over natural weirs. We soon left the road at Ewegates and took to the fields, contouring more or less parallel to the road. On the south of the river now we passed through Little Town Wood quietly like a partisan patrol, to emerge into a little walled angle in full sun and windless in the lee of the wood, a perfect spot for lunch.
Two miles further on at Whernside Manor we turned south east, with the wind now behind us to climb up to Wold End on the northern tongue of Whernside itself, we were making too fast a time and so could afford another brew stop to regroup sheltered between the lane's walls. Going up to Whernside Summit was discussed and four stalwarts detatched to go south over the frozen area of Whernside Tarns, easy going for once, but the general consensus was to carry on down to Ribble Head.
It was consolation to some that the going was either contour or downhill from now on, with a bit of rough ground over Craven Wold. Regrouping once more on Force Gill ridge the leading group made it back to the car park by four o'clock. There was a great sense of club spirit throughout the day and the numbers didn't seem to matter since we spread out along the way. Thanks to all who braved the bitter wind whilst trying to get our car started, your willing efforts were clearly in vain. Thanks to Sue and Graham for hosting us in their Espace while we waited for the rescue, and apologies to our passengers (MB and CB) for being unable to take you back to Manchester. Eventually the ETA arrived at about five thirty and had the car going in about five minutes, thanks to a quick blast of Easy Start!!! That's our first call-out since we switched to the ETA and at Ribble Head they took about fifty minutes to get to us, don't think that's at all bad.
Thank you all for a great walk (fourteen miles not seventeen), and for coming on the meet, clearly everyone enjoyed it. Thanks to KW and I McC for seeing our passengers safely back. The turn-out demonstrates that the club is in great shape, that we can enjoy our wilder countryside as well as more far flung places, and that there is a demand for walks in diverse and not too frequented areas. Lets have more
February 11th Desert Rock (indoor meet) Alan Little
The upstairs room at the Briton's Protection was packed on 11th February for Duncan Lee and Alan Little's "Desert Rock" slideshow. About 45 people turned out to hear about Duncan and Alan's adventures climbing and trekking in the southwestern US desert country in Utah, Arizona and Colorado. Several of the audience weren't KMC members, which is a tribute to the effort that went into publicity and advance ticket sales.
The proceeds from the show, £50 after expenses, will be donated to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). Southern Utah is one of the world's great beautiful and remote wildernesses - "The public land surrounding Utah's prized national parks is characterized by intricate canyons, arches, buttes, vast expanses of slickrock, red and salmon colored pinnacles, a variety of form and color unparalleled anywhere else on the planet ... and immense solitude and silence. Southern Utah harbors nothing less than a landscape of magic". SUWA exists to protect this wonderful place from threats like mining, oil drilling, road and reservoir building.
SUWA led the campaign for the new Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument, which protects over 2,500 square miles of land between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef national parks. This area, including the fantastic sandstone landscape of Escalante Canyon and the very remote Kaiparowits Plateau, is only crossed by a handful of dirt roads. SUWA is now campaigning for protection for the San Rafael area further east, which would protect most of the land between Capitol Reef and Canyonlands national parks.
More information and some very fine photography can be found on SUWA's website at www.suwa.org
February 13th-14th Alex Macintyre Hut, Onich Andy Croughton
Members: Mary Stuart, Dave Dillon, Robert Clark, Colin Maddison, Duncan Lee, Sabina Cosulich, Al Metelko, Sean Kelly, Chris Williamson, Andrew Croughton and brief appearances by Ann Woolley & Steven
Guests: Chris Ivory, Christine Beeston, Elaine Beaulieu, Peter Williamson, Suzanne Duke, & Ian Brazewell.
Friday: after driving up on the Thursday night, to stay in the Rucksack Club hut ‘Craig Allan' in order to make the most of the weekend and gain an extra day for the weekend. Dave, Mary Chris Ivory and myself found ourselves waking up to find the usual Scottish weather waiting to greet us. After a hesitant start in the morning with a brief trip into Fort William to stock up on supplies and check the weather forecast we returned to the Alex Macintyre hut where we had left our gear, and Mary finishing off notes for work, to find a vast improvement in the weather with clearing skies and a dry evening heading our way, a quick dash to the White Corries, led us up by the ski lifts to be greeted by hard compacted snow and ice, and two hours of play time before the daylight disappeared. Chris finally got a chance to put his unused Charlet moser ice axes to use after two seasons sat in a drawer at home.
The following morning dawned as dry as the previous afternoon, although not quite as clear as Friday with most people still milling around the hut deciding where to go skiing or walking. Colin and Duncan had already left before sunrise, and the early morning ranting of the next door neighbour banging on the door shouting for the warden to get Al's *~*!-** car moved from the front road.
Heading for the Ben and Italian climb on the West Face of Tower Ridge, leading to the crest of Tower Ridge itself just below the Little Tower, they reached the CIC in a new record time even for Colin. They managed to bypass the crowds waiting to climb Tower Ridge before passing them again on the descent route. The only other person to do any climbing on the Saturday was Al Metelko who solo climbing did a right hand variation of Left Hand route (I don't now that's what he said.) (ed: Left Twin RH side on super ice) The reported conditions on the Ben were said to be some of the best for at least eight years with virtually everything in good, if not excellent, condition.
The Skiers also headed to the Ben, Dave Dillon and Mary Stuart becoming ski instructors for the day teaching their naturally talented pupil, Chris Ivory, the pleasure ? of downhill skiing in the Scottish winter, whilst the even more masochistic skiers headed away from the chairlifts and downhill slopes of the Nevis Range ski area, across to Aonach Mor loose heeled ski mountaineering.
Robert Clark and myself chose an equally energetic alternative to the skiing and headed up Sgorr Dhonuill, ( 3284 ft.) and, Sgorr Dhearg, (3360ft. ) an excellent horseshoe walk on Beinn a' Bheithir, with spectacular panoramic views across to Ballachulish and over Loch Leven to the Pap of Glencoe, and the Mamores beyond. Before descending into a maze of Forrest tracks, de-forested bog, and the slog back to the hut along the road from Ballachulish, we had time to stop and take some pictures of this very rare view of a Scottish landscape in all its full winter splendour. ( We cheated and scrounged a lift to start of the walk to avoid walking along the road. But we don't mention things like that )
After everybody had returned safely from their trips they settled into the task of mass catering in the confined kitchen area, mainly due to the masses of bacon, that Mary had managed to amassover the last two days, stacked three shelves high in the fridge and the Guardian crossword. (if anybody knows an alternative name for Herrodhopet, Pelops or the name given to a Jewish period of mourning please put your answer on a postcard and forward them to Mary.)
During this Period the hut warden, for the next two weeks, and her husband both from Edale, moved in along with their two pet border collie dogs. Sabina took an instant liking towards the two dogs and wanted spend the night with them in her bed. Colin could not help but point out that they had long scraggly and smelly hair that would malt all over the pillow and keep her awake all night, and could not see any possible attraction. Duncan just sat in the corner scratching his head, modelling his new Italian designer salopettes from the exclusive Cosulich label, only available mail order from a certain Whaley Bridge fashion house. ( perhaps we could get him to do photo shoot for the cover of the next newsletter. )
After supper the unsuspected appearance of Ann Woolly and Steven, ghostly white and stare eyed after her gripping epic on the Ben, swelled the already overbooked numbers on the meet to an amazing eighteen with one no show, not bad for a meet with only sixteen spaces specified as a maximum number for the hut.
Sunday again remained surprisingly dry for Scotland and after another leisurely start to the morning, despite the constant flow of traffic in and out of the hut from weary travellers looking for a room for Sunday night, most of the group headed out on various walks or climbs, mostly up unpronounceable Scottish hills that I can't even remember the name of. ( I think two people headed of up Beinn an on Aonaich Mhoir. If you recognise the names you will probably be one of the two. If you do not recognise the name you could still be one of the two I am not saying.)
In all a very successful meet with thanks to all those who attended and who had faith in the weather forecast, including Sean and Al who stayed on for the CIC hut meet. ( Yes they actually had the key and went all the way up to the hut itself and stayed the night.) I'm sure Sean will be able to give a brief report on this for the newsletter Al's would probably be even shorter.
February 28th Todmorden Walk Phil Ramsbottom
Members Present: Chris Thickett, Dave Wylie, John Thorley, Iain McCallum, Margaret Williams, Frank Williams, Lester Payne, Alan (H) Jones, Alan Peck, Keith Williams, Michelle Harvey, Mark Garrod
Guests: Christine Jones, Adam Bradley, Dave ?, Ahmed Al Hariri, Manoj Birje
Apologies: Bob Anderson
On Thursday Chris said to me 'The weather man says that we should forget Sunday' but I thought that this was a bit over the top so I turned up at Todmorden station at the appointed time. The weather was quite promising - dry, not at all cold and fairly bright.
So off we set along a route which was familiar to a few who followed me round on an identical meet 6 years ago - up to Cross Stone church, then along the Calderdale Way until we met the Pennine Way.
Then the fun started, at first I thought that it was just a short heavy shower, but after it had lasted 5 hours I started to realise that I was perhaps mistaken.
Anyway we continued on to the Pack Horse enjoying the antics of a Sea King helicopter which was on a training exercise and seemed to be following us, it even landed next to the pub. Having seen quite enough of the inside of these things over the last few years I decided not to give him a friendly wave.
At the pub the rain was completely horizontal, some brave souls went in for a driiik but the rest of us couldn't face the feeling that some places on the earth were dry so we cowered outside in the lee of the pub.
At this point I decided that to continue the planned route back over Stoodley Pike may not be too popular. So I suggested an easier alternative back along the canal, in justification I could point out that it wasn't as flat as it sounded because there are a lot of locks in this stretch. I didn't hear any dissenters so the decision was made. That was the easy bit, we still had to negotiate Hardcastle Crags, which by now were a sea of mud. When we started to climb up towards Heptonstall I thought that the worst would be over, but it was not to be. The paths leading out of the valley became even more muddy, especially those right on the edge of the valley with a real danger of a slip back down into the valley which may or may not have been stopped by a friendly holly bush.
Eventually we dropped down by the quarry where a dripping Forked Lightening Crack looked even more evil than usual.
Once we reached the canal we turned carwards at last and the race was on, the last 4 miles were completed in just over an hour only to find that by the time we were back at Todmorden the rain had almost stopped.
For Manoj this was his introduction to walking in Britain, being from Bombay he is used to a drier climate, I have tried to explain to him that our rain doesn't get any worse but I'm not so sure that he believes me.
Thanks to everyone for coming, I promise to listen to Chris and the weatherman next time.
April 1999 Newsletter Index.
Copyright © 1999 Karabiner Mountaineering Club
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