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February 2000 Meet Reports
August 7th-8th - Wasdale Camping - Phil Ramsbottom
Members Present: Chris
Thickett, John Thorley, Bob Anderson, Tony Gask, Phil Ramsbottom
Despite the very disappointing turnout the few of us who bothered to make the
effort enjoyed a very pleasant weekend.
Saturday started dull and cool so Chris, Bob, Tony and myself decided to
scramble up Ill Ghyll on Kirkfell. As usual in these wet places Tony
provided the entertainment and ended up with water running down his
neck only to exit from his boots. At the top of this excellent route
we noticed that it had started to rain so we returned to Wasdale via
Black Sail and Mosedale.
John arrived on Saturday afternoon and had a walk over Buckbarrow before
joining us for the evening in the Screes at Strands.
On Sunday all five of us walked up Nether Beck in steadily improving
weather, at the top we climbed Haycock , Steeple, Red Pike and
finally Yewbarrow (great views as usual).
A great weekend in the best valley in the Lakes - thanks to the people
who turned up.
November 21st - Walk, Southern Pennines - Keith Williams
Members:Jim and Sandy Gregson, Lester Payne, Alan Peck, Iain McCallum,
Pete Walker, Brian Taylor, Margaret Baldock, Sue Brooke, Dave Wylie, Alan Wylie,
Derek Seddon, Alan (Liverpool) Jones, Frank and Margaret Williams.
Guests:Richard Walker, Paul Dewhirst, John McKenzie, Peter and Denise Blythe,
Roy Blackburn, Arthur and Gloria Deary.
A satisfactory turnout
from the KMC was supplemented by a substantial group of Mike Graves’
Trafford Walkers though Mike himself had an appointment in a
Bulgarian umbrella factory and had sent his troops on their own. The
introductory road section was dismissed briskly and the first easy
patch of turks heads soon encountered on the approach to Redmonds
Edge. The Gritstone Carpet quickly led us towards Great Hill but the
Mid-Morning Butty Men insisted on their statutory break before the
sweeping views from the top could be sampled. The Lakes and Welsh
hills were both clear but this was as near as we were going to get to
‘proper mountains’ especially as a deterioration in the
weather was creeping in.
The drop down to the
Belmont road was followed by an examination on the ample ruins of
Birtenshaw Hall with its well of life-giving waters which were so
effective that the Butty Men turned down an offer of a lunch stop in
the shelter of Roddlesworth woods and in stead pressed on to Darwen’s
very own stone spaceship. Here we ate in the bitter chill with
several thousand others through which throng mountain bikers insisted
on pressing their machines and obliterating the fine view of
post-industrial Lancashire . . .
The move south managed to
raise body temperatures a little and other temperatures were raised
when the meet leader hesitated/prevaricated about using a short
stretch of private track. When he indicated a wrong turning above
Belmont reservoir some people were getting even warmer and the party
went critical by the time we reached the dam. Fissile in fact, with
most of the guests opting for the direct approach to Hordern Stoops
while the remainder, mindful of their carrot-eating youth pressed
onward and upwards to the hoary heights of Winter Hill.
A steep corner-cutting
descent of this in failing light led to the second encounter with
turks heads only this time they were vicious, as were some of the
responses to them. However, a ‘mere’ 200m later we were on
the the Rivington road and before long the final leg down to Alance
bridge and the car park as dark finally descended. Who’d ‘a
thowt such a simple little walk could be so exciting?
February Newsletter Index.
Copyright © 2000 Karabiner Mountaineering Club
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