Karabiner Mountaineering Club

March 2004 Forthcoming Meets

All note the following small print when taking part in meets :-

Sun 14^th March - Peak District Walk - Iain Mccallum

Route: Hope Station - Brough - Shatton - Offerton - Oaks Farm - Stoke Ford - Bretton Clough - Bretton - Foolow - Grindlow - Great Hucklow - Bradwell - Hope Station.

Maps: OS Outdoor Leisure Sheets Nos. 1 and 24.

Meet at 9.30am for 9.45am start at Hope Station - Off the A625 (GR181832). Park at the station or on the approach road. Train services are available from Manchester Piccadilly to Hope.

Refreshments are available from local cafes and "The Barrel" at Bretton.

A good tramp around the dales and moors of the Peak Distance about 12/13miles On good paths and tracks. The route can be easily modified to suit the conditions.

Sun 21^st March - Bamford - Dan O'Brien

Meet at the crag for 10:30 onwards. Park carefully by the stile!

27^th/28^th March - Mill Cottage Feshiebridge Cairngorms - Mark Garrod

Your last chance to get to Scotland while the winter conditions are still around, and enjoy them with 12+ hours daylight. Mill Cottage is a Mountaineering Council of Scotland hut, is well appointed, and located near to Aviemore and the northern Cairngorms (grid ref. NH 844 047). This gives options for x-country and downhill skiing, winter climbing in the northern corries, big walks, and lakeside rambles (plus shopping if you get desperate).

Price for the hut per night is £5.50, payable to me on booking (as ever). We have 12 places booked. It is possible that various members may wish to extend the weekend to 3 or more nights; let me know if this is the case and I can check with the hut warden.

I will endeavour to get down to the pub between now and the meet, but best bet to secure your place is to give me a ring, and follow it up with your cheque.

April 3^rd/4^th - UK Climbing and Bivi - James Richardson

The general plan of my meet is to drive to the first crag on friday night and bivi/wild camp somewhere near. Climb on Saturday and then once its dark drive to the second crag (stopping at a pub for dinner?) and bivi/wildcamp there.

I hope I have choosen some interesting looking crags that people may not of climbed on before or usually go to climb on. These crags nearly all have south facing aspects thus it should be a nice sunny day. There are three options for the weekend depending on the weather and peoples personnal choice, the actual trip will be decided nearer the time (probably Thursday 1^st April) so please contact me then.

North Yorkshire
Limestone Day: Pot Scar
Grit Day: Slipstones

Mid/South-Wales
Sandstone Day: Penallta
Limestone Day: Morlais Quarries

Southern Scotland
Hill Day: Loudoun Hill (Nr Kilmarnock)
Cliff Day: Clifton Crag

April 9^th/12^th - Gower Easter Meet - Craig Marsden

Well it is time for the KMC hordes to invade another country again and Wales is always a soft option (I hope Sue doesn't see this).

So dust of you climbing gear, dig out the tent and get ready for scorching temperatures (I'm always an optimist).

The Gower has a wide variety of climbing from Diff to VS in Three Cliffs Bay, walking distance from the chosen campsite, climbing from the beach(!), to plenty of E's in Fall Bay. If you want to bale out there is Pembroke to the West and the Wye Valley to the East, so lots of options if the weather doesn't play ball; or lengthy of coastal walking for those that want to rest those tired fingers.

The planned campsite was used three years ago and I have not heard any unfavourable reports.

The campsite is walking distance from Three Cliffs Bay:

Three Cliffs Bay Caravan & Camping Site, North Hills Farm, Penmaen, Swansea, SA3 2HB tel: 01792 371218

The pitches are £10 per 2 person tent or £6 per night per 1 person tent and it has been suggested that it is advisable to book, although they do have a number of places at the moment.

Directions

I have cribbed these directions from Michelle, so I suggest praying!!!

M4 Jn 42 onto A438 to Swansea, turn left at lights onto the A4067 towards South Gower and Port Einon. Follow road for 3.5 miles to Black Pill, turn right onto B4436 (signed South Gower and Port Einon). After 4 miles turn left onto A4118 for 2.5 miles Penmaen is situated between the villages of Parkmill and Nicholston. Phone the camp site if you get lost.

Give me a ring if you want me to try and reserve a pitch for you, I would be greatful if you could let me know if you plan to attend so i can try and do something towards co-ordinating transport.

I shall now start praying for the sunny weather!!!

Hopefully see you on the Gower, the more the merrier.

P.S. Bring your swimmers as I think Michelle is going!!

April 17^th/18^th - Scotland Camp/Bivi - Ian Crook

Those of you who have seen the new 'North East Outcrops' guide will have already put this weekend in your diary. The specific location will be selected nearer the time when I have a better idea of who'll be going, but theres a wealth of excellent climbing all the way up the Aberdeen coast between Stonehaven and Peterhead. There's plenty of routes at all grades, bouldering and even some deep water soloing too for those who can swim (or don't fall off)! Most of the routes are of similar height to gritstone so we should be ticking of plenty of climbs.

Needless to say, I'll be bivvying. But I'm not going to force anyone. I know of at least one crag that has a cave well away from the sea that would be ideal for sleeping in or you could always bring tents or find a B&B.

As with most sea cliffs the walk in's are relatively short.

I'm pretty busy with uni this year so won't be at the pub too often but I'll try and get there a few weeks before.

April 24^th/25^th - President's Hotpot

Peak Camp/Bivi plus Millstone Climbing - Scott Sadler

On the Saturday, my plan is to go climbing somewhere in the peak and either Bivi (not sure where yet) or camp at North Lee's campsite near Hathersage. It's a good location being only a 20min walk to Stanage edge and about 25min from Hathersage, meaning that a night out in The Little John is definitely on the cards!

What better way to cure a hangover, than a day a Millstone edge? This is a fantastic crag with a great selection of jamming cracks and bold arêtes.

If you're interested in coming along, either give me a call or just turn up. However, if you are thinking of camping at North Lee's then I would advise that you book in advance or contact me, as they can often fill up at the weekend.

Local Walk - Andrew Croughton

Presidents Hot Pot Walk: Route: Grindleford - Froggatt - White Edge - Longshaw Lodge - Burbage - Higger Tor - Millstone Edge - Grindleford. Maps: OS. Outdoor Leisure Sheets -1 and 24. Meet at 9.30am. for 9.45am. start on Grindleford Station approach road near Cafe GR251788 - parking on the road.

Eastern Edges of the Peak District on good paths and tracks. Distance about 12 miles. The walk can easily be modified to suit the conditions.

This walk will also take us past the climbers giving digital camera people the opportunity to get some shots that could be shown at the slide comp.

Hotpot and Photographic Contest - The President

The slideshow will probably be held at The Navigation Inn in Buxsworth (near Chinley) The Slide Competition as per usual in four categories:

• Mountain action
• Mountain landscape
• Rock climbing action
• Human interest

And I believe digital photo's will be accepted. For more details contact The President.

May 1^st/3^rd - Southern Sea cliff Odyssey Part One, North Devon - Rick Davies

Looking for something a little bit different? Fancy really getting your sense of Adventure going? Then look no further, this is the meet for you!

So what's in store for you if you go? Well there's superb climbing in the entire grade ranges, in the lower grades routes like Ben (S), Scrattling Crack (VD) and Marion (HS) all stand out. Moving up a grade or two routes like Kinkyboots (VS), Sexilegs (HVS), Midnight Cowboy (HVS), Lunakhod (HVS) and Clawtrack (HVS) all stand out, not to mention the awesome Wreckers Slab (VS) - one of the biggest sea cliff climbs in the country!

And for those with rather more daring intentions look no further than routes such as The smile (E1) - which would make an excellent first E1! Rude Nude (E3), The Verger (E1), Sacre Coeur (E2), and Blisterin Barnacle (E2). If this doesn't wet your appetite perhaps you should check your pulse! Or are these a bit too easy? Then take a closer look at Smoothlands or Lower Sharpnose point - the homes of some of the best higher E grade routes in the country.

Oh, and did I forget to mention the sunshine?

Of course, yet another slip up - in true KMC tradition I've not mentioned the excellent Tea shops in the region! Lets just say that there's a wide enough range of fine cream teas to keep even Lord Wavey of the teashop happy for several weeks!

Where to stay? I'll be stopping at a small and friendly campsite just outside the village of Kilkhampton where it's normally about £3 per person per night. In the village there is a good fish and Chip shop and several good pubs. Further a-field there is a Safeway super market in Bude (7 miles). If it's too hot to climb or you just fancy a day down at the beach there are some superb beaches in the area, in particular Sandy Mouth, and if you're feeling really wild you could hire both a surfboard or body board and wet suit for about £6 a day from Zoomajay's in Bude.

So come on - lets go surfing now, everybody's learning how come on a surf safari with me!

May 1^st/5^th - Sourlies Bothie, Knoydart - Graham Harkness

MAPS : Landranger Sheet 33 Loch Alsh, Glen Shiel and Loch Hourn. Camp near to Sourlies Bothy (869950) in an idyllic position at the head of Loch Nevis. A fine wilderness area with remote Munros a'plenty

mountainbothies.org.uk

See the section on West Highlands and Islands

Sue and I plan to walk in and set up camp on the Saturday. Have 3 days in the mountains and out on the Wednesday morning. This may vary depending on weather mountains and midges (But hopefully none in May).

There is a reasonably size flat area near the bothy that is used for tents. This is wild camping. My current information is that there are no facilities at or near the bothy. Water purifying tablets are advisable.

Approach Sourlies from Strathan 980915 at the head of Loch Arkaig through Glen Dessarry. My best estimate is about 5 hours walking carrying gear. To get to Strathan go to Spean Bridge and turn right B8004 to Gairlochy, right again on the B8005 to Clunes and left along Loch Arkaig to Strathan. Park where you can at the road end.

Join us in a highland paradise of sun, sea and se....erenity

May 16^th - Stanage - Sheena Hendrie

In an unimaginative moment last year, I suggested Stanage for a spring meet. It seemed a safe bet at the time but I must admit to not feeling inspired about Stanage again. So I've tried to find a section of the crag where I don't think we have been for a while - Marble Wall is therefore our start point before working onwards towards the popular end as we run out of routes the meet leader can lead. Entertainment value will be provided by me tackling Terrazza Crack- maybe. There is a reasonable selection of grades, with Crow Chin not too far away.

I expect to get to the car park (The Planation about 10:30). Hope to see you on the day.

March Newsletter Index.

Copyright © 2004 Karabiner Mountaineering Club