Karabiner Mountaineering Club

September 2004 Forthcoming Meets

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

September 4^th/5^th - Southern Sea Cliffs Part Two - Rick Davies

Swanage, Dorset - Also known as The Beach Boys Saga!

This is the second part of my sea cliff odyssey this year it was meant to be a trilogy, but like Douglas Adams my numeracy is a little bit on the dodgy side!

Anyway, Swanage is a superb venue for a weekend's summer climbing with vast amounts of sun-kissed limestone by the sea!

So, what's there for you? Well there are routes of all grades, but to get the most out of this meet you really need to be able to climb VS (at one end of the rope anyway), as this is the starting point of the best routes. In the area there are so many quality routes that its hard to pick out some that grab the attention, at VS Freda and Old Faithful are the obvious *** routes, in the HVS range why not try Lightning Wall, Fraggle Rock, Finale Groove The Golden Fleece or perhaps the pick of the crop, Behemoth.

In the higher grades there are at least as many *** routes, Mars and Elysium stand out at E1, Gypsy and Buccaneer at E2, and Soul Sacrifice at E3.

So, where to stay? I'll be camping at Tom's Field (which does have facilities such as showers), which is near to the village of Langton Matravers, from which you can easily walk to any of the crags or most importantly, the pub! Of course if this seems all a bit to stressful there are also some superb beaches in the area which you could take advantage of (or use to soothe the ego if you find the routes a bit nasty!).

As for the weather well... I'm picking up good vibrations; she's giving me excitations, good, good vibrations....

September 11^th/12^th - Ty Powdwr - Sue Brooke

Come and raise a glass with me to celebrate Heather's 21^st and Scott's 27^th birthdays. Suggest any serious climbing/mountaineering activities take place on Saturday because I know the KMC party in style, and Sunday may see some mega hangovers!

September 18^th/19^th - Ty Powdwr FRCC Joint Meet - Al Metelko

I'm planning a walking day on Saturday starting from the hut at 9:30am. Sunday is to be a climbing day with the crag/venue depending on the weather. As is usual with hut meets, the above are not compulsory.

Car sharing would be nice and anyone wishing to do so can contact me by 'phone or see me in the pub on Thursday.

October 2^nd/3^rd - Ty Powdwr WORKING MEET - Chris Thickett

This will be run as working on Saturday, climbing on Sunday basis.

Please let either Iain or myself know if you intend coming for catering purposes.

October 9^th/10^th - Fell Race, High Moss, Duddon Valley - Neville McMillan

THE ANNUAL FELL RACE WEEKEND

LOCATION:
High Moss, Seathwaite (Rucksack Club Hut), Dunnerdale SD 237966

The venue that was successful last year is booked again this year. On Saturday it is climbing on Wallowbarrow, or Dow for the more energetic, or walking, or, if/when it rains, drinking in the Newfield Inn. As usual, the Fell Race is on Sunday. Attendance by Committee members is compulsory, either to participate, marshall, revive the also-rans, or feed the hungry with soup and sandwiches.

The idiosyncratic handicap system works to a secret formula that gets tweaked every year. But the more times you participate, the bigger your handicap. Trophies for fastest male, fastest female, Shelagh Manning handicap, and the Concordia Trophy, but only for KMC members. Guests can participate for the sheer hell of it.

The easiest way to the hut is via Levens Bridge, Newby Bridge, Broughton, turn right immediately before the traffic lights at Duddon Bridge, and up the valley to Seathwaite. The last 20 miles are increasingly bendy and slow, so allow plenty of time if coming on Sunday morning. 0.7 km N of the Newfield Inn, turn right as though going to Turner Hall campsite, then straight ahead through the gate labelled "High Moss". Shut the gate, and 3 more gates before parking at the side of the hut. If arriving at night, take care where the track crosses the stream, otherwise you will need hauling out the following morning. There are around 20 dormitory places, but please book ahead with Neville (£8 pp/pn) especially for Saturday night.

This year maybe the weather will be more challenging - thick fog instead of sunshine. And maybe a river crossing or two will be included! The course will start and end at the hut. Course details will be posted on Sunday morning at 10.00 am. Start times (three groups) will be 11.00, 11.30 and 12.00 noon.

Contact Neville for hut bookings, further information, or with offers of help.

October 16^th/17^th - Ty Powdwr: Welsh Mountain Meet - Colin Maddison

There's no prescription here, other than you should get out into the mountains by day, whether climbing or walking, and of an evening enjoy the usual good KMC company.

But if you want a challenge, how about 1000ft of climbing and at least one 3000ft summit. Or if you want a real challenge, 2000ft of climbing and at least two 3000ft summits. Don't forget you headtorch!

So if you draw back the curtains on Saturday morning and see less than wall to wall blue sky have a break with tradition. Instead of the long breakfast, muttered cursings about the Welsh weather, talk of Tremadog or going home via Castle Inn, head for the hills.

October 24^th - Walk... ...and Meal David Sumerfield/Pat Holt

This walk is intended to give you a large appetite for a meal at Pat Holts.

For the members and guests who want a good thrash over peat bogs with super views of Fylde coast then into Yorkshire Dales.

The grand plan is to start from the small car park on the Trough of Bowland road (grid ref: 632 511). Up the track to Langden Castle? then path up to Fiendsdale Head. From here follow fence all the way round to top of Totridge (trig point) this can be boggy. On down to Hareden Farm, round back to cars. From here drive to Pats at The Hay.

Distance approximately 14 miles, so early start, meet at 9:15 for 9:30 start (I think clocks go back). Maps: outdoor Leisure 41, Landranger 102.

From Clitheroe take the B6478 to Newton and turn left at the Parkers Arms. At the T Junction turn left and then first right into Back Lane. Take third turning on left (approx 1.4 miles from T junction), which is clearly marked "private road no access accept for Burn House, The Hey and Oxenhurst".

Please ring Pat so she can get an idea about numbers.

Hope to see you all on the day

November 6^th - Gogarth and Holyhead Mountain - Scott Sadler

The 6th November is the day of the annual dinner and the club's 60th anniversary party, but you don't have to wait until the evening before you get dressed up. As a way to pay tribute to the club's 60-year history, the days climbing meet at Gogarth and Holyhead Mountain will be done in fancy dress, preferably with a climbing theme (but any fancy dress will do). I would like to see a good collection of hobnail boots, flat caps and pipes. Also yellow poker dot tights and pink shades!!

There will be prize's for the best dressed male and female so lots of effort please.

I look forward to a comedy day out!

November 6^th - K.M.C. Diamond Jubilee Anniversary Dinner - KMC

To mark the 60th Anniversary of the K.M.C., we are holding a special dinner on the evening of Saturday 6th November 2004, at the Quality Hotel Snowdonia (formerly the Royal Victoria Hotel) Llanberis.

We hope that as many current and former members, and their guests, as possible will join us to celebrate this special occasion in the club's history. The dinner will be semi-formal, followed by short speeches. Afterwards there will be entertainment and time to chat with old and new friends.

If you would like to attend please print out, complete and return the booking slip below. Tickets will not be issued, but we are hoping for a good attendance. In order to ensure that you will not miss out, please send your payment in full with your booking form as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please reserve me ____ Places at the K.M.C. 60th Anniversary Dinner at £20.00 per head.
My party requires ____ vegetarian main courses.
I enclose payment of £_________ (cheques should be made payable to the KMC)
Name: ____________________________ (Capitals) Signature: _______________

Please return the form with your payment to Julie O'Regan or Scott Sadler ASAP. Addresses available from the handbook or they can be found at the pub most Thursdays.

Rooms are available at the hotel at a special function rate of £29.50 per person, on a bed and breakfast basis. These should be booked direct by contacting the:

We hope you can join us on this special occasion and look forward to receiving your booking.

December 5^th - Kettleshulme - Len Stubbs/Jim Gregson

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE Iconoclastic break with the past! This year the walk DOES NOT start or finish at Kettleshulme - BUT the traditional gathering at Len Stubbs's Paddock Close home WILL take place AFTERWARDS from approx. 4:00pm by short drive from the walk rendezvous point.

MEETING POINT: dough House Car Park, Wildboarclough Grid Ref SJ 987699

MEETING TIME: 0900 - 0915am for prompt 0930am start

BEST MAP: OS Explorer 0L24 White Peak

WALK ROUTE: From car park E up Cumberland Brook then N to Cat & Fiddle. Take track to Peak View Tearooms, where cross stile on W side of main A537 road. Permissive path (NOT shown on OS map) W and downhill to Torgate, up over spine of Torgate Hill then down to Bottom-of-the-Oven (Grid ref. 980722), cross road to fork by Forest Lodge, steeply R up sunken lane to Chapel in the Forest (Grid ref. 975722 - possible stop). Turn R up Charity Lane to stile on L. Enter Macc. Forest on good track to Dimples Barn, signed for 'Tegg's Nose', exit trees just above Hardingland, into lane. Over stile on R, wayposts in field, re-enter Hacked Way Lane (usually very wet) to go down by Clough House, turning S to reach Teggsnose Resr. then Bottoms Resr. (Lunch stop on resr. wall?). Turn E along Clarke Lane as far as the Leathers Smithy by Ridgegate Resr. EITHER fork R on road to reach Trentabank Visitor Centre (Grid ref. 962711) OR cross Ridgegate Dam and follow forest tracks to reach vicinity of same point. Just past Centre take good track, signed 'Shutlinqsloe' SE uphill to Nessit Hill, exit trees at stile (Grid ref. 972704) then along paved track to summit of Shutlingsloe (trig point Grid ref. 976696) - if flagging, skirt round final cone on N and E sides to rejoin after - Descend E from trig point then SE to farm road gate (Grid ref. 983691), turn L to go NE on track by wall, below Banktop to regain valley road only 200 metres from car park.

Change boots, then drive carefully via Lamaload, Jenkin Chapel, Pym Chair and Windgather to Kettleshulme (only 15 minutes if you can navigate a car - see you after Christmas if you can't!). Please park thoughtfully along Paddock Lane - be nice to Len's neighbours - then enjoy warm welcome from Mr. Stubbs and his team of elves.

Please try to ring me or Len during the week before if you intend to go to Paddock Close to allow for reasonable estimate of refreshment numbers as change of start plan may make things a little problematic for the elves.

September Newsletter Index.

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