Karabiner Mountaineering Club

November 2004 Forthcoming Meets

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

November 6^th - Gogarth/Holyhead Mnt - 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 prizes for the best dressed male and female so lots of effort please. I look forward to a comedy day out!

Thursday 11^th November - Nags Head, Edale - KMC

KMC 60^th Anniversary Walk - Iain McCallum

Route : Start from the Old Mam Tor road - Speedwell Cavern- Winnats Edge (via a gully South of Winnats - Castleton Road) - Mam Nick - Rushup Edge - Dalehead - Upper Booth - Edale (Nags Head) - Ollerbrook - Backtor Nook - Only Grange Farm - Castleton - Start Point.

Map : OS Explorer OL1 - The Dark Peak

Meet at 10:15am at GR.140829 opposite the Speedwell Cavern Car Park on the Old Mam Tor Road (turn left at the bottom of the Winnats Road - park on the road)

A good tramp around the hills and dales of the Peak District. Distance about 10/11 miles on good tracks. The route can easily be modified to suit the conditions.

This walk is part of the Club's Founders Day celebrations. Lunch is at the Nags Head where the Club was formed on 11th. November 1944.

Nags head evening - Andrew Croughton

To celebrate the clubs 60th year we are holding the Thursday night pub meet for one week only at the Nags Head pub in Edale where it all started with a single line diary entry by Len Stubbs and co along the lines of November 1944 started mountaineering club.

We are hoping to have a few slides to show but if any body has slide of club members or activities from the last sixty years if they could bring them along everyone would love to see them.

Pub food will be available and hopefully people should be around after their walk from 6.30pm onwards and the slide show from about 8pm

Hope to see you there and don't forget Nags Head Edale not Manchester.

November 14^th - Edale Walking - Andrew Croughton

Starting from Edale car park (sorry folks it is now £4 for the day so fill those cars up save the environment and ease the pain in your pocket) 9.30 for 9.45 am start.

The route will take us past the Nags Head Pub onto the hills via the Nab up to Ringing Roger and on to Nether Tor & Upper Tor. From here we will traverse the edges over Grindsbrook Tower to Crowden Tower where weather permitting we will head across the peat groughs to Kinder Downfall via Kinder Gates. From here we start back towards Kinder Low & Edale rocks before heading back down Jacobs Ladder to Upper Booth & back to Edale Village and once again past the now open Nags Head Pub.

The planned route is approx. 12.5 miles long but may be shortened dependant on conditions hope to see you all there.

November 21^st - Local Mountain Biking - Heather Brooke

Due to other commitments at job a new meet leader has been found in Dan O'Brien. Further information will be circuited through the website and at pub closer to the date.

November 28^th - Mid Wales Walk - Dave Bone

This is a Sunday only meet taking in some less well-known hills in Wales with good views over Snowdonia and mid-Wales. After failing to go over the hills last year, I thought we should return to make sure of them (and I need some time to check whether the next WWW is still passable). There is some rough and wet going?

You will need the OS 1:50000 map 124 (Dolgellau) - or 125 (Bala) for the first part of the walk. You will also need a head torch because you will finish in the dark! Drive to Bala and take the A4212 out of town - it is easier to find the start turning off left opposite the B4391. Meet at GR844396. After electricity pylons march across the road, at the head of the next rise, a track drops in from the right. There is limited parking for ~6 cars on the roadside, so please share cars as much as possible. This is the starting point but I hope to organise the drop off of cars. Aim to be here for a 10am start prompt. It takes about 1hr 50min from the start of the M56 in Manchester to here (if you don't get stuck behind a truck).

Distance: about 12miles or 14 if we have to return back along the road, and ~950m total ascent.

Route: Llyn Arenig Fawr, Arenig Fawr, Col at 816354 (late joiners can pick up the route here, or wimps leave), Moel Llyfnant, no path now, forest at 796349 (possible exit), the going gets wilder, Foel Boeth, Moel-y Slates, and return along the old railway track (easy) to the road 2 miles from starting point.

I would be grateful if you let me know if you are coming and how many cars there are. I should be in the Pub beforehand when I hope to organise some car shuffling (to your benefit as you won't need to walk along the road). If a driver or two can arrive early, we can place a car, or two, at the end of the walk to return the drivers to their vehicles at the end. In case of a repeat of inclement weather, contact me as any low level walk will have to start from a different point this time round.

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.

December 19^th - Crowden Walk - Mike Graves

The walk starts at 9:30am from the car park at Crowden, ref SK072993. The route leaves the car park and crosses the road (A628) walking in the direction of Sheffield, going through a small gate, to take the path over the footbridge and onto the Longdendale Trail going East. After about 1.5km we turn South, climbing steeply up to Dowstone Rocks. The walk now follows the edge going West then SW to pick up the Pennine Way at Wildboar Grain. The path now goes in a NW direction, going down to Torside Reservoir, crossing the reservoir and following the Pennine Way back to the car park. Drinks can be taken in the Bulls Head in Tintwhistle: the pub has a new landlord with really good real ale.

January 9^th - Sparrowpit Cross-Country Ski Meet - Chris Williamson

The Wanted Inn sits on a 371m spot height. That's 1217 feet above sea level in old money. Behind the village the ground rises rapidly into the darker shading of the Peak District One inch Tourist Map. Snow falls here. Lanes and tracks drift in to provide Piste. Last winter provided some brilliant skinny-ski outings. Winter 2004/5 is laden with promise. Even while this calling notice scurries along the wires (having missed the requisite newsletter), the sky is purple yellow and the ground is fast turning white.

So, as a post-festive treat, dig in the back of the broom cupboard and get those planks waxed. And for those without, track down some crusty old KMC has-been and pinch theirs for the day.

Some of you, of course, may be questioning the overly optimistic outlook of the meet leader with respect to events meteorological. There is a cunning Plan B. Staying with the theme of low impact exercise - bring a bicycle. If the snow doesn't oblige, we'll tour some of the lesser back roads. And on the way - visit cafes, hills and pubs as the mood takes us.

Meet 1000 for a 1015 departure from Sparrowpit Memorial Hall (known locally as the Institute) car park - GR SK091807.

Directions - Follow the A623 from the A6. Leave this and go straight on at the sharp RH bend in front of the Wanted Inn. This is the road to the head of Winnats Pass. It is marked as the B6061 on some maps and is unmarked on others. If you're reading these directions and driving at the same time - you've already passed the entrance to the car park. The Memorial Hall is on the RHS of the road just behind the Wanted Inn. The car park entrance is at the far end of the hall (furthest from the pub) also on the right. We'll be back before dark, but DO bring head-torches or bicycle lights - unless you want to feature in newsletter articles and after dinner speeches for the next five years...

February 13^th/18^th - Ling Hut, Torridon (Mid-week meet) - Andrew Croughton

Anybody interested, in five days in one of the finest regions of the Scottish Highland, in the comfort of a nice warm climbing hut, in the middle of what is forecast to be one of the coldest winters we have had for the past 10 years should get in touch with me ASAP as we only have limited spaces left and they are going fast.

Torridon has some of the finest hills in Scotland and is a spectacular place to stay ideal for climbers or winter walkers alike. Please get in touch with me as soon as you can first to pay gets to stay.

Telephone me or see me down at the pub most Thursdays.

March 12^th/13^th - Alex MacIntyre Memorial Hut - David Lygate

The KMC's Winter Glencoe meet is the club's once in a season opportunity to visit a most incredible & magical area in winter for walking, climbing & skiing. However, such wonders come at a cost, there are only twelve places available. So with the level of interest that has already been shown (pre-publication), we suggest that the hut fee of £3:50 per night (cheques for £7 total payable to the KMC) is forwarded to the meet leader as early as possible to secure your place.

Scotland in March, will there be snow ?

Possible scenarios:

• Plenty of snow & ice - well excellent it's exactly what we are going for.
• Too much snow - (i.e. very high avalanche warning - SAIS ) Go skiing instead, sounds like perfect conditions for Aonach Mor.
• No snow - Treat this as a summer meet but without the fearsome Scottish Midgy.
• The east coast has better conditions - We are less than 1? hour's drive from the Cairngorms.
• Totally unbearable conditions all weekend - Go to the Clachaig, the folk singer should be there on the Saturday night, along with a real fire, fantastic beers & a good hundred bottles of whisky to choose from. Or if this does not appeal, then there is always a trip to the newly opened 'Ice Factor' in Kinlochleven to fall back on. This is the 'UK's premier indoor mountaineering centre', with a real ice wall, climbing walls etc. See www.ice-factor.co.uk.

Now that all fears have been banished, back to scenario 1. Glencoe is a magnificent place in the winter or the summer, but especially in winter, be it for walking, skiing or climbing. So here are a few of the local areas of interest.

• The Aonach Eagach
• Stob Coirenan Lochan
• The lost valley
• The Buachaille
• Ben Nevis

I think that all of these areas speak for themselves. So if you are interested plus have appropriate experience & equipment, then e.mail, phone, or see me in the pub on a Thursday night, (places are on a first come first served basis.)

The Alex Mac. Hut is adjacent to the Creag Mhor Hotel in Onich & accessed from the A82 (Grid ref. 046612, OS sheet 41 - Ben Nevis). SMC hut guide - "The hut has 16 places, mains electricity & water, electric & calor gas cookers & heaters; all utensils; hot water & showers; drying room, with car park at the rear of the building."

November Newsletter Index.

Copyright © 2004 Karabiner Mountaineering Club