Karabiner Mountaineering Club

March 2005 Forthcoming Meets

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

April 3^rd 2005 - Dovedale Climbing - Rob Allen

This Sunday's climbing meet will be at Tissington Spires, Dovedale. There's a large car park at Thorpe (unless you want to walk down from Milldale). A short stroll leads to the spires and at this time of year the nettles won't be of triffid proportions. If you want to try other nearby areas in the dale (e.g.,Dovedale church), that's fine but see me to get a tick in the meet report. I should be there from about 10:30 at Silicon Wall or '10 craters of wisdom' area.

April 10^th 2005 - Presidents Hotpot - Heather Brooke/Susan Brooke/Jenny Varley

Climbing - Heather Brooke

Climbing will take place during the day at Birchens Edge. Heather will be at the crag at around 10.30am and you will be able to find her somewhere near the bottom of Nelson's Slab.

Walking - Susan Brooke

A pleasant stroll along good paths and tracks that takes in a few more edges on the east side of the Peak District. Distance roughly ten miles and even if walked slowly should allow plenty of time to fraternise with our climbing brethren at Birchens and the possibility of tying onto a top rope for anyone wishing to carry rock boots. The option is available to extend the walk to Longshaw Lodge if desired.

I have spoken to the powers that be and put in a request for good weather, but cannot guarantee that I will be listened to!

Route : Froggatt Edge - Curbar Edge - Wellingtons Monument - cross A621 and take path below Gardoms Edge - Birchens - White Edge.

Two options available for the imbibing of alcoholic beverages for those that wish to partake: The Robin Hood and The Grouse.

Meet at 9.45am for a 10.00am start in the National Trust Car Park of the A625 (GR. 257778), i.e. usual parking spot for climbing on Froggatt. Please note that there is a charge of £2.00 for using the car park.

Map : OS Explorer OL24

Hotpot Meal - Susan Brooke

Following a glowing recommendation from Elsie Upton the 2005 Hotpot sees a return to The Swan, New Mills. For anyone not in the know this is the pub you pass on the A6 on the junction with the traffic lights where it is signed off for New Mills. If your not sure from that description speak to me at the Crown and Anchor on a Thursday night.

The meal will cost £5.75 per head and will include an ample serving of hotpot (meat or vegetarian) plus a desert. Bookings should be made direct with the President or Sabina in her role as Secretary and should be accompanied by payment. Only in extreme circumstances will bookings be accepted after Thursday, 1 April, as the pub wants confirmation of numbers a week in advance. The pub opens its doors at 6.00pm, with food served at 6.30pm to give plenty of time for the slide show without too late a finish for those of us with a long drive home.

Slide Competition - Jenny Varley

This year's photo contest will be held after the President's Hotpot at The Swan near New Mills. Slides and digital photos are both welcome, up to five photos per person per category. A prize will be awarded for each of the following categories:

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

Please pass your slides or digital photos to Jenny Varley on or before Thursday 7^th April and make sure your slides are marked with your name and category.

This year our judge will be Stuart Eyres, an (incorruptable!) professional photographer.

Please pass your entries on to Jenny Varley or Al Metelko, or email them to slideshow@karabiner.org by Thursday 7^th April. Late entries will not be judged but may be shown in the slide show if they're really good.

So get snapping!

23^rd/24^th April - We'em Going To Weem - David Whittingham

Weem bunkhouse that is, near Aberfeldy. This is a weekend meet in a different part of Scotland. This cosy environmentally friendly bunkhouse is relatively easy of access from Manchester, and is next door to a pub.

The weather at the end of April is guaranteed warm and sunny, probably. (Definitely if I can persuade Shaun to come along.) The days are long enough to allow a full day on the hill without exhausting too many head torch batteries.

AND nae nasty wee midgies - honest.

There are, as you would expect, more Munros than you can shake a trekking pole at. The classic Schiehallion (1083m) and the Ben Lawers (1214m) group are nearby. I quite like the look of Meall nan Tarmachan (1044m) for a day out. Others include the hills around Loch Rannoch and the Tarf and Tilt hills. Even the Cairngorms are just a quick blast up the A9 away.

For those who take their pleasures vertically there is a crag in the hostel's back garden, with bolt routes up to F7b and a V Diff with abseil descent. Yes, bolts in Scotland. For those of a more traditional persuasion Craig a Barns is just down the road. Roadside cragging with routes of all grades from Diff to Ee by gum.

To get there from Manchester take the M6 and M74 for Glasgow, M80 and A9 past Sterling and Perth then turn left for Aberfeldy.

See me in the pub for details and to hand over money, or phone me. Hurry before you get trampled in the rush. Did I mention there is a pub next door to the hostel?

30^th April/2^nd May - The Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way - John Dobson

The Yorkshire Dales Cycle Way is a 210km circular route on minor roads (map: Harveys cycle route NT10). The plan is to do it in 3 days over the bank holiday weekend, covering about 45 miles a day, so that it is within reach of the unfit, with plenty of scope for the super fit to add extra miles.

The route is suitable for road and mountain bikes, although young children and those whose bikes have no gears may find it necessary to walk up the occasional short hill.

Panniers are not necessary because this is a KMC "cycling for softies" touring event - you can coast along on an un-laden bike because a support vehicle will be available to transport all personal and camping gear to next camp site. It will also recover breakdowns including cyclists who are totally knackered.

Early expressions of interest are welcome to aid planning. Full joining instructions available from John Dobson.

14^th/15^th May - Wye Valley Meet - Fiona Roy

The campsite is at Grid Ref 550 006. There are a number of ways to approach it. Bear in mind that there is a fiver toll to pay if you go across the bridge from the Bristol area. (Nothings easy!) So the other options might be more attractive: Maps show the A48(T) from Gloucester and the A466 from the A40(T) from Ross-on-Wye. I assume these are the 2 routes of choice. You're aiming to get on to the B4228 either way.

If approaching on the A466 you can cross the river at 538 012 or you can sneakily avoid getting on the wrong side of the river by straying onto the small yellow roads at Grid Ref: 540 052.

The campsite area is on Magnetts farm and is (hopefully still) signposted from the B4228 at the two junctions you could approach it from.

The main attractions for those who aren't in the know:

Wintours Leap (OS 542 961, 2 miles north of Chepstow). This massive, steep and partly overhaging crag is in contrast to the idyllic setting, situated on a bend in, "...Britains most beautiful river with tremendous views..." Its also in a nature reserve and SSSI.  GO Wall (Great Overhanging - it certainly is) is worth a look even though most of us will only be able to look.  Its not all steep though there are some excellent big easies, eg Central Rib Route III ***VD with 5* picnic ledges and countless variations of pitch combinations to suit your mood.  There are big 4 pitch route-finding-missions as well as feisty single pitchers, plenty of star routes at all grades including a selection of **Hard Severes and **Severes.  You may be tempted by a 4 pitch ***VS girdle or the ***E1s.  Speaking for myself the easy decent route is highly amusing.  The rock has partly been quarried a long time ago.

An even better venue, a local informed me, is Shorn Cliff  (OS Ref 540 990)  excellent well featured limestone with strong lines on natural features.  A free pint* goes to anyone who does all three of the 3*** HVS's situated next to each other:  The Bitter Battle Tears, The Laughing Cavaliers and No Musketeers.  Alternatively you could have **HS Phoney War or any of the other reasonable grade routes.  Its amazing these quality routes aren't too pollished. Get on them quick before everone knows about it!  It's a good idea to wear a lid at Shorn Cliff as there's loose stuff on top.

What Symonds Yat (OS 558 153) lacks in grandeur it more than makes up for in character and beauty with short quaint routes on pocketed dolomitic limestone, fine views and ... nice riverside pubs!  A route to do is HS girdle traverse of a whole pinnacle, starting at ground level, to gain height then end up where you start - no walk off. Again plenty of starred routes from VD up to E-whatever.  Handholds can be a bit muddy but thats part of the charm!  Watch out for goblins-i mean cavers and possible kiddie topropers.

If peace and quiet are what you are after there's an lesser known steep crag down by the river for bouldering, a local told me the whereabouts...

If it's going to rain I propose we go paddling on, "Britains most beautiful river....." we can hire canoes down where the nice pubs are.  Bosh!   Alternatively we could stop off at Hay-on-Wye on the way home, to pay respect to the shrine of books, tea and retail therapy. I'll try and get to the pub on the Thursdays before, otherwise see you there.  As usual try and share cars.

May 22^nd - Wildcat - Sheena Hendrie

This is the Blurb on my meet at Wildcat Crag, Matlock Bath. (See Peak Limestone South to decipher the following information).

I have it on great authority (from the Sphynx) that the weather on Sunday May 22^nd will be the Catalyst between spring and summer. So I expect a good turnout on this meet, including attendance from our resident Manx(man). In Echo(s) of Times Past if Neville and Roger turn up it could even by The Return of the Old Tigers.

There is a good choice of routes at VS/HVS on this crag - by the (Golden) Yardstick of limestone crags this a friendly one! Derek's Dilemna will be to decide on whether to go on Lorna's walk or come and support the climbers. Jackdaw Grooves and Cougar Cleft are good starters, but avoid Catastrophe Grooves unless you want a Cataclysm(ic) experience or are Lobo.

Apart from the bikers on the A6 using up their Nine Lives, the atmosphere is very pleasant with the cliff west facing. The meet leader may bring a plentiful supply of Kit-e-Kat(s) in order to ensure we don't get complaints from any Sourpuss(es). However I'm not bringing a Singing Kettle - this is not the Laddow meet.

Those from the Lunatic Asylum can climb until the Midnight Sun sets and if you Recoil in horror from that, Paws for Thought before settling to sleep with Confused Dreams.

So - turn up or miss out on a Cracker Jack of a meet!

I'll be at the Black Cat area around 10:30 - see you there.

May 22^nd - Walk CANCELLED - Lorna Marsland

STOP PRESS

Unfortunately due to professional and domestic overload I am going to be unable to lead my meet on 21 May. This was not a decision taken lightly and I am very sorry to have to tell you this. It was to have been a walk in the Matlock area, to tie in with Sheena's meet at Wildcat Crags. However, Sheena is still leading her meet, so there will be something happening that weekend.

I hope to hold this meet either later in the year or next year, when I expect to have more control of my life! Is this the triumph of hope over experience!

Yours remorsefully

Lorna Marsland

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