Karabiner Mountaineering Club

July 2005 Forthcoming Meets

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

July 2^nd/3^rd - Craig Yr Ysfa High Camp - Virginia Castick

Camping 20 minutes walk from the base of one of the finest crags in Wales with just a short(ish) walk to get there. What could be better.

Drive down the Conwy valley on the west side of the river signed to Trefrw. At Tal-y-Bont turn right just over the bridge and follow the road uphill (narrow) through several gates to the obvious car park at the end of the road. This should only take an hour and a half from Manchester. Now load up your sac and follow the obvious track past the lake until after about an hours stroll you will reach a disused quarry area below Craig Yr Ysfa. There are plenty of small grassy spots for camping amongst some ruined buildings next to the river (G.R. 702636). I intend to go up Friday night assuming the weather is fine.

For those who haven't visited this classic crag there are fine routes in all grades. Amphitheatre Buttress is 960 feet of V. diff heaven, Mur y Niwl gives a sustained and exposed VS and the girdle traverse of the Lower Amphitheatre Wall is reckoned to be one of the best girdles in Wales at E1. For those who prefer to walk you are right in the heart of the Carnedds so if you didn't do the welsh 3000's two weeks before you can saunter over a third of it easily from the campsite

July 10^th - Lake District Scramble - Martin Heaton

This is a fun way up Easedale to Sergeant Man and down the Helm Crag ridge.

Meet in Grasmere by the village green at the end of Easedale Road (GR 337076), from 9:45 for a 10:00 start. The nearest car park is at the far end of the village. All car parks seem to charge £4.50 for between four and eight hours, so this (along with the environment, of course !) should encourage car sharing.

The route takes us up Easedale, and then two Grade 1 gill scrambles, Sourmilk and Easedale. Getting wet in these is difficult to avoid! We can dry out on a short Grade 2 rock scramble, Belles Knott, before heading for the top and back down the ridge that culminates in Helm Crag. Various tarns will provide opportunities for lunch breaks or getting even wetter. Around ten miles, five to six hours.

July 31^st - Kinder Scout Climbing - James Richardson

This is a late update for this meet, following discussions in the Pub on Thursday July 28^th based on the latest weather forecasts (which suggest that it will be wet on Saturday but fine on Sunday).

The plan is now to meet up on Sunday morning at the car park in Edale (near the railway station) between 10am and 10:30am. It is suggested that you hold off paying for parking until after discussions with the meet leader on the day, as plans may change and the length of stay in this car park may be short!

The exact climbing venue will be decided on the morning once people have turned up. It will probably be somewhere on the Southern Kinder Edges, but if conditions are very poor then the meet may be relocated.

If anybody wants to go out on Saturday 30^th and climb wet chimneys, then they should contact James directly or seek counselling.

August 7^th - Shining Clough - Sheena Hendrie

This meet has been badly advertised - not least because I thought I would be in Greenland so forgot about it! Having not gone to Greenland I still may not be present on Sunday - work commitments may prevail.

So apologies all and if any Committee members go, could they take a roll call on my behalf....

For those to whom Shining Clough is an unknown quantity its a gritstone crag high on Bleacklow (SK 098986). The theory is that in our baking summer weather a high north facing crag is welcome relief from summer heat. Parking is at the south west corner of Woodhead Reservoir, guidebook is Kinder and Bleacklow. There is a good selection of routes up to around E1, with a few harder ones.

If I do manage to go I'll aim to be at the crag by around 1100.

Enjoy.

Sheena

August 13^th/14^th - Kev's Climbing Challenge - Kevin Anderson

SNOWDONIA CHALLENGE IS TIMETABLED FOR THIS WEEKEND

PLAN A - GOOD WEATHER

Arrangements are similar to last year with a slight change to the crag itinerary.

Camping at the site opposite the Vaynol Arms (Nant Peris) on Friday evening.

Saturday morning - either Bus/Walk/Hitch to Dinas Mot - a route here before the going on to complete a route on the Cromlech, Wasted, Grochan and finally Craig Dde.

Back to the tents/pub for tea, well deserved pint and exchange of epic yarns.

Sunday - a somewhat more restful day, with the final choice of venue determined on the morning over coffee and banter.

PLAN B - INCLEMANT CONDITIONS!

We'll wimp out to the hut on Friday evening and if rain still persists on Saturday the old KMC spirit will be tested to its limit as the challenge morphs to 3 routes on 3 crags if drizzle/damp, 2 routes on 2 crags if persistent gentle rain, or 1 route on 1 crag if really blowing a hooly and very wet - all of these to be on the South facing side of the pass.

I'll be down the pub on Thursday evening, or alternatively feel free to give me a ring (I'll not be answering between 1.30 and 6.00 on Wednesday).

On Friday if you're unsure whether the weather should be classified as "good" or "inclement" - then give me a bell to confirm whether its camping or hut.

See you there

Kevin

August 21^st - Yorkshire Two Peaks Meet - Phil Ramsbottom

FOR ONE DAY ONLY

SPECIAL KMC DISCOUNT

To take advantage of this promotional offer be at Ribblehead (Map - Outdoor Leisure 2 - Yorkshire Dales Western Area Grid Ref 765793) for a good day on Whernside and Ingleborough. Exact route still to be finalised but meet at 9:30 for a 9:45 prompt start (it still leaves a decent walk so don't be late).

For people travelling to Ribblehead via Gisburn please note that: The A682 is closed between Gisburn and Long Preston, it is better to stay on the M65 to the end, take the A56 through Earby, then cut through to Gargrave to pick up the A65.

August 27^th/29^th - Cairngorms Rock - Dave Bone

This is for the Mountaineering types out there and attendance is mandatory. Target is the head of Loch Avon in the Cairngorms with loads of Scottish Granite to go at - Greenland being fine practice for it.

Taking Friday afternoon off would be useful as the plan, provided the weather is not perverse, is to head for the Coire Cas car park from Aviemore (Public Transport is possible!) and walk in Friday night, or meet at on the crags on Saturday. Sneak into the car park and after planting your pack of explosives (timed to go off at midnight, Monday) under a pylon of that abomination, the funicular, march with eyes firmly ahead south and up the Fiacaill ridge path to the top where desecration is left behind. Despite 70m more ascent, take the route over 1176m and down Coire Domhain 'cos it's easier with packs, to the head of Loch Avon. Camp on the South side up from the loch near the Shelter stone where there are grassy knolls and boulder howffs (GR003016) - about 3.25miles.

Once there, you have a choice of crags with 3 star routes from Mod to E2 (and much harder, but of little interest to 98% of the club). Centre piece is Shelter Stone crag, which is really clean and quick drying for a North facing crag, with the Needle (265m E1 ***), Haystack, Steeple & the Pin (E2 ***), classic VS Citadel etc. A greater mix of grades is available on Hells Lum Crag (The Clean Sweep [160m VS ***], Auld Nick [160m S ***]) and the Stag Rocks all in 0.5mi. Routes also available on Carn Etchachan, and for top of the world climbing the S facing Coire Sputan Dearg is 2mi away. Likely is to carry gear out on the Monday to do a route or so in the Northern Corries on the way out - eg. Savage Slit (S ***) in Coire an Lochain.

In more threatening circumstances we have drier venues at Creag Dubh, Newtonmore & Huntleys Cave as well as heading south.

August 27^th/29^th - Ty-Powdwr - Peter Walker

If you are not going on the Cairngorms meet you are cordially invited to the alternative gathering at the club hut. I will be there Friday evening, 26^th August for those without a gate key, and will be staying until Monday evening or Tuesday a.m. Why not come and try some of the old fashioned crags - away from the crowds, there were only two other people on Lliwedd when we climbed there last Sunday!

September 3^rd/4^th - CANCELLED: Birthday Bash - Colin Maddison

Please note that the Ty Powdwr Birthday Bash meet scheduled for 3^rd/4^th September is cancelled. My apologies for this, but I shall now be in the Alps attempting to mark my birthday by some sort of mountaineering achievement.

There is, of course, no reason why people should not go to Py Powdwr that weekend anyway and I hope the weather will be favourable.

Rob Allen and I will be planning an alternative celebration shortly. Watch this space.

Regards,

Colin.

September 17^th/18^th - One hundred years of decrepitude - Rob Allen and Colin Maddison

Important events of 1955:

• West Germany joined NATO.
• McDonalds was started.
• James Dean and Albert Einstein died.
• Rosa Parks was arrested.
• Colin Maddison and Rob Allen were born.

To celebrate 'One Hundred Years of Decrepitude' Colin and Rob are having a party at the hut on the weekend of the 17^th-18^th September. The details aren't fully sorted yet as I've just got back from Ailefroide and Colin is in the Alps until the 4^th September. Make a note in your diaries and we'll send out more info when we've decided what's happening. All club members are invited.

Regards
Rob

September 24^th/25^th - Borders Rock - Dave Bone

And now for something adventurous and a bit different. Just over the Border in Scotland from Berwick on Tweed we have the "Fast Castle" coastal area near St. Abb's. Taking a look in the Lowland Outcrops guide you'll find some greywacke sea cliffs with a good mix of grades and stars. There are fins like Sharpnose and a sea stack, the Souter. To add to the adventure, there are even one or two scottish VS's here too. I haven't been here before but always interested in somewhere new. Should be something for everyone to play at.

Typical access is from Dowlaw farm (GR857702 on 1:50000 No. 67) - probably starting from here on Saturday Morning (perhaps having driven up same day). Sunday can be more of the same or if people have had enough, we can move back across the border to some Northumbrian rock (which is the poor weather alternative). Camping is more problematic - most are static caravan sites and it is not clear at present whether they really take tents (or if you'd want to stay there!). Though I do know a good site in Wooler, back in England?

Contact me before the trip for final details - this had to be written well in advance due to being out of the country at the critical time.

October 16^th - Laddow - Christine Beeston

Hopefully we'll have some autumn sunshine for this traditional tea, cake and climbing meet. I'll be serving tea and cake from the cave at Laddow from around 10am, rain or shine - please bring some water for the kettle if you come. If you need/can offer lifts, let me know and I will try to arrange things.

July Newsletter Index.

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