Summer 2000 The Y R C Bulletin Issue 13

Rambler

Valleys of the Assassins, Iran Alan Kay 3 Rambling in Australia Tony Reynolds 12 Sleeping with Scorpions, USA Martyn Wakeman 21 Pico de Teide Alan Linford 28 The Cleveland Way John Schofield 29 Hurricane on Kohl Larsen Plateau Geo. Spenceley 31 Skarvheimen Easter Mildness Michael Smith 36 Man's best friend ... is the nettle Roy J Denney 38 Orion Face Direct Ged Campion 39 How it Really Used to Be! Has Been 43 Ol’ Man Ribble Bill Todd 47 Statistics and Reality David Smith 48 Smallest Club Meet on Record? Darrell Farrant 44 Reviews Bill Todd, Denis Armstrong, M.Smith 51 Proceedings 61, Obituaries 63, Chippings 68 Meet Reports 69

Derek Smithson and David Hick ascending Wetherlam from the Greenburn valley Foreword

We have lost some outstanding members since the last edition of the Yorkshire Rambler. Bernard Nelstrop, a prominent caver in the pre-war period, was in the seventieth year of his membership of the Club, and our longest serving member. Bob Chadwick was always a leader and trendsetter in whatever he undertook in a long and distinguished life. He became President of the Club at the AGM immediately following my election to membership in 1962. Eddie Edwards died on a glorious sunny day in the Yorkshire hills, active to the last, attending our Glan Dena meet in North Wales only a fortnight before his unexpected death. Maurice Wilson always contrived to get the maximum out of a full ninety-year life, which included his unforgettable contribution to our 1957 Himalayan expedition. Life proceeds however, in the YRC as elsewhere, and it is my pleasure to welcome to full membership of the Club George Burfitt, Roger Dix, David Large, Martyn Thomas and James Whitby, all of whom have been elected since our last issue. Some of these new members have close relatives in the Club, others have friends, and now they will have many more. I know that we all hope that they will enjoy the sort of relationship with the YRC that so enhanced the lives of Bernard, Bob, Eddie and Maurice and is still enriching the lives of the rest of us.

W C I Crowther, President ______

©2000 Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club

Secretary - Gordon Humphreys, Old Hall Cottage, Yealand Conyers, Carnforth, Lancashire LA5 9SJ

Editor - Michael Smith, 80 Towngate Road, Worrall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S35 0AR [email protected]

The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the YRC nor its Officers

The YRC Bulletin 1 Summer 2000

Contents Travels in the Valleys of the Assassins, Iran ...... Alan Kay ...... 3 Rambling in Australia, 1975 to 1999 ...... Tony Reynolds .... 12 Sleeping with the Scorpions, South-west USA ..... Martyn Wakeman .... 21 Recharging One’s Batteries, Pico de Teide ...... Alan Linford .... 28 The Cleveland Way ...... John Schofield .... 29 Hurricane on the Kohl Larsen Plateau ...... George Spenceley .... 31 Skarvheimen Easter Mildness ...... Michael Smith .... 36 Man’s Best Friend is the Humble Nettle ...... Roy J Denney .... 38 Orion Face Direct ...... Ged Campion .... 39 How it Really Used to Be ...... A Has Been .... 43 The Smallest Club Meet on Record? ...... Darell Farrant .... 44 The Future Starts Now ...... Roy J Denney .... 46 Poem: Ol’ Man Ribble ...... Bill Todd .... 47 Statistics and Reality ...... David Smith .... 48 Photographs from the Collection...... Ray Harben .... 50

Reviews: Coniston Tigers, Into the Wild, Arka Tagh, Slack, Journals ...... Bill Todd .... 51

In Praise of Rambling: Poetry and Prose for Countrygoers ...... Denis Armstrong .... 55

Queueing for Everest, Joe Simpon’s Talk, Expeditions: fact or fiction .. Michael Smith .... 58 Club Proceedings 1998, 1999...... 61 Obituaries: Bob Chadwick, Maurice Wilson and Eddie Edwards ...... 63 Chippings ...... 68 Meet Reports: Glen Etive ...... February 1999 .... 69 Calpe, Spain ...... October .... 71 Reaps Moor, Staffordshire ...... September .... 75 and Not the September Meet ...... 78 86th Annual Dinner, Kirby Lonsdale ...... November .... 79 Christmas Meet ...... December .... 81

The YRC Bulletin 2 Summer 2000

Zagros Mountains in the west of the Travels in the country. Valleys of the Add to these a civilisation stretching over 6000 years and the natural Assassins Persian friendliness and hospitality, and you can begin to recognise that The Islamic Republic Iran has a great deal to offer. of Iran, 1999 During September 1999 I travelled Alan Kay in the Elburz Mountains with a group of 8 women (6 English and 2 Most of us know very little about Iranians) and 2 Iranian (male) Iran, except that there was an guides. The aims of the expedition Islamic Revolution there under the were twofold, namely to visit the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, and Castles of the Assassins, and to that it is the source of a lot of oil. explore some of the remote valleys, There is, however, much more to ridges and villages on the northern Iran than religion, oil and deserts; it slopes of the range, leading down to is Asia’s fifth largest country, half the Caspian Sea. the size of India (and three times the size of France); there are 42 peaks The trip was largely inspired by over 4000m, Damavand, an extinct Freya Stark’s travels in the area in volcano, the highest at 5671m is 1929 and 1930, and the wonderful snow covered the year round, and book she subsequently wrote; the there are huge rock faces, many secondary title of this article is taken unexplored, in both the Elburz from the name of that book. Mountains north of Tehran, and the During our short stay in Tehran we

The YRC Bulletin 3 Summer 2000 visited the National Museum of the Assassins was a young Persian Archaeology, and the nearby Islamic called Hasan - i - Sabbah who Museum - both well worth a visit to joined the sect in 1071AD; it was enable one to begin to understand Hasan who turned the murder of his the incredible history and artistry of opponents into an avowed political Iran - and also the Ceramic and weapon. The secret garden at Glass Museum, the latter containing Alamut Castle where he drugged his stunningly beautiful blown glass followers with hashish before from the first Century BC, the time sending them out on their missions when glass blowing was invented in was known by the Crusaders, giving the Middle East. us the word “Assassin” or We drove via Quasvin to the Shah “Hashishin”, meaning in Arabic Rud valley in the western part of “hashish eater”. Mazandaran Province, and on to The recent rain had washed surface Sharistan, a village about a mile soil away to reveal scattered shards from Lamiassar, our first Assassin of attractive patterned pottery which Castle. The mountains here are we gathered; which Assassin, I steep, rocky and barren, but the wondered, took his last sip of water valley bottom is well irrigated and from the lip of the cup I brought fertile, and the locals were gathering home; who was his chosen target, in the rice harvest. It was a and was his mission successful; did peaceful, subdued scene, with pale he survive? green and yellow rice fields, rich We returned to camp via a brown earth, swaying poplar trees scrambling descent over smooth and mud and stone built houses. sandstone slabs, and after a We camped on the outskirts of delicious lunch of yoghurt, salad, Sharistan, in view of the castle, grapes, omelette and melon (in that beneath a delicate sickle moon. order) prepared by our Iranian friends, we moved off eastwards Next morning we climbed up to Lamiassar Castle, a fairly rough towards Evan Lake. scramble, for the path had been En route we passed two flocks of washed away in places by a recent sheep being moved to lower ground flash flood. The castle formerly for the winter, both flocks moving covered an entire mountain top, over along in single file, one sheep an area about 800m by 400m, steep behind another. From a distance on all sides, with embattlements still they looked like a line of ants very evident along the eastern flank. crawling along the ground, and as The entrance is guarded by the they moved each animal kicked up remains of a solid circular tower, its own mini cloud of dust in the dry and in the centre of the site, the soil, making it appear as if they keep, still fairly well intact, gives an were moving along in a cocoon. idea of the massive scale of this We camped beside Evan Lake, impregnable castle. about a mile from Evan village, and The Assassins were Persians, a next day had a short walk branch of the Ismailites who were northwards into a narrow rocky themselves a branch of the Shi’ites. valley where we disturbed a group The first leader and Grand Master of of turkey quail - they are indeed the

The YRC Bulletin 4 Summer 2000 size of turkeys, and make an In the early afternoon we moved on intermittent cackling noise as they to Gazur Khan, the village below scutter along the scree; we never the huge rock of Alamut Castle. saw them flying. Abbas, our guide, was anxious that Around a bonfire at camp that we should climb to the castle in the evening, as we ate more delicious late afternoon, and he was right, for Iranian food and talked with our the low sun cast warm, mellow light Iranian guides, another sickle moon on the sandstone and shadows on rose in the sky, and an occasional the undulating folds of hills, giving satellite traced a thin line across the the whole scene a magical heavens; the darkness gradually combination of colour and intensified, and we heard dogs perspective. furiously barking in the distance as A steep but easy climb took us to a they drove wolves into woodland high sandstone ridge which led on to beyond Evan village. the Castle. Just before the final pull up to the top, a huge circular hole, Early next morning as daylight returned, the hills, crags and trees 3m high and 4m wide, had been were all mirrored in a perfect made in the sandstone ridge, reflection in the lake. perhaps initially by natural weathering, but subsequently We now moved on to the large enlarged by the Assassins, and this village of Shamsmi - Kelai, and provided a beautiful birds eye view walked up to our second Assassin of the rugged mountains, clumps of castle, Maymundez. This was a pale green poplar trees, and distant most unusual castle, for it was a valleys. series of huge natural caves with entrances high up on the face of a John Simpson, the senior Foreign near vertical conglomerate rock. It Correspondent for the BBC was quite unassailable, for the only travelled here in the late 1980’s, and his subsequent book, “Behind the access in time of peace was along a series of wooden planks forced into Veil” most sensitively describes the the rock face, and which were then prevailing circumstances in removed by the defenders when they Iran. He visited Alamut Castle, and were under threat. The caves were here is his description of the scene:- enlarged by the Assassins, and they “The view was wonderful, and I formed a stronghold for Hasan’s think I shall never forget it; it was elite troops. like being taken up on a pinnacle of the Temple and being shown all the There was some archaeological kingdoms of the world. The exploration at this site by a British mountains and rivers and the bright team in 1960, when Joe Brown was green of paddy fields and the slicks employed to climb the loose of near-desert reached off into conglomerate face to gain access to oblivion.” the caves; the caves and tunnels were then thought to be just about Alamut Castle was the home of habitable, but the expedition report Hasan for 34 years - he never left it; mentions substantial rock falls he spent his time “studying in his during the time the team was in the immense library, administering his tunnels. province, ordering the murder of his enemies, and leading an otherwise

The YRC Bulletin 5 Summer 2000 pious and abstemious life” (John appropriate greeting for Simpson). The Castle was never mountaineers or backpackers. conquered in battle, but was Next day we drove to Garmerud, a surrendered in 1256AD to the large village south east of Alamut, Mongols, who were then under the the last four or five miles of the leadership of Genghis Khan’s track being narrow and rough where grandson. recent heavy rain had washed away There is now very little remaining of the surface. Garmerud lies at the Alamut Castle, but it clearly had end of a narrow rocky valley, the everything an 11th century castle only onward route, on foot, passing needed; it was difficult to approach, through a narrow rock cleft. being either vertical or very steep on Freya Stark spent much time here, all sides, there was adequate annual and her guide Aziz had his house, rainfall which was stored in huge and shop (and two wives) in natural caverns 10m deep (still very Garmerud. Freya obviously felt it much in evidence) and the soil on was a place where she was amongst top of the rock was sufficiently friends, where she could relax and fertile for cultivation. also recuperate from her attacks of I walked back to the campsite with malaria. We quickly felt at home, Abbas, and as we passed through too, for Shirin, one of our Iranian the village of Gazur Khan we met a guides, had relatives in the village, group of travelling actors who were and we were invited to spend the giving a performance for the night at their house. Iranian villagers. Abbas exchanged hospitality is such that no payment greetings with groups of villagers - in cash or kind was expected (and “Khaste nabasheed” meaning “don’t could in fact have been tantamount be tired”, an appropriate and to an insult if any had been offered meaningful greeting in this remote by us). The whole house, sitting and rocky region. “Khaste room, washing room, and kitchen nabasheed” would perhaps be an were available for our use, and the

The YRC Bulletin 6 Summer 2000 family simply adjusted to having ten bottom road a car stopped beside us, extra people in the house. Iranian the occupants wound down the village houses do not have furniture windows, and in perfect English, in the western sense, the only though with a slight American furnishings being piles of thick accent, they welcomed us to Iran cushions to sit on; at meal times a and to their village, thanked us for cloth is spread on the carpeted floor, coming, and asked if we needed bowls of food are placed on the anything. This was so typical of the cloth, and you simply sit on the delightful warm welcome we floor to eat the food. received everywhere in Iran. Aziz’s shop was on the opposite Next day we walked upstream, side of the stream from our abode, through the narrow rocky entrance and although Aziz is long gone, his to the upper valley, and climbed son is the current shopkeeper. I steeply to a high contouring mule tried to find him, but his shop track, which eventually lead to the opening hours were somewhat small village of Pichiban. This, too, variable, and my visits to the shop was a favourite of Freya Stark - it is never coincided with opening times. at a height of 2700m, is quite Whilst looking around the village I isolated, and for five months every encountered a group of ten old men year is cut off by snow. As we who were sitting on a bench, entered Pichiban we were seen by a chatting and watching the world go few children who called others to by. They beckoned me over to them come and look at the “ferangi”, but (perhaps they felt envy or pity at my as usual, they were very friendly, entourage of six women!) and and a few sweets did wonders to although they couldn’t speak any improve Iranian/British relations English, and I couldn’t speak even further. sufficient Farsi, spoken words were Our campsite was half a mile quite unnecessary, and we beyond the village, on the far edge “conversed” very effectively with of a flat grassy plateau; there were smiles, signs and a few “salaams”. fresh water springs around, and They asked me to take their looking back over the Pichiban, the photograph, and I hope the copy I high Elburz Mountains were a later sent to Shirin eventually purple hue in the afternoon light - it reaches them. was a glorious place for a high level Julia and I walked around the rest of camp. the village, up steep narrow alleys, Julia and I wandered back into along higher paths, and near a Pichiban to take photographs and mosque we found memorials to were met by a woman carrying a three or four young men who pile of freshly baked unleavened presumably had been killed in the bread; she offered us some, and it long war with Iraq. Young children was delicious, and she then asked followed us part of the way and Julia to take her photograph. As all fetched their parents out to look at this was happening two other the “ferangi” - foreigners. Their women came up to us, one of them curiosity was genuine and there was with bandages on the fingers of her no suggestion of threat or lack of right hand. Clearly news of our politeness. Back on the valley presence had got around, and we

The YRC Bulletin 7 Summer 2000 were seen as the only source of any We had a near 360° view at the form of medical help. Gingerly she pass, including the pyramid shaped peeled back the bandages to reveal Takht-e-Soleiman (4820m) and two large gashes on her fingers, Alam Kuh (4850m), two of the probably an accident whilst cutting highest peaks in Iran. A wide band fodder; the best we could do was of white limestone, about half a mile ask her (via much sign language) to wide, split through the entire go to our campsite, where the mountain range as far as the eye wounds were cleaned and could see, and in stark contrast to rebandaged. the rest of the Elburz range which is As the sun went down the colours generally grey/blue in colour. I do on our plateau became more and not know the geological explanation more muted, and eventually merged for this intrusion, but it is locally with the surrounding mountains. called Abraham’s Path, and For an hour or so after dusk according to legend Abraham shepherds were still driving sheep travelled here driving his ewes towards Pichiban, and fires before him, and their milky dripping appeared in various parts of the udders are said to have left this sign plateau where other shepherds were of their passage. staying out overnight with their A winding path zigzagged down for flocks. about 1000m to the settlement of Reluctantly we moved on next day Salambar and we camped half a to climb to the Salamber Pass, at mile further on beside a waterfall. 3100m the highest point of the trek. Late afternoon mist enveloped the At the pass was an old caravanserai, campsite and village and the and although now partly in ruins, it temperature dropped the first signs would nevertheless provide shelter of winter approaching. in a storm. When Freya Stark Next day we moved down valley on passed this way in 1929 it was still a superb high level path, past a in regular use. series of four big waterfalls in a

The YRC Bulletin 8 Summer 2000 canyon that was probably 350m centuries. Our meal was a mixture deep, and arrived at the large village of beans and tinned fish, and of Maran. This was a beautiful whenever we now eat these at home, village, with houses newly in my mind’s eye I immediately whitewashed, pots of colourful zoom back to Iran, the Elburz flowers in front of most houses, and Mountains, Sern and its inhabitants. many colourfully dressed women As we left Sern to go further up the and children who were not in the Darijan Valley, all the villagers slightest shy at being photographed; lined the path to greet us; as the sole it was also a hive of activity, as male “ferangi” I “salaamed” and mules carrying loads of fodder and shook hands with all the menfolk, bedding were being driven hither feeling a bit like a fake dignitary or and thither from fields to storage in royalty, except that in Sern I think readiness for winter. we were all genuinely pleased to We continued on via a rising path meet and greet one another. until, quite suddenly on the apex of Word of ferangi arrival had spread a rocky spur, we turned southwards to Sharistan, the next village up into the Darijan Valley. Here, for valley, and as we passed through, a 10 minutes or more, three birds, young woman approached us probably peregrine falcons, swooped carrying a pile of fabric, intricately up and down and round about in a patterned, colourful, and for sale. huge aerial display of falcon She was in her late twenties, with a enjoyment. baby on her back, and she had After a long easy descent to the woven the fabric the previous River Darijan, we boulder hopped winter. The “wives” gathered across the river and climbed up to round, examined the material, and the village of Sern. Here we subsequently bought the lot - a lunched in a village house, and for relatively easy sale, and a bit of a me this was one of the particularly disappointment for me, an inveterate memorable parts of the trip. We haggler. were invited in by the lady of the Our campsite for the next two nights household, (shoes to be left outside, was half an hour further south, up as in all Iranian village houses), and the valley beyond the village of we sat on the carpeted floor or on Darijan, at 2160m. It was misty and thick cushions. Whilst we waited cold at night now, even colder when for the laggards of our group to the mist cleared and a fuller moon catch up we were served with more shone in a starry sky - winter was and more sweet green tea. beginning to take an early grip. The husband of the household Our guide Abbas Jafari was a man joined us, and he turned out to be of many parts; he is a film director the man who had helped us to cross (he has done work for the BBC, the River Darijan. This household, amongst others), he is perhaps Iran’s the charming husband and wife, leading climber with a number of children and grandchildren, and the first ascents to his name, and he has simple but spotlessly clean house represented his country at epitomise, for me, the friendliness international climbing conferences. and hospitality for which the He told me that he was introduced Iranians have been well known for

The YRC Bulletin 9 Summer 2000 to climbing as a teenager having temperature, about 1½m deep, and it read one of Alan Blackshaw’s was possible therefore to have a climbing books, he subsequently good soak. I imagine it will be a taught himself to climb by reading haven to descend to in winter when Alan’s books, and later met Alan at the surrounding mountains are some of those conferences. He told covered in snow and ice. Freya me all this before he knew of my Stark visited these springs in 1930, YRC connection. and nothing seems to have changed He is also a good cook, his cooking during the intervening seventy years. of Iranian food being up to top YRC Before beginning our walk out of standards, and at the Darijan camp the Darijan valley next day, Julia he asked if I would like to have the and I went up into a side valley to cooked potato from the bottom of visit a mineral water spring which the rice pot; as you might imagine, I had also been visited by Freya Stark did not altogether understand the in 1930. She had taken a sample of significance of this, but being polite, water for subsequent chemical said “yes”; he delved into the pot analysis, and the results of that and handed me a tasty, succulent analysis are given in her book. We slice of potato, which had been drank some, and although it had a cooked by being put into a thin layer definite earthy taste when neat, with of fat at the bottom of the rice pot, orange powder added it was the rice placed above it and cooked delicious and thirst quenching. at the same time. It was delicious, Then began our exit down valley, and I ought to have kept quiet about northwards into the Seh Hizar it, for later the wives wanted their valley, and on towards the roadhead share of this delicacy. leading to the Caspian Sea. The We were fairly close to Takht-e- valley became narrow and deeper, Suileman, its pyramid shaped with steep sides, and was in many summit guarded by long, broken and ways like a slightly smaller version jagged Cuillin like ridges; Abbas of a Himalayan valley, with and Farah, our other Iranian guide waterfalls and rapids, a track and a leading Iranian female threading into and around gullies, a climber, spent time tracing their few trees, and all the time a routes on these ridges and backdrop of big jagged hills and buttresses. ridges. Next day we visited some hot We had to cross the Seh Hizar river sulphur springs two hours walk six times, sometimes boulder further up the Darijan valley, and hopping, and on three occasions by found the site already occupied by gingerly balancing on bridges two or three Iranian families, composed of one slender tree branch picnicking and bathing. about four or five inches wide, rounded and slippery, and twelve After the “wives” and our two Iranian girls had bathed in the inches or so above turbulent water - springs, Abbas and I joined four a test of balance and concentration! other Iranian men in the low water As we progressed northwards the filled cave for our turn. The water trees became more and more dense, was pleasantly warm, a good bath until latterly we were walking in a

The YRC Bulletin 10 Summer 2000 mature forest, and therefore with on to Ramsar where we stayed plenty of greenery, in contrast to overnight, and in the somewhat many over exploited Himalayan faded glory of a hotel which until valleys. Back in more populated the 1979 revolution had been one of terrain, we stopped twice at tea the Shah’s palaces, we soaked off shops which had been set up at the the accumulated grease and grime, junctions of mule tracks and which and experienced that combination of did a steady trade from passing sadness and satisfaction which one muleteers. We eventually arrived at usually feels towards the end of a the roadhead in gently falling rain, successful trip. and decided that we would try to We ate sturgeon which was locate a village house for delicious, but there was no caviar (it accommodation instead of camping, is all exported), we walked along and it was as well that we did, for it the Caspian coast with huge waves rained heavily during the night, and pounding the shore, we visited a tea the intended campsite had been plantation, and two days later, via close to the river. the busy town of Zanjan and the Our descent of the valley had impressive mausoleum of Soltanieh, fortuitously been well timed as the were back in Tehran. river had risen a lot during the night Iran is a great place, I plan to go and we certainly would not have again just as soon as I can, and am been able to boulder hop or balance working on plans to follow the route on tree branches to cross if we had of Alexander the Great through the been 24 hours later. Zagros Mountains to Persepolis, So in the last phase of the trip we across the deserts towards Tehran drove down to the southern coast of and on to Mashad - does anyone else the Caspian Sea at Tonekabon, and want to join me?

The YRC Bulletin 11 Summer 2000

Rambling in Australia 1975 to 1999 Tony Reynolds In 1974 I was offered a position in Australia and, despite misgivings, took the plunge. There are still regrets over leaving Albion but we‟ve had great times downunder and some of our travels I relate here. There are no tales of severe climbs or deep potholes but plenty of adventure. with explanations involving bacteria, So where do we start? We settled in algae and mineral solubility. Some South Australia, sorted out house, day the truth may come out. school and job routines then turned to The whole area is limestone with thoughts of outdoor activities. One of ponds – deep holes on the moors, the first destinations was Mount filled to ground level with water. Gambier famous for the Blue Lake Holes up to three hundred feet deep and deep water-filled potholes known are known and in the early days of as Picanniny Ponds. The lake is the exploration, there were several crater of an extinct volcano and the drownings. Nowadays there is little water is used for the local township. exploration. Gazing after a chunk of Around November each year the limestone sinking down one pond, we water changes to a bright blue colour noticed an interesting rocky outcrop and reverts to the normal colour after nearby. So, number three son, Jono, the summer. As a major tourist and I set off across the moors in deep attraction, the locals keep the grass towards the rocks. Suddenly mystique of this colour change alive there was a shout and Jono jumped

Mists on Kangaroo Island

The YRC Bulletin 12 Summer 2000

Arch on Kangaroo Island high into the air and beat a hasty For our first long holiday we decided retreat to the car. He‟d trodden on a to drive to Ayres Rock and Alice very large and dangerous brown Springs, camping all the way. We snake. We never did get to those had to choose the time carefully rocks. Instead we retreated to a pub because the road, in those days, was for a couple of nerve steadying not sealed and became impassable brandies. after rainfall. So we went for the dry Our second adventure in South time but not summer. A camp on the Australia was camping on Kangaroo first night consisted of driving off the Island, an island in Spencer Gulf. road for a few hundred yards, One night we camped in the bush at pitching, eating and sleeping. During Snake Lagoon and while Doreen the day temperatures reached around made camp with Jono, I went off in 100ºF. When we woke in the the car to collect firewood. In the morning the temperature was well morning, after breakfast, we had below freezing. The desert was planned to go to Rocky River to look covered in frost but it soon for platypus. Jono started to climb disappeared when the sun rose. into the back seat only to jump out Another long drive seeing very few about ten times faster than he went in. vehicles on the road brought us to the On the back seat were several Rock, tent pitching, cooking and so to scorpions. I‟d obviously collected bed. them with the firewood and overnight Nowadays there is a modern hotel they‟d migrated from the boot into the with full facilities, but then there was car. We spent a long time searching very little apart from a shop, petrol the car before we could set off on our and a Ranger Station. Obviously, we visit to the river with any degree of had to climb Ayres Rock, now known safety. Poor Jono had his scares as Uluru. This is a stiff walk up with during our first years in Australia! a chain to keep walkers away from the

The YRC Bulletin 13 Summer 2000 edge. There have been several deaths After three days of heavy rain, we over the years with people falling off, went to the police station for a report but I cannot imagine how anyone on the six hundred kilometres of roads could get into such a dangerous south to reach the next black top, position on top of the rock. bitumen sealed road. We had a few days in this camp and The man in blue was not optimistic. walked around the whole area, as well He said, and I quote “A bloody boat as visiting the aborigines‟ camp. got through overnight” and he invited They lived in humpies made out of us to drive down to Twenty-mile oildrums, bits of carpet, lino and Creek, 20 miles to the south of timber. Women made artefacts out of Coober Pedy. By driving through wood and with a tiny fire and some deep mud and water we got to the wire produced elaborate pokerwork. north bank of the creek to find that The kids were half naked, with sore not only was it twenty miles from CP eyes, snotty noses and lots of flies. but twenty miles across. Abandon Many were blond with straw-coloured hope for at least another day! The hair but this disappears as they get rain had stopped and the following older. day was warm and sunny so we Leaving the Rock, we reached the decided to have a go. We should have fleshpots of Alice Springs, camping waited another day as it turned out to on a well laid-out campground. Alice be a nightmare drive. is renowned for the Todd River Deep water, mud, mud, glorious mud Regatta where the boats are on wheels with no relief. The biggest problem running on rails laid in the sandy bed was with trucks and coaches stuck on of the river. The oarsmen have to dig the slightest rise in the road. their blades in the sand in order to However, in spite of having to dig out move their boat. Very energetic but it a few times and several excursions helps to increase the sale and around deep lakes, we managed pretty consumption of beer. well. At Pimba we filled up with The day we had to set off for home, petrol and food, picked up a guy expecting a two-day drive, it started to whose brand new four-wheel drive rain. The first 250km, driving on vehicle had broken down (he‟d left bitumen, gave no problems but then his brother with it waiting for spare we had to get onto the dirt road. This parts to arrive) and headed south went well enough as far as the old again. Almost within sight of the opal town of Coober Pedy but was far bitumen section disaster struck. We too dangerous to continue in the dark. came to a large lake and stuck in the Most residents hereabouts live middle was a Land Rover. I waded underground and we booked into a out to him but he didn‟t want any beautifully cool and luxurious help. He‟d flooded the engine by underground hotel for the first night going too fast and his starter motor as it was raining. Later we shifted to had jammed. I walked a few yards a shed on the camping ground where the mud was already a foot deep. Still we were dry and had food and water so existed, if somewhat frugally.

The YRC Bulletin 14 Summer 2000 past him and found the water still only onward and upward. The temperature at mid-calf level. soon rose above 100ºF and although we were carrying lots of water I got So very slowly we entered the water. No worries, we passed the Land severe cramp and had to leave Alan to Rover and then about fifty yards complete the walk on his own. To say further on the car fell into a hole, the least, the walk back to the car was water over the bonnet but it staggered slow and painful. There we were able on firing on six, then five, then four to get soft drinks from the shop before cylinders. It got down to three before heading south to the nearest pub at dragging itself out onto dry land for Hawker. two hours of drying out. The brakes It was Australia day and the pub was were not functioning for a while but packed – lots of cars, drunks, families we restarted and later in the journey and kids all having a ball. I have the generator stopped charging. searched my memory about the Water and fine sand are not amount of liquid we consumed and I recommended! think it was seven pints of weak This, and 250km to go, put a stop to shandy on my part, and I suspect Alan our hopes of getting home that night. was not far behind. A nighttime drive We finally made it to home and work home and bed got us back into the next day with happy memories of civilisation again. The following day a great holiday. was one of recovery but it was two days later that I felt really bad. Still in South Australia, we had Alan Muscles had seized up and I had Brown visit us and he expressed a difficulty in moving but it was back to desire to go to the mountains for a normal the next day. days walking. So, with three hundred kilometres to go we had an early start A valuable lesson in walking in and 100mph on some sections to temperatures over 100ºF: don‟t; and if arrive mid-morning at Wilpena Pound you do, carry lots of water and salt tablets. to climb St. Mary‟s Peak. The pound is an old volcano with the hills Western Australia – My company forming a circle perhaps twenty-five asked me to go to Perth to sort out one miles across. It was the end of of our businesses so Doreen and I put January and the place was deserted, I our four-wheel drive on the train and realised why later on. To get to the two days later arrived on the west top is a bit of a scramble but old coast. ladies with walking frames and young While I was working for about five ones with high-heeled shoes have weeks we did the normal tourist been seen having a go. It was the hot things, then, when the job was time of the year, starting warm but finished, we took a months holiday soon getting hot. camping around Western Australia Just beyond one short vertical pitch before driving four thousand we came upon two nubile young kilometres across the Nuulabor to Swedish ladies stripped to the waist Melbourne. improving their tans. After an all too We moved south first, to the beaches, brief conversation with the girls we then into the Karri forests. The centre had to leave them and carry on in the of attraction is the almost three time honoured YRC fashion of hundred foot tall Gloucester Tree with

The YRC Bulletin 15 Summer 2000

Halfway up I was met by a chap descending with his obviously scared ten-year-old son. Dad was below him and placing the lad‟s feet one by one on the next spike down. Hand movement followed and they were going very slowly indeed. I got as far away as possible while they passed and although I kept my ears open, there was no cry and thump, so assume they got down safely. I got to the top well enough and spent a few minutes looking around 360º of a vast forest of enormous trees. Going down was worse than the climb up. The spikes, only an inch in diameter, felt slippery and seemed to slope downwards, or so I thought. It was a relief to be down on to solid ground again. That night we camped on the side of a river, got a fire going, had a great dinner, slept well and woke the next morning to rain. Warm of course and the only wetting for some weeks, so welcome. Once the rain stopped we got a big fire going and dried all our gear before travelling on to the coast for our next camp. On the way, I climbed to the top of a peak called Frenchman‟s Cap (resembling a beret pulled forward over the eyes) with magnificent views from the top. We saw some of the beaches later on, a The Gloucester tree with the spikes real paradise, all white sand, warm spiralling up the trunk water and deserted. its observation platform on top. This used to be a fire watchtower but is now used for visitors who lack a fear of heights. The ascent is by a ladder of long metal spikes spiralling around the trunk with other longer spikes supporting a wire handrail. There is no protection and a slip would result in a long fall. As before the YRC policy of onwards and upwards got View towards Frenchman‟s Cap me started.

The YRC Bulletin 16 Summer 2000

on the main highway to the east. There I had to go around the car tightening the nuts and bolts that had shaken loose on those very bumpy dirt roads. The dashboard was literally hanging off at this stage. From Balladonia it was over five hundred kilometres to the state border with only four possible petrol stations. We camped out with no tent, in the The Frenchman‟s Cap from Mt Mullens open and under the stars, just off the The next walk was to Bluff Knoll in road that night. Another hundred the Stirling Ranges just over 1000m kilometres took us two days with a high. It can be called a good stiff second bush camp and a problem with walk and is best done early in the the car. Fifty kilometres from morning. This I did in fairly cool anywhere, I noticed the oil pressure conditions, but by the time I was on was going up and down, dropping at the top it was pushing 30ºC. The times to zero. I couldn‟t find anything mountain was deserted, I didn‟t see a wrong as the car was running OK and single person or animal until I got there was plenty of oil, so it was a back to the car were I met up with very slow journey to Bookabie and four Japanese youngsters who were the only garage for miles. The thinking of going to the top. Not mechanic found a loose connection suitably clad and with the wrong and after we had shared a beer, I was shoes but determined to give it a go. on my way. Another overnight camp They shared their watermelon with was needed then it was bitumen roads me and I left them to their climb. to Adelaide. After a few days camping in Albany, Only eight hundred kilometres to Australia‟s last whaling station, and home - a great experience. Some visiting the local tourist spots, we had years later a pilots‟ strike forced me to to set off for the long drive home. make the same journey by road again. Two hundred kilometres on a sealed This time it was bitumened all the road to Esperance, then along the dirt way and in a three-litre car with lots road for about 150km following the of umph. Stopping only for fuel, coast, a sharp turn north to Balladonia food, calls of nature and a short sleep on the Nullabor, we drove three thousand kilometres from Melbourne to Kambalda in exactly thirty hours. Tasmania – Now to the Apple Isle with its climate similar to the UK, or at least the sunnier parts of England. There is only one thing I could make note of after several visits over the years. Clytemnestra from Frenchman‟s Cap.

The YRC Bulletin 17 Summer 2000

Derwent bridge. A slog along a wet track for a couple of miles and I got to the summit to find an old mountain hut partly ruined but a dry area where I took a leisurely lunch. Wet and cold – just like a Ramblers‟ weekend. Back to the camp and, wonder upon wonder, the sun came out. I got View of Cradle Mountain from the Lake Dove car park into dry clothes and sat I went on a business trip to Hobart outside thinking of dinner. I struck up and decided to stay the weekend and conversation with my next door walk part of the Cradle Mountain neighbour and out of the blue he track. So with a small hire car, offered me a fish, one of the many anorak and boots, I drove up to the he‟d just caught. This turned out to Derwent River and on to the campsite be an enormous trout of two or three at the southern end of Lake St. Clair. pounds. I‟d to cut it into many pieces I hired a hut for a couple of nights as the only thing I had to fry it in was then, having no food, drove back to a small pan about six-inches across. the pub at Derwent Bridge for Done in butter it lasted for dinner, supplies, a meal and a few beers. breakfast and, on bread, for lunch. In the bar I got talking to some locals Sunday I walked tracks along the river who invited me to go fishing later that with not a soul around and, together night. “I‟ve no gear” I protested – with a bootload of wet clothing, “No worries, we don‟t use rods and headed back to civilisation in Hobart. lines, just gelignite” they replied. I Victoria – About fifteen years ago backed away from their invitation as some friends talked us into camping the penalties are very stiff for that sort on Boxing Day for a few days. They of fishing. had gone up before Christmas with Saturday was wet, but in the best another family to camp in the bush on YRC tradition I plunged out of the the side of the Snowy River at a warm dry hut into the cold, wet crossing called McKillop Bridge. We downpour. Following the track north, loaded the car with tents, sleeping I found the going very slow. The rain bags, food and, of course, beer and didn‟t help, but at intervals of fifty to wine. A five-hour drive and we found one hundred yards there was a fallen them, pitched our tents and relaxed in tree to negotiate. Trunk diameters the late afternoon sunshine. were anything from two feet to giants The next few days were fabulous. We of six feet across. Crampons would did an occasional walk, though it was have been a great help. About ten really too hot to be too energetic. So miles up the track I came to Pelican we got out our camp chairs and put Point where the track divided – them in the river, sat on them and straight on to Cradle mountain; to the only came out of the water for food, left over a small mountain and back to

The YRC Bulletin 18 Summer 2000 beer or wine. The only excitement Queensland – It is fortunate that we was while our friend‟s wife and I were have close relatives in Brisbane, cooking breakfast one morning and all which gives us a base for starting our the others were still in bed. A very explorations. We‟ve spent many large Australian Brown Snake visited happy hours on Fraser Island. This is us. Fortunately, either he was not the largest sand island in the world interested in coffee, bacon and fried and was a pristine area but is eggs or it was the shriek from my gradually being taken over by the assistant cook that scared him off. developers. It‟s essential to have a Then, alas, the day finally came, we four-wheel drive vehicle to drive ran out of beer! A meeting was held along the beach and get across the soft and, as it was about fifty miles to the sand and rocky regions. nearest supplies and we were due to On the mainland coast opposite Fraser leave the following day, we Island is a camping site virtually only reluctantly struck camp, said goodbye accessible by a four-wheel drive to the others and went home. Five vehicle. We camped there once to days of great weather with beautiful spend a few days swimming, fishing countryside, good food and great and sight-seeing. One day Doreen, company. my better half, was not feeling too Walking, around where I now live, is good and decided to stay in the tent mainly on forest tracks and paths. while we walked along the beach to The whole area in a 150 mile semi- an old shipwreck. circle is thick forest with old gold During the morning Doreen woke mines all over the place and the from an aspirin induced sleep to find rusting remnants of discarded she was sharing the tent with a large machinery from long gone timber goanna lizard. It is not recorded who mills. There are several narrow gauge was the most alarmed. A goanna can railway lines once used to bring logs get to over six feet long with four- down from the mountains to the mills inch claws but generally they are in the valley. harmless. This one beat a hasty For instance, the most popular rail retreat but was seen around the route for a two-day walk is the campsite for the rest of our stay. Warburton to Powell town line. This episode leads on to some other Initially horses were used to pull the animals encountered during camping. logs on the rail cars to the top and the Dingos - These can be dangerous and descent was made under brake a nuisance. They scrounge food and control. Horses gave way to steam we‟ve noticed them taking away our then to diesel engines. Around 1941 soap, cooking pans and any food the area closed down for logging and we‟ve left around. It‟s advised that no all that is left now are bits of rail, food is left in tents and that these wild small bridges over the Gullies (most dogs should not be fed under any unsafe) and some remains at circumstances. Powelltown. Emus - These six-foot high birds can I‟ve done a fair amount of this walk be a pest while begging for food. and plan to take two days with an They have used their large claws to overnight camp once the weather attack campers. cooled to a reasonable level.

The YRC Bulletin 19 Summer 2000

Kangaroos - Like emus these animals Jellyfish - These don‟t swim in the can be very large and in popular areas tropics during the summer unless the can be aggressive. There was a death beach is protected by nets. of a camper in Victoria a few years Octopi – The blue variety is very ago, but it was proved that had been poisonous but there are none, or very teasing the „roo with food. few, bites a year. It is a small beast Spiders - Always a problem but more that lives in drink cans, bottles, etc. at home than when camping. The found in harbours. redback, funnel web and whitetail can Sea snakes, cone shells, stone fish and cause severe reactions and death. many other sea creatures can be Ants - Every place that we‟ve camped dangerous but in all these cases, one has been overrun with ants. Sizes would need to be most unfortunate to vary from one tenth of an inch to one get stung or bitten. Ants and flies are inch and these latter can give a nasty by far and away the biggest problem bite even through clothing. when camping. Mossies, sand flies and ordinary flies Well, that‟s it. Camping in Australia - Using a good deterrent spray stops can vary from luxurious camp sites to them settling on bare skin. Corks out in the bush, desert or forest, around hats do not work. temperatures well over 100°F to well below freezing, but generally there Sharks - Everyone knows of the were few other campers. Ideal for dangers of swimming in the sea. anyone interested in the outdoors. We There are very few attacks each year. hope to see more YRC members out Crocodiles - In the tropics, the fresh here where the living is good. water croc is reputed to be harmless, not that I would even consider dipping Bluff Knoll my toes in water where these beasts are known to live. The estuarine croc is a different matter. They will take swimmers. The coastguard have reported one around Darwin estimated at over twenty feet long. I‟ve seen dozens along the banks of the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory, but our guide assured us that we were safe because crocs couldn‟t climb up the banks. The track was about twenty feet above the water level. After telling us that we were quite safe, he then advised that if one croc did complete the climb to the top then attacked, we should run, continually changing direction. Apparently crocs can run only in a straight line but no one was prepared to put it to the test.

The YRC Bulletin 20 Summer 2000

Sleeping with the of rocky and sandy plains with distant hills slowly becoming closer. A scorpions... winding pass led through these to the high desert of the Colorado Plateau Martyn Wakeman and Bryce Canyon. ... the story of a September week in I was hoping to start the backpack trip the deserts of the USA’s Southwest. into Bryce that evening but the ranger Seeing numerous westerns as a child would not issue the permit until the and, more recently, Marlborough following day. Instead I stayed at the cigarette adverts has inspired me to quieter of Bryce’s two rim campsites, get a campers perspective of these Sunset. I was one of only three beautiful and wild areas. I had a week people who would be sleeping below in the area around Las Vegas, chosen the rim the next night. I had picked, only for its proximity to the National more by chance than planning, the Parks in Southwest Utah and the best time of year. The crowds on the cheap airfares. On arrival, I collected rim were minimal, the daytime my curious combination of US mail temperatures bearable and the nights sack protected rucksack and business cold, even below freezing. The trolley bag together with my suit previous night I’d walked a trail container before heading off to collect wandering from the canyon rim down my car for the week. A Subaru past the hoodoos or vertical columns Outback with 4x4, high clearance of red rock. The geology of Bryce suspension and a 2.5l boxer engine Canyon seemed more fitting to Mars was only $4 per day more than a Ford than Earth with the colour, shadows Escort. and shape of the hoodoos changing with the position of the sun.

My solitary walk under the 9000ft tree fringed rim in Bryce Canyon filled me with wonder. I had been a little worried about tramping across sandy rock between tree stumps and autumn leaves with the resident Great Basin rattlesnake, some five feet in length, sniffing around. Apparently, they don't always rattle a warning if you’re too close. I Duly stocked and provisioned I drove took my ski poles to place over logs north and left Vegas behind, passing etc to warn the rattlers off. I would through a hot and arid no-mans land have liked to have seen one but to my

The YRC Bulletin 21 Summer 2000 slight disappointment, and relief, Dolomitic slopes clad in an open didn't see any. There were plenty of forest of Ponderosa, Limber Pine and rabbits and small squirrels around as I Douglas-Fir. These plants live off 15 descended through the hoodoos in the inches of rain per year. Before new light of morning. entering the forested depths of Yellow Creek I had expansive views towards Northern Arizona with strange rubble towered hoodoos capped in harder rock, known locally as the hat-shop. The vegetation by the creek reflected the dryer and warmer climate with Pinyon and Utah Juniper abounding but with some scattered Douglas Fir. September brings the flash flood season and I guess much of the rain, accompanied by lightening storms. Many trees showed the violence of a lightening strike. Other trees were exposed with the roots forming a cruel silhouette against the arid backdrop. The intense mid-day sun, at 40C even in the autumn, dries and hence twists these stumps and remains into warped and impossible shapes. After Yellow Creek I crossed a hot open flat choked with bushes. I’d been assured that the free Park map would suffice for this hike and that was generally true, except for the fallen leaves that covered everything hiding the path on occasions An ascent then followed with a soft sandy trail across a hot and dry grassy hillside being hard work in the mid-day sun. This topped out at a 7600ft saddle near the contact zone between the Wasatch Formation limestone to the West and the Kaiparowits sandstone to the east. The trail wandered along a ridge with a spire-topped castle like rock rising 600ft. Here there was little shade, except under my desert rat hat. Here I The route wandered from Bryce point took a fork which ventured deep into down to the valley floor, passing Sheep Creek. The guidebook said under the pink cliffs of the Wasatch that this would offer solitude, but as I Formation following the white hadn’t seen anyone all day, this was not a problem.

The YRC Bulletin 22 Summer 2000

Water was an interesting consideration during this and subsequent trips. The Ranger had said that there was almost no water down below the rim though I found three clear running streams. I had opted to carry water and took my drink bottle plus a 6-litre water sac, giving 7 kg of extra backpack weight but also independence from the unreliable springs for two days. The water weight would be the limiting factor for longer desert camping and good local knowledge of water conditions would be needed. With care I was never dehydrated and seven litres was enough, with even a little spare at the end.

Sheep Creek’s simple campsite was a During the night the temperature few areas cleared of larger rocks and dropped below freezing, but without vegetation. It made a lovely place to frost due to the dry air. While I was camp. I was a little unsure of the warm during the night from having local wildlife as mountain lions and taken the correct sleeping bag, it was bears roam the park though are almost bizarre to have cold feet while the extinct. I may sound a little paranoid boots warmed up. The previous day but a guy at work had been trampled my feet had swelled slightly or by a bear in the night in Yosemite became tighter in the boots due to the National Park. The result was a nasty hot ground. I was wearing boots infection as the bear’s weight pushed designed for Scotland in winter, but its rancid toenail through my friend’s strong solid footwear was needed sleeping bag and into his leg. Here while carrying a heavy pack over was a long way from anywhere. rough stony ground. I therefore cooked well away from the The Parks in this area have a “take tent, taking spare not to spill anything. nothing but photographs, leave The piece of cord for tying the nothing but foot prints” policy that rucksack up in a tree was too short was rightly enforced to the point of and I spent the evening devising backpackers signing to say that they ingenious ways to rig it for the night. would bring all rubbish back, I then settled down for the night. I including used toilet paper. awoke alive in the morning having The second day’s walk took me along watched the stars above several times a dry river bed through Swamp in the night whenever trees or leaves Canyon (no swamp) with orange and rustled especially loudly. I had had no bluff coloured cliffs soaring upwards nocturnal visitors and there were no all around. I then climbed back up to scorpions in my boots. It was safer the rim using the Whiteman than the conference hotel in Detroit connecting trail to rejoin the road. after all.

The YRC Bulletin 23 Summer 2000

Here I hoped that someone would with just three trucks (taking a offer me a lift without my trying to circular drive through this region) hitch (which was illegal). After sharing the campsite. walking for a while it was clear that Morning came and I hurriedly ate a these drivers had no conception of bowl of grapenuts moistened by water why someone would be walking along (milk not keeping long in desert heat!) a road carrying a backpack, without before breaking camp and continuing even a view, as the plateau was tree the dirt road drive towards my covered! The thumb came out and it intended walking area. The track led did the trick as I was picked up by an down the monocline with grey cliffs old Israeli couple and was soon back on one side with a bluish hue starkly at my car. contrasted the red and white sandstones on the other. I found the turn off to Upper Muley Twist Canyon, my destination, and the White Canyon flats. This track was amazing, rising hundreds of feet in six steep switchbacks all in first gear dodging rocks and holes. The road passed up into the narrow slot of Burr Canyon and up unto the desert flats. Rather than driving onto these, a turnoff to Strike Valley overlook was taken. The guidebook described this as rough, but passable to all vehicles. I was therefore a little surprise to knock the front bumper and light moulding reasonably hard when descending into a steep sided

ditch made by a flash flood stream. I then drove to Capitol Reef National No damage apart from scratched Park; arrived at the visitors centre and plastic, but the return direction would the beard and dust on my face be worse! convinced the ranger that I was serious about heading off on a trail. I wanted to hike the Upper Muley Twist Canyon that was located off the Strike Valley desert and about halfway down the Waterpocket Fold. This route involved driving off road along a dirt track for over fifty miles The Upper Muley Twist Canyon has each way, so this 4x4 car was going carved a deep defile more than twelve for a real test drive. I stopped in the miles long, with numerous natural fading light half way to the final rock arches. It passes between the destination, the Cedar Mesa camp- steep hummocky slopes of the ground for the night. All this had was Kayenta formation to the west and the a few picnic tables and a pit toilet and soaring cliffs and slick rock domes of was really in the middle of nowhere the Navajo sandstone to the east.

The YRC Bulletin 24 Summer 2000

The trail alternated between sandy and The route wandered along the hard packed sections as it passed glistening white Navajo sandstone amongst cliffs and domes of orange domes where seemingly impossible hued Wingate Sandstone. As the small trees grew from the solid canyon narrowed, three pot hole type slickrock. Several had black and arches were passed, one being wrinkled trunks that appeared dead particularly impressive. and sun twisted but with green growth I then turned right to the Strike Valley on one branch while the remainder Overlook trail which climbed up out were black. Pockets of sand on top of of the canyon amidst sand and the rock generally saw the largest slickrock, passing Navajo domes with concentrations of trees - stunted and their strata tilted sharply downwards widely spaced. This big mass of and meandering through dispersed sandstone domes paralleled the valley Pinyon-Juniper woodland. Route and the canyon, with the route finding consisted of trying to follow supposedly marked by cairns. small cairns located at each confusing Throughout the journey through Utah point. Generally easy, but definitely but especially here, a black, crusty not a place to get lost! covering existed on the bare ground The top ridge then gave a view that (primarily on clay soils). This ground was so vast that space and time really cover is also called a microphytic or a did seem to merge, especially with the cryptogamic crust that is made up of almost total lack of human mosses, lichens, cyanobacteria intervention. The overlook gave (blue-green algae) and fungus in superb views, approaching a hundred various combinations. miles in each direction up and down The route, which was initially difficult the fold but blocked by the to follow, followed the crest passing mid-distance Henry mountains and over the dry and smooth slickrock. behind by the opposite canyon wall. Some good scrambling was found here, essentially because I was off the path trying to avoid damaging this cryptogamic crust. The crest narrowed dramatically at several points, with a convex slope leading in smooth slickrock to a vertical, polished drop. The cairns here led up a series of broken ledges amidst loose rock, sand and dry branches - all of which were balanced on the slick rock. I really wanted to sleep out on the rock, to soak in that view and to see the sun set and rise across the desert. I’d picked from the guidebook a moderate two-day route, but had quickly reached the halfway point. In terms of just completing the hike it would be more efficient to leave the big sack in the car and move fast for

The YRC Bulletin 25 Summer 2000

morning, and I watched the first lightening of the dark sky and the slow glow as the sun crept up behind the Henry Mountains. Some high level cloud caught this light and glowed, while the changing colours and shadows recreated the texture of the landscape. The sky flared red as the sun very quickly climbed above a distant ridge, sending a fiery beam of morning light to my campsite. The route descended to the end of Upper Muley Twist Canyon. Here the red rock has been carved into a slot as the name suggests. I ventured off trail as far as I could go down a swirling, polished trench until a steep drop-off barred the way. I then returned to my pack, now considerably lighter after

consuming last night’s water. one day rather than lugging water, stove and sleeping gear in this heat. A cairned way across ledges, smooth rock slopes and terraces climbed However, that would miss out the slightly before traversing the slot desert sleeping experience and this canyon’s impassable section. After really was a spot to savour. So I had this route descended back to the arrived at the marked descent point to canyon floor, the pack was again the slot canyon below, with about four dumped for some exploration. The hours of day light before darkness and slot canyon could be followed with therefore about six hours before sleep. cliffs walls thirty metres high but only I found a flat sleeping spot to stop me by one metre apart. Strange hollows rolling over the rim then cooked had been eroded out by the turbulent noodles and drank hot chocolate as water currents and local inhomogen- the sun fell. The sky turned slowly ities in the rock's hardness. A chock dark blue and the first stars appeared stone required some bridging to pass before night finally came and the before I was brought to a halt at a desert was supposed to be still. smooth pour-off (a step in the bed where the water flows over the drop). Not this night - maybe it was the very I then started the long march out. exposed position, or just the thermals from hot rock, but the wind The rest of the walk followed the strengthened to the point where wash down an ever-widening canyon anything not weighed down would floor with amazing erosion of the rock have been blown away. The flapping, and contrasting colours. It was about snapping Gore-Tex required tucking seven kilometres back to the car, underneath me before I could sleep. which alternated between cool, fast marching in the shade and a hot, sand It was dark for about twelve hours sinking plod in what was now the each night, so I often awoke before mid-day desert sun. The car was dawn. That was the plan for this found, a cold Sprite drunk and gear

The YRC Bulletin 26 Summer 2000

narrows. I had time for a walk and upon inspection of the guide book discovered that the Virgin River that flows through the narrows of Zion canyon can be waded in knee-deep water or slightly deeper in the pools 1. I marched off wearing boots plus ski poles for balance and splashed into the river with delight as the water soon poured into my boots. From here on the imposing vertical, near vertical or even overhanging cliffs closed in on the river until it was just a dark twenty foot wide slot in the rock. Many crossings of the river followed, winding past deep pools. At the beginning, many people were around and the best route up stream was easy to follow but the tourists soon thinned out to people with only sorted out before driving back down dry suits and canyoning gear. I the desert track. continued, always wanting to see I drove south to the Grand Canyon around the next corner until I reached (which being the deepest hole around my absolute cut-off time and had to just had to be seen) and then on to the retrace my steps - one day I would treasures of Zion Canyon. like to do the whole thing. I was magnetically drawn past Back at Las Vegas, I took a mini-bus features such as the checkerboard to see the strip at night. To anyone Mesa to the point where the canyon with cultural pretensions it is tasteless, gaudy, vulgar and crass. The only natural feature to account for the location is a spring north of downtown used by Paiute Indians and has grown from nothing to a million people in ninety years. It is the biggest single attraction in the US with thirty million visitors per year. Better to sleep with the scorpions.

1 It may have been knee-deep on Martyn but some of those pools were almost up to Ed’s daughter’s midriff.

The YRC Bulletin 27 Summer 2000

Recharging One’s Batteries or So you want to climb

Pico de Teide reaching the summit by walking up to and spending the night at, the Refuge Alan Linford Altavista, 3250m, and as a concession A mid-winter flight to Tenerife with be allowed early morning access to boots, shorts and sunblock and we the summit. The refuge is not always were set to have a week walking in open or staffed and you may be wall-to-wall sunshine I know all our guided to the summit. Normal access members go out on hills well prepared is by the cable car and a second but many visitors are caught out in established concessionary path which this sun spot. leads part way to the summit and starts on the track to the Mirador de la The main walking area is the National Fortaleza, but you need more than the Park del Teide containing Pico de one hour time permitted at top station. Teide (28.3N, 16.6W is Earth’s third largest volcano at 3718m) and The traverse over the Guajara, on the numerous other peaks around the crater rim is a good trip, but 18km diameter crater rim. The remember, even if using a car, you highest, Montana de Guajara, at start the day from sea level. There is 2715m/8910ft, it is always windy and plenty of walking in the crater and the bitterly cold on the rim. Two years volcanic vista is colourful, dramatic ago, at the same time of year, Teide and worth the visit. Away from the was covered in hard snow and lava, to the north the countryside is impossible. Its most recent eruption lush green, interesting forest (laurel) was on the northwest flank in 1909. and ridge walking. The guide book (Sunflower Landscapes Tenerife guide by Noel Rochford) directions are good but using the term Tenerifes Lake District for several beautiful ponds is more than artistic licence.

Access to the summit of Pico de Teide is restricted and all paths to the summit are patrolled by Park wardens. To pass you need to obtain a permit from the Island Government Offices in Santa Cruz. The offices close at 1400 and the first visit may not yield a permit so set it up before you arrive. Advice from the Chief Warden suggests that there is a chance of

The YRC Bulletin 28 Summer 2000

The Cleveland Way John Schofield Dennis Barker and I met at the Tourist Information Centre car park at Sutton Bank one Monday morning. After a coffee we left one car at Sutton Bank and motored to Helmsley (It seemed an awful long way!) and walked back to Cold Kirkby and then back to Sutton Bank. We went on a There was quite a good deal of uphill sightseeing tour of stately Rievaulx work and it was a strenuous day. Abbey on the way. What a Fortunately the day was cool, damp wonderfully tranquil place! We didn't and overcast so we did not dehydrate. look at the White Horse, however and Visibility was poor but otherwise so did some eight or nine miles on the conditions were ideal for a long day. first day. We then motored back to On the whole, however, we had super Helmsley and looked at the five acre weather with magnificent views over walled garden, which whilst worth a the plain of York and also to the visit, will be much better in about ten North towards Middlesbrough. The years or so. last two days of the trip we had rain We stayed at a first class B-and-B at and got quite wet but otherwise the Grange Farm, Hawsker - half way weather was near perfect. between Whitby and Robin Hoods Bay. This concern provides transport to where one starts the day's walk and picks up where one finishes, and I must say that this is a first-class service. We ate our evening meals at the local pub in the village (one hundred yards from the B-and-B) and we ate in Whitby and in Robin Hoods Much of the walk is in woodland - Bay. some pinewoods but plenty of natural deciduous areas and this made for The following day we walked from variety. Some of the walk is through Sutton Bank to Osmotherly and had farmland, some moorland and, down stupendous views over the Vale of the coast, cliff top walks with coastal York. Visibility was near-perfect and views of cliffs and villages. all the way nearly to Osmotherly we could see the radio monitoring station It took us three-and-a-half days to at Menwith Hill (near Harrogate) reach the coast at Saltburn and almost thirty miles away. Also we are another three-and-a-half days to get to convinced that we could see Great Filey so we averagd fourteen or Whernside in the distance. fifteen miles per day, which seemed reasonable when we were planning The longest and most arduous day we the walk, but I have to say that we walked was from Osmotherly to Tidy were tiring by the eighth day! Brown Hill - some eighteen miles.

The YRC Bulletin 29 Summer 2000

The National Trust’s Port Mulgrave Perhaps what impressed us most was extensively worked in the past for jet, the scale, grandeur and majesty of the ironstone and alum shales and there is landscape, the moors vistas and the still evidence of the area's industrial coastal views of cliffs and rolling past. country. The contrasts between Eventually we got to Filey and the woods, fields, moors and coast were skies opened and rain poured down really very stimulating and altogether upon us for the last fifteen minutes of we found the walk thoroughly the walk - this by way of letting us uplifting. know that we had been treated kindly for the previous week! So we were picked up for the final time, after mistaking the pick-up point and chasing the transport around for a mile or so, and taken back to Hawsker for one o'clock, just in time to drop down into Whitby and buy two nice dressed crabs for tea at home that evening. Captain Cook's monument on Easby In conclusion, a lovely walk and well Moor was huge, but the bronze plaque worth the effort. The memory of the was weathered in such a way as to area - only visited previously as a make it difficult to read. Roseberry tripper - will live in my thoughts for a Topping, by contrast, was rather a very long time. disappointment. This feature, although a landmark for miles around, was rather insignificant to climb. Perhaps by then we had had a surfeit of panoramic views! Between Saltburn and Runswick Bay is Boulby cliff - said to be the highest cliff in England. This area has been

The YRC Bulletin 30 Summer 2000

Hurricane on the in the season, heavy surf precluded the sealers making any landing on the Kohl Larsen Plateau south coast. George Spenceley The less attractive alternative was to My diary of the South Georgia Survey land at the head of West Cumberland 1955-56 unread for many years, has Bay and sledge to the Kohl Larsen recently been transcribed by my wife Plateau of the first journey, from Sylvie, bringing back to my mind where a pass could lead us to the certain events occurring in five unexplored country to the south of the months of sledging. There were brief Allardyce Range. highlights of clear skies and crisp What follows is an unedited extract snow, of modest mountain ascents from my diary of the dramatic and and exhilarating if inexpert ski potentially dangerous debacle that descents. More often there were days ended the expedition, written at of boredom and discomfort lying up leisure a day or so after the events. in blizzard and white out. We The persons involved were Duncan suffered a sixty-hour blow on the Carse, Leader; Dr Keith Warburton, Grace Glacier when two tents were Louis Baume, John Cunningham and ripped apart, and then the eight-day myself. blizzard in the Salveson Range, when Several accounts of the incident have we watched the abrasive action of icy been published which have given drift slowly erode the heavy duty great credit to Cunningham for his ventile until it was almost paper thin. bold lead off the plateau. Duncan, in The fourth and final journey was to be both lecture and article to the Royal to the south of the island culminating Geographical Society, described him hopefully in the ascent of the highest as a V.C. type. It is thus much to be peak Mount Paget, but plans had to be regretted that he later told Ken Wilson modified. We were delayed by the in a telephone interview for Mountain need to refit and repair and then, later magazine a grossly distorted account

The YRC Bulletin 31 Summer 2000 of the retreat from the plateau which of cloud was sweeping up the almost led to litigation. Jeff Connor’s Neumeyer Glacier and filling up the recently published book, Creagh Dhu plateau, although at the moment we Climber, the Life and Times of John were above it and we must consider Cunningham contains part of this the three may be having difficult in interview, along with Baume’s more returning. Having laboriously hauled sober and truthful account. up the three sledges we now took From whichever source we may read them a few hundred feet down until of these events, it remains a salutary out of the wind channel. Hoping the lesson of how explorers, highly weather might not worsen we only experienced in both the difficulty of pitched two tents. John and I made a the terrain and one of the world’s brew but I turned down the offer of worst climates, can in an act of Pemmican soup thinking I should collective folly put themselves in a shortly have one with Stan. position of considerable peril. No one had turned up by 1500 so out of tents into weather much worsened to pitch the other two tents. The trig. party returning in mist will be lucky if unaided they can find the camp. Unwisely we set out, the five of us, to walk line abreast at 100 ft. intervals through the mist on the line of their approach. Old tracks quite obliterated Allerdyce Range G.B.Spenceley and the tracks we leave behind us soon obliterated likewise. There is very considerable drift; fortunately we March 14th & 15th The Crevasse do not exactly face it, and eyes and beard are soon iced up till we become Little did we know that today would almost unrecognisable. mark the start of a great trial and a great adventure. A fine morning, but For forty minutes we continue this low mist at first; very cold. Out of march, Duncan in the centre with the tents at 0630. Tony, Stan and Tom compass, we protecting eyes and face got away for a trig. station between with our mitts, stumble forward over Dimple and Spaarman. We are to ice and soft snow never taking our move camp over Eureka Col. As they eyes off the figure to our side, left us, expecting only to be parted for sometimes hardly discerned through a few hours, little did we realise the the torrent of snow. We dared go no hours of peril and anxiety that would further, so for thirty minutes we stood divide us from our next meeting. cold, our backs to the wind, hoping that the missing three would see us. Taking only one sledge at a time we At 1600 we set off back - back to the made slow progress up in the camp we were never to see again. direction of the col. Surface easy in places, fresh soft powder snow in With the wind more at our backs others. About 1200 the wind progress was rapid but to me it was freshened and bad weather seemed to soon obvious that the tents would not be coming up from the east. The be found that night. Suddenly slopes leading up to Eureka Col Duncan put his foot through into a would be no place for a camp; a river crevasse. Obviously we were too low

The YRC Bulletin 32 Summer 2000 and off the central part of the plateau discomfort was the constant stream of judged to be crevasse free. Back we powdered snow flowing down the went, fighting against the wind, great slope, covering in a few moments masses of ice clinging to our beards. anything left on it and, while we sat, mounting up our backs. We followed for some way our fast disappearing tracks, then off on a new We stood or sat, shivered and stamped course. If anything the visibility was our feet for ten hours. Soon after getting worse. For some moments I 0500 Duncan, who had been standing lost sight of Duncan and the others at the top of the slope most of the and imagined spending the night out night, broke through into the open. alone. By 1830 with less than an Eagerly we awaited his report, but hour’s daylight and, of course, no none of us expected it to be tents we stepped into a crevasse, at encouraging for we could still hear the one end shallow and friendly. rumble and the drift still flowed down the slope. Conditions indeed were In a few moments we were all exactly as before, except that the wind cowering underneath, sheltered from had now veered right round and was the wind. A steep slope led down to a blowing southwest across the plateau small platform and an ice bridge and down the Neumeyer Glacier. beyond which the crevasse opened out and plunged into greater depths. It We stayed there several hours more was quiet; our voices absorbed by the and discussed plans and possibilities. ice walls penetrated only a few feet Duncan was faced with a most and the wind could only be heard like difficult situation but as always every the faint rumbling of very distant aspect was most carefully considered artillery. By comparison it was warm before a decision was made. We had and cosy and our spirits were high. to work on the assumption that the Certainly we were lucky in so easily other three had likewise spent the finding this shelter. night out and that, although they were better prepared for such an Food was shared out: one biscuit, one emergency, their condition might square of chocolate and a small require help. How could we best help portion of Kendal Mint Cake per man, them? Certainly we could stay in this and we composed ourselves for a long crevasse for, say, three nights without and uncomfortable night. The serious danger to life, but then we temperature was a degree above ourselves should be in need of help, freezing point to start with and our or at least in need of food and sleep windproofs, covered in snow, were before in any condition to help others. soon saturated. We spent the night We decided to get out to briefly look between sitting and standing. We had for the camp and then to fight our way little to sit on but the snow and even down with the wind behind us to when between another man’s legs the Husvik. Twenty-four hours rest and cold could not be long endured. At equipped with skis, rope and food and frequent intervals we had to stand and we should be able to return in some stamp our feet. Half an hour of this condition to assist the others if and of vigorously moving the assistance required. Having decided shoulders stopped the shivering and on this plan, we left our refuge: a brought back some circulation, refuge that had almost certainly saved enough perhaps to endure another spell of sitting. What added to our our lives, and went out into the storm.

The YRC Bulletin 33 Summer 2000

Certainly the wind and drift were no man in front, fearful lest the slender less than yesterday and for a moment and precarious link between us was we wondered at the wisdom of this severed, panting and choking with move. But with the wind at our backs drift in our lungs. progress was easy. Walking close It was evident that no serious attempt together, endeavouring to keep a could be made to retrace our steps; straight course, only crevasses there was no fighting this wind and impossible to see interrupted our drift for more than a few minutes. movement. For an hour perhaps we Life would soon be extinguished if continued, not quite free from worry the struggle were continued. We certainly, for our route on to the searched now for another crevasse Neumeyer was by no means assured where we could if necessary spend a and always there was the danger of second night and at least talk and crevasses; but at least relieved to be in discuss the situation. My own action. feelings were for a move to the left Before us the slope to the Neumeyer until an easier descent could be made. seemed to fall away in front. Keith, I felt very strongly that crevasses, who was wearing Vapour Barrier horrible though they were, constituted boots, found difficulty here on the the least danger. Who could say how patches of hard frozen snow, and many days this storm would last or Louis and I gave support on each side. what condition we should be in after The angle increased and then ahead, another night of hunger, wet and vaguely seen a few feet only in front, cold? a large open crevasse. We must have All the crevasses that on the descent come too far to the right, but against we had crossed were examined and this wind there was no going back proved to be too deep; only one now. We turned it on our right, John admitted us and that was too confined, crawling over on his back, kicking but in the end we had to go into it. hard with his heels. Actually only John, Duncan and I So we went over that and other entered and for a few moments crevasses, slithering down on our sheltered in comparative comfort backs, hardly seeing where we were, from the fury outside. Again I urged in a line one behind the other. We descent and was supported by John, stopped. Ahead lay something steeper but the general opinion was to search than anything we had come down for another crevasses more before, but the precise angle was commodious. Out again into the almost impossible to judge. As before turmoil, at first edging along the lip of John went forward, but almost a large crevasse and then down, John immediately turned back and, panting and I supporting Keith who had little and blinded by drift, returned. The control. angle was too great. We couldn’t Things went well. This was the discuss or plan anything here; turning point. Very shortly we were shouting could only be heard a foot out of crevasses and the slope away. Back we went - the worst continued at an easy angle. Vastly moments of the whole episode - relieved we hurried down and soon crawling on hands and knees, stung by were on a nearly level surface. Our drift, quite blinded, seeing nothing hopes ran high after the bleak except occasionally the feet of the prospects a short while ago and our

The YRC Bulletin 34 Summer 2000 spirits rose even higher when a short way along the glacier a patch of blue sky showed above and we caught a glimpse of surrounding peaks. At least we were in the right place. An hour later we were well down the Neumeyer, hungry but without apparent weakness, and visibility all round. Only one anxiety remained. Close by Admiralty Peak was a mass of crevasses - this we knew from a few days before when we had been going up the glacier. Then we were well equipped to deal with the problem - now we were without skis, ice axes or rope. As soon as this area was approached and we started to put our feet through, Black-browed albatross by Royal Bay we linked arms and walked cautiously forward in a line diagonal to the fissures. It was a dangerous place. At almost every step one of the five put a The Aftermath foot through, to be supported and pulled out by those behind or in front. We were safe but our great concern Frequently we went through to our was for the party still on the plateau hips. There was one dreadful moment who must have suffered a similar fate; when John disappeared altogether, but our fears were unfounded. By fortunately to wedge securely some singular good fortune and by keeping twenty feet below. He was able to high, in a sudden clearing they had climb out. seen the tops of the tents. The blizzard continued and they could but This was the last of our trials. Once remain in camp trying to keep their past this area we were able to relax in minds off the tragedy they felt had the knowledge that only occurred. straightforward walking separated us from the food and comfort of Husvik. On the following day, now in clear At the White City we rested for a weather, they started their return off short while and ate a biscuit and the plateau at the same time as we, square of mint cake. now re-equipped, were preparing to return. Husvik was everything that we had learned to expect. We were Some days later we did indeed return accommodated on the whaler Busen 2 to the plateau to retrieve equipment and ate an enormous meal, had a and complete one further trig. station. glorious hot shower and changed into ______the clean underclothes supplied by the Mount Paget, the highest peak on the island slop chest. standing at 9625ft, was ascended in 1964 by a combined services expedition.

The YRC Bulletin 35 Summer 2000

Skarvheimen Easter Mildness Michael Smith Sweechup, sweechup, sweechup, sweechup, sweechup is all I hear. Twin red pencil shapes jabbing alternately upwards into the goggle restricted field of vision and blue mitts bobbing up and down in the periphery, is all I see. The “pencils” draw wide parallel grey lines on the dazzling white surface of the lake. Easter 2000 is late and warm moist air from the south is pushing up over the Hut is really a misnomer in the case of ice covered Hardangervidda leaving Finsehytta, it has four-bed rooms, the Skarvheimen covered in thick showers, WCs and can hold 150 mists. Two of us, unfamiliar with people. 20km the next day, took us to much of the terrain, are making a five- Hallinskeid‟s two unstaffed huts (the day tour taking in three fully equipped second in case the first burns down as huts. Clare is a trained DNT (Den did the nearby hotel). One had a Norske Touristforenig) tour leader so composting toilet and a better supply we carry full safety gear resulting in a of food but snow to its eves while the 13kg pack. other gave views from the upstairs windows so we moved the food we Travelling in needed across and enjoyed the vistas comfort on the „till ten. Nobody else arrived. train from Oslo towards Bergen Electricity supply was installed by the we‟ve alighted at railway when they donated the hut to Finse, 1222m, and the DNT in the face of declining paid our respects station use once the hotel burned to the Scott polar down. A refreshingly enlightened memorial. Then approach which has paid off. A taking a dozen Bergen group now run the hut and it steps, clipped on had been visited recently by some the cross country Driscoll‟s from Kendal. skis and set off If you ever stand in front of these huts across the lake towards the small you will see a third smaller hut to the Appelsinhytte. Unfamiliarity with right. It was designed and built by skiing with a large pack means I make Clare‟s husband‟s grandfather in their heavy work of the ascent but this is town home, disassembled, sent up in a nothing compared with the difficulties train and rebuilt there. Snow was I have in controlling the descents on level with its roof ridge and a wagtail wet snow during the first two days. flitted across the roof (below). Clare is in her element this being her fifth tour this year.

The YRC Bulletin 36 Summer 2000

Our 24km the third being advanced half a metre or so day was into a mild before sinking as soon as it was but stiff wind over a weighted. Emerging at the other side I high pass by Såta. At needed to stop and wring out my least it was 3km socks. shorter than the Emerging through the defile into the summer walking Finse valley the mists cleared and we route as they have to enjoyed sunshine for the rest of the skirt the lakes. The day. In descent we crossed the tracks mildness was melting of the 14000 skiers who‟d joined a the snow and water popular ski race down the valley. droplets could be Then it was a steady effortless slide seen among the ice crystals. Klister down to the railway station, scrape off was applied but for most of the route the gungy klister thick with captured we could get little going by way of a hairs, and catch the train to Oslo. glide. The only clearing was at the top of the pass and it was a slog The peculiarly comforting simplicity across the lakes to idiosyncratic busy of sweechuping along through the Geiterygghytta with its pet rabbits mountains was replaced by the nibbling straw on the snow. traditional comforts of food served in a warm carriage. Reports suggested clear weather to the north so we made a rest day excursion So ended a short in search of it but failed. Arriving but valuable and parties reported clear weather in Finse entertaining and every other direction though we introduction to stayed in dense mist. hut-to-hut skiing in grand Nor- The shortest way back to Finse on the -wegian style. fifth day involved an unmarked ascent to the lake, Flakavatnet. However, Full board at huts, including shower steep avalanche-prone slopes and packed lunch, costs around £25 suggested a prudent retreat to the way per bed night. The self-service huts marked route (kvisteruter) through a (selvbetjeningshytta) have a food higher defile called Kyrkjedori store and set you back only half as (church door). With red klister we much. More details, especially had plenty of traction and on the lakes opening dates, are available on could even manage a descent glide. www.turistforeningen.no.

Approaching Kyrkjedori the temp- erature rose to 16ºC and water was streaming off the crags. At 1410m the melt, flowing into a bowl had gathered above an iced-over tarn, about twenty metres across, to saturate the lower snow layers. Clare followed other blue tracks across the bowl. I followed but being heavier was soon floundering in shin deep slush. Each ski and stick could be Flakavatnet extracted only with difficulty before

The YRC Bulletin 37 Summer 2000

Man's best friend... beer. The lady had a number of stone bottles lined up in a small stream ...is the humble nettle running by and took one out to order providing a glass full of cold nectar Roy J Denney for I seem to recall a thrupenny bit. Some five or so years ago the father in Talking about painful introductions, I law of a Leicester friend of mine cannot help but feel that the first three joined us on a moorland marathon (I letters of this plant's latin name are hasten to add, both he and I planning very appropriate (Urtica dioica). on walking the greater part with our Judging from the material I have read ambitions limited to getting round since, nettles were used by Roman within the ten hour cut off). soldiers to ease their joints after long At the twelve mile rest stop whilst the marches and as a pick me up for rest of us pulled out drinks and exhaustion. Arthritis and rheumatism nibbles he surprised us by searching sufferers take note. out a clump of nettles and repeatedly It is said to be packed with iron and plunging his arms in amongst them. other trace elements, health-giving He assured us that this was not the minerals and many different vitamins. early onset of senility but that it did It is a blood cleanser, detoxifier, tonic, wonders for his arthritis. We diuretic and astringent. It is also humoured him and kept our thoughts claimed to stimulate the immune to ourselves and made our way system and be good for eczema and onwards. This stuck in my mind and other skin conditions, asthma, hay- as so often is the case once something fever and other allergies, for gout, has been brought to your attention I cystitis, prostrate and water retention have since heard similar claims from problems, anaemia, bloody noses and a number of sources both for nettle high blood pressure. Applied with and bee stings. caution it helps haemorrhoids and varicose veins and as a shampoo it As all the rest of my family suffer encourages hair growth. allergies of one sort or another we do subscribe to natural and herbal It can be added to beer or wine during remedy booklets and take note of manufacture, mashed, stewed, boiled, articles in the press on the subject. In microwaved or steamed and produce a the recent past I have seen adverts for herbal tea or form part of many nettle products and several press dishes. It has little flavour in it's own comments culminating in a right. If you do not have a ready comprehensive summary of the plant's supply why not pick fresh young claimed properties which appeared in leaves in spring, liquidise them, freeze the Daily Telegraph. the resulting mush in ice cube containers and bring them out My first experience of this humble regularly to add to your cooking etc. friend other than the obvious and painful early introductions was on It should therefore help me on at least holiday in Heysham in the early three counts and if any of you feel you fifties. On a glorious summers day (as have no use for this valuable friend they all seemed to be looking back) I then you are very lucky. came upon a tiny village shop with a Go on folks, get stuck in. wooden trestle outside selling nettle

The YRC Bulletin 38 Summer 2000

dimly audible sounds of Richard Orion Face Direct Webb stirring in his bed. Ged Campion The gates of the golf course were We will always have Richard Webb to firmly locked so we had to make do thank, it was his cock-up with the with parking on the road. As if the Mile House Booking on the Ben wasn't far enough to walk we Wolverhampton MC March meeting thought without the additional 110 in Cairngorm that allowed us to focus yards of tarmac start! But our spirits our attentions on the Ben once more. were lifted by the clarity and stillness A quick adjustment was made and of the morning. The stars burnt bright Dewars chalets and caravans were in the sky with the dramatic spectacle booked in Onich. Providence was of Hale-Bopp, tracking its way truly at work, the forecast on the West Eastwards. This was my first sighting Coast seemed to be infinitely more of the comet. We felt truly honoured, promising than it had been in the a sight not yet clearly visible in the Central and Eastern Highlands. southern skies but even Hale-Bopp couldn't provide us sufficient light to Stewart Muir and myself had an old find our way efficiently across the score to settle on the Ben - the direct golf course. Indeed, before long on Orion face. Two years previously barbed wire and threatening thickets we had reached the start of the second quickly brought us back to earth, an pitch but had been dramatically earth of a very damp and marshy repelled by spindrift reaching nature. The time honoured march up avalanche proportions. We had had to to the CIC hut is always thwart with abseil off a friendly Russian ice apprehension - providing too much screw that Stewart had purchased in time to reflect and not enough time to Kathmandu - we didn't know in those save energy. When we finally arrived days that screw-ins could be retrieved at the hut, the residents hadn't even by a crafty pusik knot! Only twelve risen. We were probably the first to months previously we had walked up feast our eyes on the awesome the Allt a' Mhuilinn in appalling prospect of The Ben that morning. conditions in the hope of finding Orion face in condition. In fact it was High clouds still obscured the top of thawing so badly we didn't even set North-east Buttress and Observatory foot in Observatory Gully, but this Ridge. But the unmistakable features time it was going to be different. The of the Orion Face were clearly in view problem was, neither of us had been with its own elusive white spider on ice since December when we had dissolving into the cloud above. snatched a few routes on Snowdon's Strange really, we hadn't agreed what South Face. Would we be up to it I route we would go for that morning thought as the alarm in the chalet but there existed an unspoken finally put an end to my short and understanding between us and at the restless sleep. It was 3.30 am on very least, we were obliged to have a Saturday morning as Stewart started look. But would there be enough ice to cook a miserable breakfast. With on the face and even more important our rucksacks packed the night before, what would the spindrift factor be? Stewart bade his farewell to Joyce and With nagging doubts in mind we we closed the chalet door with the pulled on our harnesses and sipped warm coffee. By this time others

The YRC Bulletin 39 Summer 2000 were approaching the hut. The good mostly in a chimney groove, looking forecast had certainly brought people up the steep start gives an impression out in their crowds and it was as if a of an undulating wall that appeared to small army of stragglers were now go on forever. As I set off on the first advancing on the CIC hut. Our pitch, the two lads behind had decided situation suddenly became more to follow - an additional concern you pressing as two fit and wiry looking don't need on such a serious route characters threw their sacks into what with the dangers of falling ice and had become our personal space. It was debris. But that was their problem not that old familiar scenario outside the ours. I reached the first belay a peg CIC hut, teams weighing up the well placed in the black gully wall. opposition, trying to extract Little did I know that this would be information about what route each the last insitu belay that day. Stewart were likely to be going for. It followed through and as his axes bit transpired that they too had designs on the ice he confirmed its quality, not Orion Face but somehow, our too bad, but then this was just the throwaway comments and oozing start. At about ten metres he seemed confidence just gave us the edge and to get an ice screw placement the after a little while we re-established steepness of his progress was difficult our personal space. to judge from below. Although spindrift cascaded down the face With burning calves and breathless Stewart seemed indifferent to its lungs we trudged our way past the teasing. In what seemed less than Minus Face to the foot of our route. minutes, Stew disappeared over a The two lads followed casually like bulge and the rope reeled up the stray dogs hanging around for the chimney ending with a convincing scraps. Conditions looked promising tug. Audible communication was a on the first pitch, not too much luxury we wouldn't have that day. spindrift and tantalising ice crying out to be climbed. The first pitch isn't too As I moved up the quality of the steep - and gives a chance to climbing beckoned me on. It was acclimatise to the near vertical steep but we had both been on territory above. Although the first steeper. I led on with purpose and the three pitches of Orion Face Direct are angle finally relented as I approached

The YRC Bulletin 40 Summer 2000 the basin, the belt of Orion. ground I climbed up - the steepness Traversing left in the process, I cut a pushing me out. Icy pockets in rocky slot for a dead man and tied off one of corners provided placements for my my axes. The basin seemed more like axes but as I forged on I was an amphitheatre than I had imagined. becoming more pumped as my front Above me the cascading icicles of the points desperately scratched for Astral highway glistened with footholds. I could see that a metre or intimidation. Stewart traversed right so about me, the angle relented and as and the line ahead was by no means I lunged for a difficult placement my obvious. He belayed beneath the left foot cut free pulling my weight on steep rock buttress. This was the to my arms. Now on one axe, and one point where Orion Face direct foot, I rammed home my left axe becomes rather indirect but neither of convincingly and found a placement us seemed to have made the more by luck than judgement. It held distinction in the guide book. We and I was back on the vertical. The should have descended a little to the stance above me was disappointing, right but conditions were so good that no decent belays at all but Orion Face we were naively lulled towards was always consistent in this respect. favourable ice above. I led through As I brought Stewart up it was clear and started to move up an icy groove that he shared my concerns about the like corner not perceptibly steep and steepness of the pitch. His comment "I seemingly straight forward. After a hope you have got good belays" only couple of metres I managed to get an poured scorn upon my pathetic ice axe ice screw half in and tied off. This belay and half in ice screw. was the only protection beneath the Determined not to be toppled, I kept groove and one of those places that the rope like a piano wire until you know you are not going to be able Stewart was safely up. He to stop to arrange gear later. I bridged congratulated me on my efforts but up the icy corner which was generally this was by no means the end of the uniform. At the top there seemed to difficulties. Six difficult pitches lay be a possible place to rest. On between us and our goal, the top arriving, the ground was steep and I North-east buttress. Stewart carried was pushed out uncomfortably. From on through climbing small overlaps my precarious perch I surveyed the on thin ice. As I surveyed the space wall above me. It was overhanging below me, I could hear one of the and the line uncertain. I shouted team behind chomping his way up the down to Stewart for encouragement crux-pitch just below me. His but his wry smiles only served to expletives reflected the difficulty of confirm that he didn't appreciate how the pitch. When he eventually joined tenuous my situation was. Perhaps me on the stance, he questioned me the route wasn't in condition I intently about the direction we had thought? I tried to place some gear taken. It was then and only then, that there wasn't anything. This is the sort it occurred to me that we might have of position where conflicting taken the wrong line. Neither of us emotions of self preservation and had realised that we had embarked on sheer determination have to be as a Grade 6 finish to the Orion Face! I balanced as your climbing. As later discovered that we had Stewart craned his neck his utterances mistakenly taken a very direct route - were lost in the wind. Unsure of my the long climb finish - normally a

The YRC Bulletin 41 Summer 2000

alien with the insecurity of belays, frozen stances and avalanching spindrift behind us. We had climbed Orion Face and had joined the elite class, we could now read Dave Wilkinson's account of the route in Cold Climbs with smugness. In fact, it was probably good that we hadn't read Dave's account carefully enough or we would have been cheated of an opportunity to finish the route on such a sensational line. With nearly a thousand foot of climbing behind us, it had taken us eight hours still only 3.30 in the afternoon, just twelve hours since we had left our beds. Even as we stood on the summit of the Ben we didn't know what the route was that we had taken, but it didn't matter, we had been on Orion Face and survived. I remembered Robin Campbell's literary epitome of Scottish winter climbing which reminds us that mountaineering is a struggle and in winter often a desperate one - "no dry exercise of logic and skill, a frozen waiting in icy torrents of thundering rubbish, a world where to spend time is maybe to spend your last time and when only the bold strike will suffice". Seemed three star VS in summer and only to fit the bill admirably. climbed as a winter route by Clothier and Kane in 1983. The next day would bring Spring joys Our two companions managed to and good company on the Ardgour. traverse right and re-join the original That evening everyone relaxed in the route. We remained firm in our caravans where a drunken stupor and resolve to continue, not always a smelly atmosphere seemed to be the knowing what lay ahead. The order of the evening. As I left Dave's climbing was always around grade caravan to wander back to my chalet, I four to five and always without good gazed into the sky where Hale-Bopp belays. Hacking our way high up on was still burning bright and making the dark cliff we arrived at the top of its long imperceptible climb towards North-East buttress where the snow an even greater Orion than we had rock and ice eventually stops and the climbed. sky begins - or so that’s how it felt. Walking on near flat ground seemed

The YRC Bulletin 42 Summer 2000

How it Really the leader and a pair of P.A. boots each. No metal at all apart from a total Used to Be! of just five karabiners. One good by a “Has Been” thing about Castle Rock was that, due We were both wearing to the steepness, you hit nothing on ties for, even in 1962, the way down. I was behind the It was a lovely evening and things fashions. In any case went well on the first pitch and part of the way up to Castle the second. It is quite steep and,

Rock of Triermain is having been there before, I expected short, though we walked briskly as it to find a little tree which provided a was already about 6.00 p.m. The trip useful balance hold. It wasn't there! I was enlivened by David rushing down had a think, then another, all the while past us shouting, “We left the rope in under great stress. Remember the the van. Paul is at the top of the first pubs shut at 10.30 in those days. pitch of Barbican.” All of us worked Fortunately a colleague lowered a at O.B.M.S. Ullswater and Paul - Paul rope as a substitute handhold. Good. Ross - offered a quick route on Castle As I was about to step off the pinnacle Rock to anyone who would drive him onto the gangway Paul, now at the over to Keswick where he was bottom of the crag just had time to courting his wife to be. When he said shout up that there was a nice little quick, he meant quick! foothold only eight inches or so from In those days we were all amateurs the top of the pinnacle, before running with many and varied and no down to the van and his pleasure. qualifications. There were few The gangway pitch is a lovely pitch “education” qualifications and none in and I even found a spike over which mountaineering, though Johnnie Lees to drop a sling so, with one runner in did have a George Medal and a place, I felt well protected. British Empire Medal for services Thoroughly absorbed but a little rendered. Between us we did have nervous of the traverse out at the top, some pretty intensive life experience I climbed on. On a previous visit the and a fair understanding of Kurt piton at the top of the gangway had Hahn’s philosophy. Among the been removed and I had none. instructors were: a lifeboat coxswain, Suddenly there was a blow to my a test pilot, a lab technician, a big head. I cowered and looked up. A game hunter, a house painter and a piton. Yippee! woodcutter. A temporary instructor on Without this protection the little one course was a John Blashford- traverse left is nerve wracking, with Snell, not very fit and needing looking the protection it is still exhilarating in after. I was just back from a year the extreme. spent living deep in the bush in the Niger delta, finding After some daft skidding down lots of oil. vertical grass we did make it to the pub by 10.20 Oliver and I carried on and and probably had a roped up at the foot of dangerous ride back Overhanging Bastion. Our gear to Ullswater in those took little sorting - no helmets, one pre-breathalyser days. belay sling, three line slings for me as

The YRC Bulletin 43 Summer 2000

The Smallest Club Meet on Record? Darrell Farrant In 1971 the Club had included a meet in the Mountains of Mourne to be led by Peter Swindells who at the time was living in Northern Ireland. There was considerable interest at first and I was very keen to go, as I had never We, however, were bound for a day climbed in that area before. I decided on the hills and drove along the coast to fly over and return by boat and duly road to Annalong on a beautiful July booked my tickets. Nearer the time, morning. We followed the track up however, members understandably into the hills and soon came to the began to have second thoughts Mourne Wall, a huge structure about because of the worsening political six feet high which was built by the situation, and about a week Belfast Water Board in the early years beforehand the Committee decided of the century to enclose their land that the meet should be cancelled. and also to provide employment in a time of depression. This encircles the Both Peter and I were naturally mountains for 22 miles and is so disappointed but after various detailed broad that one can easily walk along phone calls decided that we would the top. Our first objective was continue with our plans and go ahead Chimney Rock Mountain and we with the meet as a twosome. He met made our way easily enough through me at Aldergrove on the Friday heather, bilberries and warm slabs to evening and it was a very sobering the summit. We were able to admire thought to arrive at a British airport to the huge sweep of the sea on one side be confronted with armed soldiers at and the wide circle of the peaks on the the ready. We had actually picked other. almost the worst possible weekend, as the government had just decided to From here we returned to the wall and impose internment and everything I walked astride it for some distance was extremely tense. on our ascent of Slieve Donard, which at 2796 ft. is the highest mountain in Peter drove through the country lanes the North. There is a small turret with to his imposing residence in Narrow the trig. point on top of it and it Water Castle near Newry. This requires an awkward little move to seemed an idyllic spot with lovely reach it. We had the impressive view views across Carlingford Lough into "where the Mountains of Mourne the Irish Republic. Little did we sweep down to the sea" and indeed know that within a few weeks Peter the eastern slope seemed almost would have returned to Bradford after precipitous as it tumbled down having a gun battle raging around the towards Newcastle. We continued castle walls below. Similarly the over a steep and narrow col to Slieve pleasant little town of Newry in which Commedagh and then down to the we bought our supplies on the main track through the Mournes,- the Saturday morning was soon to Brandy Pad, with its name redolent of experience some of the worst of the smuggling days. The next objective IRA atrocities.

The YRC Bulletin 44 Summer 2000

was Cove This time we decided to cut round the Mountain, where crags and got up the side of the at last we found mountain without further incident and some running moved on over the twin peaks of this water to refresh our depleted supplies, attractive little mountain. and a comfortable ledge on which to The next section of the ridge round rest. the shoulder of Meelmore to its col The next peak, Slievelamagan, with Slieve Bearnagh (below) was a provided a steep ascent to begin with good piece of traversing and then we and then some slabby crags that had to negotiate some short craggy needed some care. There was now walls that led to some more granite just one more peak to complete the tors along the summit. These actually round, so we added Slieve Binnian to give this peak the most impressive our list. This is crowned by several skyline in the Mournes. It was not too shapely granite tors in the Cairngorm difficult to descend from here, and style, and these have earned the following the wall once more, we summit ridge the sub-title of the were back at the car in five hours. Dragon's Back. From here we had our The day's adventures were not over one clear view of the day out over the yet, however. I was due to sail from sea to the Isle of Man and a, faint Belfast docks on the overnight boat outline of the Lake District hills on and on the way Peter gave me a the horizon. The descent from this guided tour of some of the spots that ridge offered some interesting have entered into the notoriety of the scrambling but we were soon down at province. We drove down the Falls the Annalong River where we had a Road past the Divis Flats and then refreshing swim. We eventually into the Loyalist stronghold of the reached the car just before 8.00 p.m. Shankhill Road. There were grim after a memorable day of almost ten sights: streets barricaded with barbed hours. wire, armoured cars in the roads, gun On the Sunday morning we drove emplacements sandbagged into street round to the eastern side of the corners manned by soldiers with guns Mournes and set off up the track that at the ready. leads to the attractive Hares' Gap and Eventually we reached the safety of the Brandy Pad. When we had gained the docks area, and in thanking Peter the first rise we left the track and cut for his kind hospitality I reckoned that across the stream to the rocky slopes this had certainly been a meet with a of Slieve Meelmore. The facing crag difference! was divided by a steep and inviting grassy rake that Peter thought he had climbed before. The scrambling up this proved very interesting as it grew very much narrower and steeper. I had just said that I would not have been too keen to reverse it when we came out on a high, flat and exit-less plateau! The view was superb but the descent decidedly challenging.

The YRC Bulletin 45 Summer 2000

The future starts now go and support a club expedition if they can. Roy J Denney When we take out the Alps, Iceland, As we approach the start of a new Nepal, Norway, Bolivia, Corsica etc., we millennium with the club well into it's are still left with an interesting programme second century it seems an opportune time of events throughout Britain. If however to take stock and throw an idea onto the you cannot make the expeditions etc. and table for the way ahead. some Scottish meets are so far away from As a club we can look back with pride at parts of the deep south as to make them the achievements of the past not least of impractical for weekends, there are blank which is the continuation of an ethos of spots in the calendar for more restricted good adventure and exercise in hand with members. good company. The great variety of our We have had meets in more local areas meets satisfies most members’ needs at run on a self help casual basis at the same different stages of their lives and leads to a time as parts of the club are overseas and I tradition of lifelong membership even if would suggest that this should become the activity waxes and wanes. The club huts norm to create a regular programme for all and communal catering promote mutual tastes within the club. We could also assistance and camaraderie not always arrange one day get togethers in those apparently evident at some clubs I have locations were we have a core of members attended as a guest. like North Lancs., Cumbria or Leeds. Memories of the past include numerous These low key events would take little occasions sleeping on pub floors, in barns, organisation and would provide continuity schoolrooms, hostels and on one occasion of opportunity for those in the club who in an armoury. Unfortunate changes (from cannot make it to more distant parts. our viewpoint) in fire regulations means this informal arrangement is not now as Such secondary meets for smaller readily available to us, more’s the pity. numbers could also provide the possibility of visiting minor areas where a full meet Some of my most enjoyable meets have may not be popular, for instance been in less than classic mountain country Cornwall, The Heath-lands of Suffolk, but in pockets of super countryside often Charnwood and Sherwood Forests or overlooked. The Cheviot, Teesdale, the Galloway. We could have a go a stretches Howgills and Gunnerside spring to mind of some of the long distance footpaths as do schoolrooms at Mallerstang and with a little transport planning - the Dales freezing cold camping barns by the Snake. and Cleveland Ways for example could Knee deep mud between bed and loo in provide two-day excursions. South Derbyshire is a perhaps less welcome recollection. At the end of the day the club will always consider ideas put forward by members It is great to see the ambitions of the club prepared to organise events and all reaching out to distant parts and those Presidents like to set a pattern to the members with the time and inclination events during their period of office but I now have wonderful opportunities trust my comments will open up a debate opening up to them. Having spent three and encourage members to come forward weeks in the Himalayas myself in the with different suggestions. recent past I certainly have a wish to do something similar again in the next few years and would recommend all to have a

The YRC Bulletin 46 Summer 2000

Ol' Man Ribble Ramblers all walk in the Dales of Yorkshire. Ramblers all walk while the tourists play. Climbing those hills from the dawn till sunset; Gittin' no rest till the Judgement day. Don't look up and don't look down, You don't dast make the leader frown. Bend your knees and bow yo' head, And climb that fell until yo'r dead. Let me go 'way from the Dales of Yorkshire; Let me go 'way from the leader's whip; Show me that road number 6160, The road that leads down to the town of Skip. Ol' man Ribble, dat ol' man Ribble, he must know something but don't say nothing. He jest keeps rollin', he keeps on rollin' along. He don't climb mountains nor crawl through caverns; He don't get thirsty nor sit in taverns But ol' man Ribble, he Just keeps rollin' along. You an' me we sweat and strain, body all achin' racked with pain; Climb that slope and leap that crevasse, If you slip walking downhill you fall on your back-side. I gits weary and sick of tryin', I'm tired of livin' and feared of dyin', But ol' man Ribble just keeps on rollin' along.

Bill Todd. February 1999. Acknowledgements to Oscar Hammerstein II

The YRC Bulletin 47 Summer 2000

Statistics and Reality inevitable decline in the first world war years. David Smith The New Membership in Decades Sometimes on meets the question of chart shows the intake of new the past, the present and the future of members increasing up to the ‘60s, the Club is aired. with the small drop during the second How does it continue to function world war. Then recruitment declined as it does? through the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, albeit Is the Club in a healthy state? whilst the total membership was What is the average age of the increasing. The larger charts showing membership? the Membership at the Start of Each Year perhaps gives a more balanced Are we recruiting sufficient new picture of the health or otherwise of members to ensure continuity? the Club. From the ‘50s through to Is there a decline in the core 1980 there was some growth. Since activities, climbing, potholing, then there has been a small decline in skiing, etc.? membership. The average start of year What is it that makes the Club membership is 179. operate as well as it does? Does it work well enough? New Membership107 in Decades 100 One thing is certain, it is the same 93 89 club as it was in 1892 and it has 79 absorbed many changes without 69 losing its identity. It is a Club of 51 52 47 46 friends with many common and 37 varied interests. The accompanying chart (below) shows membership in the formative

years growing smoothly with an

1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Membership Numbers at the Start of Each Year - 1893 to 1950

200

150

100

50

0

1896 1899 1902 1905 1908 1911 1914 1917 1920 1923 1926 1929 1932 1935 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1893

The YRC Bulletin 48 Summer 2000

Annual Change in the Floating Should the few members who do Ten-Year Average in Membership climb and pothole encourage 6 other members to join them in 5 4 these activities? 3 2 Are members doing enough to 1 encourage like-minded people to 0 join? -1 -2 Do we have the right mix in our

meets lists?

1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1900 We should all ask ourselves these Looking at the membership numbers questions. averaged over a ten-year period, to One thing is beyond question; we are even out the year-to-year oddities, members of a great club, having no there is comparatively little difference age, status or ability barriers. between the periods of under recruitment and that required to Reading the old YRC journals it is so maintain a constant membership. Just easy to realise that our activities are a couple of members a year. so similar to those of our forebears. Reading the successor to the journals, The questions that I believe we must ‘The Yorkshire Rambler’, we are ask ourselves include: clearly a well-motivated club, doing Where have all the climbers things here, there and everywhere. It gone? is however always worth reflecting on these matters as things can possibly be Are young people no longer as done even better. clubbable as two generations ago? NB The larger charts include a small amount of Should we have regular lectures uncertainty due to conflicting dates between different sources for some of the earlier members. as there were in the early days and even in the ‘60s and ‘70s?

Membership Numbers at the Start of Each Year - 1951 to 1999

200

150

100

50

0

1954 1957 1960 1963 1966 1969 1972 1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 1951

The YRC Bulletin 49 Summer 2000

Arthur Craven on East Butress, Alan Brown on West Butress, Wallowbarrow Crag, Lake District Wallowbarrow Crag, Lake District

Photographs from Ray Harben’s Collection

NC Gully on Stob Coire Nan Lochan, February 1985 with Simon Goodwin and Ian Crowther

The YRC Bulletin 50 Summer 2000

Book Reviews by Bill Todd Whiting was the name above the Wasdale Head Hotel door. The Coniston Tigers, There are fifty excellent black and Seventy Years of white photographs and a map plus Mountain Adventure numerous drawings by A.A. Wainwright. Read it. You By A. Harry Griffen won‟t be disappointed. Sigma Leisure, pp206 h/b £14.95

This is a wonderful book by a Mountaineer now in his ninetieth year Into the Wild who was still active certainly up to Jon Krakauer last back end when he walked the Pan Books p/b pp 205 £5-99. Kentmere Fells. Except for a spot of In April 1992 a young, educated man bother with Hitler this is an unbroken hitchhiked to Alaska. Once there he record of Mountain activity since the walked alone into the wilderness and late 1920s when Harry started going died of malnutrition in a derelict bus. to Lakeland with a group of lads from This is his story; it also tells about Barrow in Furness. other young men who have done Reading the book brings our own something similar and it tells us a good times back; Harry and friends great deal about the author. camped in Eskdale, so did I; they Jon Krakauer made his name with walked over Burn Moor to gaze on “Into Thin Air” an account of the the noble Mountains of Wasdale, so Everest disaster involving several did I. tourists. My daughter thought this In 1948 Harry went to Farleton Knott book would interest me and she was (know known as Farleton Fell) and right. enjoyed some good scrambling. Later Speculation as to motivation is a that year Arthur Tallon led two new fascinating pastime. People like us routes on the Upper Crag. Forty four must tend to think “If you are going to years later Arthur and I went up to try risk your life why not do it climbing a and trace them. mountain?” It seems pointless to The book is punctuated by reprints expire in a bus by the Stampede Trail. from Harry‟s “Country Diary” column Maybe the author thought this way in the “Guardian”. The one on page because in his solo ascent of the 42 particularly interested me as it Devil‟s Thumb he came near death mentioned a “mountaineering route himself. His account of this epic through the Red Pike Cliffs” from makes a gripping story and provides a Mosedale. I wonder if that was the lot of the interest of the book. same route Brian Evans and I Most young men dream about explored in 1989 and which later adventure in the wilderness, I appeared in “More Scrambles”. certainly did. Some of us find the Happy days when we were all young nearest approach in mountain come to life. Ronald MacDonald the climbing few of us go the whole hog Skye boatman appears, also of course as Chris. McCandless did. MacRaes of Glen Brittle. Read the book, a fascinating story. Conversations with C.F. Holland recall the days when John Ritson

The YRC Bulletin 51 Summer 2000

The Right to Roam in the boots which had been specifically Central Asia? paid for by the British appeared on nobody‟s feet but Mr. Huang‟s. Arka Tagh - The Mysterious Mountains By William Holgate It is certainly an expedition book with The Ernest Press pp 154 £15.95 a difference. Instead of a walk-in we have a drive-in in broken down As well as the natural obstacles you trucks. Instead of faithful Sherpas expect in wild and unexplored country carrying gear up the mountain it is the author of this most interesting camels carrying loads between cliff book had substantial political and lake like Anglers crag on problems. The days are long gone Ennerdale Water and falling through when some of the best mountains the ice. Instead of glacier lassitude were in the British Empire and British and altitude affecting the climbers we parties could just go and climb them. have Hassim the camel man falling Even forty years ago an expedition sick. leader was arrested by the Chinese and only admitted recently that he had Nevertheless the expedition got to see in fact been spying; like Mr Greville a great deal of country that very few Wynne in Hungary. Europeans had ever been to, of which Eric Shipton had said “probably the It is difficult to understand what harm hardest place in the world to get to”. could be done to the Chinese Republic by eccentric English The book is well worth a read and I fossicking about in the “white patch am glad it records achievement by a on the map” which had been Yorkshireman. intriguing Mr Holgate since 1980. Repeated requests to the Chinese Mountaineering Association for permission to go to the Arka Tagh met a seven year wall of silence. An attempt to bluff a way through was unsuccessful. A joint expedition was mentioned then shelved by reason of‟ the Tiananmen Square scandal. When that blew over however, a joint Sino- British expedition was set up with Mr Huang Min Min of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as joint leader with Mr Holgate. Not an ideal arrangement but the best that could be done. Unfortunately it appears that the Chinese hearts were not really in the job. Equipment was not provided when it should have been; Miss Wang, the Director of the Diplomatic Department for the Quiemo County Government was “obstructive” and

The YRC Bulletin 52 Summer 2000

Slack, The Fun of Climbing Vol 2 at Stephen Fry‟s favourite sport and Dennis Gray. pp 183 £9.95. anyone who has been to Tafroute in the Moroccan desert will be interested Published by the Author 1998 to know how many tonnes of paint This is a romp of a book, Dennis were used by Jean Verame on the picks the reader up and does not let fabulous boulders there. him go until the last page. Adventure This book is most difficult to put follows adventure, character follows down, even more so than the author‟s character and exotic places follow in previous books. succession.

What James Herriot did for veterinary surgery Dennis has done for being a roving climbing ambassador. He seems to have had more hazardous adventures than any six of the authors we were brought up on. Smythe, Tilman and Co. just went and explored and climbed mountains. Dennis gets threatened by the F.B.I., thumped by the C.I.D, assaulted by a lustful Arab and nearly shot by Pathans who take him for a Russian. I suppose this says something about the decline of the British Empire but Bolton Abbey not content with getting into genuine trouble Dennis took the most hazardous Yakima Canutt-type part in The Fell and Rock Journal a film of that name ( Hazard ) made in XXVI (2) Nk. 76 1998 1959 in the Dolomites. That was This is rivetting; it starts with a when some of us used to camp at description of getting over the last bit Nant Peris at August Bank Holiday of a winter Steep Gill and finishes and I remember Bryan Fuller going with biographies of some of the finest large on his experience in the bar of mountaineers of their time one or two the Dolbardan. He didn‟t let on that of whom I was privileged to have Dennis had had the most dangerous known. The details of the “greats” I job. had only heard of were most Dennis‟ experience on the Thai - enlightening too; am I the only young Burma border are unpleasantly climber who got confused between reminiscent of what we read about A.B. and A.T. Hargreaves? In Kosovo today. The Karen tribe are between is a wealth of articles dealing apparently seeking independence from with places from Troutdale Pinnacle their Burmese masters. to the Pamirs, people from Reed the book and you will enjoy G.S. Bower to Alan Garrick and new thumbnail sketches of such as winter routes on Cairnsmore of Fleet. Longland and Blackshaw as well as There is plenty of interest to keep Ken Wilson‟s adherence to political most of us absorbed for many hours. correctness. No-one wlll be surprised

The YRC Bulletin 53 Summer 2000

Scottish Mountaineering Club Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal Vol. xxxvl No. 189 Journal Vol. XXXVII No. 190 For some unknown reason my This is something of a ghostly issue. attention focused this year on the The first twenty pages contain fine Skye section of the accident report writing with a strong emphasis on the pages. It seems that walkers and pony disembodied, by Mike Jacob and trekkers fare far worse than climbers. David Hughes. Read them. There was a fatal accident on the In addition, as always there are Elgol coast path and a walker suffered descriptions of mountain adventure , skull, spinal and abdominal injuries some excellent photographs, notes of from a falling rock. A woman new climbs, Munro matters and suffered spinal injuries after being accident reports. The numbers of thrown off a Shetland pony. Climbing “walkers” and “fell runners” who accidents included two leader falls, sustain accidents is distressing. one near Neist where shoulder injuries Perhaps it is time for walking routes were sustained and the other on a like the Quiraing Table to be awarded snow obscured Sgurr a Mhadhaidh grades for danger and difficulty, where a leader pulled a loose block particularly under winter conditions. onto his own leg. It‟s enough to make you take up tiddley-winks. But of I say this with feeling having just (5 course there is a lot more on the December 1999) struggled up Strans positive side. Andrew Fraser writes a Gill which is an easy scramble in fascinating article about the nose of summer. Sgurr an Fhidhleir; I believe that was The S.M.C. Journal will be kept at the first ascended by Mike Dixon and librarian‟s house until the Central Neville Drasdo in the early sixties Library is in commission again. much to Tom Patey‟s chagrin. Mr Fraser also mentions the great number of people who have “discovered” the Craven Pothole Club Records Reiff‟ sea cliffs. A bit like Brandrith Nos 54, 55, 56 & 57, in Yorkshire. I remember Joan and I doing one or two routes at Reiff in April, July & October 1999 1962, any advance? and January 2000 Articles on Ferlie Mhor and the late Due to the temporary closure of A.L.Bagley held my interest. Central Library I do not have to Bagley‟s Holiday Rambles in North hasten to review the CPC Record and Wales helped put me on the right path. take it down there so that members may read it. The result is that I have This is an excellent issue with a good procrastinated until there are four share of humour. Read how the Past issues crying out for review. President converted snow to ice to secure the tent pole, and the aspirant‟s As usual they are full of good reading. reaction to the first step. I do not Adventures underground predominate know where the club Library will be of course but there are things of when this appears as the Leeds interest to surface dwellers too. The Central Library is closing for essential April issue contains a very interesting refurbishment. Any member account of an attempt on Mount interested should contact our librarian. Kenya which was spoiled by bad

The YRC Bulletin 54 Summer 2000 weather but not before Nelion had Book Review Denis Armstrong been climbed. July issue contains a set of pictures of Sting Pot which conveys the scene very well and several obituary notices of the late Monty Grainger who seems to have been a unique character. This one also informs us that the oldest known human footprint (26,000 years) has been discovered in France. The prints are apparently those of a boy and are definitely Homo Sapiens Sapiens (why two sapiens‟ I don‟t know) not Neanderthal or other developing sub species. The feature of the October issue is the extensive coverage of the Gaping Gill Meet, again most interesting particularly to our cavers.

Highlights of the January issue are: Gaping Gill revisited thirty two years In Praise of Rambling on, mentioning our own Sydney Poetry and Prose for Countrygoers Waterfall as a past attender, and a Compiled by Roy Bullen splendidly irreverent poem about Haworth. Excerpt:- When I was asked to review this little The Bronte teashops left and right anthology “In Praise of Rambling”, I Dispensed their Bronte teas, admit that my heart fell. In general I The Bronte dogs lay down and scratched find anthologies very worthy, At their Bronte fleas. undoubtedly containing interesting tit- bits, but there is not enough theme to There‟s also a thrilling story of an hold my attention for long. So I ascent of Scafell from Seathwaite picked the book up with misgivings, involving a trek back from Wasdale in and three quarters of an hour later I the dark. I did something similar found I had read it from cover to myself once trekking back from cover. I had laughed out aloud Wasdale to the ODG, but I had picked several times at the humorous quotes, a light time of the year. and been moved by the many authors We have the usual interesting meet over the last four hundred years reports of adventures above and praising rambling. I was reminded below ground. that we are forever surrounded by a multifarious cloud of witnesses, who These will be retained at my house have gone before us, loving the same until the Central Library re-opens and hills that we do. It is short, to the are available to members. point, worth reading. In a word, to my surprise - I enjoyed reading it.

The YRC Bulletin 55 Summer 2000

The book is compiled by Roy Bullen, a Sheffield rambler. It may be obtained from him at 18 Furniss Avenue, Sheffield, S17 3QL for £3.50p. It has 44 pages, and is published privately by the Ramblers‟ Association, to celebrate the 65th Anniversary1. Most items are allocated to an author, the source, and the date, but not all, (which is a pity). The need to meet the publishing deadline of 1 Jan 2000 probably accounts for these omissions. Gordale The anecdotes and clippings are But enough of the flannel, let me give grouped under themes: the first half some extracts from the book to is about the weather, clothes and illustrate its flavour: equipment, rucksacks, and the love of maps. The second half focuses upon To start with, some stirring stuff for the struggles for „the right to roam‟ those of you who are ex public and that this struggle is still not over - schools of the 1930/40s: a theme dear to the heart of the Ramblers‟ Association. The authors Baden-Powell at his heartiest: selected are wide ranging, from the “I know nothing more enjoyable, Romans Ovid and Tacitus, via cheering or health-giving than a good Thomas Middleton, the Elizabethan old tramp every weekend. A play-wright, to the present day, the knapsack on your back makes you Independent of 17 July 1999. free and independent. You load it Benjamin Franklin gets one quote to with only the essential things, no represent America, but there are no luxuries.. every pound counts on a Europeans included. None of long march. Nothing can beat the Geoffrey Winthrop Young‟s poetry, Norwegian type of rucksack…. either. The book centres mainly upon Weather? Can anything be better than the YRC heartland, the Lake District, good long tramp on a cold blowy day? Yorkshire and the Peak District, but If wet, all the better. … I tell you, you Scotland is well represented (the get so hardened by practice of the out “Road from Blair Atholl” is of doors that .. you never mind the particularly interesting this year). weather. …. Whatever it is, hot or Wales less so, and odd quotes about cold, rain or shine, you gain strength, Cornwall, Devon and even Sussex. vitality and cheeriness by it.” (No Nothing on the Alps or farther afield wonder so many Boy Scouts joined however. the YRC!)

To contrast with the humorous: 1 The RA adopted it‟s title on New Backpacking at its most ironical: Year‟s Day 1935 though the fore- runner organisation, the National “The rule of thumb for the old Council of Rambers‟ Federations, was backpacking was that the weight of formed in 1931 your pack should equal the weight of

The YRC Bulletin 56 Summer 2000 yourself and the kitchen range eyes are dimmed and cannot see the combined. .. the pack eliminated the shadow on the hills…. I will turn my need for any ground-gripping shoes, mind to those great days we spent because your feet would sink a foot upon the fells, and I will count and half into hard-packed earth…” them… treasure them as jewels no- (Alan Kay, please note!) one can take from me… And I will dream of mountain flowers… I will And who cannot relate to this: remember rain and bitter winds, the Maps at their most fascinating: feel of drenched clothes…and tea at a wayside inn with a good friend. And “In the home of an old Sheffield bog- while I think of all those joyous days, trotter … a remark was made …. I will not envy those who take concerning the number of maps on his their turn in tramping the hills I know, bookshelf. for they are part of me, a heritage of beauty nought can spoil.” Author “That‟s reet”, he said, “Ah buys „em unknown. and oppens „em awt on t‟table and ah gloats ovver „em.” (That reminded A pleasure to read at any time, useful me of Eddie Edwards.) if you are caught for an After Dinner Speech, and short enough to keep by Some interesting historical facts: your bed, (or the loo.) Contour lines at their most interesting:

“It should not be forgotten that the contour line as used on present-day Ordnance Survey maps was first used in 1729 by a Dutch hydrographer N.S.Cruquis, to indicate equal depth on sea-charts; the idea of using the device to indicate terrestrial levels does not appear to have occurred to anybody until modern times.” (NB The French Michelin maps were slow to show them, and the 1” Bartholomew Map of the Lake District published in the 1930s had colours to indicate broad bands of equal height. I recall that that worthy guide book, “Walking the Lake District” by H H Simmonds, (pre- Wainwright) recommended Barthol- omews rather than the OS, as it was not so cluttered with all those lines.) Jed Campion and Robert Crowther during And to finish: work to improve the security of the passage through the boulders near entrance to the dig Nostalgia at its strongest: on Ingleborough. Photo taken by Michael “When the days come that I must live Smith shortly before the 1999 AGM. alone in my own thoughts and my

The YRC Bulletin 57 Summer 2000

Reviews Michael Smith followed modern debates. Then they created an exploration of four Queueing for Everest people‟s journeys on Everest: World Premiere at the Sheffield Crucible Studio Theatre during March/April 2000 Georges, a Swiss scientist; Thea, an Written by Judith Adams, aggressive female journalist from Directed by Deborah Paige New England; their Sherpa guide; and, a reflective Mallory-like Truman Climbers’ Talk, Joe Simpson commentating in tweeds. A fifth 28 March 2000 character, Sophie, Georges‟s second

wife, left in the US, is on a parallel Expeditions: fact or fiction journey struggling with illness. Professor Keith Miller a National Science Week public lecture presented by We were promised a play which the University of Sheffield in the Firth Hall on 18 March 2000 explored power struggles, motivations, cultural assumptions, Into Thin Air, Jon Krakauer romances and personal moralities of Pan, 1997, 293pp, £6.99, ISBN 0-330-35397-7 characters and times. With so much

to look forward to our party of six was Fragile Earth, Maria Coffey ready for anything. Coronet, 1989, 208pp, £3.50 ISBN 0-340-52543-6 Well almost anything. A few weeks Of Rarefied Atmospheres before the first night we were warned that there would be no conventional What an opportunity for Adams and seating for this performance in the Paige: Sheffield with its many round. If we wanted to remain in the climbers; active debate of the morality „stalls‟‟ we would need to perch on of guided ascents of Everest; recent the icebergs (they probably meant publications, such as Krakauer‟s Into glaciers) of the set. Four retreated to Thin Air, telling the story of the 1996 higher tiers and safety. Two of us fatalities; television programmes on ended up sat on a foam mattress on Mallory; and, the chance of a final the floor, a couple of metres from the production before leaving the centre of the round, clutching knees to Crucible. They researched through remain upright and viewing the action workshops with climbers including on Everest with necks craned Jon Tinker, Seb Grieve and Alf appropriately upward. The glaciers Gregory, read old accounts and must have retreated back to the scenery store before first night. Apart from the stiffness, it worked The path of love is as a strand of well enough except when we became hair over an abyss of fire. I say entangled in ropes or the action things like that …. no-one listens moved to a point behind us. Mallory “Truman” even took my photograph. The novel Always feel, wherever I put my approach made a lasting impression feet, I send avalanches onto for a few days on my back, but did not peoples’ heads “Thea” contribute to my appreciation of the work. Why this approach had been I panic in a lot of situations. taken was not at all clear. It did not Especially when they tell me to integrate the audience into the action. relax. “Sophie” If anything it was a distraction. At least one of those on the upper tiers

The YRC Bulletin 58 Summer 2000 confesses to being at least as abrogating responsibility to guides. entertained by watching actors falling He repeated his condemnation that over fidgeting viewers as by the play climber/clients shutting their tent door itself. on a barely conscious Indian climber dying just 20 metres away lacked While Mallory was portrayed as being common humanity. Joe, whose early drawn by some sporting ideal, and the climbing was in North Yorkshire, Sherpa by a religious ideal and offered snippets of hard-earned financial necessity towards the advice, including the counsel that if summit, the modern clients were you break a bone you have a couple of driven by careers, tick-lists or weeks to get home where the local domestic realities they preferred to specialist doctors can sort it all out. I leave behind. This last motive: not hope I never need to know this. only because it‟s there, but also because it isn‟t here, was identified by The Krakauer details a dilemma, In Joe Tasker‟s lover, Maria Coffey in order to succeed on Everest you must Fragile Earth. Her Himalayan journey be exceedingly driven, but if you‟re was a successful quest to understand too driven you‟re likely to die through Joe‟s fatal motivation in tackling the reckless summit fever and join the ENE ridge of Everest in 1982. litter of corpses. He selects indicative incidents from a myriad of sometimes Joe Simpson‟s hour of conversation conflicting evidence and much with Paige which preceded our conjecture. From these he analyses performance started with Joe slightly intentions and flawed judgements. abashed, but developed into a relaxed, His interpretation is criticised by the confident, down-to-earth conversation relatives of some who died especially with the audience. His simple, where they see it as being self- homely analysis contrasted markedly excusing. with the over analytical complexities of the play. Joe emphasised that it In his analysis guides are viewed and was the climbing rather than the portray themselves as super human, summit that mattered, so for him, conceal weaknesses and inspire Everest held no appeal. As Joe‟s others, to the point where the others climbing is an expression of his self- don‟t even think about looking after belief he would have no truck with them. For example, one ascending

The YRC Bulletin 59 Summer 2000 guide, allegedly, didn‟t know if those The time, country of the expedition‟s he met by the Hillary Step were origin and stage in an explorer‟s ascending or descending. He couldn‟t career were illustrated as influences speak, was assumed by his party to be on behaviour on and after trips. just nipping up to the top before Peary‟s black co-explorer, Matthew catching them up to help with their Henson‟s invaluable work in descent. translation, supervision and breaking trail while pulling a sledge while Members I‟ve spoken to found Peary was reduced to riding, was Krakauer‟s account a compelling if compared with his treatment on return horrifying read - mountaineering to the US. Cultural expectations and conducted according to moral greed meant he was ignored for over standards which they find impossible thirty years and died in relative to accept. The philosophy „summit at obscurity. any cost‟ and the lack of any spare time or effort to support other party Miller defined success not in terms of members are an anathema in the Club attaining the goal but in relationships, scene. managing resources and protecting people. This is the antithesis of the Incidentally, neither Krakauer nor apparent imperative driving those Simpson, in writing Touching the who must be seen to achieve great Void, found writing about their things. More Mallory than the intense mountaineering tragedies Georges portrayed in the play. cathartic but felt compelled to publish their narratives in an attempt to set the Queueing for Everest was an record straight. opportunity missed. Many themes, possibly too many, were aired, but Keith Miller‟s expeditionary they remained confusing to the extent journeys, as described in his lecture that when the interval arrived the for National Science Week, spanned audience sat baffled and silent until the continents and the centuries. He the theatre staff moved. Rather like looked beyond the activity on someone in line at a Soviet store, we expeditions to the lives and motives queued but we were not sure why we of their participants, and how these were doing it. The second half shape the claims they make on their resolved the fates of the characters but return. Their personal investment in not our perplexity. Dance, movement, the success of the trip can result in language, drama and rope work were deception or self-delusion so that woven into and around the pretentious experiences or observations are reflection on climbing but shed little interpreted to support the idea of a light on the subject. goal being attained. This even when the achieving the goal was highly Shipton‟s and Hunt‟s photographs and unlikely. The false claims connected accounts of the Yeti convinced Miller with the outflow of the Niger, summit that there is something there to be photographs of Mt McKinley, and an reckoned with. For me though the approach to the North Pole were essence of climbing in the rarefied contrasted with the positive examples atmosphere of Everest, as portrayed in of Scott‟s team and Shackleton‟s this production, proved as elusive as determined leadership. the Yeti.

The YRC Bulletin 60 Summer 2000

The 85th Annual Dinner followed at the Club Proceedings same hotel. The President, T W Josephy, 1998: was in the chair. The Chief Guest was Andy Eavis and the Kindred Clubs were The meets were represented by John Noble, Alpine Club; 9-11 January, Low Hall Garth; John Clarke, Bradford Pothole Club; Jeff 30 January - 1 Feb Glan Dena, N.Wales; Cowling, Craven Pothole Club; Paddy 19-21 February Braemar; O’Neill, Fell and Rock Climbing Club; 13-15 March, Low Row, Swaledale; Michael Green, Gritstone Club; Bob 17-19 April, Thirlmere, Joint Meet with the Ferguson, Rucksack Club; Terry Kenny, Gritstone Club; Wayfarers Club, the President of the 8-10 May, Long Mynd Hotel, Church Scottish Mountaineering Club Bob Stretton, Ladies Weekend; Richardson was unable to attend. 22-29 May, Backpacking, Cape Wrath to Attendance 96. Inchnadamph; 24 May-14 June, Iceland; The singing of ‘Yorkshire’ was lead by Ian 19-22 June, Long Walk, Cheviots, Crowther. The official opening of the Towford to Kirk Yetholm; Downham Room and Lowstern Extension 10-12 July, Caving, Lowstern: by Mrs Joan Farrer took place on the 22nd. 24 July - 8 August, Neustift, Tyrol; Membership comprised, 115 Ordinary, 21-23 August, Beudy Mawr, Llanberis; 64 Life, 5 Honorary, totalling 184 17-19 September, Working Party, LHG; 18-20 September, Joint Meet, Robertson Lamb Hut, Langdale; 2-4 October, Working Party, Lowstern; 17-24 October, Caving, Ardeche, France; 1999: 21-22 November, Annual Dinner, Whoop Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale; The meets were 12-13 December, Christmas Meet, 8-10 January, Low Hall Garth; Lowstern. 29-31 January, Tany-Y-Wyddfa, Rhyd Ddu, Snowdonia; The 106th. Annual General Meeting was 19-21 February, Inbhirfhaolin, Glen Etive; held at Whoop Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale, on 12-14 March, Joint Meet with Gritstone the 21st November 1998. and Wayfarers Club, Lowstern; The following were elected for 1998/99:- 16-18 April, Ladies Weekend, Abingdon; President: W C I Crowther 7-9 May, High Camp,Scoat Tarn,Cumbria; Vice President: D A Hick 20-21 May, Working Party, Lowstern; Hon. Secretary: R G Humphreys 29 May-6 June, Isle of Arran; Hon. Meets Secretary: J H Hooper 18-20 June, Long Walk, Rosedale Circuit; Hon. Treasurer: G A Salmon 19 June-20 July, Bolivia; Hon. Editor: M Smith 9-11July, Low Hall Garth; Hon. Librarian/Archivist: W N Todd 23 July - 8 August, Alpine Meet, Huts Secretary: R D Josephy 20-22 August, Lowstern; Hut Wardens: Low Hall Garth, D English 10-12 September, The Roaches, Lowstern, F M Godden Derbyshire; Hon. Auditor: C D Bush 23-30 October, Coasta Blanca,Spain; Committee: G Campion, I F D Gilmour, 20-21 Nov, Annual Dinner, Whoop Hall; A Renton, G R Salmon. 3-5 December, Hag Dyke, Kettlewell: Representatives to National Committees: The 106th Annual General Meeting was Council of Northern Caving Clubs: held at Whoop Hall, Kirkby Lonsdale on H A Lomas the 20th November1999. BMC Lancashire & Cheshire: RGowing Lake District: K Aldred Yorks & Humberside WNTodd

The YRC Bulletin 61 Summer 2000

The following officers and committee New Members, members were elected for 1999/2000:- President: W C I Crowther Resignations and Deaths President Elect: A R Chapman Vice President: David A Hick New Members Hon. Secretary: R G Humphreys 1997 Alan Wood Hon. Meets Secretary: J H Hooper Hon.Treasurer: G A Salmon 1998 Christopher N Bird Hon.Editor: M Smith Stuart B Dix Hon.Auditor: C D Bush Hon.Librarian/Archivist: W N Todd Jeffrey J Halford Huts Secretary: R D Josephy Victor J P Maloney Hut Wardens:Low Hall Garth, D English Lowstern, M F Godden Keith Raby Committee: G Campion, I F D Gilmour, A Renton, M Hartland Euan Seaton YRC representatives to National Martyn B Trasler Committees: Council of Northern Caving Clubs: 1999 David Large H A Lomas BMC Lancashire & Cheshire: RGowing Roger Dix Lake District: K Aldred Resignations Yorks & Humberside WNTodd 1997 Steven V Bugg

The 86th Annual Dinner followed at the Jeremy Tremaine same hotel. The President, W C I Crowther, was in the chair. The Chief Guest was Brendan Jones and the Kindred Deaths Clubs were represented by Paul Braithwaite, Alpine Club; Philip 1998 Charles J Bridger Hopkinson, Climbers Club; Jeff Cowling, Clifford Fielding Craven Club; Peter Roberts, Gritstone Club; Tony Margetts, Midland Association W P B Stonehouse of Mountaineers; Cecil Rhodes, Rucksack John White Club; Keith Rigby, Wayfarers Club. Attendance 87. 1999 Will Lacy The singing of ‘Yorkshire’ was lead by Bernard Nelstrop Arthur Salmon. Bill Woodward Membership comprised: 106 Ordinary, John P Wright 73 Life, 4 Honorary, totalling 184

The YRC Bulletin 62 Summer 2000

Obituaries

Robert Everard Chadwick 1916 - 2000 Member 1939 President 1962-1964 Bob Chadwick died on the 28th January 2000 after a long illness stoically endured. His Father, Robert Agar Chadwick, joined the YRC in 1905, two years before setting up his own legal practice in Leeds with Joe Hepworth. The Hepworth & Chadwick partnership prospered and the early exposure to mountains and the law influenced Bob’s distinguished career throughout his Skye 1958 life. The illness of his Father cut short his own legal studies at Cambridge, leaving him to combine He sat on the Law Society Revenue demanding work back at the office Law Committee and was President of with further legal studies at Leeds the Leeds Law Society in 1965. University. It is a tribute to Bob’s extraordinary The outbreak of war found Bob th energy and organisational skills that attached to the 15 Field Regiment, he was able to devote so much time to Royal Artillery, where he became his happy family of three children, Commanding Officer of ‘B’ Battery, and to his interest in mountaineering, later attaining the rank of Major fishing, skiing and bird watching. during active service in Iran, Iraq and Before joining the YRC in 1939 he Italy. After the war Bob’s growing was a frequent visitor to Scotland, reputation as a practical and effective Wales and the Lake District. In the company lawyer and his wide fifties he invariably attended the knowledge of tax laws and trusts Club’s Whit Meets, occupying an meant that there was a wide demand unusually large tent always known as for his services. He lectured on Grand Hotel, with Jack Dossor, Harry insolvency and other legal matters to Stembridge and later Jack Holmes. In accountancy students and in 1958 1961 he completed the traverse of the became Chairman of J Hepworth & Cuillin Ridge in Skye in a day with Son (later to become Next plc), a Anderson, Brown, Dossor and position he held for 23 years. He Hartley, returning to the Skavaig joined the Board of John Waddington camp site some nineteen hours after in 1953 and served as their Chairman leaving a mountain tent strategically from 1969 to 1977. The Leeds placed on Garsbheinn. His first visit Permanent Building Society invited to the Alps with the Stembridge him to join their Board in 1974 and he brothers and Blair in 1947 was was their President in 1982 and 1983. amusingly captured in an article

The YRC Bulletin 63 Summer 2000 which appeared in the 1949 Club Maurice Frederic Wilson Journal Volume VII No. 25. This article revealed a delightful prose 1910-2000 style which enlivened everything he ever wrote. A trip to the Everest Base Member 1952 Camp in 1969 with, amongst others, Vice President 196l-1963 Harry Stembridge, under the leadership of Eric Shipton started Maurice Wilson died on the 16th only fifteen miles from Kathmandu - March 2000, the day after his 90th a trek that will be appreciated by birthday. Although he had been those who started this particular route unwell since before Christmas he at Lukla. In 1974 he flew to remained cheerful and articulate Rawalpindi and thence to Skardu for a throughout, reluctantly postponing his four week trek in the Karakoram. 90th birthday party only a few days before he died. Bob will be remembered for the single minded determination he Maurice was born, and lived for the brought to everything he did. He whole of his life, in Stokesley, where would allow others to sprint past after education at Yarm Grammar when setting off up some interesting School, then Pocklington School he Munro but his steady pace was always joined the Midland Bank which maintained throughout the ascent so employed him for 42 years. This long he invariably arrived at the top with service provided him with a secure the front runners. He was a deep base from which he developed his thinker on a multitude of subjects and mountaineering skills continuously, his powerful intellect meant that his starting with a Lake District fell views, modestly expressed, were walking holiday in 1931. He returned eagerly sought . He had little interest to the Lakes every year of his life and in material possessions and happily quickly moved on to serious climbing migrated from important Board in Wales, Scotland and the Alps. He Meetings and luxurious hotels to the enjoyed thirteen consecutive seasons rough and tumble of a YRC Meet in the Alps, reaching as many 4000 where he might be found happily metre peaks, including the Matterhorn manning his primus stove on the which he conquered 100 years to the grubby floor of some Scottish bothie. day after the first ascent. As a member of the Swiss Alpine Club he Alan Brown became one of the first mountaineers to lead ice training courses in Zermatt and it was in Zermatt that he met our own Geoff Scovell who introduced him to the YRC. Geoff and Arthur Tallon both climbed with Maurice in the Alps but also in the Lakes and Scotland. Arthur recalls a difficult pitch on Sgurr Alisdaire which both he and Geoff found almost impossible. Maurice, 20 years their senior, quietly took over and completed the pitch, then effortlessly hauled up his juniors. He was with

The YRC Bulletin 64 Summer 2000

RAF signals during the Maurice was a member of war, spending five years the Club’s 1957 in the Hebrides which he Himalayan Expedition explored thoroughly and had a passion, sadly although he never never realised, for Polar wished to return. exploration. The Friend’s School at Great Ayton He was a founder benefited from his member and a Chairman extensive mountaineering of the Mountaineering knowledge when he gave Association (later the climbing courses to some BMC), founder member 200 of their pupils over a and later President of the number of years. One of Cleveland his pupils eventually Mountaineering Club reached the South Pole, during its formative sending Maurice a much years and his literary treasured sample of South output was enjoyed by Polar ice. both organisations. Maurice was also an Many of our members early member of the today will remember him York Mountaineering for his enthusiasm for the Club and contributed to Joint Meet at RLH and for the Club’s development his attendance at Whit in the late 40’s and early Meets in Rhum, 50’s. He was much Knoydart, the involved in local affairs Cairngorms, Torddon, and as President of the Stokesley Kintail, Ardgour, and Inchnadamph. Society he provided the commentary His traverse of the Liathac ridge in his for two videos: ‘A Walk Round 81st year, which included every one of Stokesley ‘and’ A Scrapbook of the exposed pinnacles between Stokesley’. The authorative pamphlet Spidean a’ Choire Leith and Mullach on the History of Stokesley Parish an Rathain, will long be recalled as an Church was written by Maurice. example to younger fry, indeed one Further writings included ‘Climbs in young admirer asked Maurice to pose Cleveland’ and ‘Climbs on the North for a picture so that he could show it Yorkshire Moors’, both published by to his own grandfather. His final the Cleveland Mountaineering Club. triumph was to gain the summit cairn More recently he published ‘Short of Ben Nevis when he was 84. Walks in the Cleveland Hills’ and All this hectic activity delayed ‘Walks with Granddad’. This latter Maurice’s introduction to normal publication was a response to the family life but he finally married many visitors to the town who Angela in 1962 and is survived by complained there was nowhere to take her, together with Peter, Marc and the children. As a deeply committed Heather, plus two grandchildren Christian he gave life long support to Grace and Harry. The Club has lost a the Gideons International, often most knowledgeable, kindly and distributing their bibles to schools and patient figure who will be greatly local institutions. missed.

The YRC Bulletin 65 Summer 2000

If I Had My Way

by Maurice Wilson

If I had my way......

I’d build a house in the Cleveland hills, Close to a clump of daffodils.

No complicated plumbing scheme, Just water from a nearby stream.

There’d be a welcome on the mat’ “God bless this house” upon the wall.

Pictures, paintings in their teens, Of climbing days and mountain scenes.

Here and there some inglenooks, Lined with my favourite books.

Interminable cups of coffee, Porridge oats and home-made toffee.

When I grew tired of women’s talk, I’d pop outside and take a walk.

Caked with mud and torn by thicket, Back in time to watch the cricket.

And between one job and the next, I’d watch the news on Teletext.

In my retreat beneath the stars, I’d have no need for motor cars.

Each night, reclining in my chair, Let ‘Bach’ and ‘Basie’ fill the air.

There’s lots of things I’d do, With now and then, a “call” from you.

If I had my way.

The YRC Bulletin 66 Summer 2000

Dr. Thomas Elwyn (Eddie) Edwards 1932-2000 Member 1983 With the sudden and unexpected death of Eddie in February the YRC has lost one of its most colourful characters. Eddie joined the Club in 1983 and served for a short period as Dinner Secretary. He was a regular attender of Club others. He will be remembered for Meets and particularly enjoyed the the tales of his exploits and Whit May Holiday camping week in adventures in the Scottish Highlands. Scotland. He never lost his strong I suspect these stories will be retold ties with his native Wales and always for many years to come. enjoyed returning on Welsh meets. Eddie was very single-minded and He was a friendly, entertaining man could always be relied upon to turn up and thoroughly enjoyed imparting his with a selection of well-researched intimate knowledge of the hills to objectives for a particular day. He was a competent and accomplished mountaineer and was the second person in the Club to complete the Scottish Munros, many of which he climbed alone and in winter conditions. If this achievement was not enough of a challenge he then embarked on the Scottish Corbetts and had completed all but four, again many on his own. He was looking forward to completing his remaining Corbetts this year and participating in the YRC Corbett meet in May. Eddie was previously involved in the successful 1983 Scottish Munro Whit Meet and often spoke of the enjoyment and camaraderie of this event. Eddie remained active unto the end and will be remembered with fond affection by his many friends. The President, Ian Crowther and over thirty members represented the Club at the funeral. We extend our deepest sympathy to his widow, Sheila, his daughter, Siân and family.

The YRC Bulletin 67 Summer 2000

In March this year Herbert Thompson, If, having read How it Really Used to our neighbour at Low Hall Garth, Be!, you really must know who Has moved to live in Ambleside. He had Been is then solve this anagram: been the tenant farmer at LHG since He ranked Hell’s obscenities. 1955 and a good friend to the Club especially with regard to maintenance problems. We wish him well in his The last issue contained a number of new home. errors. As usual the editor failed to keep up with Rory’s achievements so consequently the map on page 18 failed to have the peaks beween Martyn Wakeman has been out on a Jatuncasa and Pirhuata underlined as randonnee ski trip including an ascent ascended. On page 23 the editor, of the Wildhorn, 3200m, and the advised by another who should know Grosser Aletschgletscher to the better (admittedly while in a bar at Jungfrau Joch. over 12000ft), added a few years to the leader’s age - the span of trekkers’ ages should have been 58 to 71. The

corrie on page 82 was actually Coire Frank Milner is back in his feet after A’Ghrunnda. On page 111 the 1913 a serious leg injury on the Club ski President mentioned was Walter meet in Norway’s Jotunheimen. Look Parsons and not William as stated. out for the Meet report for the full Finally, the pothole on page 121 was story. Juniper Gulf. After that meet, Kjetil Tveranger and Despite these the issue was well his teenage son, Andreas, spent three received. One reader managed the days in a hut under “Ålforbreen” 40 first thirty-odd pages while their km east of Florø. He reports plenty of breakfast coffee went cold. snow and good skiing conditions in hot and sunny weather well into May. Kjetil is practising for a probable two- week kayak and mountaineering trip The dig at Newby Moss Cave suffered to Spitsbergen during June and July. a collapse in the unstable entrance series, so was sealed. It has now been reopened and digging recommenced at its current end. Over the winter Dr S A Craven asks if any Club months the cavers, with members of members know of any descendents of the Airedale have been looking at the Botterill’s Fred, Matthew and Darnbrook Pot which, apparently, Arthur. Replies can be sent via the looks quite promising with a good editor draught.

The YRC Bulletin 68 Summer 2000

Scottish Winter Meet Good exciting stuff. Then rather than go back to the car they dropped down Inbhirfhaolain, Glen Etive into Glen Etive through the forests and eventually back to Inbhirfhaolain 18-20 February 1999 just as darkness descended. This was our first visit to Glen Etive Another party went down the Glen for three years. It is rare that we have and ascended Ben Starav and again kept away so long! got back rather late.. This was a cause Most members were pleased to find of some concern as one member of that the cottage had been improved the party had recently had a heart bi- extensively. The "flat earthers" pass operation. However a check at amongst us, of which this writer is a the car revealed the 'convalescent' fast fully paid up member, pine for the old asleep in the back. He had wisely days of gas lamps, a horrible cramped turned back half way up the mountain. and dirty kitchen and above all the A good effort all the same. ubiquitous pot bellied stove. A party of one member and three Nevertheless the Grampian Club guests plus a springer spaniel should be congratulated on what has ascended Bidean in terrible now become an excellent modern hut conditions. No one asked the dog if it in a splendid part of Scotland. had enjoyed the day out. The most significant feature in the There were one or two members who whole of this improvement opted for lower valley walks and programme is that the Elsan has gone perhaps the largest party of the day and there is now a self composting some seven or eight members climbed toilet housed in a stockade type watch Buachaille Etive Beag hoping the tower attached to the 'west wing'. The conditions would be better at a notice hanging up in the compartment slightly lower height. On the lower says it is one of only a few scattered slopes there was some preliminary around the world. We felt very excitement in crossing the swollen honoured. Members were literally Allt Gartain. One senior member queuing up to use it. eventually gave up, joined a The weather over the weekend was companion, and walked through the pretty atrocious. Friday was by far the Allt Larrig Eilde, a wise decision. best day and this was characterised by The rest of us got onto the ridge strong winds reaching gale force where the lightest one, your writer, onthe tops where conditions underfoot was blown off his feet and landed consisted , at best, of hard packed several yards away on his knees, snow and in most places of sheet ice. somewhat chastened. The youngest Crampons as well as axes were a and probably strongest member of the necessity. party came to his assistance dusted Considering the conditions quite a lot him down and escorted him back to got done. The President accompanied the ridge. The intention was to by his Vice President motored round traverse the ridge but even wearing to Glencoe, parked off the A82 near crampons it remained a dicey prospect the Clachaig, walked up the Allt na with hard packed snow/ice on either Muidhe and over Sgor na h Ulaidh via side and 50+ mph wind gusts. Most a rather hairy, steep, snow filled gully. of us 'chickened out' leaving the two

The YRC Bulletin 69 Summer 2000 youngest and hardest members to Attendance complete the traverse safely, a The President - Ian Crowther commendable achievement in the conditions. Vice President - David Hick On Saturday the day was even worse. Dennis Barker The spaniel insisted on going out Chris Bird again and that party were on Buachaille Etive Beag in a 'white out'. George Burfitt They had the sense to get off pretty Derek Bush quickly. Most of us passed through Albert Chapman Fort William to the head of Glen Nevis and then via the path by the Eddie Edwards waterfalls to the Steall Hut. The David Handley President again lead by the front by being the first over the wire rope Chris Hilton (G) bridge so we all had to follow for fear Gordon Humphreys of being called wimps which most of us probably were! The remainder of Howard Humphreys another damp day was spent in Fort Cliff Large William mainly at ' Nevis Sports' David Large (G) drinking coffee or in the bar watching the rugby international. Harvey Lomas The evening was spent like all David Martindale Inbhirfhaolain evenings, full of Frank Platt reminisces and good humour. Our President had wanted to delete Glen Steve Pugh (G) Etive from the meets calendar next Alister Renton year. However the amount of 'flak' he received from the members present Graham Salmon left him in no doubt this would prove Euan Seaton to be a very unpopular decision, David Smith particularly as next year would be the Clubs 25th visit. He gracefully Martin Thomas (G) withdrew! Subsequently the meet has James Whitby (G) been put back a month to mid-March. There will be much observation of Alan Wood weather reports both in mid-February Michael Wood and prior to the actual meet itself. I hope we have got it right. Geoff Woods (G) Sunday showed no improvement in the weather so after the usual cleaning 21 Members up operations we said our farewells 6 Guests and started the long journey South.

Derek Bush

The YRC Bulletin 70 Summer 2000

Calpe were wonderful displays of Autumn crocuses, flowering heathers and Spain’s Costa Blanca, aromatic shrubs. 19 - 26 October 1999 While we were in Calpe there was the Thirty eight of us had a very good local fiesta featuring Moors and week at the Hotel Galetama and are Christian battles with parades over very grateful to Alan Brown for four days and spectacular firework organising the meet. The weather was displays. The fine costumes and floats rather unsettled for the Mediterranean were accompanied by incredibly loud but we had only the first afternoon of noise but fortunately our Hotel was wind and rain, other days were dry three miles away at the opposite end and the cloud stayed high above the of the resort to the old town where the ridges. We had plenty of sunshine for action was. Our room’s fifth floor swimming in the sea or hotel pool. balcony gave a good view of the fireworks. Calpe is a very pleasant resort of two bays separated by an enormous rock‚ Only one member had any previous Peñón de Ifach. Pictured below this is knowledge of walking/climbing in the 1100 ft high and has a path through a area and Alan had recruited six brave short tunnel in the rock leading to a members to arrange expeditions from terrace ascent. We were warned of the the two recommended guidebooks exposure, slippery limestone when Landscapes of the Costa Blanca and wet and unpredictable gusty winds; a Rodger Stansfield’s Guide. The idea good number made the ascent, some was, for the first three walking days to in the wet. Just inland from the rock is have an alternative of an easy or a a very flat coastal plain with a large more demanding expedition, but since salt lake supporting a permanent flock the information was from the books, of Flamingos and lots of other bird with little opportunity to reconnoitre, life to interest the bird watching some three hour plus walks turned members. Everywhere in the hills into six hours plus.

The YRC Bulletin 71 Summer 2000

A diary of the meet (with apologies three hours but then we speeded up. for missing many interesting We had an interesting descent of a incidents, expeditions, etc.) follows. steep vegetated gully and arrived back Tuesday without loosing much more time. On We all arrived in good order from virtually all the expeditions some vital Manchester and Newcastle to Alicante road/path changes had been made preceded by Alan and Madge Brown since the guide books were written and Derek and Yvonne Bush. The (1997 and before). The various weather was fine and warm and we leaders, handicapped by parties with had our first look around the hotel and lots of advisers, had a difficult time. resort, quick swims, etc. Bill Todd wrote a limerick (not, I think, justified) Wednesday The morning dawned dry and some A daring young leader called Rodger, went straight out to climb the rock. While conducting a walk made a bodger. The car situation looked very thin so His comrades said “Dix, Get us out of this fix, arrangements were made for more car hire. The afternoon was wet and Or Gwen will be seeking a lodger” windy, the writer and wife had been The more demanding expedition led exploring the old town and port when by Alan Wood was part of the Bernia the heavy rain started. We had to Ridge, an impressive mini Cullin avoid the front to stay on our feet and ridge‚. The North part is simple then dodge debris blowing from the scrambling and the rope was only building sites. More sensibly some of used once but here again a false start the party attended the afternoon was made and instead of walking up Spanish lesson in the hotel. to the appointed col, an unscheduled Thursday - Dry and Fine. high level caving expedition through Rodger Dix led the easy walk from the ridge and a traverse was needed Calpe station - a circuit of the local before the col was reached. mountain. The first part of the climb A third party made a car trip to the old was steep and finding the way town of Gaudalest and found that difficult but with wonderful views everything could be bought there but back over Calpe laid out below. The petrol. A special delivery was ordered geography that seemed confusing the by their mobile phone via the Tourist day before was now clear. At the Office and UK. supposed l½ hour mark we had taken

Cliff Cobb takes a photo of Paso Tancat Cliffs with the end of the Bernia Ridge in the background

The YRC Bulletin 72 Summer 2000

Petrol arrived in plastic bags in a A good number independently cardboard box! OK in the EU explored the castle and town of perhaps, but UK Health and Safety Guadalest which is built on an would have had a fit. enormous pinnacle of limestone. Friday - Sunny and warm. There is an interesting museum. Other Jeff Hooper led the walk round the walks were investigated, swimming, Somo mountain. The road leading to bird watching and fiesta visiting to the start had been rebuilt and see the main parade were among the renumbered causing much confusion. many activities. A small party did the The way following multiple tracks Sierra de Cortina ridge on the through olive groves was confusing, outskirts of Benidorm. In the evening some way marks were misleading and Flamenco dancers performed in the part of the track is now a new tarmac Hotel. road. After some frustrating detours Sunday was back to planned and delays we reached the mountain expeditions path across a moor walking through Mike Godden led a walk through a aromatic herbs giving off a wonderful deep valley and along the side of the aroma. Finally we topped a ridge to impressive Bernia ridge. We got off find a spectacular descent into a route on an olive grove terrace above valley with the enormous Tancat cliffs the proper track and met an irate and gorges. A pleasant walk back to farmer with no English and two large cars wiping out earlier frustration. The dogs. He showed us the track but sent four hour expedition had taken six us in reverse. After about 200 yards of hours. us chuntering and confusion, a more Derek Bush led another party on a friendly but still incomprehensible walk from Denia on the Sierra del exchange followed and he led us back Montgo. Derek had had an through his farm to the correct track opportunity for some reconnoitring to the Bernia Taverna where we had and the rocky exposed paths were our refreshment. The place was followed OK. It was remarkably packed for Sunday lunch and our different in that everything went to farmer and wife were there to dine, timed schedule and no one was lost! they greeted us with friendly smiles. Saturday - was a rest day from We then retraced our steps and planned expeditions. reached the cars surprisingly quickly.

The YRC Bulletin 73 Summer 2000

Richard Gowing led a walk from Font Guadalest Valley (obviously the Moli near Guadalest described as a wrong pass). An easy, attractive ridge stroll through a series of high valleys. was way marked and following the Again Richard and Elizabeth had had edge of the cliff so we decided to push an opportunity to check the walk so on and up. We watched two large this was followed without difficulty. eagles circling round. Suddenly the A more enterprising party climbed wireless military masts on Aitana Puig Campana - an impressive rock came into near view over the summit mountain inland from Benidorm. and realised where we were, consulted our watches and made a rapid return Monday - The party was split into to car to get back just in time for the many expeditions. last night farewell dinner at 7.30. A party climbed Sierra de Olta, the The dinner arranged by Alan local mountain circled on Thursday. following translation services and The largest group did the Sierra de la testing of the Regata Restaurant by Carrasea and the Mozarabic trail, Juliet and Bill Todd, was a great reputed to have 5,000 steps - they success with very good food, wine arrived back very satisfied with the and company, an excellent way to end trail. Another party climbed Aitana a very enjoyable holiday. (the highest local peak at 1,558m) by mistake! The guide book again out of Tuesday - Home. date, described the start of the The Newcastle contingent left the intended walk at a parking area 5 km hotel at 6.30 am. Our Manchester up a rough track. The track is now a flight was not due until 6.15 pm. A tarmac road with no parking wet morning dried out to a bit of sun possibility around 5 km. We parked at for our last stroll round the resort. The 6.5 km and followed way marks usual tedious delays occurred at which seemed to fit until we reached a Alicante airport. pass with magnificent views over the J. G. Lee

The YRC Bulletin 74 Summer 2000

Attendance: Reaps Moor, President, Ian & Dorothy Crowther Staffordshire Joan & Dennis Armstrong Alan & Madge Brown 24th - 26th Sept 1999 Derek & Yvonne Bush The meet was held at the campsite Albert & Sammy Chapman adjoining the Butchers Arms, in the Cliff & Betty Cobb middle of the triangle of moorland Roger & Gwen Dix formed by Buxton, Leek and Mike & Marcia Godden Ashbourne. Facilities were basic: a Richard & Elizabeth Gowing tap in the corner of the field and an Jeff Hooper indescribable (in!)convenience over Cliff & Kath Large the wall in the pub’s backyard, but it David Laughton was free, for drinkers and diners at the Gerry & Margaret Lee pub as we were. Alan & Angie Linford John Lovett On the Friday, 17 members and guests Vic & Jean Maloney arrived, pitched camp and enjoyed David Martindale their first sampling of the excellent Frank & Wynne Milner fare at the pub. Your reporter, having Frank Platt been otherwise engaged that evening John & Pat Schofield at the Buxton Opera House, arrived Bill & Juliet Todd on the Saturday morning after his Alan Wood short drive from home. Having

avoided the direct route via the

Roaches, which were wreathed in cloud, in favour of the main road through Leek, he encountered serious delays due to roadworks, and so found most of the parties already departed to climb on the Roaches or to walk in the nearby Manifold Valley. He was pleased to find the Meet Leader and the President still around with their respective guests, the latter of whom marked the welcome return of one of the “Sheffield Lads”, now sadly depleted by the death of that great character Bill Woodward. This party then set off and drove to the Mermaid pub which, located on the crest of the Morridge ridge, is so prominent in the view east from the Roaches over the Staffordshire moorlands. Walking from there, they traversed nearby Merryton Low before crossing the road again to follow a track past the Blake Mere or Bridge Mermaid’s Pool, and headed past the bridge central Danger Area of the range to

The YRC Bulletin 75 Summer 2000

group returned to Reaps Moor and an excellent dinner at the Butchers Arms. Sunday dawned overcast but, for the time being, dry and after breakfasting and striking camp the meet dispersed in various groups to walk the Manifold valley, climb on the Roaches again or, in the case of your Davids Hick and Martindale and Don’s head reporter’s party, to traverse the limestone ridges near the upper the upper reaches of the Churnet reaches of the Dove. High Edge gave Valley. This led them up to the main interesting views over the HSE’s Leek-Buxton road near the Royal Explosion and Flame Laboratory from Cottage pub. From there a minor road its summit pillboxes (obviously a key was followed to join that leading up strategic position during the days of the rear of the Roaches towards Roach wartime threat), while Chrome Hill End. This road was left to ascend a and Parkhouse Hill gave quite gentle gully through the heathery sporting traverses of limestone aretes. hinterland of the Roaches, one of the On the descent of the latter, rain areas where, our local expert assured started so a strategic retreat was made us, the famous Roaches estate to the famous Quiet Woman pub in wallabies still survive. This led them nearby Earl Sterndale. There the up onto the Roaches ridge some 300m President’s requirement for a Cultural south of the trig point, and a pleasant Event was amply met by a talented spot was soon found for lunch, on the assembly of amateur music makers, edge overlooking the Roaches woods. who accompanied the remaining By now the early morning’s mist had members of the party in a rendering of dispersed, and on arriving at the “Ilkla Moor”, of which the locals had climbing area of the Roaches Upper not previously heard all eight verses! Tier the party soon encountered the Our thanks to Derek for organising a climbers from the meet who were meet in an area the Club rarely visits. enjoying the warm, sunlit crags. [MS: a report of the climbing can be appended or inserted here, perhaps.] After inspecting the crags and observing and suitably encouraging the members climbing there our party continued over Hen Cloud to drop down to Upper Hulme, only to find another of our leader’s favourite pubs just closed after the lunchtime opening. After a short walk down the main road a footpath was followed which takes quite a direct line up the slopes to the Mermaid (which, typically, was also closed) and the cars. After a brief diversion to a pub in Longnor which was open, the

The YRC Bulletin 76 Summer 2000

Attendance: The Climbs The President, Ian Crowther On the Roaches: Adrian Bridge Valkyrie, 38m VS 4b,4c, Bridge, Josephy & Smith Alan Clare (guest) Damascus Crack, 12m, HS, 4a, Derek Clayton (meet leader) Seaton, D.Wood l & Smith Roy Denney Maud’s Garden, 21m, VD, D.Wood, Iain Gilmour Seaton & Smith Richard Gowing Pedestal Route, 27m, HVD, Bridge & Don Henderson (guest and Josephy former member) West’s Wallaby, 23m, VS, 4c, Bridge David Hick & Seaton Tim Josephy The Sloth, HVS, was climbed to halfway up the overhang by Bridge David Large On Hen Cloud: David Laughton Central Climb, 36m, HS, 4a1, Bridge, David Martindale Josephy & Smith, Seaton & Euan Seaton K2, 30m, S, Large & Whitby Michael Smith The Arete, 30m, VD, Seaton & James Whitby (guest) D.Wood Frank Wilkinson 1 Adrian comments that he would Alan Wood regrade Central Climb (assuming that we were on route); the first Daniel Wood (guest) pitch was more than 4a and the (18 members and guests) second was more like 4c/5a.

Tim Josephy belays Adrian Bridge from under The Sloth overhang on the Roaches

The YRC Bulletin 77 Summer 2000

Not the September Meet Langdale, thanks to the Co-op’s missreading of the food order. The 24th - 26th Sept 1999 buffet meal on Saturday amply At the Joint Meet at Lowstern in restored the expended energy of the March earlier this year Wayfarers day, and an enjoyable, convivial were concerned that there was to be evening cemented the bond between no ‘Joint Meet’ at RLH this year and the three clubs. A clear sky with a indeed several of our members were beautiful full moon enticed many of disappointed and expressed an us out into the evening air to watch intention to go there if invited. Ken the mist float across the fields. The Aldred, a member of both clubs said pity of it all was that we could not be that he would be attending the meet in two places at the same time, as we and if any of our members wanted to would also have liked to have been go, they would be made welcome. over at the Roaches. The Club was granted access to RLH Sunday dawned bright but the fine in 1936 when we had no premises of weather only lasted until two o’ clock, our own and used it occasionally over just sufficient time for another foray the years. In 1947 thirteen Ramblers into the hills for some of us. A plus Wayfarers and Rucksackers were vintage weekend. recorded. By the 1949 meet was F.D Smith called the ‘Joint Meet’ and have since always been well attended and Atendance: enjoyed. The decision to go to RLH YRC was undoubtedly a nostalgic and Ken Aldred several older members plus our Alan Brown antipodean member, all regular Albert Chaman attenders in the past, went. Cliff Cobb The weather forecast suggested heavy Eddie Edwards rain at times and the journey up Mike Godden fulfilled the promise, but Saturday Tony Reynolds dawned a near perfect day, both warm John Schofield and sunny. Mixed groups set off in David Smith all directions and the whole of the Derek Smithson Langdale skyline saw their feet. George Spenceley Views of neighbouring peaks were Trevor Temple (Guest) magnificent; recent rains enhancing Maurice Wilson the lush greens of the valleys. One Wayfarers party ascending the Band to Bowfell, Steve Auty the Crinkles and Pike O’Blisco made Bernie Cook full use of the beautiful sunny day Alan Ferguson finally passing the spot where the Peter Harvey mortal remains of Edward Tregoning Bob Hughs and Stanley Marsden were scattered, Harold Mellor bringing to mind many happy days. David Vickers. Rucksack Ken and Harold Mellor again Neville Coeuille provided excellent fare, The Friday Eric Cook evening meal’s sweet included Bill Rycroft enough rice pudding for the whole of

The YRC Bulletin 78 Summer 2000

86th Annual Dinner Whoop Hall Hotel, Kirby Lonsdale 20 November 1999 Once again the Annual Dinner was held at Whoop Hall in that tiny wedge of Lancashire that separates Yorkshire and Cumbria. The pre-dinner attractions comprised various displays; the very successful South American Expedition and the proposed caving expedition to China in the year 2000 were the highlights, but the on going overseas forward planning, a map of the Corbetts and a proposed visit to Corsica added to the interest. The principal guest was Brendan Jones, a former climber who had opted for a 'safer' pastime, that of free fall parachuting. Despite a parachute failure and cheating death his Adrian Bridge, safeguarded by David Smith, enthusiasm was apparently on Fantasy, pinnacle face, Barrel Buttress, undiminished. The President, Ian Attermire Scar Crowther, gave us a confident speech, this was followed by speeches from Mike Hartland and Alpine Club Vice President, Paul Braithwaite. Some Richard Josephy on a pre-dinner walk round Crummockdale. Photographs: Michael Smith. members were treated to an excellent presentation of spectacular slides taken on the visit to Bolivia, Peru and Chile by Duncan Mackay. The after dinner meet walk was lead by former member John Richards over that small but impressive hill, Farleton Fell, wedged between the M6 and B6254. It is quite an interesting walk through woodlands, across limestone pavements passing outcrops with short varied climbs. The rocky summit provides a splendid panorama of the Lake District and the Kent estuary. Three members climbed on the limestone scar at Attermire, managing to get three climbs in before the temperature dropped too low. David Smith

The YRC Bulletin 79 Summer 2000

Attendance: Tim Josephy Ian Crowther (President) Alan Kay Ken Aldred Mike Kinder Dennis Armstrong Ian Laing John Barton Clifford Large Bruce Bensley David Large Paul Braithwaile (AC) Gerry Lee Adrian Bridge Alan Linford Alan Brown Bill Lofthouse Victor Bugg Tim Lofthouse George Burfitt Harvey Lomas Derek Bush John Lovett Ged Campion Don Mackay Lohn Casperson Duncan Mackay Albert Chapman Tony Margetts (MAM) Iain Chapman David Martindale Clifford Cobb Peter Moss Sean Collins (G) Rory Newman Jeff Cowling (CPC) Sean Penny Arthur Craven Michael Pitt Robert Crowther George Postill Roger Dix Peter Price (G) Eddie Edwards Alister Renton Arthur Evans Chris Renton Darrell Farrant Neil Renton (G) Alan Fletcher Cecil Rhodes (RC) David Gamble (G) Keith Rigby (WC) Mike Godden Peter Roberts (GC) Iain Gilmour Harry Robinson David Handley Arthur Salmon Mike Hartland Graham Salmon Raymond Harben Richard Sealey Colin Hawkins (G) John Schofield John Hemingway David Smith David Hick Michael Smith David Holmes George Spenceley Philip Hopkinson (CC) John Sterland Jeff Hooper Trevor Temple (G) Gordon Humphreys Bill Todd Jason Humphreys Frank Walker (G) Howard Humphreys John Whalley Raymond Ince Frank Wilkinson Brendan Jones (Chief Guest) Michael Wood Richard Josephy 86 attended

The YRC Bulletin 80 Summer 2000

Christmas Meet Hag Dike, Kettlewell 3 - 5 December 1999 The members and guests who attended the last meet of the

Millennium were fortunate to be part trig point. This is puzzling as a group of a highly successful and memorable of us on a previous visit to the area gathering. On the Friday the weather definitely got to the top but didn't see caused some difficulties in getting to any trig point. A large number of Kettlewell with floods ranging from members took the track from the back the Eden Valley to Wharfedale of the farm and climbed Great preventing some members from Whernside before turning south and attending. Two determined members picking up Mossdale Beck. After from Teesside eventually stayed the following the stream down to Kelber night at Lowstern before completing they returned to the hut via their arrival on Saturday morning. Providence Pot . The catering was up Those of us who arrived on Friday to the usual Christmas meet standard afternoon had the pleasure of a warm with a sumptuous dinner receiving building and a welcoming pot of tea compliments from everyone. After the from the organisers who had already meal we retired to the comfort of an been busy making the hut open fired lounge with easy chairs to comfortable. Friday evening saw the enjoy the Bolivian slides of Michael usual split in activities, some cooking Smith and Rory Newman. Then the meals in the hut whilst others made talk turned to Corsica, China, their way back to Kettlewell for a Norway...... etc. and plans for the next meal in the pub. It must be reported millennium. that on this occasion, unlike on a previous visit to Hagg Dike, all Remembering the difficulties of members and guests eventually found Friday's journey some of us set off for their way back to the hut afterwards. home on Sunday morning but not before we had joined in the rescue of The views from Hagg Dike on a member's car with frozen brake Saturday morning were superb. Snow drums. The first ploy was to pour the covered the fells and the early contents of a Thermos over the drum morning sun produced the pink glow but this did nothing for the drum and usually associated with summer dawn very little for the coffee. in the Alps. Unfortunately, the incoming clouds quickly covered the Then two well equipped potholers sky and falling snow remained with us arrived with a Camping Gaz stove. for the rest of the morning. Two minutes on Regulo Three was enough to see the wheel rotating One group, using Silva compass, freely. By this time the morning was altimeter and GPS (whatever that is) looking very attractive and Michael claimed to have been to the top of Smith and Tim decided that they Meugher while others with less couldn't waste such a good day so sophisticated gadgets also made they went across to Knipe Scar, similar claims. As if to prove their contemplated the ice covered rock success they mentioned a before climbing, with the assistance

The YRC Bulletin 81 Summer 2000 of a top rope, Owl Corner (9m S) on Gate Cote Scar before deciding that the weekend was complete. A very satisfying way for anyone to end the Millennium. Ken Aldred Attendance: The President, Ian Crowther Ken Aldred David Atherton Denis Barker Alan Brown Ian Buckner (G) Derek Clayton Alan Clare Albert Chapman Robert Crowther Roy Denney First off! Tim Josephy and David Hick Roger Dix heading towards Great Whernside top from Stuart Dix Hag Dike with Old Cote Moor far behind Eddie Edwards Andrew Duxbury Mike Godden Mike Hartland John Jenkins (G) Iain Gilmour Ralph Hague David Handley David Hick Gordon Humphries Howard Humphries Tim Josephy Gerry Lee Alan Linford Bill Lofthouse Harvey Lomas Tricky traverse en route to Meugher Rory Newman Frank Platt Keith Raby Alister Renton Chris Renton Harry Robinson Arthur Salmon Graham Salmon David Smith Michael Smith Derek Smithson Evidence for the existence of the summit trig George Spencely point. Tim Josephy and Michael Smith Frank Wilkinson

The YRC Bulletin 82 Summer 2000