Shrewsbury Mountaineering Club Friends in High Places

Newsletter, May 2016.

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From the Editor

“It’s the lusty month of May when everyone This Issue: goes astray”, so the saying goes ; whatever it means I leave to your imagination. But, the 3. First Aid bulletin: Dealing with an Uncon- delightful thing is that summer is really here at scious Person. last and you will see from this month’s news- 4. Meet by Heather Smith. letter that there is a full range of different ac- 5. Welsh 3000’s Reccy by Gareth Egarr. tivities which the Shrewsbury Mountaineering Club has programmed over the next few 6. The Orkney Islands (Part 1) by Jan months. Campbell. Do get involved - since the club relies on peo- 7. Upcoming Meets and Events by Jan ple turning up to support the different events Campbell. every week and at week-ends. 8.Grinshill Climbing by Tony Mills and the Every year, at the beginning of May, I attend Thursday Evening Climbing Programme by the Bala Beano on the lakeside in Bala in Mid- Scott Pardoe. Wales. In the past, the weather has been ap- 9. Tuesday Walking and Biking Evenings by palling and although not an official club meet it Rick Robson. was great to see several SMC members en-

joying the out of character weather - sunshine with the occasional shower! Organised by Jan and Rick Robson, the Bala Beano is a great marker in the beginning of the outdoor camp-

ing season and heralds exciting outdoor activi- ties during the warmer summer weather ahead. As well as looking ahead, there are some in- teresting reports in this edition of your news- letter from members about recent mountain- eering expeditions in the , Wales and Scotland. I hope you find them exciting reading. Front Cover: “Descent of Fairfield” in the Lake District photo by Mark Bayliss on the Patterdale

Meet (see Heather Smith’s article on page 4 Editor: Grahame James, [email protected], Phone of the newsletter.) 01743 248494

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First Aid

Dealing with an unconscious but breathing person. The first thing to do if someone is unconscious is to summon help (see the Summoning Help bulletin in the January 2016 newsletter). If someone is unconscious but breathing then open up their airway by gently tilting the head back, check for breathing by looking and listening. Then put the person in the “recovery po- sition” by gently lying them on their side. However, if you suspect a spinal injury then gently lift the jaw to improve the airway but avoid any movement of the neck.

Dealing with an unconscious person who is not breathing. If someone is unconscious but not breathing then CPR ( cardiopulmonary resuscitation) should be started immediately: apply chest compressions with the “heel of the hand” at 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Then open the airway as before and give two full inflations to the mouth or nose “rescue breaths” at one per second. If the person starts breathing then place in the recovery position as for a person who is unconscious but breathing. In the next addition of the newsletter, we look at diabetes and how to provide first aid in the mountains if needed.

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Patterdale 22-24 April 2016

Heather Smith writes: Nine SMC members attended the Patterdale meet staying at the George Starkey hut which as huts go, was pretty comfortable. I arrived on the Friday morning and walked up Gowbarrow via Yew Crag from , enjoying warm sunshine and the views across . Saturday began cold with bright sunshine and blue skies and several of us (me, Adrian, Tom, Tracy and Mark) headed for St. Sunday Crag and did the grade 3 scramble up Pinnacle Ridge. We continued to Fairfield, crossing paths with Alenka, Gareth and Richard who were on their way down having done Striding Edge and . Tom kicked his way up the remaining patch of snow which proved too slippery for Mark who took a slide back down!

Above: photo by Gareth Egarr of Striding Edge and Helvellyn in the Lake District. It was a fulfilling (if tiring) day and on returning to the hut for tea and cake we caught up with Dave Stanley who had walked from Dockray taking an interesting ridge route up to ‘’. That evening an advance party of four of us went to the White Lion pub and had an entertaining time trying to get tables and order food (it was very busy) and everyone eventually ate hearty portions of fish and chips! Sunday started a little damp with sleet/rain – enough to get waterproof leggings on before the sun put in an appearance. I enjoyed a lowish level walk around Gowbarrow Fell with Mark, rounding the weekend off nicely with a cream tea. Dave set off on a walk which involved taking the steamer across Ullswater, and everyone else enjoyed a walk from the hut to Angle Tarn and ‘The Knott’.

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Thanks to those of you who went (sorry our co-ordinator Alek couldn’t make it in the end) and hopefully we can look forward to a return visit in the near future.

Photo below: by Heather Smith of the Grade 3 Scramble on Pinnacle Ridge, St. Sunday Crag in the Lake District.

Welsh 3000’s Reccy – The Carneddau – 10 April 2016 by Gareth Egarr. Nine of us completed the 14 mile walk over the seven 3000 foot peaks of the Carneddau range. After a delayed start owing to a prolonged “car-faff” to leave cars at the end we completed the walk in 7.5 hours. I say there were nine of us; eight did the linear walk from Llyn Ogwen (East end) to the car park near Abergwyngregyn. Joe North walked from the West end of Ogwen to Foel Fras and back again, a longer walk but without the car journeys at the start and finish. This has to be the preferred way but you need to be fit! As a reccy for those planning on tackling the 3000’s in June it was useful, especially for finding the indistinct path down to the reservoir (which I had never found in the dark!) For those wanting a day out in the mountains it was a really good day. The weather was better than forecast and we en- joyed fabulous views over Snowdonia and Anglesey, even being able to see Holyhead on the north coast clearly. The only negative was the constant north-easterly wind which left us all with that wind-burn fake tan look!

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The Orkney Islands (Part 1) by Jan Campbell.

Following a very good two weeks with Judy Preece, Jane Holmes and Liz Carr in Scour- ie and Talmine, I swapped my passenger , Liz, for my bike (which had been on the back of Jane’s car) and headed for the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness. This is only a short crossing of an hour and a half and you get the pleasure of passing along the west side of Hoy and thus getting a clear view of the Old Man of Hoy. The Old Man was first climbed by Chris Bonington in 1966 and later it achieved a huge level of fame when he repeated the ascent live on television in 1967. The original route is now graded E1 5b***. When I was much younger, I aspired to persuade someone to drag me up it; on having seen it for myself I am now mightily relieved that no-one volun- teered. It is a tottering heap of suspect sandstone on top of a basalt base and the scram- ble descent from the cliff to reach the base looks horrendous; this may explain the pres- ence of a huge abseil post on the cliff top. Some SMC members have climbed it includ- ing Dave Laddiman accompanied by Martin Moran as guide. Dave did lead the top pitch and was greeted on the summit by two puffins - a real highlight, but not so much as the highlight of sharing the route with Catherine Destivelle who was being filmed soloing it at the same time.

Photo below: The Old Man of Hoy, Orkney Islands in Scotland by Jan Campbell.

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I spent the first week on Orkney in a self-catering apartment in Stromness which was a good base for exploring Mainland, the largest island, and for getting over to Hoy. I went with my bike on the passenger ferry from Stromness to Moaness, cycled the 6 miles to Rackwick and then walked the 3 miles along the coast to see the Old Man. It is a well-worn path and just as you are pottering across the moorland watching the skuas there it is all of a sudden on the horizon; the top of this 137m of sea stack peeping over the cliff top. On top of all this the weather was glorious, people were having picnics and the gulls were looking on expectantly. A brilliant day out!

Upcoming Meets / Events by Jan Campbell. 28 May- 4 June, Isle of Mull. Camping at Fidden Farm which is near the Iona ferry. This is an idyllic spot recommended by Clive Dean and Joe Penfold. Climbing nearby, sea kayaking straight from the site and good walking including Ben More, which was my last Munro 10 years ago! Eagles, puffins, the island of Staffa (Fingal’s cave) etc. Tim Tindle is planning on bringing his boat round there too, so possibly some sailing? Do book your ferry a.s.a.p if you want to go across on Sat- urday 28 May…the mid afternoon ferries are already full as it is Bank holiday. Contact Jan Campbell [email protected] 01743236692 / 07747 880334. 17-18 June, A Clwt y Bel weekend. Some people will be doing the Welsh 3000s with some in a supporting role. Others can practise bits of the route in readi- ness for a full attempt at a later date..or just come along anyway! Contact:Gareth Egarr [email protected] or 01743 344619 or 07967387575 Tuesday 21 June, ‘Over the hill’ meet. This meet has being going for years. Traditionally a day for people in work to knock off early or take the whole day off or for the self-employed/retired to relish a day’s climbing mid-week without crowds. Usually going to a ‘classic area such as the Llanberis Pass. Contact: Rick Robson. [email protected] or 01743 884786 or 07506 065312 1-2 July, Welsh wild camp. Venue is up for discussion, but the Rhinogs may be favoured as being really wild! …contact Gareth if you are interested. Con- tact:Gareth Egarr [email protected] or 01743 344619 or 07967387575 15-16 July, Yorkshire walking and climbing. Here’s your opportunity to check out Yorkshire grit with a local i.e. Adrian Wilcock. Contact: adrianwil- [email protected] or 07952 298365 22-23 July, Family meet at Clwt y Bel. There was an enormously successful family meet at the hut a couple of years ago. Grace Chillingworth is planning anoth- er meet which will suit all ages. Contact: [email protected] or 07805 288393 29 Oct - 5 Nov, El Chorro in Spain. A brilliant area for all grades of climbing, walking, mountain biking and the spectacular Caminito del Rey which has reo- pened. Contact Grahame James a.s.a.p [email protected] 01743 248494

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Tony Mills writes: Grinshill Climbing High Sports and Shrewsbury Mountaineering Club are running two public climbing sessions on 28/07/16 and 04/08/16. These sessions will be at Grinshill from mid-afternoon onwards and the climbers have changed their climbing night to accommodate this. Any extra help would be appreciated. More details will follow nearer the time.

Thursday Evening Climbing Programme June / July 2016 Meeting times to be confirmed by email or contact Scott Pardoe (07805 825762) on the day. There will usually be a group going from Radbrook at 18.00 to share lifts.

Date Venue Location 2/06/16 Dinbren SJ218444

9/06/16 Llanymynech SJ271220

16/06/16 Craig Rhiwarth SJ074291

23/06/16 Nesscliffe SJ385199

30/06/16 Worlds End SJ234478

7/07/16 Ippikins SO571965

14/07/16 Twilight SJ224461

21/07/16 Llanymynech SJ271220

28/07/16 Pinfold SJ222453

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Tuesday Walking and Biking Evenings June / July 2016 Meet at 7.30pm or 9.00pm onwards at the pub or contact Rick Robson for further details on 01743 884786.

Date Meeting Place Grid Reference Pub Afterwards 7/06/16 Co-op carpark; The Houseman, Church Stretton 451938 Church Stretton

14/06/16 The Barley Mow Moelydd and The Barley Mow Pub, Pub, Treflach Mynydd Myfyr. Treflach Road, Tre- Road, Trefonen. fonen.

21/06/16 Batch Valley, All 455955 The Horseshoes, Stretton Dorrington Over The Hill Tbd. ( Rick )

28/06/16 Stiperstones Inn 363004 Stiperstones Inn

5/07/16 Mytton Arms, Hab- 400035 Mytton Arms, Hab- berley berley 12/07//16 Motte & Bailey. 422022 The White Pulverbatch Horse,Pulverbatch

19/07/16 Womerton 458972 The Pound, Leebot-

wood 26/07/16 Mitchells Fold 302977 Miner’s Arms, Priest-

( Bend in the road) weston

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