Issue 11 April 2010

W elcome to this edition of the Peak Newsletter. As If you're reading this from a printout, the hyperlinks won't show up (in some cases we do print them). To ever, we're incredibly grateful for contributions and obtain an electronic version in which the hyperlinks feedback. will work, go to the BMC website (www.thebmc.co.uk). Members can have it emailed to them by contacting the The BMC held the 19th meeting of the National BMC office: 0161 445 6111, [email protected] Council on 27 February at which, amongst other items, Area meeting reports were discussed: 'Many of the Area Meetings continue to show very encouraging attendance. It was noted that the Lakes Climbing and Walking Festival takes place in the Duddon Valley on 25-27 June. The Midlands Area is Contents: becoming closely involved with several quarrying Peak Area Meetings issues in Leicestershire with the support of the BMC office. It was noted that the BMC supported the The Peak Area Reps speak proposals to extend the Lakes District and Dales National Parks. It was also agreed that the BMC ShAFF Review should support a mountaineering presence at the National Eisteddfod which is being held in South Be Prepared! Wales this year.' Of note, the Hallam University Climbing Club were accepted for BMC Access Notes membership but disappointing that the Peak Area didn't get more of a mention. Perhaps we can rectify Last Night of the Big Snow this before the next National Council meeting with a record turnout at the next Peak Area meeting... Calendar The next Peak Area meeting is on Wednesday, 14 April, starting at 19:30 at BMC Peak Area Contacts: The Norfolk Arms, Road, 2 Peak Area Chair,Matt Heason: Ringinglow Village, Sheffield, S11 7TS (same [email protected] room at the same venue as the last time). Secretary,Trudi Materna: [email protected] Peak Area Reps (your voice on the BMC National Council): Chris Moor & Neil Foster The Yorkshire Mountaineering Club is now http://community.thebmc.co.uk accepting new members. More information at Newsletter Editors (articles, comments, threats, etc.): www.theymc.org.uk. [email protected] [OK, there's the free plug chaps, now how about an Access Reps Co-ordinator, Henry Folkard: article? Ed] 01298 871 849 Peak Area Meetings clubs that applied got some funding for at least one category: 35 clubs received funding towards websites or newsletters; 37 clubs got funds for equipment; and 35 received money to provide instructor support. In 2010 there is £23,250 to allocate: By Trudi Materna (the Sec) £7000 for developing club websites & newsletters: This funding enables clubs to improve the quality of existing club websites or newsletters There was a snag with the booking for this month's or to develop new websites or newsletters. meeting as the original venue was unavailable. Fortunately the kind people at the Norfok Arms in £5000 for purchase of mountaineering Ringinglow have stepped into the breach and that's equipment: This category assist clubs in taking on where we'll be for the meeting on 14 April, stating at and supporting novices and young members who 19:30. With the BMC AGM only a few days later, it is a may not yet possess all of the mountaineering chance to inform our Area Reps, Chris and Neil about equipment they need. our Area priorities and the opportunity to nominate proxies for voting at the AGM, should you wish to do £11,250 for instructor support for clubs: so. This funding enables clubs to employ professional instructors to provide training to novice members – so to support the club in being able to welcome The Peak Area Rep bit novices. The closing date for applications this year is 30 April 2010 and all applications should be submitted by email to [email protected]

By Chris Moor & Neil Foster Trudi has already mentioned the AGM. The Peak Area meeting on 14 April is your chance to tell us, your Representatives on the Council, what your opinions and thoughts are. The majority of BMC members are Individual members, although many of us also belong to clubs. Of interest to those people who are in clubs, and possibly an incentive for those considering joining a club is the funding available from the BMC.

BMC Affiliated Clubs can apply to the BMC for this year’s allocation of financial support to help clubs develop communications, buy equipment and provide instructor support to members. This is the second year of four years of funding, thanks to the BMC's successful application to Sport England for funding in 2008. Last year, the first year of funding was gratefully BMC Communities website The BMC Community website community at received by clubs. In total 80 clubs applied and http://community.thebmc.co.uk is up and running. although we were oversubscribed, the majority of Take a look!

Peak Area Newsletter – Issue 11 April 2010 2 ShAFF Review night were Sheffield circuit legends ‘Mojo & The Beatnicks’ performing in front of a warmed up By Simon Jacques Showroom audience with special guest Si Jacques.

The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival (ShAFF) Following some live Jazz on a laid back Sunday has now matured into its 5th successive year and was afternoon, Si & Laura performed a gentle the biggest and most diverse yet. Set over the afternoon set of original music, rounding off the very weekend of 12-14 March under the careful musical weekend nicely. management of Heason Events, ShAFF has managed to gain the respect of the festival circuit in a The Café Bar was also home to a chill area with a relatively short space of time with 100% of those reading corner and rock climbing Legend Ron attending in 2009 asked if they would attend again in Fawcett gave a reading from his brand new book 2010 stating they definitely would. 'Rock Athlete' on Friday night.

This year's event saw event organiser Matt Heason The Inaugural Arc'teryx Adventure Shot took adapting very much a place on Saturday night team approach via a at ShAFF. The packed dedicated band of venue was thoroughly ‘Heason Events entertained by stand- Volunteers’ who were up comedian and easily recognisable by climber Niall Grimes by their ShAFF T-shirts, means of a pub-style who toiled away all quiz. The four winners weekend to create a of the quiz each truly memorable received an Arc'teryx weekend. fleece worth £100.

ShAFF’s films are its Following the quiz, staple diet of exciting photographers Adam adventure features Long, Alex Ekins, showcased in high Richard Siepp, definition, for a taster of these go to Robbie Shone and Alexander Buisse each had www.shaff.co.uk/films/ to watch the trailer. five minutes with which to wow the audience with their photos, set to music. In third place, and However this year’s essential elements of the festival winning an Arc'teryx jacket, was Adam Long. In were enriched by the introduction of some tasty second place, winning a jacket and trousers, was treats for the ShAFF audiences. Robbie Shone. And in first place, having qualified for the competition as a winner of an on-line To start with, there was live music throughout the competition at UKClimbing was Frenchman weekend. This was predominately acoustic sessions Alexander Buisse, who took away £500 in cash plus in the bars, kicking off on Friday night with Simon Arc'teryx jacket and trousers to the value of £1,000. Jacques and Nancy Richardson before the Alex has kindly posted his winning composition introduction of folk band The Keltones who online for all to see. http://vimeo.com/10075506. entertained the main bar. Ever present throughout the weekend were 2 Saturday saw the return of Si & Nancy with an galleries from two Simon’s, Holmfray & Jacques. “Open Mike” afternoon, which saw some great Simon Holmfray's gallery ‘Living Art 3’ was collaborations and jamming. Headliners on Saturday

3 © British Mountaineering Council 2010 displayed throughout the Showroom and was Director: Alun Hughes stunning. Runners Up: Samsara & Surfing The 50 States

A more frugal pared down gallery by Simon Jacques Best ShAFF On The Edge Film focussed on BMC Access issues to banned land areas Winner: Signatures entitled ‘You can look…’ in the Café Bar. Director: Nick Waggoner Runners Up: Coast To Coast & Mustang - A Journey Of Aside from the main events in the Showroom, Transformation ShAFF On The Edge at Café Euro on John Street was a fringe event, where people watched films for Judges: Ian Parnell, Lucy Creamer & Si free. Back at the Showroom, in Screen 5 all weekend Homfray. there was an array of stands including Demand DVD, Physiotherapy and Yoga In all ShAFF 2010 was a weekend with something for Shala Sheffield both offering free consultations all adventure buffs, and you didn’t need to be a film and taster sessions, and also a second hand kit sale, fan to enjoy the weekend with the fringe events which was a great success. adding to the experience. Spread the word as ShAFF 2011 looks to be the best yet, see you there… On Sunday evening after all the films and music The 2010 ShAFF Film Award Winners were announced by Matt Heason and Ian Parnell as The bus is back! follows: (www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/stanagebus) The 284 bus (timetable) between Sheffield Interchange, Best Film Stanage and Railway Station runs on Winner: Alone On The Wall Summer Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays until 24 Directors: Pete Mortimer & Nick Rosen October 2010 (and still only £2 to Stanage) with space Runner Up: The Asgard Project for bikes and climbing gear. The BMC-run Access and Conservation Trust (ACT), National Park Best Climbing Film Authority and the Stanage Forum have again contributed funding to make this possible. Now Runners Up: Alone On The Wall, Single Handed, The featuring bio-diesel, please use the bus to help protect Asgard Project & To The Rainbow the environment and enhance the Stanage experience. Best Non-Climbing Film Winner: Mount Saint Elias Director: Gerald Salmina Runners Up: Surfing 50 States & Take A Seat BE PREPARED! By Keith Montgomery Best Adrenaline Film Winner: Revolution 1 As an outdoor enthusiast you’ll be Director: Dan Heaton well aware of the perils of not Runners Up: Africa Revolutions Tour & White Noise preparing properly for the outdoors so I hope you’ll bear with Best Short Film me if this article “preaches to the Winner: Uruca converted”. You may find it Director: Erick Gregorovski interesting, you may want to pass it on to someone Runners Up: Art, Take My Strong Hand & The Cable Car not as experienced or you may just find something that you weren’t aware of. Best Spirit Of Adventure Film Winner: Birdman Of The Karakoram Many Mountain Rescue (MR) callouts could be prevented if the “casualties” had spent more time

Peak Area Newsletter – Issue 11 April 2010 4 preparing for their day out or had recognised • Hypothermia is a big problem even in our problems before they became serious. The following moderate climate so be aware of warning signs. list is in no particular order of importance nor is it Watch out for the “umbles” – mumbles, grumbles, exhaustive in its content. stumbles and fumbles! All of these are signs of hypothermia but the early stages can easily be • I know this sounds so obvious but dress for the rectified if noticed early enough. weather conditions. Not just what the weather is doing when you leave the house but what the • Unfortunately, even the best laid plans go weather is likely to be doing 6 hours later. Use the wrong so you should know what to do in an web to determine what the forecast is for the area emergency. First of all, phone 999, ask for the police you’re walking in. My favourite site for this area is and then Mountain Rescue. Give the operator your www.mwis.org.uk/mountain/PD.PDF but there are exact position (GPS helps) and the circumstances of others. the emergency. After giving your position, stay exactly where you are. MR search parties find it • Plan your route and then leave a route card with difficult looking for a moving target! Try to make the a friend, family member or anyone who is likely to casualty as comfortable as possible out of the miss you if you are overdue elements - a tent or a lightweight shelter are worth their weight in gold. • Make sure your equipment is compatible with the weather conditions. Summer walking requires Some of it is obvious but nevertheless often entirely different kit to a walk in the depths of overlooked. I’ve been on a number of searches at winter. Even then, we all get caught out. I’ve been night where the missing persons have had no choice running on the Roaches in May and been caught in a but to call us out because they hadn’t got a torch!! freak snow storm!! Every year we frequently get called out at night to search for missing persons because they’ve • No matter what time of year you go out certain miscalculated the distance of the walk and found pieces of kit are essential. Map, compass, food, drink, themselves benighted miles from the nearest road whistle, torch, watch, first aid kit, hat, gloves, head. I hope this information has been of some use to waterproof jacket and trousers and spare warm top. you as outdoor enthusiasts. If it has, please pass it on You’ll also need a comfortable rucksack to carry it all to anyone who is, perhaps, less experienced and who in! If you think that’s over the top in terms of kit, might also find it useful. imagine what would happen if you got caught up in an emergency situation. It’s late on in the day, you’ve been sweating through exertion and you’re tired and hungry. It’s getting cold and dark and you’ve come across a severely injured casualty who you’re going to have to stay with for a few hours before MR can get there. You’ll be glad of the extra kit and it means Learning to Train: Climbing Technique we have one less hypothermic casualty to deal with. at The Foundry, Sheffield, 27 May 2010 A one-day BMC workshop for people coaching climbing • Be aware of the medical conditions of the who have attended a BMC FUNdamentals of Climbing members of your party. If someone has a heart Workshop. Broaden your knowledge of athlete condition make sure you are aware of how to cope development, and develop your coaching techniques for with any problems. If someone is diabetic, take indoor and outdoor climbing. Workshop Cost: £65 for Lucozade or Dextrose tablets. Make sure everyone in BMC members and £80 for non-members. Course fee your party stays within their own physical comfort includes wall entry fee. An on-site café sells lunch and zone. refreshments. Directions can be found at: www.foundryclimbing.com or by phoning 0114 279 6331.

5 © British Mountaineering Council 2010 Access Notes strictly only between the concessionary path along the top of the edge and the public right of way below it. There is no such formal exception in the case of Bamford Edge.

By Henry Folkard The Stanage Bus no 284 will be running again this year on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays between 28 March and 24 October. It starts at Sheffield Dateline: 2 April 2010 Interchange and is routed via Hunters Bar to Stanage Dennis Knoll (same as High Neb) to Hathersage As I remember the lyric it went something like railway station. The return fare is only £2. Do use it if you can. It has been supported again this year, by De Spring is sprung ACT amongst others, but does require a subsidy of Der grass is ris about £10k per annum which is increasingly difficult I wonder where dem boidies is to find.

Its bird restriction time of year again. As this note The Millstone, Burbage, Houndkirk area is now goes to press at the end of March no restrictions under temporary new management by the National have been notified, but by the time of the meeting Trust. There is no change in ownership, but there is a there may well be some. Ring Ouzels are back at change in grazier, which is why you may notice some Stanage, but not yet showing nesting behaviour. new fencing beside the Hathersage road, and fewer Ravensdale and the Roaches / Hen Cloud will sheep on this road at Millstone and Fox House. be sites to watch. There are no raven restrictions at Millstone this year. Up to date information will be posted on site, on the BMC’s RAD database and in local climbing walls and retail outlets. It is as well to check before you go since the situation can change rapidly – up to three times a week. If in doubt be guided by on site signs.

The regular restrictions for Bamford, Moscar and Derwent Moors have been notified and are:

15 - 28 May 1 - 4 June 7 - 11 June 14 - 18 June

Remember that the major issue on grouse moors is dogs. That’s all dogs, even one’s pet pooch that has never misbehaved. Dogs are banned at all times on these moors, even if they are on a lead. If owners take them to the moors during breeding and nesting season they do get shot from time to time if the keeper is about. Rights on public rights of way are not affected by the closures. And whilst the restricted area includes all of Stanage between the Long Causeway and the Snake Road the landowner kindly allows access to the crag for climbing, but

Peak Area Newsletter – Issue 11 April 2010 6 Thanks to people various – of whom there were find out what is happening. Do come if you can: a many besides Regional Access Rep Reuben Brown – strong attendance is important politically. who in one way or another facilitated a little gentle pruning at Cratcliffe and Yarncliffe, so that you If you have particular interest in climbing in can now see the crags. All done with proper Leicestershire please have a word at the Area permissions too. Meeting. The BMC is exploring the question of after use of a number of quarries for recreation, though at Yes, we do know about the Eastern Edges crags this early stage it is not clear what progress we will and hopefully we will get a plan drawn up with the be able to make. Still, nothing ventured, nothing new land managers as a priority. They are aware of gained. our concerns that over exuberant recent growth has obscured important landscape features and accepted in principle the need for some proper woodland management. Interviews for the post of Site Manager are on 9 April. The arrangements are that after the formal interview with employers each of the five short listed candidates will have a second less formal session with Adam Long and myself. And thanks to Adam and Ben Bransby for obliging the BBC’s Countryfile with ascents of Flying Buttress Direct and Tippler Direct and talking about ring ouzels. The ten minutes that was actually screened had all mention of the BMC edited out!

On Limestone we are continuing our dialogue with Natural England on drawing up a proper management plan for Stoney Middleton. These things take time. The Staden / Cowdale proposals will receive renewed attention after Easter. In Cheedale ACT has agreed in principle to offer matching funding in support of a proposal by Wildlife Trust for remedial work on the riverside path below the Cornice and opposite Chee Tor.

The never ending saga of Backdale, Peak Pastures, Wagers Flat and Beacon Rod Somewhere in Leicestershire... continues. There are reports that the owner of the 1952 planning permission for Backdale, having lost The Peak District Walking Festival is launched, his case in the Court of Appeal and failed in his by Andy Cave, on 24 April in . It runs from petition to the House of Lords, has now taken his then to 9 May, and there will be some copies of the case to the European Court claiming that his human programme available at the Area Meeting. rights have been infringed by these rulings. The ramifications of the purchase by Mexichem of Ineos The BMC Conference Understanding the Fluor (but not all of it, and not including Glebe Uplands held on 18 March at Losehill Hall was well Mines) are not yet clear. However, there is a meeting attended and attracted high quality presentations of the Save Longstone Edge campaign in from a number of speakers. A full Conference report Calver Village Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 13 is available at: April 2010, and this will be as good a place as any to

7 © British Mountaineering Council 2010 http://community.thebmc.co.uk/Event.aspx?id=202 Please click on Event Reports (the grey tab next to Event Information) to access the seven power point presentations. It is well worth a trawl.

The BMC's Regional Access Database (RAD) has up to date information on all crags in England and Wales. Otherwise access rep contact details are in the BMC Members Handbook and on the BMC web site. Most access reps are at most Area Meetings if there are any points you want to raise with them, or you can always phone me on 01298 871 849 or the Regional Access Officer, Guy Keating, on 0161 438 3309 ([email protected]).

Last Night of the Big Snow by Jolyan 'Jools' Turrall (www.jolyanturrall.com)

A record of an unforgettable night at Stanage by the inimitable Jools.

Peak Area Newsletter – Issue 11 April 2010 8 July 3-4 Cliffhanger (including Bouldering World Cup), Sheffield.

August 1-15 BMC Alpine Meet at Bregaglia, Switzerland.

September 15 Peak Area meeting, Glossop TBC. 24-26 Pinnacle Club Open Meet in the Peak District.

November 24 Peak Area meeting AGM, TBC.

The Froggatt to Black Rocks guide is set for Calendar Worldwide release in May. A snip at £20 to BMC members (£24 non-members) from There is a comprehensive calendar on the BMC www.bmcshop.co.uk. Community website; this one covers stuff of mainly Peak Area interest. If you have an item for inclusion 'worth the wait? Reckon so. Worth the weight? contact us at [email protected]. The Newsletter is Hell yeah!' Niall Grimes. published a week before the Peak Area meetings. The Peak District National Park Authority has its Rangers out again this year with their popular guided walks.

April 14 Peak Area meeting, from 19:30 on Wednesday Thanks to Duncan Bourne again for his contribution 14th April at The Norfolk Arms at Ringinglow Village, S11 of the cartoon. You can see his other work at 7TS. 16-18 BMC AGM weekend,in conjunction with the www.duncanbourne.co.uk. South Wales Mountaineering Club. Venue is the Worm’s Head Hotel, Rhossili, Gower peninsula. 24 BMC Leading Ladder Final, Leeds Wall.

May 5 BMC Rock Climbing Masterclasses, Leeds. 6 BMC Rock Climbing Masterclasses, Nottingham. 9-16 BMC International Sea Cliff Climbing Meet, Cornwall (a great opportunity to try something new and make new friends). 16 Eyam half-marathon, limited to 500 runners.

June 9 Peak Area meeting, Ramshaw TBC. 12 BMC Youth climbing Series Final, EICA Ratho, Edinburgh. 26-27 British Bouldering Championships, Sheffield.

9 © British Mountaineering Council 2010