THE FELL AND ROCK JOURNAL 2016 Ron Kenyon - President 2014-2016, at top of Goldrush (HVS), No 85 Adrar Iffran, Anti-Atlas, Morocco. Edited by Martin Cooper and Andrew Paul Contents Fell and Rock Climbing Club Climbing New Climbs 143 Journal 2016. Lakes 100 James McHaffie 9 Cobbling it Together Dan Hamer 16 Book Reviews 161 Editing Lurking Fear (Gregory and I) Peter Graham 21 Martin Cooper and Andrew Paul Cassin Route Peter Metcalf 24 The Persistence of Memory Roger Wilkinson 31 Design and Typesetting Tatry Adventures Tony Walker 35 Obituaries 206 Andrew Paul A Grand Day Out Ian Stirrups 41 Pabbay 2015 Ron Kenyon 44 Proofreading Maureen Linton-Lee, Simon Jefferies, Accidents and Rescue Phil Powell, Ron Kenyon. A Year to Remember John Wilkinson 52 Obituaries Fractures on the Fells Christina Paul 55 Wendy Dodds Dow Crag Incident Martyn Carr/ Paul Exley 57 Helicopters in Mountain Rescue Richard Tolley 61 Distribution Martin Cooper Front Cover: Upper Grains Ghyll Buttress, Mountain Adventures Allen Crags. Whole Grain (HVS). Climber - All rights reserved. No part of this Paul Clarke. Photo - Richard Tolley publication may be reproduced or St Kilda Alan Hinkes 69 transmitted in any form or by any For Those in Peril on a Ski Mike Cudahy 73 Inside Front Cover/ Half Title: Melbreak and means, electronic or mechanical, in- Fisherfield Adventure Robin Hildrew 78 Buttermere. Photo - Tony Simpkins cluding photocopy, recording, or any The Final Countdown Paula Carter 84 Title Page: Brocken Spectre Photo - John information storage and retrieval sys- Argentinian Andes Mark Gear 88 Holden tem, without permission in writing Simien Mountans of Ethiopia John Moore 96 from the copyright holder. Norway & Greenland 2015 Jim Gregson 100 Opposite: Very Big Springs E7 6c - The Burren, Produced by the Fell and Rock Climb- Ireland, climbers Sam & Ed Hamer. Photo - ing Club of the English Lake District Lakes and the Club Hamer Brothers Limited. Industrial and Provident So- cieties Registration no: 30506R Two years in the Life of the Club..Several 108 Inside Rear Cover: Barre des Ecrins at 5 a.m. Alpine Meet 2016. Photo - Andrew Paul Less a Guidebook ... Steve Scott 119 ISBN: 978-0-85028-06-9 A Bridge to the Past Ron Kenyon 125 Naming of Routes Martin Cooper 127 Printed and bound by Buchanan Bryan ‘n Pirie (Coniston 1930’s) Hattie Harris 134 McPherson Ltd, Scotland Editorial wayside a long time ago – the 'Bill Frindall's of the club will tell you exactly when. It is a celebration of the many achievements of club members. e suspect that the change to the dimen- Particular mention has to be made of 'Lake Climbing Wsions of the Journal, after 110 years, will District Rock', and the winning of the Banff Moun- generate either approval or opprobrium. If noth- tain Film and Book Festival award for the best James McHaffie ing else it will probably lead to some lively guidebook – Steve Scott has written about the discussions. We believe that the time has come genesis and realisation of this guide. The section Dan Hamer to give more prominence to photographs and also contains a number of articles about the paintings, and smarten up the slightly dowdy broader Lake District context in which we enjoy Peter Graham image of the Journal; this is a process which we our playtime. began with the 2014 edition, and have Peter Metcalfe New Routes continue to be found, against all completed with this one. expectation, and the section does not include Enough of form, let's move on to content. We Roger Wilkinson additions in the new Borrowdale guide, which have a wealth of articles about some remarkable will be available by the time this Journal goes to Tony Walker climbing achievements, real evidence of the vital- print. In the Book Review section we have ity of the club, so an entire section is devoted to focussed on climbing and mountaineering books Ian Stirrups these exploits. However the world of mountain which we felt were of some significance, rather walking and ski touring is not overlooked, with a number of pieces about activities in Scotland and than reviewing guidebooks. Ron Kenyon Overseas. Mike Cudahy entertains again, with a We hope everyone finds something within fine piece of writing about his (in)ability as a ski- which provides interest and enjoyment. tourer. This year several events came together to pres- ent a theme . At least two incidents on the fells/ Martin Cooper and Andrew Paul crag required the assistance of the Mountain Rescue, which provided a good snapshot of the quality of our rescue and health services. Inde- pendently, John Wilkinson provided a piece of writing about a year on the crags in 1945, which, ditorial while not its primary purpose, gave an insight into how accidents and rescue were handled then. Finally Richard Tolley, using his knowledge from being part of a rescue team, provided an update on the transition from the R.A.F. Helicop- ter Rescue to a private service. Finally, we have revived a section on the year (well two years actually) in the life of the club. Right: Aiguille Verte and Les Droites. This used to a regular feature, but fell by the Barbara Swindin 6 7 Lakes One Hundred James McHaffie n 2003 I was living in Wales, but all I could think and cliffs I could visit. Over the last few years I’ve Iabout was the project in the Lakes. The idea was done a fraction of the soloing I used to do, and in to climb as many great Lakeland routes as possi- the spring 2014 I began to get reacquainted, re- ble in a day. I’d thought about it since 1999, climbing routes like Fingerlicker, Silly Arete, doing inspired by Big Ron’s circuit in the Peak, but it over ten routes at Gogarth in an afternoon, and took a few years to take root and develop, with running into the Carneddau for routes like The lists I’d make getting tricky beyond eighty routes. Grooves on Llech Ddu. It did feel harder. Routes A week or so before I was going to make my that had felt akin to paths a decade ago seemed first attempt on an overly ambitious list of routes, like they were a much bigger deal. I set off on a route called Exponential Exhaustion When I set my full first list out in March or so I at Kilnsey. I got past a technical wall to better flat felt a pang of despair. It was considerably watered holds, but these were dusty, and a minute of flap- down compared with the original list of decade ping found me in mid-air. The thread, which before, but still looked ridiculous on paper. I appeared good, exploded when I came onto it started to work out realistic timings and these and the rock hit me in the ear with some speed. I made it worse. Maybe people were correct about arrived near the base and Rob Fielding lowered it being a mad idea. me the rest of the way. He turned away in disgust, I’d not booked any work in for the last two which made me worry at first that my ear was weeks of June, hoping to get some good weather hanging off, but there was only a small hole. A during the longest days of the year, and looking trip to A&E left me with stitches, a compression forward to hanging out in the Lakes, visiting strap on my head to prevent cauliflower ear, and family nearby. It turned out to be one of the lucki- slightly dodgy balance for a week or so. It’s still est of weeks, the stars were 'truly aligned’ for it. I the worst fall I’ve taken and could have been worked on an ML assessment on the weekend of much worse, as just before I was going to go for the 14th of June and on the afternoon of the the thread I uncovered a key wire hidden by second day, when my lower body normally feels some vegetation, which is what stopped me. I like it has been done over in an American prison, was a little superstitious at the time and took it as instead it felt fresh; the hauling and climbing in a sign not to attempt the solos. This was a good Yosemite had delivered a good fitness base. thing, as I doubt I would have got close back On the Tuesday of that week I arrived in the then, confidence can only get you so far. It never Lakes feeling a little rough but with fantastic came together again but was always in the back weather and an ace forecast. I headed straight to of my mind. Goats Crag, a tiny outcrop beyond Reecastle, More than a decade later the scheme reap- which I’d not been to before. The views back peared in my thoughts, more as a curiosity at first, towards Scafell and Great End were incredible James McHaffie soloing Central Buttress, Scafell Crag, by headtorch, 3.30 a.m. June 2014. Photo - Adam Hocking looking at lists, thinking about possible routes and I did everything on the cliff before heading to 8 9 the big Goat Crag to go up Praying Mantis and On Sunday, I left Stonethwaite campsite and crack, before bringing Holland up, was some feat I topped out at first light and felt relief, scree- stash an abseil rope on top. Heading down I did a Sophie dropped me at Sheps cafe. Hock picked which dad would speak of in his lectures in the running back down to meet Hock, before couple of E2s I’d not done and, arriving at a tiny me up and we went round to Wasdale and had a Moot Hall in Keswick.