GRITSTONE CLUB NEWS November 2013 On the summit of Carn A’Chlamain - Ian’s Final Munro FORTHCOMING MEETS Christmas Party Meet 5 – 7 December Co-ordinator: John Hutchinson, catering by Lynn Moss The party meet this year is at the YRC hut at Lowstern, Clapham. Please contact John as soon as possible so numbers are known. Spanish Theme New Year's Meet 27 December – 02 January Co-ordinator: Susan Melia The New Year Meet at the Smithy will be a mixture of walking on the tops and sitting by the fire … hopefully with blue sky , cloud inversions and snow to try Kahtoola microspikes that many members have invested in this last year ! As quite a few of us have been to Spain & Mallorca in 2013, the communal New Year's Eve Supper will have a Spanish Theme of Tapas , Chuleta de Caballo‏, Paella & Spanish deserts (Gateaux Basque and Flan), and of course Sangria. Anyone intending to come for the New Year Supper please let Susan know . Smithy Meet 16 – 17 January Co-ordinator: John Ward Annual General Meeting Thursday 23 January 19:45 The Dyneley Arms, Pool, LS21 1ET Ribblehead Meet 15 – 16 February Co-ordinator: TBA Scottish Winter Meet 22 February – 1 March Co-ordinator: Ian Hargreaves Location TBC Please contact Ian if you are intending to come so that he has an idea of numbers. Smithy Meet 15 – 16 March Co-ordinator: TBA Spring Hot Rock - France 5 – 14 April Co-ordinator: Andy Causer Climbing and Walking trip. Accommodation at Calames in the Ariege, Southern France (see www.basecalames.com). There are flights from Manchester to Toulouse. Smithy Meet 26 – 27 April Co-ordinator: TBA 2 FORTHCOMING MEETS Scottish Spring Bank Meet 23 – 31 May Location: Arran or Skye Co-ordinator:Tom Greenwood “Le Tour de Yorkshire” - Ribblehead 4 – 5 July Co-ordinator: John Anderson Snowdonia Cwm Dyli hut 8 – 10 August Co-ordinator: Andrew Dyson The Hut has been booked - http://pinnacleclub.co.uk/club-hut/ Please note the weekend in your diary. MEET IDEAS FOR 2014 Susan Melia has taken on the role of Meet List Co-ordinator, and is in the process of seeking ideas for and volunteers to co-ordinate next year’s meets. For the ones listed below, please contact the relevant co-ordinator if you are interested, to firm up on the numbers, date and detail. More ideas welcome! New Member Meet 21 – 22 June Bring a Prospective New Member to the Smithy for the weekend, with Saturday night meal. Co-ordinator: Susan Melia Devon & Cornwall Rock & Walking Late Spring or Early Autumn Co-ordinatior: Nigel Calaghan Western Lakes (Wasdale Head Hotel, NT Campsite or YHA) Co-ordinator: John Belbin Ribblehead Caving An easy caving trip for those members who have never explored the underground world form Ribblehead Co-ordinator: Chris Ambler Gaping Ghyll Spring Bank Co-ordinator: Chris Ambler High Level Camp for Walking & Climbing - Pillar Peak Co-ordinator: Chris Ambler Elphin SMC hut - North of Ullapool, with views of Suilven Co-ordinator: Chris Ambler 3 FORTHCOMING MEETS Pyrenean Haute Route (E. from Gavarnie) 2nd half July Co-ordinator: Susan Melia Shropshire Cycling September? Co-ordinator: Gillian Travis Crete Early October Walking in the White Mountains Co-ordinator: Andrew Dyson Mourne Mountains Long weekend - September? Co-ordinator: Steve Skelton Morocco trekking February or March 2015 A trip to the Atlas mountains Co-ordinator: Andrew Dyson Climbing Meets 2014 Initial Ideas Co-ordinator: Mick Green Early Hot Rock February Turkey, Morocco or Southern Spain SW Climbs Road Trip Mix trad and sprint Verdun Gorge Summer Trip USA Road Trip Autumn Cheddar Gorge/Wye Valley Long Weekend DAY WALKS Tuesday 3 December Luddenden Dean, Calderdale. Andrew Dyson Tuesday 17 December From Digley Reservoir near Holmfirth Bill Hunter If you would like to volunteer to arrange a walk then I would be glad to hear from you. Information on venues and meeting arrangements will be published on the Club website, and sent by email to those on the “Day Walkers” distribution list. If you would like to be added to the “Day Walkers” email list, then please send your email address to me. Ian Hargreaves 4 WEDNESDAY EVENING WALKS 20-Nov-2013 Station Hotel, Harecroft SE084357 27-Nov-2013 The Old Cock, Otley SE203453 04-Dec-2013 The Greyhound, Saxton SE476369 11-Dec-2013 The Turkey, Goose Eye SE028405 18-Dec-2013 The Beehive, Ripponden SE033199 01-Jan-2014 Brown Cow, Bingley (supper) SE105393 08-Jan-2014 The Clarendon Inn, Hebden SE025632 15-Jan-2014 Barge & Barrel, Elland. SE107214 22-Jan-2014 Dog & Partridge, Sowood. SE076182 29-Jan-2014 Bull's Head, Baildon SE154396 05-Feb-2014 Harewood Arms, Follifoot SE343524 12-Feb-2014 Gardners Arms, Bilton SE315577 19-Feb-2014 Old White Beare, Norwood Green SE140270 26-Feb-2014 Woolpack, Esholt SE183403 05-Mar-2014 The Grouse, Oldfield. SE010383 12-Mar-2014 Sun Inn, Norwood SE207539 19-Mar-2014 Shoulder of Mutton, Mytholmroyd SE011258 26-Mar-2014 New Inn, Cononley SD988469 02-Apr-2014 Fleece, Haworth SE030371 09-Apr-2014 Greyhounds, Killinghall SE286587 16-Apr-2014 Anglers Retreat, Wintersett SE381156 23-Apr-2014 Hunters Inn SE250464 Be at pub prompt for 7:30 departure CLIMBING 17 November 2013 Leading Ladder Leeds wall 24 November 2013 Leading ladder Leeds wall WEDNESDAY EVENING CLIMBING 13 November 2013 18:00 Leeds Wall 20 November 2013 18:00 Depot For more details see the website or contact Mick Green CLUB WEBSITE You are reminded of the club website which contains latest information on forthcoming meets / events and also lots of other information. Address is www.gritstoneclub.org.uk 5 MEET REPORTS Haute Randonnée Pyrénéenne - Hendaye to Lescun July 2013 or Bimbling through Basque Country past Hydrangeas and Hunters’ Hides beneath the gaze of bearded Vultures. On a Tuesday walk, Ian Macmillan said the HRP was one of the best long distance routes he had walked, compliment indeed from such a seasoned walker. A September Gritstone Meet across the HRP was decided upon by JA, AD, IH and SM as a change from the Alps. Further research revealed that the first section through the Basque Country could be very rainy, very misty and very humid. Not to mention no actual sign posting on the ground and the need to carry camping kit due to a lack of refuges! Anyone less mad would be put off. But not us. Weather checks in June had continuous rain as the constant theme so Ponchos were purchased too. Due to such inviting conditions JA and IH decided to let the advanced ‘reconnoitre party’ of AD and SM complete the first section and report back! So we flew from Manchester to Bilbao, co-incidentally bumping into Ian M ‘en route’ to Geneva and an Argentiere walking trip .....there is no stopping his new knees now! Standing on the beach at Hendaye at 5:30 pm, the Mediterranean Coast seemed a long way off at 800 Km, but from past long distance GR experiences, the pleasure is in the journey not the destination. Soon the busy streets of Hendaye were left behind and we were walking through lush green fields, huge pink hydrangeas of a size never encountered Pelaton at Biriatou in the UK, and a general impression of gentle Lake District walking, the difference being the humid heat which was to be our constant companion over 6 MEET REPORTS this 10 day walk. Biriatou was the first authentic Basque village we walked to and the game of Pelaton rather like Real Tennis was being played in the cooler evening heat. The court had high racked seating and the whole village seemed to have turned out to watch the game, the men dressed in crisp white shirts , hitting the ball with their hands at great speed. The HRP is a walk of many changing landscapes and the next few days certainly had its fair share of Cols and Passes over 500m and one top or Puig La Rhume 900m ( those of Mallorcan GR221 know the routine ! ) This was climbed only to find 'Blackpool' at the summit as a funicular railway runs to the top from the other side! Hordes of fast food eating tourists rubbernecked in lightweight footwear! We headed East and found the first border stone Number 25 ....a beautifully carved stone pillar. We encountered these border stones every time the French Spanish border was met and wondered at the actual number across the whole Pyrenean route …. Future trips will have to provide the answer. As we walked East it was a surprise to find very dense Beech forests with thick carpets of leaves. This route is not walked often, and over the 10 days we only met three other HPR walkers. One was a young Canadian on his first trip to Europe. He had a 60 litre rucksack, no maps, compass or GPS and was relying totally on the small maps in the Cicerone guide book. We met him a couple of times ...lost! Our second encounter was an Essex man, despite the sweltering heat he wore top to toe Gortex and gloves! The final person was a Frenchman suffering with blisters, he had a different French HRP route, as we discovered it is a route only defined by the guide book you are using! DAY 4 Saturday 20th July Les Aldudes to Roncevalles 7 MEET REPORTS While walking across the tops we noticed the consistent low lying cloud over France, while the Spain always had drier sunnier skies. There was also a marked difference between the villages, the French ones being very run down with many closed shops. While in Spain we stayed in Arizkun an authentic busy Spanish village, Pelaton was again being played in the evening and the Fonda Exterberria where we stayed served delicious Basque food, along with a bath...