April Wed 2 Harborough Rocks
April 5/6 Heathy Lea WP: C Hooley
April 18 - 27 Easter on Corsica
April 26 & 27 Tan-Yr-Wyddfa WP
May 3 - 5 Cornwall
May 9 - 14 Dartmoor
Clocks are back so this is the first official outdoor evening meet of 2003. If you stand well back from Harborough Rocks, screen out all scale clues you could be looking at the N face of the Civetta! The effect is more convincing with a camera. I have always hankered after the Philip/Flamm so as I struggle up Puttrell's ancient and classic Harborough Chimney, I shall visualise myself topping out in Dolomite sunshine. (Errrr.... what IS that roofless brick shed doing here?). This is the meet when you can uncurl those ice tooled clenched fists and regain some suppleness in your finger joints. Afterwards at The Olde Gate in Brassington - muddy boots off at the door please.
If wet I intend to run/walk round some dolomite pinnacles. Start 6.30 p.m. anticlockwise from the lower gate to St James Church in Brassington then Longcliffe Needle, Pinder's Rock, Jeffcoat's Pinnacle, Rainster West Hill (Pillar Face, West Hill Arete) and Rainster East Hill (Long Climb and Elderberry Crack).
Once again it's the time of the year to give our huts the annual spring clean, carry out repairs etc. Please come along for the weekend or just for the day. The Hut Sub. Team will be on hand to teach you new skills in the art of hut care!!! Work to be carried out
All offers of help to Hut Sub. Committee.
Five of us are booked on flights from East Midlands Airport to Ajaccio via Nice on Good Friday 18th April, and returning on Sunday 27th April. Nick Evans' party of 3 is travelling out on Tuesday 15th April, so there are 8 of us so far. Because the island is difficult and slow to travel around, and the weather can be a lot worse in the better locations (Corti and Bavella) I am planning at present to have the option to camp. This worked very well last year. We moved about to avoid the bad weather.
I am hoping to be based at the Col De Bavella, where there is a tremendous amount of climbing. There are several sports crags here, and rock pinnacles & faces galore. Two routes I have in mind are 'Arete de Quenza' D+, 5+, 200m; and 'Arete de Zonza' D+, 4+, 220m. There are many more face routes, some shorter and with a wide range of grades. There are also many sports routes here, If you decide at this late time that you would like to come along, please let me know as soon as possible.
The weather is always sunny on work parties, so what better time to visit Wales. Work to be carried out.
Offers of help and to reserve a bed, please contact the Hut Sub Committee
Arrangements are progressing well, and the week promises to be a good one, with customised accommodation giving close proximity to outdoor activities to suit most tastes. Twenty-one of the twenty-five places available have been taken. If you would like to join us, please give me a call, when I will be happy to provide you with more details.
We live in stirring times. Revelation, it seems, is coming to a chap near you; not yet, perhaps, to a woman.
Waking from a somewhat indifferent night we beheld a Cross Fell both cross and fell; cloud streaming from the summit, sniping showers, and somewhere up there, snow. A portentous day indeed.
Strung out across a mile or two of howling hillside we regrouped at Greg's Hut for the summit push.
It all happened so quickly. Was it fatigue? hallucination? A sudden rush of brain to the head? In a trice, the Oread was rife with rumour of miracle. The future had been revealed to mankind! One man knew exactly what was to come; another knew what was to come and had, furthermore, seen it all before! A third testified to knowing what was to come before even leaving Derby! Hallelujah, brothers!
Before our disbelieving eyes, Greg's Hut became hallowed ground; a shrine dedicated to the Oread Mutineering Club. We who were not worthy had no alternative but to shoulder our packs and press on into the storm. Looking back, we beheld the Illuminati at their unspeakable hierophancies: sacrifice of bacon butties; ritual procession to the pub.
Students of the paranormal will be interested to note that the three ladies of the party appeared neither shaken nor stirred by these momentous events. As one man, as it were, they hovered happily through the fog and filthy air, obviously quite at home on a blasted heath. I suppose that even the most potent Powers of Darkness think twice before tangling with the lives of Pam, Helen and Freda. Now what is to be made of all this? That on this day the future was indeed revealed seems beyond all doubt. The question, of course, is to whom was it revealed
My thanks to everyone who turned up over the weekend. There were twenty-five people, I think, at Garrigill on the Saturday night. As regards the Oread Mutineering Club I have resisted the cry to name and shame. I think it best to preserve a dignified Dad's Army silence. As Captain Mainwaring would say - "Don't tell them your name, Pike ….."
Brian West
Ed. West - You're mad, bloody mad!]
We'd like to thank all of the Oread members who helped to make this a great weekend for us - we hope you enjoyed it too! (We also wish apologise to some who didn't get an invite - trying to invite 140 people to a do for 50 people is never easy!)
We'd particularly like to thank everyone who contributed to the kind gifts - a superb book of Colin Prior photography (it's making Chiz highly jealous of his skill!), and a huge voucher to spend at Outside.
Thanks also to James and Neil for their herculean efforts in clearing up the room at 2:30am - and managing to get rid of a million and one little metallic stars that went everywhere!
Many thanks also to the several club members who very kindly offered and provided climbing equipment and coaching for our friends at Stanage on the Sunday - we were very impressed with the number of spare harnesses and boots rustled up in such short a short space of time!
Roger Larkam has made us aware of a Series of slide shows, to take place at Belper Rugby Club - starting at 7.30pm.
April 4th: Andy Kirkpatrick. 'El Capitan's Reticent Wall and Aurora'
April 11th. Sir Chris Bonington. Boundless Horizons.
April 4/5 Hinkley M. C. 16 beds. Oread room 4 beds
April 11/12 Vibram M. C. 16 beds
April 18/21 Easter vacant.
April 25/26 Working party.
April 5/6 Working party
April 11/12 Dave Helliwell cottage/barn
This list is only correct at time of going to press. Members are advised to check availability with the hut booking secretary Colin Hobday before going to either hut. Note that hut booking dates refer to nights (e.g. Fri/Sat for a weekend), whereas meet dates refer to the days e.g. Sat/Sun)
Vango Denali Rucksack 60+10. Rain cover, dark blue, brand new unused, offers around £50.
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