This meet is based in a camping barn at Craken House Farm near Leyburn in Wensleydale. OS99, GR 121895. The barn has all the usual facilities on a £1 slot meter. It sleeps 12 in bunk accommodation. The cost is £12 per person, for both nights. It is about a mile to the pub. The barn has been used in the TV series of "All creatures great and small". We last visited this area a few years ago at Masham, and I seem to remember everyone having a really good time, as there is a nice mix of limestone and gritstone features, close by.
The intention is to explore the area by bike. It has very many small roads and tracks, and so it should be fun.
This year we are once again camping in Stonethwaite, Borrowdale (GR NY266134). Not too much explanation needed of the virtues of this idyllic spot, sufficiently detached from the fleshpots of Borrowdale, at a riverside campsite on the edge of the Borrowdale fells. Last year a good turnout of folk from near and far, and brilliant weather, made this the mountain camping destination of the summer. The necessary blend of gossip, update, incisive jest, and physical endeavour was achieved with, at least for some of us, some challenging route exploration and life threatening concern on Lining Crag and Bleak How; British mountain days as they should be. If lowland absorbsion of the mountain scenery is more your style, there are many low level alternatives including beck dipping to be had in the rocky pools of Langstrath Beck 1/4 mile from the campsite. See you at the site Friday evening, or Saturday breakfast (I prefer no sugar).
Pity that I have been unable to inspire a single walker to draw in some of those not part of the regular rambling coterie. Rob
Talking of coteries, plotting Wednesday evening cragging "en club" has become an electronic affair. So I hope that the electronically equipped will join me and the hardcopy climbers on... No, it's going to be in - the Burbage valley: north if it's chill, south if it's sweltering, Higgar if you're feeling thuggish, Carl's Wark if you are seeking the esoteric and the whole lot if you want a mountaineering evening! I hope some walkers will step out with us too. All ending up in the Fox House. Come and be very foolish with me!
To take advantage of the longest days of the year, I suggest we bring our own food, to eat whenever we return, and eat outside. The weather will be brilliant - I promise. I think we shall have a good turnout, regardless of the fact that we are now sharing the week end with LCCC. Names to Merle by phone or e-mail, no later than 25th June
Their organiser is Chris Wheatley. He has provided the following information about arrangements for the weekend. I will meet him in the Black Dog on Friday evening. You are welcome to do the same.
[I'll be in the Black Dog in Torver from 9:00 pm Friday evening. The grid ref of the hut is SD 281957 and it will be open from about 20:00 (possibly earlier). Further details of the hut at http://www.lccc.org.uk/huts/index.html. Cars can be parked in Torver at the bottom of the lane leading up to the hut or there's a private car park at the top of the lane (essentially a small field - lane very narrow at the top). Please do not drive cars beyond that car park (impossible with a normal car anyway) and please do not park anywhere else along the lane (important for relations with locals). Its a 10 minute brisk walk from the top car park to the hut - just follow the bridle path. The bridle path will cross a beck (gate just before andconcrete bridge over the beck). Turn immediately left after the bridge. 50 yds to the hut which is visible from the bridge. Bring sleeping bags, food, drink. If you intend to climb on Dow then carry climbing gear to the hut. I'll be providing Charcoal and baked potatoes for Saturday night. Up to everyone else to bring what they want for the BBQ. The hut has all the usual facilities. No dogs (club rule). Camping in grounds allowed. ]
For those of you who have never ventured onto one of these meets the weekend starts as usual by meeting on Friday evening at T.Y.W. Saturday will as usual be spent walking, climbing, biking, or avoiding the rain. In the evening while the BBQs are being lit and the steaks, sausages and anything else that comes to mind are being blackened on the outside the participants of this eagerly awaited repast will be destroying their braincells on alcoholic beverages. The evening will pass in convivial conversation, food and more drink before everyone eventually drifts off to bed. Sunday will take care of itself.
A nominal charge of around £5 per head is levied by the meet leader to defray the expenses incurred by members providing additional food [beyond that which all members usually provide] and also to myself who will provide some of the alcohol. I shall provide a number of disposable BBQs for everyone to use but I would be grateful if some members could provide their own.
Thirty four Oreads and friends travelled down to Pembroke for a May Day weekend climbing on the lovely steep limestone in the south of the county. Many routes were climbed, beer and wine was drunk and a good time had by all. Some of the highlights. El Pres visited a new pub (allegedly). Vicky Howard led her first routes - she's now climbing harder than her father. A rare appearance was made by Daryl Kirk. Roger Gibbs seemed to have problems staying above the water level. Derek's new caravan only seats 11 - you'll need a bigger one for August. Radcliffe expressed his desire to drive one of the tanks at Castlemartin camp. Whatever Derek did on Sunday frightened him into going to church in the evening. Fatboy set an all-time record for pfaffing by not leaving for the crag until 2.30 - he later claimed it was part of his training for Sloth. All that remains is a visit to Range West ... SP
At the appointed hour the inspector arrived and proclaimed that the great Gwynedd had declared Tan-yr-Wyddfa to be a House of Multiple Occupation. Subsequently he hurry-caned the hut (why do Michaels always travel at speed, and in circles?) and departed, leaving a list of essential fire safety measures The assembled Oreads became Dry-ads and felt exceeding wretched. There followed a pilgrimage to the great Mountaineering Council to plead the case of all outdoor peoples. Proclamations were made and there were many to-ings and fro-ings. Other Cwm dwellers in the west buried their heads and hid in hobbit-like seclusion. The learned elders were consulted by the Council and the words "be humble" came forth. However there were notable outlawyers who conspired to comfort with rumours of legal doings within the great chambers of Britain. Notably "MancunIan the chair", "Pelf the stylish" - a troglodyte Brummie elf, and a small local group based in Hoo Land were privy to whispers in the great halls.
Meanwhile (in March 2004) those Oreads blessed with trussed ears received "Minded to Notices" under the seal of the great Gwynedd, threatening fines if the forthwith was not acted upon thirdwith or sooner. Diplomatic bags were exchanged between the carysmatic Princess Allwin of Gwynedd and Hoo Lee the grey from Hoo Land. These exchanges were of great impotence - so Hoo Lee would have us believe. But lo! Princess Allwin was with child, and looked kindly upon the mountain nymphs. At a momentous meeting at the Black Pass under Wyddfa, a compromise was reached between Princess Allwin and Hoo Lee (representing the mountain nymphos). A promise of financial help was given in order that the "hut" could be upgraded to a "castle" that no dragon could destroy. The Hubub Committee perceived that the main evil at T-y-W was the Y-ring and so declared war on the Y-ring and the HMO designation, thus forming a fellowship under the aegis of Hoo Lee the wise. And so the great work began.
Fortifications were carried out during the monsoon season (which occurs during August, give or take half a year, in Cambria), concluded in September, and were passed by Gwynedd in October! Meanwhile confirmation came from the Office of "Two-Jags" via the "Hill" minister; that mountain huts are not to be classified as HMO's - much to the relief of all Oreads, the BMC, and all other hut dwellers throughout the land.
The OMC-HSC (mainly Chuck) made over 60 phone calls, wrote 40+ letters and emails resulting in a file of some 400 pages, researched the WWW and Hansard, made five dedicated visits to Wales, and attended countless hours of meetings and consultations. For those interested the H.S.C. has a condensed history, which Members are welcome to peruse. Keith Gregson
People are still sending me sponsor money which is great and I thought you might like more info about the core group of people that the charity has been built around. I have attatched this - there is also a website that you can visit www.challengecancer.org.uk So keep that money rolling in please. Thank you. Dawn
The key to the problem is to be aware that the vee of a cross country tyre points to the rear. The rest is easy. WNW is 292.5 deg. With an offset wall to touch, the least overall distance occurs when the first leg points to the mirror image of the destination on the remote side of the wall. This leads to two legs at +/- 45 degrees to the direct route or 337.5 and 247.5. On leg one, the tyre lugs point 22.5 and 292.5. On leg two, , the tyre lugs point 292.5 and 202.5. The answer is therefore 292.5 degrees. No solutions were offered last month.
A noted mountaineer, after years of being the hardest man around, unexpectedly encountered domestic bliss fairly late in life and succumbed to its debilitating effect.In consequence, he was finding it harder to get about the hills. and decided that the quad bike would help him keep up with the younger generation.
He ordered the machine at an agreed price of £4750 and paid using cash that Gordon didn't know about. Just at that time, a price reductiuon to £4000 was announced but the unscrupulous salesman pocketed £350 and only returned £400. £4350 had therefore been paid out, nett, which added to the £350 the salesman kept, made £4700. What happened to the remaining £50?
6 free range eggs will be delivered to the author of the most concise and meritorious solution in the opinion of the Editor.