Mar 1/2 Patterdale: C Barnard
Mar 8/9 Scotland: M Hayes
Mar 15/16 Heathy Lea: K Gregson
Mar 29 AGM Royal Oak, Ockbrook.
Mar 30 Spring Stride: C & R Eyre
April Wed 2 An Evening on the Civetta: R Tresidder
April 5/6 Heathy Lea WP: C Hooley
Places are going fast, but there are still some left - so the message is hurry up! Last weekend there were heaps of snow in the valley, a sharp frost and glorious sunshine, so the weather knows what it is expected to deliver, and just has to do it again and again and again.
For those who don't know the ropes, our base is the George Starkey Hut, warm and comfortable and located at the start of the track to Side Farm GR 394 162. We usually limber up at the White Lion on the Friday night (28th Feb).
I intend to have a "traditional weekend" at the Derbyshire Hut. Thus the meet will begin on Friday evening by dropping off gear at the hut, bagging bed space, and then walking up to the "Robin Hood" for a get together and discussion of the morning's activities
We will make a reasonably early start from the Hut on Saturday (9:30'ish) in order to stroll up the edges, take in the odd climb and make it to the Grouse for lunch at about one-o-clock. After lunch I intend to visit Yarncliffe for a route or two before taking tea at the Grindleford Café. Then back to the Hut by a route dictated by the mood and the weather. We'll let the evening develop as it will, but the "Prince of Wales" may well prove an attraction.
Sunday will be spent either climbing on Gardoms and Birchen or walking gently to the Devonshire at Beeley, doubtless we can find enough Oreads to keep both options open.
I look forward to an enjoyable weekend in good company.
The AGM will take place at the Royal Oak, Ockbrook starting at 8.00pm.
We aim to start the walk from Grindleford Café, meeting at 9.45am for a 10am start. The route will take us to The Barrel Inn at Bretton via Offerton Hall & Abney, returning via Eyam . The Barrel serves a wide selection of food until 2.30pm but it could be busy on Sundays as are most pubs in Derbyshire. So come along and work off any excess liquid intake from the A.G.M.
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).
Mar 4: 8 p.m. The Royal Oak, Ockbrook. Walking and Climbing in Corsica. Keith Gregson & Tony Howard
Keith and Tony will talk about walking and rock climbing in Corsica, including a recent traverse of the GR20, and multi-pitch routes in the hills and near the coast on this unique island.
Next month: Brian West on the Bullstones 2002. Sorry no space this month!
March 14th: Mick Fowler, '1st Ascent of the North West Face of Siguniang, Western China'.
March 28th: Paul Ramsden. 'Patagonia in Winter'
April 4th: Andy Kirkpatrick. 'El Capitan's Reticent Wall and Aurora'.
April 11th. Sir Chris Bonington. Boundless Horizons.
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. You will be able to get an insight of the climbing locations on Corsica by coming to the slide show at Ockbrook on Tuesday 4th March. I hope to see you there.
Two guidebooks can be obtained from 'Outside' and other climbing shops see last month's newsletter. 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. Please let me know as soon as possible if you would like to come along.
March 1/2nd Dave Edwards 12 beds.
March 7/8th. Hinkley M. C. 16 beds.
March 12-14th P Craddock 4 beds.
March 14/15th South Cheshire M. C. 16 beds.
March 21/22nd Solihull M. C. 16 beds.
March 28/29th Oread M. C. Meet.
March 7/8th Oxford M. C. Cottage.
March 14/15th Oread Meet.
March 28/29th M. M. C. 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).
This is a wander to celebrate John's 80th birthday - but hush don't tell him - I'm trying to surprise him. The birthday was in January but with one thing and another it wasn't possible to get everyone together to celebrate. So now's the chance....
Meeting at Calton Lees car park (the one by Chatsworth garden centre) at 10.00 ready for a 10.30 departure.
Walking via Beeley and Beeley Moor to Hob Hurst's house and continuing down to Heathy Lee for soup and gluhwein. Then depending on the time either back by Gardoms edge and onto Wellington monument before heading back through Chatsworth, or direct back through the park.
All welcome, but please, if you can, let me know so that I can arrange the appropriate amounts of soup, gluhwien, coffee, tea, etc.
The hut is free for the weekend should anyone want to stay over Saturday night. Many Thanks, Lisa
The licensee at The Royal Oak, Olive Wilson, has been at the same pub for 50 years. She is inviting all the various clubs and organisations who have used the function room over the years to come and help her celebrate over the May Day bank holiday weekend. The Oread have been invited for Saturday 3 May from midday onwards. I know many of us will be away that weekend but if you are at home, it could be a great occasion. Ring me for more details. Rob Tresidder
There are several members who have still not paid their subs for 2003. These are now overdue. If you have not yet paid your annual subs to the club please do so now. The revised fees are as follows:
Full member £18.00
Family member £27.00
Senior member £10.00
Family senior £15.00
Provisional member £10.00
Please note that this does not include BMC Membership. Please make all cheques payable to Oread Mountaineering Club. Thank you.
At the February Committee meeting, Edith Colley and Chris Seaman were accepted as full members of the club. Welcome to each of you.
As many will already know it is our intention to move to New Zealand in the not too distant future. During the process of sorting photographs / slides etc we have been trying to assemble a collection recording the antics of that "wandering band of players" who entertained (?) guests, by way of the "Cabaret", at the Annual Dinners. We will be very grateful to anyone who can loan / give any photographs / negatives / slides of any of the "Cabarets" at the Green Man, particularly during the 70's. Any material loaned will be treated with the greatest respect and returned after copying.
I [was] honoured to by Guest of Honour at the 75th anniversary celebrations of the foundation of The Himalayan Club (February 1928). I leave for Bombay tonight and have three major commitments:1. Delivering the Kaivan Mistry Memorial Lecture at the British Council Auditorum, Nariman Point, Bombay on Friday 14th February (St Valentine's Day!) and later proposing the toast:"The Himalayan Club" at the Celebratory 75 Annual Dinner. The third commitment is to deliver a lecture on "My Camps and Climbs in Kulu, Punjab Himalaya" (Surprise, surprise!) As part of the celebrations we shall spend a few days trekking in the Western Ghats (fine hills above Poona); finally the celebrations end with a ten day trek in the Garwhal Himalaya with, if weather conditions permit, a sight of the famous "Valley of lowers" immortalised by Frank Smythe.
By the way, if anyone from the old Pachas crew should be interested I'm proposing another crack at the "old" Pin Parbati Pass, 15,750 ft. Kulu in Punjab Himalaya next October and already have a few takers, including the redoubtably Welbourne! Yours aye, Bob
I have also received a substantial and inspiring tale by Gordon Gadsby entitled 'Oreads on Bikes - The Southern Hebrides - September 2002'. The average age of those on this trip was apparently 63.5! This article is too long for inclusion in the body of the Newsletter itself, but will be sent out electronically with the N.L. It will be included in the Christmas Story Book at the end of the year and may also appear on the Website (courtesy of Graham).