Once again the school holidays are behind us, snow in the Alps is melting and those with time and the necessary funds, are off to the greater ranges during the next few months. I completed a crossing of the Coast to Coast on the mountain bike, a target I've been wanting for many years, a great trip, although a lot of pushing was required, at least by me! And with four days rain it took some time to dry out. Sadly the Oread has lost another excellent climber in Beryl Turner, Gordon Gadsby has written something of her very full life below. The club has many things planned for the Autumn, so let's be seeing you out there!
I'm expecting to have a bumper crowd for the first 'big' event at HL since the lively discussions at the AGM......a bonfire shall be built on Saturday afternoon (help appreciated) and BBQs shall sizzle in the evening (I shall even try and remember to bring my BBQ's grill). On Saturday there will also be a joint meeting of the main committee, hut sub-committee and the trustees. As this will result in lots of talking and dry throats I'll be providing a few gallons of 'Oread Summer Ale' from the Weatherstone Brewery. During the weekend there is plenty of scope for walking and climbing on the local crags. Please join me for the whole weekend or even just the Saturday night at the Hut. If you intend staying over please let me know.
The traditional way of marking the end of the monsoon season and the continuation of Wednesday visits to the climbing wall. I have booked a table at the Matlock Bath Balti for 8.00 pm. IF it's dry, this should give keen Oreads a chance to open their account for the year at Wildcat. More likely, it will be a visit to Wirksworth wall and a pint in the County and Station before hand. Please let me know if you're coming: I have to confirm numbers on Monday 15th.
TYW is free for a family weekend in September. The idea is for families in the Oread to get together and have a weekend enjoying the hut (and possibly it's new furniture) and the surrounding area. Colin Hobday will be co-ordinating the bookings of the hut.
A select and trusty band were on hand to enjoy the Lakes on one of those rare weekends where drought was close and the days are long. The Belper flyer with co-pilot John Boulton, arrived on time in Rosthwaite to find Pete Amour and John Linney
installed along one side of a table in the Scafell Hotel surveying all comers like the judging panel for the Friday night pub talent show. Beer consumed, all retired to the campsite in the sure knowledge that Pete and John were 'on
the left as you go onto the site'. Morning broke at Stonethwaite to still show no signs of the P&J whereabouts. Lost in a hedgerow en route to the site? Not so! Their GPS was clearly unable to discern between campsites a mere half mile apart.
Saturday involved intineries of a Tresidder biathlon (tarn swimming and appreciable fell wandering), and an ascent of Needle Ridge on Gable in clearing weather before a return to the valley, and a rare sighting of a passing John Gresty.
Plans of Sunday were moderated by leisurely starts and a less than competent crag approach which resulted in a nevertheless entertaining ascent of Central Gully on Gable, rarely done in the summer and certainly seldom so dry.
Roger Larkam.
This was well attended. A great deal was achieved and the areas outside the cottage and the driveway were cleared, wood in store sawn and sorted; wood generally rationalized and put into large bags. Quite a bit more (dead) wood cut up and fetched from the woods at the back, sawn into logs and chopped to size for the fire. Barn cleaned (including sweeping down the barn ceiling) and repainted with white masonry paint. The passage between barn and cottage treated to reduce the slip. Walls in same passage cleared to help reduce dampness. C.Hooley.
Friday saw a small band of hardy mountaineers arrive at one of the oldest hut venues in Wales. The forecast was poor and 6 people had cried off, however, Saturday dawned bright and clear. Nodge did his own thing, while the rest of us, Tim, Pam, Nick and myself scrambled onto the buttresses behind the hut. We made our way gradually up in warm sunshine, until we reached the summit of Cefn Tal - llyn - Eigiau at 738 mtrs. A trek onward, brought us to Garnedd Uchaf and Foel Grach, where we sheltered from a heavy shower and finished lunch. The day ended by continuing over Carnedd Llewelyn at 1064mtrs, the second highest point in Wales, and various descents back to the hut, where wine and beer was consumed until late into the night. Sunday saw us all returning to the cars and our journeys home. Thanks to everyone for coming, your company made it all worthwhile. J.Green
A second attempt at the long evening trip out to the Roaches was made a month after the weather had made the first impractical. This time the weather was constantly threatening to pour down on the Oreads climbing on the upper and lower tiers. The showers came thick and fast, slipping to our left and right but never emptied their load on us. Therefore, quite a few routes were done with the keen, climbing into the twilight. The undisputable highlight of the night was a massive round of chip butties in the pub afterwards, generously provided by Sally. Those that went elsewhere missed out considerably! Neil Weatherstone.
Oreads and friends numbered 16 for the trip north to the Isle of Lewis. The campsite, on the west coast at Bhaltos, over looked white sands, turquoise seas and off shore isles. The sun shone relentlessly, with the exception of Wednesday, which offered respite from the radiation with overcast skies and occasional rain. Such fine weather allowed very much activity, including mountain and sea cliff rock climbing, mountain biking on and off road, coastal walking, body boarding, surfing, sight seeing and of course obligatory socialising into the long Hebridean twilight. If there was a highlight of the week it was difficult to pin point, all being quality days out, made by such unprecedented fine weather. Six weeks of continuous dry weather to that point, made for dry, dry crags, good walking underfoot and a lack of those pests often the bane of highland holidays. The children in the party couldn't quite grasp the near 24 hour daylight, especially when local weekend campers kids, biked, played and fished well into the late evening. The return journey tugged at heart strings, travelling back through sun bathed highland glory, where holiday makers complained at the heat or took it in, relaxing in deck chairs glazed in Amber Solaire. That this was the hottest weather in the UK that week, came as no surprise and, with such speechless vistas, also the European destination of this year without doubt. It will certainly be hard to beat.Steve Christian
Enclosed with your newsletter is the invite to this year's annual dinner night. The dinner will be held at the Bear Inn and Hotel at Alderwasley. The speaker will be Nigel Vardy . The menu choice form is also included. Please complete the form and post to me together with payment for the correct amount by no later than Monday 3rd November. All cheques will be cashed shortly after the event. Accommodation is available at the Bear. There is also the Packhorse Caravan Park about 10 minuets walk down the road towards Belper, but only Caravan and Camping Club members are allowed. Neil Weatherstone
The winner will grace the front of the annual dinner menu. In recent years there have been some excellent submissions. All entries to be in by 3rd November. Either digital or ye olde worlde style photographs are fine Hint: pictures, which have space for text have been winners in the past. Neil & Tracey Weatherstone will judge, and the judges' decision will be final!!
We're introducing a prize at this year's dinner. This will be awarded to the Oread who has demonstrated the worst case of mountaineering incompetence during the past year. You know the sort of thing: leaving your ropes behind on an abseil; leaving your dentures at the top of a route. This prize is currently going under the working title of the Bent Screw Award, so I need you to "screw" your climbing partners and report their misdemeanours. I've a couple of nominations already (and I'm particularly keen to learn why Mssrs Burgess and Bolton failed to make the pub on a recent expedition to Wild Cat) so please don't be shy and get in touch. Simon Pape
With the passing of Beryl Turner the Oread has lost a very unassuming but brilliant climber. A dynamic and kind person who was just as much at home on the high crags as she was on the alpine ski slopes, whether teaching adults to ski, taking hordes of children for their first ski lesson, or skiing extreme! Beryl passed peacefully away at the City Hospital Nottingham in the afternoon of Saturday 5 July 2008 with husband Roger at her side; theirs had been a partnership of love and adventure that spanned over 55 years. I first met the Turners in 1958 whilst I was buying some climbing gear in Redmayne & Todds Nottingham one Saturday lunchtime (most of us worked Saturday mornings then), when the chap next to me at the counter introduced himself as Roger Turner and said "Would you like to come to Wales this afternoon!" My transport at that time was by bike or bus so this was a great offer. Two weeks later my wife and I did go with them and thus started a friendship that's lasted all these years.
Three climbs I remember from those early days were the ascent of Pinnacle Wall on Craig yr Ysfa in the summer of 1959, the four of us wearing mountain boots; Idwal Slabs in winter, again in boots, and also carrying rucksacks, ice axes and torches, so we could traverse the mountains later; and then in the Spring of 1961, in lighter footwear, climbing on the Rosa Pinnacle, Arran, with Beryl and another Oread member, Chris Martin. In my mind's eye I can still see Beryl dancing with ease across those delectable granite slabs (she had been a ballroom dancer of international standard in the 50's). The same year she climbed Cenotaph Corner with their great friend Des Hadlum, the direct on Dinas Mot with Eric Wallis and many of the Welsh classics. Years later when she was an accomplished skier she did the Haute Route with Des Hadlum, Ray College, Roland Anthony and Roger; another year the Valley Blanche and Argentiere glacier. She was a valued member of Derby Ski Club for many years and a ski instructor in Britain and abroad.
Trained in hairdressing by Vidal Sassoon, her 'Twice Look' Salon in Nottingham became a meeting place for climbers and friends. When Beryl finished her last customer on a Friday evening, we would all go off to Wales or the Peak District with our camping gear. Her favourite mountain was Tryfan and she was enthusiastic about all the rock climbs there, especially Grooved Arete, Gashed Crag and the Pinnacle Rib climbs. A good summer climbing day on Tryfan would usually conclude with the Direct route on Glyder Fach. She always had unbounded energy and many times climbed there over the years with many different friends. She also loved walking the Peak moorlands and I recall one autumn walking with her and Roger up Wildboar Clough and crossing Bleaklow by moonlight finishing up at Rowsley for an early breakfast.
In the late sixties they moved into the retail business and opened a mountain sports shop on Derby Road Nottingham. They made many new friends in the Leicester Bowline Club and their shop manager, Steven Bennett, and his wife Julie, plus Graham Richmond became very close friends and outdoor companions. They described some of their happy and humorous recollections at Beryl's Celebration to the 200+ family and friends.
In the late sixties they moved into the retail business and opened a mountain sports shop on Derby Road Nottingham. They made many new friends in the Leicester Bowline Club and their shop manager, Steven Bennett, and his wife Julie, plus Graham Richmond became very close friends and outdoor companions. They described some of their happy and humorous recollections at Beryl's Celebration to the 200+ family and friends.
Beryl visited the Alps many times, climbing Mont Blanc fifty four years ago - the year Roger married her. In 1961 they had to retreat on the Zmutt ridge of the Matterhorn due to bad weather whilst climbing with Wally Smith and Eric Wallis. In 1963 they traversed 6 peaks in the Dauphine including Pic Coolidge and Nord Cavales by the West ridge, all with Jack Ashcroft and Brian Cooke. They also visited Norway several times; on one trip climbing the highest peaks Glittertind and Gladopigen at night because of poor snow conditions; also rock climbing holidays in the Romsdal area. In the Dolomites Beryl loved the Via Ferratas but also the harder climbs like the renowned Yellow Edge route on the Tre Cima Lavaredo, which she did with Steve Bennett.
In the 70s and 80s they skied in America, places like Colorado and Wyoming, sometimes extreme runs with the expert Glen Plake; also in Canada staying at Banff and Whistler. In the Alps she skied extreme with Sylvan Saudan.
Beryl climbed on the Edges throughout fifty years, so many climbs, but including favourites on Birchens, Kiss me Hardy, Emma's Dilemma etc.; on Froggat Sunset Slab and Valkeyrie; on Stanage most of the hard climbs including Right Unconquerable plus Valkeyrie on the Roaches. In the 1990's they cycled in Scotland visiting Mull, also Ulva Island and Gometra, then on another trip to Northern Ireland cycling in the Mountains of Morne and Giant's Causeway. Over the last 8 years a group of us rekindled our love of cycling and Roger and Beryl joined us on the CtoC, the Reivers, Tour of Arran and Southern Hebrides, then Devon and Dartmoor, organised by Mick and Gill Keeling, Norfolk and Sufffolk by Graham Foster, Tarka Trial by Colin and Uschi Hobday; Skye and Torridon a 400 mile tour was another great adventure; Teesdale and High Force where Beryl organised a Thai Chi class on the patio before we set off each day. After that illness prevented Roger and Beryl from joining us but they were with us in spirit. Beryl also became a member of Stapleford Travel and Photographic Club for the last three years (as are several Oreads) and she was soon helping Derek Dutton and Ray Hull in the kitchen and, with Roger, giving us talks on climbing and skiing adventures.
Beryl's climbing and cycling continued well into her seventies, still leading at a high standard, still as enthusiastic as in the fifties, always determined to be in the front on her bike, always wanting to go the extra mile. My last cycle ride with Beryl was along the banks of the river Trent from Cranfleet Lock to Beeston in May this year. We'd met by chance and although seriously ill she was determined to make the most of the day. She had been swimming at 7.30 a.m., cycling with me still keeping her wheel in front and then out with Roger in the afternoon.
One of the best woman climbers of her generation, she was always an inspiration, whether climbing Dream of White Horses on Gogarth, ascending the Vajolet Towers or the Yellow Edge on Cima Piccola in the Dolomites, climbing on Gimmer or cheering up patients in hospital. Over fifty years ago she was racing with the Nottingham Sphere Cycling Club and she never lost that competitive spirit. All of us who knew her will never forget those happy times we had - what a star!
It is with deep regret that I have to inform you all that Keith Gregson has retired as a Club Trustee after 15 years. Keith has cited personal reasons and a feeling that he can no longer represent the whole Club as the reasons behind his decision. We have little option but to accept his resignation and to thank him for all the work he has put in over the years. The committee has asked Mike Hayes and Pam Storer if they would be willing to serve as trustees and I'm delighted to report that they have both accepted. They join Ken Griffiths and Chuck Hooley, both of whom remain in office. Simon Pape
The next Peak Area Meeting will be held in Glossop on Wednesday 3rd September. More details here: http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=317013&delete=4683203 If you have anything you want to raise, get in touch witrh Chris Moor through the forums. The meeting starts at 7.30pm and will be a great chance for the northern contingent of the area to get involved.
Please note that hut fees should always be paid to me and no one else. Colin Hobday.
NOTE A new padlock has been fitted to the wood store at Heathy Lea, as the old lock is missing. The key for the wood store hangs in the kitchen.
If any one has any climbing harnesses to suit a 5 year olds, and they would be willing to sell or loan them, would they please contact Mike Keeling. He would like to take his twin grandchildren out and needs the kit.