Meet Report: 16 November 2018.

Three members, Martyn Trasler, Roy Denney and Tony Penny arrived early. Martyn and Roy spent Friday walking on Ingleborough. Sadly the weather was not good, with low cloud and at lower altitudes no wind and uncomfortable humidity, in contrast to the rest of the weekend which was sunny, if cold and breezy.

More members arrived on Friday evening intending to get out on Saturday before the AGM.

Ingleborough was ascended by several people and by several routes. Two commented that the hydraulic pump in the beck below Ingleborough Cave was silent, the first time they could remember in all their long lives.

Others went to Malham and made the circuit of Gordale Scar to Malham Tarn and back by the Cove. Still more completed the same circuit on Sunday.

Around 40 members convened at 4pm in Settle Social Club for the AGM. No contentious issues were raised whilst both the outgoing and incoming Presidents gave short addresses. Mick thanked the Club officers and Committee for their help and support during his term of office. He reviewed this year’s meets and commented on the variety of meets on offer next year. He welcomed the healthy increase in new members and after commenting on the exciting prospect of the new journal and hopefully soon the new website, handed over the reins to Rory Newman.

Rory thanked Mick for handing over the Club in such good shape and expressed his hope that he would be able to continue the good work. He commented on the pleasing increase in new members and also spoke of his interest in researching the recently discovered archive material in Leeds Library.

More members and guests joined us at 5pm to hear John Porter, President of the Alpine Club give a presentation mainly about Alex Macintyre and his contribution to modern mountaineering practice. He illustrated his talk with some spectacular slides of first ascents in many of the world’s great ranges. The presentation, given with many insightful anecdotes was very well received by all present.

Dinner at the Falcon Hotel followed at 7pm. 83 members and guests sat down to an excellent meal and although a few had complaints about quantity most enjoyed it.

After toasts to guests, kindred clubs and the YRC, the evening ended with the traditional singing of Yorkshire.

Sunday Walk

Rory Newman – President, Mick Borroff, Dave Booker, Peter Chadwick, Becca Humphreys, Conrad Murphy (guest), Tony Penny, Arthur Salmon, Fiona Smith plus young dog, Helen Smith, Richard Taylor, Carol Whalley, John Whalley, Frank Wilkinson.

Arthur’s after-dinner walk was a touch too long for the President’s new hip replacement at this stage, so Rory wisely limited his activity to nipping up Penyghent and was pleased with his progress.

Meanwhile, the rest of us tackled Arthur’s 10 mile circular route from Settle Marketplace over towards Malham Tarn via Stockdale. The weather was bright and sunny; the strong low-angled lighting illuminating the detail in the limestone crags below Warrendale Knotts was particularly fine in the sunshine and kept the photographers happy.

The group just back from the Kanchenjunga trek shared some of their experiences and caught up on the latest news, with plenty of discussions about next year‘s meets. Lunch was taken in the lee of a wall just below Kirkby Fell and a return made along the track to Gorbeck and Jubilee Cave, just kissing the road out of Langcliffe and then south back to Settle.

The timing was judged to perfection to allow us to enjoy a well-earned pint in the Royal Oak, before heading back to Lowstern for ham and eggs.

Mick Borroff

Sunday Caving

Michael Smith, Richard Smith, Tim Josephy, John Brown, Felicity Roberts (Guest}, Peter Baker (Guest, Wayfarers Club), Carol Baker (Guest).

The caving team set off from Lowstern with commendable promptness at 10am to Bull Pot Farm where they made the long walk over the moors to Easegill beck and County Pot.

The entrance series and short pitch were soon dispatched and Showerbath Passage followed to Spout Hall. After a quick visit to White Way to admire the decorations,

Richard was stuffed into the extremely polished chimney of Poetic Justice which he conquered with not a little effort. He lowered a ladder for the rest and all negotiated the subsequent crawl and pitch. As with all such shenanigans, especially with a few novices, this took some time.

Progress picked up as we strode down Pierce’s Passage to Eureka Junction and the master cave.

Upstream The Sluice was negotiated in thankfully low water conditions into Stop Pot where, after a few minutes casting about, the start of Wretched Rabbit Passage was located. There is a unique law of physics about this passage; the older you get, the longer the twists, crawls, traverses and climbs become. At last the rope climbs near the entrance were reached and surmounted with varying degrees of difficulty.

The setting sun was painting the hillsides golden as we walked back to the cars after a most enjoyable and sociable trip.