Reviews
Scottish Mountaineering Club Journal Vol. XXXVI
No 187,1996
I was really taken by the references to John Buchan in the first article in this bumper issue of the S.M.C. Journal. Though there was a flavour of Edgar Wallace in the reference to the “old king’s country”. Be that as it may ‘Images’ by Donald M. Oit is a fine evocation of climbing and sets the tone for the rest of this issue. As well as mountaineering stories there are learned articles on spiders and place names and some stunning photographs, notably those by Donald Bennet.
Notes on new climbs, mountain accidents and Munro matters make up a slice of essential reading for anyone interested in the Scottish mountain scene and surely all north of England climbers should be.
Finally we get the ‘In Memoriam’ section notable this time for tributes to W.H. (Bill) Murray who died earlier this year. I never met him but his books ‘The Scottish IJimalayan Expedition’, ‘Undiscovered Scotland’ and ‘Mountaineering in Scotland’ kept me on the right road.
The S.M.C. Journal is in the Club Library together with an index to the previous volume 35, 1992-1995.
Bill Todd.
Craven Pothole Club Record No. 41
January 1996
Again a lively account of underground adventure is provided by the C.P.C. Record. Unusually there is nothing about mountaineering but there is a very well written account of exploration in Italy by Leonarde Rusellato and Cesare Raurner. It is exceptional for the Record to admit contributions by non-members but the editor included it for the quality of the writing.
There is also a full seeming account of the exploration of Sell Gill. This was apparently first noted in 1850 and in 1897 a party including W.C. Slingsby had a right beano exploring the first three pitches. The mention of a “weird subterranean waterfall 100 feet high” intrigues me. You might almost get me down there.
Bill Todd
Craven Pothole Club Record 42
April 1996
Until recently the first human being to inhabit Europe was thought to have done so about 400,000 years ago. A discoveiy at Atapuerca, near Burgos has changed all that. In 1994 human bones were discovered in a cave and proved by geomagnetic techniques to be at least 780,000 years old. It is suggested that these people could be the missing link between the early African species and Heidelberg man.
This is one of the fascinating pieces of infoiTnation in the C.P.C. Record. In addition there are the usual caving adventures at home and abroad (Transylvania) and an enjoyable Lakeland meet last February. This included ascents of Scafell Pikes by Long Gully, a new one on me, and a solo of South East Gully on Great End, something I did behind Doug Penfold thirty eight years before. I don’t suppose it has got any easier, there was a helicopter rescue in March 1995 after a leader fall. A solo seems to me a great tour de force.
A good read and a welcome addition to the club library.
Bill Todd
Craven Pothole Club Record 43
July 1996
No-where east of Suez this time in the C.P.C. Record. The only abroad meet is somewhere called P.S.M. which looks like France. But in spite of this geographical limitation there is plenty of underground adventure to be enjoyed under-neath places most of us know the top of To add a slice of variety some members cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats and there is going to be a meet at Brothers Water in September.
There is also a long and learned article on belaying which would be useful of course, for climbing as well. A good read particularly if you are of the potholing persuasion.
Bill Todd
Wainwright in the Valleys of Lakeland
Photographs by Derry Brabbs
Michael Joseph, London, pp 216 £14.99
The Lake District is getting more and more popular. Many people are coming to Lakeland whose parents went to Blackpool, and most of them come in cars. And when they get there they very often want to park their cars and go for a walk. This movement has resulted in the loss of many lovely views, including Rydal Water, and the peace that is its rightful heritage.
That the late Alfred Wainwright was veiy conscious of this despoliation is veiy evident from his text as printed here. Of course, this popularity of Lakeland has nothing to do with any of Wainwright’s activities. He wrote books about the fells which sold very well but that was just his ‘tribute’; if more people came to Lakeland as a result that was nothing to do with him When working people from Manchester and Leeds, Bhrningham and London wanted to exercise their rightful heritage and motor up to Lakeland that wasn’t really part of Alfs bargain.
Having got that off my chest I must admit that as an introduction to Lakeland, to give people some idea of the layout and life of the district the text is good. Those of us who have been visiting and reading about Lakeland for some time can still learn something for it has been truly said that humility is the beginning of wisdom. Even if this reviewer feels that the paragraph on Milican Dalton should have included a reference to his self awarded title of ‘Professor of Adventure’.
But the real joy of this book is the photographs and if it needed Alf Wainwright’s fame to get these published then I don’t grudge him his fame.
You have only to open the book at random to see pictures which make you catch your breath. I am looking at the picture of Upper Deep dale on page 59, with the sunhght on the crag, it is absolutely thrilling. So are Rydal Water on page 83, Cockley Beck on page 105, Goat Scar in Long Sleddale, Wastwater Screes and Castleiigg Stone Circle. The last named has next to it a drawing by Wainwright of Great Cockup at ‘Back O’Skidda’. Reminds me of the time I followed the Blencathra hounds with Derek Clayton. People think I am pulling then legs when I say that we lost the pack on Great Cockup.
If I wanted to carp I could say that some of the pictures were too green, taken in high summer no doubt, but it has been pointed out by people who know more about art than I do (most people) that different shades of green can make an attractive composition.
This is a good addition to the bookshelf of any Lakeland enthusiast and a more than adequate introduction to anyone who is just getting interested in the brightest jewel in the crown of English scenery.
Bill Todd.