Meet Report: 8-10 December 2017.

There was no need for crampons or ice axes but snow all the same, which on a Christmas meet adds to the atmosphere, but made travelling more of a challenge. Twenty three intrepid members and prospective members, and one dog, made it to this year’s Christmas meet through poor road conditions. One failed to find the hostel on the first attempt, went home and joined us on Saturday morning.

Michael and Helen Smith attempted to arrive from Lowstern via Stainforth and Littondale but were beaten back by ice on the road. Diverted via Gargrave, they had a later start for their walk along Old Cote Moor from Birks Fell to Horse Head, finishing back down in Litton. They called in on Richard Hargreaves at Hawkswick. He recalled five YRC past presidents and John Snoad coming back to his house from a 1994 memorial service at Carleton following the death of Eleanor (Len) Winthrop Young, née Slingsby. The only one they could identify was Alan Brown.

The venue for this year’s Christmas meet, originally booked at the Longrigg Centre at Sedbergh, had to be changed at short notice because of failing a technical inspection by the authorities. After much hard work by Mick and the meets committee an alternative was found in Langstrothdale at Swarthghyll Farm, an outdoor centre near Oughtershaw. It proved very suitable with good accommodation but a trifle cool. Most people were to be seen wearing duvet jackets, fleeces and woolly hats on the first afternoon. The underfloor heating coming on at 5.00pm soon warmed us enough to enjoy Bill’s leek and potato soup, rolls and warm quiche. The meal was followed by photos of the club’s recent trip to the Wind River region of Wyoming and Mick Borroff and John Sutcliffe’s trip to the Dolomites. The keg of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord on tap added to the conviviality after a few teething problems with the pump were resolved.

Saturday dawned clear and sunny and after a gargantuan English breakfast, braving the sub-zero temperatures and a new dusting of snow, we started out along icy footpaths.

Most parties set out along the Dales Way towards Cam Houses, climbing to the Roman road, over Dodd Fell, before returning by various routes. We enjoyed fantastic views of the three peaks in the winter sunshine.

Peter Chadwick and Pippin, David Hick, Tim Josephy, Helen, Michael and Richard Smith, chose to cross Fleet Moss to Jeffrey Pot Scar, Oughtershaw Tarn, descending to the road at Oughtershaw. Several voles were seen exploding from under the snow before running across it for some yards, much to Pippin’s annoyance. One, less lucky, was last seen in the talons of a kestrel.

Mick Borroff and John Sutcliffe made use of the Dales Way, the Pennine Way south, then to Ling Gill Bridge and back east through the forest and Langstrothdale.

Ian Crowther and John Jenkin visited Wensleydale, where they spent time in Hawes and included a stop at Aysgarth Falls.

Derek Clayton and Alan Clare visited Buckden and the White Lion Inn where they reportedly did much socialising with the locals before moving on to the George Inn at Hubberholme and carrying on their missionary work with a group of young farmers.

Dinner on Saturday night proved to be a feast. The dining room, decorated with red tablecloths, crackers and with bottles of wine set out, looked a treat and so the meal turned out to be. Bill and Paul’s catering proved to be first class. We dined on pate, wonderful beef with all the trimmings, Christmas pudding and finally a cheese course.

Richard added to the festive mood throughout the weekend by supplementing his usual winter walking gear with a Santa hat and fairy lights draped around his rucksack. Carol’s flashing earrings added to the Christmas spirit.

More photos followed, reminding us of past trips to the mountains. The evening was rounded off by John Sutcliffe’s tale of some very midgey last stages from Fort William to Cape Wrath on his mammoth trek from Cape Cornwall to Cape Wrath, told with humour and sang froid.

Dire warnings of heavy snow to the south sent most people off early on Sunday.

John Sutcliffe and Mick Borroff drove down the dale and parked in Coniston. They ascended Coniston Dib to meet the Dales Way which they followed almost to Grassington. They then turned northwest to cross Bastow Wood thankful that the muddy path was well-frozen, to pick up the footpath back to Coniston just before it traverses above the “hidden” valley of Dib Beck, where they saw two roe deer.

Helen, Richard and Michael parked in Coniston and went up the Dib gorge to visit a couple of areas of prehistoric hut circles before descending along another section of the Dales Way into Grassington. The big attraction there was the Victorian Christmas Market which provided amusement and a welcome brazier by which their sandwiches could be eaten. Potential disaster was averted there by our shouting out to a Morris dancer in a rag coat who was backing into said brazier singeing the rags dangling from the hem of his jacket. The return route was lower via Grass Wood.

Harvey and Tim planned to visit Dow Cave but the lane over was somewhat icy and threatened to strand them at the foot of Park Rash. They relocated to Littondale and visited Scoska Cave, a long low and cobbly cave where, sad to report, conversation and debate took precedence over crawling and the further reaches of the cave, first explored by the YRC in 1905, were left undisturbed. Still, they got underground and honour was satisfied.

David motored home down Wensleydale in sunshine reflecting on a very enjoyable weekend: good company, good walking and excellent hospitality. Many thanks are due to Bill and Paul for making the meet such a success.

Attendees:

Mick Borroff, Alan Clare, Peter Chadwick, Derek Clayton, Ian Crowther, Robert Crowther, Paul Dover, Bill Gibbs, Iain Gilmour, David Hick, John Jenkin, Tim Josephy, Alan Linford, Harvey Lomas, Arthur Salmon, Helen Smith, Michael Smith, Richard Smith, John Sutcliffe, Simon Raine (PM), Carol Whalley, John Whalley, Frank Wilkinson