Meet Report: 20-22 August 2021.

It was a damp but warm August day in Clapham, when the majority of the 25 attendees of this meet arrived at our beloved Lowstern. Alan Linford led the charge, arriving the previous day. Helen Smith, who arrived earlier on Friday, did a short walk from the hut to Austwick and back accompanied by PMs Rod and Yayoi Smith. It was their first visit to the area so Helen enjoyed giving a guided tour of the points of interest along the route including Norber erratics and the Gamecock. John Brown and Michael Smith made a four hour tour of the morrow’s caves to check all was in order there.

The Linfords headed to the New Inn in Clapham for their evening meal, where they were delighted to have the chance to catch up with Ged Campion and Harvey Lomas. Upon return the fire had already been lit, and plans for the following day were discussed amongst the group

Some of those that had opted to camp (Smiths, Linfords, David Brown and younger Dovers) began to rue their decision as there was little break in the rain overnight, but all were up bright and early for a fantastic breakfast put on by the meet leaders, John and Ros Brown.

Caving was on the agenda for Saturday morning, and Michael S and John B led a group comprising of almost all the younger contingent of the meet (Shaun, Marko, Isaac, Seren, and Lucy), along with most of the PMs (Laura, Nat, Tom, and David). Experienced cavers John and Carol Whalley completed the group. After the usual scramble for gear, and a brief stop-off in Ingleton to fill in any gaps in supplies, all headed up to Ribblehead’s Batty Moss Caves.

A short walk from the car park, against one of the most famous of Ribblesdale’s backdrops, the ever impressive viaduct, our group headed out to the Runscar cave system. We took two short routes, one of which included a squeeze which particularly excited the younger members of the group. There were some mixed reactions within the group to the discovery of a cave spider and it’s nest, along with a bat or two along the way.

We then headed to the longer Thistle Cave, a stream cave which had some great displays of decoration. Stalactites and stalagmites, calcite flowstones and fossils in abundance, all of which the younger members dashed past at breakneck pace, in order to reach the most narrow and wet parts of the cave, which clearly offered the most excitement!

A decision was taken to take the soggy trudge up the road to Gearstones, where we had the privilege of being able to explore Holme Hill Cave. Once a former show cave, we trod in the steps of the YRC members who were the first to explore this cave, also in August, back in 1924. The flow of water here was much heavier, and whilst the cave showed the evidence of the many visitors it had seen over the years, it was nonetheless beautiful.

We walked along Thorns Gill beck. The sun was now out and the temperature soaring, encouraging Shaun and Marko to briefly attempt to swim up the beck, having already received a good soaking from Holme Hill! We arrived at Katnot Cave, situated in a dry valley on the eastern bank of Thorns Gill, south-southwest of Gearstones Farm. This perhaps had the most spectacular of entrances, especially from the inside looking out. After clambering through the boulder strewn dry passage, the stream can be heard and seen under the bedding of rock to the right, where it emerges further down the gill from the cave entrance. Initial larger areas within the cave suddenly give way to deep water and narrow walkways, with flowstones of browns and reds giving way to the lighter hues of cream and white as the route progresses. It was great to see lots of signs of regrowth of stalactites replacing those that were no doubt destroyed by tourists. The cave water levels were up a few centimetres after the overnight rain, but not enough to hinder progress or enjoyment. Eventually we emerged into the sunshine and headed back for lunch at Lowstern.

Having dropped off the cavers at Ribblehead, Richard Dover, Phil Dover and Helen Smith did a 13 km circular walk which included an impressive number of ‘Ways’ – Ribble, Three Peaks, Pennine and Dales. Their timing was almost perfect, arriving back at the cars just 10 minutes before the cavers to then help taxi everyone back to Lowstern.

PMs Rod and Yayoi spent Saturday making their first ascent of Ingleborough in misty, damp conditions. They will need a return trip to appreciate the view.

Arriving back at Lowstern for showers and refreshments, we were able to admire the result of Alan Linford’s work on restoring John Lovett’s chair. Ged Campion and his daughter Imogen arrived to arrange a trip to the Ingleton climbing wall, with Laura and Nat opting for a walk out of Clapham to take in the Norber erratics. Shaun and Marko set out for a quick march up to Ingleborough, with dinner time set at 7pm.

John and Carol W had a break then headed for the Reading Room, Michael and Helen had lunch, looked at the view and washed the caving suits and kit, whilst John and Ros also looked at the view until it was time to start preparing the evening meal.

Paul, Phil and Richard Dover headed out for Ingleton climbing wall around 2pm with Lucy and Seren. They were joined by Tom and all the Linfords save Alan, who was still hard at work. Several hours of great climbing followed, with the older members mainly belaying and offering advice and instruction. Tom, Ged, and Imogen managed to get some climbing done themselves, providing excellent demonstrations on great climbing technique.

After fatigue set in, we headed back to Lowstern where Jon and Ros were hard at work preparing a fantastic and filling evening meal. There were clearly at least a dozen spare portions of all courses, but incredibly, Tom and Marko between them ensured that nothing went to waste. All those staying at Lowstern were joined by Ged and Imogen, the fire was relit, and the evening rang with conversations about past adventures and future plans, amongst friends new and old.

With the memorial event in the afternoon, Michael led one group climbing on Sunday morning. Alan left for home with his work complete, and Laura and Nat headed out for a short local walk. They bumped into Helen S on Clapham’s Long Lane and wound their way back to Clapham

Ash Tree Crag was the destination for the climbers, with Tom, Phil, David, Shaun, Marko and the remaining Linfords making up the group. Helen was up there part of the time but not climbing, Debbie too. The crag is just above Clapham, a short walk from the village, and was recorded as first being explored for climbs by the YRC, in 1953. John (Grimper) Richards wrote in YRC Journal 1968, 10(34) that the crag offered “several climbs of a non-terrifying nature, on pleasantly sound limestone”, which is an apt description of the crags’ condition today. The nine routes available on the crag are described in detail in that journal.

At first we set up routes on Tower Chimney and on the East Wall. The weather was glorious and the views from the crag were fantastic, stretching over the northern edges of the Forest of Bowland to Morecambe Bay. Conditions that made belaying almost as appealing as the climbing. Once everyone had taken turns on those routes, another was set up on Wobbling Wall (HVD ** 14m). Several of the party had left by this point, as time was pressing, but Tom and Michael had an enjoyable climb, with Isaac making a valiant attempt but not quite making the last pull up to the top of the crag.

Given advice to check with a thump any dubious rock before using it as a hold, Marko decided to go a step further and do some enthusiastic gardening. The football sized rock he weeded out landed on Michael’s rucksack, thankfully missing his GPS device but badly bruising his and Helen’s lunch apples.

After returning to Lowstern, our President, John Brown, had arranged for people to meet and show their respect for John Lovett and Albert Chapman, with an informal gathering enabling their friends and relatives to exchange their memories of these two long standing members of the YRC. They had 135 years of membership between them. The weather was kind to us with the rain holding off until late in the afternoon allowing the gathering to be outside.

John’s thanks go to Ros Brown, Rachel Evans, Ian Chapman and Becca Humphreys for their help in providing a wonderful spread.

List of meet attendees:

Paul Dover, Lucy Dover Sarakun (G), Adam Linford, Debbie Linford (G), Eli Linford (G), Isaac Linford (G), Richard Dover, Seren Still (G), Phil Dover, Marko Vasilic (G), Laura Baynes (PM), Shaun Glencross (G), Nathaniel Dickerson-Stead (PM), Tom Spencer (PM), David Brown (PM), Rod Smith (PM), Yayoi Smith (PM), Helen Smith, Michael Smith, John Brown, Ros Brown (G), John Whalley, Carol Whalley.                         

Those attending the memorial:                      

Alan Linford, Richard Gowing, Roy Denney, Ian Crowther, Derek and Yvonne Bush, Rachel Evans, Ian Chapman, Michael and Helen Smith, Ian and Sarah Gilmore, Martyn Trasler, Robert Crowther, Arthur Tallon, Judy Humphreys, Fiona Humphreys, Mick Borroff, Becca Humphreys, David Handley, Liz Holmes, Richard Josephy, Jill Crisp, Andrew Lovett, Betty Lovett, David Hick and Christine Marriott, John Varney, John Jenkin, Alan Hinkes, Paul Dover, Richard Dover, Lucy Dover Sarakun, Seren Still, Ged Campion, John and Carol Whalley, Adam and Debbie Linford, Eli Linford, Isaac Linford, Marco Vasilic, Shaun Glencross, Geoff and Viv Burfitt, Richard Taylor, John and Ros Brown.