CLUB MEETS

1938.—A fearful gale at the end of January was followed by a calm sunny Sunday at Chapel-le-Dale. Eight men had an interesting walk over the tunnel into Dentdale, and two went down to Hackergill and followed it up to deep snowdrifts and over Whernside.

Eleven men met at Buckden in February, had a pleasant walk to beyond Beckermonds, where a cave was found and partly dug out at the first bend, then climbed to the Greenfield ridge and two followed it to Birks Tarn.

In March from the Robertson Lamb Hut, rain and sleet made climbing beyond the Middlefell Buttress too unpleasant.

Ten men met at Fort William at Easter, most of whom left the train at Spean Bridge on Friday morning and traversed the Aonachs and Carn Mor Dearg. Another party climbed Crowberry Ridge on their way through Glencoe. There was little snow on Ben Nevis, but much ice on the rocks. The Observatory, Castle, and Tower Ridges were climbed, but the Observatory Buttress beat off the attack.

April 30th, Newby Moss, was a tuition meet, and the pot-holes descended next day were rigged entirely by tyros under the eyes of veterans.

Camp at Austwick Beck Head came in the marvellously fine weather of early May. Six men took all the ladders into Juniper Gulf on the 8th, and found it absolutely dry, almost stuffy without the usual air current. At 9 p.m. on the 14th May, H. and F. Stembridge, Sidney Thompson and the Editor took in the life line, tied up the ladder on the big pitch and reached bottom at 144 ft. The big ledge reached in blinding spray on the rush attack in 1924 is only 12 ft. higher. Davidson, Marshall, Hilton, Nelstrop and Solari (R. C.) entered after midnight, passed the others on the third pitch, went right down, raised both sets of ladders to the top of the third, and so to bed. Reinforced by four less experienced men, the tackle was all cleared by 3.30 p.m. on Sunday.

Gaping Gill at Whitsuntide was most enjoyable in spite of rainy nights. Fred Booth and Nelstrop did Hensler’s Crawl, Nelstrop and Matheson forced the flat bedding plane near the Flood Exit Pot for 150 yards, and Rigg, Godley, Wardle and the Editor made the second descent of Boulder Chamber Pot after a search of over an hour the day before had been needed to rediscover the entrance. Godley and Wardle drove home to Worksop the same night ! Only six of the 19 attending were left on Tuesday to carry out the arduous job of clearing up.

At the Horton Meet late in June ten members of the Rucksack and Wayfarers’ Clubs were taken to the bottom of Alum Pot.

At Coniston in July a second tuition outing was made to show the less experienced members the use of the rope and the technique of rock climbing.

In September there were Meets in Langdale with climbing on Gimmer and Dow Crags, and at Burnthwaite. The Wasdale crags were in mist but the walks over Esk Hause were actually in good weather.

The first October Meet at Coniston struck a fierce gale. One party struggled over the tops, another visited the enormous cavern in the slate quarries. The second was at Wass, where in delightful weather eleven men did a long round to Ashberry, Boltby Bank, and along the Hambledon scarp.

In December at Bainbridge, though troubled by fog there were walks to Wether Fell, and to the Stake past Coaley Hole.

1939.—A big muster was seen at the Hill Inn in January. Complicated manoeuvres with rope ladders went on in the barn after dinner. There was much soft snow in the west above 800 ft. and some found ski-ing on Penygent.

A furious gale raged at Arncliffe in February, and though Littondale was glorious on Saturday, the parties to Penygent and in search of caves had a hard wet time on Sunday.

Only five showed up at Horton a fortnight later, but Chubb brought out a party on Sunday, and through fierce hailstorms thirteen men swept Fountains Fell for pot-holes with slight success.

In March the drive to the Robertson Lamb Hut was through very heavy rain, but a fine, calm day followed, and there was good climbing and some snow work.

At Easter eight men walked from Aviemore over the Larig Ghru, and after a delightful day at Inverey, back over Ben Macdui. Weather fine and warm, but the clouds lay low and nothing was seen, a great disappointment.

Later in April from the Hill Inn there were enjoyable tuition descents of Sell Gill by ten men and of Cowskull Pot and Long Churn by six.

No greater contrast could be imagined than the miserable conditions of the May camp at Austwick Beck Head, and the summer weather of 1938. The weekend before, Nick Pot was partly rigged, and four of the men after reaching home were called on for the dramatic night drive to rescue at Rowten Pot. The I4th May was so cheerless there seemed no fun about the expedition, and only Nelstrop and Hilton descended the 180 ft. pitch inside Nick Pot.

At Whitsuntide the President led a party of twelve to Fermanagh, where Mr. Barbour of Killesher was most hospitable, allowing the use of part of his large house. The boat expedition into Pollnagollum is described elsewhere. Weather incredibly and impossibly fine.

A large party including Rucksackers and Wayfarers met at Braida Garth in June, visited the upper part of Rowten and its watercourses, and made many descents of Jingle Pot. A very enjoyable day.

As in 1938 we were fortunate in July to have fine intervals for the walks to and from Burnthwaite, but the main party had to climb the Pulpit Rock through two severe storms.

Some twenty-five men met the President on 2nd December for supper at Scott’s Arms, Sicklinghall. A few walked, most came by car.

6. 1940. — Nearly thirty were at the Hill Inn in February, ten crossing Ingleborough in calm and pleasant weather on the 24th. A rapid thaw had almost cleared from the fells the great snowfall of the first of three terrible winters. In July a dozen men met the President at Little Almscliff.

7. 1941. — Again at Chapel-le-Dale, lst-2nd March, thaw had reduced the deep snow of a worse winter to patches, spread over fell and dale alike. Twenty-four were at the dinner to Mr. and Mrs. Kilburn on this the last occasion they welcomed us at the Hill Inn, where two generations of Kilburns have been our hosts. An easy chair was our parting gift.

In the spring they moved to Fell Yeat, High Casterton, and there a delightful camp was held 21st-22nd June in a long spell of perfect days.

On 1st November there were nearly thirty at supper at Sicklinghall, Godley and Elliott coming from Retford. Mr. Cowling of Ilkley gave us an interesting talk on the prehistoric route through the Aire Gap in the Pennines.

6. 1942. — Twelve met at the Hill Inn on 28th February, the week-end when the lowlands were clear before the last and heaviest snowfall of the worst winter in living memory. The Ribblehead road was cut through drift for two miles. Five came from Horton over Ingleborough, six crossed Whernside, and Shaw walked from and to Hawes.

There could be no Jubilee Dinner, so to mark the completion of our club’s fifty years existence the Meet at the New Inn, Clapham included wives of members. Seventeen men and eight ladies were at dinner 14th November, and our thanks are due to Mr. and Mrs. Williamson for the remarkable way in which, without permanent staff, they contrived to make us welcome for the week-end. The weather was favourable ; six men went as far as Gearstones and returned over the pass by moonlight.

6. 1943. — Twelve were at Chapel-le-Dale in February, weather chiefly misty drizzle. Some walked to Snaizeholme, others down the gills to Ingleton and back by Easegill.

Another meet there in November struck a strong gale and a snow­ storm on the 13th, but four forced their way over Blea Fell and Whern­ side on Sunday in otherwise fine weather.

1944. — The only other snowstorm of a mild winter coincided with our next visit to the Hill Inn, 4th March. Some came over the Mere Gill pass, others by the grass road and Wold Fell from Garsdale. Twelve men were all at the same time on the top of snow-covered Whernside. In October, however, the weather was fine and sunny, and rounds were made of the many caves.

6. 1945. — Again two Meets at the Hill Inn ; fine and calm in February on Ingleborough and the furthest expedition to the Cowgill Y.H.A. For the 4th or 5th time in succession, Marshall with others crossed the Mere Gill pass to Clapham mostly in the dark. The row of cars in a fine and warm September told of some return to normal. On Sunday twenty men marched to view the Gritstone Club Hut and then went down Ling Gill.

7. 1946. — There were sixteen at Buckden, February 9th-10th in delight­ ful weather. Almost all traversed the Pike and Middle Fell.

Nine met at Fort William at Easter. Sgurr a Mhaim and the Nevis Gorge were rushed on Friday with the aid of Catlow’s car and there was climbing three days on the Ben.

Gaping Gill, August 2nd-6th. Owing to the exertions of Fred Booth, Armstrong and Eddison the tackle was overhauled and refitted. The head-gear was erected and the dam made with assistance the week-end before Bank Holiday. We suffered from rain and cloud night and morning, but the days were pleasant. Everyone had to bring his own food. Sixteen were in camp ; Chubb and others came for the day, but passers-by were very, very few. South Passage was done thoroughly on Sunday, but though a crowd who knew little of the cavern was put in first, they stumbled upon nothing new. Conditions prevented a real examination of the new entrance through Disappointment Pot.