CHIPPINGS
GILL AND PEN-Y-GENT. – In the Y.R.C.J. for 1947, Vol. VII, page 170 [Need to link], were published the facts relating to the modern affectation ” ghyll,” – GHYLL, invented by Wordsworth, used only in guide books to the Lake District. Fell and Rock Club men have defended it, quoting Haskett Smith, Climbing in England, page 53, ” good authority for both spellings.” But when Haskett Smith wrote in 1893 he was a young man, and in the following few years he did much place name study. He never retracted in an article, and what he really found escaped public notice ; certainly it escaped also the attention of that merciless critic Thomas Gray, our first Editor.
Allsup has now discovered that in the Alpine Journal, 1903, Vol XXI, page 493, Haskett Smith, in a review of Crag and Hound in Lakeland, deplored Benson’s use of ” the modern affectation, ghyll, fit only for ghyddy, ghyggling ghyrls.” So now we know that the Fell and Rock Club does not stand alongside its ex-President.
In his recent books on Malham, etc., Dr. Raistrick, a great authority on old records, has frequently to quote Pen-y-Gent and adheres rigorously to the spelling without the “h”. It is amusing to find in The Face of N.W. Yorkshire that his half of the book has Pen-y-Gent while the other author has Pen-y-Ghent. Wordsworth, with his ” ghyll,” though he only uses it twice, seems to have started a fashion, for Pen-y-Gent has no “h” in any of the series of old maps shown in the Harrogate Library, the latest of which is 1834, nor do either Welsh or Norse make use of the “gh.” So “ghent” too is a modern affectation.
MORE ABOUT PLACE NAMES. – The Cumberland Place Name Survey has been published recently in two volumes containing the recordings. Unfortunately the third volume with the index and studies of the results has yet to appear. It is the first county of real difficulty, not surprising as Cumbria wag the later name of the kingdom of Strathclyde and there are many Welsh names besides the usual Anglian and Scandinavian.
The mix-up of settlements in the North is extraordinary. On the Hawick half-inch sheet, in the middle of the Tweeddale – Ettrick Anglian country of laws, hopes, and knowes will be found many fells and scores of gills, the latter at least definitely Norse.
ROWTEN POT. – I have always felt that the usual derivation from Rowantree was not convincing, and that Rowting was probably the first step back. The new volumes show that there are seven Rowtings and Rowtens in Cumberland, while off Strangford Lough (Ulster) are the Rowting Rocks. Norse – meaning Roaring.
THE RYEDALE WATER RACES. – The Dalesman, March 1950, Vol. XI, has an article by Butterfield on these curious and remarkable channels. Of late years he has walked them all, and patiently hunted out what information can be found as to their creation 200 years ago. The optical illusions are stagger ing, over and over again, while progress along some portions is not only difficult but painful.
CAVE RESCUE. – The two serious accidents – one of them fatal – in Pen-y-Gent Pot in recent months have emphasised very clearly how essential it is that parties entering pot-holes should treat them with the same respect as should be exercised on a big mountain. Both can hit the careless and reckless very hard indeed. Parties should form small definite units, each adequately equipped with food and clothing, and with some feeling of mutual responsibility for each other.
The Club, from the Whitsuntide meet at Mere Gill, was able to supply one of the rescue parties which helped to bring out the body of John Williams; and a second party standing by if wanted. In both this case and that of the injured man, Frankland, a few weeks later, the thick rubber carrying-sheet was used and was found to be a most useful means of transport along the rough and difficult 800 feet of wet crawling which so delaved the rescue operations.
GENERAL NOTES on ” Guest ” mountaineering in S. Africa.
The following notes prepared by C. W. Jorgensen will be of general interest :-
CAPE TOWN is certainly the centre of mountaineering activities in South Africa and a welcome will always be found at the H. Q. of the Mountain Club of South Africa in Yorkshire House on The Strand. Every Friday evening there is gome club activity, lectures, talks, slides, discussions and so on. On Sunday mornings it is usual to find quite a cluster of people waiting at the terminus at Kloof Neck to make up the day’s mountain party. Table Mountain is rightly famed and I am told, has nigh on 875 routes to the summit plateau varying from easy to Super severes. The rock appears to be sandstone of varying degrees of hardness. The lower sections being the softer and glass hard varieties are at the top. Apart from the “Table Mountaineers” there are a number of people who are termed “country mountaineers.” This implies, they set off for the week-end to some of the abundant and un believably varied countryside.
In Port Elizabeth the Eastern Provinces Mountaineering Club was established recently and not yet affiliated to the main body of S.A. Mountain Clubs. A hearty welcome awaits any traveller here should he only have time for an odd week-end or the Sunday available for a look into the country. Grand hill walkers, old men of the hills, form the backbone of this club and are ably supported by younger people keen on the various aspects of mountaineering and hillwalking. Some fine rock-climbs are available on the Cockscomb 5,778 feet only a few hours motoring away. The waterfall (dry) yielding a 1,300 feet rock climb is yet not completed. It fell to me to attempt it with a small party. For a more able climber, the route would supply no real difficulty. To me it was the finest climb I have led. Lack of time made us abandon about 400 feet from the top and we took an “easy way” up, taking nearly two hours.
In Durban a fine body of mountaineers and cragsmen exists. They are members of the Natal Mountaineering Club which has a fine standard and a high record of achievements.
The Drachensberg mountains are within 100 miles or more of Durban, but one needs three to four days a least to get a proper impression. I am told, that one may traverse the whole range from South to North in a matter of about five weeks. Ski-ing here is possible in winter (July-September) provided one is able to rush up from the heat of Durban to the hills immediately the snow is reported as having fallen. The habit is to associate oneself with the Meterological Institute and get them to tell you the news. The Pieter Maritzburg section of the Natal Club is very active and is the headquarters of the Club.
When you go take Vibram soled boots. Rubbers are essential too (they are called “tackies”). Although I had nails with me, I never once used them, though on Table Mountain they are widely used. A sleeping bag, light and warm, usual camping utensils and warm clothes for the night are other useful things to carry. Anoraks and trousers proved very useful as did balaclavas in high places. If you bring your boots rucksack and sleeping bag, you may rest assured that the rest will be provided by an enthusiastic set of mountaineers. Photography in colour and in black and white with filters is very satisfactory.