Club Meets
1972-73
14 weekend meets were held during the year; the average attendance was 28. In addition there was held the Annual Dinner and the Ladies’ Evening.
The 80th Annual General Meeting was held at the Hotel Majestic, Harrogate, on the 18th November, 1972. The 59th Annual Dinner followed, with the President, A. B. Craven, in the Chair. The principal guest was S. H. Cross, now of Ambleside, formerly of the Old Dungeon Ghyll. Twelve kindred clubs were represented, eight of them by their presidents. 167 members and guests were present—a record attendance. A magnum of champagne was presented to the Hon. Treasurer to mark his 21st year in that office. The after-dinner meet was held at Kettlewell where 80 members and guests congregated at the Racehorses Hotel, with a substantial fall of snow on the fells, and thick, damp mist at low level: the potholing party at Dow Cave had drier conditions. The Christmas Meet at the Buck Hotel, Reith, on the 8th-10th December, saw 41 members and guests deployed over the Swaledale moors in worsening weather, and subsequently enjoying traditional Christmas fare, an illustrated talk on the Dordogne by Malcolm Bone, and on the Sunday a guided tour of the old lead mines. The New Year Meet was attended by 59 members and guests at the Hark-to-Bounty Hotel, Slaidburn. The pleasures of navigation on the Bowland moors was once again enhanced by the roughness of peathags and tussocks and the opacity of the mist. Two caving films were shown by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Warden after an excellent dinner. At the February meet at Low Hall Garth there was a record attendance of 52; the weather was unpropitious, with low cloud and rain; after dinner Tom Morrell gave an illustrated talk on an adventure course for college students in the Arizona desert.
The late February meet in Glen Etive is now almost traditional. For 26 members and guests excellent weather amply justified the long trip by car—parties were out on Bidean, Buchaille Etive Mor, Stob Ghab-har, Stob Dearg in sunshine and snow showers.
26 members and guests again assembled for the late March meet in Mallerstang, centred on the Westmorland Education Department’s hut at Outhgill. Both edges of this dramatic valley were traversed and one party got as far as High Cup Nick. The Easter Meet from April 20th-23rd walked the “Dales Way,” a newly established long-distance route from Ilkley old bridge to the Lake District. 9 members took part, of whom two ferried the camping gear and food, and the rest walked. In May 7 members and 1 prospective member met in Edale, Derbyshire, and pursued routes between Edale and Hope, over Bleaklow and Kinder.
For the Spring Bank Holiday the Club made its third visit to Rhum. The attendance was 41. Mixed weather did nothing to curtail activity— traverses of the main ridge, rock climbing on Barkeval, Allival, Trollval, Ruinsival, the sighting of eagles and mermaids, the study of shearwaters and sheep ticks.
The Long Walk in June was designated “Carrog to Cader Idris” and followed a direct East-West line over the Berwyns and the Arans. Twenty members and guests attempted the walk and four more gallantly supported them. Thick cloud enveloped the route from Aran Fawddwy onwards. The first party reached the last feeding point at Cold Dor at 20.50 having covered 38 miles. Cader Idris had been long shrouded in mist and the prospect of completing the route had also faded after a long, hard, de-hydrating day. But it was a fine route, worth re-doing. A pot-holing Meet in July saw 15 members and guests at Lowstem Hut for a rather aqueous meet. Bull Pot was descended on Saturday and Whitewell Pot on Sunday. Two members canoed from Sedbergh to Melling and welcomed the abundant water, others were less enthusiastic on Ingleborough and Peny-ghent. The August Meet was a high level camp at Scoat Tarn. The first group of six left Wastwater at 10.40 p.m. on Friday, and pitched camp at 12.45 a.m. Four others set off later and arrived very much later via Black Sail and Pillar. Climbing on Pillar Rock and Black Wall, and walking on Red Pike, Scoat Fell, Pillar and Haycock occupied a fine day and well into a moonlight night. Sunday was wet. The traditional joint meet with Wayfarers and Rucksack Club members in September was attended by 24 members, divided between Robertson Lamb Hut and Low Hall Garth. Climbing parties were out on Gimmer, Bowfell and Scout Crag—walkers on Allen Crags, Glaramara and the Pikes. The early October Meet was held at the Climbers’ Club Hut at Helyg. 14 members and one guest had an energetic weekend in perfect weather. Ropes were out on Cyrn Las, Glyder Fawr, Tryfan and Idwal, walkers on the Carnedds, Moel Siabod, the Snowdon horseshoe and Tryfan, with Brocken Spectres and Glories. The late October Meet was at Egton Bridge with 21 members and two guests present. On a fine autumn Saturday members sampled the variety of the Cleveland Way between Ravenscar and Kettleness. On Sunday the rain held off long enough for climbing on the Wainstones.
1973-74
12 club meets were held during the year; the average attendance was 27 excluding the Dinner and the Ladies’ Evening.
The 81st Annual General Meeting was held at the Hotel Majestic, Harrogate, on the 17th November, followed by the 60th Annual Dinner. The President, B. E. Nicholson, was in the Chair; the principal guest was A. J. J. Moulam. 133 members and guests were present; 66 of these attended the after-dinner meet at Malham. The first meet of the year was held at the Grove, Kentmere, on the 7th-9th December, 1973. 49 members and prospective members attended; no guests were allowed. Saturday started with a powdering of snow and mist on the tops. After lunch there was sunshine and long views from both sides of the Kentmere horseshoe. Dennis and Margaret Driscoll provided a Christmas dinner of the usual superlative quality, which is only exceeded by the superlative nonchalance with which they do it. A presentation was made to Margaret as a token of the Club’s appreciation of the Driscoll’s hospitable catering both at the Grove and for even longer at Low Hall Garth February Meets. For the first meet of 1974 the Club returned to its traditional potholing area. 55 members and guests assembled at the Marton Arms, Ingleton, for a highly successful weekend—good weather, good walking and potholing, good service, elbowroom at dinner and space for the after-dinner talks by John Middleton and Sid Cross. At Low Hall Garth in February, attendance was again limited to members only, and with 45 present, all the alternatives of accommodation were stretched. Torrential rain and low cloud ensured a full drying room too, but failed to inhibit activity outdoors or at table. It is becoming almost a tradition for members to arrive at Glen Etive on Thursday night instead of Friday. Those who did so this year found themselves sharing the hut with another (and mixed) club until Saturday morning. Saturday started fine and tailed off before noon catching parties on Bidean, the Buch-aille, Aonach Eagach, the Clach Liathad ridge and as far afield as the Mamores. Sunday was a day for masochists. But two members who stayed on had a remarkable day on Tuesday on Clach Liathad and Meall a Bhuirhd. Only four members and one prospective member turned out for the Easter Meet at Ferist, Roy Bridge. In superb weather on successive days the meet climbed the north-facing corrie of Beinn a Clachair, most of the Munros on the north side of Loch Laggan, and the nearer peaks of Stob Choire Mheadhain and Stob Choire Easain. The May meet was switched to Lowstern because of access restrictions at Birks Cave. 17 members and 6 guests attended. One caving party bottomed Long Kin East Pot, negotiating the big pitch by single rope; a second party went into Easegill Caverns in quest of the elusive Easter Grotto. Sunday saw groups climbing on Attermire and Norber. The Spring Bank Holiday Meet retreated from the rawness of the Loch Mullardoch dam to a more sheltered camp site four miles down Glen Cannich. 20 members and guests had a most enjoyable and varied week—high winds, rain, hail, snow and some sunshine. Affric, Cannich and Strathfarrar and intervening tops were visited from various directions. One party of six claimed 11 Munros and 17 tops during the week.
(G.A. Salmon, J.A. Medley, W.R. Lofthouse, J.H. Sterland, A.B. Craven, G. Edwards)
The Long Walk took place on the weekend of 21st-23rd June and followed the boundary of the former North and West Ridings from Coverdale to Mallerstang. It was based on the Cumbrian Education Department’s hut at Outhgill. Some 30 membrs and guests walked and a further nine did a sterling job in maintaining feeding points, ferrying cars and providing the evening meal. A demonstration of becking in Hell Gill was much enjoyed on Sunday by a full dress circle of observers, and also, more strangely, by the undressed participants. The high level camp in August was held at the cave on Dove Crag. 13 members faced con-sistently inclement weather, “like sleeping behind a waterfall” as the President remarked. 25 members and guests represented the Club at the joint meet in September with the Wayfarers’ and Rucksack Clubs. 12 of the Y.R.C. including the President were at the Robertson Lamb Hut, the others at Low Hall Garth. The President’s party traversed High Street and walked “out of the Lakes” to the head of Ullswater. One Low Hall Garth party climbed on Gimmer, another did the circuit from Great Langdale via Bowfell to Scafell Pike and back via Gable and Esk Hause. Sunday’s weather induced a working party. The Welsh Meet in October was billed at Cwm Glas Mawr with overflow at Ynys Ettws. It turned out all overflow since the key to Cwm Glas Mawr could not be found. Despite low cloud and hail storms ambitious assaults were made on Snowdon from two sides. One climbing party rendered assistance to a damsel in distress on Craig Yr Ysfa, two others were rained off on Carrog Wasted and Dinas Cromlech. 18 members and 3 guests were present.
1974-75
13 Club Meets were held during the year with an average attendance of 25. This excludes the Annual Dinner, the Ladies’ Evening and Working Party meets at both huts.
The 82nd Annual General Meeting was held at the Cairn Hotel, Harrogate, on the 17th November. The 61st Annual Dinner followed. The retiring President, B. E. Nicholson, was in the Chair and the principal guest was David Cox, immediate Past President of the Alpine Club. 140 members and guests were present, and over 70 of these turned out for the after-dinner Meet at the Racehorses, Kettlewell. Fine weather was enjoyed on Buckden Pike, Great Whernside, Horse Head Moor, Pen-y-ghent and by climbers on Hardwick Scar, and potholers descended both Sleets Gill and Dowkerbottom Cave. The Christmas Meet was again held at the Grove, Kentmere, where the Driscolls appeared to outdo all their previous successes. 47 members and guests enjoyed their bounty after the Kentmere round, climbing on Buckbarrow and a route from Wet Sleddale back to Kentmere. After dinner Eric Arnison and George Spenceley gave a talk with slides on their journey through Ethiopia. The venues of the January and February meets were reversed this year because of difficulty in booking for January in the Ingleton area. 34 members and guests therefore gathered at Low Hall Garth on the 10th-12th January. This was the 21st anniversary of Dennis DriscolPs communal catering at Low Hall Garth. There was water everywhere in the Lake District when the meet started and it rained throughout the weekend. Pavey Ark was a waterfall: endeavour tended to be limited. The February Meet was held at the Marton Arms, Ingleton. 49 members and guests were present. Cloud was low and thick: two members did the traditional “Three Peaks’ Walk” and others found the tops of Gragareth, Great Combe and Brag Hill as well as Ingleborough and Whernside. Unrecorded potholes were bottomed on both days. Sixteen members and three guests travelled to Inbhirfhaolain, the Grampian Club Hut in Glen Etive in late February. The first four who arrived on Thursday are believed to have spent the next night in an igloo on Bidean. A later party viewed the igloo, en route to the top, another traversed the Beinn Ceitheinn and Stob Bubh massif, another the fine ridges of Sgurr Dhearg and Sgurr Dhonuill, another Stob Coir ‘an Albannaich and Meall nam Eun; but the skiers had the best of the day. The Easter Meet was based on the Ben Alder bothy; 8 members and 4 guests attended and had a highly successful meet on Ben Alder, Beinn Bheoil, Sron Coire nan Iclaire, the Aonach Beag ridge, Beinn a Chum-hainn, Meall a’Bhealaich, Sgurr Choinnich, Sgurr Gaibhre, Cam Dearg. The April pot-holing meet at Lowstern was devoted to the Lancaster Pot—Easegill system. One party started down Lancaster Hole, the second party down County Pot in the Easegill system. The two parties met and crossed over in a successful and strenuous trip. The Spring Bank Holiday Meet returned after an interval of ten years to Loch Nevis. 16 members and 2 guests went in by boat from Mallaig. The weather was superb for the whole week. The isolation of the site was matched by its grandeur and beauty. Three younger members spent the week climbing on Luine Bheinn and Ben Aden. All the Munros within reach, including Ladhar Bheinn, were topped as well as several lesser heights. A memorable week. The Long Walk in June was based on Low Hall Garth. The support party numbered 6 and the walking party 20. The route covered the Coniston Fells, Harter Fell, Hardknott, Scafell and the Pike, Great End, Glaramara, High Raise, the Langdale Pikes and back to Low Hall Garth. Four completed the route on a day of sustained heat. The high level camp in July was again at Scoat Tarn. The attendance was small (7 members and one guest), and cloud and rain persisted until lunchtime on Saturday. Half the meet walked over Scoat Fell and Pillar, Haydock, etc., the other half tried Black Crag in all its north-facing wetness. On Sunday rain persisted all the way back to Yorkshire. Potholing in August was based partly at Lowstern and partly on a camp in Dent-dale. Ibbeth, Crystal Cave (Barbondale), Nettle Pot and an un-named new cave were descended. 10 members and one guest took part, On the last weekend in August 20 members and guests met at Low Hall Garth. There was climbing on Dow, Gimmer, White Ghyll, Great How Crag and Dove Crag and walking on Bowfell and the Crinkles. For the joint meet in September 18 Y.R.C. members stayed at the Wayfarers’ hut, and 12 more at Low Hall Garth. In sunny, warm conditions parties were out on the Coniston Fells, from Pike o’ Blisco to Bowfell and in Patterdale on Catstye Cam, Stybarrow Dodd and Sheffield Pike. Climbers enjoyed the sun on Gimmer. For the Welsh meet in October, 30 members and guests assembled at Helyg. On a bright, crisp morning most of the meet deployed over Tryfan, Bristly Ridge, the Glyders and Y Garn—some climbed, some walked, some did both. Sunday was equally clear and crisp; the walkers were on the Carnedds, the climbers on Glyder Fach and Tryfan. A well organised and most enjoyable weekend.