Lowstern
August 26-28, 1994
Saturday saw both walking and caving activities. The planned descent of Grey Wife Hole was thwarted by the accumulation of shingle in the low entrance crawl. This resulted in the caving team splitting into two groups, one going to the allotment to explore Long Kin East and the other stayed at Grey Wife to clear the blockage. A wall was built which it was hoped would hold back the shingle in the future. Dinner was four-course, followed by a trip to the New Inn.
Sunday again saw walking and caving, with some minor entrances on Newby Moss being investigated.
Meet Organiser, Graham Salmon.
Attendance:
Arthur Salmon (President)
Alister Renton
Bruce Bensley
Jon Riley
Ged Campion
Graham Salmon
Ian Crowther
Richard Sealey
Richard Josephy
David Smith
George Postill
Camping Barn, Hubberholme
28th to 30th October 1994
This Dales Meet was organised at a venue new to the Club, the very well converted and superbly equipped bunkhouse barn at Grange Farm, Hubberholme. It was very comfortable and camping was available in an excellent field nearby, which was nice and flat, and accepted tent pegs without complaint! Car parking too was quite adequate for the numbers, although some members did have to park in a nearby pull-in on the road.
The weekend commenced on the Thursday morning for one member, who decided, good chappie that he is, not to add to the world’s pollution, but to walk to the meet from his home in Leeds, bivouacking in a wood near Thruscross reservoir over the Thursday night. He arrived at Friday teatime to find a fair number of members already in residence at the bunkhouse, enjoying the organiser’s scrambled egg supper and engaged in what was the weekend’s conversational topic – the recently circulated plan for the next 25 years from the specially appointed sub-committee. The possibility of female membership provided endless scope for dispute, ribaldry and hot air generation over the entire weekend, to say nothing of a politically correct revision of the Club’s song composed on the hill during Saturday.
Saturday was a fair day, with occasional light showers and some hill mist, but really quite good, with Upper Wharfedale resplendent in it’s autumn coat. A duo comprising a senior member and a junior one investigated Crook Gill for rock routes, but it did not look at all inviting, so they moved on to Hawkswick Crags where they enterprisingly completed seven routes on good clean limestone. Nearly everyone else joined one of the several groups who all completed some variation of the Cray, Yockenthwaite, Beckermonds, Halton Gill, Littondale and Old Cote Moor circuit. One fit party extended it to include Arncliffe, Starbotton, Buckden Pike and large quantities (they said) of beer. Another party had had the brilliant idea of leaving a jacket complete with car keys in the pub at Appletreewick on the previous evening, thus enabling them to enjoy Friday night minus their sleeping bags and other gear. Not only was this good for their souls, but it also enabled them to make a return visit to the same pub on Saturday during a riverside walk designed for just this puipose.
Dinner was an enjoyable curry provided by the meet leader, plus non-curry for the unadventurous or weak of stomach, followed by fruit pie and cheese, visits to the local and more verbal diarrhoea about the desirability of female membership.
Sunday started thoroughly wet and miserable, only encouraging people to set out on modest valley walks, although it did pick up as the day wore on and actually ended up as a pretty decent day, though windy.
A first class meet in general, at a venue that we might well choose to use again in future years.
W.C.I.C.
Attending:
| Arthur Salmon (President) Derek Clayton Roy Denny David Hick Alan Brown Jim Rusher David Smith |
Derek Smithson Bill Todd David Martindale Ian Crowther Andrew Duxbury Jeff Hooper George Spenceley Alan Clare (guest) |
Alan Kay John Schofield Tony Smythe Frank Wilkinson Alister Renton Robert Crowther Eddie Edwards Raymond Ince |
The 81st Annual Dinner,
held at the Randells Hotel, Skipton, on the 19th November 1994
103 members attended this year’s dinner, well up on the 91 who were there last year. This increase was, no doubt, attributable to the Special General Meeting which preceded the dinner at which club members were asked to vote on the proposals submitted by the committee on the subject of ‘A Forward Plan – The Next 25 Years.’ Two of these proposals were contentious, namely that we should modify the name of the club and also that we should open eligibility for membership to anyone who is interested in the aims and objects of the club. A report on this meeting and on the results of the voting will, no doubt, appear elsewhere, suffice it to say in this article that it needed firm control by the President to close the meeting at approximately the correct time, thus allowing club officials to welcome our guests in the traditional manner.
The chief guest was John Cleare, member of the Alpine and Climbers Clubs, and a professional photographer, film camera-man and photo-journalist whose work has been widely published in Britain and abroad. He gave us an interesting talk on his climbing trips and professional expeditions amongst the mountains of the world, some of them with our member Tony Smythe. The pity was that he was inaudible to many on the far tables. The dining room must be poor acoustically and those of us who are getting on in years are all becoming a little deaf and I would suggest that, in future, all speakers *are firmly requested to use the microphone, regardless of their confidence in the carrying power of their voice.
The reply to the toast to the quests was given by Jim Curran of the Alpine Club, who, despite being in imminent danger of losing his voice amused his audience with a string of witticisms.
The evening was rounded off by the J.D. Armstrong Ensemble. The subject of their song was predictable and we all enjoyed it.
The After Dinner Meet was based on Lowstern and, weatherwise, it was not much of a day although the rain did manage to ease off by about 3 pm. A caving party was out, engaged upon necessary work above ground and the walkers, or should I say ramblers, went onto Ingleborough and various destinations on the Allotments. One party went to visit The Three Men of Gragareth which meant that the oldest member on the meet had to climb countless stone walls, each of them in an advanced state of decrepitude. Everyone got back to Lowstern on time and the day ended with good fellowship and a fine supper, thanks to David, Mike, Harry et al.
P.C. Swindells
Attendance:
| G. Adshead Rucksack Club K. Aldred J.D. Armstrong J.B.Bensley AD. Bridge . B. Brookfield AC. Brown C.D. Bush AD. Bull G.D. Bull V.Bugg R. Campbell Scottish MC G. Campion P.RP. Chadwick RE. Chadwick A.R. Chapman I.E. Chapman C. Cobb J. Cleare Chief Guest AB. Craven R Crowther W.C.I. Crowther J. Curran Alpine Club Al Duxbury C. Duckworth Gritstone Club G. Douglas T.E. Edwards A Eamshaw D. Gamble I.F.D. Gilmour R Gowing F.M. Godden D.J. Handley R.G. Hague D. Hall |
R Harben M. Hartland Bradford P C R.C. Hawkins I. Hemingway D.A Hick D.Holmes J.A. Holmes J. H. Hooper J. H. Humphreys H. Humphreys R G. Humphreys G.R. Ince C.W. Jorgensen TW. Josephy H. Jacob Wayfarers’ Club G. Jones T.A Kay M.J. Kinder W. Lacy C. Large D. Large I.G. Laing D. Laughton r.o. Lee W.A Linford TR Lofthouse W.R Lofthouse H.A Lomas A Lovett D.RH. Mackay S. Marsden D.M. Martindale F. Milner TP. Moss |
N. Newman R. Newman P. O’Neill Fell & Rock C C G.P. Postill P. St. l Price A Renton C.G. Renton N. Renton Robinson l V.F. Rusher G.A Salmon President G.R Salmon RT. Salmon lA Schofield G.P.A Scovell RC. Scovell l Short F.D. Smith M. Smith AG. Smythe G.B. Spenceley D.W. Stembridge lH. Sterland W.P.B. Stonehouse P.C. Swindells T. Temple S. Waterfall r.c. Whalley r.c White F. Wilkinson M.F. Wilson R Wilson M. Wood G. Workman Craven P C |
Christmas Meet – Ribblehead
December 9-11, 1994
Ribblehead is an isolated moorland community well known to Three-Peak walkers, the caving fraternity and railway buffs with the Ribblehead viaduct of 1872 the main attraction to them. Its Station Inn with a long history of providing shelter and sustenance to travellers was the venue of the 1994 YRC Christmas Meet. Some members having heard the grim weather forecast for the week-end, chose to get their exercise on Friday; this included a fine walk over Simon Fell and Ingleborough, returning deviously via Twiselton Scars and the Hill Inn to Ribblehead, whilst another chose the Fairfield Horseshoe enjoying fine views and early snow on the higher fells. By evening a high proportion of members and their guests had arrived, taking up the well-appointed accommodation in the Inn, the cottages and the bunkhouse, and hardier souls in the Gritstone Club hut at Gear stones.
Saturday arrived to see members enjoying a huge Dales breakfast more than sufficient to combat the desolate scene outside – cloud base at road level, torrential rain and a gale-force wind. Such a scene must have been witnessed many times by the railway navvies from their bleak lodgings on the desolate moor.
Here the ingenuity of YRC members was demonstrated. In extremely poor weather a Presidential party rallied forth for the Three Peaks only to be driven back to the Inn after a valiant assault on and by Penyghent.
Another party traversed Whernside via the Wolds Way and another group explored sections of the Pennine Way and Dales Way in the High Birkwith area. Several parties visited the Ingleton waterfalls and a strong caving party entered Long Kim West. It is also rumoured that one group visited the Antiquarian bookshops of Hawes!
By early evening the inclement weather had been forgotten with a warming Presidential punch and other liquid refreshment. Forty seven members and their guests sat down to a fine Christmas feast served by pleasant staff in comfortable surroundings, the serving of Yorkshire pudding with turkey being a novel experience for some as was the “loo with a view”. The conviviality of the evening continued in the bar with the usual topics of conversation and argument, and especially of the forthcoming 1995 Himalayan Expedition.
Sunday dawned to the same dismal scene, although a repeat performance of the gargantuan breakfast of the previous day fortified members for another soaking.
Despite the atrocious weather this was a meet to savour for the excellent food and accommodation and the valued company of members. Our thanks are due to Harvey who masterminded such a fine occasion for us. So far as is known no-one went home with a German Shepherd dog pup as a Christmas present.
T.E. Edwards
Attendance:
| The President – Derek Bush Ken Alfred David Brook (G) Alan Brown Ged Campion John Caspston Ian Chapman Albert Chapman Derek Clayton Alan Cleare (G) Robert Crowther Ian Crowther Roy Denney Andrew Duxbury Eddy Edwards Iain Gilmour |
Mike Godden David Handley David HallJohn Hemingway David Hick Tim Josephy Alan Kaye Mike Kinder Gerry Lee Ian Laing David Laughton Alan Linford Bill Lofthouse Tim Lofthouse Harvey Lomas David Martindale |
Craig Murray George Postill Ken Raby(G) Alistair Renton Harry Robinson Arthur Salmon Graham Salmon John Schofield Bill Todd Michael Smith Derek Smithson David Smith Frank Wilkinson A. Wilkinson (G) John White |
North Wales Meet – Chamoix Mountain Centre, Pias y Celyn
20-22 January 1995
Some presidencies have predominately wet meets and some predominately dry. The current president decided to get all the water out of the meets system for his two years in his first two meets. It was an appalling Saturday high winds and incessant rain. The much hoped for snow was there but wet and soggy. Undeterred parties set out firmly believing that it could not get worse.
Several groups drove down to Beddgelert, each group finding different routes through the forest separating the car park from the mountains to the West. Two such parties had their sights set on Moel Hebog with a nostalgic thought for one time president Brian Nicholson whose ashes were scattered there.
Once on the ridge every col had successively winds of greater intensity. Gaining the summit of Moel Lefn, the only summit reached by any group that day, was a fight almost to the death. One member of the group delayed fixing his hood found movement quite impossible and floundered a few feet from the summit awaiting the slightest lull before rejoining the group.
The Llanberis slate quarries were visited by some of the hard walkers while a sensible party kept low and circumvented Lyn Dinas. Another party proudly announced that they had reached the snow line in Llanberis. A lone attempt was made by a prospective member to scale Snowdon by the Miners track. All in all it was not the most successful of days. One member arrived early on the Friday had an excellent day with good snow conditions on Moel Siabod.
Sunday came, it did not look much better. Four members tried out the excellent climbing wall a few yards away from the hut enjoying five hours of extremely strenuous activity. The presidential party buoyed up with their relative success of yesterday set out for Snowdon and were magnificently rewarded for their effort by clear views and good snow, descending mist blanked off the final few feet to the summit.
Tim Josephys meets always draw a good attendance, the inner man is always well catered for, we were not to be disappointed, roast beef was on the menu. The president on returning from a pastoral visit to the Nicholson home with two others missed out on the soup course returning a little late. It was always home made soup too. How could they start without the president? A serious breach of etiquette.
An excellent meet despite the weather on Saturday. Tim and Richard were the luckiest with perfect snow conditions on the Glyders on Sunday. It was nice to have three worthy prospective members present, hopefully they will not be put off by the weather falling below standard.
F.D. Smith.
Attendance:
| The President – Derek Bush Dennis Armstrong Denis Barke Steve Beresford Ian Crowther Eddie Edwards Iain Gilmour Mike Godden Raymond Harben David Hick |
Raymond Ince Tim Josephy Richard Josephy Alan Kay Mike Kinder Alan Linford Harvey Lomas Andrew Lovett (PM) David Martindale |
Frank Milner(PM) Mark Pryor(PM) Alister Renton Jim Rusher Arthur Salmon David Smith Derek Smithson Peter Swindells Frank Wilkinson |
Scottish Winter Meet – Kinlochleven
February 16-18th 1995
After the successful meet at the bunkhouse the Glen Nevis in 1993, it was decided to hold this year’s meet at the bunk-house accommodation at Kinlochleven. In anticipation of fine snowy weather, new accommodation and good company twenty-three members and their guests arrived mostly by Thursday evening.
Despite the small size of this Highland Community, several members had difficulty in finding the bunkhouse. This was previously described as having a red roof and black walls; in fact it has a black roof and red walls! These members arriving in the dark were additionally confused by the need to carry their belongings and food up a steep track in the dark. Woe betide anyone who forgot some essential requirement. For one member this was all too much and he was last seen heading towards Fersit early on Friday morning.
An indifferent weather forecast, confirmed by Friday morning, led members to change their plans for the day. Nevertheless, a large party made for Creag Meagaidh only to be repelled at the window. Creag Meagaidh is rapidly becoming a bogey mountain for some YRC members. Other parties closed in on Sgurr Eilde Mor and Coire an Lochain. A party of two was forced back from Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin by adverse weather.
For something completely different one member traversed Allt Glean Coire Mhorair and Allt Glean a’ Chaolais under the northern conies of Aonach Eagach, repeated by another pair the next day. Another lone member circumnavigated Beinn a’Bheithir from Ballachulish via Glean an Fhiodh and Glen Duror returning to Ballachulish along the disused Oban-Ballachulish railtrack, observing seals at play in Loch Linnhe and getting fine views of the snow capped hills of Ardgour.
Friday evening saw the usual culinary skills being practised and some members visited the period piece Arthur Bar, having been unable to come to terms with the cool spartan ‘lounge’ arrangements at the bunkhouse.
Saturday’s forecast was rather worse than that of Friday though most members were able to enjoy a spell of dry weather in the morning. One Munroist with a new partner from the previous day reattempted Stob a’ Choire Mheadhoin only to be repelled yet again. A party climbed Stob Coire a’ Chaira in the Mamores, another made the steep, snowy ascent of Beinn na Caillich, which surprisingly is neither a Munro nor a Corbett! Other members explored the Nevis Gorge and the wire bridge at Steall, others the ridges of Bhein a’ Bheithir and one member did some langlaufing. The treacherous weather and snow condition of the week-end were graphically confirmed by an accident on Sgurr Eilde Mor to one of our guests.
By late Saturday afternoon the spare accommodation in the bunkhouse had been taken by a noisy mixed party, which effectively destroyed any prospect of a convivial YRC evening of discussion and pleasantries. A retreat to the Arthur Bar was re-enacted. Many members commented on the undesirability of sharing accommodation on Club Meets as has been the case on the last two meets. Welcome back Inbhirfhaolain all is forgiven!
Sleep on Saturday was interrupted by the sound of hail and wind hammering the windows – a weather pattern repeated by daylight. Most members took the obvious option and headed south, only to find the sun shining from a cloudless sky in the East. The journey gave time to lick wounds, metaphorically for most and unfortunately, literally for one of us.
Since returning home members will have had time to reflect on the poor weather of the week-end and particularly on the large number of accidents necessitating many searches which occurred throughout the Highlands. To summarise, although the weather and the accommodation were generally disappointing, this was a worthwhile trip, and one had to admire the ingenuity of members in making the most of the conditions.
Eddie Edwards.
Attendance:
| The President – Derek Bush Ken Aldred Ian Crowther Eddie Edwards Nick Fellows(G) Iain Gilmour Mike Godden David Hall |
Gordon Humphreys Howard Humphreys Cliff Large Harvey Lomas Frank Milner(PM) Neil Pomfret Mark Prior(PM) Alister Renton |
Euan Seaton David Smith Derek Smithson Andrew Wilkinson(G) Frank Wilkinson Daniel Wood(PM) Barrie Wood |