Chippings
George Spenceley writes of memories evoked by a recent visit to a bookshop.
Those members who have visited our home will soon recognise that I’m a compulsive collector of books: mountain books of course, but others covering interests all too wide, offering learning all too quickly forgotten. With an awareness of increasing age my chief lament is that many will remain unread.
Recently while walking in the Cotswolds I browsed in a bookshop in Dursley and, for a modest, price, bought a first edition of Geoffrey Winthrop Young’s ‘Mountains with a Difference’. The unexpected reward was that between its pages was a letter of thanks written and signed by the author himself. It was headed ‘The Two Queens’, Cambo, Northumberland, dated May 1953, and addressed to a Miss Mortimer. E. Mortimer – her bookplate is on the inside cover. Who is she I wonder? To research this question would have delighted my old friend, the late Louis Baume, and the answer could well have enhanced the book’s value. Louis was a bibliophile extraordinary, collector and seller of many treasures. A slightly damaged copy of Slingsbys ‘Northern Playground’ which I picked up for £2.50 in Salisbury, Louis sold for me for £300 to a Norwegian collector.
Another book on the same shelf in Dursley brought back much earher memories. While still in my mid teens my father, much concerned at my solo ventures down Goyden Pot, placed me at the feet of my first mentor, Ernest Roberts. I became a regular visitor to his Harrogate home and gladly accepted his invitation to caving excursions, driving through the Dales in his open Armstrong Siddley tourer. The benefits were not entirely one¬sided for never before had Roberts caved with one so slim who could be coerced into the most restricted of cavities.
It was on one of my visits that Roberts lent me a copy of the recently published Norbert Casteret ‘Dix Ans Sous Terre’. I regret I failed to confess that my mastery of the French language was hardly adequate for a proper understanding but no doubt I returned the book with appropriate words of appreciation.
Now for what started out as the chief purpose for beginning these ramblings. In the Dursley bookshop I found a copy in good condition, reasonably priced, of the English edition of Casteret’s book ‘Ten Years Under the Earth’ It may now be a collector’s piece! Should any member be interested it may still be for sale at The Bookshop, 28 Long Street, Dursley, Glos. tel. 01453-544711.
Following the struggles of the earher part of this century to gain public access for tramping the High Peak of Derbyshire as we approach the end of the century the damage caused to the vegetation is all too evident. The wear and tear caused by a still increasing number of feet, added to the effects of sheep grazing and acid rain, have left wide swathes of bare ground exposed to the ravages of the weather.
Help is already underway though organised by the National Trust and financed in part by the National Lottery. 10km of paths at a cost of £½ million works out at about £40 for each stride. These paths consist of gritstone pavers, weighing in at up to ½ ton, which are ahiifted into place by helicopter then laid on prepared ground by a small team of workers.
At first they look pale and imposed on the landscape. Over a year or so though the surrounding vegetation reasserts itself and the pavers darken as they weather blending in with their suiToundings. Apart from being wider and not yet worn to a groove, with the passage of time and feet, they are not unlike the paved ways across other parts of the Northern Pennines and the North Yorkshire Moors.
These paths are restricted to the high moors and do not •¦link with roads or car parks to minimise the chance of encouraging even greater usage.
To Michael Smith at least they are preferable to some of the other attempted solutions to the problem, such as matting, wooden platforms or honeycomb lattices, as they are easier on the eye and give a firmer footing in wet and freezing conditions. They are used by most walkers in preference to the surrounding uneven ground. An exception is at busy times, when repeatedly stepping on and off to avoid approaching groups becomes tiresome since the pavers are barely wide enough to pass without slowing and turning.
Seven members joined Iain Gilmour in July this year on the ascent of Schiehalhon, the last summit needed to complete his round of the Munros. He started in May 1984 with the nearest one, Ben Lomond and has included all but 70 of the tops along the way. Working through those is next on the agenda so Iain is seeking climbing partners for the trickier tops such as the Bhasteir Tooth.
Harvey Lomas is now a qualified Cave Leader certificated to also take control of youngsters in outdoor pursuits. So if you know of anyone in need of these services you know who to contact.
Having seen John Barton’s photograph of members at the 1949 Irish Meet, John Godley confirms that Wilfred Booth is one of those missing from the picture which was taken at Mr Barbour’s Killesher Farm and not Florence Court as stated. John Godley maintained unbroken attendance at those meets from 1938 right through to 1959.
A large volume of material has been deposited by our Archivist, Raymond Harben, with the West Yorkshire Archives Service in Leeds. In the main it relates to accounts including balance sheets, cash & subscription books covering 1936 to 1983.
Also deposited there is the Treasurers’ correspondence which contains a wealth of interesting information giving an insight into the activities of Y.R.C. members such as the letter from Denny Moor ho use in October 1965 in which he records having completed the first Biitish ascent with Brian Shirley of the Carlesso Sandri route on the south wall of the Torre Trieste with, unintentionally, only the 5th ascent of the direct finish to this route. This latter part climbed as a result of the poor route description in the English guide book!!
Also in the correspondence is the telegram from George Spenceley to Stanley Marsden advising of the fatal accident in the Hhnalayas.
The club is fortunate that it can now bring together all its archival material under one roof which will prove extremely beneficial to those wishing to research the history of the Club and its members.
The summit of Ben Nevis, this September, saw Rory Newman and Sue Thomason, who many members will remember from Norway and Open Meets, complete then round of the Munros started in 1987. Rory included all the tops as anyone who has seen him on the hills would expect. They have picked out for us some of the highlights:
Wettest Munro – Ben More on Mull.
Windiest Munro (actually a top) -Creag an Leth Choin.
Most unsuccessfully attempted Munro – Cam Dearg (Monadh Liath) whose sunrmit was finally reached at the fifth attempt.
Worst navigation – Geal Cham in the Dramochters with the summit difficult to find in fog and deep snow.
Silliest day out – Glas Maol, Creag Leacach, Cam of Claise, Tom Buidhe, The Tolmount and Cam an Tunc done at night to avoid being shot during the stalking season.
Most disconcerting meteorology -Binnein Mor when ice axes started to crackle and spit sparks in cloud and heavy snow.
Most midge-bites in least time – Loch Maree below Shoch.
Most peas in sleeping bag – Loch Maree below Shoch.
Largest hole eaten in tent by mice -outside Aviemore.
“We’ve had a lot of fun playing this game and now intend to repeat almost ah of them.”
Peter Chadwick managed to find some heavy weather and take a soaking or two while sailing in the Hebrides. The trip included a visit to Soay off the Isle of Skye.
Any reduction in errors in recent Bulletins is due to the proof-reading efforts of Elspeth Smith and David Laughton. The remaining errors are entirely the Editor’s responsibility.
As this edition of the Bulletin goes to print news has just arrived of the recent death of one of the Club’s most senior members. Cliff Downham died peacefully on 23rd October after a period of illness. If it is not possible to include an obituary in this edition it will appear in the next issue.