Meet Report: 27-29 October 2023 at Low Row Bunkhouse.

Friday 27th

Paul & Tamsin ascended Wild Boar Fell from Mallerstang, starting with a rainbow and patches of blue sky but arriving at the summit in thick mist.

Michael and Helen walked from Reeth, along Fremington Edge and back via Marrick hamlet and Priory.

Steve and Wendy walked across to the bunkhouse from their home in Leyburn. With rucksacks suitably full for the weekend, they set off in the rain late on Friday morning and headed northwest out of Wensleydale. The rain eased but low cloud persisted as they travelled through Apedale and up to Whitaside Moor, before a damp finish down into Swaledale and the bunkhouse.

Saturday 28th

The nearby hamlet of Crackpot is not named after the inhabitants but comes from the old English word ‘kraka’ (crow) and the Viking word ‘Pot’ or deep hole. Tamsin, Michael, Richard and Paul decided to visit Crackpot Cave to see its many formations.  As the Main Entrance collapsed long ago they entered via the aptly name Kneewrecker Entrance which was excavated in 1957, fortunately all were equipped with knee-pads. Further inside the cave it opens out into a larger passage with some impressive formations. Water filled their wellies in only one short section of the main passage. The cavers probably had the best views of the day as the rest of Swaledale remained shrouded in mist.

With the afternoon left to fill, Richard and Michael walked north from the bunkhouse to follow Barney Beck to beyond Healaugh, crossing the Swale on the replacement ‘swing bridge’.  A final pull up the hillside allowed exploration of the earthworks of the Maiden Castle iron age fort. Paul and Tamsin walked along the Swale to Grinton, meeting Harvey on his way back. They proceeded on to Reeth but terminated in a cafe serving hot chocolate and cake.

Another group, Steve R, Wendy, Ian, Steve M and Helen set out from the bunkhouse to complete the walk suggested by John Sutcliffe, who unfortunately was unable to attend. They walked by the south side of the Swale to Grinton, calling in at the Bike Cafe where they bumped into Alan and Anne. With the dreary miserable conditions there was certainly no hurry to move, but they pressed on via Fremington Edge down to Storthwaite Hall, crossing Slei Gill on a newly restored footbridge. There clearly had been huge movement of rocks around the river bed which must have damaged the previous crossing. After lunch,  heading  to Booze which is not named after the walkers who pass through but from the old english boga (bow or  curve) and hus (house) – so it means the house by the stagger.  And so to Langthwaite to inspect the pub for ‘research purposes’, it was unanimously agreed that research also required stepping inside which at least was some relief from the persistent mist and drizzle. The pub was quiet and the landlady chatty – reminiscing about the flooding of the pub in 2019 and of having to wait 76 years to experience being rescued by a fireman’s lift! Heading over Reeth Low Moor the weather deteriorated and all were thankful to arrive back at the bunkhouse. We’ll have to take John’s word about the good views!

Anne and Alan had a gentle riverside walk from the bunk house towards Grinton and back on themselves due to time constraints. They decided against any heroics regarding crossing at the stepping stones with only a couple showing above the water level.  Bumping into fellow YRC members in the cafe brought a few smiles and obviously illustrating that great minds think alike!

Sunday 29th

Ian and Steve M decided to retrace Becca and Debby’s route from the day before, only this time with the benefit of views, with cloud well above Great Shunner Fell out to the west – making their way from Low Whita below How Hill on a track past Haverdale House, onto Hag Wood, as far as the bridge crossing north into Gunnerside.  They paused for lunch, before following the path east, climbing past rowan and birch trees along the northern side of the River Swale as far as Turnip House, dropping south towards Isle Bridge, then joining the meandering path on the northern edge of the river, briefly onto the road back across Scabba Wath Bridge to the  bunkhouse.  

For Steve and Wendy, Sunday promised better weather, so after declining several offers of a lift back to Leyburn, they walked into Reeth via the lower slopes of Reeth Low Moor above Healaugh. Suitably refreshed at the Bike Centre Cafe they traversed southwest over Grinton Moor back down into Wensleydale where, they claim, the sun always shines!

Accommodation

Low Row Bunkhouse has 12 beds and was warm and spacious enough for us. However there were deficiencies in the crockery and cutlery department; teaspoons and baby feeding bowls had to be pressed into employment.

Comments about the uncomfortable mattresses last time we stayed here (2017) were repeated this time. The website says it can be booked for wedding parties… maybe the bridal suite with luxury bed is in the barn next door…

The weather was much the same as six years ago as well… drizzle and mist for most of the weekend and raining cats and dogs on Saturday night which made for a noisy night for people in campers. In between rain showers an owl kept them awake instead.

Becca was the meet leader and caterer for the weekend. On Friday night we had homemade mushroom soup and rolls plus Ann’s homemade chocolate and courgette cake, a cooked breakfast on both Saturday and Sunday mornings (sausages particularly appreciated by Ghunsa).

On Saturday evening we had a very welcome feast of spag bol (meat and veggie options with plenty of 5 a day) and masses of home-made apple crumble with cream and custard for pudding.

Overall, despite the mattresses and the mist, the weekend was very enjoyable with just the right number of people for chatting as a whole group or in small groups. Discussions included a wide range of topics… training search and rescue dogs, travel stories, stamp collecting, geology, volcanoes (mountains with underfloor heating according to Alan), copper mines, courgettes…. and more.

Thank you to Becca for organising the meet.

Attending: Becca Humphreys, Helen Smith, Michael Smith, Richard Smith, Alan Linford, Harvey Lomas, Paul Magson, Tamsin Spain, Ian Hawkes, Steve McCain (PM), Stephen Richards, Wendy Richards, Anne Lofthouse, Debby Kuhlmann (PM), Ghunsa the dog.