Meet Report: 4-6 March 2022.

The Covid situation had relaxed sufficiently for this meet to take place without restrictions.

But a very dark new cloud has appeared on the horizon, the Putin invasion of Ukraine. It was therefore a welcome moment for your scribe as he arrived in Buckden to see blue sky appear at the head of Wharfedale.

The timing and location of this meet made it ideal to kick off the Club’s 130³ project, organised by Michael Smith.  His early start on Friday saw the first ‘ascent’ of a 130 made before 9:15 – a 260m slippery stroll with 25m ascent up to Edge Mount a few miles from his home. By evening, ten ascents had been made across seven tops, six by those on the meet.

Helen and Michael Smith arrived via Wensleydale where they had sploshed their way from Carlton to Harland Hill and the Heights of Hazely. Their thoughts of taking in the trig point of Pen Hill were thwarted by deeper bogs.

Mike Gregg arrived late morning on Friday then walked around 13 miles via Scar House to Yockenthwaite, Horse Head Moor ( one of the 130 tops), Buckden and Cray.

Mick Borroff set off intent on bagging his first 130, Lindley Moor, an insignificant mossy hump hidden under dripping pine trees and sandwiched between a small, covered reservoir and a fenced comms tower. Mission accomplished, he collected John Sutcliffe and they climbed Sharp Haw by a wet and boggy route, sampled the extensive view over Airedale and returned, dodging forestry work in Crag Wood, before driving to Hubberholme.

Grange Farm Barn was warm and comfortable, the dining lounge area being particularly attractive. All round an excellent venue, with a great old-style pub, The George Inn, within walking distance. Landlord Ed had a marvellous capability to remember (and use) the first names of all his customers. Dog George added to the country atmosphere and the fish and chips were, “the best ever” according to Mike Godden; an opinion tested by many of our party in the evening.

It was great to see Robert Crowther back on the hills only a few months after being stricken by Covid-19 and rushed into hospital for critical care. He managed five tops over the weekend. On Saturday, Robert and son Michael, Helen and Michael Smith drove up to Kidhow Gate on the Cam High Road to head west then north from Jam Sike to Snaizeholme Fell then back and up Dodd Fell. They had clear views to a snowy Cross Fell, the snow-topped Lakes, Three Peaks and Pendle Hill. On the Pennine Bridleway, a little west of their parking spot, numerous large crinoid fossils (see later) were seen in the bedrock of the track. A short drive along the Roman Road (they knew where to put their roads) allowed them to stroll up Drumaldrace. Driving back down into Langstrothdale, Michael S was dropped off at Yockenthwaite for a direct assault on Yockenthwaite Moor. He planned to follow the fence east heading for Cray but slow progress around peaty pools turned him south directly down to Hubberholme where he joined forces with Arthur and Barbara heading for The George.

Rod Smith joined Conrad and Bev for a delightful ascent of Buckden Beck, passing many attractive waterfalls en-route, to the old lead mine spoil heaps. Myriad fossils were quickly found, and most were misidentified.  The summit was surrounded by ice covered puddles and some small snow drifts. A lazy curving descent, with superb views up to the head of Wharfedale, brought them back to Buckden over several patches of very wet ground. A refresher drink in the Buck Inn was taken in the company of a very large dog wearing a flat cap! Later, back at the barn, MS identified our fossil finds as crinoid stem rings. And later still we learned that crinoid sea lilies were found clinging to the well preserved wreck Endurance of Shackleton fame, just discovered under 3000m of the Weddell Sea.

Mick, John and Pete Bann set off from Grange Farm and took the riverside path up to Yockenthwaite bridge and then climbed Horse Head using the bridleway. Both the cairned likely high points were put underfoot and honour satisfied, they set off along the wet and boggy path beside the ridge wall to the modestly cairned Birks Fell, past Birks Tarn and down to Hubberholme. John couldn’t be tempted, so Mick and Pete again walked up to where Strans Gill crossed the lower Yockenthwaite path and made a scrambling ascent of the streambed, which was flowing well. There was sufficient clean-washed rock to make the 100m ascent enjoyable and they managed to traverse all but two of the plunge pools. A couple of pitches were turned to complete one of the best gill scrambles in the Dales.

Mike on his Saturday walk, saw just four people on the hill all day, pairs on Buckden Pike at the start and end of the day, and a barn owl just above Buckden. He went via Buckden Beck to the Pike, Naughtberry Hill  and West Burton, returning by Harland Hill, Brown Haw , the fourth 130 top of his round and the Memorial Cross. He was disturbed by the sighting of numerous spring traps in evidence on the moors.

John and Carole Whalley, Arthur and Barbara Salmon formed a team to climb Yockenthwaite Moor, eating lunch in an old peat cutters’ hut just below the summit.

This was the fourth time Jim and Christine Harrison were designated meet leaders and taking on the responsibility for catering but the first time they managed to serve any food. Their three earlier meets had been cancelled for one reason or another. Saturday’s was a super evening meal worth waiting for, ending with tasty bread and butter pudding, just like Grandma used to make. Despite their catering duties, Jim and Christine managed to find time for shortish walks on all three days. They reported seeing a stoat near  Buckden Beck and various bird sightings, including a curlew.

Arthur demonstrated his octogenarian vigour by performing 60 plus press-ups in front of an admiring (and envious!) crowd, a feat unmatched by a much more youthful competitor.

Early on Sunday morning two early risers, having set out the breakfast table, were watching the dawn light on the hillside and noticed a hare sprint across the field below. On reaching the foot of the fell it squatted on its haunches then flipped over onto its back and wriggled about in the frosty dewy grass for some time, its white belly hairs showing clearly. Was this its morning bath? 

After breakfast, complemented by bacon rolls, Michael and Robert Crowther with Helen and Michael Smith walked from Starbotton round Buckden Pike and Tor Mere Top (where one of them visited and rebuilt the five stones marking the official top) then down via the Starbotton Cam Road.

Mick, John and Pete set off for Buckden, for an ascent of the eponymous Pike by the lovely path beside the waterfalls in the beck which drains from the adit at Buckden lead mine. Then on past the Memorial Cross passing Tor Mere Top for another tick (the 130 guru M Smith queries the tick; because of a fence and wall making it difficult to access the actual top, like the priest and Levite, they “passed by on the other side.” Where will all this laxity end?) and down to cross Great Hunters Sleets via more lead mines where there was plenty of galena to be found in thin veins. A squelchy ascent of Great Whernside was made and the summit duly photographed, including a previously unnoticed brass survey nipple in the apex of the highest rock. They descended past Hagg Dyke to Kettlewell, where John opted for refreshments in the Blue Bell and the Racehorses, leaving Mick and Pete to return to the Barn via the Dales Way.

Bev and Conrad completed the Yockenthwaite circular route and ventured part-way up Strans Ghyll. The ‘Green Wall’ section was very slippery and tricky without the support of a rope.

This was a successful meet, held in good weather, in one of the most beautiful parts of the Dales. The food was excellent, the accommodation very comfortable and the company stimulating. The meet saw the 130³ project off to a flying start. Fourteen tops were ticked on the meet with a further three visited on the way to the meet. Honorary member Alan Hinkes walked Ingleborough and its satellite that weekend while further afield the Tennants, Hick, Hawkes and Newman were adding a further eight.

A fine meet in the best traditions of the YRC.

Attending:

Christine and Jim Harrison, Michael and Helen Smith, Rod Smith, Robert Crowther, Michael Crowther, Carole and John Whalley, Conrad Tetley, Beverley Eastwood (PM), Barbara Salmon, Arthur Salmon, Mick Borroff, Pete Bann (PM), Mike Gregg, John Sutcliffe, Mike Godden.