Chippings
WHERE THE PENNINES END. — The importance of the Pennine Way movement is that it seems to have opened a route over Kinder and Bleakhouse freed from the fear of the grouse-landlords, but it is amusing that the protagonists fear to go beyond Crossfell and walk down to Alston, thence to the Roman Wall.
There is a popular impression that the Pennines join the Cheviots and one notable writer has said that they stretch unbroken to the Highlands. He must sleep between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Driving to Scotland by way of Teesdale and Longtown you cross no pass after Alston; following the Roman Wall to the Solway is through Lowlands. The conclusion is that the Pennines end south of the Roman Wall.
The professional Geographer will tell you the Northern end is at the Tyne Gap and here the width is such that the two highest motor roads in England run, not over the main watershed but from Weardale, both 2,056 ft., one into Teesdale, the other into Tynedale, whence the road over the main range reaches only 1,985 ft.
Ellis joined in the early Times correspondence, and pointed out that the end of the Pennine Range, seen so dramatically from the train along Edendale is marked by the steep 1,200 ft. scarp of Cold Pell above the village of Hallbankgate. For 10 miles North of Cold Fell there is no spot above 1,000 ft.; the Cheviots appear as a high group from the far distance.
More Ramblers must do the joyful tramp from Hartside to Cold Fell but the bold spirits who go from Crossfell to Alston via Hartside will find the cafe a wreck; the view is still there
E.E.R.
CAVE PRESERVATION SOCIETY. — Conscience has at last been roused among the newer clubs. The C.P.S. has been formed and an excellent code issued.
But our field of work is very small really and the main trouble is not yet being tackled and must eventually be insisted on — don’t take bands of people into caves. Caves should be for those who appreciate them, are too easily damaged, the damage is progressive and there is no natural seasonal renewal of beauty.
Anyone who has visited the Valley of Kings and has entered one of the Tombs opened up during the nineteenth century will know what irreparable damage can be done by the ignorant, the hooligan and the souvenir hunter.
LAKE DISTRICT.—At the moment there is no immediate threat to any of the Lakes, but Ennerdale Water is only too tempting, Barrow is a constant threat to Duddondale, Wastwater is easy meat to the destroyers, and Ullswater is only doubtfully safe.
The great danger of the moment is the enormous encroachment of the bus and coach traffic everywhere, alongside the popular knowledge of the beauty of Lakeland. This is the Golden Age of the private motorist. In ten to fifteen years he will be driven off the main roads by the decay of the railways and ceaseless processions of lorries, buses and coaches. A recent meet brought us in contact with a coach dehvery of 200 people on a February Sunday in Langdale.
If people do not rally to the support of the Friends of the Lake District and laugh out of court the cry for huge wide roads, we shall see Seathwaite and Dungeon Gill turned into vast coach stations, and the beauty of the dale roads destroyed.
ALMSCLIFFE — A PLEA FOR RUBBERS. — Several of the climbs on this fine practice crag have already lost their character. Footholds that used to be delicate and sloping are now worn into bucket steps by the nailed boots of generations of climbers. Far more people now chmb on the crag than ever before, and the damage is increasing rapidly.
The Stew Pot, The Easy Way, The Long Traverse on the Low Man, The Long Chimney, and many of the boulder climbs have already lost much of their difficulty. Nothing, of course, can be done to repair the wear that has already taken place, but unless climbers make up their minds not to climb in nails on Almscliffe, many more climbs will be ruined during our lifetime. There are few days in the year when Vibrams cannot be worn.
We must protect for future generations this happy hunting ground where we have had so much fun. Y.R.C. members are only a small proportion of those who climb there, but it would be a thoughtful act to draw the attention of their friends in other clubs to the damage that is being done.
BRANDRETH CRAGS. — Climbers who live in the Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate area can count themselves fortunate in having so many first-rate practice crags within easy reach — Almscliffe, Ilkley, Crookrise and Rylstone have already been described, Scovell has now put Guise Cliff on the map, and Brimham is well known though not yet charted. The climber, thirsting for pastures new, may spend an enjoyable day on Brandreth, particularly if he combines with it the crag which faces the Blubberhouses road, half a mile west of Moorcock Hall.
For Brandreth, take the West End road from Blubberhouses, and in just over a mile strike westwards, first over a field, and then over heather. The crags lie three quarters of a mile from the road — in the form of an “edge” facing north, towards Red-shaw Gill. In height they range from 20 to 35 feet, and provide several interesting climbs.
The few climbs we did there were endowed with nautical names, beginning with the Bell Bottomed Crack (difficult, 27 ft.) at the Eastern End, and finishing with the unmistakable Bowsprit (severe, 27 ft.) in the west.
DEEPEST GULFS IN FRANCE. — Of late years great caverns exceeding 1,000 ft. in depth have been discovered in France until a revised hst rivals that of Italy.
1953.—Gouffre de la Pierre St. Martin (Basses Pyr.), 2,395 ft.; Dent de Crolles and Trou de Glaz (Chartreuse), 2,159 ft. (658 m.); Gouffre de Caladaire (Basses Alpes), 1,595 ft. (487 m.); Henne Morte (Haute Garoune), 1,464 ft. (446 m.); Grotte de la Luire (Drome), doubtful, 1,444 ft. (440 m.); Grotte de Biolet (Chartreuse), 1,109 ft. (338 m.); Gouffre Martel (Ariege), 994 ft. (303 m.); Grande Aven de Canjuers, 941 ft. (290 m.).