Barnsley Boundary 2

The second leg of the Barnsley Boundary walk goes from Bretton Park to Brierly, a distance of about ten miles.
The walk starts of with an uphill section to Woolley Edge which, in altitude, is the high point of the walk. A slight navigational error took us up a path parallel to the correct one and through a scout camp.

View back from the scout camp.

After a section of road walking along Woolley Edge we descended towards Wooley village by Wheatley Wood

Heading towards Woolley village.

   The walk continues by quiet lanes towards Notton but crosses fields to the Applehaigh Clough. This is a pleasant spot with a clear stream flowing through a wooded ravine. The path then leads via disused railways and field paths past Shafton to Brierly. A pleasant enough walk but not as memorable the first section.

Barnsley Boundary Walk Part 1.

Colin had the idea to complete the Barnsley Boundary walk over a number of weeks completing one stage each week. On Thursday we, that is Colin, Bev, Jen and me, set off from Ingbirchworth in bright sunshine on the first stage to Bretton Park.
The start of the walk took us pleasantly through the typically bare, stone walled small pennine fields and wooded ravines to Upper Denby.

Approaching Upper Denby

After following the road through the village we took a footpath through more fields to Gunthwaite past the old barn parts of which date back to the 16th century.

Gunthwaite Barn

A flagged path leads down to Gunthwaite Dam and another lane then leads to a new development on the site of an old water mill in an idyllic position on Rons Cliff Dyke below Gunthwaite Bridge. A steep climb out of the valley then leads to a bridleway through woods to the A635.

Looking back to Rons Cliff Mill

Crossing the road another lane leads across fields past Jowett House with its large angry dog to Cannon Hall Park and a welcome cafe. From here the way continues uphill through Margery Wood to High Hoyland.

Approaching Cawthorne Park

Approaching Margery Wood

A path behind the houses at High Hoyland gave extensive views towards the town centre and also of a large flock of redwings in the nearby fields. This path led to Jeb Lane and into Bretton Park.

View to town from High Hoyland



Approaching Jeb Lane

 A short walk through the park finished a very enjoyable first stage.

Keswick Meet

The forecast for the weekend was uninspiring, wild wet and windy and how right they were. Me, Colin, Bev, Jago, Christine and Nick set out for Bleaberry Fell and High Seat via Walla Crag in heavy rain. Rivulets ran down the pathways and torrents tore down the river beds as we splashed upwards to Walla Crag.

Leaving Keswick

 As we gained height the wind increased until at the summit of Walla Crag we had difficulty keeping our feet.


Walla Crag Summit

 We decided after a very short discussion to cut short the walk and descend by Cat Ghyll to Borrowdale. The descent through woods by the Ghyll was quite picturesque and the waterfalls were impressive.


Cat Ghyll Falls

On reaching Borrowdale we returned by the lakeside path to Keswick.

Meanwhile Dave and Steven took a taxi to Buttermere and walked back to Keswick, Dave by the road and Steven by the high level path over the pass between Crag Hill and Ard Crags.

On Sunday the weather was no better and most decided on shopping or driving home. Me, Jago, Christine and Nick decided to take a look at Aira Force which was at its spectacular best with the noisy rushing water and spray flying all over the place.



Aira Force

We walked up the river enjoying views more smaller waterfalls and of a dipper bravely ducking under the water. Me and Jago decided to continue over Gowbarrow Fell which gave a short pull up to the summit where the clouds started clearing giving views northwards over the contryside east of Skiddaw.

Gowbarrow Summit

We continued northwards hitting the path which contoured round the east side of Gowbarrow giving extensive views over Ullswater.

The path led back to Aira Force for one last look before the journey home. The drive over Kirkstone Pass provided some unexpected excitement when we forded a deep flood above Ambleside.

 



On the morning of 7th December, Rob Hill and Joan O'Donnell drove along the eastern shore of Lake Tekapo, past Mt. Gerald homestead, through a few warm-up streams, and were confronted by a notice warning us of the many mishaps that could befall us if we proceeded to cross the Macauley River, and also how far away the vehicle recovery service was. But we'd had a dry spell, and most of the winter's snow had
already melted from the Two Thumbs range, and we had no problems. We bumped along the northern edge of the Macauley river bed, the scene of some involuntary digging by myself and Jago some years ago, and parked considerately opposite North-East Gorge stream.
We were trying Mt. Paris, 2,178m. So we recrossed the Macauley on foot and headed up the gorge stream. We were forced out of the stream bed as the gorge began, and continued sidling high. We found a good camp site at the start of our ridge.

Next morning we headed up tussock slopes to gain the rocky crest of the ridge, which was 4km long, and an exercise in route-finding as much as anything. Round most pinnacles, over others, and some head-scratching for yet others saw us at the summit 8 hours later, in a wonderfully cooling southerly breeze.

A very long scree descent took us back near the campsite rather earlier than we expected, and we had no trouble eventually regaining tarmac and civilisation next day.
Unfortunately a trip with Shane, following on from this one to try the Nun's Veil, didn't happen due to Nor'Westers. Shame.

May I wish everyone in the Arete a very happy Christmas.

Rob

A Taste of Winter

Having missed the Arete Patterdale Meet and reflecting on my lack of fitness I decide to have a weekend at the FRCC hut in Patterdale and do some hill walking in the area. On hearing my plans Colin and Bev decided to come up on Saturday night to join me on Sundays walk.
I set out on Saturday for Place Fell by the Bordale Hause route, the clouds clearing ocasionally to give sunlit views over Patterdale.

The ascent was straightforward following good paths up to the summit which was shrouded in mist. I carried on to High Dodd which appeared to be little visited although only a few yards from the main descent path. I doubled back to Place Fell this time by Mortar Crag and continued back to Boredale Hause.
The mists cleared sufficient to make sense of the proliferation of paths at the hause and I headed for Beda Head. Beda Head lies at the end of the long ridge of Beda Fell between Boredale and Bannerdale and the ascent was notable only because of sighting a couple of red deer on the way.
On Sunday the air was decidedly colder and a sprinkling of fresh snow covered the high tops as once again I set out for Boredale Hause, this time with Colin and Bev for company.

Our first objective was Angletarn Pikes which was again shrouded in mist. This hill has twin summits, knobbly mounds separated by boggy ground. We visited both and using the GPS ascertained that the larger cairn is on the lower of the two summits.
We descended to Angle Tarn in light snowfall and had a quick coffee then headed for Brock Crags.

Checking the route from Brock Crags summit

The rest of the route entailed navigating through mist and snow over Rest Dodd to The Knott. With modern day GPS you are never really lost but we still took some satisfaction from finding our way with the map and compass.

Knott Summit

As we descended to Hartsop via Hayeswater the snow turned to rain but we were well satisfied with a good days walking.



Soft morning light was slowly illuminating Knoydart as I quietly latched the bothy door, leaving Clive and our London companions sleeping peacefully. It had rained all night, but I was hopeful that the conditions would improve as I set off to walk around the shoreline marked on the map. Within a few moments I realised my mistake. It was high tide and the only route across to the river Carnach’s boggy estuary involved clambering over the slippery hillside behind the bothy.

By the time I reached the dilapidated footbridge at Carnoch I’d warmed up nicely, and I was cheered by the fact that the sky was clearing and the rain had eased to light drizzle. I felt certain that if I kept a brisk pace I’d be able to enjoy stunning Knoydart summit views.

My faith in the weather gods proved to be greatly misplaced. Within half an hour it was raining heavier than ever. By the time I reached Meall Buidhe’s summit at 11.30hrs I was being battered by hail and strong winds. I continued in these conditions to my second objective the summit of Luinne Bheinn. I reached this at 2pm and was rewarded by catching a few fleeting views of the grandeur of my surroundings.

Despite the classic Monroing conditions I felt a deep pang of regret as I began to plot a route down the challenging descent to the river valley again. The day’s weather had been as grim as look on Clive’s face as he watched the Londoners sheepishly leave the bothy in my absence, but the sheer joy of travelling freely amongst such rugged, wild, and remote countryside had brightened my sole.

Knoydart Bothy trip

Jago suggested a bothy trip to Scotland and I readily agreed with the intention of adding to my Corbett list. Unfortunately his target Munros were in Knoydart, the wettest part of Scotland and his days off were booked for October.
Sure enough when we rolled up at the roadhead at Strathan it was raining steadily. We set off up Glen Dessary bound for Sourlies, a bothy on the shore of Loch Nevis. All went well until we came to the stream flowing from Coire nan Uth. The waters were crashing over the boulders with such a force the stream proved impassable. We dumped the sacks and wandered upstream to find a better crossing place but to no avail.


Looking for a crossing place



There was nothing for it but to shoulder the sacks again and walk up into the corrie, after 200 metres of height gain we found a crossing place and dropped back down to the path. The terrain then took on the wild Knoydart character with the path twisting over or around rocky knobbles, bogs and lochans.      

 





Darkness fell as we descended from the pass at 300 metres to the sea shore and eventually the bothy. Two lads from London had arrived before us and were already in their sleeping bags so after a short conversation we made our dinner and turned in.

Next morning Jago made an early start for Meall Buidhe and Luinne Bheinn while I lay in my bag deciding whether to bother going out in the rain. The two boys from London stirred and began talking to each other. I was hidden away behind a partition and listened on as their coversation turned to disparaging remarks about me and Jago and Barnsley people in general. When one of them suggested taking our sleeping bags I announced my presence with a firm 'good morning' and they fell silent. They arose so I quickly got dressed and sat where I could see all our gear and watched their every move as they quietly packed and left without breakfast or a word of farewell.

Sourlies is in a magnificent setting on the shores of a sea loch and  surrounded by rugged mountains. I spent a pleasant day beachcombing and watching the wild life and trying, without success, to kill the bothy mouse until Jago returned having bagged his two hills.

 

Sourlies Bothy

Next day the water levels had fallen and we walked out without incident two and a half hours faster than the walk in. 

Looking back to Loch Nevis. Sourlies is on the little grass strip on the right.

 

Borrowdale

The October meet was based at the CC hut at Grange with Jago and me in attendance.
Saturday was bright but with a NE wind with a cold edge to it so we looked for a SW facing crag and settled on Goats Crag near Watendlath.
 A short steep slog through fields took us past the lower crag, which looked uninviting in the shade to the upper crag which was just catching the sun.


The upper crag.

The upper crag holds some short but pleasant climbs mainly in the HVS/E1 range and has a very pleasant situation with good views over the fells.

I led Poland (VS 4b) for a warm up. The route climbed a short slab to the sunlit overhang in the picture and traversed underneath the overhang to another slab which led pleasantly to the top.

Jago then led Emma Line (HVS 5a) which broke out of a severe corner to gain the sharp sunlit arete in the picture by some thin moves.

I led the next route Inner Limits (HVS 5a) which took the steep front wall to break out onto another pleasant slab.

Finish to Inner Limits

We then decided to walk across to Reecastle Crag but by the time that we had negotiated our way across the pathless loose slopes, through boulders and trees and found the crag looking less than inviting we decided to call it a day.

Sunday was warmer and we decided on Bowderstone Crag. This crag is home to Hells Wall which has a number of routes in the high E grades. Our objective was more modest one pitch VS called Wodens Crack. This takes a line round the left arete of Hells Wall starting over large blocks to a steep corner which gave a few testing moves.

Jago starting out on Wodens Crack

    

   

Cosmic Buttress

Paul and me arrived at Cosmic Buttress on Stanage in unseasonably warm sunshine. This buttress is fairly short but bristles with overhangs. 

Cosmic Buttress

We warmed up on X-Ray a tough hard severe which avoided the worst of the overhangs but still gave food for thought with tricky moves up a thin crack.
Paul then tackled Electron (VS 5a) which went easily up to crux moves through overhangs. After several attemps to surmount the final cux overhang he admitted defeat being unable to get his hands in the the crucial hand jam. 

Paul on Electron

I climbed up on Pauls gear and after some to-ing and fro-ing managed to get the jam with my smaller hands and pull through the roof.
Paul then led Cosmic Crack a meaty VS 4c with a barn door move through the final roof.
A combination of the warm sun and the shinanegans on Electron sapped our energy so we called it a day with not quite a half ganley in the bag.
.

September Helyg Meet

On reaching Helyg we, that is Jago and me, found that repairs were ongoing and no water was available at the hut. Once again we had to divert to Ynys Ettws in Llanberis.
On Saturday the forcast was for light showers passing through so maintaining the spirit of the meet we decided to climb in Ogwen. We decided on Kirkus' Route (VS 5a) on Craig Lloer to escape the crowds and sure enough after one and a half hours steady walk we found ourselves at the bottom of a deserted crag.



Craig Lloer

Jago set off on the first pitch undetered by a few light spots of rain. I followed and eyed up the next, crucial, pitch which was an off width chimney crack. Armed with all our large cams I set off and soon reached the chimney crack and placed a couple of the bigger cams. I ignored the increasing spots of rain placing great faith in the weather forecast that it would blow over. The pitch succumbed to a variety of traditional techniques until the final steep moves to a large jug. I realised that it was now raining steadily but had no option but to carry on. Placing my largest cam I gripped a small but sharp finger hold and shuffled up a couple of moves to try to reach the jug, I made the mistake of looking down and saw my last cam wobbling about in the crack. I tried a few more placements but none were good so nothing for it but to reverse down the pitch and retrieve a bigger cam to protect the final moves. This I did and finally emerged onto a soaking belay ledge.






In the crack.....



.....in the rain.

Jago followed and we completed the last couple of pitches in the rain and found the descent gully which provided some excitement in the greasy conditions.

The rain continued until Sunday so we headed home via a couple of gear shops.