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Seven of us met at Malin Bridge, and though only two had arrived by public transport. there had been some car-sharing. The weather stayed dry for us, but autumnal sunshine was definitely lacking as we headed up the Rivelin valley, spotting a couple of herons and the remains of various mill wheels (many with notices about their history and QR code links to the Rivelin Valley Conservation Group’s website at https://rivelinvalley.org.uk/rivelin-trails-2/) on the way. The meet leader found a chair that was high enough for his legs. We took coffee on a fallen tree before reaching the car park at the old Rivelin Post Office, where some camper vans and a tent seemed to have taken up residence. After a very short section on the A57 we headed up a farm track and across fields to cross the Riggs High Road above Stannington and start our descent into the Loxley valley. The graveyard of the historic Underbank Chapel provided a couple of benches for a slightly belated lunch stop, though one of the benches (probably no longer retaining its youthful strength) untimately proved unequal to the task of supporting the weight of three CMC members. From here we headed down to follow the Load Brook past Stoneface Creative (a sort of mini Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and well worth another visit some time) to Rowell Bridge, where it joins the Loxley. The track down the Loxley valley is not as attractive as that up the Rivelin, and the main feature of interest is the archimedes screw generator which harnesses the river’s flow to provide electricity to a house on the southern bank. As the environment grew more built up we passed round the back of the Loxley Park Care Home to rejoin the traffic and the recently-released pupils of Forge Valley School near the watersmeet of the Rivelin and Loxley rivers. Many thanks to all who came, and to Bron for her photos now on the CMC Walking WhatsApp group. JB
Bron’s pics
Grid ref for start point: SK 325894 (not actually on my Dark Peak Outdoor Leisure 1:25k map, but on Landranger sheet 110). Postcode for the Lidl is S6 5FL
Sue – so far as I know there is still plenty of space. If there’s a problem, I can stay in the main hut and take up to 6 guests (there are only a handful of people booked in there at present).
Richard (and anyone else wanting to car share) – I am planning to drive up leaving Sheffield probably around lunchtime tomorrow (Thursday). I may decide to return on Sunday evening, or possibly stay Sunday night and return on Monday evening. For various reasons I can’t be very specific about my travel plans, but if someone is flexible I’d be happy to offer a lift (I’m in Stannington). Easiest way to contact me is via the WhatsApp grpip for this meet (part of the CMC WhatsApp Community) or direct message via WhatsApp.
I have a whole load of Wainwrights to be ticked, though opnly a few are in Great Langdale.
JBGood news! Just a reminder to everyone that his 91st birthday is on 20th April if anyone wants to send him a card. Address is Croft House Residential Care Home, 27 Main Road, Eastburn, Keighley BD20 7SJ. The attached photo (on website), which I was recently sent, was I think taken on the Scottish Coast-to-Coast Great Outdoors Challenge in 1996.
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Eight people gathered at Cutthroat Bridge on Sunday evening for a rather hastily-arranged moonlight walk, including 5 survivors of the previous night’s ceilidh and 2 former members (who might even re-join). Apologies were received from a few others, with excuses including prior engagements and failure to recover from stripping the willow. We headed up to Whinstone Lee, the newly-risen full moon behind us, but views of the sunset were disappointing, as the disc had already disappeared behind Kinder Scout, and there was no colour to the clouds above. We traversed round above Ladybower reservoir before climbing back up to Derwent Edge, where we saw the full glory of the moon to the east. In the fading twilight we continued up to the Wheelstones, where we paused for warming refreshments, including tea, coffee, and Talisker (thanks, Max!). Despite the promises of Linda’s App there was no sign of any Northern Lights, and so we headed back down, the track illuminated all the way by the moon. Torches were only needed to avoid the mud on the final climb back up through the trees above Cutthroat Bridge to reach the cars. Thanks to all who came. JB
Congratulations to Mike; his award seems to be for his charitable work with the Abbeydale Rotary Club. There is a short piece about him in the Spring 2024 issue of the Dore Newsletter (p.3) [https://dorevillage.co.uk/documents/download/a2673dcf-1806-4855-b614-227fd6cfa6fb]
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Hear, hear! How about instituting an annual award for the best meet report? (Does beg the question of what happens to meet reports if the communication proposals at the AGM tomorrow are agreed… I’m afraid I won’t be there!)
I also note the unreliability of the 257 bus that’s supposed to go over the Snake on Sundays! I was talking to someone yesterday (who *would*qualify for the 20-30 walking group) who was spitting tacks about similar problems with the 272 that’s supposed to go out along Ecclesall Road to Castleton.
JBI’ve just been past the “Derwent Overlook” laybys (the big ones just before you get to the Fairholmes visitor centre below the dam) and it appears that, if they were planning to introduce parking charges there, they’ve changed their mind. I can’t remember if they’d actually got round to installing pay-and-display machines, but there are none there now, and the new sign now seems to have the line about pay and display more effectively obliterated than it was. The PDNP website (https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/planning-your-visit/parking/parking-locations) also now clearly says that parking there is free. The same web page also now shows the Hooks Carr and Dennis Knoll laybys below Stanage as free, though the Hollin Bank (Plantation) carpark remains Pay and Display.
The road beyond Fairholmes up to Kings Tree at the top of the Derwent Valley is also now open again Mon-Fri (they seem to have finished the work they were doing on the inlet just above the Derwent dam over the past couple of months, and have re-landscaped the area where the crane was). Unsurprisingly after the recent rain, water is now cascading over the tops of both dams.Should we be bringing contributions of cheese, biscuits etc. and/or wine (or buying the wine at the pub bar). Does the cheese need to be French?
Definitely not planning too early! We once had Muir Cottage (the Cairngorm club hut above Braemar) booked for an early Easter weekend about 5 years in advance! It got included at the bottom of every meets list (produced three times a year on paper in those days) so that we wouldn’t forget about it!
Is there a way of checking what details you have submitted on the Membership Renewal Form? Or do you have to start again if any change is needed (I think I may need to make a minor adjustment to the emergency contact details)
It might be an idea to have a full list of the WhatsApp groups on the website (at present it mentions only Walking, Climbing and Cycling) with brief details of what each one is intended to cover.
I’m afraid this plan may get disrupted by rail strikes planned for 1 and 5 October: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/16/rail-strikes-october-conservative-conference-train-operators-walkout
The Wikipedia article on “Where Eagles Dare” mentions a stunt double for Richard Burton, but not for Clint Eastwood, though it says that the actors privately dubbed the film “Where Doubles Dare”. Famously, in “The Eiger Sanction”, (which he also directed) Eastwood did all his own stunts, including the scene where he cuts his rope, to be held on another rope from the mid-station window on the Eiger railway (filmed in situ). In his Paul Nunn memorial lecture at Sheffield Hallam Univ some years ago, John Cleare, who was the mountain cinematographer on the film, described the incident, telling how there was more slack than intended in the system, and Eastwood fell further than planned. This was the days of Whillans harnesses, and Eastwood was heard to shout up, in a squeaky voice, “which side does Whillans dress?” I hope all partipants in yesterday’s meet have suffered no ill-effects (modern harnesses should ensure that!), and look forward to their future Hollywood appearances.
Another library book I’d recommend is Frank Smythe’s “The Kangchenjunga Adventure”, about the 1930 German-led international expedition to climb the north ridge of the world’s third highest mountain (a route eventually climbed by Doug Scott, Pete Boardman and Joe Tasker in 1979, making only the third ascent of the mountain). It’s very readable and full of the most wonderful self-deprecating humour, problems with special integrated-crampon boots that weighed half a ton, etc.
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