Roaches Meets 10/07/16

Apologies for the weather forecast, it was not correct. Myself Gordon and Tina did a couple routes and were then frightened off by a small squall which in fact never came to anything, in fact weather fine from 10.30 to 5pm. Confusius say don’t take any notice of the weather forecast in future!
Bill

Meet Report Sunday 3rd July 2016 Stanage End

In the end it felt like The Endless Summer. The day slowly clearing into one of those lovely summer evenings on the crag that feels like it could and should go on for ever.

13 club members, one guest plus three dogs ventured out under ominous skies to a peaceful and uncrowded End Slab at Stanage. By early afternoon the sun was out and the party had well and truly begun. Lead climbs ranging from VDiff to VS 5a with noteworthy ascents of The Aerial VDiff, Caliban’s Cave HS 4b and a top roped ascent of The Vice E1 5b.

Andrew very thoughtfully came perfectly coulour coordinated with the green wall on Caliban’s Cave. It was fate – within minutes of his arrival Andrew found himself elegantly stuffed between the green walls deep within the cave wearing his matching fleece.

Julian learned a lot about lead climbing on Aerial VDiff, particularly the importance of a few strategically placed expletives.

Leon won the scavenger of the day award: freeing a long trapped nut from the wall and then surprisingly finding a beer bottle (which was unfortunately empty).

Man legend, John Barnard, put in an appearance and was legend-like all afternoon.

Julian tried his best to leave all his gear behind at the end of the day. Thankfully Leon had gone home by this point.

Club Chair navigated the last remaining climbers for miles across bog and through shoulder high bracken before seemingly delegating the blame to Meet Leader, which the Meet Leader, knowing his place, duly accepted.

A grey number 4 Black Diamond cam was left by somebody, as was a black walking pole bag. Thankfully again Leon had gone home by this point so Dave and Linda have both these items.

An awesome, awesome day washed down with a pint in the Norfolk Arms. Shame it had to end.

Simon

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Langdale camping meet – June 24-26 2016, Meet report

10 of us gathered for this meet in Langdale, some on the quiet and luxurious National Trust campsite, others in the nearby Fell and Rock club hut. On Saturday, some went climbing, either on Gimmer Crag [cold and windy] or the lower and warmer Raven Crag. A group of 5 decided to scramble up the beautiful Crinkle Gill, using a variety of climbing techniques [see pictures] eventually finishing along the ridge and Pike of Blisco. In the evening we gathered outside the New Dungeon Ghyll, entertained by, and applauding, the passing ‘Iron’ men and women completing their final marathon section towards Ambleside. Sunday saw more climbing; 3 did alternate leads on a 3 pitch route on Raven Crag, while 2 others went to Upper Scout Crag where they ended up practising their abseil technique from a convenient tree. Others headed for coffee and the shops of Ambleside, before rain encouraged all of us homewards. Vanda Boyd

Addendum. I’d had problems posting my first Langdale Meet report with several pictures attached, so had rewritten it again from memory to send it successfully without pictures this time, but then omitted mention of Marianne on her 1st away meet with the club, who, electing for the supposedly easier option of a valley walk, ended up walking the furthest [12 miles] and she also managed to include one of the club traditions of finding a great café for coffee and cake to sustain herself.
Vanda Boyd

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Sunday walk Cordwell Valley12th June 2016 – Report

Having read Simon’s climbing report I can only add that the conditions were more suited to walking too! However when I ,as meet leader, arrived at Lineacre Reservoir I found one other member only-so we set out “a deux”.
Initially there were odd spots of rain filtering through the trees,but after the preliminaries and we reached the main road the spots of rain became a deluge which continued for the next 2 hours as we ploughed through fields of wet long grass and climbed gingerly over slippery wooden stiles and negotiated slippery mud banks.
There no anglers at the fish ponds in Barlow and, in fact, we encountered no other walkers all day.
By lunch,however, the rain had stopped.We continued past Cartledge Hall and traversed below Holmesfield before reaching the Cordwell valley floor.Fighting our way through the vegetation we began the steady climb through Meekfield Wood and so onto Barlow Grange.By this point the clouds had lifted enough to allow us to enjoy distant views to Chesterfield in the south and to Owler Bar and beyond in the north.
Our waterproofs had long since been been discarded and our damp clothes were largely dry as we descended past Birley farm and then followed the valley back to Lineacre where a group of frisky bullocks gave chase.
Undaunted we continued into the woods and were back at the cars for 5.30p.m.
An enjoyable day in tranquil countryside and deep conversation.
Mike

Meet Report for 12th June 2016 Climbing

After days of monitoring incoming weather systems and the emerging wet forecast, it was decided to move the meet to Stanage. The meet organiser arrived at 10:30 and speculatively meandered up and down Hooks Car Park wondering “if anybody would brave the weather?” Nobody did. This was a wise choice: the crag was already damp, it was drizzly and there was a heavy shower that passed through around midday. Skies were still looking ominous as i left the Peaks around 2pm.

The meet organiser went for a 6 mile run over Win Hill instead.

A day much more suited to running than climbing.

Simon

 

Castle’s Anglesey meet 2016 makes ‘Climber’ magazine

Immediate Past-President David Pendlebury has found a new job as a magazine centrefold model! Thankfully he was fully clothed – it was a freezing cold day as those members there at Porth Saint will recall. Dave Simmonite was also there and took the photographs illustrating the article. The Club meet for the Spring Public Holiday weekend 2016 was to the Rhoscolyn area of Anglesey and various crags were climbed on including Porth Saint. The weather was mixed but very cold with significant snow on the Snowdonia mountains so we climbed, walked and cycled with a BBQ one night and a meal in the excellent ‘White Eagle’ another.

The article ‘Porth Saint: Gogarth’s Stanage-by the-Sea’ appears in the July-August 2016 issue of ‘Climber.’ If you cannot wait to buy a copy follow this link:
http://www.climber.co.uk/magazines/current-issue.html

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Sunday 19th June Climbing Agden Rocher

6 Club members plus dog were climbing on Agden Rocher. Fantastic views and lots of classic climbs for Agden done and enjoyed. The odd of green and friable rock just added to the general mix of fun. The climbers were encouraged on with a visit from another club member and child who was suitably impressed with the exploits on the crag. Thanks to all.
Mary

Sun 5.06.16 Laddow Meet Report

After rounding up the Castle members in the incredibly busy car park, a long walk in we were rewarded with a glorious day on Laddow. An old crag for some, first time for others and the first crag the meet leader visited with the Castle club several years ago. Lots of climbing completed. Great day so thanks to all.
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Arran 27-30th May 2016 Meet Report

11 members of the club plus Scout enjoyed a hot and sunny Bank Holiday weekend on Arran. Walking, cycling and climbing all engaged in as well as chilling and wild life spotting – Golden Eagle, otter, gannets, seals to name some highlights. Great weather, great island and great company. BBQ photos show a tradition in the making and one of the few others I took just to prove we did something. Mary
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Windgather, 22 May 2016

18 Castle members enjoyed the sunshine and the climbing at Windgather on Sunday. Lots of short, but interesting routes were climbed, in what was a very sociable meet. Tina and Julian both completed first leads and Scout the dog kept a eye on everyone from the top of the crag. David’s rope, which was stuck fast, had to be rescued by Leon with plenty of encouragement and advice from below. A number of us hadn’t been to Windgather before but we all felt it is worth a return visit.

Judith Morris
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