Ramsoc Weekend at Ingleton – 24/25 October 2009

I made brief reference to this weekend in an earlier posting.

Now for a bit more….

‘Ramsoc’ is Sue’s Nottingham University hiking club, and this weekend is her contemporaries’ annual opportunity to get together, with families, at some suitably countrified venue.  This has been happening for over 20 years!  Folk are going grey.  Those that still have hair!

(Phil and) Sue is the organising team, and they also plan a decent Saturday walk for those without children in tow.

On Saturday morning we drove up to Dent, intent on walking back to Ingleton via Crag Hill, Great Coum and Gragareth, as planned by Sue.

The light drizzle (it always rains on Sue’s walks, so that was wholly expected) and low cloud were in evidence by the time we reached Crag Hill’s 682 metre trig point.  I looked back to see just Julie in tow.

“I think they must have stopped by the wall”, she reported.

Sure enough, Sue, Phil, Colin, Dick and Jess were huddled at a confluence of walls, admiring the drizzle….and plotting a conspiracy.

We trudged off to Great Coum. 

Of course, everyone got to the top of that.  It’s a ‘Marilyn’.

“We are going back to Dent” one of the conspirators announced. 

“I’m not, the weather’s going to clear” I asserted.

So, six wimps filed off back to Dent (it was their prerogative, of course, just as it is mine to insult them accordingly) whilst I hopped across a few bogs to reach the summit of Gragareth via a scenic lunch stop (bar the fog) on Green Hill.

I didn’t see a human soul after the deserters had left, but on descent from Gragareth these three men appeared – the ‘Three Men of Gragareth’ according to my map.  They had a view, as well.

After this diversion, I headed in fine weather around to Dodson’s Hill then down past Marble Steps Pot to join this newly laid path to Masongill Fell Lane.  Looking back, this path looks good, doesn’t it?  Well, after about 20 metres it deposits the unwary walker in a deep peaty bog!

For the descent to Ingleton, along Tow Scar Road (a track) and some pleasant paths, through fields full of sheep on heat, each field with its randy ram, I had the pleasure of Ingleborough’s fine profile in the distance, here seen beyond Cowgill Farm.

Such a lovely afternoon’s route.  I felt sorry for the six deserters, but was glad not to have to transport the drivers back to Dent, as the rain set in again once I’d gained the comfort of the fleshpots of Ingleton.  (Namely, the youth hostel.)

Here’s my route – 20 km, 750 metres ascent, 6 hours including stops.

Meanwhile – it’s Sue who is the Ramsoc person.  She’s poorly at present, but managed to drag her pain racked being around the
8 km ‘Waterfall Walk’ together with various families.

Here they are at Thornton Force, where you can get behind the waterfall.

They seem to have enjoyed themselves, despite it appearing to be wetter than where I was.  On close observation they seem to have been through some strange ritual.

Followed later by another ritual…

Sunday dawned showery.  Chris left Alys and ‘The Bump’ behind (there was no car space for him) and set off back towards Matlock.  He’d cycled all the way (115 miles) from there on Friday, but today we suspected he would cheat, somewhere around Lancaster.

Meanwhile over 20 of us trundled down to Clapham and enjoyed a
9 km circuit in mainly fine weather with good spirits and good views.

Here’s a cheerful chappie trotting through the frame in search of bouldering challenges, which frequently punctuated our stroll in this land of erratics.

We waited ages for Andy and Jim, who promptly disappeared again.

Today Mike and Phil enjoyed competing with each other to see who could most adversely affect Robert and Martin’s behaviour!

Finally, Clapham Drive led gently back down to Clapham from Ingleborough Cave and the outpouring of the Gaping Gill cave system, with the trees still hanging on to their last vestiges of foliage.

Here’s the day’s route – 9 km, 315 metres ascent, in 4 hours including lots of stops.

Recommended for children.

I’ve been selective with the above images, but there’s a full slideshow (45 pics) and a bit more commentary here.

Well, it’s not quite ‘full’ – I can’t bring myself to upload the picture featuring ‘Randy’, the ram, in action.