'Aysgarth Weekend' - 24 and 25 November 1984

 

The silhouettes in the above picture could be used in a walking club logo, perhaps?

 

This posting stems from a fairly routine weekend in the Yorkshire Dales. You'll be pleased to know that I haven't included all the photos - it wasn't particularly good weather. Nor have I attempted to produce any route maps.

 

'Aysgarth Weekend'

 

Friday (II)

 

Ian (II), Martin (MB), Dave and John were on this trip.

For those who haven't seen Ian since he last appeared in the diary - Easter 1982? - a potted life history since then can be given as:

1983 - fell 600 metres down Monte Rosa and broke my wrist;

1984 - I climbed Mount McKinley in Alaska and then rolled the hire car we had afterwards down a bank.

I wonder if I'm accident prone!

 

Saturday (II)

 

Ian and John arrived at Aysgarth dead on 10 am to find the café closed.

Martin and Dave were late.

At about 10:30 the party set off down the south side of the river, strolling along on a fine, very windy day.

 

 

The highlights were spotting a team out rabbiting with ferrets, and a climb across a stream on a very rickety fence. I was sure the fence was going to fall over when Dave went across. John chickened out of climbing along the fence and splashed across while no one was looking.

 

 

In true D Wynn style, a hydraulic lunch was had in West Witton. Over lunch, Dave and Martin gave a demonstration of how not to play pool and how to chase the black ball around the table without potting it. Neither appeared to know the rules.

The solid part of the lunch was eaten in a convenient nearby shelter in West Witton, before we set off back to Aysgarth.

A heavy squall appeared, but vanished the moment Dave had managed to put his overtrousers on. We wandered back and dived into the tea shop for muffins and tea, then we drove to the campsite in Hawes because the facilities were known to be better there. It was closed, so the facilities were non-existent. After a gastronomic delight of meatballs and beans we set off for the pub.

Dave amazed us all by doing a 2-ft high Fosbury Flop when he fell over a low fence. Luckily the fence was unhurt.

 

Added by MB:

 

Various witterings...

That's an unduly brief 'memoire' from Ian. What about his sponsored parachute jump? and his KIMM performance (10th in the Saturday score event)?

Everybody is tired. John, who had a sleepless night yesterday, is pining for his damaged bike which is his normal substitute for company

Here, the diary contains two pages of in jokes, taking the Mick out of John's bike, his fleas, bicycle love affairs, Martin's employer, and various other risqué comments.

 

Sunday (MB)

 

Adjourned late last night - 10:45. Sound sleep despite a bit of wind and rain. Rose slowly. Conspicuous absence of sausages in D and M's tent. Slithered out of campsite to park opposite café.

 

 

 

Up to Gayle and on to the Roman Road. Bright sun made navigation difficult as visibility was minimal due to glare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On down to Marsett and thence to Semer Water. Ian's navigation was best. Rain started showery, then set in.

 

 

On to the Rose and Crown at Bainbridge. Wm Younger Traditional No3 was dark and sour.

Not so many reminiscences from Ian made for a quieter morning today. No pool table here - no revenge.

 

 

Mandatory lunch stop in bus shelter. I couldn't find my lunch, nor did I get a seat. Had to con the others to get a photo. (Dave was being silly with his rucksack.)

 

 

Return on north side of river. Paths and railway. Very pleasant, especially when the rain had stopped.

Reached Hawes by 4:30 - almost dark. Tea shop very convenient. Lots of ducks, coots, fieldfares, dipper, White dead nettle, Pineappleweed, rabbits grey squirrels. 

'Dufton and Some Pubs' - 12 to 14 October 1984

 

Here's another 'draught from the past'. A wet weekend in the Yorkshire Dales. Just for the record...

… and I appreciate the pictures are pretty crappy.

 

Dufton and Some Pubs 

 

Friday (JM)

JM got a lift to Cow Green and set off at 18:00, reached Maize Beck Ford at 19:50, and first tree down off High Cup Nick at 21:40. Camp at Dufton, dry out in Stag Inn (arrive 10:30, leave11:00). 

Saturday (JM)

Martin picked Dave up at 8:20.

Dave very sleepy. Meet JM at Dufton fountain at 10:15. Park car at Hilton, on the edge of the Warcop training area, and we heard some small arms fire and mortars. This means that the track up to Swarth Beck is OUT.

 

Set off at 10:50 for a field-wise wander (very gentle compared to last night).

 

John wasn't known for his photography. I don't even remember him having a camera!

 

 

 

Photo stop for a large pig.

 

Got lost in a wood (lots of toadstools). Arrived at Brampton where there is a pub, the New Inn. Bar meals (soft ain't we?), but Dave made it hard, by confusing the staff in having soup after the main course. The rest of us had a dessert course, and then we all had complicated coffee.

Via footpaths to Keld, then along a green lane to Long Marton. On the way, the distinctive whistle of a steam locomotive is heard: we all retrace our steps to see a steam train, very pretty blue, and streamlined (Sir Nigel Gresley). The carriages are British Rail Mk 2, and the buffet is a Pullman.

 

 

Eventually arrive at Long Marton, then via a footpath to Birks Head and so to Dufton.

Pitch tent at about 17:00. Leisurely meal and then to the Stag Innat 19:00.

Weather report: cloud is about 1500', so the tops can't be seen; light showers from time to time where we are. 

Sunday (DS)
 

Good night's kip had by all. Not bothered by noisy Yorkshiremen until morning (except Martin who claims they woke him up last night). Slow breakfast and we get away.

 

 

Martin attempts to sabotage the day's walk and proposes a namby pamby wimps' day out at the Bowes Museum, which according to John has pictures (according to Mike Brown) - also has armour, textiles, weapons, and a swan.

Decided however to go uphill, which was covered in mist. Looked at the military notice and red flag at the start of the route. According to this, anything that is airborne is an aircraft!! Ignored the notice (couldn't understand it) and set off up a slope to High Cup Nick. Hot and sweaty. Passed farmhouse selling coffee, but decided not to stop.

 

 

 

 

Coats on when we got to mist. At the top, took a bearing to travel south and thus avoid the 'Range Impact Area'. Eventually found a stream down and found it was heading to Murton and not to Harbour Flatt as anticipated.

Saw car in distance and so headed towards it through a military 'Shelled Area'. Precarious crossing of a stream via an iron bar that wobbled.
 

 

At the car, a playful cat provided amusement and photos.

Into Appleby for tea and chips and beans or peas. (No plates of chips only served for except for kids.)

 

Quite bright and sunny now. It was probably a good day down here. Unusual and no doubt useless sundial in the 'square'.

After food, went for a walk around Appleby. Very pleasant - took an hour. Left John at 4:15; he is getting a bus back home. M&D back to motorway via Tebay.
 

 

 

 

(JM) The bus arrived on time. It was very dark on Stainmore, but nice on the east side. A wet tea in Darlington while waiting for bus and so homewards.

 

 

Our route is shown above on a map slotted into the original album. (Click on the image to get a readable version.) Fast forward 34 years, and I was there again, this walk being undertaken (more or less) as a day walk from Dufton Youth Hostel. The report is here.

'September in Snowdonia' - 15 and 16 September 1984

 

More archive footage today. I'm sorely tempted to repeat this route when possible. Need a good weather forecast though.

 

15/16 September 1984

 

September in Snowdonia (Diary by Martin except where indicated)

 

Friday: John arrives at Oswald Road to cacophony, after initial quietness. Eventually adjourn to the Quadrant at 10:30. All children still up. Michael and Kate look like wasps. Pub very quiet. Gentle route from Blaenau Ffestiniog over Moelwyns and Cnicht is planned.

 

Saturday: Left Oswald Road after a brief breakfast. Collected petrol and Dave, and we were on the M56 by soon after 8 am.

 

Rain and low cloud by the time we reached Wales, but bright weather had been seen in the west. Good views with shafts of light against the black sky. Moel Siabod's slopes seem pleasantly lit from some distance, through the gloom.

 

Left at Betws-y-Coed and soon we are in the main car park at Blaenau Ffestiniog (pictured above).  

Got going leisurely, and Dave failed to buy a water container, having failed to find his old one in a recent extensive search of his possessions. He later realises that this failure is probably due to the fact that he threw away the said item in either Zermatt or Zurich.

 

Tea in a noisy cafe, then we set out past a puffing billy down a pleasant path in the wrong direction (by Afon Bowydd). Past a sewage works we turn right towards Blaenau again.  

 

 

Left at Pencefn Road and along the side of a very low (drought comes to Wales) Tanygrisiau Reservoir.

 

Stop for brew by disused quarry and Dave's new Epigas Propane mix rocket fuel works magically. He even used some hot water to clean his teeth. (There is no record of who acted as porter for Dave's water, given his lack of water bottle.)

 

A bumblebee tried to drink my tea and died.

 

Tested self-timer on camera and had second cups of tea.

 

 

Off to cross the railway and John is nearly mown down as 'Blanche' chuffs out of the tunnel. I failed to get a spectacular photo as I'd left the self-timer on!

 

 

We all admired Dave Scruby's Pentax (DSP) and its fancy complicated zoom lens. He got it out for the first time in public but missed a shot of the train.

 

Two hours took us to the summit of Moelwyn Bach (2334') after some interesting crags and mild scrambling. John objected to the grass.

 

 

 

The weather throughout is hot and sunny. Rather humid.

 

Shaley (slatey) descent to the col at Bwlch Stwlan and John goes to look for water. See the first people of the day. These hills are very quiet.

 

Virtually windless, but there is cloud on the higher peaks, so we admire today's choice of route.

 

On the way so far, the very pretty yellow and red of Gorse and Bell Heather. Also lots of Ling and Tormentil, plus Saxifrage (a small white one) and Milkwort. Carrion crows and Skylarks.

 

John arrives back exhausted from fetching the water. We'd better use it before we find some more. I wonder whether Dave needs to clean his teeth again.

 

The 600' climb up Moelwyn Mawr (2527')  was straightforward - path up the crag then grassy slope to the trig point. Met some people on the top. Brewed up but mine was destroyed by the vast number of small flies. Having also scalded myself, I was still thirsty and John's supplies had been abortively used.

 

Cloud level now almost down to us, so we hastened down before the anticipated rain.

 

Descended the northern ridge and followed a path to the ruins of a quarry at Bwlch Cwmorthin.

 

 

Continued north until an idyllic campsite presented itself at the waterfalls below Clogwyn Brith - 1700 ft.

 

 

The clouds had cleared and it was warm and still and sunny, with no flies. Magnificent conditions. Relaxed around the site, at which we arrived around 5:30. Brewed and cooked.

 

 

The sun went down. Meanwhile about 20 people descended from Cnicht and proceeded to camp/bivvi down at the ruined quarry.

 

Most clouds disappeared and condensation started (mapcase, camera, etc). Still quite warm.

 

My tea fell over but I caught it! Time to stop writing and concentrate on cooking - the crispy noodles need close attention. Meanwhile some very tasty crispy croutons, delight of Phileas Fogg and made in Consett*, were handed around. I finished my tea in the tent and didn't witness the delicacies consumed by the others, as they didn't enter the tent until around 7:30#. I suspect Dave had a sausage*², whilst John had soup and a Vesta*³ curry.

 

 

Just a brief note on how to get off Moelwyn Bach in the mist. (The path is vaguely cairned.) Head SE from the pile of stones for about 100 yards, then go down a slatey path on the gentle slope between the two sets of crags marked to the east of the pile of stones.

 

All in bed by 8:30, probably also asleep by then. Can still see the glow of the bivviers' camp fire in the ruined quarry below.

 

Lots of ladybirds in the campsite area.

 

Sunday (diary started by John)

 

Insomnia strikes at 7:25. Banfield brews for all (Ѷ as we mathematicians write - I can't find the correct symbol here!). Second brew (coffee) at 8:45.

 

The mist is clearing nicely. The bivviers below are milling around nicely. Scruby does not feel like a sausage (more like a beef burger). Ascent of Cnicht is planned.

 

Start for Cnicht at 9:45.

 

 

Above and below are views to Llyn Cwm-y-foel and the coast, from the ascent of Cnicht.

 

 

Reach top at 10:45. Pause for photos (Scruby and Banfield), second breakfast (Mansell) etc.

 

 

On the way down, we reach something which would be interesting when wet (a descent).

 

 

 

We reach the first pasture land (walls, grass, wire, sheep, etc) at 11:45. At Croesor 12:15. Brew stop at 12:20. There is not much wind today, but plenty of cloud around the ridge of Cnicht. Snowdon was visible from time to time, with the summit above a stratum of cloud.

 

 

(continued by Martin)

 

On down pleasant lane with no traffic, to Tan-y-bwlch Station. Waited to photograph Blanche again (successfully this time) then strolled through pleasant woods etc past Dduallt to Dduallt Station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waited for Blanche's return from Porthmadog and encountered first rain of the weekend. Brewed up in the rain. A delicious nectarious cup before the return to civilization.

 

 

Got on crowded train and peered through windows which were surprisingly free of steam. Our route across Tanygrisiau Reservoir was now completely under water, the level having risen by 1 to 2 feet overnight despite no rain!

 

 

 

Heavy traffic back to Manchester but John caught his 7 o'clock train despite not managing to finish his diary entry.

 

* Phileas Fogg was set up by some friends of our walking pal Paul Brunn (RIP), using grants available for new businesses in places where coal mines had closed. It was a very successful venture. They eventually sold out to United Biscuits.

 

# This was in the days before we all had individual one man tents (I did have a Karrimor Marathon tent), and my Vango Mk4 got lots of use. It was eventually replaced by a North Face VE25, another superb tent.

 

*² Campbells meat balls

 

*³ Vesta products were a staple backpacking main course in those days. I favoured the chow mein with crispy noodles that needed a bit extra butter or oil for cooking.

Here's our route - 25 km with 1400 metres ascent.