Out of Hibernation

Monday 7th March 2011.
Another bad winter, flu, vehicle repairs, house repairs and generally overcast sky with a very cold wind. The sun stirred me out of my sloth like existence on Monday and I made my way down to Hurlstone Point for a gentle bouldering session. Drove into the NT car park at Bossington and found that the parking meter machine was still standing defiantly at the entrance. Worst still the rate has increased to £3 for all day. Left quickly and parked by the roadside instead.

It was a beautiful day in the sun protected from the cold easterly breeze. There is a little chalk here and there tending to suggest that some hardy soul has been active on the bouldering wall during the winter. Being ten pounds above my fighting weight I really felt the strain in my arms, even sitting on a boulder I felt heavy. Must do something about that quickly.  

Saw three couples out walking around the point. Looking across Porlock Bay towards Glenthorne and Foreland Point the coast was in shadow with mist shrouding the hill top. It did not look very inviting at all.

Malham Circular Walk.

Wednesday 13^th October 2010.
Parked up at the National Park Centre at Malham, intending to walk a circular route passing Janets Foss, Gordale Scar, Malham Tarn, back down to Malham Cove and home. Set off following the stream towards Janets Waterfall. In Fairy Wood came across fallen tree trunks embedded with hundreds of coins. Unfortunately my multitool did not include pliars. Walking into Gordale Scar I could not help thinking that this was great walking country.

Fairy Wood

Janets Foss

Our guide did say that the route involved a little scrambling but nothing that would bother the experienced walker. Imagine our surprise when we arrived at the foot of the waterfall at Gordale Scar and found a group of bewildered walkers staring at the falls comparing various guide books while trying to work out the way forward. Mrs Crumbling Cliff informed me that she did not believe that her dodgy knee would allow her to climb the rocky waterfall. I spotted a slightly polished line to the right of the fall and clambered up it without my sack. At the top of the first fall the route is obvious with a path leading up to the left of the waterspout above. While I was stood there a couple climbed the middle of the fall which looked much easier than my route. I reversed their route and found the holds to be big and chunky and not at all slippery.

Gordale Scar

Above the first fall.

We retreated back downstream and traversed the hill around to a point above Malham Cove, then headed across to Malham Tarn where we had lunch. After lunch we descended down the dry valley to the top of Malham Cove and the limestone pavement. Reaching the bottom of the cove I was drawn to the spot where the stream from the tarn re-surfaces, I was disappointed not to find a cave entrance.

Malham Tarn

The Dry Valley

Limestone pavement above Malham Cove.

Scanning the huge cliff above it was possible to make out abandoned climbing gear here and there which left me wondering how people managed to scale these massive walls. Walking back to Malham I was drawn time and again into glancing back at those towering walls gleaming in the sun. An interesting walk. 

Malham Cove.

Pen-y-Ghent. 694m.

Tuesday 12^th October 2010. After a really cold night drove up to Dale Head to do Pen-y-Ghent. Really easy walk up a wide track collecting another geocache on the way. Quite a few people out walking, taking advantage of the brilliant weather. One chap was walking up bare foot? As it steepens the path becomes rocky with some scrambling but the summit is soon reached. This hill is much easier to climb than the previous two. Again loads of people on the summit and good views including a temperature inversion placing us in sunlight above the mist filled dales. Yet another geocache located then back down for lunch. I just cannot imagine what it must be like to be as fit as those who run in the Three Peaks Race across these mountains in about 10 hours. I take my hat off to them.

Pen-y-Ghent

Summit Trig Point.

Looking towards Ingleborough.

Ingleton under the mist.

Ingleborough. 724m.

Sunday 10^th October 2010.

Another windy night. Drove down to Chaple-le-Dale and parked up near the Hill Inn. Made our way out across the moors towards Ingleborough. Much of the route passed over man made paths and bridges over the boggy parts of what was pretty level going. At the foot of the hill it became very steep with steps that always seem to have been made for a seven footer. Took many rests on the way up and admired the view across the dale to Whernside, now in brilliant sunshine. Arrived at the summit and found about a dozen walkers sheltering behind the stone windbreak. Great views all around, had lunch and picked up another couple of geocaches. On the way down I veered off to the right to pick up a geocache hidden in the central area of a large exspanse of limestone pavement. This was the largest area of pavement I had ever come across. From there it was back onto the track across the fields to the transport. A good day out.

  

Ingleborough.

Summit

Summit Windbreak.

Limestone pavement.

Whernside. 736m.

Saturday 9^th October 2010.

Off to do The Whernside Circular Walk. Weather not good with cloud down on the mountain. Followed the railway line past the signal box and crossed over just before the Blea Moor

tunnel via a remarkable bridge / aquaduct. Had a good view of the waterfalls just as we climbed into mist and strong NE winds. As we climbed higher I could not remember when I was last out in wind such as this. We were leaning into the wind at a crazy angle and would have fallen over the side had it suddenly ceased. Despite the weather there were quite a number of people on the mountain, many of them teenagers who were really enjoying battling against the gale. We passed through the small gap in the wall and found the summit trig point and quite a crowd sheltering behind the wall.

Visibility was down to twenty metres and it was cold. I had intended to search for a geocache but decided it would have to wait for another day. We had lunch and considered our options. Visibility was poor and there was a howling gale, thankfully it was not raining. We were not familiar with the terrain and did not know what to expect if we continued the circuit. We decided to continue and descended much steeper ground which quickly brought us out of the cloud. We were thankful that we had not climbed up this side as it was very rocky with large steps. We got down into the fields and turned back towards Ribblehead viaduct. This turned out to be quite a long and tiring section. Above, Whernside was coming out of the mist. I spent some time near the viaduct searching for a couple of geocaches which we located quite easily.

The cloud was lifting providing the occasional view of Whernside and Ingleborough’s summits.

Whernside

Ingleborough.

It took us four and a half hours to complete the circuit of  eight and a half miles with approx 1500ft of ascent. We have to go back one day for the view from the summit. Next time I will follow the same route up and come back down the same way. 

Yorkshire Dales.

Friday 8^th October 2010.

Arrived home from Spain early July. Loads of maintenance and cleaning, followed by a bout of backache. No real chance to get out other than  a couple of trips on Exmoor. Made our way up to Yorkshire to climb the Three Peaks and visit Malham Cove, where all the climbing action was when I were a lad. Parked up at the Station Inn near the Ribblehead viaduct and experienced a very windy night.

Jerica Canyon.

Wednesday 25th June 2010.
Making our way home now, pulled into Jerica, north of Valencia for the night. Amazed to find a huge rocky canyon with towering walls. Explored the area and found climbers not very far from the car park. The remainder of the canyon was empty with acres of inviting rock. Sadly no time to try it out.