Meet Report

Steeple East Buttress trip report

10/07/2023 by CMCAdmin Leave a Comment

I’d been wanting to Steeple East Buttress for some years now. A remote Lakeland mountaineering route that was first climbed in the 1950’s. Graded VDiff and comprising 6 pitches over 160m and earning 2 stars but with a long walk it has very few teams on it. So, an idea developed to justify the walk in with an extra day on nearby Pillar.

I was a bit cautious about putting a note on the club’s WhatsApp group proposing the idea, however, worry not, as within a couple of hours 6 other members had expressed interest in joining me. Unfortunately the Wednesday before the agreed weekend I rendered myself unable to walk with an recurrence of an old knee injury, so the date was rescheduled and finally three of us met at Wasdale Head in early July with an unsettled weather forecast.

By lunchtime Dave, Gareth and I were gearing up at the base of the buttress and after a bit of faffing, set off. Totally unpolished and with great friction that soon disappeared with the fast-moving showers. Eventually we topped out right at the summit cairn of Steeple towards teatime, leaving one of my favourite hexes in the final pitch.

Dave had to work the next day and after a bit of a gear sort set off back down aiming to be back at Wasdale Head by 7pm and home by 9. Gareth and I walked along the completely deserted path towards Pillar and dropped into the cove around Robinson’s Cairn to set up a bivvi for the night.

Good craic ensued whilst we boiled endless water for tea, ready meals, coffee and Gareth’s best Irish Whiskey under the tarp. Still windy with occasional shower and feeling very cold for early July, however our forecast was for a dry night and a stormy following afternoon. Modern bivvi bags proved their technology, keeping us dry in the overnight showers that joined up to give prolonged rain in the early hours. Up at 8 for more boiling water for porridge and coffee under the tarp.

Heading towards Pillar rock didn’t fill us with optimism with black rocks dripping the overnight rain so after a bit of faffing about we decided to bail and head back to Wasdale. Three hours later we arrived back to a much better forecast for the area. Damn, should have stayed up there. But thanks to Dave and Gareth for joining me on this trip sorry to the others who couldn’t make it.

Will definitely do some more of this sort of mountaineering trip, joining several high crags together with a bit of lightweight bivvying. There’s a lot more to the Lakes than the roadside crags and it’s just an hour or so down the road, Wales and Scotland a few hours more.

The club’s WhatsApp group works really well as a means to turn your ideas into reality. It would be great if more members could share their ideas and they may well be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to find others who would enjoy turning those ideas into reality with them.

Trip report by Ian Daws

Joint CMC & YMC walk

06/03/2022 by Andy Barton 1 Comment

Little Langdale Christmas hut meet

17/01/2022 by Andy Hudson Leave a Comment

meet report by Shirley

Thanks Dick for coordinating the Little Langdale Christmas hut meet. Some of us took advantage of a Fridays good weather window and went up Kentmere pike in great conditions with fab views.

The hut has had quite a few renovations since our last visit – rewired, new windows, fresh paintwork … and 3 comfy seats between the 7 so musical chairs throughout the weekend!

Disappointing weather didn’t deter activities on Saturday as we went over Wetherlam, via Tibberthwaite. We did bail out to the valley from Swirl Hause as the mist, drizzle, wind and slush dampened enthusiasm for the whole circuit.

Back at the hut while preps began for our communal meal, Jenga challenges kept some of us amused and others joined in the festive spirit singing christmas carols with students in the adjoining cottage.

We chose a shorter low level walk from the hut via Skelwith Bridge and Elterwater on Sunday before getting tidied and packed. Although only 7 of us were able to go on the meet, it was great to get together again.

Howgills Walk Meet Report

11/09/2021 by Andy Hudson 1 Comment

The day dawned cloudy but mainly dry with just the odd spot of rain threatening but been the CMC we were well attired in clothing that would (and I’ll not use the exact phrase that was used ) see us thorough the day and beyond apparently (you really had to be there).

Our merry band of 6 met at Carlingill Bridge just south of Tebay. Our walk took us along Carlingill weaving up the valley until we had to a choice of the rib up the side of Black Force or the scramble up the force. Four of the group decided on the pleasant looking rib whilst Dick and I ventured up Black force. The rock was a bit slippy but no major obstacles until the main force. Here we decided (not that we really had a choice) to bypass the main waterfall on its right. The bypass turned out to be some what of a botanical experience on grass, heather, bilberry bushes and the odd bit of rock, most of which was loose. At best the bypass was “sketchy”. However, Dick found a way back into the gill (Dick I believe did have a short rope but the thought of abseiling off a twig wasn’t that appealing) and we scrambled on up and whilst a bit slippy in parts we emerged at the top dry and unscathed.

With a brief interlude for lunch, we carried on up onto Fell Head and along to The Calf. From here it was a gentle descent back down to the valley and past the lovely Crook of Lune Bridge. We continued along the valley, and I don’t recall how but we ended up discussing sowing machines (I tell you it’s life on the edge with Craven Mountaineering Club!). As we were nearing the the end of the walk, we encountered a sheep entangled on some barbed wire and before we even had time to think “what would James Herriot do” the sheep had been grabbed by its rear by one of us, from the front by another and once immobilized yours truly was handed a knife and said sheep received a haircut and was freed, off it went…..without even a thank you.

Not long after and we were back at the cars, a great day out on the hills. Many Thanks to Dick for organizing this.