Bradford Dale

Just a short walk today. We parked in the nearby village of Youlgreave near the River Bradford and followed the path alongside the river in the very picturesque Bradford Dale.

There was plenty of water flowing, crystal clear as it usually is with quite a few mallard ducks, coots, moor fowl and a dipper enjoying the clean water along with small trout.

We went as far as the small wooden bridge which crosses the river just past a small spring which issues from a very low and submerged underground passage next to the path.

DCRO 60th Anniversary Celebration

In the evening we went to the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation's 60th Anniversary Celebrations at the Hope Cement Works Social Club which was excellent and well attended with loads of food brought by various attendees.

Longshaw Estate

In the morning, we went to Matlock where I put a deposit on a 11 month old 2011 Ford Focus!

Later on we went for a short walk on the Longshaw Estate starting at Grindleford rail station with a snack at the National Trust café in the old Longshaw Lodge.

Eldon Hole

Again, the three of us collected the ropes and tackle bags from the Orpheus Cc hut then after breakfast at the café in Monyash, drove to the farm near Eldon Hole where we parked on a track and got changed into our caving gear.

We walked further up the track to the large open shaft of Eldon Hole and Keith began rigging the rope following the South Gully route while I followed him with the second tackle bag of rope and Karen bringing up the rear.

When I reached the foot of the 60 metre shaft, Keith was just clambering down the small opening which leads to the adjoining large chamber.

I waited for Karen to arrive and we decided not to bother clambering into the chamber and she soon began to prusik back up to the surface.

I followed with Keith bringing up the rear. At least there were no problems with carbon dioxide today.

Lathkill Head Cave Top Entrance and Garden Path

Karen and I met up with Keith in Monyash café after we had stopped of at the Orpheus CC hut in order to collect some ropes and tackle bags.

After our breakfast, we drove just down the road to the end of Lathkill Dale and after parking in a layby got our caving gear on.

We walk down the dale for a few hundred metres then followed the rising path heading towards a nearby farm then through a field gate and down to the entrance to Lathkill Cave Top Entrance.

Karen and Keith rigged a rope to drop down into the chamber below called The Waiting Room where they were going to replace some damaged conservation tape which helps mark out a route to follow to minimise damage to the cave. Karen also retrieved a “No Parking” bollard which had been left in the chamber by some joker.

In the meantime I retrieved the waterproof box containing the logbook for logging visits to the cave. The corner of the box was cracked and I was going to take it home to repair it as it was letting in water when it rained. The logbook was in a second smaller waterproof box inside so was still dry and I left that at the foot of the short entrance shaft on a ledge.

Once Karen and Keith were back on the surface, they both were commenting on the signs of high levels of carbon dioxide in the cave below with panting and breathing heavily as they were prusiking back to the surface. We retraced out route a short way back towards the dale and then again passed through a field gate to get to the locked metal lid covering one of the other entrances to Lathkill Head Cave known as the Garden Path. 

We abseiled down to the chamber below after several rebelays with small wooden platforms as ledges.

Again we were replacing damaged conservation tape. Also, we found signs of high levels of carbon dioxide and it was hard work prusiking back up the ropes.

Afterwards we walked back to the cars and after getting changed out of caving gear, had a snack in the café again.

Wetton Mill and Ecton Hill

We parked at the roadside car park near Wetton Mill and then walked up the road for a short distance then through the farmyard belonging to Dale Farm. From here we followed a steeply-ascending route passing a small hill called Sugarloaf across fields heading north. At one point the public footpath skirted along the edge of a private garden then through another farmyard.

Near Ecton Hill our route turned south and we followed a route across more fields bringing us to the village of Wetton,

After following a road heading south-west through the village we were once again in fields and after a short while joined a minor road called Carr Lane which we followed for about 100 yards then through a stile back onto a public footpath which dropped us down to a stile and another minor road called Larkstone Lane.

Following the lane to a hairpin bend brought us to another footpath dropping very steeply down to a junction with the metalled track following the Manifold valley.

After following the Manifold valley for about a kilometre, we were back at our starting point at Wetton Mill where we were able to have a snack at the café.

DCRO Exercise at Giants Hole

Today there was a DCRO exercise at Giants Hole with me acting as Controller and Karen keeping the communications log.

The scenario was that there was a caver with a lower back injury on the near side of the Giants Windpipe.

We had Steve Knox and Pete Dell on the hill above the cave positioned approximately above the Giants Windpipe and Garlands Pot.

Clare and Dave Harley were to lead a team to package the casualty in a Slix stretcher and take it in turns to be the casualty themselves. The plan was to move along the traverse above the Crab Walk and through the calcite eyehole as far as possible with the exercise ending at 14:30. Dave Ottewell had just taken up a position as Leader was tasked with rigging a rope along the traverse.

Moel Siabod

We were up just before 08:00 on another lovely morning (although it was supposed to get cloudy later with rain) and ate some cereal in the tent and then read for a while.

We were going to have breakfast at the Pinnacles Cafe in Capel Curig which has a “rush hour” at 09:00, so we waited until 09:30 and packed up everything and left the tent to dry out after last night's condensation, and then parked in the free car park behind Joe Brown's shop.

We found Ralph Johnson plus 4 or 5 others having breakfast there already. Ralph was telling us they had bivvied out last nigh somewhere in Cwm Idwal, although they had neglected to bring enough gear so hadn't had much sleep!

After breakfast, we had a quick look around Joe Browns and managed to get away without spending anything (!) and then drove back a couple of miles towards the camp site to park in the layby by Pony Cyfyng.

We got our boots on and followed the minor road over the bridge and then uphill until it veered off towards a farm with “Private Road” painted in large letters on the tarmac next to “Footpath” pointing towards the obvious signposted ahead.

This path was really nice and continued up the flanks of Moel Siabod until it levelled out and then continued as a rough stony vehicle track passing a few gates then becoming a narrow footpath near a small unnamed lake which was obviously artificial as it had a small rogh dam holding back the water to form the lake.

We followed the path made of waste slate material from nearby quarrying passing spoil heaps and the remains of old buildings and arrived at another small body of water formed in a small slate quarry, again with quite a few remains of old buildings nearby.

It was quite gusty and windy today and had become cloudy as we were walking and we decided to have a break and have lunch in the shelter of a wall formed by old pieces of slate.

As we did this we could see the top of Moel Siabod disappear into the mist along with the ridge of Daear Ddu ahead.

We were planning on a short walk today as the weather was supposed to deteriorate, we wanted to get the tent put away dry and also miss the traffic heading home later in the day. So we finished lunch and then made our way back to the car then pack everything away and head for home.

Snowdon via Crib Goch

After such a crap summer, at least from the weather point of view, we decided to make the most of a an excellent weather forecast for this weekend and have a trip to North Wales.

I had bought a new larger tent (a Wild Country Citadel 3) to have the luxury of more room during longer camping trips (I can even stand up comfortably in this tent!) which was delivered during the week. We decided to risk the folly of pitching an unfamiliar tent in the dark after arriving at Dol Gam farm camp site just outside Capel Curig (£5 per person per night).

Surprisingly, we managed to get the tent pitched without major problems and were soon asleep in our sleeping bags.

In the morning, it was misty and Moel Siabod was covered by mist, but this was forecasted and it was supposed to clear later in the morning to leave a fine, dry and sunny day.

As we were planning on following the Grade 1 scramble across Crib Goch and Crib y Ddysgyl to then follow up to Snowdon's summit (or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh).

Our starting point would be Pen y Pass car park but this would soon be full with such good weather (plus it costs £10 to park there for the day) so it would be easier to park on the other side of Llanberis Pass in the village of Llanberis and get the Snowdon Sherpa bus back up to Pen y Pass.

So we set off for Llanberis around 08:10 and dropped the car off at on of the two large car parks for £4.00 for the day. Then we walked the short distance into the village centre to have breakfast at Pete's Eats café.

The next bus was scheduled to leave the bus stop opposite Joe Brown's shop at 09:20 and there were only two people waiting there when we walked past just before 09:00.

After breakfast we had about 5 minutes to grab a couple if sandwiches in a Spar supermarket nearby and then joined the larger queue now waiting for the bus which arrived in a couple of minutes.

The Snowdon Sherpa buses only cost £1 per journey wherever you get on and off and run every 20 minutes (from Llanberis at least).

The bus was soon pretty full when we got on despite being a double decker but the next stop was at the Nant Peris “Park and Ride” car park at the foot of the Pass which was nearly empty when we passed it earlier on our way to Llanberis but no was completely full to overflowing!

The bus was also soon full to nearly overflowing and it started up the couple of miles or so to Pen y Pass.

We left the sunshine at the bottom of the Pass and were soon back in the mist as we climbed higher and got off the bus in the Pen y Pass car park where there were crowds waiting to head off on the Miner's Track or like ourselves, the PYG Track (named after the Pen y Gwryd Hotel just down the road).

We left the car park behind and with quite a few others started on our way along the PYG Track and you could tell that the mist was beginning to clear with the odd glimpse of the towering cliff of Crib Goch ahead.

On reaching the saddle at Bwlch y Moch overlooking the waters of Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw far below, the crowds continued on the PYG Track as it skirted along the side while we joined the fewer numbers beginning the path which ascends to the start of the traverse across Crib Goch.

And by now we were in full sunshine with some wispy clouds remaining below us.

There were the inevitable noisy “hares” trying to rush past who we would then pass again as they sat panting and resting.

So we arrived at the narrow crest of Crib Goch and started the route across which is really enjoyable and excellent fun (although if you are worried about heights, maybe not so much!).

Soon we arrived at the broadening saddle of Bwlch Coch and then the start if the next scrambling section of Crib y Ddysgl which is still really good fun but not as impressive as Crib Goch.

Ahead we could see the trail of people tramping up the Llanberis Path next to the rack and pinion railway being joined at the junction of both the Miner's and PYG Tracks where all three paths join. It really looked like a trail of ants heading for some huge sugar lump placed on the summit.

We joined the throng as they also headed for the top with numerous walkers sporting T Shirts with various slogans regarding some charity or other which they were presumably being sponsored for.

We had a quick break near the summit building then dropped back down to the junction with the Miner's Path and followed this downwards.

We paused at the remnants of old copper mines and had a look at an open stope and an old level.

All that remained was to complete the remainder of the Miner's Track back to the car park at Pen y Pass.

It was 20 minutes until the next bus back down to Llanberis, so we had a drink in the café there and then got a very crowded bus back to Llanberis.

We had a second meal in Pete's Eats and then drove back to the camp site.

Shining Tor

In the morning we said good bye to Keith and Pete who were going digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern while Karen and I drove to the car park near the southern end of Erwood Reservoir.

It was a cool and misty morning and quite still in the car park and as we were getting our walking boots on by the car, the midges appeared!

So, we hurriedly finished and the set odd to leave the midges behind and started up the steep grassy path leading up along the top of Shooters Clough and as we reached the higher section, the path followed a very old sunken track across the moorland.

At a gate through a wall, there was a junction of two footpaths with our route continuing onwards to the Cat and Fiddle Inn. So, we turned through the gate onto the path leading soon to the summit of Shining Tor.

It was still misty and breezy as we sat on one of the two benches to eat lunch.

Once we had finished, we continued on the path slabbed with large stone slabs heading towards Cats Tor.

Gradually the mist and cloud base began to rise and we began to see views in the distance.

After reaching the minor road at Pym Chair, we followed down hill along the road on the verge and then at a gate on the the southern side of the road, we passed through the gate then followed the grassy path up and along Foxlow Edge which dropped down on the other side through woods to arrive back at our starting point.

Kinder Scout

Karen was taking a party in Water Icicle Close Cavern and I again was planning on a return to Kinder Scout.

It was a cool but dry day and mostly cloudy as I parked in the public car park at Edale and set off following the original start of the Pennine Way along Grindsbrook Clough.

This is the most popular route up Kinder Scout as it is easy to follow and mostly has a well-worn route.

As I reached the head of the valley, instead of following the usual route which carries on steeply up the westerly of the two branches, I turned right to follow the northerly branch.

This seemed to cause a bit of confusion in others following Grindsbrook Clough as some stopped and got their maps out to check the route they were following.

There is a small stream which flows down a bouldery bed in a ravine but for the first section of this branch of the valley, there is an obvious narrow path along the right-hand bank (as you head uphill).

This was quite a pleasant way to reach the Kinder plateau but it got better.

Soon I reached the first of several small rock steps forming a series of small waterfalls. It was easy to clamber up these steps without getting wet and was very enjoyable as well.

All too soon the ravine petered out as I reached the path which wends its way along the plateau edge.

I sat for a while to cool off a bit and let the sweaty patches on my shirt dry and then moved on following the edge path towards the usual route up Grindsbrook Clough and at a small rocky pedestal, I sat in the shelter from the wind and had a snack.

I looked at the map to decide where to go next and decided on dropping back down to Edale via Crowden Clough.

So, I continued along the edge path and made my way down the initial rocky top of Crowden Brook as it began its journey down the Clough and when I arrived at the short rocky step, I down-climbed the short rocky scramble and then followed the path along the brook and then joined the current start of the Pennine Way back to Grindsbrook Booth (usually known as the village of Edale).

Back at the car park, the car park was over-full with cars parked wherever they found space. Unfortunately, there was a parking warden going round putting parking tickets on them.

Afterwards, I drove to Monyash and to the end of Derby Lane to meet Karen who was already on the surface waiting for the others to appear at the top of the shaft.

Afterwards we had a snack in the café and then went home. A couple of hours later Keith arrived with Pete Collins who was not long back from Thailand. We all had a meal in The Miners Standard.