Kinder Scout

Karen joined me for a walk on the Southern Edge of Kinder Scout. We left the car at the small car park at Upper Booth and then followed the road as far as Upper Booth Farm.
After walking through the farmyard, we followed the start of the Pennine Way back to Grindsbrook Booth (usually known as Edale village) and after buying some drinks in the shop, started following the well worn route following the lovely but busy valley of Grindsbrook Clough.
At the top of the valley where the river falls off the edge of the Kinder Scout plateau, rather then follow the popular route straight on over the small boulders to reach the plateau, we chose the much quieter and more enjoyable route which follows the northern branch of the river. This involves some short but enjoyable sections of very easy scrambling and with the low water conditions, we were able to stay in the river bed all the time.
At the top of the ravine where the edge path crossed the gap formed by the ravine, we sat on a flat shelf of rock in a well-sheltered spot away from the cool wind and ate lunch. While munching on our sandwiches, we must have seen well over fifty bumble bees flying past. Presumable they were making use of the same shelter from the strong wind as we were and were heading for the purple blooms of heather on the plateau.
We continued onwards along the edge path passing the main route at the top of Grindsbrook Clough, the path out to the top of Grindslow Knoll and then the top of Crowden Clough to pass through the large area of wind-sculptured boulders of gritstone known as The Woolpacks or alternatively, Whipsnade.
You could spend ages exploring around the boulders and the gaps between them.
Onwards along the edge path we went towards the large crag of Edale Rocks and the obvious hump known as Swine's Back until he flagstone-paved path curved down towards the steps folloing the ancient pack-horse trail down Jacobs Ladder.
We followed the route of the footpath on a long set of rocky steps as opposed to the alternative bridleway rout, which though longer, is easier on tried knees on descent.
Soon we were the the bottom of the steps at the old pack-horse bridge and all there was left to do was to follow the track passing another lovely farmhouse and then a narrow tarmaced section which brought as back to where we had entered the farmyard at Upper Booth Farm.

Soon we were back at the car park and that remained was an after-walk trip to the café at Outside in Hathersage.

Sunset Hole

Today we had planned on a trip to Hardrawkin Pot where none of us had been before, so after breakfast we parked in the already busy layby past the Old Hill Inn on the way to Ribblehead and got our caving gear on.
It was very warm wearing fleece undersuits and PVC oversuits as we walked in the sun heading along the track towards Ingleborough before veering off to follow a drystone wall after we had passed through a gate.
We knew that we were looking for a pronounced dip in the ground which the wall followed and was near to Hardrawkin Pot, but when we reached a further wall and crossed a stile in the corner, we recognised we had arrived near the location of Meregill Hole and there was no sign of the dip in the wall or Hardrawkin Pot!
After going upslope towards Ingleborough to see if we could get a better vantage point, we realised we were nowhere near the right location and decided to head back towards the paved footpath leading up towards Ingleborough which we could see a few hundred yards away and then try and locate Sunset Hole as we knew more or less where that was after having been there a couple of times before and we also luckily had the right combination or ropes to do that as well.
I soon found the entrance to Sunset Hole in a small section of limestone pavement and was soon joined by the other two.

We had an enjoyable trip including the really nice pitch into the large chamber at the usual end of the cave.

Hagg Gill Pot

Some other Orpheus Caving Club members were also in the Dales this weekend in the Langstroth Dale area planning a trip to Langstroth Pot. We decided to also visit the same are and have a look in Hagg Gill Pot.
So we mad the relatively long drive past Ribble Head then to Hawes and finally along a narrow road passing through amazing scenery to arrive in Langstroth Dale and park at the bridge by Yockenthwaite where Karen and I had walked past when we walked the Dales Way a few years ago.
From here there was short walk back up the road towards the farm at Raisgill where we had stopped first to ask permission but the farmhouse appeared to be empty. By a small stream which flowed down from the hill by the road and then passed underneath to join River Wharfe on the other side, we started walking up the steep grassy slope and after following a bracken covered dry valley, we arrived at the entrance to the cave. The entrance is a short scaffolded shaft covered with a metal plate which is anchored in one corner and can be swung out of the way.
The last time I had been here with Karen and Waggy a few years ago, I had been suffering with a lengthy shoulder injury and I had not been able to pass a short constriction on the abseil down.
Now my shoulder was better, but I struggled to get through the short constriction with all my SRT gear, etc. on and I soon reconciled myself to have to wait for the other two. This was annoying as apparently the cave is quite well decorated.
Anyway, I had a few more tries at getting past the constriction, which would have been no problem if I hadn't been wearing my SRT gear and the rope wasn't there, but of course that wasn't going to happen! So, I had a rest in the cool entrance shaft as it was quite a warm day.

I heard the other two returning and waited by the shaft entrance until they arrived.

Tatham Wife Hole

Karen, Keith and I had decided on a caving trip to the Yorkshire Dales for the Bank Holiday Weekend. Karen and I had arrived at our accommodation for the weekend, the Northern Pennine Club's hut, Greenclose, near Clapham last night to find Dave Wilson and Clive Westlake already there. Later on a couple of members of the Derbyshire-based Masson Caving Group also arrived.
We met Keith in the morning as usual in Bernies for breakfast. Last time we attempted to have a trip in Tatham Wife Hole on a very misty day and we failed to find the entrance! Today we had no problems and after parking in the layby overlooking the old quarry by the road from Ingleton to Ribblehead and changing into caving gear we walked across the fields then up the steep route leading through the limestone escarpment. We reached the large flat area with quite a lot of exposed limestone pavement below the nearby Ingleborough.
In the distance we could actually see the location of Tatham Wife Hole and soon we arrived at the large shake hole taking a small stream and also the small entrance dropping down through shored up boulders.
Karen had not been well recently with some sort of virus (I also had been under par last weekend with some sort of bug so we had stayed at home all weekend) and found the trip fairly tiring. When we arrived at the top of the pitch which follows a sloping ramp, we decided to call it a day and return to the surface.

We had the customary return trip to Bernies afterwards for chip butties. Some things never change!

Caves Near Settle

After parking in the car park near the market square in Settle (which turned out to be for free as both ticket machines were out of action), we set off following a lane to the north east which led uphill to a path continuing up grassy slopes to soon reach an area of impressive limestone scenery. Karen thought it was much like a “mini Dolomites” and I agree.
We passed a curious metal plate with an engraved pattern and a couple of metal plates with large holes in them obviously caused by some sort of armament as the holes were at least fist sized. I had a look in “Google” when I got home and it appears these are the remains of a firing range.
Anyway, we continued onwards and had a quick look at a small rock shelter and then followed the valley below Attermire scar where we had a short rain shower.
We could see a large cave entrance which was high and narrow but was at the top of a steep slope so we continued past. This turned out to be Attermire Cave.
The path continued below the limestone cliff and soon we arrived at Victoria Cave which has an information board near the large impressive entrance. We had a quick look around the large entrance chamber with our head torches.
The path continued and we arrived at another cave: Jubilee Cave. Again we had a quick look around but this was much smaller than Victoria Cave.

From here we dropped down a vehicle track leading towards Langcliffe as far as path which led us back across fields high above Settle to rejoin the track we had started on.

Part of old firing range target

Victoria Cave

Looking out from inside Victoria Cave

A Walk Looking at the Norber Erratics

We were staying at Greenclose, the Northern Pennine Club's hut near Clapham again, this time with just two others who are NPC members but as only Karen and I had managed to get away this weekend, and since her shoulder was still playing up, we decided on a walking weekend in the Yorkshire Dales rather than the usual activity of caving.
However, as on a normal weekend in the Dales, we started with breakfast at Bernies in Ingleton as we had a map to buy as well, We were surprised to find that there were Meander suits on sale at Bernies, apparently the last remaining production run now that the material is gone. Karen bought a couple of them for herself plus two more for Keith after he agreed by phone call and I bought myself one as well.
We then drove to the village of Austwick and parked in the village near Austwick Hall, then followed the narrow Crummack Lane for a couple of hundred metres to reach a crossroads with a rough track. We took the left turning and then very quickly went through a gate and crossed a few fields with a view of the imposing limestone feature called Robin Proctor's Scar off to our left as we continued gradually upwards to an area of limestone pavement known as Norber.
We saw the boulders known as the Norber Erratics scattered all around left behind by a retreating glacier after the last ice age 15,000 years ago. The Erratics have this name as they are made of sandstone and were moved from about a kilometre away and then left behind on the carboniferous limestone.
After a short wander around, we continued in a generally northward direction paralleling Long Lane until we intercepted the bridleway continuing from Long Lane and heading towards Sulber Gate.
With easy walking and lovely views of the surrounding limestone countryside plus the nearby peaks of Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent, we reached a a field gate and a smaller gate in a wall at Sulber Gate.
We went through the smaller gate and sat in the shelter of a wall as we ate our lunch while looking across Thieves Moss.
After lunch we dropped down a path leading towards the limestone outcrops below us and then started heading along a path southwards. We found a group of archaeologists carrying out a survey and digging at and area marked “Settlement” on the map.
As we walked along the tussocky grass, we disturbed a hare which galloped off away. We found a depression in the lee of a tussock which still felt warm, where the hare had been laying.
The rising at Austwick Beck Head was marked on the map and very near sow we diverted towards it to have a look. The cave was certainly a rising with quite a lot of water pouring out into a beck but the entrance was low and full of water and seemed to quickly become impenetrable, certainly without diving gear anyway.

From there we rejoined the path through Crummack Dale soon joining Crummack Lane again for a while until we reached a stile leading into some fields leading back to the village of Austwick.

Robin Proctor's Scar

Some of the Erratics

Karen examining plants growing in the grykes

Looking across limestone pavement towards Ingleborough

Thieves Moss area

Ingleborough

Thieves Moss area

Austwick Head Cave

Austwick Head Cave

Mr Bull

Garden Path

Karen and I had trip down Garden Path cave to check on the condition of bolts, ladders and conservation taping.

We first met Pete and Keith in Monyash café just as it opened, for breakfast. Pete and Keith were set up for a day's digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern.

White Edge and Curbar Edge

A cooler day and despite the forecast for showers, it remained dry all day with long sunny periods between cloudy periods.
We set off from the car park near Curbar Gap walking along the gritstone escarpment of White Edge. Last time we walked this route we had seen quite a few red deer on the large area moorland on Big Moor to the east when looking across from the trig point so we were watching out to see if we could spot any today.
We hadn't brought binoculars and as the bracken and heather was long, it wouldn't be easy to spot any deer but Karen saw some in the distance as they were on the horizon and they could be seen against the brightness of the sky.
Then a short distance northwards, we spotted around 50 red deer in a couple of grazing fields below us to the west in the area marked “Stoke Flat” on the map. They were grazing in the fields contentedly although one or two were keeping an eye on us. I wonder how many other people had passed along this path this morning and not noticed the deer?
We eventually arrived at the Longwood Estate and had some sandwiches for lunch in the National Trust café.

We made our way back along the other gritstone edge called Curbar Edge which is a well-known rock-climbing venue and then back to the car park.

Some of the Red Deer in the distance

Crop of above photo