Lluc Monastery

As a large group were planning on a canyoning trip which involved an early start in order to get a parking place and Karen and I would need to go and hire wet suits as we didn't have any luggage allowance to bring ours, we decided to go for a walk instead.
We planned on an easier walk with no steep bits and no scrambling as my right ankle was still a bit swollen.
We decided on a circular walk starting at Lluc Monastery. Trish was at a loose end so decided to join us. Karen was driving us towards Lluc with much swearing because of the large groups of cyclists which made going up the narrow, twisting roads a pain.
We parked in the monastery car park and set off to begin with along the access road until we crossed over a wooden stile next to a large gate onto a wide, stony track leading past fields and trees.
Soon we arrived at the Refugi de Son Amer. From here we now followed the marked route of the GR 221 long distance route and this was an obvious and well sign-posted. Just after the Ermita de San Amer we followed a short detour to a view point or “Mirador” and then continued up to the Coll Pelat.
Passing this col we followed the path to the disused mineral water factory at Coll des Pedregaret and then down a road to the farmstead of Binifaldó. The old bottling plant we passed is now an outdoor education centre.
Not far past this we should have have left the GR 221 at a path leaving on the left between two “pillars” made of from stone blocks (similar to large gate posts), but we kept on following the GR 221 until we started descending on stone steps. By now we should have reached another Refuge but there was no sign of one. So we suspected there was something wrong.
We stopped by a small water works and stream with a stone pick-nick table and examined the guide book. I soon realised we were at the Font de Muntanya and had indeed gone wrong!
Luckily we hadn't gone far wrong, so we turned around and walked back towards Binifaldó which was definitely on the right route. We soon found the correct route and were soon passing the small Refuge, the Refugi de sa Coma where we made use of a pick-nick table (this time mad of wood) to sit and finish the remainder of our lunch.
Shortly afterwards we reached the Font de Mina which was covered with a stone construction and what looked like a tiny water leat. Passing this we reached a wooden gate by the MA-10 main road.
Here there was a drop down to a small underpass bringing stream water under the road with a chain across a continuing track.
We made the mistake of going through the underpass into a kids' playground with pick-nick tables. We soon realised we had gone wrong and went back through the underpass and stepped over the chain and followed this track through yet more pick-nick tables and kids' playground. This was the correct way, matching the guide book description, and after going up some steps we crossed the same road we had passed beneath earlier, the MA-10 and passed through a gate on the other side into an amazing area of weirdly-shaped limestone boulders very like Fontainebleau near Paris, but of course made of limestone rather than sandstone.
There was a route through the boulders marked with splashes of paint and this led us to yet another pick-nick area at Es Pixarells.
There was a track from from there which we followed for a while, passing a charcoal-burner's site and then from here we took a slight detour to see “The Camel” limestone rock and also have a look at the nearby viewpoint while standing in a natural walled pedestal formed from the limestone.
Leaving “The Camel”, we rejoined the main route and dropped down the remaining stony track and crossed an all-weather football pitch belonging to the monastery, using a couple of gates in the surrounding chain-link fence.

From there, we wandered back to the monastery car park.

The apartments we stayed at

"The Camel"

Interesting water-worn limestone which looks like a relief model only a few inches high

Brian and his vegetation-scratched legs 

Serra del Cavall Bernat

This was a walk beginning near Port de Polença which starts by following a valley and then climbs up to a col on a limestone ridge. From the col is a bit of scrambling and then a traverse of the ridge until at the end of the ridge after some descent and a bit of down-climbing, you return to the start.
After meeting up in the apartment block foyer, there was the usual confusion on where we starting from as most of the others had done this walk on a previous visit.
Boyd's instructions, based on his guide book, were to head to Port de Polença and then a minor road with a sign for the Oro Playa Hotel.
We followed Boyd and Jenny in their black Ford Fiesta hire car towards Port de Polença and at the roundabout where a newish bypass starts, they turned onto the bypass while we continued straight on the road into the town.
We knew that we should head for the peninsula tipped with Cap Formentor and followed signs for there, all the time being slowed down by the numerous cyclists taking part in some sort of cycling event.
When we reached a col with rows of parked vehicles, we knew we had done wrong and turned around to head back towards the town.
We could see the ridge we wanted (Keith had also walked along the ridge on the previous OCC Majorca trip) and at a roundabout we tried following the bypass and turned right to arrive at a minor road with some recently-built houses. Continuing to the end of the road we soon reached a cul-de-sac and we then turned around and tried the other direction.
This also reached dead-end but we saw a rough track just beyond heading uphill and Keith thought it was the track we were looking for. I got out of the car to have a look and saw a wooden sign but didn't recognise the destination. Then to the left I saw a rough car park some 30 metres away and lower down near the bypass.
I got back in the car and we returned to the roundabout and then followed the bypass for a short distance and parked in the car park. There were some cars parked there we recognised so it was the correct place.
We got our rucksacks and started walking up the track and soon a reached a lovely old building with a gated courtyard. A small section of the large locked metal gate allowed us to pass through into the courtyard and then a similar second gate allowed us to leave the courtyard and continue on the track.
There were quite a few other walkers also following the track as it eventually reaches a beach with lovely views. We soon found the bird-watching contingent of Jenny Elaine and Joan at the side of the track.
We continued along the track as it paralleled the large limestone ridge of Serra del Cavall Bernat. At a point just past where we could see a large hole piercing the ridge near the top, we struck off towards the ridge following a narrow footpath marked by cairns. We soon found out that the locally eroded limestone rock was very spiky and most of the vegetation was also spiky!
The path wended gradually up the side of the ridge and even though the temperature was in the low 20s centigrade, the sun was quite hot. Karen was struggling with the heat and complained of feeling sick. We weren't too far from the top of the ridge and I suggested we continue to there and find some shade and have something to eat.
At the top of the ridge we could see down on the other side to a beach in the distance and cliffs dropping a few hundred metres to the sea beneath.
There was a small shady spot and I decided to call it a day as we had been moving slowly and my ankle was starting to hurt (the one which was swollen last weekend). I suggested that Keith might be happy to continue on his own as he had down the route before but Karen wanted to continue.
I left them at the start of some steep scrambling and started down. Then I spotted Boyd making his way up below. Karen also decided to turn around and I waited until she caught up. Soon Trish also arrived and was complaining of feeling sick as well, shortly followed by Simon and Sean. They had all continued as far as the beach and then started up the ridge, which explained why they were behind us and not in front as expected. Pete, Dave and Brian had started the ridge from near the beach and we saw no sign of them.
Karen sat in a small patch of shade by a boulder and I sat on a spiky rock and we ate our ham and cheese rolls. Then we continued downwards back to the track and again met the bird-watchers. We told them that we were heeding back for an ice cream and said our good-byes.
We arrived back at the car and drove to nearby Port de Polença and after parking, had a walk along the sea-front and bought some ice creams and sat on a low, shady wall to eat them. A man had made some amazing sand sculptures there on the beach.
After this we walked a bit further then stopped at a small supermarket on the way back to the car bought some more supplies, then back to the car and then the apartment.

Later on when we had all returned from our day's activities, we all had a meal at a local Chinese restaurant.

Travel to Mallorca

The alarm was set for 02:30 but Karen was out of bed just before it went off. After a very quick and light breakfast of toast for Karen, Weetabix for me and coffee for Keith, we left Winster in the dark at 03:00 bound for Manchester Airport.
Karen dropped Keith and me off at Terminal 1 Departures along with all our baggage and drove off to park her car in the long stay car park and then catch a bus back to the terminal.
We met Boyd and Jenny Potts, Ashley Hiscock and friend Courtney, Simon Wynn and daughter Sean, who were in the middle of weighing their bags using Boyd's luggage balance when their bag dropped off the hook and the needle pinged off the balance gauge!
Anyway, I thought I had better switch my mobile phone on in case Karen was trying to contact me, and there was a waiting voice message! She was in the Terminal after getting off the bus but was on the floor below and could see no sign of us. She had asked an airport employee for directions while her phone was still on.
Karen soon found her way to join us in departures and was followed not long afterwards by Brian and Joan Potts. I then spotted Elaine Booth who had been there all the time but I hadn't seen her.
We waited until Dave Phillips arrived a she had all the paperwork for the flight as he had done all the booking on our behalf. Trish Webber then appeared followed by Dave and Pete Wagstaff as they had travelled together.
Karen, Keith and I luckily were on the same “e ticket” so we headed off to check in our bags.
We went through the usual security checks and passport control and the found a coffee bar which also sold lovely bacon butties for breakfast.
After being joined by the rest of the group, I noticed about ten minutes later that our flight was being shown on the flight information screen as “go to gate” and the time was now 05:50.
So Karen and I set off to find the gate followed by Keith and we had a very quick look at a couple of shops on the way and soon arrived at the gate where we sat to wait the call to board.
Boarding time came soon afterwards and with no sign of the rest of our group, we boarded the aircraft and found our seats.
The flight was for just over two hours and we were fifteen minutes ahead of schedule due to a tail wind.
After landing at Palm airport and going through the usual baggage claim and passport control, we set off to find the correct desk for the hire car Karen had arranged previously and soon had the formalities sorted.
It was there that Boyd discovered that the paperwork for his pre-booked hire car was for Las Palmas in the Canary Islands – not much use when you are in La Palma, Majorca!
The three of us found our hire car: a Citroen Elysee, in the inside parking area and after a quick look for any damage Karen went to unlock the door and found there was no keyhole! The car had no remote locking facility and she had gone to what would normally be the driver's door, but of course since it was left-hand drive, this was the passenger door and only the driver's door had a key hole!
Karen unlocked and opened the driver's door (the correct one this time!) and we spent a good ten minutes trying to find the correct button to press to open the boot lid (again no keyhole lock on the boot lid).
We eventually discovered that the button which we first though was the right one was indeed the right one for the boot lid but it had to be held down for several seconds in order to unlock and open the boot lid.
Once we were ready, we set off for the forty minute drive on mostly dual carriageway to Alcudia in the north where we were staying.
We soon found our accommodation at the Bellvue Appartments which were similar to a hotel but without the reception area.
We were the first to arrive and parked outside one of the various buildings making up the complex, called Minerva I, and waited for the others to turn up, especially Dave, in order to find out which building we had booked and which room.
After a short wait, Keith tried sending a text message and found that the others were at the main reception which was by the entrance to the complex and we had missed completely!
We relocated to the reception area car park and booked in with Dave's help and got our electronic door key and found our room which was coincidentally in Minerva I.
This was followed by a quick shopping trip for some food – luckily there was a small supermarket a short walk away.
There was a bar and restaurant also close by where we had a cheeseburger and chips then after returning to the apartments we found all the rest of the group waiting to go out for a meal which had been booked for 18:30!

It had been a very long day so we declined and returned to our room and I was soon in bed asleep.

OCC Trip to Mallorca 12 April, 2014 to 19 April, 2014

Keith arrived after 20:00 from Rugby and after a re-weighing luggage session, we were in bed by 21:00 for an early start in the morning.

James Hall Over Engine Mine

Since it was the Orpheus Caving Club AGM weekend, there was a gathering of members at the club hut this morning as we arrived as planned with Pete Wagstaff at 10:00 for a trip down James Hall Over Engine Mine near Castleton, more commonly known as JH.
In the end there was just Pete, Keith, Karen and myself which is an ideal number as there are enough cavers to get the three tackle bags of ropes through the system (leaving a fourth at the foot of the entrance pitch) but not so many so that there is a lot of waiting around getting chilly.
We parked on the muddy field at Rowter Farm, which is used a s camp site, and began getting changed sheltering from the wind and light rain.
After passing the open-ended building housing a few ewes and their new born lambs, we followed a very muddy track through the farm yard and then through a field, over a fence stile into a second field with plenty of evidence of mining activity with large lumps and hollows.
Amongst the lumpy ground we gathered at the large rectangular metal lid in the concreted shaft top.
As he had finished changing and kitting up with SRT gear first, Keith had headed of before the rest of us and had already set off down the shaft. Once we heard his shout of “rope free!”, Karen clipped on her descender and set off to join him followed by Pete.
I was last and had to stand on the scaffold bars below the lid and close the heavy lid behind us in case any sheep decided on a quick caving trip.
Part way down I spotted a bolt anchor with a karabiner clipped to it: Pete had left it there so that I could arrange a rebelay to speed things up on our way out. I soon tied a rebelay onto the drive-through bolt, confirming with Pete waiting below that there was still enough rope. I then spotted a second bolt on the opposite wall of the shaft and rather than re-arrange the rebelay as a Y-hang (I would have to change over to prusik up again a short distance then change over to descend again which would take some time) I used the thick cord I use to dangle tackle bags from, to create a deviation. Confirming all was arranged OK, I set off down to join Pete and we set off along the Cartgate to catch up Keith and Karen.
One section of traversing over a deep pool in the Cartgate had a metal plate used as a foothold missing which made a couple of moves entertaining, but still safe as it is rigged with a traverse line.
Soon we had made our way through the Cartgate including a heavy tackle bag full of rope each and caught Keith and Karen at the top of Bitch Pitch.
After the others had disappeared down this narrow pitch, I set off to follow them and I was in new territory as I had only been to the top of Bitch Pitch before with Mark Silo years ago when we were trying to remove a loose “Eco” bolt which had become loose.
At the bottom there was a choice of two ways on in the narrow passage, one was low hole with the noise of water flowing, so I went the other way, which was also low, nut this brought me in the section called The Workshop, where I found Karen.
We dropped down a small step to the top of the next pitch, called Leviathan, which is broken into two halves.
Karen was down the first section and shouted “rope free!” and I set off down to follow her. A nice pitch but quite a bit drippy with an easy deviation right at the top. I had an ankle injury from last week and didn't want to have to prusik up too much in case it was too painful, but I set off down this pitch anyway.
I joined Karen below and she pointed out it was easier to stop at a rocky ledge a short way from the bottom and then make a short traverse rather than stop at the bottom and then have to reascend to get to the next bit of Leviathan.
This meant a short step down, through a small chamber with taped off mining artefacts and then a short drop to where a reinforced concrete dam was placed at the top of the last section of Leviathan.
I watched as Karen dropped down below the dam to the rebelay just below the lip at the top and then make her way to the bottom. I decided to stop there bearing in mind my sore ankle and shouted down to the others telling them I would wait there.
The other three left the section of the system called JH to make their way to the Speedwell streamway, looking at The Miners' Toast and other nearby interesting places such as the perched sump known as The Bathing Pool. They also bumped into fellow caver Keith Mason and some others on a through trip from Titan and Peak Cavern.
The three of them didn't take very long at all when I heard them arrive back at the foot of the 30 metre lower section of Leviathan.
Soon Karen had joined me back at the top and we set off to start up the next pitch, the upper section of Leviathan which is a bit longer at 35 metres.
When I reached the top I walked past the taped off mining artefacts in The Workshop and clipped onto the lower section of the multiple rebelays on Bitch Pitch, again around 35 metres with several rebelays and deviations.
I made my way up to the convenient ledge at the lowest rebelay and waited until Karen appeared below. There was a bit of a delay until I saw her light and it seemed Keith had to drop down part of Leviathan to sort out a rope tangle preventing it being pulled up, and the re—ascend.
I continued up the rest of Bitch Pitch and waited for Karen. She had a full tackle bag and we made our way through the Cartgate with the tackle bag, taking it in turns to carry it or shove it along.
Very quickly it seemed, we had passed a couple of climbs which I thought would be awkward on the return trip but turned out to be no problem. The roped traverse over the flooded stop with the missing metal foothold caused fun and games when the tackle bag, which I had clipped to the line, got tangled behind me with my cowstails as I was standing on a couple of small footholds. This obstacle was soon passed and we were back at the foot of the 50 metre entrance shaft.
As I was clipping onto the rope, Pete and Keith arrived and I set off up the shaft.
Soon I was at the rebelay and after passing it and shouting “rope free!”, I set off for the remainder of the shaft to then get the heavy kid open again.
I managed to do this and then got back out of the shaft, unclipped everything from the rop, shouted down “rope free!” again and then waited for the others to arrive.
We pulled up the rope from the shaft, packed it into its tackle bag and made our way under a cloudy but dry sky back to the cars to get changed.
After dropping the ropes off at the hut we first went home for me to have a shower and then to collect the thumb drives with our photos for tonight's traditional Orpheus photo competition and then it was off to Biggin to join Pete and his wife Lynn at the Waterloo In for an evening meal.

After dinner, we drove along the A515 to the Orpheus hut where the photo competition was just starting. Karen won a prize, but neither Keith nor I won anything.