Run/Climb/Scramble

Saturday

Members: Roger Dyke, Dave Wylie, Al Metelko.

 

The weather was dry and cloudy on the tops, warmer then of late but the ground was still frozen. After being a little surprised to see Roger who had driven up from the depths of Cheshire we headed up to Dovestone Edge and the first scramble. The crag was covered in thick layer of green slime but undeterred we climbed a fairly steep decent route in the centre of the crag. Then we headed across the moor in a southerly direction. Navigation was a little difficult as it was misty but keeping right we came across the path that led us to Robs Rocks, my word that was thick in green too and amazingly there were two climbers there. It was down to the road where Roger decided he'd had enough as our next objective was a very icy looking Wilderness Gully so we arranged to meet up again at Chew Reservoir. The decent from the road to the gully is steep and I dislodged a couple of large boulders which went crashing dramatically into the stream. Dave, unsure why he was here with me gave me a wide berth and also chose to bypass the first icy obstacle at the start of the gully. It turned out it wasn't difficult as the ice could be kicked off the rock.

Higher up we had to cut steps with hand held rocks. Totally absorbed in the job of getting to the top each of us taking turns to climb the various obstacles in front, I hoped neither of us would slip here because what would rescue have to say about climbing an ice fall in trainers. At the top we shook hands big grin on Dave's face. We rejoined Roger who was having lunch with someone who I didn't know, he decided that he would prefer to make his own way back to the start even though we were not now going to Black Hill. Dave and myself headed north from the eastern tip of the reservoir and at this point felt the need to use a compass as visibility was around 100m. After half an hour or so we found ourselves in the valley which would take us back along the Greenfield and Yeoman Hey Reservoirs and back to the cars. In the sprit of the meet we ran this section when we reached the dirt road. We'd beaten Roger back but we had run.

 

Sunday

Members: Mark Ashley, Andrew Grantham, Jenny Varley, Al Metelko.

 

I woke up to see the other side of the street obscured by fog and worse, the ground was wet. The forecast at 8 suggested that there might be a little sun out to the east but the meet was in the Peak!

This was my meet and it is the duty of a meet leader to attend their meet and it wasn't actually raining. Having picked up Mark, we drove through, the usually sunny Stockport in the rain on the way to Macclesfield where we were to pick up Jenny. Amazingly she turn up too, I thought she had more sense but at least she was late. We arrived at the car park somewhat late and I don't know if I was disappointed or happy as there where only two cars parked at the wrong end of the car park, we were on our own, in the drizzle. A rather large dark blue car parked up next to mine and a walker got out. He went to his boot and picked up a large sack, which sent alarm bells going in my head, could this be a climber, he's certainly parked on the right side of the car park. He then asked if we had anything to do with the KMC. We admitted we were and I eventually let him know that I was the meet leader and we were going to the crag because that is where the meet was and in any case there might be other members there! I did mention that there was one occasion I climbed here when it started to rain and all the rock below the gash stayed dry. I asked Andrew what grade he led at, he didn't, he didn't even have a rope, what he had in his sack I never did find out, I suspect now it was bivi gear. Sure enough it was dry with the odd bit of seepage higher up. I led up to the chain via 'Stagnation' and 'Nocturne' and brought the rest of the meet up and decided as a team the E# routes to the right were out and the thorn to the top even if it was dry we would still have finished in the dark. So the decision was made to abseil and have an early bath. Thanks to all who came on the meet.

Al Metelko