Lakes - Irish Row, YMC Hut Coniston

Coniston Curries Meet Report

Members: Andy Stratford, Dave Wylie, Mark Furniss, Jo Sayers, Christine Beeston, Chris Thickett, Lorna Marsland, Laura Collier, Emily Pitts

Guests: Stuart Hurworth, Anna Reeves, Geri Mihalkova, Gemma Porter, Simon Porter, Aysha Madha

 

Thursday Eve:

Dave was first to arrive after a quick 70 minute run/walk over Steel Fell from Dunmail raise in heavy drizzle. The drive up after work was even wetter – things were not looking promising for Dow. The second of the three curries was cooked in advance and we retired hoping the morning might bring drier weather.

 

Friday:

The clag was down – and then it started raining again - Dow was off - Little How Crag further up Coppermines valley was the proposed venue once a dry patch appeared. Andy optimistically decided that as one of the routes was called Sunshine Arete, it was bound to be bathed in a golden glow. Anna, Dave and Chris decided on a walk, taking the view that the rock would be very wet. It was! Dripping in fact. Sunshine Arete was sodden. The easy way up – treacherous; the direct start (S 4a) steeper but had decent holds. Andy and Stuart battled up and eventually reached the ledge at the top of the slab. Mark and Jo had climbed the adjaceant Thunder Slab (HS 4b). We swopped routes. Thunder Slab was excellent and had dried a little. Whilst the other three headed over to some mines then the pudding stone, Andy took a direct line back to start on the final curry and all the accompaniments. Dave & Co had just arrived back after a circuit involving Brown Pike, Dow Crag, Swirl How, Swirl Hause and Weatherlam. The rest of the team arrived over the course of the evening and much curry was consumed – Dow crag was debated again........and the evening rain set in......

 

Saturday:

Once again the clag was in. Lorna and Christine decided on a round of the Coniston fells - Andy & Mark decided Wallowbarrow might be the best option......On arrival, it didn’t look promising, however looks can be deceptive. The rock was damp but dry enough to climb. It really is just superb rough rock with great holds and excellent lines. Mark & Jo climbed both pitches of Digitation VS 4b whilst Stuart, Emily and Aysha tackled Thomas S 4a. Andy led Geri & Anna swiftly up the three pitches of Bryanston - an excellent VS 4b with a fun traverse second pitch and good steep final pitch. Dave, Laura, Simon and Gemma were sceptical about the conditions at first, walking up Dunnerdale, over to Grassguards then back down the bridleway to Wallowbarrow, but after lunch, with two hours of no rain, were happy to climb. Simon & Gemma followed up Thomas whilst Laura and Dave climbed ‘The Sharks Fin’ (V Diff) which was ‘distinctly exciting’, Dave reported, in the damp conditions. Andy, Anna and Geri finished off on the first pitch of Digitation, then abseiled off the top of the first pitch.

 

Sunday:  dawned a little brighter but still the clag was down on the mountains. We’d had enough of damp.....Andy found an obscure slab in the back of the new FRCC South Lakes book – Hoad Slabs at Broughton down on the Coast. No-one could ever recall anyone from the club climbing there. We packed up and convoyed to Broughton-in-Furness, eventually locating the slab in Hoad Park, 500 yards from the replica of the Smeaton Lighthouse. There were many bolt belays at the top of the 25m slab and it provided an excellent 3 hours of entertainment on the 7 routes graded from Severe to HVS with most of us doing several routes in between lying in the sun.

Thanks to everyone for coming on an excellent and very social meet.

Andy Stratford