Members present: Dave Bone, Jim & Sandy Gregson, Kate Harvey, Bob Kelly, Dave Shotton, Brian Taylor, Alan & Dave Wylie.

Guests: Nicoletta Bobola.

The forecast was for a bright sunny day all day – whoo Hoo! So it was, with a bracing start to the day (too many puns like this on the day, Bob), though the frost had largely been cleared by the sun, come the ~10am Kettlewell arrival. Some ice streaks on the Kettlewell road were a little perturbing though. An excellent turnout, a little late on leaving due to some last minute faff with change and sock purchasing and it was off up the track on the steady climb to Tor Mere top, overhauling other parties. I’d brought the reins for Bob but as it turned out they were needed for Dave W.

A minor dissension on the route choice near the open ground, but I was keeping with the route planned on the map. Anyway we were soon ‘over’ the top of Tor Mere (what Top?) and following the watershed. So it seemed had several tracked vehicles… Easy to see why the area had a reputation, now it was frozen solid so rapid progress could be made with clean boots. Just as well, the northerly wind had a bite to it. These were definitely Grouse moors – they were everywhere and plainly knew their calendar as they stood in plain view to the last second. A quick jig to the left, and up the final rise to the memorial cross where the significance of the bronze fox’s head needed explanation (see last newsletter). The Summit of Buckden Pike was not far away with its precarious cairn and trig point surrounded by a curious pattern of flagstones, the significance of which escaped everyone. What a superb view! But it was to be enjoyed on the other side of the wall where early lunch was declared by the others. Excellent visibility from here to the East though a number of muir-burn fires were giving thick columns of smoke that contended with the visibility. Perhaps it was a shame that the main feature on the horizon were the industrial works of Middlesborough!

After lunch the party split, the Gregsons heading down the defile of Buckden Beck to look at the mines and waterfalls there, and keep out of the wind that the next section would be exposed to. The others headed North then west steeply down the new path (ie. before the wall, not after). Yes the wind did give one a headache, but after 75m of descent or so, we were out of the worst of it. New path – not finished off yet, or at least I hope it’s not finished, stone breaks/waterbars but the main surface of loose mud and would not pass JMT muster – fortunately frozen rock hard (but it’d be horrid when soft). A delightfully easy descent into Buckden followed with upper Wharfedale and Langstrothdale laid out below. The next target of Birks Fell directly opposite, loomed above.

Once at the Village Green there were no Gregsons. A debate arose as to whether 10mins should be spent as a tea break to see if they’d appear. However, with the possibility of them being ahead, the majority choose to continue and thus the depleted party found itself on the long ascent of the bridleway up onto the moor from Redmire. As we got higher there were increasing amounts of ice over the somewhat vague path, and the separation between us, and Alan at the back, increased too. No signs of the Gregsons fore or aft either. Over the top the light infantry of Bob, Dave W and Dave B took an abrupt turn right and sped off directly over the moor on a previously agreed diversion – we didn’t expect the heavy infantry to follow. After a considerable amount of pretty flat moor we found the dilapidated “pile of stones” marking the top of Birk Fell. Only recently in 2006 was it promoted to being a Nuttall/Hewitt after it was resurveyed at 2001ft. So of course it was on Bob’s list. As we relaxed in the cairn’s shelter we spotted figures following the wall, so it seemed only polite to wait for the heavy infantry less one to join us. Oh ho, another KMC walk going to plan – we’d lost Alan too.

Eventually, we retraced our steps back to the path crossing the moor and looked behind every wall expecting a sheltering Alan. But no sign, so onwards following the wall to the trig point of Old Cote Moor we went. No one here too except for a radio mast and a chap too busy with his radio to interrupt, so nothing for but to continue. Broken ice suggested that someone at least was ahead of us. Patchy cloud gave beautiful light and shadow on the hills in the late afternoon sun. Nicoletta complained it was a very long hill – indeed it was a long ridge but hard packed snow in the lee of the wall made for a fast racetrack. Eventually we actually started to descend a little prior to the wall counting needed to locate the correct path that dropped off diagonally left for Kettlewell.

This dropped away pretty sharply with Dave W and Bob getting ahead again, and then I heard them shout that they’d found the missing people. Well yes there were 3 people over in the next field, one in red, but then another 3 appeared and all set off UP the hill. Wrong! Just to add a little mountaineering flavour, the path came to the edge of an escarpment, with a diagonal slot of a rake giving a mild scramble down onto the final grass slope. Back in the car park at 17:00 there were no signs of the missing people and no note. OK, lets take the boots off for the moment, and then all 3 hove into view having been in the Tea shop. Alan had arrived on top only to find no-one in view so had continued on along the ridge. The Gregsons had been some way behind but only arrived a little later and disdaining diversions in favour of a Tea shop had continued along the ridge catching Alan up. Still, it had been an excellent day with good company (or two companies) – thanks all for turning up. Plenty more Dales walks in the head!

Once again into the upper reaches of Wharfedale in the Dales (though not much time in the Dale!), this time for a ‘straightforward’ hill-walk. Or not so if it’s a hard winter…

Head for Grassington, but carry on up the B6160 to Kettlewell and park – this will probably mean the pay and display just over the bridge so the meet point will be by the entrance at Ref SD 967723. As there will be plenty of other people gearing up, if you’re new to the club make sure we know to look out for you! Start time 10:15. Total distance ~11/13miles (depending on chosen ending), total ascent 870m. Map: Landranger 98.

Route: Due North on a straight track for Tor Mere Top, drop a little into some rather soft going, and follow the watershed (not much shedding going on), and up to the Memorial. A monument to the Polish crew of a crashed Wellington Bomber – there was one survivor who made his way off the hill in a blizzard to safety with the aid of a Fox. (See “walking the Dales” – Mike Harding). So on, blizzard or no, to Buckden Pike at 702m. Now it’s down in an arc, through Rakes Wood to Buckden, where we cross the Wharfe and at Redmire, it’s up, up again. We traverse Old Cote Moor and drop off near the end on one of a number of options back into Kettlewell.

Bring a headtorch or stick with someone who has one. No reason to fear descending after sunset as it can be the best part of the day, if it works out we should have the benefit of the sunset on high. Hope to see you there (at the start at least!).