North Yorkshire, England. 31 May to 3 June 2006
The meet was well attended by old stalwarts. In all 11 were there — leader Ian Mason, Dave & Judy Harrison, Brian & Jane Sayers, Eric & Val Scott, Steve & Pauline Ward, and George & Val Wallace.
For once the weather and the visibility were brilliant. Many thanks to the bloke up there for not turning on the tap. Two walks were undertaken, each of about seven miles to recognise the increasing age of the participants — or least that of Axeman.
Until now walks have been in the Pennines, which are geologically part of the carboniferous series. However the first day's walk took part in the nearby Howgill Fells, north of Sedbergh, which are composed of Silurian slate, which is much more akin to the Lake District.
Drawing upon Axeman's fifty years old recollections of an ascent of The Calf (2,220ft) and a brief reconnaissance of the Cautley start earlier in April, the first day's walk started at Cautley.
The party did not take the steep path beside Cautley Spout because one guide to the area spoke about a slip being possibly fatal. Instead the ascent was by way of the gill to the right leading up to the col at Bowerdale Head. The next mile or so to the summit of The Calf was comparatively easy. Here lunch was taken with staggering views in all directions especially of the Lakes. Then it was off to Sedbergh by the excellent path over or round the Calders (2,214ft), Arant How, and Winder depending on the enthusiasm of the participants. In Sedbergh thirsts were slaked in one of the many pubs. Here it is worth mentioning that if the walk had been completed from south to north, there is a pub at Cautley but it is a temperance hotel and to expose Meths members to this would have led Mason to an instantaneous 'Prick of the meet award'.
Next day it was to Sedbusk to tackle Lovely Seat (2,213ft) via the track to the shooting box at the head of Cagill Beck and back over Stags Fell (1,758ft). Here the right-to-roam legislation gave the party access to hitherto private grouse moors forming part of the Gunnerside Estate. Hitherto such an excursion could have been to say the least a chancy affair with a possible peppering by an irate gamekeeper. Mason's new boots played him up and he turned back at the shooting box. Reports have it that the rest of the route and views from Lovely Seat were excellent.
All in all a great meet and on the basis this more devilmunt is planned for the Hawes area next June.
Maps: OS landranger 97, 98
National Park Website: www.yorkshiredales.org.uk
© WDYFO, 2006