A mixed bag of climbers, walkers, bikers made it to the new campsite chosen for this year’s outing – Pindale Farm near Castleton. Situated as it is, right next to the cement works, there were some doubts as to the beauty of this choice, but it worked out well. Very handy for the surrounding hot spots of Castleton, Mam Tor and Cavedale, and unaffected by the quarry next door. We pretty much had a private field.
The evening passed with a gathering of more hangers-on in the local hostelry, ending with a bit of a surprise when it was found to be raining outside. That put paid to early Saturday plans, so a division into parkrun/bacon sarnie or café/cake teams occurred.
Another round of Mam Tor took place later on, with the climbers following up on club nephew’s suggestion of a Diff scramble up Elbow Ridge at the bottom of Winnat’s Pass. There was a de-gree of attrition in the party, what with a refusal at the start, some leg cramps, and an abseil es-cape from the “a cheval” section, but all climbers were returned intact to the café. Matterhorn Ridge can wait for another day.
The bikers made a circuit of Ladybower, with the pace being set by the e-bike…the jury is still out – is this cheating?
Sunday saw another circuit of Mam Tor by all those who hadn’t done it yet, plus a few who now were doing the walk the other way round! We ascended by the broken road and joined a million or so folks on the top for a picture, then headed out cross country to Cavedale where we lost many of the crowds. Found them again in the tea shop.
Voted a successful weekend despite the M1 closure (for some) and the absence of our Chair-man, same time again next year?
(Jenny)