HRFC Annual Dinner 2003.

This year's event was again held at Horntye Park and was attended by a near record turnout of 37 members, ex-members, families and friends. The total was later increased by one, as another member arrived for the dancing.

Following a pleasant meal the volume of the music was raised and legs and feet more used to thumping up mountains or performing balleticaly in PAs were assembled on the dance floor for a lesson in Le Roc. This is best described as Jive with attitude. The level of accomplishment varied somewhat, ranging between the Saturday Night Fever element to those trying to decide which was their left foot. However by the end most people had got some idea of such moves as the ladies reverse double twist and the "spanish catapult", I think!! Anyway there were not too many injuries recorded and most people enjoyed an entertaining evening.

Dick

December Club Walk to the Tiger

On a bright and windy morning a small but select band of people plus one dog gathered at Gildredge Park in Eastbourne for short stroll over the Downs. The route led from the park, via some rather glamorous Victorian public conveniences, across a golf course and then rose steeply up to Warren Hill. From here there were brilliant views back towards Hastings. A long gentle descent via the interestingly named Crapham Bottom took us to Cornish Farm and then the magnificent flint Birling Manor Farm.

The lunch stop at the Tiger Inn in East Dean divided us into an outdoor and an indoor group, although by the end of the meal, even the hardiest had wimped out and stood shivering before the log fire.

The return leg ran along the base of, the equally interestingly named, Pea Down, before climbing again to the top of the hill and then descending once more into Eastbourne. A search for an open teashop was eventually abandoned and the party then went its separate ways to return to Hastings.

Ruth

Big holes, big hills & big meals

Oh yes and a few pint of beer came into it somewhere. Having made a number of trips to the West Country already this year and having the whole week off work, I decided that for once we would avoid the Bank Holiday rush to Dartmoor by not leaving home until the crack of dawn on the Sunday morning and to make doubly sure we headed north.

So it was we found ourselves in Yorkshire. Nestling in between the Crown and the Golden Lion lies the perfectly positioned Holme Farm campsite, made even more accommodating by the close proximity to the Pen-Y-Gent Café. This was to be our base for the next few days (the campsite not the Cafe). The majority if you will by now have realised that we had landed in the centre of Horton-in-Ribblesdale in the Yorkshire Dales, for me it was a welcome return to a venue I had not been since the last SMF trip in 1995, for Steven it was his first.

We might have missed the crowds on the road but we had to shoe horn our tents on to the site full of people who seemed intent on giant parties. By the end of the next day, Bank Holiday being all but over the campsite was deserted and I was able to bring my car from the “car park annex” to the car park proper.

As our first day out was the Bank Holiday Monday we headed down to Clapham and set off north through the country park heading towards Ingleborough. After a short initial climb the ground levelled off and we headed away from the main track to the mini city that had been created by the Craven Caving Club for their winch meet at the top of Gaping Gill. After crossing palms with silver we were issued with a very smart but wet site hat, a small metal disc bearing our number in the queue and a promise of a wait of no longer than 30 minutes. True to their word 30 minutes later I found myself sat on a small metal swing suspended by a reassuring steel cable warnings were issued to keep legs well under and arms tucked in. The floor disappeared and I started the 320 ft decent at what seemed to be an alarmingly rapid rate. Passing through the remnants of the “diverted” stream, so that’s why the hats were wet, the reason for the previous warning became evident as I seemed to be inches from the wet rock face. The decent over, I was met by the crew at the bottom and was quickly emptied out of the seat and replaced by the next passenger to be reunited with the surface, a minute later Steven arrived and we set off for our tour of the cavern, It had a nearly flat floor that we were told was made up of rubble to a depth of some 90 feet but the size of the cavern itself was hard comprehend. It was enormous I was told Yorkminster Cathedral would fit inside when you consider the relatively small hole above you have to wonder what you are walking on sometimes. My assent to daylight was made more interesting by being charged with returning a 1 gallon teapot to the surface for a refill, Considering the close proximity to the rock on the way down the addition of the teapot did give me cause for concern, why didn’t they give it to someone that could give it more room. On leaving we were assured the mini city would be gone by the next day, a mammoth task. We continued on to the summit of Ingleborough, then turned east to form an interesting circuit for the day, we were even able to take in a show cave to continue the theme. Back at the campsite we unashamedly feasted on the week’s provisions before heading for the crown for a pint or two.

Both of the pubs in the village serve food and both serve a good pint, but the pump room in the Golden Lion got the most visits during the week. Our enthusiastic feasting the night before meant that breakfast in the café was the order of the day but that was definitely no hardship

There is so much to see and do in the area, the majestic amphitheatre of Malham Cove is only a short drive and walk away as is Goredale Scar. There are number of geological/geographical peculiarities that make unique landscapes, this is the home of a number of them. If you’ve never seen the numerous limestone pavements or the Norbor erratic then you ought to make a visit.

The big 3 mountains in the vicinity can each form the basis of a days walk or you could of course climb all 3 on the 26 mile circuit in the prescribed 12 hours for membership to the Three Peaks Club, one day maybe.

There is so much to do, there was plenty left for another visit and I will certainly add this to my circuit of regular venues.

Perfect weather, good walking, comfortable campsite, fine beer and good company.

John Walsh

WINTER WEEKEND TRIP TO WALES

Friday 28 th November 3.45 am Jean myself and Purdy the dog set off for Wales. With an uneventful journey we arrive at the Pinnacle café at Capel Curig around 9.30. Fed the dog then a little walk to stretch our legs before descending on the café for breakfast. As we were walking back towards the café some familiar faces appeared in the distance Dick Ruth and Rachel had arrived. Having all tucked into a good breakfast a decision on what to do. The weather didn’t look too bright and John and Rosie hadn’t arrived. It was decided to follow a route shown in a leaflet picked up in the climbing shop next door. A circuit going north east from Capel then due west and up onto the top of Crimplau, follow the ridge south westerly and descend back down to Capel. Just as we were about to set off John and Rosie arrived. We were lucky we managed the circuit with just the odd shower and even had time for a stroll along the river that runs past Capel and onto Betys. We then made our way to Nant Perris where we made ourselves at home in the luxury accommodation that we had booked, central heating, hot showers, log fire what else could you ask for and only £6.50 a night. Later that evening Gary and Charles arrived just in time for the pub, finally Nick and Kim appeared.

The next day a typical welsh dawn, chucking it down with rain and howling gales. Despite this Nick and Kim were determined to do Snowden, Gary and Charles opted for a more leisurely route called ‘shopping for boots’, while the rest of us opted for a low level circular walk starting and finishing at Bedgellert. When we arrived at Bedgellert the rain had eased off and the wind had dropped so things looked in our favour. The route was to take us from Bedgellert alongside the river to Llyn Dinas up over some higher ground and into the next valley back down the valley to the southern end of the Aberglasyn Pass and then follow the river north through the pass and back to Bedgellert, all in all a very pretty and varied route. We’d hardly got started when the heavens opened and the wind got stronger, pity poor Nick and Kim on Snowden. But suddenly after an hour or so a patch of blue sky opened, the rain stopped the wind dropped and we saw the sun. The walk up the Aberglasyn Pass was really interesting watching the canoeists ride the rapids.

That evening we cooked a communal meal, Charles being the main chef with a number of helpers. An excellent spaghetti bolognaise plenty of wine and a final trip to the pub rounded off a really good weekend. The next morning we all said our goodbyes and made our own ways to various destinations.

p.s.Nick and Kim failed in their attempt on Snowden, we all thought they were mad, the route ‘shopping for boots’ was a great success Gary is now kitted up for Scotland.

Mike Peak