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| 24th April 2009 - Bowderstone Hut, Borrowdale, Lake District This was a new hut for the BFMC, and very nice it is too. It has a proper coal fire, a great view of the Bowder Stone itself (see below). There's even a shower in the girl's toilet, although they kept that very quiet. This being the Lake District, a recurring theme of the weekend was the National Trust car parking fees. We weren't sure if we had to pay when we arrived, at 10pm Friday night. Everyone decided to leave it until the morning, figuring that we'd probably be away before the wardens arrived. As it was, Ken & Colin were last to leave the hut, and arrived at their car to find a Fixed Penalty Notice !?!?! Not being familiar with English law, they weren't sure if it could be enforced. But, then, they noticed that was actually hand written. And included a £5 fine for not paying the £5.20 parking fee, and a £10 fine for being from Edinburgh. I'll get you back ! Ally got in
some early Saturday morning The most excitement on Saturday was had by Colin & Ken. They headed via Honister Pass to Gillercombe Buttress, a fine 3 star Severe. They were delayed a little by the party in front, but didn't mind one bit as the weather was great. In due course, they got climbing. However, at the start of the 3rd pitch, they noticed that the mountain upwind was covered in a big black cloud. They speeded up a little, but were dismayed when they started hearing thunder from the cloud. While Ken was seconding the 4th pitch, little pitter-patters of rain started to fall. This got heavier and heavier, and the wind got stronger and stronger until eventually all hell broke loose ! Colin could barely stand up on the belay because of the lashing wind, and had to sit down. Ken was cowering in hollows in the rock face, waiting for lulls in the maelstrom, before continuing upwards. Then the thunder turned into thunder and lightening. It was an extremely unpleasant pitch, but finally he made it up to the belay. Without a word, they put on their big jackets & sheltered from the storm until it abated a little. Once the rain had stopped, they had to decide what to do. After quite a debate, Ken carried on up the next pitch. Then the pitter-patters of rain started again. A classic moment was when Ken shouted "Oh, for f*ck's sake" at the rain, and Colin replied "Did you say 'safe' ?". The reply was in the negative. That rain shower was enough, so Ken down-climbed back to the belay, and then abbed off on their very soggy ropes. At the bottom, a hail storm came through as they were packing up. God's way of telling you it's time to go to the pub. In the meantime, Gav & Ally had headed for Goat Crag. They were intending to do something properly hard, and did Tumbleweed Connection, E2**, as a warm up. Unfortunately, it started raining just as they finished the route, so that was it for the day. Paul and Susan went biking at the relatively new Altura Trail, in Whinlatter. They were full of praise for the red route (with black options ...), loads of jumps, drops etc. Sheila went up Sail and Causey Pike, only getting rained on in the last 20 minutes. Then went shopping in Keswick on her way back to the hut. We made full use of the fire on Saturday night, trying to dry out the climbing stuff. On Sunday, Gav and Ally went to Falcon Crag. They were unable to get to the upper crag, due to nesting birds, and instead did Plagiarism E2. Colin, Ken, Susan and Paul started a tour of the climbing crags of Borrowdale. First they tried the car park for Troutdale Pinnacle. It was full. So, they went to the car park for Shepherd Crag. It was full. They gave up the ghost, and decided that, if they went to National Trust Crag (yes it does exist), they would at least get parked. Unfortunately, they parked down the hill, instead of up the hill. Hence, the instructions on how to get from the car park to the crag made no sense. So, they ended up wandering all over the hillside, until they finally stumbled on the crag. An abortive attempt on a rather vegetated route called Vicissitude followed. By now, they were getting bored, and went back to Shepherds, abandoned the cars on the grass verge, and went to the Brown Slab, where shock upon shock, they actually did some climbing ! Gav and Ally turned up sometime later, and led a mass Swinton family race / ascent of Little Chamonix. Meantime Sheila had been to Hope Gill Head and Grizedale Pike. Oh, and the inevitable shopping in Keswick !
The Bowder Stone, the ladder is to get to the top, not to stop it falling over !
Ken falls foul of the National Trust traffic wardens ...
Abseiling off Gillercombe Buttress, between the showers
Colin thaws out after the hail storm, not ideal climbing weather
Ken and Susan at Shepherds Crag
Colin and Ken at the top of Brown Slabs
Ally chases Gav up Little Chamoix
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