BB1129 : Training For The Himalayas

Wednesday 28th September 2011

What map to take with us today?  The OS 1:25k map?  The Harveys map with its simplified features as used by fell runners?  Or the new map based on "the iconic work of Alfred Wainwright and Harry Beck, the draughtsman for London Underground"?

To find out more, visit Tubular Fells.

Actually, the Wainwright Tube map would have been of no use at all today as we were on a different network altogether!  Ingleborough was our destination and the only detailed map I had for that area was the Harveys 1:25k map.

BOOTboys were in short supply this week and in the end, after Tony dropped out in favour of his motor-bike, there was only Bryan and me available on the Wednesday.

As a result, I was expecting to be pushed rather harder than has generally been the case this year because Bryan is now in serious training for his Himalayan expedition. This is not his first visit to the Himalayas- he climbed to the Everest base camp back in the 1970s.  He is not the only BOOTboy to have visited Everest. Graham was there some thirteen years ago and took these photos of a plane arriving at Lukla and the view of Everest itself from just above Base Camp.

Click on the photos to help see things in better perspective!

 Graham adds:

Bryan will be aware of Lukla's reputation although I think the runway has improved a little since 1998. This is when being a Buddhist and believing in re-incarnation can be an advantage!  When I did it, I was sat immediately behind one of the pilots, looking right over his shoulder and couldn't believe what I was seeing and where we were going to land.  

As you now know, I lived to tell the tale and to send you the photos!

Bryan's trip, this time to the Annupurna region, starts in a few weeks, hopefully after the monsoon season. I am pleased to report that our weather forecast for today did not include monsoons. Indeed it was rather more promising than on our previous four Ingleborough visits:

• BB0601 in mist and severe cold
• BB0725 in very thick mist (after going down the cave)
• BB0929 in a biting cold wind
• BB1045 in deep, almost Himalayan, snow

In contrast to past experiences, we were led to expect an unseasonal 25° in the valleys and 18° C for the tops albeit with sudden gusts of wind that could reach 55 mph!!!!  

It was a day and a route designed for photography and as Bryan was experimenting with his new camera, lots of photos were taken as the haze gradually cleared and the sun shone more intensely.

We parked by the Community Centre in Ingleton and set off up the direct route to Ingleborough, passing the 500 miles waymarker to La Chapell des Marais  and a curious carving on the corner of a house.

Looking back over Ingleton

Crina Bottom with Ingleborough behind

What alarmed me was that, just before the top, I saw what I thought was the fourth man moving quickly on my tail.  Efforts were redoubled and I arrived at the summit well before anyone else. In fact the fourth man turned out to be a much younger fifth man with two nice dogs.

It was blowing a warm gale on the summit but very busy with walkers.  After a short break we resumed activities and headed for the steep descent to the north, pausing briefly for team and other photos before the actual drop off the plateau.

Whernside from Ingleborough

Settle to Carlisle line viaduct from Ingleborough

On the way down there were more photo opportunities and the intriguingly named Braithwaite Wife Hole.

Looking back up Ingleborough

Bryan in action, again!

Just before reaching the valley bottom we decided it was time for lunch so we found a pleasant spot, in the sun but out of the wind, to take in the view, the sun, the butties and the sheep.

Refuelled, we passed Souther Scales, an old farmhouse with an interesting description although the building is very plain.  After crossing the main road, we dropped into Chapel-le-Dale where (you might find this hard to believe but it was true) I was taken by surprise to find a chapel!

We paid our respects to St Leonard's Church then ascended by the track at its rear.

On the way we passed a strange sculpture  the work of Charles I'Anson which had been vandalised and thrown down Hurtle Pot.  Divers had recovered it and re-erected.  Carrying on up to Ellerbeck, we were first distracted by a party of about thirty cyclists coming down off the moor (one on a road bike) and then we were so intent on looking at the goats that we missed the path to the left.  Consequently we went a little too high on the moor than, at that time, strictly necessary but the proper track rejoined us before long.

The sheep and the goats

Scales Moor contains quite a lot of standing stones that look, from a distance, as it they might have been placed in position for a purpose but on closer examination suggest no such thing, being simply the aftermath of the ice age on the limestone terrain.

Ingleborough behind Twisleton Cairns

Now in strong bright sunshine, we eventually dropped down over Twisleton Scar End to Twisleton Hall, then past the huge quarry and back to Ingleton.

Looking back to Twisleton Scar End

A final look at Ingleborough, with the quarry in the foreground

This outing being rather longer and with more climbing than anything we have done for a while (and at a faster pace) I was getting a little weary by the time we reached Ingleton and it was a bit of bind to discover that we were at the bottom of the town whereas the car was at the top.

It was an unexpected and unwelcome climb to finish the day. However, I ought not moan, it had been a splendid outing and perfect training for the Himalayas.  I just wish I was going!

Don, 28th September 2011

PS Lakeland Triathlon

Just as I was getting rather pleased with what we had done to day, Bryan told me of the achievements of another Kendalian, Paul Clavey, who in July had swan the length of Windermere, 10.5 miles, cycled the Fred Whitton Challenge, 112 miles around all the Lakeland Passes than ran 72 miles on the 42 peaks Bob Graham Round.  All in 44 hours and 50 minutes.  Respect!  Anyone fancy it next week?  I should add that I am away!

STATISTICS:

BOOTboys routes ares now being put online in gpx format which should work with most mapping software. You can follow our route in detail by downloading BB1129.

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see
Which Wainwright When?

For the latest totals of the mileages and heights see: BB Log.

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Archive

2011 Outings

BB1101 :
Wasnfell Revisited
Tuseday 11th January

BB1102 :
Recuperation Scar!
Thursday 17th February

BB1103 :
A Promenade of Pensioners
Thursday 24th February

BB1104 :
The B Team
Thursday 3rd March

BB1105 :
  A Little Bit Of Wind
Thursday 10th March

BB1106 :
A Linthwaite Round
Thursday 17th March

BB1107 :
Home From The Pulpit
Thursday 24th March

BB1108 :
Taking The Brunt
Thursday 31st March

BB1109 :
Up The Spout
Wednesday 6th April

BB1110 :
Not The Royal Wedding
Friday 29th April

BB1111 :
Kentmere Parts 1 & 2
Thurs 5th, Saturday 7th May

BB1112 :
Five Unknown Tarns
Wednesday 11th May

BB1113 :
Gurnal Dubbs Revisited
Thursday 19th May

BB1114 :
A March Through The Mist
Wednesday 1st June

BB1115 :
Brief Encounter
Wednesday 8th June

BB1116 :
Extraordinary and
Lesser Mortals
Wednesday 15th June

BB1117 :
Farewell David Daw
Wednesday 29th June

BB1118 :
West Side Story
Thursday 7th July

BB1119 :
East Side Story
Wednesday 13th July

 BB1120 :
All The Way From Barrow
Wednesday 20th July

 BB1121 :
Suitable For The Guests!
Thursday 28th July

BB1122 :
Graylings In Flagrante
Wednesday 3rd August

BB1123 :
The First Indecision Outing
Wednesday 24th August

BB1124 :
The Second Indecision Outing
Thursday 25th August

BB1125 :
The Tale of Tony's Triumph
Wednesday 31st August

BB1126 :
The Gunpowder Trail
Wednesday 7th September

BB1127 :
Four Lords a-Leaping
Thursday 15th September

BB1128 :
Heversham Head and Mhor
Thursday 22nd September

BB1129 :
Training For The Himalayas
Wednesday 28th September

BB1130 :
Turn Again, Whittington
Thursday 13th October

The Way Of The Roses
12th - 14th September

 Click on the photos
for an enlargement
or related large picture.

 Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright
top was visited on which
BB outing see Which Wainwright When?.

To download a log of heights and miles and which Wainwrights
have been done by which BOOTboy in the"modern" era, i.e. since the advent
of BOOTboys
click on BB Log.