As a club, we’ve been pretty unlucky with the weather on meets over the last few years, so imagine my surprise when the forecast was set fair in the run up to the Lakes meet at Coniston! Unfortunately the Yorkshire Mountaineering club made a mistake with our booking, meaning that numbers were reduced to a maximum of 8 for this one. This meant that a few folk couldn’t come, but it was out of our hands. The hut was in a lovely setting outside the village and overlooking the Old man of Coniston. With the good weather, club members got into action early, with myself and Stephen heading up to Dow crag on the Friday to climb the classic, Murray’s Route. Alan opted for some afternoon fell running, doing a circuit of the Old Man, and Martin and new member Amit also walked the Old Man on arrival. Those unlucky enough to be working the full day arrived in time to enjoy a drink on the hut patio and discuss Saturday’s plans.
Given the weather and location, this was primarily a rock climbing meet, but Amit made a solo traverse of multiple peaks from the hut, as far as Pike O Blisco, and Martin enjoyed his day mountain biking at Grizedale. Everyone else made the obvious choice of heading to the famous Lakes mountain crag of Dow. Alan and Cammy formed one team, Starting with Murray’s Route, then descending to enjoy Murray’s Direct as well. Myself, Stephen and Ruth opted for a more leisurely, but no less classic ascent of C route Ordinary, and James S and Jamie, who were staying in Coniston due to the booking problem ,climbed the equally classic, Arete, Chimney and Crack. Everyone enjoyed that rare experience of classic mountain rock in T-shirt weather and by late afternoon everyone had filtered back to the Pub beer gardens in the centre of Coniston for well earned refreshments and tales of great routes. The evening was spent on the benches outside the hut, eat, drinking and socialising. Plans for the Sunday were curtailed somewhat, due to the Fred Whitton Challenge. A cycle road race for 2500 cyclists, involving multiple road closures in the Lakes. Most opted for an early return home, but myself, Stephen and Ruth headed to Langdale for more rock climbing on Stickle Barn Crag and a few routes, including Stephen’s first VS on sight lead, which he dispatched comfortably. It was a very successful meet. There is so much rock in the Lakes that there is something for everyone, from long, remote mountain routes, to road side craging and sport climbing. All you really need is the weather, and thankfully the weather Gods really delivered this time.
