Page 10 - 1995 Mountaineering Club Bulletin

Bannister Jugged Hare The Prow
Monday’s exploits hence my dit is becoming slightly fictional. However I do recall that the trekking team had achieved their aims on Saturday and Sunday, and as several members had other places to be on Monday only a few remained. These few donned sticky boots and climbed “Snoozin Suzie” and “Trundle Bum Rex" two excellent V.Diffs at Symonds Yat.
Unbeknown to the other climbers Sean and Barry were having a serious epic on a lesser known Severe route. Barry’s resulting slip and pendulum from his last runner put him out of action for many weeks. At the time things were going pear shaped for Barry, I was just leaving the car park for home as a fire engine and lan- drover zoomed past. Initially bemused as to why the fire service were rushing into the Symonds Yat area it suddenly dawned on me that they probably responded to climbing incidents in the absence of Coastguard or MRT services. My departing thought was “I hope it is none of our lads who may have still been climb­ ing”. By the time you read this Barry you should have recovered long ago and if your wife has allowed you, I hope you have made a successful come back.
USEFUL INFO:
Guide Book:”Wye Valley” ISBN 0-904405-98_2 by Cordee
ACF Centre Cinderford: GR : OS SH162 651140
Centre available most weekends.
Details from Major Ken Hobbs (Ret’d) Warden on 01452-500592 Price in 1995 was a modest £1.25 per person per night.
Dave Barrett
WAYMARK
Salutation
Pam’s Pride Bookworm S
ANNUAL BULLETIN
YD (Going E3 in the mud) D D iio
VS (On the Yat Pinnacle -
Recommended) HS Albany S
VS Bludgeon VS
The Personal Endeavour Team were gathered for their second training weekend to knock bodies into shape for a 5 week trekking exped. to the Nepal Himalaya and the wind and rain was very effective in achieving that aim. Commencing the walk at the Talvbont Reservoir dam the team ascended the East ridge of Craig Pwllfa (762ml to gain some rapid height before carrying out the classic traverse of all the summits en route to Pen-y-Fan. The driver drove to position the vehicle in a convenient car park before joining up with the rest of the team on the ridge. A healthy 20 Km walk in conditions that hopefully would not be repeated in the Himalayas.
SUNDAY
The climbing team having had a taste of the Yat decided to ven­ ture further to discover the awesome delights of W intours Leap. This improbable cliff is serious and large, much larger than you would first expect. However it does have a few easy grade weak­ nesses in its defences which give enjoyable V.Diff climbing even if the routes are a bit scruffy and route finding is akin to navi­ gating on an ice cap without a compass. Still the two Chris’s seemed to enjoy their days outing on a 300ft V.Diff arriving back well after dark. The rest of the team took a passing interest in “Angel’s” Eye HVS 5a however the crux proved more than a match for our intrepid crag rats as it claimed a “No 5 Rock” which became firmly wedged due to repeated proof loading trials as bodies w’ere ejected from the rock face. Routes actually climbed/seiged:
Corner Buttress II VD Left Hand Route HS Central Rib II VS 5a Central Rib Route IIVD
Meanwhile the Nepal exped training was testing moral fibre and stamina. Heads bowed against the wind and rain the team ploughed on merrily splashing along tracks that were rapidly turning to rivers. The Black Mountains bring back everyone’s worst nightmares of leadership training at Royal Arthur and this weekend was very reminiscent of several different experiences. The team had set out from Llanthony to complete a large circuit via the Grwyne Fawr Reservoir and were going as far as Lord Hereford's Knob but the inclement weather conditions curtailed the route slightly. Nevertheless a respectable 26.5 Km was achieved and a few very welcome beers were sunk that night.
MONDAY
The climbers’, appetites whetted by the challenges of W intour’s Leap returned to the limestone face. John B. was determined to retrieve his “No 5 Rock” and had discovered a very large nut extractor in the boot of his car. Others were convinced it was a Crow Bar from the way it hooked jauntily from his gear loop and hung down past his knees. As far as I am aware the “wire” is still in -situ and ready to clip. I don’t have any further details on
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