Sunday 6 November 2011

Cathedral Quarry and Hodge Close

14th October 2011


Keith and I invited our good friend Bob Shepherd to come to the Lakes. We decided he needed a break from his seven day job of running his business. www.safefoam.co.uk He must have been ready for it as he agreed!!

What celebrations at Pete and Dave Butty Caravan when their turnover went up by a third. Only joking as the bacon was crisp and delicious as usual. It was actually very busy with truck drivers and a few walkers and it had taken the lads by surprise.

The Best Sight

They were falling over themselves as one cooked the food and the other buttered the teacakes and brewed up. Being in the first lay by on the A590 Kendal Road conversation is always being interrupted by the roar of trucks as they go past. It usually goes a bit like this.

"What do you" Whooooooshe !!!!! "Lads?"

"What" Whooooshe !!!!!

" Three Ba..." Whooooshe!!!!! "Tea" Whooooooshe!!!!! "Cris" Whoooooshe!!!!! "py" Whooooshe !!!!!!!!! " con"

The lads must lip read for fun as they never get it wrong. Bob was smitten and Pete and Dave have another convert. We may introduce him to Spam next time but we need to break him in gently first with crispy bacon.

We decided without telling Bob that we would take him to Cathedral Cavern and Hodge Close Quarry near Little Langdale as both are pretty spectacular. We just said we would do a circular walk from the village.

The weather was dull and overcast but warm and after days of rain it was thankfully dry. We managed to get what we thought was the last parking place on the roadside: NY319032  just below the Three Shires Inn and got into our walking gear. I proudly pulled out the Satmap GPS and set it to measure the walk. I pointed at the blue circle that appeared on the screen showing exactly where we were on the 25,000 scale OS map. Amazing technology that tells you how far you have walked, how much elevation and depression, how long it took, and how fast you walk. That is if you press the Start button when you set off.!!! Idiot 1 Technology 0 I think the score was when we got back.

Little Langdale


We knew the route anyway so it wasn't a problem but we decided to go the back way into Cathedral so walked a few metres up the road and at NY318033 we turned left and took the path to Stang End NY318028, a lovely hamlet with a look of Switzerland.

Stang End Switzerland
We then followed the path marked to Little Langdale to where it joins the main path to High Tilberthwaite at NY315028. From the back of Cathedral Quarry NY 313028 there is an old mine tunnel that goes alway through the fell and exits just off the path we were on. This was what we wanted to take Bob through and enter the back of Cathedral. The only thing was the tunnel does not appear on the map and though Keith and I had been through it before it had been from Cathedral not this way. It proved a little difficult to find. Bob realised we were looking for something but we didn't want to tell him what.

" Do you two know where you are going?" He asked

" Course we do. Anyway my Grandad was Apache so I navigate by the wind and sun." I replied.

I dont think he was fooled and we wandered around until eventually we ended up in Moss Rig Quarry NY313023. It was interesting but not where we should be but the old buildings were worth a look. As we were leaving a huge owl flew out of the ruined building we had just left. How we didn't see it in the roofless shell none of us could explain.

Leaving Moss Rig Quarry
We climbed the steep track and reached what seemed another main track at NY311025. Keith then said he and I had been here before. He was right and we were definitely in the wrong place from where we should have been. Bob was simply enjoying the walk guided by two navigators who simply gave the impression they knew where he was being taken.

" Lets go over the top and go to the proper entrance of Cathedral." 

Said Keith in a voice that Bob would think it was an pre-intended part of the walk. I just agreed in the same type of voice and off we set. At least we did know where we were going now and soon we were at the true entrance to Cathedral Quarry. NY313023. It is an amazing place. First you enter a mined tunnel little knowing the dramatic scene that awaits. 

Cathedral Quarry Cavern

The tunnel leads into a huge cavern lit by a massive hole in the upper wall. The roof is supported by a pillar of slate left there by the miners to do just the job it was designed to do. It is easy to imagine the noise of explosives in this confined space as the slate vein was blasted from the mountain. I should imagine too that the miners of the time had little in health and safety so ear defenders would not be used. They would probably have been deaf in their later years.

" Amazing!!" was all that Bob said, but it is so impressive that words do fail a little.

As Keith and I had been before we looked at it differently now as the surprise value was something we had already experienced. We noticed that the cavern followed the vein of good slate plunging South to North at an angle of about 45 degrees, and quarrying had stopped as the vein was worked sideways to the different type of slate that formed the East and West walls of the cavern. We had entered from the North through the tunnel and the South end had an exit tunnel that terminated in an open quarry with vertical walls and no obvious exit path. We entered this quarry and scrambled up a bit of a climb to an upper level. Here was the hole that illuminated the cavern and we could look down to the pillar of slate. At the South end of the quarry there is a hole in the ground with a chain across part of it. We climbed into the hole and a tunnel appeared leading into the mountain. Head torches on now, Keith had secretly brought one for Bob and we entered the tunnel. About thirty metres the tunnel forks and the left hand fork MUST be taken. The right hand fork disappears to who knows where while the left hand we took eventually leads to a point where in the distance a spec of daylight appears. It is advisable to place your hand on your head in these low tunnels so you feel the roof with your hand and not your skull. The spec got bigger and bigger until we exited into the daylight of Moss Rig Wood.

ANYONE READING THIS BLOG NOTE THAT KEITH AND I KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING AND THIS BLOG IS NOT ADVISING PEOPLE TO DO THE SAME.

It looked blindingly obvious now how we had missed this tunnel exit an hour or so before. We had mistakenly thought it was further up the High Tilberthwaite path and we had walked straight past the little stile that we could see down the little path in front of us.

"What about your Apache grandad?" Asked Bob

"He met John Wayne." I replied.

We retraced our route back to Stang End and took the path marked Hodge Close. It was a good track and we were soon at Hodge Close. NY317018. Again we didn't say anything to Bob as we wanted to surprise him once more. We led him around the back of the cottages and into the disused wooded Parrock quarry. This is the approach into Hodge Close workings.

Parrock Quarry
In the bottom of this quarry was a huge boulder of new slate that had obviously fallen from the upper walls. It would have been a nasty experience to have been there when it fell as looking up there was a trail of new slate boulders lying on the older rocks.

Keith and Bob add scale to the fallen boulder

I climbed up the rock fall to see where the rocks had fallen from and it was quite obvious that a huge tongue of slate had fallen off. Quarries seem at first to be stable places but one has to remember that they were blasted from the fells and the cracks and shock damage actually create dangerous loose sections. All it needs then is frost, ice, water and vegetation to prise these sections from the rock face and send them crashing down. Explorers beware.

Me standing on new slate from above.  Photo Keith Butterworth
Further on into the quarry there is still evidence of the long gone quarrymen. A huge wire rope still dangles from above hundreds of feet long. Between tree roots and ferns lie abandoned railway lines twisted and half buried by past rock falls, and metal structures that must have been part of some machine the type of which is now unknown. Suddenly a dramatic scene opens in front as we entered the workings of Hodge Close Quarry.

Hodge Close Quarry Workings
Just like Cathedral the quarrymen left a huge pillar of slate to support the roof but in this case it is open to the elements on the approach quarry and through both holes on the Hodge Close side.

Looking at the same pillar from above Hodge Close

I think the second photo puts the whole thing into scale. The walls of the quarry are around 50metres high while the lake in the bottom is about 50metres deep. One beloved of climbers and the other beloved of divers. Below the water are further tunnels that extend into the quarry walls. Once of course this was all empty and looking at the left hand side of the pillar there is some ruined iron work. This once formed a vertical lift that was used to bring slate from the quarry bottom to the very top. The holes at the pillar must have been an intermediate loading and unloading point.

The remains of the vertical lift.   Photo Keith Butterworth
We sat on the ruins of the lift to have lunch. It was deathly quiet except for the sound of water falling from the roof of the cavern away to our left. A robin cheekily hopped around picking up the bits of bread we threw for it. At one point it perched on a ledge and started singing and the melody amplified by the cavern soon had other robins in the trees above the quarry sang in reply. We felt a little reluctant to leave our dining table as it felt so relaxing in what obviously was once a very unrelaxed place.

We climbed back out of Parrock Quarry and walked to the upper edge of Hodge Close. It really is impressive and the lack of fencing makes it feel rather airy when you look over the edge. I did start to wonder when Keith kept asking me to stand further back when I was already in a precarious place for him to take a photo!!!!!

Keith and Bob after telling me to step back!!!!
He had been admiring my boots and top and Bob my Satmap so I did wonder  at his photo directing.

Back a bit Lads !!!!!

We carried on walking down the track towards Coniston until we reached NY309011 where we turned right through a stile and followed the path over the fields to High Tilberthwaite Farm NY308018.

High Tilberthwaite
From here we took the rough track that leads over to Atkinson Coppice NY308013. The farmland soon turns into rough fell as the path climbs. We had to negotiate a slight problem of a huge Highland Cow sitting in the middle of the path. Bob and I had the brainwave of asking Keith to put on a red jacket and take a photo of it.

Bob and I make our escape.     Photo Keith Butterworth
The autumn colours were just starting to show on the fells. It needs a few more weeks before they are fully rich and golden. Keith's late father reckoned the first weekend in November and he was probably right with this. Keith and I are both photographers as was Keith's father and we missed it last year after promising ourselves all summer we would come to the lakes for the autumn photo shoot. Maybe we will make it this year.

Once over the top the path drops into the Little Langdale valley and usually the view of the Langdales are magnificent. It as a bit cloudy on the tops today and the view was muted.

Looking into Little Langdale Tarn near Atkinson Coppice
Keith and I as usual spurned the easy way back which would have been to reach the point where our path intersected the main path from Low Hall Garth Climbing Hut NY309028 and walk back past it to the Little Langdale Village. This would have meant turning right at the intersection so we turned left. We decided to go via Bridge End Cottage NY301029.

Bridge End Cottage
Then reach the main road which leads to the Wrynose Pass but go right then left up the road to the Langdale Valley. At NY300034 we turned right over the stile onto the lower reaches of Lingmoor Fell.
It would have been easier walking along the road back to Little Langdale but not half as much fun. Its a well defined path and the views are really good though today the low cloud tended to restrict them.

Looking over to Wetherlam and Wet Side Edge
We were on coasting mode now and the banter was good as we walked through the Autumn ferns now burnt sienna contrasting against the verdant green of the fell grass. As usual there was a little sting in the tail and this came just above High Bield NY312036 where the path takes a steep climb up to under Bield Crag NY313038. The leg muscles started to rebel a little at this point.

Keith on the climb
Bob on the same climb
Once over the uphill bit it was an easy walk to Dale End Farm NY316037 where we joined the road and strolled back to the car resisting all temptation to stop at the Three Shires Inn for a pint. As Keith puts it quite rightly. " It's not going in for one, it's staying for the next ten thats the problem."

A great day out

Technical Bit


































Wednesday 28 September 2011

A Run From Settle

A RUN FROM SETTLE

Settle is the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales and some very good running country. Almost all the competitors of the famous 3 Peaks fell race would have passed through here on their way to the start at Horton in Ribblesdale. Although having done the race in my younger days and run the route on numerous occasions it was not my plan today.
There is plenty of parking in the town centre and a few very good cafes The Old Naked Man on the main street being the most popular. It is possible to see nearly every type of bike from mountain to carbon fibre dream machines that would not look out of place in the Peleton in Paris. There are also a couple of very good running gear shops and a cracking bike shop.
The run starts at the market place in the centre of the town SD 819636 and the route takes the narrow back road to Langcliffe. At NY 821637 a small limestone track climbs to the left between high limestone walls. From here I started the long leg burning climb that eventually joins the road at a stile under Clay Pits Plantation. SD 829653.

Up From Settle

Once through the stile, after I had taken in the view over to Ingleborough. I took the obvious track to Jubilee Cave. This is one of those annoying tracks that is good running but after the climb I had just done the gradual incline was hard going until my body rhythm ‘s got back in balance.

Over to Ingleborough


Jubilee Cave SD 837655 is really quite an interesting though far from spectacular little cave. Named of course after Queen Victoria’s Jubilee and shares this honour with Victoria Cave named obviously after the Queen herself and is few hundred metres away on Attermire Scar. Apparently human remains from the Iron Age as well as evidence of Romano British and Celtic occupation have been found in Jubilee.

Track up to Jubilee Cave


Jubilee Cave


From Jubilee it is really good running on a very good track. Keeping the dry stone wall on my left the path is a joy with a fantastic view of Penyghent  the first of the 3 peaks in the race.

Looking towards Penyghent



The track has had a lot of improvement since I first ran on it years ago. Then sections of it were really boggy and a favourite of trail motorcyclists who churned into more bogs. I was once with a good friend John Serjeant when one of these lads sank to his handlebars in one. It took all three of us to pull the bike out and amazingly its engine started on the first attempt after its deluge of soggy peat. Now its hard work getting your feet wet on the well drained well made surface of the track.

On Our Way Home


At SD 851658 the track bears right at the path junction and rises and falls over the moorland to NY863657 where it bears right again at another path junction and climbs up to a gate at SD 875651 and it is here the spectacular views over the limestone country above Malham come into sight. Its at this point the path degenerates into its muddy old self but it’s fine as it’s a good bog jumping run down hill to the road at Langscar Gate SD 888648.

Malham Tarn from the path to Langscar Gate

I crossed the road at Langscar Gate and dropped down into the Watlowes Valley and from here things got really spectacular. It also got a bit greasy under foot as wet limestone matches ice as a medium to break your neck running on.

The Watlowes Valley was formed when the glacial ice of the last ice age melted and a great river ran through the now dry canyon. Gradually the water carved the valley into it present size but then as the ice sheet fully decreased the amount of water through the valley lessened and started to percolate into underground caves. Eventually the water disappeared all together underground but still flows out below Malham Cove witch stands at the far end of the valley. Cavers have proved this by putting dye in the stream where it goes underground and finding traces of the dye appearing from under the cove.

Watlowes Valley

It is easy to imagine the long gone river as I ran down the valley floor being a roaring torrent. It is probable that there would have been no vegetation, only the bare scoured limestone emerging from its icy prison and the pure silence that now enveloped me would definitely be shattered.

However at this point in the run the reason for the deafening roar is not yet apparent. At the end of the valley I reached the limestone pavement that is the top of Malham Cove and it is not a surface to sprint across.

Limestone Pavement


A harsh lesson in leg breaking could easily be learned here and the 80 metre vertical drop that appeared in front of me could in mist lead to definite death.

It is not advisable to stand close to the edge of Malham Cove unless the words head for heights are applicable.

The pavement, which is quite common in limestone areas is formed by the acidic action of rainwater eroding vertical cracks in the limestone. The cracks have often created a micro- climate within them that support their own vegetation and insect and animal populations.
I gingerly made my way across the pavement to the footpath that climbs down the right hand side of the cove looking from the top. It’s a steep man made staircase and was very slippery but at the bottom the reason for the once glacial deafening roar is obvious.

Malham Cove

Once the huge river that carved Watlowes Valley plunged over this massive scar in indescribable fury. It must have looked like England’s Niagra and the noise would have been heard for miles. Now the small stream that emerges is what remains of that river. This is one of the major tourist attractions of the Yorkshire Dales and thousands of visitors arrive here every year to see it.

It seems a world apart from when I rode here on my bike with a lad called Paul Kelly in 1963. We camped for a week and the only other people camping were two lads from Bradford. How the car changed the world!!!

It’s was a pleasant run into the village a beautiful little hamlet with good pubs and cafes. It was also the home of the now deceased Pete Livesey one of the best all round athletes of his generation he was an expert climber, fell runner, orienteer, cyclist and excelled I every other sport he attempted. It’s a case of read about Pete and simply say wow!!

At the Visitor Centre SD 900627 I took the path marked Pikedaw Hill that climbs between high limestone walls turning left at SD 899629 then forks left again at SD 895631. Eventually a stile appears on the right and once over it I began the long climb first though fields and eventually on a rough trod that leads near to the site of the old mine workings and tips of Pikedaw Calamine  mine SD 875639.

Old Shaft Pikedaw


The mines were dug to extract Calamine in the 18th Century. Calamine is zinc carbonate and was used in smelting brass and as a cream for rashes. It was when the mine was in full production that the miners broke into a series of caverns that run under the fell. These are accessible to experienced cavers via a trapdoor into the old mineshaft. Not the one in the photo.

The trod joins the main footpath to Stockdale Lane and it was fantastic running. It’s a very fast downhill on good ground climbing slightly only when I passed Stockdale Farm on the left. The tarmac of Stockdale lane is a bit of a knee shaker but it was still downhill and fast until SD 847638 where I left the lane and took the path that leads under the high escarpments of Attermire Scar and Warrendale Knotts.

Warrendale Knotts

There is a small mound at the foot of Attermire with some steel plates that once were used as targets for the army rifle range. All I can find is references to it being a rifle range but all I can say it was one big rifle that made these holes.

Target Plates

The Plates are almost 1.5 metres long so it’s pretty easy to see the size of bullet that made these.

The route had a final sting as it’s a short and not very steep run to SD 825.641 but at this point the legs were complaining and I was pretty tired. However once over the top it is a fantastic very steep descent back to the start. I love descending fast and this section certainly allowed me to do that. The view was pretty good too.

Sunset over Settle

Technical Bit
                                                         


Sunday 25 September 2011

A Fell Run from Hartsop

19th September 2011

A Nice Run with a Stiff Start


I had been summoned by Andy Walmsley the Clayton Le Moors Harriers Z team captain to run a leg of the Ian Hodgson Fell Relay in the Lakes. My leg is from Hartsop to Patterdale and though I have done it before I thought a reccy of the route might be an idea.

Being a man of generosity who shares most things including pain with Keith I gave him a ring and asked if he fancied a jog in the Lakes. "Yes," I knew what the answer would be as I picked up the phone. The thought that it was forecast to be wet and cloudy which had been the norm anyway for days didn't matter as it makes for better running.

Being true Athletes we stopped at Dave and Pete"s butty van for our usual bacon teacake and brew. It is a welcome sight in the first lay by on the A590 Kendal Road off the M6. We are convinced that the lads bacon teacakes contain an energy giving ingredient as they have powered us up all the fells on our numerous walks without a trace of heartburn. The crack from the lads is worth the stop anyway.

Food Heaven


Appetites sated we drove over Kirkstone Pass in dramatic weather conditions. The road up from Troutbeck slipped in and out of cloud while on the fell sides white ribbons of cascading becks full from heavy rain split the green and grey slopes as they roared into the pass. Once over the summit as is usual in the Lakes the other side of the pass was dry and a bit brighter. Then again as is usual in the Lakes we knew it would rain sometime soon.

Kirkstone Pass into Patterdale

We parked the car at Hartsop NY408 131 and got into our running gear. It seemed a little bizarre as we were getting into shorts and vests a group of people from the next car were putting on heavy weather gear, macho or mad they were possibly thinking as they watched us.

Hartsop and the start of the run

The route starts on the track by the sheep fold with the brooding Gray Crag dominating the foreground. The track at first doesn't seem that steep and lulled us into setting off quicker than we intended. I was glad I had my camera and was contemplating this blog so stopped to take a photo of Pasture Beck. I don't think Keith objected too much as he pointed out the shot as grateful for the stop as I was.

Looking up Pasture Beck

However the short halt allowed us to get our breathing back in sync after our much too fast start and we felt pretty good when we set off again. That is until we got to Calfgate Gill NY 421130 which cuts into the near vertical fell side that rose on our left. There is always the though of "do we have to" when faced with a climb like this but the answer is always yes.

Keith on the climb

It is a really steep climb and soon became hands on thighs as we rose above the valley. Once into a climb like this the calf muscles really let you know they are not very happy and funnily enough your brain agrees with them at first but once your in a rhythm it becomes strangely enjoyable. Keith in particular loves these steep climbs as you gain height very quickly. I have to agree with him as some fells like Seat Allan go on forever without ever seeming to have a summit.

The top of the climb flattens into a boggy field that today became a muddy wade as opposed to a run but it wasn't too long before we reached the main path just below Buck Crag NY 421138. Here the route becomes excellent running terrain a really good path allowed us to stretch out and in no time we were descending to Angle Tarn NY 417 144.

Angle Tarn
I have never in my five visits been here when it has not been dull or raining and today wasn't going to change that sequence. It was dull but the rain held off but the same thing could not be said of Martindale away on our right.

Wet Martindale
The rain looked pretty torrential down in the valley. Mind it did look better than when Keith and I were on Place Fell in February and could see snow storms over Martindale.

Our path climbed a bit as it left Angle Tarn but we were in full flow and ran it all. We were now looking down into Patterdale on our left and behind us the cloud cleared giving views back to Brotherswater. Sometimes these type of days are better than a lovely sunny chocolate box views you get in summer as there is an air of drama in the atmosphere.

Keith with Brotherswater in the distance
Now we were going down hill to Boredale Hause a bit rocky and awkward to keep a regular pace but we enjoyed the ballet of dancing between the rocks and gullies to get good footing.

At Boredale Hause NY 407156 we were surprised to see the group of people we had seen getting ready to walk at the car. They had made pretty good time to get here. They must have come along the valley bottom from Hartsop and climbed the fairly steep ascent from just beyond Dubhow.

From here it is a really fast descent down the flank of the fell on a very steep and narrow path.

Path down to Side Farm


To me this is the essence of fell running as I love that feeling of just being on the edge as I run as fast as I can.
Flying Fell Runner.    Photo:Keith Butterworth


It can have repercussions as Keith was bombing down Helvellyn last year going flat out in the running section of a Triathlon and fell and broke his arm. Today however wasn't a race so we enjoyed a less nerve racking run down to the path junction at NY 400161 where we then picked up the main path to Side Farm NY 398162. A flat run across the valley floor brought us to Patterdale School NY 394160.

That basically was the race route done as it finishes just behind the church across the road in the sports field. Common sense would have now told us to retrace our route to Side Farm then take the lower path along the valley to Hartsop. This is the shortest way back to the car and the chicken sandwiches Barbara, Keith's wife and lovingly prepared for him but with one extra for me. Thanks Barbara it was good.

Common sense if you follow my blogs is not a thing that Keith and I seem to have a lot of. Yet again it failed to reach the parts of brain that instruct the body to use it. One of us said " How about going up Deepdale, then we could pick our way up to Gale Crag and drop down to the car park at Brotherswater on the other side of the fell." The other must have agreed as soon we were running along the main road avoiding getting drenched by passing cars going through puddles. Its strange how when these ideas come up neither of us can remember who first thought of it.

The path to Deepdale


We reached the track to Deepdale at NY398148 glad to feel gravel instead of tarmac under our feet. The upper reaches of Deepdale were shrouded in heavy cloud and certainly did not look inviting in running gear but of course that was not our intention. We figured out that if we ran to a point the walled fields gave way to open fell then crossed the river we could make our way up to Gale Crag. We found the point at NY 391133. The beauty of fell shoes is that unlike boots you don't need to take them off to wade rivers. Keith admirably shows this in the next photo.

The Wader

We crossed the river and ploughed through some boggy ground then picked up the dry stone wall which meandered its way up the fell to meet the stone dry stone wall that marks the ridge that climbs up to Hartsop above How. At the junction a ladder stile splits the wall we followed from the river. Before we got to it Keith reckoned we were too low and he was right we were well below Gale Crag. Another uphill beckoned and it started to rain but it was worth a quick jump over the stile to get the wet view back to Patterdale.

Looking back to Patterdale

Just under Gale Crag NY392124 another ladder stile crosses the ridge wall and once over this we looked  down into Hartsop.

Looking into Patterdale from Gale Crag
At least it was downhill all the way to the main road but what a downhill. It's a very narrow path that drops gradually as it contours the fell side. Muddy in parts and a bit slippery in the rain but runnable and we enjoyed the pace until at NY399133 it reaches the top of a wood. Here it drops like Blackpool's big one. It would be hard on the thighs on its own but we had already done a big descent on the opposite side of the valley. Even then we would have grinned and put up with it but the rain made the path slippery to say the least so screaming thighs were relegated in the brain to second place as avoiding breaking our necks took first.

We gladly reached the Brotherswater Car Park NY402133 which even on a rainy day was quite full. From here it was a gentle jog back to Hartsop and the car. We changed into dry clothes under the hatchback of the car then sat eating Barbara's chicken butties with the windscreen wipers going so we could see the fells. Mad or what..........I'll take the former.

Technical Bit