A day trip to Wharncliff Crags. Who fancies it?

[spamel]

Right, it seems that there are loads of us around the Leeds and Sheffield area, so I propose a day trip to Wharncliff Crags. If you're lucky, you may come away ten quid better off like Ratbag did a few weeks back!

So, lets see what we can do here, I propose that we have a day meet in maybe a fortnights time, but we can juggle it according to what people have regards free time and other engagements. I say we meet up in the morning, tramp around pushing mountain bikers off their bikes as they whizz by and generally check out the female fell runners in their spandex! We can bushwhack a bit if you like too!

There are areas that we could possibly go through putting up tarps and such like, but it is not gonna be possible to have a fire as it is public access around there. A stove shouldn't be a problem though.

So, anybody in the area who wants to pop along, say aye and we'll see if we can fix a date and sort out maybe a good meeting point so that we are all in one area. It is fairly windy up there most of the time, but the views are pretty fantastic and there are a few good little cave type things to explore at the lower level.

 

[Shewie]

I reckon I could be up for a bit of that Spamel

Are you thinking midweek or weekend ???

If I get off the M1 at J36 where`s good spot to meet ??


Rich

 

[spamel]

Junction 36 is good, I propose meeting in Soughley Lane/Wortley Road, by Soughley Bridge. There is a good area there where Ratbag and myself parked up last time. I can take a large Panel Marker Hi Vis thingy so that you know you have the right people.

At Grid Ref SK 2925 9860 there is a good parking area. You can see it on the link below if you look at the satellite imagery. It is firm ground with that matting stuff that grass grows through or something like that. There should be no problems parking on there.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en...-1.560676&spn=0.001491,0.003616&t=h&z=18&om=0

 

[spamel]

Oh, I would suppose that the weekend would be best for most. The crags aren't massive but it is a nice area and across the road is a large reservoir that is quite nice to take a walk about. If we leave it a couple of weeks though as this weekend is a bit short notice and the weekend after is the Lime Bark cordage weekend fore Ratbag and myself, unless anyone wants to pop into Silver wood for that one? Not sure if it will have worked, but there are some interesting things to see there too.

 

[spamel]

Bump for the day shift!

 

[Matt Weir]

Sounds interesting Spam. Would this be Saturday or Sunday? Saturdays are a bit gash-ola for us as Nat works in the morning but if it's on the Sunday then I will see if we are good to go.

Edit: oops, should have checked how hardcore this is to be as regards dragging the wife and kids up mountains or gentle mooch with the kids wanting to go exploring the caves etc.

 

[Aragorn]

what time in the morning you got planned spam, i wouldn't mind tagging alone depending on confirmed date, it's about 1hr40 drive for me so will need to know what time to start off.

 

[spamel]

Well, I wasn't expecting folk from so far to be interested, but if you can make it it would be great! I have a gammy knee from a snowboarding accident a few years back but the walk was a pleasure for me. Ratbag took it easy and didn't thrash me all around the place! There is a walk along a disused railway line, but you can hop off the gravel onto a small path if you don't like walking on stones.

The initial scramble over some rocks to start getting up on to the crags is easily done even by the likes of an old duffer like me with shot knees and a pack on my back. It is usually quite windy up there, I had cracked lips the next day as I hadn't used any lip balm! Nearly lost my felt cowboy hat too! So, once you are over the initial scramble, it is a pleasant walk down a footpath with the odd stone to hop over or puddle to negotiate, and they are just that and not lakes and mountains! We then dropped down and did some investigating on the way back. The woodland below is full of birch and in places some of it has dropped so we took the bark from them. It was good thick stuff. There are small recesses in the rocks and some nice flowing water, we had a robin come and sit within a few feet of us when we were gathering the birch bark so there is plenty of bird watching to be done.

So far, Matt has said he would prefer a Sunday, and I see no problem with that. To be fair, I could probably get out for both days if others wish to go on a Saturday but for now we'll say it is going to be Sunday and then we can work off of that. Also, with a 2 hour drive for some, I'd suggest being at the meeting point at ten o'clock, unless the travellers wish to set off earlier?

As I said previously, we'll thrash it out here and work out what is best for all. I expect there will be more people showing an interest this evening when they get home and log on.

 

[DoctorSpoon]

Sorry, would have liked to have joined you, but we're off metal bashing for the weekend.

 

[spamel]

It won't be for a couple of weeks yet so you may be a able to make it yet! February 9th/10th I'm looking at. Just gonna go check the Middlewood dates though, don't want a conflict of interests!

 

[Shewie]

Can we get away with bringing a hobo stove Spamel ??



Rich

 

[spamel]

I reckon so. There are plenty of rocks to set up on so it shouldn't be a problem. Most people tend to stay up on the top anyway. I will leave it up to your own judgement, but if your stove doesn't fire scar the ground then it should be OK.

 

[Matt Weir]

Cheers Spam. Yorkshire has some beautiful countryside and I've been wanting to explore a bit more that way for ages. I hope were good to go

 

[spamel]

There is some good countryside here, I hope you like Wharncliff. I'll be collecting "Entry to Yorkshire" fees for those from the wrong side of the border and the disinfecting shower will be put up so you don't contaminate our green and pleasant land!

 

[Neanderthal]

Thanks for organising this Spam.

Wharncliffe is probably one of the largest bits of woodland within striking distance of Leeds and has been on my list of places to visit for ages. It will be good to wander around with a native guide.

I like Shewies hobo stove idea for a brew.

I’ve an old climbing guide which covers Wharncliffe Crag, I can bring it along so we can point at some of the routes and go “No Way!”

Cheers
Stu

 

[spamel]

It'd be nice to see you again Stu, it seems to have been a while since I saw you last. Must be the last Delamere meet at least. As for a native guide, I wouldn't go that far, but hopefully this trip will be the start of a long chain of day trips that could be organised around our areas, maybe not quite the same as a couple of days meet but still time to maybe get out on our legs and try some of the more creative skillsby gathering materials and the like.

I'll certainly keep my thinking cap on for other likely areas round about. There is some fantastic land on the way into Silkstone if you come in from the other side of the country and through Penistone. The road over the Peak District is beautiful. If you're a passenger in the car, keep an eye out for hares running about. The Peaks would be a good place for a ramble one day as it is easily available to all with a car.

 

[DoctorSpoon]

The Peaks would be a good place for a ramble one day as it is easily available to all with a car.

Once the weather's a bit better we'll host something over here - we're in Edale. At the moment the ground is soooooo saturated with water, the mud is knee deep and it is truly 'orrible! My current exercise regime consists of a quick squodge to the field at the back of the house to throw a ball for the dog then a run on a treadmill in the garage

 

[spamel]

It's squishy everywhere. It is a bit muddy up on the crags with some puddling. or it was a few weeks back so it is safe to assume that it will still be. Who knows what the next fortnight will bring though. I may do a recce the weekend before. I'd wear sturdy boots, gaiters if you have them.

It would be nice to come down and see the Wood family. I spent a week a few years back in Buxton which was incredibly nice. I hate the city, getting to more rural areas, I find, is just so relaxing.

 

[Scally]

the quarry area on the crag is usually really quite and well protected!! whish i could join you but we expecting the baby to pop out around then sorry.
Spamal have you had time to tram over the fitzwiliam estate yet and had a look at the red deer ? thats were i started my career as a game keeper working voluntary for them!! many years ago. As of the crags great places with the wee ponds up at the top if i remeber rightly they used to be alot of owl boxes up around the big lake (never did see a nightjar up there though) have a great time guys and girls but still not jealous will be in another six months though

 

[spamel]

I used to go through Wharncliff a number of years back and camp over in the woodland by the reservoir. Illegaly I later found out! Ooops! I've yet to come across the deer, I think Ratbag was saying they are up on the chase. Maybe we could plot that in on the walk.