Davie and Phil H headed off to the Lakes yesterday to introduce Phil to Napes Needle.
The trip commenced on a note best forgotten. On arrival at Stockley Bridge we came upon a young lass taking a picture of her boyfriend on the bridge. I offered to take a snap of them both together and when she climbed back up to give me her camera, I set off for a good vantage point.
I turned to take the snap and promptly fell spectacularly on to my chest and shoulder, completely wrecking the camera in the process.
In a true Verdes moment, I clambered back over to the stunned couple, gave her back the wreckage and got her name and address before disappearing into the distance.
We took time out to examine flora and fauna on the way and were soon at Sty Head Tarn. We pushed on across the Climbers Traverse and as we arrived at the Needle, there were a couple climbing up the joining wall, using the crux of the Needle as a holding point.
Oh no! Congestion....
I climbed up to the girl who was anchored and prepared the belay for Phil. The rock was very greasy and the rope was definitely needed. The scramble up unroped had been a bit hairy and I was glad that I would be abseiling down. The lead climber abseiled down to join me and his partner and we established that we were all from Ripon!
They were squaddies; her from Signals and him in the Engineers.
Bloody craphats!
Phil managed to get past the initial moves and was soon joining us at the crux. Getting down the other side was tricky as the rocks and holds were really grimy but he was soon safe and sound.
One classic abseil later and we were having lunch on our lofty perch, over looking Scafell Pike, Lingmell and Great End.
We continued around the Traverse until we reached the Kirk Fell path on the West side and used this to gain the summit of Great Gable.
Job done.
Although clear for most of the day, the cloud was quite heavy at around 700m and visibility was around 40m.
We headed back down to the stretcher box and developed a top tip for in the mountains; if you're going to injure yourself, do it by the box! MRT will know exactly where you are, distance to get to you is minimised and you can use the box as shelter until they arrive...
Got back to the car after 8 1/2 hrs - a cracker of a day out.
Next threading session is on the 24th October - so if you haven't done it and want to lose your cherry - come along.
Davie
1 comment:
I think it's about time we started planning a summit attempt on the Needle!
A Verdes day out as we did with the InPin would go down a treat. Get everyone to the top of the Needle then climb the summit of Great Gable via Needle Ridge and Westmorlands Crag. http://www.summitpost.org/route/410244/Great-Gable-via-Needle-Ridge-and-Westmorlands-Crag.html Might need a 'Ninja' along for guidance though!!
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