Holiday - Yorkshire Day 2

Yorkshire Holiday Day 2

Tuesday 7th June

After a poor night's sleep due to the heat we didn't get up that early.  We eventually left the cottage around 11.  We set off towards Ingleton as we needed to collect a competition prize Tim had won. We then headed to Malham Tarn and Malham cove.  We parked in the car park and to my dismay there were cows everywhere!  Once we had walked to the Tarn we stopped and had some lunch.  

We next went down into the village of Malham and walked off to the cove.  It was very hot and muggy. Once more there were cows everywhere and either side of the path.  Down at the cove we saw a peregrine falcon in the trees.  There were also some climbers attempting a very difficult climb.  

On our walk back we started to get thunder and drizzle.  We called in at the heritage centre to pick up some information about local steam trains.  Back at the car we were pleased to get the air con on as it was very muggy.  Back in Settle we walked up to a crag we have in mind for some climbing later in the week.  While we were out the rain and thunder returned so we retreated back to Craggs Barn for a shower, dinner and to watch Montypython’s Search for the Holy Grail! More thunder and lightning and the air has cleared a bit thankfully.  We are aiming to go caving tomorrow in Sel Gill Hole.

Holiday - Yorkshire Day 1

Yorkshire Holiday Day 1

Monday 6th June

This morning Tim and I looked to be getting ready in good time.  Tim tried to turn off the water but the valve started leaking!!  Eventually having sorted out the problem we got on our way.

We were doing quite well stopping at Cherwell Valley for some lunch and then again at Barthomley Interchange before hitting traffic from an accident and then roadworks!  We decided to leave the motorway and take another route but in the end this turned out to not be the best decision!!  Evenually we made it to where we are staying.  We are staying at LayHead Farm Cottages.  

After unloading the car and having a drink we went a did some food shopping.  Back at the cottage we had some dinner and relaxed through the evening deciding what to do tomorrow.

Holiday - Dartmoor Day 4

Dartmoor Holiday Day 4

Thursday 17th March

Today we planned to go climbing, we got all packed up and set off for Sheeps Tor.  We arrived just after a minibus of 6 had also not long arrived and had begun walking up the tor. It was a lovely clear day with blue skies, a little windy but Tim had read that that was going to die down as the morning went on.  We set of up the path and looked at the book to check out which climbs we were going to do.  

It was quite windy so tried to find a sheltered bit.  We thought Slab Route looked like it might be a bit less in the wind and a suitable route so we got kitted up.  The wind was increasing however and part of the way up the climb Tim decided it was far too blustery.  After coming back down he climbed up to the top using the descent route and rigged an abseil so he could retrieve the kit.  Tim was struggling on the top ad it was so windy.  When he came down we decided to pack up and find a different rock to climb on.

Back at the car we looked at the map and decided to go to the Dewerstone to see if that was any better.  We parked up and looked in the guide book for directions to the area best or us to go climbing.  There were a few multi pitch climbs so we were going to have to leave out kit at the bottom of the climbs so we only took with us the essentials.  After a short walk the Dewerstone appeared out of the trees.  There were a few other climbers there.  We located a suitable route up the rocks (Mucky Gully) and got ourselves ready.  We did the climb as 2 pitches.  It was a nice easy climb and a good learning experience for practising different skills.  Once we had got down we found a shorter climb (Agag's Slab) to round off the day. 

Back at the cottage we sorted some dinner and had a relaxing evening.

Tomorrow we are heading home via a tannery at Colyton as Tim wants some leather for handbell refurbishing.  It is a shame to go as we have had a great time and lovely weather.

Holiday - Dartmoor Day 3

Dartmoor Holiday Day 3

Wednesday 16th March

This morning Tim and I had arranged to go and see Ian in Okehampton, Ian has done a lot of work refurbishing Tim's handbells and locating bells to add into his set.  Tim had a few bells that were cracked and that he wasn't able to work with and thought Ian could make good use of them.  After seeing Ian we went for a walk through the park and by the river in Okehampton and then looped back round to the car.

Once back at the car we had a think about what else we wanted to do today.  We both felt quite tired so didn't fancy another walk.  I suggested to Tim that it might be a good time for him to have a cream tea if he fancied it so we stopped at Lydford Gorge on the way back to the cottage.  

We had a relaxing rest of the afternoon and evening.  We plan to go climbing tomorrow as the weather is looking good.

Holiday - Dartmoor Day 2

Dartmoor Holiday Day 2

Tuesday 15th March

This morning Tim and I went into Tavistock to shop for a few bits we had forgotten and that weren't supplied in the cottage and a pasty!  Tim had said he wanted to walk up to Widgery Cross on Bray Tor.  We got to the car park and set off walking about 11.00. We followed a track from the car park down to the river Lyd and crossed on the stepping stones.

While we were on our way up I found or first letterbox for the trip.

We continued our way up to Widgery Cross.  

The cross was erected by William Widgery to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887. Widgery's Cross holds three distinctions amongst the realms of Dartmoor crosses, firstly it is the only cross constructed of blocks of granite as opposed to being hewn from a single slab. Secondly it is the most visible of the crosses as it can be seen from many places on the moor. Thirdly the cross is the tallest of the all the Dartmoor granite crosses which stand outside of a cemetery. The cross stands at an altitude of 452 metres.

We had a good view from the cross and decided to take a different route on our walk and go to Great Links Tor also.  It didn't look that far from Widgery Cross but it was further than I thought and higher!

From here we made our way down to Little Links Tor.

After stopping for a drink we decided to take the most direct route across to Arms Tor rather than climbing back on to the top of the ridge.  It was a bit boggy in places but not enough to make us change our route.

Up on Arms Tor we got the map out and planned the best route back to the car.  There was a settlement marked on the map near a footpath that we could make out in the grass and a ford marked over the river.

We got back to the car just after 4pm after a great walk and 8 letterboxes collected.

This evening we cooked dinner at the cottage and had a quiet evening.

Holiday - Dartmoor Day 1

Dartmoor Holiday Day 1

Monday 14th March

This morning Tim and I set off around 08.30 and set off to the Toby Carvery in Exeter for breakfast, we got there about 10.15.  After breakfast we headed for Hay Tor as we had planned to do some climbing before checking in to where we are staying.  We got to Hay Tor and our ourselves ready to walk out to it.  It was rather windy but as we got up to the part of the Tor we chose to climb on we were quite sheltered.  We kitted up and set off on the first route Zig Zag.  

The next route we did was called Bulging Wall.  Both routes had their challenges but were nice climbs.  There were lots of people around hiking and dog walking.  One man stopped with us for quite a while chatting and asking about climbing.  We left there about 4 and made our way to Monkstone where we are staying.  We stayed here about 2 years ago and liked it so much we wanted to come back.  Like last time there was a cream tea waiting for us!

We settled in and had a cozy evening in front of the fire!!

Climbing - Fairy Quarry Trad Climbing

Trad Climbing

Today we decided to go back to Fairy Quarry for some more trad climbing.  We were the only ones in the quarry but we decided to go back to where we had been a few days before.  We climbed Cristel Wall first then I had a go at leading on a route we climbed before called Back to Sandy Lane.  It took me a little while but I got there!!  I am glad I did it but I think I am happy to second and have the task of removing the protection that has been placed.

On the way home we had an eventful journey involving a deer and resulting in the rest of the journey with the car on the back of a rescue lorry!