Rock Climbing in Lakeland

C. E. Benson

Description

“Rock Climbing in Lakeland” is a classic guide to rock-climbing in the Lake District, England. It includes interesting information about this beautiful part of the country, as well as detailed instructions on how to prepare and where to go for a good day's climbing. This book is highly recommended for climbers with an interest in visiting this idyllic climbing location. Contents include: “Preparation”, “Equipment”, “Guides”, “Map and Compass”, “Rock-climbing”, “Technicalities”, “Principles of Climbing”, “Practice”, “The Castle Head Climbs”, “Iron Crag Chimney”, “The Rope”, “Walla Crag Gully", "Training Hints”, “Accidents”, “Ice-Axes”, “Certain Easy Climbs”, “The Collie Step”, etc. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with the original text and artwork.

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 02 février 2018
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528784801
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

ROCK CLIMBING IN LAKELAND
Copyright 2017 Read Books Ltd. This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ROCK CLIMBING IN LAKELAND
BY C. E. BENSON MEMBER OF THE CLIMBERS CLUB
Photo by ]
[G. P. A BRAHAM , K ESWICK .
THE COLLIE STEP .
Moss Ghyll, Scawfell. See Appendix IV .
PREFACE.

A novice can often explain to a novice far more effectively than an expert. -Introduction, Rock-Climbing in the English Lake District, by O WEN G LYNNE J ONES .

T HE portions of this book which relate to rock-climbing are primarily addressed to beginners. The number of climbers increases yearly, and it seemed to me that some kind of Child s Guide would be acceptable to fill in the interval between the chapters on elementary British mountaineering by Mr. Pilkington ( Badminton Library ) and Dr. Claude Wilson ( Mountaineering: All England Series ) and the works of Haskett Smith and O. G. Jones. Fellside hunting has, so far as I know, only been treated of hitherto in occasional articles. I have endeavoured to have my statements in regard to this branch of sport thoroughly checked by good men who have followed the hounds for years, and I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to these, and also to those Masters who have been kind enough to furnish me with particulars about their packs. To George Abraham and his brother Ashley, as guides, protectors, and especially as friends, I cannot adequately express my thanks.
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS
. . .
PART I
PREPARATION :- Equipment - Guides - Map and Compass - Solitary Rambling - Origin of the Lake District - Difficulties - Dangers - Travelling the Fells - Scenery
PART II
ROCK-CLIMBING :- Technicalities - Principles of Climbing - Practise - The Castle Head Climbs - Iron Crag Chimney - The Rope - Walla Crag Gully - Mouse Ghyll - Wastdale Head - Dungeon Ghyll and Pavey Ark - Training Hints - Accidents - Ice-Axes - Certain Easy Climbs
APPENDIX - THE COLLIE STEP
PART I.
PREPARATION.

PART I.
PREPARATION.
P REPARATION has been selected in preference to Training, inasmuch as the latter term is always unattractive. It implies a task: it necessitates, if the bull may be forgiven, much unnecessary dieting, and also obedience to certain strict rules which make existence a nuisance. The purpose of this chapter is to submit sundry hints which may serve to make fell-walking more interesting than it always is, and to fit the beginner for hunting and, in a less degree, for rock-climbing, should he feel disposed to take up either sport seriously.
The word seriously is written advisedly, for if a man does not mean business, he can dispense with training altogether. True, he will never be able to climb, but hunting he can enjoy-to the extent of his capacity-by the light of nature. It is assumed, however, that the reader does mean business.
Cha-r-r-ging, comments the. Colour-Sergeant of the Highlanders, in The Drums of The Fore and Aft, is an unfortunate necessity. It makes the men sweer so. Equipment is also an unfortunate necessity, and its discussion is bound to be tedious, even if it have no worse effect.
A soldier is no better than his feet-his feet-his feet! reiterated another character of Kipling s, before the South African war impressed on that author the superiority of four legs over two. The English mountaineer is no better than his feet, and however desirable mobility may be out hunting on the fells, it certainly will not be attained by making use of four legs.
It is of the first importance, then, to be properly shod. Slape shoes are an abomination, and are only mentioned that they may be denounced. They do not stand in the place where they ought not, but they will not stand in the place where they ought, which is quite as objectionable and much more dangerous. Slape, being interpreted, means, generally, slippery. A slape shoe therefore means a boot or shoe with a smooth sole-an ordinary town walking boot in fact. Sometimes nails become slape through wear and tear, and, if not renewed, may cause trouble.
The dalesmen wear boots with two or more rows of heavy nails, the remainder of the sole being dusted with small nails. So far, so good! Many visitors content themselves with a few scattered spikes, disregarding the small nails, which is unwise, as rock has a fiendish knack of finding out the interspaces of leather, and leather does not bite. The result is a slip, and an insignificant slip may produce curious anatomical changes, sending the heart into the mouth or boots, according to the position and constitution of the wearer.
The outside flanges of dalesmen s boots, however, seem to the unprofessional eye specially constructed to throw a man down. They are shod, as it were, with metal bands, and it appears to me that a smooth bit of steel on a slape rock is about as unstable a combination as can well be conceived. Also, it may be observed, a leather edge gives practically no hold.
The very best boot is without doubt the recognised Alpine climbing boot. * Their soles are scientifically nailed on a pattern designed by men who understood their business; their edges are bucklered with steel like a Roman galley or a Viking s sea-steed. No doubt they are heavy, but this slight inconvenience is forgotten as soon as the roads are left, and is compensated by the sense of increased comfort and security. Moreover, a boot to be of any service on the fells must be heavy, and the difference in weight between a stout walking boot and a climbing boot is a negligible quantity.
For a mere fell walk, up the tame giant Skiddaw for instance, a sensitive person may conceive that such boots may carry with them a suggestion of snobbery, though even on Skiddaw, especially after a spell of hot weather, when the grass is dry, slape shoes are a delay, a vexation, and a fatigue; and for all ordinary work a less elaborate boot is at least adequate. But the beginner, if he has enthusiasm in his composition, will assuredly, as soon as he has found his feet, not be long con tent with ordinary work. During a training walk he will see (and of this more anon) a likely-looking crag, and forthwith attack it. With climbing boots he may surmount it, and will return to his work with renewed zest and the joy of conquest in his heart. Otherwise there will await him sooner or later, probably sooner, labour in vain, slips, bruises, disappointment and discouragement. The gripping powers of the genuine article are marvellous. Of course some people, who have never worn these boots, are sceptical as to their superiority; but scepticism will assuredly vanish before the test of actual experiment.
Again, to avoid a long and wearisome detour, a man may often find it convenient to scramble down a rock, say eight feet high, on to a ledge leading to an easy descent. Secure in the knowledge that the armoured edges of his boots will, hold, he can let himself down with ease and confidence. But if he is not sure of his boots, he had far better not make the attempt. A slip on the rock, a slither down, another slip, and so over the ledge.
Of course all boots must be waterproof. Naturally one expects water on a water-shed, and besides the Lake District has a most evil reputation for wet, which is not entirely deserved.
The Lake District being admittedly the wettest part of England, there is a general impression that fine days are like angels visits. Consequently many people decline to go for a holiday to a place where they will only get wet through and see nothing. Statistics prove it! The rainfall in the most favoured spots is double that of London, and at Seathwaite, the abode of abominable sheep dogs, at the foot of the Sty, which leads through some of the finest of the scenery, the rainfall is three times as heavy as in these comparatively dry places. Figures are abominably deceptive. A distinguished Government servant once said that he could make figures prove anything. Moreover, a great many people never take the trouble to look beyond their noses.
Even the most casual comparison between the Styhead and Windermere or Keswick returns would show anyone who took the trouble to think that it may be perfectly fine in the dales though raining heavily on the high fells-and the Styhead is surrounded by the highest fells in the district.
Moreover, the rainfall in the dales is not so black as it is painted. Enthusiastic cricketers will remember Lockwood s Benefit at the Oval in the summer of 1901, when the clouds managed to put in about as much rain in an hour as they generally contrive to do in a month. That is the kind of summer shower one has in the North Countree. The following returns, taken from Baddeley s Guide, are sufficiently eloquent, and should convince the most sceptical that Lakeland is much maligned.
Comparative Return of Sunshine at the following places from the years 1893-1898 inclusive:

Of course there are days when it rains from morning to night, on which occasions wise men keep off the fells. There are also days of cloudless beauty, on which, if Fate deliver him into your hands, it is an abiding joy to take the inexperienced and blatant sceptic a nice walk by the passes, because it s hot, e.g ., from Keswick, up Langstrath, over the Stake, up Rossett Ghyll, and home by Esk Hause, the Sty, Black Sail, and Scarf Gap passes through Newlands. You will probably leave him dead at Buttermere. There is also broken weather, especially on the highlands where sudden showers are frequent, and against this variety it is necessary to provide.
An umbrella may be dismissed with a caution.