By Nigel Koenen
A group of ski club members and friends met at the Honister Pass quarry car park at 9.30 and were mustered by Christine Fildes for a stiff climb up towards Green Gable, which soon came into sight. The cloud and rain was coming and going and the wind was increasing all the time!!
Having attained the summit we set off down to Windy Gap. No wonder it is called Windy Gap, for as we started down we all were flattened and set tumbling by a huge gust. We clung to the mountain and scuppered on all fours to the gap where we decided to abandon the climb to Great Gable summit (on safety grounds) and head down north east out of the wind where we had our lunch.
As we headed to our next goal, Haystacks, the weather closed in and the party split into 2 groups, one headed to Haystacks whilst the other, possibly slightly older, more injury prone and less fit group, took up Ian and Lindsay Harford's kind offer of tea and cakes back at ther holiday cottage.
This was a very pleasant end to the day with a great talk by Ian from his high viewing position in his attic of the local mining histories; good to see Ian looking well after his health troubles.
We all regrouped at the Middle Ruddings Hotel for a very good meal and at approx 10.00pm we all went our seperate ways.
The writer would like to offer the Club's thanks for Christine's leading the walk, Ian's hospitality and Derek's organisation of evening meal.