Easter Meet 1970.

With a total of 15 in the Hut by Easter Sun this could be an account of a most active weekend. However, the weather was not conducive to frenzied mountain activity and there is not much to show for the period. The MMC members were put to shame by Pete Brooks and his friends from Huddersfield who duly left before most were even up and came back having gobbled up various hard routes at Gogarth or Tremadoc. The other activity consisted of -

Lockwood's Chimney (Ray, Alister, Stuart in pouring rain) on Saturday*

Flying Buttress (Chris & Stuart) &

Spiral Stairs (Lewis & Simon) on Sunday

Moel Eilio took a hammering and Ray briefly visited Yr Wyddfa via the heads of 200,000 tourists.

The meet Leader (delegate) Mrs Wright worked hard over the 'hot stove' and her spouse was bone-idle.

*Lewis has just reminded me that he and Simon, against the fantastic odds of arctic weather, gales, storms, verglas, looses rock etc forced a line up a certain cleric's facial appendage in Cwm Glas, finishing with a terrifying traverse of Crib Goch ridge in zero-zero conditions.

RAF Scampton Meet June 19-22nd

Various routes of Diff - Severe grade were undertaken on W Wing of the Mot, Wastad, Craig Ddu & Cwm Silyn during the weekend.

The visitors were most impressed with Caer Fran, both the facilities and conditions and wish to express their thanks for the use of the hut.

June 22nd - 25th

The Wrights used the hut.

Two prospective Grads were introduced and reacted favourably.

Now we have come to the last page of this record of the history of Caer Fran perhaps a new Hut-Book will soon be purchased and members will make the effort to write of their activities on the hills.

I, for one, enjoy to read of the past and am sorry that my drivel seems to be in the majority of the entries for the last couple of years. I.J.W.

July 5th - 7th 1970

Clitheroe Royal Grammar School

14 Peaks Walk (Tramps Club)

We arrived on Sunday the 5th in dull, but dry weather and went to bed at 9.30, ready for a 2.00am start which actually took place at three. We left Pen y Pass for Crib Goch, the first of the peaks of over 3000'. This was followed by the others in the Snowdon Horseshoe, and then our first rendezvous with the supply party and their cars. The weather was deteriorating, and the second section was completed in rain, wind and cloud. However, by the time we began the third section - the Carnedds and their neighbors - the sun was shining and there was only a slight breeze. Unfortunately a combination of circumstances, namely, the need to find our way by compass in fog, and our leader's capacity for tomato juice and chocolate butties, delayed us and we did not reach Aber until about 11.00pm, instead of our ETA of 7.00pm, which is the usual finishing time for the circuit. Apart from the danger of being benighted we had no mishaps, although not many people could walk anywhere the following morning.

Those who did the 14 Peaks are (Masters) Mr D Green, Mr E Carter; (Boys) Neil Robertson, Darryl Luter, Ronnie & Kenneth Davies, Tony Catterall, Ian Fozard, John Trantor; (Miscellaneous) Dr J Hardy from Clitheroe, Mr J Grimble, ex Master, now at Colwyn Bay, George Clegg an old boy and Brian Head, the Gaffer's lad.

The Supply Party was Mr M Blackburn, Roger Allen & Mr McDonald

7th November 1970 Colin Jones' Meet

Great start to weekend, gear stolen, continued in style by gear not turning up!

Hard Man Loo slipped on Christmas Curry but due to the 'ape' in him struggled against the odds and remained on the rock with his teeth. Not content with his epic on the rocks Loo and Alan took to the trees and swung around for a while, Hodge assaulted Y Broga with the star climber from Wrexham but fearing certain death they decided to be content with collecting slings from strategic points and reversing down the first ice of the season. This was his 29th attempt (not that anyone's counting!). Still the Wastad was excellent.

After searching all the tents in the Pass and disturbing many a couple, the night ended excellently by fuel shortage which prevented further progress.

12th December

Loo's Meet! Another man's poison. [Really Mrs Jones' though]

Throne stolen by Fred Smith 7.50 (pain full)

Weekend begins with 'packed out' feeling - Lew's van in true Jewish style had 5 on the seats and one on the brake (also pain full). Weekend continues in the Jewish style - ten around the table watching Lew eat, (tea, butter all round). Glen did spot two and three, Denny did spot 4 and Lew & Co got out the rescue team from Ogwen to help them out on spot 5.

Someone must have been in on heck of a 'spot' to get the team out! An action packed Saturday full of the rigors of Winter one might say.

Chris Shannon scratched his head on somebody's crampons following up so closely to Joe Brown on Central Gully. Fred Smith claimed to fame and fortune and lit the fire in the drying room.

Due to an uncommonly restless urge the savage horde screamed down the track to the trains. After an uneventful drinking session Loo went off the rails on the old lines, a swinging session in the pale and a chip off the old block & ended the evening in a cloud of mud and marsh (in scene joke). JC and Big G became very popular in the evening when it was decided that they had sole rites over the fleshpots of Bethesda. All had a rather raving time in short "a good time was had by all".

Dedicated to Linda, Denny, Chris & all Wayfarers

Goodnight Ducky.

Meow!

A dour man from the Northern mists and rain of the West Coast of Scotland thinks the last of the club is descending to the drunken ribaldry exhibited by Robert Burns.

To all males who reckon they're tops

It's a shame I know to find your world broken into by females but that's progress, try not to resent us too much otherwise we won't be so handy when it comes to giving top ropes.

Women's lib front.

Dedicated to Pete Smith (or the red biro writer )

(The phantom poet)

"The sword (or rope) is mightier than the pen" but then you wouldn't know.

Editorial Note

That is the last entry in the first volume of the Merseyside Mountaineering Club Record of Climbs 1960 - 1970.

There was, I am told, an earlier volume which may still be in existence, if so, I have been unable to locate it - any information would be gratefully received.

The next section brings us up to 1990 and close to the end of the 'second' Log Book, some of which (June 1991 - April 1994) has not yet been transcribed.

A new (third) Log Book was placed in the Hut in the summer of 1994 but none of it has, so far, been transcribed.

Jim Hunter, March 1999