February | 2014 | Yellow Van Mountaineering

Last weekend we headed up to see some expedition friends in the Cairngorms. Looking at a forecast of high winds, low cloud, snow, and high avalanche risk, we decided not to take any time off work and just go for the weekend.

The drive up on Friday started well, but we soon slowed to 25 mph from Stirling to Perth with reasonable snow drifts on the road. We didn’t know that road went particularly high, so we thought we might be in for a very long night north of Perth. Surprisingly the roads cleared after Perth – maybe the gritters were caught off guard in the wrong place. We arrived at 0030, found some beds and collapsed into them.

We woke surprisingly early and easily the next day – and then sat around at breakfast while everyone was uninspired. Eventually, people split with some going to Aviemore, some having a look in the Northern Corries, and a group that we joined going up Meall a Bhuachaille. We managed to stay out the cloud for most of it and the views over Glen Mor and Loch Morlich were spectacular. The snow soon started though and the wind really picked up as we reached the summit and turned to descend directly into it. A great wee ridge for the weather, and it’s been a while since we were on it. Great to have a leg stretch and see what the conditions were like.

Sunday had a better weather forecast, but with loads of snow on the ground and a drive home to do, we wanted something new, short and climbable. A look around the guidebooks found nothing. A few people had seen climbers in previous years on the crag at Sron na cho above the Ciste car park, on the east side of the 1028 spot height, so we thought that might be an option, being slightly lower than the main corries. In addition, I’d spotted a crag (GR NJ002069), visible from the Ciste car park, from Meall a Bhuachaille the previous day. I believe this crag is called Cranberry Rocks, I haven’t found much more about it.

We went exploring.

From the car park the crag looked plausible, so we decided to stop by before heading over the top to the higher crags at Sron na cho. Once at the bottom of the crag, we spotted a couple of likely routes. The ice and snow was just firm enough to allow winter climbing so we got started. I thought the first ice gully looked a bit interesting and so started on something a bit easier. The slab round the corner was still some of the harder mixed climbing I’ve done. I bailed below the second bluff with powdery snow above it, where the line and my confidence ran out. I belayed there, and then traversed out to find the start of a second line. An initial difficulty gave way to straightforward climbing leading me straight into a chimney crux. Despite having not climbed for 9 months I was feeling good and tackled the harder line rather than the gully exit round the side. I must admit Jo made the crux look more elegant than I could, despite having the hot aches.

We went back down for some lunch and then tackled the ‘harder’ ice gully. Turned out to be straightforward, bold and well trodden but nevertheless enjoyable. We sat enjoying the sun and lack of wind for a while and then headed home. An excellent crag for the day – allowed us to push our climbing unwittingly, and have a little exploring fun just out of the car park. Also allowed me to play with my new axes, and for Jo to tangle my new rope.

Descending from Meall a Bhuachaille

Raised Ptarmigan prints, with the crag behind

First pitch

First bluff on the slab

2nd pitch fun (I knocked out some gear, and had a moment until I replaced it)

straight forward until the last chimney

Ice gully

The view from the gully.

Alpine feeling at the top

We’d originally earmarked this weekend for winter climbing, or if not, joining the CUHWC trip to Capel Curig, but the forecast for our usual mountain haunts was even more grim than usual. Deciding we’d had enough of battling wind and precipitation against the backdrop of the inside of a cloud, we headed north east instead, in search of pastures new, low and hopefully sunny.

The three-hour drive from Oakham to Kirkbymoorside was pleasantly short, allowing us to leave after dinner and arrive in good time to find a parking spot and enjoy a beer before bed. We are now discovering some of the true joys of the van – no need to worry about booking somewhere to stay, being able to change plans at the last minute, yet far more civilised and less effort than camping.

We couldn’t quite believe our luck on waking to glorious sunshine, and set off from our parking spot on Harland Moor to do an anticlockwise round of Farndale, via Blakey Ridge, the Coast to Coast to Bloworth Crossing, and Rudland Rigg. It did get rather windy later, and we found the track walking somewhat monotonous. However, these were minor gripes, and not enough to stop us detouring to bag Round Hill on Urra Moor – the high point of the North York Moors at 454m! We then spent the evening at the fantastic Lion Inn on High Blakey Moor, which we’d scouted out earlier, enjoying the welcoming atmosphere and hearty portions.

Parking on a ridge in strong winds was perhaps not our best idea, but it was close to the pub, and anyway the van stayed upright overnight. On Sunday we headed to the coast to explore Whitby and walk from Robin Hood’s Bay to Ravenscar and back. Disappointingly, the cafe at Boggle Hole wasn’t open for cream teas, but we finally tracked one down at the Yorkshire Hotel to round off the weekend perfectly.