K Fellfarers

Dolomites Camping Meet
The location for this years camping meet in Europe was the Dolomites, with members making their own way to and from the Camping Colfosco site in Corvara via various routes and means. Meeting up during the 'core week' of June 13 - 20, members used tents and camper vans to enjoy a great time in this superb area. The shots below give a flavour.

One day was spent ascending the classic peak Sassongher that dominates Corvara. A via Ferrata graded 1A, its more of a protected walk, but what a superb top. Right shows Colin on the ascent, below left on the ascent looking back down the valley, and below right Tony and Sue on the summit.

	Another day saw a group taking the cable car from Passo Pordoi (2,339m) up to Rifugio Maria with the intention of walking across the plateau and up to Piz Boe - 3,152m/10,341ft. Because it was still rather early in the season, they were met with a good covering of snow - not really suitable for trainers and shorts! Only Mick made the trek across to the summit of Piz Boe (behind the group on the left) to find the refuge closed.
The top of the Passo Gardena at 2,115m gives easy access to the uplands on the north of the pass including 2 via Ferata, the Piz da Cir V and the easier Gran Cir.
	No collection of photos of the Dolomites would be complete without that most lovely of flowers, the blue gentian.
North Wales
Whilst some members were enjoying places as far apart as Colonsay, Canna, and Corvara, some were exploring the lesser known delights of North Wales. Below left shows the view whilst descending the old quarry track from Cribin Fach, whilst below right is a view of the superb Cadair Idris across the Mawddach Estuary.

Right is the view of the Snowdon horseshoe from Gallt y Wenallt, the actual, but rarely visited, end of the horseshoe.
Getting wet
	Heavy rain leads to swollen becks, making crossing them difficult. Sometimes you have to get your boots wet.
But there is always the compensation of a fine communal meal back at High House to look forward to.

	Seeing double near Whitbarrow Scar.
More floods in Borrowdale
Burnley MC were visiting High House for their 60th birthday celebrations on the weekend of June 23, but heavy rain caused severe flooding and impacted the weekend. Roy Haythornthwaite sent the two photos below of Sour Milk Ghyll, and the path above Stockley Bridge. Roy said in his e-mail - Sorry I don't have any photo's of the flood at it's height, I took these attached on the Friday afternoon before the worst of the deluge, but even then the path from the farm to Sourmilk Gill was knee deep and I spoke to two guys returning from Scawfell via Styhead about an hour after taking the photo's, who said it would be immpossible to cross the streams leading up there. I and another member managed to get to Seatoller to check if any of our group were stranded on the high parts of the road, but struggled to return against the flow and height of the water. It was like a river on the road and the valley was a sheet of water: we were clinging to the fences. This was at 6.00pm and it did get worse. The small stream outside the hut was a raging torrent and the bridge on the track well under the water. As a result of the weather the 60th celebrations at the hut have been postponed until our October visit, and the plans to bag 60 tops also cancelled. Four of our members travelled all the way up from Lincolnshire and were turned back just before the Lodore Hotel, with another seven not making it as they were stopped by the police at Keswick. We had food for 40 people so Saturday night was a real Billy Bunter style tuck in. I didn't take any more photo's because the rain was so heavy you just couldn't see what you were looking at through the lens. Tell you what though: it was bad but I'm glad I was there to see it, and we managed to reach the top of Grey Knotts on the Saturday but by then we'd had enough.

Mid-Week Walk - not Ingleborough
The Mid-Week Walk up Ingleborough at the end of June was a very wet affair, and what with the weather and some members still coming home from the camping meet in the Dolomites, only three members turned up. Rod, Norman, and Hugh waited in the car for the rain to bate, but it didn't, and so in time honored style they moved down to Inglesports for a cuppa. With no let up in sight, the decision was made to head for the coast - Arnside. At least the rain wasn't as hard there, and a walk was managed round the shore to White Creek and back over the Knott. Will we ever get a decent spell of sunny weather? Right shows Norman and Rod having lunch at Blackstone Point.
Mike Westmacott, one of the last remaining members of the first team to climb Everest in 1953, has died aged 87. He moved to the Lakes following his retirement in 1985, and latterly lived up Kentmere.
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