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Organisation History Summers 1974-2011

LEEDS UNIVERSITY STAFF WALKING CLUB

A BRIEF HISTORY

The Leeds University Staff Walking Club had its origin in January 1974, with a circular letter from Bill Williams, then Honorary Secretary of the Senior Common Room Club Committee. This invited interested members to support an informal “Country Walking Club” which would undertake walks of four to eight miles but “we hope gradually to increase our range”. Based on the response to this, the first walk was arranged for Saturday 16 February 1974, when a twelve-strong party, led by John Kilham, explored the Burnsall area. We took the sonorous title `Leeds University Senior Common Room Walking Club’. Since then, over more than three decades, day walks have taken place on a remarkably regular basis.

These were originally on a fortnightly basis with the Saturday walk repeated the following day so that the Sunday walkers could have the benefit of any hazards encountered on the Saturday. This soon gave way to a pattern of walks virtually every weekend, with the Saturday walk repeated on the Sunday of the following weekend. The Saturday walks were therefore something of a reconnoitre. This is bound to seem quaint to current leaders, accustomed as they are to checking the route before the advertised walk date!

The early pattern of outings was determined by an informal committee including, besides the Chairman John Kilham, Joyce Williams (who then led the Sunday walks), Peter Beeley and, a little later, Romaine Hervey, David Shaw and Adrian Smith. A key role was that of Betty Eales, who acted as general coordinator and secretary. A strong and enthusiastic walker, as well as a veteran traveller, Betty is now long retired and lives in Bakewell. Of currently active members, only Jenny Willison took part in that first ever Club walk.

The second outing, on 2 March 1974, included Penyghent, with a teatime visit to the Dale Head home of the then Bursar Edmund Williamson. May that year saw the first of many walking weekends when seventeen members stayed at the Punchbowl Hotel at Low Row and walked in Swaledale.

The activities of the wet summer of 1974 culminated in a memorable struggle with the bogs of Kinderscout, with a perilous late crossing from the Downfall to Edale finally abandoned in favour of a long and wet, but safer, return round the plateau edge. The same year saw a party of nineteen enjoy a November weekend based at the Yorke Arms at Ramsgill in Nidderdale, following the success of an autumnal stay at the Rose and Crown in Bainbridge.

In the following year the first of many Dales Rail outings took 23 members to the Howgill Fells, and weekends were enjoyed at Carlton in Coverdale and further afield at the High Force Hotel in Teesdale. But the most notable event of 1975 was the first of our summer long walks, the Dales Way, which established the pattern of an annual summer expedition, proudly maintained every year since and resistant even to FMD closures.

The University Pennine Hut at Selside provided a further early base for weekend stays, beginning in 1977, and several Three Peaks rounds were accomplished from there. This hut was comfortable but, in those days, malodorous. It was later discarded in favour of the more spartan Mountain Hut, wonderfully situated in the Duddon Valley in the remote western Lake District. This became the focus for many a summer visit. These always seemed to be blessed by sunshine, which allowed all the main tops to be visited, often in the course of long and strenuous ridge walks.

Just as these visits became annual fixtures, so did our stays, usually in November, at the Kearton Guest House in Thwaite, Swaledale. These began in 1976, under the unforgettable hospitality of the late Mrs Hunter – at an inclusive price for Dinner, Bed and Breakfast of œ5.00 per night! One of these weekends included an early, impromptu ceilidh coordinated by Bas and readily agreed to by the Kearton GH management.

Another wonderful weekend base over subsequent years was gthe MAM (Midland Association of Mountaineers) hut, Glan Dena, in the Nant Ffrancon valley of Snowdonia. Mountain walks starting from this idyllic spot, the formidable mass of Tryfan towering overhead, again became an annual institution. One of these weekends was tragically memorable for coinciding with the loss of a light plane on Tryfan, close to where the Club group was walking at the time. A party, led by Adrian, was descending in thick mist when they actually heard the noise of the crash, not far above them, and attempted to direct the search party and rescue helicopter towards the wreckage.

The sun did not often shine on early Dales Rail occasions. One of the more surreal of these, in 1976, coincided with the Centenary celebrations of the line itself. Our drenched party, muddy from the slopes of Whernside, was permitted brief shelter beside the waiting-room fire at Ribblehead station, while top-hatted and crinolined staff marshalled dainty refreshments for the approaching celebratory train. We emerged, trying hard to merge in with the 19th-century elegance around us. But they still made us wait for the next train.

Nearer to home was the Leeds Country Way, the 60-mile series of linked paths describing a complete circuit around Leeds at a distance of around 10 miles from City Square. This was opened in 1981-2 and completed by the Club by summer 1985. The original route notes came complete with bus timetables to facilitate linear walks. The route still exists and we have recently completed a second circuit. This is now rather more of a challenge as, sadly, public transport links at the beginning and end of each stage are not what they were.

One of the Club’s most cherished annual tradtion is the Christmas Walk/Lunch. This started informally, in the 70s, as an annual end-of-year excuse for tasting Romaine Hervey’s excellent home-made sloe gin. Subsequently, for over 20 years, we followed the same route from Grassington to Kilnsey, via Conistone Dib, usually on the Sunday before Christmas, to take lunch at the Tennant Arms Hotel. The latter remained remarkably consistent in terms
both of welcome and culinary excellence, until it changed hands in 2004. We attempted to stay loyal but, following complaints about the new arrangements, a change was clearly indicated. In December 2007, we therefore adopted a new route, from Burnsall, which included lunch at the Fountaine Inn, Linton. The day proved a great success, not least in terms of the record number of participants (48) and we felt we had solved our problem. This feeling was reinforced in December 2009 when heavy snow meant that the walk had to be aborted and a reduced number chose to drive round to the pub. Far from expressing irritation at our depleted numbers, the Fountaine staff were concerned for our safety and grateful that any of us had made it to Linton.

The original Dales Way long distance walk ushered in the more challenging Pennine Way, accomplished over a total of three weeks spread over three summers. This began in the drought summer of 1976, when Kinderscout was, for once, more desert than swamp and clouds of dry peat dust adhered enthusiastically to our sweaty faces. It was duly concluded at Kirk Yetholm after weeks of contrasting weather in 1977 and 1978. Subsequent summer events included Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast, Offa’s Dyke (2 years), West Highland Way, Two Moors Way, Southern Upland Way (2), Cambrian Way (3), the latter a long and rugged trek through the wildest of country and over the roughest of peaks.

For some fifteen years, the summer walks were ably planned, organised and led by John Kilham, sadly lost to us with his death in 1991. They attracted parties of from eight to fourteen and logs were kept on most of them as lasting records of the more memorable moments. This pleasant practice was initiated by Elizabeth Hervey and occasionally printed by Harry Tolson. For the later walks a greatly appreciated innovation was the support service, enabling the party’s belongings to be transported by car and so lighten the day packs: this was provided at various times by Audrey Kilham with support from Jean Beeley, by Morag Hervey, by Alan and Monica Bloomer and by Chris & Milly Nettleton.

A significant landmark came with the Club’s first overseas trip in 1992. Following a suggestion by Anne Parker, a party of 15 tackled the demanding 14-day Tour of Mont Blanc in July. We were impressed to find we had managed a total ascent of 34,000 ft, without significant casualties, despite the fact that 4 members of the party had elected to sleep in tents. This event also marked a video debut for the Club, a notable variation on the earlier
written logs. With the Lake District Traverse of 1993 and a gastronomically enjoyable visit to the Spanish Picos de Europa in 1994, a new pattern of alternating home and away expeditions was established. The Weston-Wells-Winchester section of the Southern Coast to Coast was followed by a magnificent alpine traverse of the Bernese Oberland from Gsteig to Engelberg. Much of the latter was negotiated in fresh, deep snow and included a superb day’s walk beneath the North face of the Eiger. We also struck up a close acquaintance with the M”nch and Jungfrau, including a rest-day trip, via the improbable railway inside the Eiger, to the unforgettable 3,454m viewpoint of the Jungfraujoch.

In 1997 there was a memorable summer visit to the Scottish Highlands, based on Viv Delaney’s comfortable house in the Pass of Killicrankie. The latter featured again as our centre for the summer of 2004. We have also managed trips to the Italian Dolomites and the High Tatras (Slovakian Republic) as well as a repeat of the Brecon Beacons section of the Cambrian Way.

In 2001, the foot-and-mouth crisis brought a cancellation of the projected Pembrokeshire Coast Path walk. However, a heroic last minute scramble led to its replacement by the YHA-based Cornish Coast Path walk, led by Adrian, to keep alive the custom of an annual Club expedition. That year we had a higher than usual proportion of day walks in the Peak District as fewer Derbyshire paths were closed than in the Dales. The original Pembrokeshire Coast plan fell back into place in 2002. This was followed in 2003 by the first overseas trek to be wholly organised and led in-house, when a party led by Noelle Odling undertook a DNT hut-based visit to the wild 4,000ft Hardangervidda plateau in Southern Norway. This was a great success and an excellent alternative to the heatwave affecting the rest of Europe that year. Then Summer 2005 saw one of the high points, literally, in the Club’s history. During an exciting, hut-based trek in the Julian Alps, a valiant group of Club members got to the summit of Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia (2,864m). A fitting achievement to mark a trip which turned out to be the final time the Club ventured abroad under the SCR banner. In 2007, as the LU Staff Walking Club, we returned to Norway and in 2009, in splendid weather, we explored an equally splendid valley in the Austrian Tyrol. For a full list of the summer treks, see the appendix at the end.

In addition, there have been walking weekends every year. The Mendip and Quantock hills were explored under the guidance of the Herveys, who, following Romaine’s retirement, had moved to Wells. And there were several stays at a converted barn near Sedbergh, which enabled us to focus on the Howgill Fells. Weekend visits were also made to the White Peak area to explore the Dove and Manifold valleys and the Staffordshire Roaches. There have been many visits to Anne Parker’s splendid flat in Ambleside and numerous stays at Youth Hostels in places like Hawes, Coniston, Langdon Beck, Youlgreave, Boggle Hole, Derwentwater, Patterdale, Castleton and Whitby. Our many weekends in the Lake District enabled David to emulate Leo Connell and Pat & John Scharzenbach in completing, in 2002, the full set of 214 Wainwright tops.

Nevertheless, the bedrock of the Club’s activities over its history has remained the year-round programmes of day walks. These were initially led by Joyce Williams, then David Shaw on Sundays; and by John Kilham, and after his death, by Peter Beeley, on the intervening Saturdays. Over the past few years, we have consciously adopted the policy of involving more leaders and the Club owes much to the splendid contributions of experienced regulars such as Adrian, Mike Willison, Bill Griffiths, Harry Tolson, Ralph Williams and Noelle Odling, Marg Greenwood and Prsicilla Truss. On one recent programme, we had no fewer than 19 different leaders.

One reason for more members having the chance to lead walks has been the success of the `B Walks’ (previously known as `Ambles’). From its beginnings, the Club has usually tried to offer walks of modest length (8-10 miles) as well as the usual walks of 10-13 miles, not to mention the occasional scary 25-milers mentioned elsewhere. Still shorter “Family Walks” flourished briefly during the late seventies (when David’s children were young!). Then, in June 2002, an initiative from Jane Burch, supported by the Susans Marsden and Chesters and others, led to the introduction of the `Ambles’ programme of walks. These are shorter, slower, altogether gentler walks of around six miles, which rarely exceed grade 1: leisurely occasions worthy of their original name, with no-one likely to shout “two minutes!” just as you are taking out your sandwiches. Susan Marsden has recently succeeded Jane Burch as coordinator of these walks.

At the other end of the scale, the Club has regularly offered undeniably strenuous walks, such as the Snowdon Horseshoe, the Kentmere Round and the Scafell Horseshoe. Bill Griffiths led the Club’s first 3 Peaks walk in the late 70s and, around the same time, two small groups of very tired Club walkers completed the 42-mile Lyke Wake Walk across the North York Moors. In addition, for a few years in the early 90s, we regularly participated in challenge events organised by the Long Distance Walkers Association: walks of around 25 miles taken at a fairly brisk pace. These included the alarmingly alliterative Trollers Trot, Falcon Flyer and Wensleydale Wedge. While interest in such walks has dwindled, we continue to organise 3 Peaks circuits on request.

Our activities are by no means restricted to walking. In Betty Eales, Anne Parker and Fiona Jackson, the Club, has been blessed with a continuity of first-rate administrative support. If Betty played a central role in getting the Club going, Anne and Fiona have increasingly also been involved in developing the social side of our activities. They have played a key role in our varied programme of events including the weekends away, the summer treks – and the annual Christmas walk/lunch. Equally memorable have been the Ceilidhs, some complete with piper and Scottish dancing expertise to complement the cheerfully untutored efforts of the Sassenachs among us. A particularly happy Ceilidh took place in June 2004 to mark the adjacent 60th birthdays of David and Fiona.

We play our part in the local walking community. The Club is affiliated to the Ramblers’ Association and we have from time to time answered the call of the local Footpaths Officer to help install/maintain stiles and finger posts. Enthusiastic supporters of campaigns such as the one in favour of a footbridge over the Wharfe at Burley, we have sent local authorities many missives setting out our views and put our boots where our mouths are by participating in the Burley Bridge Hike. Pragmatic to a fault, we are also supporting the parallel compaign (`Save our Stones’) in support of safe stepping stones at the same point, should the bridge not materialise. Following an initiative by Susan Marsden in her capacity as Secretary to the Access Committee, West Riding Ramblers, Club members participated in activities linked to the implementation of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act. In particular, Mike Willison, Bill Griffiths and Peter Beeley undertook many outings involving the evaluation and mapping of potential access areas in various parts of the Dales, not to mention the work resulting from appeals lodged against the resulting proposals, prior to the enactment of the Act in 2005.

In addition to these practical considerations, we have, over the years, amassed a rich fund of anecdotes. These are retold on cue over toasted teacakes at the end of every walk. Ask for them by name. Viv Delaney kicking steps in deep snow on a high alpine pass (Bernese Oberland). Mike Britton moving caterpillars to a place of safety away from a sunny footpath (Isle of Wight). Beryl leading us in open-air yoga (Slovenia). Romaine Hervey’s walking stick (Pennine Way). Not-quite-skinny-dipping in a Spanish river (Picos). Romaine and David hand-in-hand descending a snowfield (Bernese Oberland). David nearly arrested by the Fylingdales security personnel (Lyke Wake Walk). Bill Griffiths’s animated survival tent (Norway). George Stainsby ejected from a shepherd’s hut (Glyndwr’s Way). George, Bill, Adrian and David electing to sleep in Ladies Underwear (Youlgreave). Bob Crook’s inventive vocabulary in respect of a particularly muddy track (Mont Blanc). Peter Beeley’s helpful offer to deliver a lecture on metal fatigue to fellow passengers in a cable car (Mont Blanc). John Kilham’s tie (passim). The Vice-Chancellor of Bradford up to his shins in organic matter. Adrian thigh-deep on the 3 Peaks. Peter Beeley in two left boots. Susan Marsden’s boot left open all day. Dugald’s compass stop. Ted Diggle’s dropped glove. Elizabeth Hervey’s sloe gin made from sloes picked on a walk. Gill Marsh’s Fellsman hikes. The nervous descent into Gaping Ghyll. Our 3 Peaks by night. The walk that was 12 miles-going-on-17. Noelle’s lunch-time watercolour in Austria. Fiona audible across a reservoir. One could go on.

We have celebrated Club and individual anniversaries as often as possible. As well as birthday cakes and sparkling wine in improbable places, these have included notable wedding anniversaries for Leo & Isabel Connell, and George & Kay Stainsby. The Club’s Tenth Anniversary was celebrated with a dinner at the Cow & Calf Hotel, Ilkley, on 16 March 1984, the Fifteenth at the Joiners’ Arms, Hampsthwaite on 23 August 1989, and the Twentieth at Weetwood Hall on 26 February 1994. The Thirtieth Anniversary was suitably marked, in the context of a weekend based at Youlgreave YHA, with a celebratory dinner at the Bull’s Head, Youlgreave, on Saturday 6 March 2004. On that occasion we had as our guest Betty Eales, our founding Secretary. With Anne and Fiona, we could thus briefly span, administratively speaking, the entire period of the Club’s life. This happy occasion, and so many others like it, reminds us of the countless friendships – and partnerships – that have developed over the life of our Club.

In June 2006 the SCR bit of our name disappeared, with the disappearance of the SCR Club itself. The University’s Senior Common Room Club morphed into the U.o.L. Staff Centre and the SCR Walking Club became known as the University of Leeds Staff Walking Club. It has become even more autonomous than before: the only remaining formal link with the University lies in the fact that Walking Club activities continue to benefit from the University’s public liability insurance cover. It is gratifying to record that, over more than three decades, no LUWC claim has ever been made on the latter: long may this state of affairs continue. With the demise of the SCR name, one chapter came to an end. But another opened. The Club, with its new name and its continuing core of friendly and individualistic pedestrians, seems as vigorous and well-supported as ever. Here’s to the next thirty-six years!
DCS
March 2010

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LUWC SUMMER WALKS (with leader/company)

1975. Dalesway (Leeds-Lakes) (JK)
1976. Pennine Way i (JK)
1977. Pennine Way ii (JK)
1978. Pennine Way iii (JK)
1979. Coast to Coast (JK)
1980. Offa’s Dyke i (JK)
1981. Offa’s Dyke ii (JK)
1982. West Highland Way i (JK)
1983. West Highland Way ii (JK)
1984. Two Moors Way (JK)
1985. Cambrian Way I (DCS)
1986. Cambrian Way ii (JK)
1987. Cambrian Way iii (JK)
1988. Southern Upland Way i (JK)
1989. Southern Upland Way ii (JK)
1990. Cambrian Way iv (partial) (JK)
1991. Dalesway (Lakes-Leeds) (DCS)
1992. Mont Blanc (Exodus)
1993. Lakes Traverse (DCS)
1994. Picos (Spantrek)
1995. Southern Coast to Coast (DCS)
1996. Bernese Oberland (Exodus)
1997. Killiecrankie (DCS)
1998. Italian Dolomites (Marmot Tr.)
1999. Cambrian Way i (DCS)
2000. Tatras (Exodus)
2001. Cornish Coast Path (AS)
2002. Pembroke Coast Path (DCS)
2003. Norway/Hardangervidda (NEO)
2004. Killiecrankie (DCS)
2005. Slovenia (Exodus)
2006. West Highland Way (DCS)
2007. Norway (NEO)
2008. Cornish Coast Path (DCS)
2009. Trins, Austria (Exodus)
2010. Cumbria Way (DCS)
INFORMAL LUWC EASTER WALKS

1994. Isle of Wight (i) AS
1995. Isle of Wight (ii) AS
1996. Isle of Man (i) DCS
1997. Isle of Man (ii) DCS
1998. Ireland (Climbers Inn, Kerry) DCS (briefly)
1999. St Cuthbert’s Way DCS
2000 Arran (i) DCS
2001 NO WALK [FMD]
2002. Arran (ii) DCS
2003. White Peak DCS
2004. Hadrian’s Wall Path DCS
2005. Glyndwr’s Way (i) DCS
2006. Glyndwr’s Way (ii) DCS
2007. Ribble Way DCS
2008. Cleveland Way DCS
2009. Teesdale Way DCS
2010. Coleridge Way DCS

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