Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

One day in April l942 I cycled on my own to Langdale, then walked along
Mickleden and up Rosset Ghyll to Esk Hause, Great End and Scafell Pike. It was very
windy and cold on the tops, as I went over to Scafell by Mickledore and Deep Ghyll
and watched some climbing parties on the crags. Another day that April I cycled to
Blea Tarn and ascended Pike o' Blisco, a scramble. I watched a buzzard perched on a
rock, which circled round until I passed and then returned to its perch. After lunch
by the summit cairn and sketching the Langdale Pikes, I scrambled on past Red Tarn
to Cold Pike and Gaitkins, across to Red How, Stonesty Pike and along Crinkle
Crags. I came back along the side of Pike o' Blisco, by Blake Rigg, to Blea Tarn and
then to Elterwater, seeing fox tracks in a bog on the way.
A few days later I arranged to meet Miss Joslin, one of my schoolteachers, on
Styhead: I cycled to Langdale, and went up Mickleden to Stake Pass, over Black
Crags and Rosset Pike to Angle Tarn. Then it was over Esk Hause to Styhead Pass,
where I spent the day with Miss Joslin and Miss Pattison of the Fell & Rock CC. We
scrambled along past Kern Knotts to the Napes Needle and up to the foot of the
climb. People were climbing Tophet Bastion, and we scrambled across to Sphinx
Rock - though perhaps a better name would be Sioux Rock, as the face looks very
like a Red Indian's. The others accompanied me to Grains Ghyll, where we parted
and I returned to my bike via Esk Hause and Rosset Ghyll.
Other solitary climbs followed and then, one day in September, 1942 I cycled to
the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, intending to climb the Langdale Pikes. There I met a
young Irishman called Bill Perrott, who was a few years older than me, and a keen
rock climber. He was with a small group and we all went climbing on Pavey Ark. It
was a very good day. We had lunch at the start of Great Gully and then started on
that climb, which was quite interesting. But it took a long time as there were five of
us, three of whom had never climbed before. Also the rope was too short; we had
only 150 ft and several times I had to untie before climbing a pitch. But I found the
climb very enjoyable - especially the famous Brant and Slape and the pitch below it.
Then we went along the Rake to Gwynne's Chimney. Bill led one of the others up it
and I led up to the ‘Gun’; there I tied onto Bill’s rope and he brought me up the last
pitch. We scrambled to the top of Pavey Ark and went around to the foot of the
Rake. Here the party split - the others had had enough. Bill and I went on to Rake
and Chimney; we did only the first two pitches and decided to turn back as it was so
wet and slimy. I cycled home and was in time for tea, though as I approached home
the weather, which had looked very threatening, broke and the rain came down in
torrents.
On a fine day a week later Bill and I cycled to Langdale, taking camping gear; he
told me the tent had been on Everest – to Camp Six, and I was thrilled. From the
New Hotel we walked slowly up Mickleden, and watched some climbers on Gimmer
Crag on the way. Our kit was in two packs and we took turns at carrying the heavier
one. We ascended Rosset Ghyll slowly, so slow that some tourists passed us on the
way. And at the top we saw a chap carrying a bicycle - long before the days of
mountain bikes! We drank from Angle Tarn and then walked on to Sprinkling Tarn,
where we intended to pitch the tent. Reaching the campsite we hid the tent under a
boulder, had some bread and cheese and set off for Great Gable.
We soon reached Kern Knotts and started on the Chimney. This was very
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