Number in series 8; Year of publication 1914 - Fell and Rock ...
Number in series 8; Year of publication 1914 - Fell and Rock ...
Number in series 8; Year of publication 1914 - Fell and Rock ...
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GILLERCOMBE BUTTRESS. 31<br />
To our relief this proved the f<strong>in</strong>ish <strong>of</strong> the overhang <strong>and</strong><br />
a few feet higher we rested on a heathery slope <strong>and</strong> surveyed<br />
with equanimity the upper part <strong>of</strong> the buttress.<br />
We had progressed about 130 feet above the base <strong>and</strong> for<br />
a similar distance the rocks sloped at an easy angle, as if<br />
to compensate us for their earlier severity. The terrace<br />
soon led to some rocks afford<strong>in</strong>g " good scrambl<strong>in</strong>g," <strong>and</strong><br />
end<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> another heathery patch. This portion <strong>of</strong> the<br />
climb can be made more <strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g by work<strong>in</strong>g round<br />
to the left, where a 35 foot chimney will be found, a little<br />
above the level <strong>of</strong> the second pitch <strong>in</strong> the gully.<br />
We also noticed that it would be possible to work <strong>of</strong>f<br />
the buttress at this stage, either <strong>in</strong> to the gully on the left<br />
or by easy ledges on the right. Soon, however, the rocks<br />
became more threaten<strong>in</strong>g aga<strong>in</strong> <strong>and</strong> resumed their<br />
characteristic " tilted staircase " formation, whose overhang<strong>in</strong>g<br />
risers <strong>and</strong> slop<strong>in</strong>g tops had been the difficulty at<br />
the start.<br />
We climbed for about 15 feet up these, until, f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g<br />
progress barred by the steep right conta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g wall <strong>of</strong> the<br />
gully, now converg<strong>in</strong>g towards us, we made a long <strong>and</strong><br />
<strong>in</strong>terest<strong>in</strong>g traverse along a ledge. This traverse was<br />
decidedly tricky at the start, <strong>and</strong>, gradually ris<strong>in</strong>g, it<br />
ended at some shallow grass chimneys nearly 70 feet<br />
across to the right. Follow<strong>in</strong>g a steepish arrete to the<br />
left <strong>of</strong> these for another 50 feet <strong>and</strong> gradually work<strong>in</strong>g<br />
back to the centre <strong>of</strong> the Crag, we completed the climb<br />
by a stiff little lichen-covered chimney. Above this the<br />
broken rocks soon led us to the boundary rail p<strong>in</strong> at the<br />
summit, some 500 odd feet above our start<strong>in</strong>g po<strong>in</strong>t.<br />
Any views that we may have enterta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>of</strong> explor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the Gully also were dispelled when we reached our watches<br />
at the foot, for not hav<strong>in</strong>g anticipated anyth<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> half<br />
so sport<strong>in</strong>g a nature, we had only left Thorneythwaite<br />
about noon, <strong>and</strong> the hour was therefore considerably later<br />
than we anticipated, necessitat<strong>in</strong>g a speedy return to our<br />
quarters.
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