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Buckbarrow Scrambles: A 4-person team consisting of the retired (Jonathan C and Ian) and the part-time workers (Anne B and Judith) snuck off from other duties to go scrambling on a weekday, making the most of an actual sunny day ahead of the weekend maelstrom.
With the help of the new Cicerone guide (John Fleetwood, 2021) we found a grade 2 on Buckbarrow that is not in the previous Evans edition, Rake and Band. The rake bit had quite a lot of walking along steep grass before we met the fractured quartzite of the band – pleasant enough, though not sure whether it merits its two stars; maybe it would on a hot summer day. From the summit we descended the horrible scree-filled gully (ascended on a previous KMC meet), to the start of Pike Crag Ridge. Once the meet leader had emptied the scree out of her boots, we made short work of the initial heathery section to the start of the good climbing. Unlike our last attempt, the rock was dry (mostly). As usual, the meet leader was way behind the rest of the party, and, despite shouting directions, was unable to divert Jonathan onto the grade 2 option as he was already romping up a nice looking rib of clean rock. This is avoided in the old description but given as a grade 3 directissima in the new guide. With the comfort of a rope kindly provided by Ian, the rest of the team took also this option, which proved very pleasant, rejoining the original route on the edge of the gully. Jonathan also created a direct finish, which we felt compelled to follow. Again the rope was deployed much to the gratitude of the meet leader who was completely outfaced by a super-high step-up and may have been heard to utter an expletive.
Back on the summit for a second time, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch before a knee-friendly descent via Greendale Gill.
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