Saturday 23rd July
DH, TO, BFS, AC, PC, DL & Sully
Another potentially warm morning was forecast so it was back to a shorter route under the trees again for this weeks six intrepid walkers, with a revisit to Duncliffe Woods, one of our very earliest walks back in July 2020, which we last visited just as things were starting to slowly reopen again following the first Covid lockdown.
We arrived in convoy this week so as soon as we were all out of the cars and Sully had been round to greet everyone, we set of up the main track. Sully was slightly disappointed to discover he was the only canine representative this week, but as there were plenty of other ‘p-mails’ to investigate en route, and other dogs and owners going the same way, he soon put to the back of his mine his normal running mates.
We entered the woodland area and started the first of what was to be a few steady climbs. The early morning sun was shining through the gaps in canopy in places, sending rays of bright light through to the woodland floor. With an empty track in front of us, it was an ideal opportunity for our weekly selfie, I don’t think we have ever done one so early into a walk before.
We continued right through the woods, passing many side tracks and a few other walkers and dogs before we turned left to make our way to the summit of this woody hillside. The path soon increased in gradient and with it the increase in grumblings started. Although our ascent was only to be of a couple of hundred feet and of no real comparison, the conversation soon turned to events on Mount Everest many years ago. Pete started to relate a recent documentary on the accent of Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in May 1953 and also the theories that perhaps they were beaten, nearly 30 years earlier, by a 1924 expedition led by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. Similarities non too obvious, but it raised the question often attributed to Mallory, and perhaps most famously his response to the question, “why do you want to climb Mount Everest?”, to which he answered, “because it’s there”. Those 3 words sum up the mentality of mountaineers at that time: every mountain was there to be scaled! In much the same way as we ask every Saturday morning as we plod on in pain or out of breath, although I fear the answer this time is far from being as galant; ‘for the breakfast of course’!
Brian continued to lead the way with his experience of climbing the Yorkshire fells evident, as the rest of us lumbered from rest stop to rest stop. We passed a couple who were on their way down having obviously spent the previous night under canvas, and the couple who we last saw in the car park as they traversed around one of the lower tracks. Onwards and upwards we went and as the light started to break through the canopy again, it was clear we were nearing the summit, or for those less familiar with mountainous terms, the top!
Dropping back off the top slightly with views over to Melbury Beacon and the Fontmell downs, we paused for refreshments and another selfie opportunity, before reaching the trig pillar, which stands atop of the 210 metre high Duncliffe Hill. Of course from here on in it was all downhill, which normally would not be too much of an issue, but with the heavy rains the day before, portions of the slopes were quite slimy, especially over areas of exposed clay. Added to those the exposed roots and it all made for a quite tricky decent.
We had only been going for around an hour at this point so to complete a figure of 8 course, we crossed the main central track and dropped down again before a steady climb back up the southern side of the woods. With a well positioned bench in a clearing, it was an ideal opportunity to rest again and adjust footwear,. Trevor took himself a bit further off track to do what only men can do in the woods, and somewhat startled a poor lady who was just out for a peaceful morning stroll. No further details required, I’m sure it’s not the last we have heard of this encounter! A bit of a debate ensued as to the route back, Sully could obviously sense he knew the shortest way, but a command decision and a short trek through a slightly more overgrown path, and we were out onto one of the major side tracks. Back to the centre of the woods, down the main track and back to the cars, todays 2.6 miles, with around 150metres of accent, was completed in 1 hr 30 mins.
It was then a short drive to the Udder Farm-shop where sat out in the dog permitted area, we all enjoyed our well earned cooked breakfasts. It was only at this point that Dereyk remembered that he had replenished the supply of lollies earlier that morning, so they were successfully distributed to those who wanted, a perfect bit of post breakfast dessert.
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