Rubicon Y.H.A. Holidays

Me, Adjy, Edna Blount and Pat Hallam, William B, Paul G, Big Rich, Paul F, Mike B, Frances M, Amanda D, Kirsty G, Emma H, Emily H, Joanne P, Michelle B, Wilko + Cousin.

Friday 7th - Catch the TransPeak up to Bakewell. I go to the Rutland Tavern with Adjy. Back up at the hostel the girls seem to talk all night the lads are quiet after midnight.

Saturday 8th - Breakfast from the Y.H., very good. Chinney and Rich arrive in the morning. Walk over to Chatsworth have a look at Emperor Lake. Call in at the 'Grouse and Claret' at 1pm, buy some cobs from the shop nearby. Eventually leave at 5pm, William navigates all afternoon. I push Chinney into a hedge for a laugh. Pizza for tea in Youlgreave. We go to the Bull's Head later.

Sunday 9th - Wake up not feeling very well. Not have breakfast, lots of rain overnight. Walk to the Bull's Head in Monyash, we all have a meal there. More rain so we stay till 3pm. Walk to Taddington and some of us go on to White Lodge to catch the bus and some stay in the Queens Arms.

Me, Robert B, Jamie W, Adrian Seal, Andrea B, Peter Kirkland, Anna W.

Friday 4th - After scouts I drive down to Wheathill Y.H. with Jamie W and Bense. Go via Telford and then lots of country lanes. Get a bit lost, have a bit of a spin on the icy roads, takes about 3 hours. Very friendly warden, stay up till gone 1am taking round the fire.

Saturday 5th - Get up late and have a large breakfast. I navigate all day, there seem to be very few footpaths. Walk round Brown Clee Hill, then on to the Howard Arms at Ditton Priors. Have lunch there and stay till 3pm. Walk on slowly, dark by 5pm. Wander over fields and over rivers, arrive at about 7pm. We had booked Wilderhope Manor for ourselves. Stay in by the large fire in the common room.

Sunday 6th - Have the breakfast provided, leave by about 10am, go south of Clee Hill. The footpath goes straight thru a stream at one point. Have lunch in the middle of nowhere. Climb over lots of hedges and fences in an attempt to follow the path. Back to Wheathill in the dark. The warden's wife makes us all a cup of tea and we stay for a chat.

Me, Adrian Seal, Andrea B, Jamie W, Robert B, Peter Kirkland, Simon G, Anna W, Lisa W, Richie H, Face.

Friday 2nd - After Scouts drive up to Buxton with Anna and Lisa. Get there at around 10.30pm. Drive around looking for Gee's car. Find everyone in the Robin Hood. Pete gets into a fight on the way back to the hostel.

Saturday 3rd - Have a good cooked breakfast, start walking at 10am. Walk to Monyash, stop at the Hobbit for a good few pints. Wander on to Hartington, a bit of snow on the ground. Go to the Devonshire Arms after tea.

Sunday 4th - Walk to Bakewell to catch the bus back, drizzle all day.

Me, Robin Sibson, Anna W, Andrea B, Adrian Seal, Robert B, Jamie W, Face, Simon G, John W.

Friday 28th - Pick up Belper bus, set off with the Ventures at 6pm. Arrive at Ambleside at 10pm, give the lads a lift down to the pub in the bus. John, Face and Gee drove up earlier in the day.

Saturday 29th - Leave the bus and Face's car at the hostel. Set off at 10am a bit misty. Walk towards Kirkstone pass, very hot. Get to the Kirkstone pass Inn for 1am, call in for a quick pint. Walk up the hill, 1000 foot rise in 1 mile. Me and Bense race for the top, I win. We take 20 minutes, everyone else up in 30. At the top most people are tired and take the low level route. Me, Nibe and Bense go over the tops to Grasmere Y.H. Have a good corn beef hash for tea. Play pool and then to the Lamb Inn for a drink, not many people like the pub.

Sunday 30th - A lot shorter walk. Wet and misty in the morning. Only walk up one hill, stay in the cloud. Get into Ambleside for 2pm. Most of them go to the Pub, a few of us check into the Y.H. and play pool and cards. They all go down town early. Me and Nibe wait a bit and then walk up to the Unicorn Hotel, it is looking very battered, I brought my first round here ten years previous. Meet the others for a while in the Royal Oak and then back to the Unicorn. Amazed to see that Adjy and Andrea are together!

Monday 1st - After a lot of discussion take the ferry down to Bowness, walk up to the Y.H, have dinner on the way. Set off at 2pm, I drive, the M6 is packed so we go down the A65, Ilkley, Leeds, M1, home for 6.30pm.

March 3rd 1989. Matlock, Shinning Cliff

Friday 3rd - Ventures go to Matlock Y.H. for the night, I don't go

Saturday 4th - Drive up to Matlock to fetch Heather, Anna and Andrea from Matlock. The lads got in at Shinning Cliff.

October 28th 1988. Ravenstor, Youlgreave

Me, Nibe, Heather, Quince, Flod, Edna and Pat, Sid, Kev ?, Adjy and Gee

Friday 28th - Leave my car in Clive's garage. Clive drives a few of us up to Ravenstor. Me and Flod walk down to the Anglers rest.

Saturday 29th - Frosty morning, very clear blue skies. Walk down to Monyash, have dinner at the Hobbit, the wards goes down very well. Wander on to Youlgreave, we have brought no food. Me and Heather go for a meal in the Bull's Head everyone else goes to the chippy. Back to the hostel for coffee. The lads get accused of taking a cue ball !

Sunday 29th - Another very clear day. Set off from Youlgreave, we lose Adjy almost straight away. Spend a couple of hours looking for him. Walk on to Bakewell, meet up with Flod and Quince in the Red Lion.

Me, Robin Sibson, Dave Elks, Andrew King, Heather and Clive, Kevin Clarke, John W, Richard H, Sally K, Anna W, Johnny W, Matthew E, Simon G, Adrian Seal.

Friday 7th - Arrive at Derby Bus station after hearing on the radio that Buxton is cut off. The bus driver says that he will have a go. My rucksack weighs 35 lb's and then I am given a 20 lb bag of potatoes from Mrs. Knifton, carry those for two days. First time for me at Buxton Y.H. Deep snow 2 foot on the ground, huge icicles hanging from building. Go to the Robin hood with Quince and John.

Saturday 8th - Walk to Ravenstor Y.H. Snow most of the day, we get stuck in an 8ft drift. Johnny W and Matthew E get separated from the rest of the group. They turn up at Millers Dale. Go to the Anglers Rest with an Eastwood scout leader and Clive, play darts.

Sunday 9th - Walk to Bakewell, Heather & Clive, Min, Sally K and Richie H catch the bus and go home. Walk down the Wye valley. see some 10 foot long icicles inside the tunnels of Monsal trail.Dinner at Monsal Head. Play 3's and 5's in the snug in the evening.

Monday 10th - Walk to Eyam, everyone gets up late. Buy food at Bakewell, John W navigates all day, no snow, clear skies. have fun traversing Coombs Dale. Dave practices with his ice axe. Some of the group are quite worried by the slope.Arrive at Eyam at about 4pm. Go for a short walk waiting for the hostel to open, very cold. Go down to the Bull's Head with Nibe, John and Quince.

Tuesday 11th - Walk along the edges to Baslow with Nibe, Dave, John, Quince. Overhanging snow at the top. Jo, Anna and the L.E. boys catch the bus straight to Bakewell. Tea at the Bakewell Tart shop, bus to Derby, home for 4.30pm.

October 1983. Matlock, Youlgreave and Hartington.

Me, AC, Ian V, Neil, Min, Robo, Sandy, Adrian, Nibe and Jo, Heather and Clive, Hazel and Dave, Sally, Amanda, Claire.

Friday 21st - I catch the train down to Chesterfield and then bus on to Matlock, stay in the YH.

Saturday 22nd - Walk to Youlgreave over Robin Hoods stride. Stop for dinner at Winster.

Sunday 23rd - Walk to Hartington. Stop for dinner at the Jug and Glass. Bus to Derby and the train to Leeds.

Nibe and Jo, Heather and Clive, Neil, Min, Ian V, Sally E, Louise.

Friday 18th - I catch the train to Sheffield and then bus to Bakewell. Stay at the youth hostel. Saturday 19th - Nibe and Jo arrive in the car. Walk to Hartington, have dinner at Youlgreave. Have tea in the Devonshire Arms. Sunday 20th - Walk over to Bakewell, call in at the pub in Over Haddon. Call into the tart shop. Home for 8pm.

Me, Nibe and Jo, Heather and Clive, Min, Ian, Louise, Hazel and Neil

Friday 3rd - Catch the train from Leeds to Sheffield and then bus to Bakewell. Meet the others there. Very foggy. Saturday - Walk to Bretton Y.H. go in the Barrel Inn later. Sunday - Walk back to Bakewell, catch the bus to Sheffield.

Me, Nibe, Heather and Clive, Kevin Clarke, A.C. Louise Dawkins

Friday - Catch the bus to Buxton. Walk to Windgather Cottage Y.H. Saturday - Walk to Gradbach Mill, get to bit lost trying to find the Cat and Fiddle, stop there for lunch. Sunday - Walk over the Roaches. See the 'Lord of the Roaches' house. Also see Jodrell Bank and gliders from Great Hucklow. Have dinner at the Mermaid. Monday - Slow walk to Ravenstor along High Peak trail. Fall in the river Wye at the bottom of Y.H entrance, with some help from Heather. Walk down to the Angler's Rest later. Walk to Bakewell along the railway, have a Bakewell tart, get the bus to Duffield

8th August 1980. Elton, Hartington, Ravenstor.

I drive up to Elton Y.H to meet Nibe, Min, Dave, Dolf, Clive, Heather and Ned. Saturday, Walk to Hartington, good weather. Call in at the Jug and Glass. My first legal drink. Sunday walk, 14 miles, to Ravenstor. Monday walk, 7 miles, to Bakewell, catch bus.

April 12th 1979. Dolf organises another Y.H trip.

March 22nd 1978. Elton, Hathersage, Hagg Farm, Edale.

This was the first time that I went youth hostelling. A number of small groups set off from different locations. Ian Stewart leads my group. Thursday 23rd - Catch the bus to Chesterfield and then walk to Elton. Friday 24th - Walk along the river through Rowsley. Saturday 25th - Snow and rain, walk to Hagg Farm hostel. Sunday 26th - Walk up to Alport Hut and then over Kinder Scout to Edale. Robert does a different route, Youlgreave, Hartington, Buxton. All the groups meet up at Edale. Meet the venture scouts for the first time, Sally and Louise are there. Monday 27th - Walk over Hollins Cross and down to Castleton. Catch the bus home via Sheffield and Chesterfield.