I really enjoyed reading your tale and watching your video, it brought back an avalanche of memories of my own watery exploits including:
* paddling our homemade raft down the river Brent at Hendon in '62
* getting soaked at the Ladore falls in '69
* trying not to fall off the stepping stones below the cornice in Cheedale into the river Wye on the way to the railway tunnel and the "Anglers" for a beer in '71
* rigging up and crossing a tyrolean at Nant Gwynant in '72
* wild swimming in the Conway below Giants Head in '74 (I think)
* naked swimming in Loch a' Choire Riabhach before the Black Cuillin traverse in '92
* wading knee deep through a flooded mine in the Moelwyns in '94
* crossing a meltwater torrent where Ken's walking pole got washed away below Aneto in 2014.
Alas I couldn't summon up clear memories of my first watery experience of river crossings as a school kid on holiday near Newlands in '55. Old timers I guess.
Thanks Jonnie - glad you enjoyed the page and video. Glad it brought back some memories... I do recall my first river experiences as it happens rather vividly:
- breaking through ice and falling into a large river somewhere in East Anglia during a big freeze around 1967/8
- being made to jump into a cold Scottish Highlands river on an outward bound/mountain skills course in 1971.
I didn't enjoy either of my first cold water experiences so it is perhaps surprising that I have come to rather take to it as an old git in my 50's.
bw, Mark
Matt Lemke - Sep 25, 2016 11:09 pm - Voted 10/10
Excellent!Awesome page! That place looks sweet
markhallam - Sep 26, 2016 12:10 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Excellent!Thanks Matt - especially appreciate the compliment from a USA canyoneer! You are right, it is a sweet place - and I must find a few more...
DrJonnie - Sep 30, 2016 3:47 am - Voted 10/10
Great Gill GyrationsExcellent post Mark,
I really enjoyed reading your tale and watching your video, it brought back an avalanche of memories of my own watery exploits including:
* paddling our homemade raft down the river Brent at Hendon in '62
* getting soaked at the Ladore falls in '69
* trying not to fall off the stepping stones below the cornice in Cheedale into the river Wye on the way to the railway tunnel and the "Anglers" for a beer in '71
* rigging up and crossing a tyrolean at Nant Gwynant in '72
* wild swimming in the Conway below Giants Head in '74 (I think)
* naked swimming in Loch a' Choire Riabhach before the Black Cuillin traverse in '92
* wading knee deep through a flooded mine in the Moelwyns in '94
* crossing a meltwater torrent where Ken's walking pole got washed away below Aneto in 2014.
Alas I couldn't summon up clear memories of my first watery experience of river crossings as a school kid on holiday near Newlands in '55. Old timers I guess.
many thanks Johnnie
markhallam - Oct 1, 2016 2:57 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Great Gill GyrationsThanks Jonnie - glad you enjoyed the page and video. Glad it brought back some memories... I do recall my first river experiences as it happens rather vividly:
- breaking through ice and falling into a large river somewhere in East Anglia during a big freeze around 1967/8
- being made to jump into a cold Scottish Highlands river on an outward bound/mountain skills course in 1971.
I didn't enjoy either of my first cold water experiences so it is perhaps surprising that I have come to rather take to it as an old git in my 50's.
bw, Mark