Jugger ravine PATH

[ogy]

Just had this email from the Lyke Wake club.

Those crossing this year will notice a significant difference. Those of youwho enjoyed “the adrenalin rush” of descending Jugger Howe ravine on the seat of their pants will be disappointed. They will be greeted by a nice newfootpath taking all the "fun" out of the descent. Please check out ourwebsite for pictures.

I loved this bit, it gave the walk a fantastic 'rugged' feel, I've done a few walks that incorporated Jugger howe and like the bit of a challenge climbing it and decending it, I feel a smooth easy walking path would really take something away. They should just leave be It was great seeing where the power of water alone had eroded full valleys down the ravine, it was a very interesting section and very challenging in wet weather or the dark.

Ogy

[mike knipe]

Me and the dawg are off to bag the little top at Stony Leas on Thursday, so we'll be having a look at this spot. (Starting at Jugger Howe)There's also  a path which follows this gorge for quite a way , and, hopefully, we'll be following that as well.
Ive not been hereabouts since a farcical Lyke Wake Walk attempt in the 1980's during which I fell asleep in the backup van and they moved it seven miles with me in the back - so I cant claim to have walked this walk!.  I expect that Ive been here before but I can't remember it...

[ukmase]

Fell asleep in the van 

Sounds like a trip which we all want to hear about. Spill the beans mike

[mike knipe]

OK well, at the risk of hijacking yet another thread (sorry Ogy) - here goes.
Sometime around October 1980blob about twelve of us and 2 dogs set off from Osmotherley at around 11:00 pm.
We had a transit van moving along the route to supply us with hot coffee, butties and stuff and all went well till around 3:00 am ish when I was sitting in the back of the van and decided that it would be OK just to rest my eyes for a minute. I've never been too good at staying awake all night (or even all day for that matter!)
The next thing I knew I was being shaken around as the van driver did his worst on the country roads.  Apparently some sudden loud snoring from the back of the van had startled him  - he thought he was alone.
We parked up somewhere in deep fog with lots of heather (no idea where it was), and, shortly my dog appeared out of the gloom, followed by the other 11, now ever so slightly fragged walkers. So, duly refreshed, I rejoined the walk.
I took a fair amount of flak for it, though, but the dog seemed quite pleased to see me.
Our so-called leader wasn't much cop, I remember, and he was a bit nervous about the conditions and the fact that we seemed to be almost permanently dislocated from where we were supposed to be, and he worried about us getting strung out. We did try to reassure him that as soon as we hit the big blue (?grey) pond, it would be time to stop and that such a big target would be difficult to miss.  However, he did insist on regular count-ups and we got totals ranging from 10 to 14, each one becoming less accurate as the night went on and we got less and less interested. I assume that this could have been a factor in me not being missed.  Its probably just as well that I hadnt fallen down a hole or something.
Its not my proudest hillwalking moment.
 

PS This week's walk now rescheduled for Wednesday (tommorrow) due to duff weather forecast for Thursday.

[mike knipe]

Had a bagging visit to Stony Leas today - which included traversing Jugger Howe ravine. It seems that the work is still very much in progress and is specially slippery just at the moment due to the clay being frozen with just the very surface thawed out, so a descent of the E side is quite exciting and is impossible to do with any dignity. Pic below - the West side is complete with stone steps and flagstones, but the East side has a long way to go yet.

The local gamekeeper, who was out burning heather today, didnt seem to be too concerned about my dawg - the area is closed to people with dogs at the moment. (till 2010, so at least its only temporary)

[ogy]

Good story Mike 
It's fantastic out there isn't it, I love the NYM's

Ogy