Tuesday 30th July – In 1940 Arthur Dolphin spent most of his climbing time at Almscliffe, recording in detail, 16 visits to this crag before he started to branch out to other places. Mostly he hitched to the crag recording how many lifts he needed both there and back. His visit to Ilkley in July 1940 was the start of him opening up his horizons and soon he would be cycling, walking, running and hitching across the north of England in search of rock climbing. Often he would think little of cycling 100 miles for this climbing and clearly he was a natural athlete. To celebrate the start of his journeys the second appreciation meet will be on Tuesday 30th July 2024, 84 years to the day and you are welcome to try hitchhiking there!

Arthurs diary entry for that day in 1940.

Weather – warm and fine – perfect for climbing

Party A.D., R.H., A.A., N.A., etc.

V. Difficult – Cooper’s Slab Cave Pitch Chimney (R.H) Fairy Steps – ascended and descended (R.H) “A” Climb (R.H)

Severe Little “A” Climb (R.H) Josephine Traverse