Friday 27.10.17 :
Doc (Holiday) Douglas and I having refueled on coffee at Aire Force, hopped into the Kirkstone Inn for further hydration. A short steep scramble took us onto St Ravens Edge – really!…. a blessed bird! – from where we were intending heading for High Street and Patterdale. Allan, the aferemented Doc, seems to have developed a penchant for a wee lie down at the least excuse and as we all know every bump and knoll in the Lakes has a name therefore providing many such excuses. Having been roused from Pike How and Caudle Head we proceeded now eastward along John Bell’s Banner over Stony Cove Pike all in just over an hour of leaving the Carre Parq. On starting to descend towards Threshwaite Mouth I felt the ground shake behind me and turned to find The Doc rolling towards me. I initially assumed he had gone to sleep again but he blamed his dodgy eyesight and slippy ground.
We reassessed our options and as the ground that continued to drop below us was equally treacherous we retraced some steps until we could get onto the ridge that led to Hartsop Dodd. It was a quite beautiful autumnal day with views far and wide below a bright blue sky. The descent off Hartsop Dodd proved every bit as steep as had been encountered earlier but Doc had found that he felt safest grass glissadeing down it. Safely back on terra firma Doc and Douglas proceeded to the Public House south of Brothers Water whilst I first walked to Patterdale to collect my bike and then cycle back to the Kirkstone Inn, albeit with several stops and short walks up to the pass.
I then retrieved my companions from the pub and struggled over to the Bull in Coniston, where we found Alistair and Donal. As the night progressed Kenny, Michael, Roy, Cammy and the FJB’s all appeared and we made our way up to the cottage. It has to be said that the road is fast deteriorating again and is not to be recommended fully loaded in the dark.
Saturday 28.10.17 :
We awoke to a very wet grey day but Kenny and Michael had already departed to go round and do Scafell Pike. A triumph of setting a goal and carrying it through despite the weather. Roy too, persuaded his body, but no one else’s up Wetherlam. Cammy and the FBJ’s initially progressed towards then discarded the Old Man as not being sufficiently worthy and ended up in the environs of Dhow Crag, which they couldn’t see in the mist and rain. The correct spelling of the crag cannot be checked from my map as it has disappeared by constantly getting wet every time I take it out to see what the FJB’s are doing. Alistair and Donal took themselves off to do some lower level walking in the Langdale area but I can’t be more specific because Alistair was being very secretive about their plans. Doc did a walk round Coniston – village – whilst Douglas and I did a cycle round Coniston – lake. We of course stopped off at Wilson’s for a lateish lunch.
It rained so much the local fish took shelter in the telephone box.
The Halloween party in the Sun was enjoyed by 7 off the SCC with many thanks to the Proclaimer who drove us back up to the cottage fully loaded and in the dark.
Sunday 29.10.17 :
FJB’s bouldered. The rest of us went home albeit enjoying the fantastic scenery of the Lakes on another beautiful day.
Great to see Roy again.
IAN
