Patterdale 2008
Mon, 17/11/2008 - 19:21 — george
George says my articles are too long so here is Patterdale in a nutshell:
Gary also played at virtual wallet losing and Anne proved that experience and age do not necessarily guarantee success in the art of navigation. She does get full marks in the art of blaming George and when all is said and done it was only a little mistake. Debbie and Karen are looking forward to reaching the top of Scafell Pike next year.
Despite an act of gross incompetence by one of the more experienced members of the party who proved that male multi-tasking is still a myth all made it off the hill before nightfall. Yes I am grateful for the concern shown but I didn’t eat the muffin or drink the coffee.
PATTERDALE 2008
George says my articles are too long so here is Patterdale in a nutshell:The journey there was longer than usual as the driver, one of the elder and distinguished members of the club, insisted on circumnavigating all the roundabouts in Derbyshire. In the end Andy accepted the responsibility of navigator and mint provider so we did eventually complete the journey in daylight.
Anne, George, Sue and Dennis had already left for the traditional stagger up to Red Tarn but Stuart, Jim and Scott (a Patterdale virgin), were just leaving. Phil, Andy and I were soon ready to leave and with Stuart being under the weather were confident of catching them up. However we could not find the hut key. We searched high and low but with night approaching took the decision to leave a window unlocked. Andy reviewed the security issue associated with every window in the hut and eventually chose the kitchen. After running up and down the road several times to check that the window, although open, looked shut we set off shutting the door behind.
We never saw a soul; I suspect that the others had reached Red Tarn before we left. It was a bit claggy after the “hole in th’wall” but we wet our feet in the tarn and then cheated by taking a more direct route back, via Dead Sheep Gulch to Lantry’s Tarn. I’m not saying that Andy had worked himself into a frenzy with accusations of who’d got the key (know what I mean) but suffice to say Jim was accosted the moment we set eyes on him. Even Dennis could not avoid the Watson interrogation technique of “Have you got the “*****” key? Jim is now having lessons in the difference between a coat pocket and a bum-bag. Nick is having lessons in how to lock a door. And Dennis is looking for a cure for earache.
Thursday night was passed in reducing the world rice stocks and helping Dennis consume his beer and all was well apart from a mysterious bump in the night. It is rumoured that someone fell out of bed but as I slept through it I cannot comment.
Friday started with a ride to Howtown on the ferry. Brilliant idea by Stuart who was, unfortunately, not able to participate due to illness (probably fell out of bed and caught a cold in the night but as I was asleep I couldn’t say). Despite repeated warnings Sue proved that the landing stage was very slippery but survived to complete the day’s run.
After an initial burst up the first hill I settled into my true position at the back and trailed the others for the remainder of the day. We all had an enjoyable time and the weather, although wet and cold at times, was never as bad as expected. Scott had his first down hill lessons off an old cripple on the final descent from Boredale Hause to Side Farm and will soon be running to his full potential (when his ankle recovers).
Saturday and we all went to Seathwaite, the location of the recent OMM, and so we were mildly disappointed that there was very little evidence of the thousands of drowned and decomposing runners who had been lost two weeks before. It’s a long time since we have participated in a communal walk so the more experienced members (Gary) introduced the first timers to the delights of mountain tennis – no court and no rackets but there was a tennis ball. (Strange how the tennis ball seemed to collect a lot of mud when it was launched in Nick’s direction!) Debbie proved to be a natural heading the ball with great aplomb. Sue and Dennis could spot idiots a mile off (see photos of Richard and Gary) and so retreated down the valley for retail therapy.
Gary also played at virtual wallet losing and Anne proved that experience and age do not necessarily guarantee success in the art of navigation. She does get full marks in the art of blaming George and when all is said and done it was only a little mistake. Debbie and Karen are looking forward to reaching the top of Scafell Pike next year.Those that did reach the top i.e. everyone except Anne, George, Debbie and Karen, proved their competence by not following Nick in the new direct route to Eskdale. Obviously Stuart was just checking that Nick was OK and joined in admiring the view, and drop.
Despite an act of gross incompetence by one of the more experienced members of the party who proved that male multi-tasking is still a myth all made it off the hill before nightfall. Yes I am grateful for the concern shown but I didn’t eat the muffin or drink the coffee.Sunday was a glorious day. Scott proved that he had heeded Nick’s lessons and as a consequence is now unable to walk. Stuart finished with a smile on his face so all is well.
It goes without saying that Stuart and Jim deserve our unreserved thanks for the hard work that they put in and providing the whisky that Nick drank.