Your scribe arrived with the President’s guest on a glorious Friday afternoon with a forecast set for cold clear weather and we were not to be disappointed. While there was plenty of ice covering most of the boggy ground, our only wish was for some snow in the gullies to give some sport. Memories were struggling to recall such encouraging weather on a January meet at LHG. To sharpen our appetite for a Friday evening meal members were strolling the lanes and going through Cathedral Mine until darkness fell.
Well before nine the first members were setting off up the valley with five making a full day convoluted circuit of The Carrs, Coniston Old Man, Dow Crag, Wetherlam and Tilberthwaite. Another group braved the ford, admittedly in a guest’s car, and from Langdale tackled the scrambles on Tarn Crag and Pavey Ark (complete with sizeable hound in tow) Harrison Stickle and the Langdale Pikes before refreshing themselves in the ODG. Meanwhile, from the hut, Pike of Blisco and Cold Pike made a round for some and Tilberthwaite and Elterwater for others. Wherever they were, everyone had wide crystal-clear views of the surrounding hills.
With the Three Shire Stones being closed for its January break and Harvey bringing in ample supplies of beer, Saturday was a sociable evening with conversation late into the night. Rather than suffer another cold night sleeping in cars, two opted to relocate into the new barn making four in there. We all slept a little sounder having had a tot of whisky courtesy of a part bottle sent over David Martindale.
Sunday breakfast ran smoothly and started with porridge before a fried breakfast – well for some that is as one or two members who had ordered continental breakfasts depleted supplies by inadvertently taking fried breakfasts. A quick tidy around and the keen ones were off to the hills again. Among other outings, Pavey Ark was again scrambled and Harvey took several through Cathedral Mine. The weather was less sunny but still dry and cold with a biting wind. Our hard-working hut warden was waiting for a delivery of logs for the newly roofed log store.
The meet was catered in meticulous fashion by Rob Ibberson who insists that I include in this report his sincere thanks to those many attendees who assisted with food preparation, cooking serving and washing up. It is such unprompted team efforts that make our meets practicable. Altogether a memorable meet which our under-the-weather President was disappointed to miss.
Attendees:
Alex Syme (G of Andy Syme), Andy Syme, David Hick, Dennis Armstrong, Dominic Kirkman (G of Andy Syme), Gordon Humphries, Harvey Lomas, Iain Gilmour, Ian Crowther, John Jenkin, Michael Smith, Mike Godden, Richard Gowing, Richard Taylor (G of Rob Ibberson), Rob Ibberson, Robert Crowther, Tim Josephy
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