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So after about a year’s discussion we have finally done it…a walking weekend for ex-MR troops.

“Moo” Goldsborough invited us all to join him at the Fell and Rock Hut at Raw Head, Langdale in the Lakes.

The Fell and Rock Club hut, Raw head, Langdale
There were eventually 8 troops from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s with most teams being represented, there on Friday evening, in the bothy, so we headed off for The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, for a quiet beer! In the morning Terry Heaton had to leave us due to an injury sustained on the Friday, on Pike of Blisco. As Terry left us, Dave Wood arrived and we all set out, for Coniston, in the Party Moo, Kav, Dip Norm, Woody, Legs, Phil and Dave. The weather was looking poor and as we got out of the cars…feeling a bit damp. We were soaked even before leaving the car park on the Walna Scar Road.
Bridge on the Walna Scar Road, Coniston
We walked up the Walna Scar Road, for 3.5 km, before turning onto the hill and towards Brown Crag, as we neared the summit the rock was like soap and we found ourselves, slipping and sliding, all over the place. We quickly descended Brown Crag and carried on to Dow Crag. The clag was still thick and visibility down to about 25 to 50m, we reached the summit of Dow Crag and had a scran break.
Smiling through adversity on Dow Crag
 

It was a pretty miserable affair as we huddled behind the summit cairn, eating our butties and chocolate and getting some liquids inside us. After 15 minutes we moved on, towards Coniston Old Man, via Goat Hause and Brim Fell. By that time we had decided that to carry on beyond The Old Man was just not necessary, due to the conditions, so we descended to the car park via the old copper mine workings on a really nasty path of boulders and loose scree. We were very pleased to get onto the Walna Scar road again, for some easy under foot conditions, before reaching the vehicles. We retired to the bothy, for a well-earned cup of tea.

We decided that after such a horrible day we should treat ourselves, so we trooped off to Wainwrights Pub in Chapel Stile for a meal. The majority plumped for the Lamb meal, which was excellent, after finishing our pint’s it was back to the bothy for a brew, prior to our second visit to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. A few more pints were had and a good few stories were told of past exploits and adventures, when we were MR Troops.

On the Sunday, Phil and Dave went off to visit their wives and the rest of us split into two parties, Moo Legs and Kav went up behind the bothy and on to Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, Pike of Stickle, before descending back into Langdale via Mickleden Beck. Woody, Dip and Norm drove up to Three Shire Stone and did Pike of Blisco.
Temperature inversion on Pike of Blisco, Langdale
Both parties started of in the clag but eventually broke though the cloud to have amazing views of the hilltops, across the Lake District, with cloud hugging the valley’s, in a temperature inversion.
Dip Woody and Norm on summit of Pike of Blisco
The Pike of Blisco party departed to Ambleside to do some shopping, we all eventually departed the Lakes for our long journey home.

This was a very successful weekend. Everyone had a great time and got on really well together, even though, we came from different teams, in different era’s. We look forward to many more of you joining us, the next time.

We shall be holding further weekends, hopefully North Wales/Lakes in January and The Yorkshire Dales in May. If you wish to join us, for a guaranteed great weekend, contact jim@thebothy.org to get your name on the mailing list.

See you in North Wales/ Lakes and or The Dales!

Jim (Dip)