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It’s not yet the end of March yet we’ve had two cracking meets at the hut already this year. A few week’s ago there were thirteen of us, and it was a very definite ‘lucky 13’.
I’ve been guilty of voicing the thought that the Lakes is an easy day-trip, so why bother staying over? Well, this first meet was the perfect example of why; because things can change so quickly to give an absolutely superb time.
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This time around there were at least four hours of constant drizzle on Friday night and Saturday morning was crisp, dry and clear - yes D-R-Y. I couldn’t believe it. So John Dal took us bushwhacking up Nitting Hawse with discretion getting the better part of valour over the choice of potential river-crossing points from the hut; we chose the bridge at Grange. Call us conventional if you like, but there it is!
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This past weekend was the second meet; work-for-stay (and bacon butty).
The first ’07 hut working meet had eighteen energetic bods busying
around like heeowdge ants making the metaphorical doors out of windows.
There was only one ‘big job’ scheduled, the hillside and wall to the back of the kitchen but either way it was only ever going to be work on Saturday and the rest of the time was your own.
I can’t speak highly enough of the guys who worked their collective backsides off to the rear of the kitchen. Everyone worked hard but these guys deserve special mention! They must have shifted at least four tonnes of rubble, and put three of it back! Even so they had completed their work by 4:30 p.m. on the Saturday; if I hadn’t sloped off to a different pub I’ve had gladly bought you each a beer—perhaps next time!
The hut is now looking superb and is perfect to take advantage of days like this next:
Saturday was clear, crisp and sunny all day. Sunday’s forecast was for
a cloudy day but still dry.
Well, as it happened Sunday couldn’t have
been better; warm, sunny and clear skies! William was abandoned to
paint the hut floor - well, ok, he needed everyone out of the way to
paint the floors - so teams (a) and (b) went off to Shepherd’s.
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Bowderstone Cottage gets a spring clean
Photo: Sam Judson
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‘Those of us fortunate enough to go climbing went to Shepherds, climbing as 2 threes. Kin, Peter and Martina did one of the Brown Slabs routes, Brown Slabs Crack, followed finally by Eve. Piotr lead Brown Slabs Crack without a single knotted rope! (Apparently in Poland you can't use any metal gear, only small loops of rope with knots in are allowed!)
Myself, Sarah and Tuze did another of the Brown Slab routes, Brown Slabs Crack, followed by the very tough, very scary but thoroughly brilliant Adam. Adam must surely be the uppermost limit of the VS grade (please!)’
(Hey, Younge Benge, get a look at Piotr’s (pronounced Peter) technique, that’ll get your knees a-knocking!)
The Roll of Honour, in alphabetical order:
Special mention has to go to Albert Ritson, Malcolm Rowe, Paul Sim and Peter Bennett who did an enormous amount of work on the wall to the back of the kitchen! To the others who all beavered away all day; Anita Porter, William Blyth, Kin Choi, Lisa Chatfield, Martina Mederiova, Modet Mazur, Naomi Chatfield, Natalia Bungay, Piotr Bamberski, Sam Judson, Sarah Follmann, Terese Mazur, Tuze Kuyucu and Zofia Bungay.
Last but not least to the Flock In, Rosthwaite for coping so well with our huge order for bacon sarnies! Tips for the next time - they don’t do sausage sarnies (they never have), they don’t do crisps (never have), but they do do awesome home-made burgers in ordinary and gluten free buns. Order mid-morning for collection later to avoid disappointment!
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