After a rather protracted E-mail discussion about whether this group should exist and what it should do a group finally assembled to do some Hillwalking. This was rather depleted due to a clash with the CUHWC Annual Dinner, not really something that could be predicted when we set the date, and of course moving it would have involved clashing with other CUHWC meets.
Pete, Nicky, Toby and I arrived from our various geographical points in the Langdale campsite. Pete suffering with a bad back was rather glad of my offering a tent space for him, we chatted and descended into a deep slumber, While Nicky and Toby wrestled with their tent. Next morning there was a general lethargy, I've been out with DUMC too much recently and can't get used to the idea of not rushing out on Saturday morning when the weather is good. Having eventually persuaded Toby and Nicky to get out of bed, Pete and I being fully ready to go for a number of hours by now, we decided on a walk up the Crinkle Crags via Bow Fell.
The walk up was steep including some interestingly steep snow, where due to an incredible lethargy we couldn't be arsed to get the axes out. I felt good because I was leading the group up hill, quite unusual, I've been used to trailing behind Pete and Toby for the last few years. Their gags about, me becoming a lardy climber were reversing themselves.
We descended Bow Fell along the path before pulling up Crinkle Crags, with me trying to remember how many of them there were. It did seem a terribly long way. About this time it started to snow and the beautiful views we had been enjoying until then departed to be replaced by a white-out. Descending the crags this turned into rain, making the return to the car unpleasant.
In the evening we went over to the ODG to join the DUMC, who were going to have their Annual Dinner, not quite a CUHWC affair! Much beer was drunk to the sounds it heavy rain outside. On return to the campsite, I managed to walk into a fence (ouch!) and we noticed that the path seemed to have become a river, on returning to the campsite, most of that had also become a river, and a number of the other occupants had had to move accommodation. Luckily we had chosen the driest and highest part, and listened with merriment to the cries of anguish of people encountering the river that was now flowing through their tent.
Sunday morning dawned with a hangover, and heavy rain, so we went back to sleep awakening when the rain started to slacken, before resurrecting Toby and Nicky (again) to walk over Langdale Pikes, this was a fun little walk, with a little diversion up Raven Crag gully during which Toby managed to dislodge a very large boulder which went tumbling down the steep scree filled gully at high speed. On its progress to the bottom it took out a wire fence, leap-frogged a stone wall, narrowly missed a party of valley walkers (who all appeared to be suffering from shock) before embedding itself in a stone wall with a sound of a large explosion! We felt it the better part of valour to get out of the way ASAP.
The rest of the walk was uneventful, with some stunning summit views where teams photos were taken before descent packing away and making our weary ways back across the Pennines. It was felt that the first Old Duffers Trip had been a success, and that we should have some more. Can't wait for the next one.
Last modified: Wednesday, 25 April 2007, at 19:59 (BST)