BB0838 : Ladies Invitation Day

Thursday 4th December 2008

Each year, round about this time, we have a BOOTboys night out.  This year, we decided to make it a fuller experience by incorporating a daytime outing pitched at a level to suit all those partying in the evening.  This gave us the opportunity to welcome back Pete after an absence from the fells of nearly two years (BB0604) and for a further instalment of the Comeback Trail for John.  As a gentle four miler around Farleton Knott was the objective, the ladies were also invited to join us.

I don't know if it was the snow, the ice, the mist or the rain or perhaps the 20% off at Marks & Spencer, but for some reason none of the ladies chose to join us.  We nearly didn't have Bryan, either.  The snow in Kendal was much deeper than south of town and having looked out of his window onto six inches of snow, he was surprised to discover the expedition was still on.

Tony, on the other hand, was in his element.  The late start not only meant Pete could drive the 100 miles in daylight, Tony could actually have his lunch at the appointed hour before setting off, although his road too was treacherous. Stan's was even worse- even the gritters had failed to make it up his hill.

The Met Office forecast was for it to fair up in the early afternoon but it required an act of faith as we drove down the A65 in the sleet.  Farleton Knott was shrouded in mist but then, suddenly as we parked, it cleared.

Farleton Knott emerging from the mist

Our plan was to climb up by the bridle path towards Hutton Roof Crags in order to take Farleton Knott by surprise from behind.  

Hutton Roof Crags

The path was steeper than I remembered it, quite rough and very icy- tricky conditions for someone recovering from a second replacement knee operation but John was going well. By the time we curved off round the back of the limestone pavement we were in snow and it looked as if we might get caught by a snow shower.  We took an emergency team photo, just in case, but fortunately the shower more or less missed us.

Even on a grey and misty day, the view from the top is impressive.  Given that there was a strong (and very cold) wind blowing on the top, it was strange to see the factory smoke rising vertically.

You can almost see the Lake District!

Tony was particularly intrigued by spotted a fishable tarn that he knew nothing about.

We took a short break below the limestone cliff where Stan had his lunch and Pete relived the last time he was here- circa 1973 when a few of us were given a rock climbing lesson by Graham.  

Anticipating that the way down would be even slippier than the climb, I took the precaution of fitting my Grivel Spiders instep crampons and they performed superbly.  I highly recommend them.

All safely back at the car, we returned to Kendal to prepare for the evening session.

The BOOTboys had booked in at Rococo Joe's for 6:30 p.m. and, this being Ladies Invitation Day, the ladies had been invited to dine at a different restaurant, the New Moon, at 7:45 p.m..

Our meal was excellent and was followed by a tour, not entirely to Tony's liking, of the fleshpots of Kendal.  Firstly, the Ivy Leaf Club where we were spotted by a certain retired doctor who will now enjoy his five minutes of international fame.  

Then on to a remarkably busy Burgundy's Wine Bar following which, John was in need of his cocoa so he made an excuse and left.  Meanwhile, we undertook the serious assault of an icy Beast Banks to the Rifleman's Arms, to which the ladies had been invited to join us after their meal.  As expected, there were many musicians busking away but, sadly, no John S (although son Daniel was plucking away on his guitar) nor Tony the Silversmith.  The ladies arrived shortly after us, having dined well at the New Moon, and the party continued until midnight.  Or much later in our case, being restarted once we arrived home with Pete & Col!

In BB0837 I was rather unkind to Kendal's Councillors and their Christmas lighting efforts. I take it back.  Kendal's lights this year are a big improvement on the previous pathetic efforts.  Strangely, the same cannot be said about the various establishments we visited. Not a great deal of effort had been put into festive decorations in any of them.

Maybe it was because we hadn't opted for the Christmas menus?  

Nevertheless, everyone enjoyed the night but the ladies kept asking why had they not been invited to dine with us at the same restaurant at the same time?  It's a good question. If they are good to their BOOTboys, the entertainments committee will review the ladies invitation arrangements for next year!

Meanwhile, in this cold and grey weather, let me conclude by returning to our rather warmer French trip and international exposure. Bryan has passed me a CD of his photos from Menton (BB0836).  Amongst the many splendid pictures are three I want to highlight.  The first, a team photo at sunset on arrival showing the Winter Palace catching the last rays and, as a backdrop, the jagged hills just behind Menton.

Next, one of the Annonciade which I think captures the peace and tranquility of the place with its path seemingly radiating from the chapel.  On the right, one featuring Bryan stood in front of one of my favourite Menton views, the Jardins Biovès with the mountains behind.

The title "Quand le tram arrivait au village" reminded me of a naughty old song sung to the tune of Dvorak's Humoresque No. 7.  

"When the train is in the station....."

Had I thought about this last night, I would probably have started singing it!  

Ladies, be happy that I didn't!

Don, 5th December 2008

Statistics:

If you have Memory Map on your computer, you can follow our route in detail by downloading BB0838.

For the latest totals of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fells Books Wainwrights see: Wainwrights.

If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!

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BOOT boys

This page describes an adventure of BOOTboys, a loose group of friends of mature years who enjoy defying the aging process by getting out into the hills as often as possible!

As most live in South Lakeland, it is no surprise that our focus is on the Lakeland fells and the Yorkshire Dales.

As for the name, BOOTboys, it does not primarily derive from an item of footwear but is in memory of Big Josie, the erstwhile landlady of the erstwhile Burnmoor Inn at Boot in Eskdale, who enlivened Saint Patrick's Day 1973 and other odd evenings many years ago!

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Archive

2008 Outings

• BB0801 :
  Avoiding the Graupel;  
  Wednesday 16 January
• BB0802 :
  Lyth in the Old Dogs;
  Tuesday 22 January
• BB0803 :
  That's Lyth;
  Sunday 27 January
• BB0804 :
  Tony's Memory Lane;
  Wednesday 30th January
• BB0805 :
  Fell's Belles!
  Thank You Mells
  Wednesday 6th February  
• BB0806 :
  The Langdale Skyline
  and a Fell Race!
  Wednesday 13th February
• BB0807a:
  An Outbreak of Common Sense;
  Thursday 21st February
• BB0807b:
  Askham Fell and
  the Lowther Estate;   
  Thursday 13th March
• BB0808 : 
  Thanks to the MWIS
  Wednesday 19th March
• BB0809 :  
  High Street and Kidsty Pike
  but no Fairy
  Friday 28th March
• BB0810 :  
  Prelude to Spring
  Wednesday 2nd April
• BB0811 :  
  Spring in Lakeland
  Sunday 6th April
• BB0812 :  
  Wet, Wet, Wet Sleddale to Mosedale Cottage
  Thursday 10th April
• BB0813 :  
  What's It All About, Tony?
  Thursday 17th April
• BB0814 :  
  The Hidden Mountain
  Tuesday 22nd April
• BB0815 :  
  The Bowland CROW
  Thursday 1st May
• BB0816 :  
  High Cup Nick:
  The Gurt La'al Canyon
  Wednesday 7th May
• BB0817 :  
  Travelling Light
  Wednesday 14th May
• BB0818 :  
  Pensioners’ Day Out
  Thursday 22nd May
• BB0819 :  
  The Northern Tip
  Thursday 29th May
• BB0820 :  
  The Bannisdale Horseshoe
  Wednesday 11th June
• BB0821 :  
  Black, White or Grey Combe?
  Thursday 19th June
• BB0822 : 
  Thunder on the 555
  Thursday 3rd July
• BB0823 : 
  We'll Give It Five
  Thursday 10th July
• BB0824 :
  Shelters from the Storm
  Thursday 17th July
• BB0825 :
  The Big Wind-Up
  Wednesday 23rd July
• BB0826 :
  Tony’s Third (and wettest) Alfie
  Wedmesday 30th July
• BB0827 :
  A Visit to Mud Hall
  Tuesday 19th August
• BB0828 :
  The Tale of Randy Gill
  Tuesday 27th August
• BB0829 : Mosedale Cottage Revisited
  Wednesday 3rd September
• BB0830 : Mist Over Pendle
  Wednesday 10th September
• BB0831 : Luncheon Chez Monty
  Thursday 2nd October
• BB0832 : Escape from the Madness
  Thursday 9th October
• BB0833 : Only on a Thursday
  Thursday 16th October
• BB0834 : YIFT
  Wednesday 29th October
• BB0835 : Reflections on Thirlmere
  Thursday 6th November
• BB0836 : Reet Grand Randonnées
  15th - 19th November
• BB0837 : Back to Real8ty
  Wednesday 26th November
• BB0838 : Ladies Invitation Day
  Thursday 4th December
• BB0839 : Why Mungrisedale Common?
  Wednesday 10th December
• BB0840 : Breast High in Bretherdale
  Wednesday 17th December

 The Comback Trail

• CBT01 : Helm, direttissimo
  Monday 22nd September  
• CBT02 : Cunswick Fell and back in the dark!
  Monday 29th September  

BOOTSKIboys

• BskiB08 : Bootski Boys in the Sella Ronda  
  23rd February - 1st March

Click on the photos for an enlargement or related large picture.

Wainwrights

To download a log of which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys click on Wainwrights. 

If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!

 BOOT boys