BB1117 : Farewell David Daw

Wednesday 29th June 2011

It is over three years since Tony's step-father, David Daw, died and for much of the intervening period his ashes have lain in an urn in Tony's garage waiting for the right moment for them to be scattered on Benson Knott.  

The BOOTboys had originally planned to visit the west side of Lake Windermere today but, when that had to be postponed due to various people dropping out, I suggested to Tony that this could be a suitable opportunity to carry out the disposal.  He agreed.

The day got off to a bad start.  Firstly I forgot to make my butties so Margaret volunteered to undertake the task whilst I was dressing.  Then I realised I had forgotten to ask her to run me into Kendal so she had to get dressed in a hurry!  Nonetheless we reached Tony's in good time, arriving just before Bryan who had walked from his home.

David Daw’s surprisingly heavy urn was packed into Tony’s rucksack and off we set.

The reason Stan was not with us was that he has just bought a new house.  As it happens, it lay just off our route through Kendal so we had a little detour to have a nosey. To our surprise, we spotted Stan in the lounge window.

 

Who lives in a house like this?

 

Answer: Stan, soon!

He had completed the legalities yesterday and already had workmen in to whom he was giving instructions.

Netherfield Cricket Pitch with Kendal castle behind

As we continued through Kendal it seemed as if, between us, there was hardly a road we passed in which we didn’t know someone who had lived there at one time or another. But then, between Tony, Bryan and myself, we have been here for well over 100 years!!

We crossed the Sedbergh Road and climbed up the narrow ginnel to the right of the Castle Green Hotel to emerge into fields climbing up to Paddy Lane.

The ginnel beside Castle Green Hotel

The twin summits of Benson Knott

Rising up from  Kendal

At the Greyhound Farm we turned right onto the old Sedbergh Road and subsequently crossed a field, heading up to the fellside.  The map shows it as a farm lane but, apart from a short section, it is not.  The second part of this approach was full of frisky young cows and bullocks but, fortunately, we were able to persuade them to leave us alone.

Reception committee

The Howgills come into view

The twin peaks of Benson Knott

As we neared the top. Tony told us more about his step-father.

We learned that David Daw was born on 31st December 1923 at Culgaith, Cumbria.

He had a sister, Freda, who still lives in Kendal.  

David had been a draughtsman who had spent much of his career working for Gilkes Engineering in Kendal.

He enjoyed fell walking and was very fond of Benson Knott.

In 1970 he married Tony's mother, who died in 2000.  

David died on 24th February 2008.

David Daw

However, he was a believer in reincarnation and that he had been a Roman Soldier in a previous life.  

Altogether, a good man.

 

Comitibus:  Benson Knot with David's Urn

 

Tony scatters the ashes

Benson Knott has twin peaks and Tony decided that David should be released on the one overlooking Kendal in sight of his sister’s house.  There was quite a strong breeze blowing which ensured that his ashes were well scattered.

The ceremony completed, it was time for lunch which we took in the lee of the hill. It was very peaceful and we lingered long before descending to the north.  

 

Bryan and Tony linger longer

 

The view as seen by me

Looking north from our lunch stop

Our objective was the River Mint and we reached a track above it to the east of Meal Bank.  We then followed the river through the hamlet and into Kendal, passing en-route:

  • A Victorian pillar box
  • An old stone bridge over the Mint
  • A water pipeline over the Mint
  • A cottage with river access
  • A strange large tree fungus
  • A motorbike yard to excite Tony
  • The confluence of Kent and Mint
  • The Romney Bridge, now relocated and renamed the Dockway Footbridge
  • A trout
  • The new flats by the Riverside Hotel

 

A Victorian pillar box

 

An old stone bridge over the Mint

A water pipeline over the Mint

A cottage with river access

 

A strange large tree fungus

 

A bike yard to excite Tony

The confluence of the Kent and Mint

 

The Dockway Footbridge

The new flats beyond the Riverside Hotel

 

A trout

We crossed over on what used to be known as the Romney Bridge when it stood at the south end of town but, having been repositioned due to being usurped by a road bridge, is now known as the Dockwray Footbridge.  

Shortly afterwards, Bryan left us in order to return to his house at the north end of town, whilst Tony and I continued south along the river.  

We crossed back at Nether Bridge before turning off to return to Tony's house, mission completed.

Don, 29th June 2011

ribon01d.gif

STATISTICS:

BB1117

Wednesday 29th June

Distance in miles:

10.3

Height climbed in feet:

1,268

Wainwrights :

--

Other Features:

Benson Knott

Comitibus:

Bryan, Don, Tony

 

 

BOOTboys routes ares now being put online in gpx format which should work with most mapping software. You can follow our route in detail by downloading BB1117.

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see
Which Wainwright When?

For the latest totals of the mileages and heights see: BB Log.

 

 

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Archive

 

2011 Outings

BB1101 :
Wasnfell Revisited
Tuseday 11th January

BB1102 :
Recuperation Scar!
Thursday 17th February

BB1103 :
A Promenade of Pensioners
Thursday 24th February

BB1104 :
The B Team
Thursday 3rd March

BB1105 :
A Little Bit Of Wind
Thursday 10th March

BB1106 :
A Linthwaite Round
Thursday 17th March

BB1107 :
Home From The Pulpit
Thursday 24th March

BB1108 :
Taking The Brunt
Thursday 31st March

BB1109 :
Up The Spout
Wednesday 6th April

BB1110 :
Not The Royal Wedding
Friday 29th April

BB1111 :
Kentmere Parts 1 & 2
Thurs 5th, Saturday 7th May

BB1112 :
Five Unknown Tarns
Wednesday 11th May

BB1113 :
Gurnal Dubbs Revisited
Thursday 19th May

BB1114 :
A March Through The Mist
Wednesday 1st June

BB1115 :
Brief Encounter
Wednesday 8th June

BB1116 :
Extraordinary and
Lesser Mortals
Wednesday 15th June

BB1117 :
Farewell David Daw
Wednesday 29th June

BB1118 :
West Side Story
Thursday 7th July

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

 Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright
top was visited on which
BB outing see
Which Wainwright When?.

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