BB1739 : Collective Nouns

Tuesday 5th December 2017

It all started with a cloud of swarming birds.  They weren’t a squabble of seagulls nor were they a murmuration of starlings.  In the end we identified them as Manx Shearwaters so what would their collective noun be?

Our conclusion was: A Shedload of Shearwaters.

What is the collective noun for BOOTboys ? I have a funny feeling that I have asked this question before.  Anyway there were only three of us- Martin, Robin and me although we were augmented by Holly, Robin’s dog.  A trio con carnis?

The forecast for the fells was even worse than last week so, as we had no Bryan to direct us, we decided on what we thought would be a soft option, the coastal path south of Cartmel.  Starting from Robin’s house we strode across the racecourse then followed the River Eea to Cark.

Outside the Rose & Crown was a miniature house.  We soon discovered three things.

1.    It was modelled on a house a little lower down in the village.  Sort of.

2.    It was made by the man who runs the Lakeland Model Village in Flookburgh

3.    In that model village is a miniature of Robin’s house (an ancient water mill).  Actually Robin already knew that bit.

What, we wondered was the collective noun for a model village?  

A Shrinkage of Houses perhaps.

It was too early to sample the charms of the R&C so we continued on to Lenibrick Point.  There was a very high tide licking the salt marsh but not threatening our progress around the mouth of the Leven Estuary.  It was here that we saw our Shedload.  Swooping round in the sky and cunning ducking out of sight whenever I reached for my camera.  With a good imagination you can just see them in the picture.

Holly wished the birds would stop flying so she could catch them.  Instead she turned her attention, as dogs do, to the biggest stick she could find.

Canon Winder is a fine old building.  

I wish I could say the same of the stretch of coast line immediately after it.  It’s a right old mess.  Mounds of debris.  What’s the right collective word?  A distressment?  An abandonment? A disfigurement?  Perhaps more simply- a dump of debris.  Once past the dump, we walked along the old embankment (which, strangely, looked well mown).  The sky was looking ominous.

At West Plan Farm we turned inland to Cark International Airport.  Robin hoped there might be a cunning way across to Humphrey Head but we couldn’t find one.  It did however give him the opportunity to collect some batteries from one of the industrial units.  Size? AAAA.  No, I hadn't heard of them either!

Our intention had been to climb up Humph but there was a head wind bringing in rain so we just went as far up as offered a view over the Kent estuary then retreated to make our way north to Allithwaite.  

Fortunately the rain, proving to be little more than drizzle, passed over quickly but the water problem was under foot.  I don’t know what the collective noun for cowplop is but imagine a waterlogged field where cows had been freely doing what cows do and you get the idea.  Almost knee-deep in nasty at times, generally in the areas close to stiles or gates.

We cleaned ourselves up as best we could and entered the Pheasant.  What a reward.  We had only walked 11.2 miles so we hadn’t really earned it but the fish and chips were excellent.

When we left, it was almost dusk.  Sunset was 15:50.  The clock chimed 16:00 as we passed Cartmel Priory.  

By the time we were back at Robin’s house it was quite dark.  Note to self- you really must make sure your head torch is in your rucksac at this time of year.

As I write this report, my mind keeps drifting back to that question.  

What is the collective noun for BOOTboys?  

That’s the Christmas competition.  Answers please by Monday 18th please. Click on Suggestions to see the entries so far received.  A modest prize awaits.

Don, Tuesday 5th December 2017

 

 

Comitibus : Holly, Robin, Martin, Don

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What is the Collective Noun for BOOTboys?  

Suggestions, in order of receipt, are:

A Beam of BOOTboys

..... Those occasions when you are all smiling

A Grump of BOOTboys

..... Those when you are not

A Library of BOOTboys

..... The sum of all knowledge

A Blessing of BOOTboys

..... Because we can

A Battery of BOOTboys

..... Relating to camera, GPSs or phones usually being flat (or AAAAs!)

A Blethering of BOOTboys

..... An unkind reference to our wide ranging conversations

A Josieness of BOOTboys

..... In memory of Big Josie 

A Perambulation of BOOTboys

..... Because that's what you do

A Leatheration of BOOTboys

..... Because of your boots

A Caligula of BOOTboys

..... Caligula, in Latin, means Little Boots.  It was the soldiers' nickname for the young Gaius Caesar, son of Germanicus and Agrippina, because he went around a Roman camp wearing a pair of his father’s boots.  Caligula was Roman Emperor from AD37 to AD41

A Smell of BOOTboys

..... Mmmmm!

A Lacing of BOOTboys

..... BOOTS or drinks?

A Tread of BOOTboys

..... Where no-one trod before!

A Footprint of BOOTboys

..... Just right for our followers

A Stride of BOOTboys

..... Or in James' case- Strides

An Outing of BOOTboys

..... We've all been out but no-one has been outed yet!

A Heaven (or Hell) of BOOTboys

 ..... 'Cos that's where your sole goes!

A Chattering of BOOTboys

 ..... Because it never stops!

A Summit of BOOTboys

 ..... They're the tops!

A Chuckle of BOOTboys

..... Often to be heard before.....

A Blunder of BOOTboys

..... Because it happens!

A Bustle of BOOTboys

..... Excited activity and movement?  Yes!

..... A pad or frame worn under a skirt and puffing it out behind?
I thought it was the wind that did that!

A Bevy of BOOTboys

..... A large group of a particular kind followed by a large drink of a particular kind!

A Fortitude of BOOTboys

..... Such courage in pain or adversity!

An Odyssey of BOOTboys

..... Ten years of wandering (thirteen actually)

A Brut of BOOTboys

..... That wonderful smell of BOOTboys

A Busload of BOOTboys

..... On the 555

Click on Vote to return to the voting panel.

Map shown: OS 1:50k

STATISTICS

BB1739 : Collective Nouns

Date:

Tuesday 5th December 2017

Features:

Cartmel, Cark & Allithwaite

Distance in miles:

14.1 (Garmin)

Height climbed in feet:

815 (OMN / OS 1:25k)

Comitibus:

Don, Martin, Robin (& Holly)

BOOTboys routes are put online in gpx format which should work with most mapping software.
You can follow our route in detail by downloading BB1739 .
 To discover which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing or for the totals of the mileages and heightages
see the Excel file: BB Log.  You can navigate to the required report via the Home Page

 

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BOOTboys 2017

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