BB0804  Tony's Memory Lane

Wednesday 30th January 2008

We had promised Tony that normal service would be resumed this week and that the madness of the long distance walks was now over.  The forecast was not too good so Bryan came up with a gentle stroll around Torver that would avoid going too high and should protect us from the worst of the elements.  The plan was to go on Thursday but when we saw the mountain forecast issued on Tuesday afternoon, it was hurriedly brought forward to Wednesday which sadly meant that Stan was unable to join us.

We parked just north of Torver as a shower ceased and made our way past Scarr Head up to the old quarries where there was an impressive waterfall.  

Coniston Old Man and the other tops, Dow Crag and Wetherlam, were covered in mist, as they remained all day.

Dow Crag, Coniston Old Man and Wetherlam not quite visible!

At the Walna Scar Road we turned right.  We were yattering so much about consequential matters like how long Kevin Keegan might last with Denis Wise thrust alongside him that we missed the next turn for the intended path down the hill.  Or at least we thought we had.   However, the gps tracklog later proved we had been at the right spot but the path was indistinct.  I suppose we could have used the gps to confirm our location but that seems like cheating other than in emegergencies.  So, after a bit of to-ing and fro-ing we decided to carry on past the strangely named Boo Tarn- possibly so called because it is so covered in reeds that you don’t see it until it takes you by surprise!

Looking north-west over Coniston

We found what looked like an abandoned (or blown away) fly sheet which Tony and Bryan rescued, thinking it would make an excellent tarp.

Post lunch, as we approached Coniston Hall (old building that sounds and looks grand from a distance but on closer examination is little more than a high class barn) the weather which had so far been reasonably kind suddenly produced a hail shower. Bryan ran for cover and called for us to join him.  He was admonished by Tony for being a wimp. This is, of course, a man that sits in Killington Lake for five hours in horrendous conditions for fun.  A little hail shower was not going to stop his progress.  So, on we went down the Cumbria Way for about three pleasant miles along the lakeside, pausing to examine Torver Jetty, which was disconcertingly wobbly.

Just before Sunny Bank, we left the lake, climbed a small hill and rejoined the A593 heading north for half a mile or so past the Land Rover garage and then dropped down to Torver Beck and a bridle path back to Torver where we admired the now converted railway station.

Passing the Church, I asked Tony if he would like to pay his respects and this he did with a pint of Boddingtons whilst Bryan and I had Hawkshead bitter.  We had half expected a welcome along the lines of “Oh Tony, we haven’t seen you for at least a fortnight. Come on in. Are these your friends? Bring them along- any friend of yours is a friend of ours- drinks are on the house.”  Sadly however it turns out that of the dozens of pubs within striking distance this was about the only one he didn’t frequent although he had a relative-in-law who did.  Nonetheless, it was a pleasant old-fashioned pub with a log fire and a low beam on which I did the inevitable- jumping backwards into it whilst taking off my rucksack.  Ouch!

As we left to retrieve the car, which was only 400 yards further on, the landlady described us as proper walkers (I think that's the word she used) because we only had one drink before leaving.  No doubt if it had been one of Tony’s regular places, she would have been amazed.

Don, 30th January 2008

Distance: 9.4 miles  (Garmin/Memory Map)

Height climbed: 1,260 feet (Anquet)

Wainwrights:  none.

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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Archive

2008 Outings

BB0801 : Avoiding the Graupel;  
16 January

BB0802 : Lyth in the Old Dogs; 22 January

BB0803 : That's Lyth;
27 January

BB0804 : Tony's Memory Lane;
30th January

BB0805 : Fell's Belles!  Thank You Mells?  
6th February

BB0806 : The Langdale Skyline and a Fell Race!
13th February

BB0807a: An Outbreak of Common Sense;
21st February 2008

BB0807b: Askham Fell and  the Lowther Estate;   
13th March 2008

BB0808 : Thanks to the MWIS
19th March 2008

BB0809 :  High Street and Kidsty Pike but no Fairy
28th March 2008

BB0810 :  Prelude to Spring
2nd April 2008

BB0811 :  Spring in Lakeland
6th April 2008

BB0812 :  Wet, Wet, Wet Sleddale to Mosedale Cottage
Thursday 10th April 2008 

BB0813 :  What's It All About, Tony?
Thursday 17th April 2008 

BB0814 :  The Hidden Mountain
Tuesday 22nd April 2008 

BB0815 :  The Bowland CROW
Thursday 1st May 2008

BB0816 :  High Cup Nick:
The Gurt La'al Canyon
Wednesday 7th May 2008

BB0817 :  Travelling Light
Wednesday 14th May 2008

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

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

Wainwrights

Bryan has kindly produced a log of which Wainwrights have been done by which Bootboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of Bootboys.  

To download the Excel file 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

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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