BB0936 : Aye Up What?

Thursday 12th November 2009

“I’m absolutely ravenous,” said Tony suddenly after an uncharacteristically silent period.  

I looked at my watch and smiled.  No matter what problems he might have with his cardio vascular system or his other ailments, his body clock still functions perfectly.  Exactly on the stroke of noon.

Bryan and I didn’t make him wait too long.  We were not far from the summit of Aye Gill Pike. The weather was still strangely sunny but we could see the rain clouds starting to build up in the distance.  Summit, lunch then escape the fell, was the plan.

You might be wondering just where Aye Gill Fell is?  Indeed, I felt quite proud of the fact that I had suggested a peak that Bryan had never actually been up; despite the fact it is only 13.3 miles from his bedroom window.  It is the name of the highest point of Rise Hill, the range that forms the north-eastern flank of Dentdale.

Aye Gill Pike with East Baugh Fell to the left

You might also be wondering why there were just the three of us?  Well, we had another good set of excuses this week.

In third place is Philip, who seemed to think that our outing would not be suitable training for a 10k road race in December.  I did suggest that Bryan might offer him a fell race (although Bryan might have thought twice since breaking his ribs on his last one on BB0806) but Philip declined.

In second place is Pete, not because his car was sick but because he has an appointment with an aerial man.  No, not a member of the Cirque Soleil, just someone to sort out his digital changeover.

But the most bizarre excuse of the week (or possibly of the year) is that of John.  In his own words:  

Don, assuming the BBs will be out this week, I have to tender my apologies. The reason is that I have an extensively bruised, swollen, little toe on my right foot. This was caused when I was drying myself in the gent's showers at Castle Gren gym and in lifting my foot to the drop down seat for the disabled I caught it on the edge of said drop down seat causing the extensive and painful injury. I do hope that this is regarded as an acceptable reason for non attendance and not simply an excuse for merriment .

No chance, John!!  But at least he hasn't got a Crinkley Botttom.  As far as I know.

Stan was a late drop out, due to family illness; a perfectly respectable reason.

The Howgills were looking magnificent behind us.  In almost all weathers they are a strangely satisfying range at which to cast an eye.  

Tony takes a call with the Howgills behind

As we approached the summit, there was an unusual shaped lonesome tree.

The lonesome tree

After lunch, where we had taken the precaution of donning our wet weather gear (yes, more Lowe Alpine!) we retraced our steps for a couple of miles before following a path down to the valley at Helmside.

We noticed some rather unusual gates.  They are designed to be driven over by quad bikes and have a weighted pulley system to close them automatically afterwards, rather like a drawbridge.  There is also a height restrictor to stop 4x4 cars sneaking through.

On reaching the valley we decided to cross to the other side and pick up the Dales Way rather then spend too long on the busier Sedbergh Dent road.  This proved to be a big mistake.  It was raining by now but the fields were already well and truly waterlogged and had been churned up by cattle.  The consequence was that every third step seemed to sink really deeply into the mud.  Very slow going.

The road on the other side was quiet.  And almost impassable due to flooding.  Indeed it more resembled a canal.  

At one stage we feared we might have to ford the river but then we spotted a bridge.

Howgills again, approaching Millthrop

We followed the Dales Way (in rather different weather to that which Margaret and I enjoyed on DW06) back across the valley, past the lovely Gate Manor and over the shoulder of the hill to Millthrop from whence it was another half mile back to the car.

Aye up!  Objective achieved.  Summitted, Lunched and Escaped much drier than on BB0935. I have to say that the bargain Lowe Alpine gear had worked well.  

Don, 12th November 2009

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STATISTCS

 If you have Memory Map on your computer, you can follow our route in detail by downloading BB0936

.

Steve G advises: "For those who like to look at your meanderings but use Tracklogs or other software then your logs can be converted using the freeware utility GPS Babel."

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, and certainly not from any skin head associations or other
type of social group,
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!

If you want to contact us, click on

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Home Page

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Archive

2009 Outings

• BB0901 : A Gordon Day Out
  Thursday 8th January
• BB0902 : Thank You,
  Aunty Ethel!
  Wednesday 14th January 
• BB0903 : A Wicked Hike???
  Wednesday 21st January
• BB0904 : Take a Mug With You
  Sunday 25th January
• BB0905 : Down in the Forest
  Thursday 29th January
• BB0906 : Not How But Where?
  Thursday 5th February
• BB0907 : Binsey Can Wait
  (but Uncle Monty Can Not)
  Thursday 12th February
• BB0908 : Badgers on the Line
  Thursday 5th March
• BB0909 : It's not a W!
  Thursday 12th March
• BB0910 : Up on the Roof
  Thursday 26th March
• BB0911 : Not the Blisco Dashers
  Thursday 2nd April
• BB0912 : John's Comeback
  Monday 6th April
• BB0913 : Two Churches, a Pulpit and a Cherry Picker
  Thursday, 23rd April
• BB0914 : Companions of the BOOT
  Thursday 30th April
• BB0915 : The Gale Force Choice
  Thursday 7th May
• BB0916 : The Comeback Continues
  Thursday 21st May
• BB0917 : BOOTboys Encore !
  28th May - 2nd June
• BB0918 : Hello Dollywagon
  Thursday 11th June
• BB0919 : Has Anyone Seen Lily?
  Thursday 18th June
• BB0920 : Ancient Feet on the Greenburn Horseshoe
  Thursday 25th June
• BB0921 : The Tebay Fell Race Walk
  Thursday 2nd July
• BB0922 : For England and St George 
  Thursday 9th July
• BB0923 : The Coniston Outliers
  Friday 31st July
• BB0924 : Little To Be Said In Favour?
  Thursday 6th August
• BB0925 : The Third Night of the Rescue 
  Thursday 13th August
• BB0926 : Long Wet Windy Monty Bothy Fun?
  Thursday 20th August
• BB0927 : Dear Mrs Scroggins
  Friday 11th September
• BB0928 : An Ard Day's Hike
  Thursday 17th September
• BB0929 : A Canter of Convalescents?
  Thursday 24th September
• BB0930 : BOOTboys International Autumnal Expedition
  Wednesday 23rd to
  Sunday 27th September
• BB0931 : A Bit of an Adventure
  Thursday 1st October 
• BB0932 : Paths of Glory?
  Thursday 8th October
• BB0933 : When Yorkshire Was Welsh
  Wednesday 14th October
• BB0934 : Unlocking the Whinlatters
  Thursday 22nd October
• BB0935 : A Tale of Crinkley Bottoms
  Thursday 5th November
• BB0936 : Aye Up What?
  Thursday 12th November
• BB0937 : Where Eagles Wade
  Tuesday 17th November
• BB0938 : After the Floods
  Thursday 26th November
• BB0939 : The Mystery of the Missing Glove
  Thursday 10th December
• BB0940 : A Too Short Walk
  Thursday 17th December
• BB0941 : One Hundred and Onesfell
  Tuesday 29th December

• BH0901 : Back to the Beginning 
  Thursday 13th August
• BSKIB09 : BOOTskiboys in Saalbach
  14th - 21st March
• BB09XX : Los Chicos y las Chicas de la Bota
  11th - 14th May
• BB09Bav01 : Peaked Too Soon
  1st September

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