BB1714 : 47DON=70

Saturday 29th April 2017

Rehearsals were over.  This was the live performance.

Fifteen BOOTboys and one BOOTgirl (age range 9 to 72) lined up outside Wilf's in the Staveley Mill Yard for an 11:15 start to help celebrate my three score years and ten.

It should have been sixteen and two but Emma and Al decided they needed more exercise (Emma does 40 miles for St John's Hospice next weekend and was behind schedule with her training).  They started walking from Kendal in good time but when they reached Bowston they came upon the brand new Handsome Micro Brewery so understandably stopped to have a look.  And an inspection tour.  And a sampling.  Is it any wonder that as we were about to set off, puzzled as to where she was, I received a call from my beloved daughter to say that they were running a little late and that they would catch us up.

So off we set, up Reston Scar following the route that Stan and I had recce'd on Monday ( BB1713 ).  Having at times, through the week, threatened serious rain, the forecast was quite benign.

We reached the top just before noon and offered Tony the rare opportunity to eat at his chosen moment.  To our amazement he declined the invitation.  Or perhaps "deferred" would be the more appropriate word.

We dropped down to the valley by a slightly more direct and sensible route than Stan and I had taken, by which time the two morning tipplers had caught up with us and the need to eat had caught up with Tony.  We granted him permission at the ruined buildings of Elf Howe.

Perhaps we lingered too long as somewhere along the way we started to slip against the schedule.  This became particularly apparent when we spotted from on high that the TRAINERboys&girls were approaching Birk Field.  We needed to get a move on.

I should explain that the 19 TRAINERboys&girls (8b, 11g, age range 4 to 72) were following the route taken by Margaret and me last weekend (on GLW1705 ).  They had started from the Mill Yard at 13:15 and the intention was for us to meet them at Potter Tarn at 15:15.  I had been confident that rendezvous time would be comfortable for both groups.

Once we reached the Brunt Knott summit Stan and Richard tried to solve the problem by having a fell race down to the Pass.  Each had bragged of his descending ability and was determined to prove himself the better.  Each claimed victory but independent observers scored it an honorable draw.  However the speed of the group is not determined by those at the front.

Shortly after the summit of Potter Fell we we could see Potter Tarn and a lot of people standing there.  I called Margaret on the walkie-talkie and a six year old's voice answered. The technology had defeated her but Luca saved the day.

We were not sure what to do. It was clear that if we were to do the full circuit there was little likelihood of us hitting the target time and that the TRAINERs would have got tired of waiting for us at Potter Tarn.  Stan and Richard again tried to solve the problem by dashing off downhill, closely followed by Steve.  They vanished from sight.

I have been advised not to publish what happened next except to say that no damage was done and before long we all reached the tarn to met up with the TRAINERs and a PUMP- John S who had come up from Burneside.

Comitibus: Potter Tarn

John left us on the descent to return to his car.  Part of the group rushed down the track to the road.  As the footbridge across the river had been washed away, they assumed they had no option but to continue along the road. They needed to be caught.  So whilst Margaret took the her faithful followers down to the fallen bridge and turned right onto the bluebell path through the wood, I chased along the road as fast as a non-athletic septageniarian can to catch the others.

Fortunately they had stopped at where a path emerged from the woods, waiting for the party to catch up.  It was then that another PUMP, Stephen, was making his way alongside the river. He had seen us and was frantically trying to attract our attention to come down to him. Which we did.

The trek back to the mill yard passed without further incident.  The post-walk festivities took place in the Riverside Room at the Hawkshead Brewery where we were joined by twenty-two BEDSOX to enjoy the Hawkshead beers and Wilf's banquet.

My thanks go to everyone who helped make this a very special occasion for me and to those well-wishers who unfortunately were unable to join us.

My thanks also go to all who have made donations to Kendal Mountain Search & Rescue. The amount we have raised so far through the Charity Choice website is £630.   To this are to be added the gift aid tax relief amounts, some direct donations by cheque plus the money to be collected from the mystery benefactor who is going to match the total raised. Total to date: £1,800.  The money is going to be put towards replacing an ageing rescue vehicle.  If any reader would like to add to this, the appeal remains open until 29th May.  For details see 47DON=70 .

Don, Saturday 29th April 2017  

The Fakir

The last word goes to John S for his inspirational record of the day:

Map shown: OS 1:25k

The map shown above is the one used for planning purposes.  
Below you can see Bryan's BOOTs trail in 3-D.

To discover which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing - although it may not be that up to date - or for the totals of the mileages and heightages (ditto) see the Excel file: BB Log.

You can navigate to the required report via the Home Page

Photos have been gleaned from many sources
although mostly from me and other BOOTboys. Likewise written comment.

I apologise if I have failed to acknowledge properly the source or infringed
copyright.  Please let me know and I will do my best to put things right.

Unless stated otherwise, please feel free to download the material if you wish.
A reference back to this website would be appreciated.

   E-mail addresses on this web site are protected by

 Spam Trawlers will be further frustrated by
 Spam Blocker: help fight spam e-mail!  

BOOTboys 2017

BOOT boys
If you want to join
The BOOTboys
Inter-Galactic
Fan Club
let us know and
you will receive
automatic notification
of new BOOTboys reports

Click on
to contact us.

For the Index pages
of our various outings
click on the relevant
link below:

The photos & maps
on these pages
will normally retain
reasonable quality
if you expand
your screen
to view them.

 BOOTboys^© is a Lakeland Enterprise production brought to you by
Comitibus Communications^©