BB1820 : World Naked Hiking Day

Thursday 21st June 2018

“Do you know what day it is today?” asked Mike.

“Of course.  It is Thursday.”

“OK but do you know what Day it is today?”

“Ah yes! It’s the longest day!”

“True, but do you know what DAY it is today?”

We gave up so Mike revealed all, so to speak.  “It is World Naked Hiking Day” he proudly informed us.  Well, that made for an interesting prospect.

We (Stan, Terry and I) had parked in Keswick.  I had been worried about traffic so we had set off very early.  In fact there was no problem so we had plenty of time to enjoy a coffee and a flapjack and a crunch on a filling that the flapjack kindly removed from a tooth.

At the bus stop we had met Mike (T as opposed to B) plus two of his friends from another walking group- Mick (whom I have known for many years) and Dave (whom I hadn’t).  We had discovered that they intending doing pretty much the same walk as us so we had arranged to meet up.  They, however, had parked at the Latrigg car park some 700 feet up the hill and had descended to join us.

We all caught the bus to the Ravenscar Hotel below Skiddaw and, fully clothed, set off up the hill in search of naked hikers.  Partway up Ullock Pike we met a young couple, the man carrying a baby on his back.  We engaged them in conversation then asked his wife whether she knew that it was World Ladies Naked Hiking Day today?  She didn’t.  She wasn’t impressed even when Terry, the naked swimmer, said “I will if you will so will I” or something like that.

We didn’t try that line any more as we climbed Long Side and Carl Side.  Now it was time to tackle the steep scree up to the Skiddaw summit.  

Even though it was a lovely day, it was cold and very breezy with a big wind-chill factor (zero temperature equivalent predicted for the summit).  Naked Hikers would have their wotsits frozen off.

In the distance we could see Blancathra and all the hills of last week's BB1819.

It was too chilly to linger for lunch so we headed down over Skiddaw Little Man and on to the col for a leisurely lunch stop in the sun and out of the breeze.  Ideal conditions for a Naked Hiker but none were to be seen.

We had bagged five Wainwrights already but two awaited.  First was Lonscale Fell, an easy stroll.  Logic said that we should retrace our steps somewhat to the main path down from Skiddaw.  However that is now a motorway (seriously you could easily drive up it if you had an off road vehicle) and I saw what looked like a path heading directly south down to the Latrigg car park where Mike and co had left their car.

The further down we went, the less certain I was that it was a human track as opposed to being a sheep trod.  Certainly there was no evidence of human detritus nor even footprints but plenty of evidence that sheep had passed that way.  We were deep in bracken and increasingly descending a rocky, dried up stream bed.  I was beginning to fear that we might have to reclimb the hill, which would have made me very popular.  Not.

Finally I saw a fence.  If there is a fence, I thought, it means that humans have passed this way before.  However the fence was at a mini ravine where our dried up stream met a real one.  It required a minor amount of negotiation of wire (fortunately not barbed) and rocks to reach the other side where it looked as if there might be a path.  “Foolish men” said a couple of sheep.  “Follow us and we will lead you to safety”.  And this they did.  Honest.  We found the motorway and after posing at the Celtic Cross memorial.....

..... we soon arrived at the Latrigg car park where our new comrades had left their car.

Having said our farewells, Stan, Terry and I made a direct ascent of Latrigg from the east and followed a path to make a direct descent to the west.  

Unfortunately this led down to a locked gate and a Keep Out sign.  Why hadn’t they put that at the top of the hill?  Should we turn back?  Of course we did.  Not!

A broad track took us through a wood where serious logging had been taking place, but not today, and onward down to a proper path and finally into Keswick where there were plenty of hikers but all well clad.

When I arrived home I said to Margaret “Do you know what day it is today?”

“Of course.  It is Thursday”

“OK but do you know what Day it is today?”

“Ah yes! It’s the longest day!”

“True, but do you know what DAY it is today?”

She gave up so I revealed all, so to speak.  “It is World Naked Hiking Day."

"Should we go for a walk?” I added.

I leave you to guess her reply.

Don, Thursday 21st June 2018

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Muncaster Castle

Last week, Mike B and Tony were unable to join us so, the following day, they undertook a cultural visit.

I couldn’t make Wednesday’s Blencathra outing. The dentist prevailed. I need to keep my teeth going to be able to fully enjoy sausages.  

It was going to be bad weather. Windy and wet. So a decent walk was out.

But Tony had never been to Muncaster before. The Pennington family have continuously occupied the castle for 800 years. Impressive.

The walk from the car park is a treat. Beautiful varied species of trees and bushes.

Comitibus: Stan, Terry, Mick, Mike, Dave, Don

Map : OS 1:50k

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BOOTboys 2018

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