Last weekend's OM Meet-Up in the Duddon Valley on the quieter side of the Lakes was a cracker with some frenzied action, not least in the pub...
You know how planning a barbecue guarantees instant rain? Well, we
didn't pack the barbie and as a direct result, it didn't
rain...
But did anyone thank us for the perfect Saturday weather? Did they
heck. Otherwise though, the OM Meet-Up in the Duddon Valley (right)
was a cracker. And despite Trail's 'Lakeland hidden secrets'
revelations the other month, it was still a quietly beautiful place
to be.
Around a dozen or more OM members turned up - though some were too
shy to make themselves known until the Saturday night - and true to
his reputation, Mike 'D for Dangerous' managed a face plant on the way while
mountain biking over the Walna Scar Road from Coniston, or Windermere
station actually.
Mike gets the Meet-Up prize for first blood of the weekend...
After Friday night in the pub, Saturday dawned bright and blurry.
Actually a cracking day. Bob fell in love with a tree, Andy Wallace's
6 am start turned into a 9 am one and Guy Newbold's glittering
Landrover was mistaken for the sun rise by numerous
campers.
It was such a nice day that people kind of eased into life. A
sizeable contingent - or in English, 'quite a lot of people' -
wandered over to the pleasantly wooded, but ant-plagued crags at
Wallabarrow for some climbing with local rock star Guy and Gyll, his
lovely canine sidekick.
Meanwhile, latterday Wainwright and Lakes addict Andy Wallace
headed out to, well, somewhere high and rocky, with Hayley, and
myself, Mike D and Darren headed over Dow Crag, the Old Man then back
round Seathwaite Tarn for a top day's walking - description and pics
tomorrow. Then it was down to the pub for a well-earned pint or two,
or three and some food, and more food.
Sunday wasn't quite so lovely. It rained overnight and the morning
had that doleful 'I'm gonna rain on you' air to it. Some of us fled,
Andy planned a manic walk around over or under the Hardknot Pass and
the site editor rode his very shiny mountain bike over the Walna Scar
Road,
through Coniston and back over the Wrynose Pass with bizarre applause
at the summit from at least one tourist. Then it started to
rain...
I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who made it up to the
Lakes. It was great to catch up with some of the regulars and meet a
load of new faces as well. I really am sorry that I didn't manage to
bring the barbecue, but hey, did it rain on Saturday night and wasn't
the pub really ten minutes walk from the camp site?
Next Meet-Up
is the Welsh 3000s attempt in late August. See the link below for
more details. Finally, thanks to Guy for the pics.
