DARK PEAK NEWS Winter 2012 - Dark Peak Fell Runners

Dark Peak News Winter 2012 page 38Joss Naylor for OAPsI don’t know how we got away with theweather. I’d had this one planned sinceFebruary but the drenching rain in most partsof the country looked all set to continuethrough to the end of July. In most of thecountry, for most of the time, it did. But asluck would have it the Lake District forecastshowed a window of respite includingWednesday, 20th June, my chosen date. So, Iwent for it! (The day after and the followingweek, driving rain returned as we all know.So hats off to Keith Holmes who despite theprudent and sensible decision to call offthe annual club attempt, cobbled together asupport team and completed a respectableBG the following weekend after the floodwaters subsided).A midnight start off Pooley Bridge withBob Marsden saw us cracking a good paceon the first leg towards Kirkstone, with aglorious red sunrise maturing as we toppedKidsty Pike. Alan, (with a Y and he ofinfamous fellsmanship), decided to start withus, (surprise to us all), and hang in as long ashe felt OK. He completed the full route withme and more to the point, willingly to myschedule! Colin Lago took over the supporton the next stint up Red Screes and via achoice of route taking in High Bakestones,just for a change. We got to Dunmail at 8:07,and found it ably manned by Colin Hensonand Roger Baumeister with tea and assortedgoodies.We had a short stop, drank some toxiccoffee, (to my guts anyway), and set off upSteel Fell, now with Dick Pasley in commandand Alison Moseley who had changed intomore functional fell attire, (from her previousday’s ‘wedding dress’. A Gretna Green ‘do’would you believe?). This was a bad time forme due to Dick’s poisonous coffee and theresulting inability to eat anything substantialfor a while.Thankfully by Rossett Pike I wasreasonably back on form. We had taken theFlower Gill approach to High Raise, (Alan’sidea), instead of my usual ‘favourite’ BirksGill, (I think not). At least this offered adistraction from my digestion problem andseemed to involved no extra distance. AfterRossett, I thought we maintained a prettyimpressive pace up Billy Bland’s Rake fora couple of oldies. Then on to the inevitablecrowds at Bowfell summit, amazingly still inglorious sunshine.I chose to come off Great End direct, downthe Band, whilst Alan and Alison reversedround and down the main Styhead - Esk