BB1910 : BOOTboys 7,  Gareth 0

Wednesday 13th March 2019

What a coincidence.  Last night Manchester City beat Shalke 7-0 and today BOOTboys beat Hurricane Gareth by the same score.

We weren’t that confident at the start.  Hesitatingly, the seven of us met at the Sizergh Castle café wondering if we dare even start the match.  A quick coffee summoned up the blood and off we set, tentatively negotiating the flooded field.

We weren’t sure if we would survive beyond Helsington Church.  Gareth was doing his best to discourage us as we came out onto the open fellside.  However, it just made us more determined.  Onwards, northwards along Scout Scar we decided, bravely.

Stan used his intimate knowledge of the terrain, born out of decades of fell-running the scars, to steer us on a course that protected us from the worst of Gareth’s efforts but sooner or later we had to face his full might.  He was doing his damnedest but we have faced harder opponents.  I remember severe facial distortion on the Gatescarth Pass and even worse days on Whinfell and Helm.  Nonetheless, my eyes were watering with ice-cream head but we pressed on, battling up to half-time at the Mushroom shelter where we sucked our orange slices.

Changing ends, we turned back south. Gareth altered his tactics.  Now he was attacking us from the side but he was tiring.  Suddenly, he gave up and conceded defeat.

To celebrate victory, we took the path that descends a gap in the cliffs.....

then through the farms and woods to the Wheatsheaf at Brigsteer.

What followed after leaving the pub was a journey of discoveries.  First, a field full of ancient tractors waiting for Tony to restore them. 

Then Mike took us through more woods to a hide that he had discovered.  The sort of hide used to watch birds, not escape hurricanes though you could use it for that.  The valley was under a lot of water.  When you lifted a flap you could see plenty of birds making the most of it.

According to the chart there had been buzzards and curlews and snipes and herons and a whole lot more visiting.  However, apart from lots of ducks, I couldn't tell you what we saw except that the swan was a white one, not the black one that had been spotted.

All that remained for us was to climb back up through Brigsteer Park Wood (more of a challenge than we expected) then amble along the bridle path back to the cars at Sizergh. 

The seven of us.  No more Gareth.  7-0 to the BOOTboys.

 Don, Wednesday 13th March 2019

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Comitibus:  Martin, Mike B, Stan, Don, James, Tony, John

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If you want to know which BOOTboys reports refer to having visited any particular Wainwright or certain other hills, see BOOTboys Hill Log.  Warning- it might not be fully up-to-date!

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