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BB1917
: A Hard Knott's Day
Wednesday
15th May 2019
It’s
been a Hard Knott’s Day and we’ve been walking
through a bog
It’s been a Hard Knott’s
Day, we’ll soon be sleeping like a dog
So
we went to the Brew for one pint then two,
And
now we feel all right.
These
were the words I sang down the phone to
let Margaret know that all was well. It
had been a hard day, as least for the septuagenarians
amongst us.
The
reason we were out at Hard Knott Pass was,
inevitably, Wainwright bagging. Stan and
I both needed Hard Knott and Green Crag
which are inconveniently located on either
side of the pass, the latter actually beyond
Harter Fell which we didn’t need. We
weren’t aware, at the time, of Mike T and
Br-i-an’s interest in these particular fells,
we thought they were just joining us for
the walk. Or in Mike’s case, kindly acting
as our chauffeur.
When
we arrived, a coach load of youths were
making their steep way up the face of Hardknott
Crag with varying degrees of enthusiasm.
Our
original intention had been to visit Green
Crag first but we soon changed plan (largely
it must be said due to a gate not being
where we thought it should be even though
it was in the right place). This was
probably fortuitous as, instead, we stormed
up Harter Fell, posing on the impressive
rocky summit that needs some care in order
to be achieved.
It
was then we hit the bog. Fortunately
the weather has been reasonably kind and
it must generally be far worse than it was
today but nevertheless there was a long
trudge over wobbly wet ground before we
reached Green Crag summit.
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And
then, of course, we had to re-cross the
bog to find the route round Harter Fell
back to where we had parked the car.
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It
seemed an awfully long way round involving
a surprisingly steep path through the woods
before we arrived.
It
had been hot and energy sapping. We,
or at least some of us, were whacked. A
debate took place. Should we or should
we not now climb Hard Knott?
Stan
and I needed it but weren’t sure we had
the energy to do it. Br-i-an is now
on the Wainwright trail so he needed it
but appeared ambivalent. Mike was
seemingly happy to drive us home but then
let slip that he had climbed Harter Fell
and Green Crag before but had hoped to do
Hard Knott. That clinched it. After
all, he was our driver.
It
only took us twenty minutes to climb the
500 feet to the summit but it seemed twice
that. First thing in the morning it would
have been a doddle. Not now.
Our
reward was a fine view of the Scafell range.
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Fortunately,
the 500 feet down was much easier!
Back
at the pass, there was a parade of cars
looking like rally support vehicles, seemingly
full of Germans on a tour of the UK. One
stopped, parked just off road on an incline,
so that the Mädchen could pose on its
bonnet.
The
afore-mentioned singing message took place
at the Hawkshead Brewery in Staveley (It's
not unusual... sorry, wrong song, wrong
singer).
When
I get home to you,
I'll find the things
that you do
Will make me feel all right.
Yes,
G&T placed in my hand, a warm bath run
for me followed by a fine supper served lovingly
to me. Soon, sat in front
of the TV, it's true. I was sleeping
like a dog.
It
had been a Hard Knott's Day.
Don,
Wednesday 15th May 2019
Post
Script: Pendants might think that I
have Malapropped the quotation and that
I should have written "sleeping like
a log", not a dog. However,
I should point out one thing. Logs
don't snore!
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