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BB2528
: In Training For What?
Thursday
24th July 2025
As
some of you might know, we are now in training.
In fact, serious training.
“For
what?” you might well ask. The answer
is simple, or at least I thought it was
when we set off today. Stan completed
his eight decade last December and, to mark
his success, his aim is to climb Scafell
Pike this summer. So we are gradually
upping the severity of our outings with
a view to completing the mission in August.
However,
is that the right goal?
Today, as
we climbed up the Garburn Pass.....
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..... we
encountered a solo walker, John. A
few things amazed us about him.
- Firstly,
and least importantly, he turned out to
be a near neighbour of mine.
- Secondly,
he is a member of the Kendal Ramblers
but had set off on a different route to
the rest of his group as he wanted to visit
a tarn on the side of Ill Bell- a tarn
that, although marked on the OS map, was
one of which we had never heard.
- Thirdly,
this intrepid individual, who had no difficulty
in keeping up with us, was aged 90!
We
parted company shortly before Yoke and he
strode off to the right searching for Rainsborrow
Tarn which, he told us, has superb views
over the Kentmere Valley.
That was
his mission then he would meet the rest
of his party at Ill Bell summit when they
arrived from the Froswick direction.
We
duly visited Yoke.....
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.....
followed by Ill Bell
and then.....
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..... Froswick where we stopped for lunch
and saw our new friend’s colleagues heading
south for Ill Bell- an ascent that looks
more ferocious than it actually is.
We
debated whether to press on to Thornthwaite
Beacon but thought better of it and set
off down Scot Rake. As we marched
down this Roman Road back to the valley floor,
I could not help but think of one of our
erstwhile BOOTboy colleagues, indeed an
original 1973 BOOTboy also called John,
whose party piece was a song starting “I’m
in the bodyguard of Julius Ceaser, he’s
got a physog like a lemon squeezer. A
gladiator, bold and furious, all dressed
up in a garb so curious”.
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I
had hoped to find an internet
rendition for you but failed.
However,
I did find a site with a written
version, one rather
longer than I remember
with somewhat more uncouth lyrics.
So,
if you are sufficiently broadminded,
click on this link,
although it seems to be missing
the first verse.
Then
click on the picture of Julius
Fujic on the right for his well-known
composition "Entry of the Gladiators".
Sing
the former to the latter and
you have our song of the week.
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We
toyed with the idea of returning via The
Tongue but we had had sufficient vertical exercise
and a long walk back down the valley awaited
us.
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We
followed the Roman Road, down
into the valley and along for
a good distance before crossing
the stream, Hagg Gill, and heading
for Limefoot and, eventually,
our cars.
As
we drove off, destination Eagle
and Child, whom should we see,
sat on the wall by the bridge
over the Trout Beck, but our companion from
earlier in the day.
Stan,
you might be in training for
your 80th, but you need to start
thinking about your 90th if
you are to emulate our new friend,
John.
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Don,
Thursday 24th July 2025
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