BB2602 : When A Plan Comes Together

Wednesday 14th January 2026

Do you remember the A Team?  That group of American ex-Army Special Forces that worked as soldiers of fortune after being branded as war criminals for a crime they didn't commit?

There's an amusing video of the various times this was said at :

I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER

Today I had a plan.  It was our annual lunch and, as usual, we had three groups of participants: those who wanted a longish walk (I hesitate to call them the A Team but I will, just for clarity purposes, not superiority), the Bs who wanted a short walk and the others who were determined to go straight to the pub.  The aim was for the As and Bs to meet up en-route and for all to convene at the Eagle & Child at a given time.

Historically, my ability in predicting timings has been unreliable to say the least.  Generally I have been too optimistic.  I can estimate the walking speed but it is much harder to predict how long will be spent examining sights and objects en-route, whether for real or as pretence for a rest.  However, though I say it myself, today I excelled.

Fortunately, I had prior knowledge from which to work.  Tony, Mike B and I had done a very similar walk in 2022 and I still had the tracking data.  Basically, it went from Staveley up to Potter Tarn then looped up and over to Gurnal Dubbs and back before dropping down to the river to return to base.  All I had to do was to cut out the Gurnal Dubbs loop and, remarkably with Tony’s agreement, his noon time lunch stop and I would have the timings.

Once Robin had finished dressing Tony, we set off at the appointed hour, passed through the village and up the unwelcomingly step hill .....

..... and over ....

..... and down to Littlewood Farm.  Bang on time. 

We slipped a few minutes heading along to Birkfield .....

..... but stormed up the next hill to regain schedule at Potter Tarn.....

..... where we had a brief stop on the outfall stepping blocks.  As you can tell I only just got there on time from setting up the camera!

The question now was whether or not we could reach the meeting point at the Hagg Foot bridge over the River Kent at noon to rendezvous with the Bs.  We descended past the Ghyll Pool.....

.... and we arrived two minutes ahead of schedule, discovering a seating area that has been recently created out of slate slabs.  Somewhat gloatingly, I suppose, flasks and snacks came out.  Two minutes later, three heads (four if you include Maisie) appeared.  Rendezvous successfully achieved.

I was a little concerned that this brief refreshment stop might interfere with our ability to enter the pub at the appointed hour.  It didn’t. 

We followed the river and obeyed the footpath signs directing us away to arrive right on schedule to find our non-walking comrades waiting for us.  Beers were ordered and the kitchen breathed a sigh of relief that they wouldn’t have to delay the meals.  Yes, Hannibal Smith would have been proud of us. 

After the meal, the boys kindly made me a presentation as a thank you for the organising and recording of another BOOTboys year.  This included, somewhat eccentrically, a pair of Daniel O’Donnell socks and a touching poem composed by Mike B, the Bard of Lyth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now Don had a knack for a map and a plan
and a calm sort of way of persuading a man
that a walk was walk, not a test of his knees,
"just a wander," he said, "with a view and a breeze."

So Bryan and Robin, TV Mike and Stan
set off nice and hopeful, as walkers all can.
Tony asked questions, Robert said “Right,”
Mike had the map folded six times too tight.

Martin kept watch on the look of the sky,
Terry brought snacks – well you never know why.
Stuart said little (which worked very well),
Philip admired where the light softly fell.
John H found the path when it wandered astray,
which saved us a mile – or at least felt that way.

Up Scafell Pike for Stan’s birthday we went,
with a puff and a pause and no energy spent
on fuss or on cake, just the joy of the view.
Then Whitbarrow, Wansfell, and Sedbergh too.

So thank you Don, from the BOOTboys each one,
for the walks you’ve arranged and the miles that we’ve done.
For the laughs, for the legs and the year now gone by-
we’d follow you anywhere…

well – anywhere fairly nearby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love it when a plan comes together!

Don Wednesday 14^th January 2026

Comitibus:   

At gate:  Stuart (+ Maisie), Philip, Ian

Seated:  Don, Stan, Tony, Mike B, Robin, Martin

At Eagle & Child (not pictured):  James, John Hn, John PL, Terry

Bonus Pictures from Tony.....

..... and from Mike

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STATISTICS

BB2602 : When A Plan Comes Together

Date:

Wednesday 14th January 2026

Features:

Potter Tarn

Distance in miles:

5.2

3.4

Height climbed in feet:

845

301

GPX track:

BB2602.GPX

Comitibus:

Don, Martin, Mike B, Robin, Stan, Tony

Ian, Philip, Stuart (+Maisie)

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