Bucket Trip 2011

After an exceptional week enjoying each other's company the Bucketeers have to pack up before heading off home. Once the house was emptied and cleaned we set off to Hawkshead where Dale finally managed to buy the waterproof jacket he had been looking for and we all enjoyed a coffee/tea in the Hawkshead coffee shop.

We had a look around the village buying last minute presents. Before we said our goodbyes the boys presented Margaret with a pair of walking sticks in appreciation of all the hard work she had put in feeding us all everyday.

Suggestions have been made of a re-union but as half of us live outside the UK a lot of saving and arrangements will have to be made before this can happen.

Anyway until the next time, Bon Voyage Phil, Dale and Dave.

I (Lol) spent a week with these piss-artists and none of then threw up as a consequence of being in my boring and limited company!! It can be stated however that we all have had the greatest of times together.

The food, cooked and delivered by the magnificent Margaret goes beyond any levels of high expectation. The title of ‘Soup Baroness of the Langdales’ is a well deserved accolade. Three cheers to Margaret!! We all ate heartily, well and with great gusto!! Edwards, champion of all eaters was well pigged out!!

This evening we wait with bated breath for home cooked pizzas which will be just as good as the home made scones!!! Especially the unset cement mixture variety!! Ummm…. Yum, yum!! This evenings’ dinner starts however with one of big M’s best homemade soups; to die for!!
Earlier today we ventured out on our final bucketeer walk. The unfortunately poor weather determined that we travel on a safe low level, easy-to-find-your- way walk! Big mistake!! The consequence of seven leaders all putting their two-peneth in however resulted in how regrettably confusing this became. Rick however solved all the decision by establishing a frighteningly serious track decent which had significant consequences on Margaret’s arthritic knees, Phil’s’ bad foot and Dales’ expectation of getting to the pub before two!! It can be acknowledged with great applause that we all arrived at the Wainright Inn sufficiently intact to order and consume volumes of beer necessary and sufficient to qualify the day out as a great success. The pint at Wainrights’ delivered the energy needed for the next half mile to the Britannia Inn at Elterwater where we had to go in to relieve Edwards’ weak bladder and serve Ian’s’ need to go into some hostelry where he can remind everyone of his dietary requirements. On entering this fine old building it became increasingly apparent that Margaret was in need of a cup of tea. All agreeing that she should not drink alone a round of fine beers ( and cider for Ian) was ordered, twice!

I am sure that the other member s of the group are well qualified to augment the story further!

After leaving Margaret behind to look after ailing grumpy tum Ian ( poor guy really had a bad gut!) Dale, Rick, Dave, Lol, and Phil set off to tackle Fairfield Horseshoe. Armed with map, compass and faithfull GPS we started the walk with a steep ascent; a knee knackering effort was much needed by the sextagenarians on this occassion!! Getting higher and higher brought the group into cold, wet cloud significantly marring visibilty and reducing to nil the likelihood of any good views to test the photographic skills of this myopic sqaud. Taking compass bearings, reading maps and striding forth with determination we continued into the mist.

On the way up we met Abdul Rahim who is here from Singapore. We assured him that we could show him the way down through the mist and he trusted us!! Having reached the top of the Horseshoe Lol, Dale and Phil decided to decend with Rahim leaving Dave and Rick to soldier on around the horsehoe. Phil with tears in his eyes gave up his trusty map and compass to Rick. The descent was a little tricky and by fortune ended at the Swan pub. Rick and Dave carried on and at the time of writing it is known that they have descended safely but the details of their adventure will have to be posted later.

After tea the bucketeers settled down to watch a video. the one they wanted to watch 'Australia' would not work so they ended up watching the Commitments more or less alcohol free. I guess it was lunch time in Jennings brewery.a result of drinking at

Weather the worst todate so walking was off the menu. The Bucketeers set off to cockermouth for the day. Some of us went to have a look round Wordsworth's house while the remaider went on line.

Lol booked us into the Jenning's Brewery tour which for £6.50 a head was excellent as it included three half pints of their local beers.

I think it will be an evening in as the weather has still not improved.