Failing to go for a walk


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By TallPaul on 01/08/13 at 9:40am

The excellent Cumbrian Rambler's post on Walking Guides Demystified and some of the comments after it got me thinking about how there's a natural synergy between pubs and walks: any walk which ends at a pub is, by definition, a good walk.

But it also reminded me of the time we went to walk up an old favourite of mine: Buckden Pike. We normally did it from Kettlewell and then back via Wharfedale (a route1 I'd recommend BTW, bit of a haul initially getting up to Cam Pasture but after that it gets easier) but this time we decided to do the shorter route starting from Starbotton.

We got to Starbotton in the minibus and it was stair-rods outside. We sat there looking out of the windows. No sign of Buckden Pike in the clag. "Hey lads", said someone, "there's a pub over there. Why don't we have a swift pint while we wait for this to clear through?"

So we scurried across to the pub (The Fox and Hounds I discover this morning via Streetview) and ordered some beer.

A pint later and someone put their head out of the door. "No, still raining".

Oh well, we all agreed, we could always have another pint.

Just until the rain clears ...

Anyway to cut a long story short we never did go up Buckden Pike that day but we did drink a lot of very fine beer.

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By pistolrider on 11/12/13 at 11:54am

I always find that having failed to go for a walk I am disappointed with myself, a missed opportunity. Pubs are good but best reserved for the end of the day.

Having said that I cannot say "hand on heart" that I have never substituted a day on the hill for a day wondering around the climbing shops and pubs of Ambleside etc. etc. When the weather has been horrendous.

As long as the day was spent talking about going on the hill I suppose your day wasn't a complete waste of time and if the beer was of a high enough quality..............well enough said!!!!! :D



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