This promised to be a very different kind of trip, the conditions suggested some special equipment might be necessary and after a bit of faffing about Susan and I acquired the correct kit. The most important was some brightly coloured rope which needed a knot that I was not familiar with. Extensive research on t’interweb convinced me that an alpine butterfly was no good but I needed to become familiar with a clever sliding knot called a “Double Windsor”.
Suitably attired we arrived at The Stirk House Hotel fashionably late, (well actually very late indeed, just in time to be served desert). The natives proved to be friendly and the hotel staff even managed to find us some lamb and turkey so we didn’t go hungry.
After coffee and mints there were lots of speeches and prizes given out and so many “Raise your glasses to” that it felt like I had done too many knee squats. We even got a mention “Raise your glasses to Alex from the YSS, who arrived late”, quite unnecessary I thought.
Now most Saturday nights I sit and watch SCD (that’s Strictly Come Dancing, as if you didn’t know) and, I like to think, I am a bit of an expert when it comes to being a critic and awarding scores. I am going to have to have a bit of a rethink; I now know this dancing lark is harder than it looks.
The Craven Pothole Club had organised a Ceilidh Band fronted by a lady who was, frankly, quite a scary person. She insisted that I get up and dance, (no Susan didn’t try to save me, in fact I think she was on the side of the scary lady, but thanks for asking).
How hard could it be? Eightsome reels, twelvesome reels, the Gay Gordon and some very weird convoluted gallump called strip the willow. I was knackered. After spending what seemed like half a life time being whirled around by some quite lovely young ladies (not all bad eh?) the evening drew to a close and we headed home, I was more knackered than I have been for quite a long time.
Photographs are most definitely NOT available.
It was a most enjoyable evening and I must thank everybody at The Craven for making us very welcome and giving us such a good time.
Caving? I don’t think we actually got round to talking about caving but I have asked if I can join them as a social member.
Time about four and a half hours
Alex and Susan
