CYHA News

Scones and Sunburn!

June has proved to be a stormy month, but our St Ives walk was blessed with beautiful sunshine. The walk took in the mighty River Great Ouse and the bird life flourishing in the flooded former gravel pits along the way, before returning to the welcoming scones and ice cream of the National Trust tea shop at Houghton Mill. Needless to say we also managed to squeeze in a trip to the pub too.

Sunburn was less of an issue in Scotland, but we still had plenty to keep us busy. See Tom’s rap below for the not-so-edited highlights.

Ali

No Yellow Tabard Required
(with apologies to Phil Collins)

A good number of us assembled at Mill Green on a beautiful sunny evening, ready to head off for a few hours ambling through the quiet Essex fields and lanes…or so we thought! After 30 minutes of peaceful walking, there suddenly appeared over the brow of the field ahead, a large army led by generals in yellow-tabards. They were coming our way and, bravely, Mike faced them only to discover they were not to be feared but were in fact a large group of fellow walkers from another walking group. After some deliberation we decided to let them pass ahead of us, rather than having 30-odd walkers breathing down our necks for the rest of our walk.

There then followed a very pleasant hours walking when even the biting flies could not get us down as we waited in line for the aforementioned 30 walkers to cross a single style. Some came prepared with various insect-defeating potions while others flailed their hands around in futile attempts to ward the critters off.

Stopping to admire the local church (with the best stone tower in Essex!) we inched our way through the crowds of Brentwood walkers who had assembled in the churchyard. Not 30 minutes had passed before the yellow generals ordered us step aside and allow their army to pass. As there were more of them than of us we dutifully obeyed.

Nearing the end, Helen got overly excited about seeing her car in the car park, other more sensible types got more excited about the cold beers offered by the Cricketers pub over the road and duly headed off to quench their thirsts. Big thanks are due to both Mike and Cressida who needed no bright yellow tabards to lead a truly splendid evening’s walk.

Helen

The Ratagan Rap

There’s a rap in the kitchen, what are we to do?

No hot water in the showers, No paper in the loo

There’s all mod cons, internet and telly

and a room full of clothes all wet and smelly.

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The sound of the men’s dorm is never borin’.

singin’, talkin’, a symphony of snorin’

Fergus’ boots were facin’ doom

so he left ‘em behind in the drying room

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The Aonach Eagach ridge was narrow and hilly

so they tied a rope around John’s… No that’s silly.

Such a long walk was rather foolish.

while the rest of us were eating in a pub in Ballachulish

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The haggis and black puddin’ were supplied by Mcleod

and emissions of wind were incredibly loud.

From the top of the hill Cress sounded a warning,

a major contribution to global warming.

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The South Glenshiel ridge is a very long way and six started out on 31^st May

Seven Munros those are the statistics but someone made a mess of logistics.

Some came down by the light of the moon

and we finished washin’ up on 1^st June

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Robert and The Hairy One were out one day sick.

and Dave P made close friends with a tick

The midges were bad and the paths eroded

and 3 days later Mike’s foot exploded.

Tom

Postcard from Scotland

Read our giant postcard from Scotland (click to enlarge)

And also, Dave's pictures.