Lakes February 2011
From ICCC
Any volunteers to write the trip report?
People
- Will "Bunny" Eldred
- Joe "Will made me do it" Bibby
- Aimie "Hop-along" Anning
- Helen "Kinky dalmatian" Cinnamond
- Simon "Kent conqueror" Sester
- Bjorn "Own line" Waldheim
- Derfogail "Snowball" Delcassian
- Carla "Balls of steel" Curtis-Tansley
- Harry "Lie-in" Wood
- Rachel "pancake connoisseur" Fox
- Holli "No egg omlette" Pritchard
- Ralph "500 mile mission" Evins
- Alby "Tiger" Roseveare
- Chad "If I just put my head in this undercut..." Sankey
- Theo "30" Petre
- Patrick "Big spoon" Clissold
- Tim "Own face" Lamb
Trip Report
The jaunt to the lakes began with a trip to Paddington stores to exchange some boats, where the minibus was momentarily held up by Helen who ran to Primark on an all important onesy purchasing mission, unintentionally flashing several unsuspecting members of the public on route. Once back at South Ken, faff was kept to a minimum and the bus set off at a reasonable time.
Making good way along the M6 the minibus arrived at Spark Bridge around 1am, after a Birthday sing-along, to find a collection of the usual suspects already there. Onesys were donned and beer consumed until Will's revealing bunny rabbit onesy proved too much and everyone headed to bed.
Saturday
An early 7am start saw several early birds head off for a mission to the Sprint and a fried breakfast, whilst the remaining canoeists decided a snooze and a 10am rise was more appropriate. Rachel proved herself again to be the pancake queen with her skills at providing breakfast goods. A special fried egg pancake was presented to birthday girl Helen. The second group then set off and arrived at the Kent put in around lunchtime after a detour around Kendal's delightful one way system.
After a nasty twisted-knee injury just below the bridge Aimee and Will managed to accost a fellow paddler with a nearby parked car and limp to A&E. Simon "Kent conqueror" and Carla "Balls of steel" earned their respective monikers by attempting some fairly hairy-looking rapids, and generally showing the river who was boss. A couple of swims were notched up around the L-shaped drop. Patrick led his group over the evil weir blind, and Derf dropped Martin in to test how evil the weir really was. Onwards towards Force Falls (which had decided to eat Chad's expensive blades) (which were later recovered by a nice paddler and now live temporarily in Preston). Luckily everyone else's kit and bodies survived and headed on down to the get out.
The minibus arrived back at Spark Bridge to find a selection of empty cars and a locked village hall with no one to be seen, and no phones working. Assuming the others to be likely loitering in the pub, the group headed to the (wrong) pub to find it empty, much faff and confusion occured but was resolved when Spark Bridge hall turned out to be unlocked and containing a well bandaged-up and Codined Aimee sporting a shiny pair of crutches and several others. After rounding up we all headed towards the right pub for chilled beverages and rugby.
Rumbling tummies soon highlighted the need for food and hungry kayakers returned to Spark Bridge for mass consumption of Chilli and a champagne BBQ plus cigars courtesy of Theo. Pudding was served when the lights were dimmed and a ridiculously tasty Birthday cake was produced depicting a gruesome zombie attack. The evening commenced with the usual debauchery of drinking, ring of fire and i've never. With most people snuggly and smuggly dressed in onesies a session of club spooning and whiskey drinking occured. Most people headed to bed at an unusually reasonable midnight.
Sunday
The breakfast team arose to find a pan with what appeared to be some sort of greasy burnt omlette residue, but were amazed to find all eggs accounted for. It emerged that a beer-happy Holli had decided to cook herself an omlette before bed with eggs, and by eggs she probably meant random things found in the kitchen and left over chilli grease...
Pancakes were consumed and automobiles packed as we headed off to the Duddon. Keen beans put on at the middle section whilst everyone else headed on down to the lower put-in to wait for the others. Numbers dwindled as Patrick, Theo, Chad, Rachel, Ralph and Aimee decided to head back home early from the lower put-in. With the river being ridiculously low and boney a gentle float and occasional shimmy along the riverbed ensured a relaxing and well weathered day for the rest of us.
After a pleasently tiring weekend the minibus full of sleepy kayakers arrived back at South Ken around half midnight missing the last tubes. (Whereas Rachel, Ralph and Aimie were home by 7:30, sort of making up for Ralph's 500-mile solo driving mission).
Media
A fair few pics and videos were taken so get them here ASAP!
- Insert media links here
