Joint CC/FRCC Guidebook and BBQ Meet 2015

As I sit in my front room, penning these notes and gazing out on a drizzly mid-summer day in North Wales, I readily accept that the barbeque coals have long since cooled down and we are all hopefully moving on to greater things, both at home and abroad.

But permit me to reflect briefly on a fun weekend in Borrowdale in early June which had the dual purpose of providing more photographic material for the forthcoming new Borrowdale guide and bringing together CC and FRCC friends for a social and climbing gathering in the heart of the Lake District.

As I arrived in the Lake District on the Friday evening armed with firebowls, BBQ tools, gazebo and prayer flags , it was apparent that the gods were angry and an unsettled weekend of weather beckoned. Saturday morning, and Justin was busily mustering teams to combine their photographic and climbing skills on crags around the valley as I set up the gazebo in readiness for the evening’s events. When Tony and I arrived at Shepherd’s, there was Keith dangling on a rope high above, on the Finale wall, ideally positioned to capture the action of teams on classic routes such as Eve, Ardus and Finale. As Tony led most of Adam in one long pitch, I carried the rucksac with camera and lenses up, Alpine style, hoping to make my own contribution, only to find all the other climbing teams had completed their routes by the time I was at the top!! Lucky other parties were better co-ordinated….. But of equal, or greater concern, was the increasing strength of the gusts of wind whipping down Borrowdale, and I had visions of the sail-cloth of the gazebo flying by as I gazed out over Derwentwater. As I finished early and took the scenic route across the bridge and duck boards back to the Grange hut, the threatening rain finally delivered and I looked back at parties stranded high on the walls of Shepherds, no doubt wondering if they should have taken the option of early tea and cake…

But for the great majority who didn’t bale at the first sight of an unfavourable meteo, the weekend was a great success, a triumph of the human spirit over adversity. With a willing team of twisted fire starters and domestic helpers all pitching in, the BBQ coals burned well into the evening, and after some early strong gusts threatened to uproot the gazebo and also send salad leaves flying off plates and down the valley, things settled down and yarns were spun and future plans made, all helped along by the generous hospitality contributions of the CC and FRCC.
With my thanks to all who contributed towards a great fun meet and hoping that Justin also gathered some quality photographic material for the new guide.

Bryn Roberts