|
Honister weekend |
|
|
Written by J Hoye
|
|
Tuesday, 14 August 2007 |
|
Roger and Ann Hiley's organised OFC meet at Honister was a roaring success and a great time was had by all. I would like to add my personal thanks to everyone who made the journey to Honister for making it such a very special weekend in such convivial company. Ann Hiley
 OFC Members at Honister Mines Complex 10 August 2007 |
Friday's event was a guided tour into the mines themselves by mine owner Mark Weir. Saturday's event was an ascent on the UK's first via ferrata. Afterwards Peter Burgess launched Issue 6 of The Lost Sheep on Black Star summit (at the top of the via ferrata) with the second group of climbers. Afterwards the whole group gathered for refreshment and their chance to get their hands on a copy of the latest fantastic issue. Despite Saturday's wet weather many felt that it added to the mood.
It is the dedication of its members that make these events such a great success, and I am sure that I speak for all OFC members in thanking Ann and Roger for their time and hospitality. Here is a selection of comments posted to the Message Board in the days following the weekend's events. Many thanks to Roger and Ann for organising the meet - the via ferrata was an extremely memorable experience. As I have said in my log, the route was not the most frighteningly exposed route I have done (except for the rail ladder - I was truly frightened over that!), but it was fascinating to see the old mine buildings and workings, especially with the atmospheric weather - who needs views when the cloud provides extra moody atmospheres! Stuart Willis http://www.sillytrouts.co.uk/fellwalking-logs/honister-mines-via-ferrata.html
A big thank-you too to Peter for piecing together the latest Lost Sheep, I feel honoured to find a place in this extra special issue and serve AW's dearest cause. I'm sure he would have heaped huge praise on Peter and readily have accepted any honorary status the OFC may have offered him. Mark Richards
I'd just like to say what a great weekend it has been and thanks to everyone who made it such a great time. Good to see old friends and also to meet new ones - it's always good to put faces to names, especially when you've known them for a long time just by their messages on the board. Liz Lemal
I am slowly coming back down to earth and still have a smile on my face when I think about my hesitant steps over THAT BRIDGE clinging for dear life to the cable! It was good to hear that others were as scared as me and know the effort it took to take that first step! It was great to see so many old friends again and to meet new people who have now become familiar names on the message board. Jill Rowlandhttp://outdoors.webshots.com/album/560286348EMlKsN
Had a superb day on Saturday. Thanks to Peter B and Roger and Anne for making it all happen. There aren't too many piccies from the Via Ferrata on the album, but that was because I was more concerned with not falling off! Ianhttp://outdoors.webshots.com/album/560307156oblUma
We arrived home on Friday night after a brilliant 12 days in the Lake District. The Honister weekend was the highlight of our holiday. We met up with old friends again and made some new ones. Pam Longhttp://outdoors.webshots.com/album/560361747UBEbTx
Many of the participants will be posting their own accounts of the event, and these are listed below: Andrew Mason Barrie Fearnley - Via Ferrata & Mine Tour Neil Haslewood Jill Batchelor |
| HAVE YOU SEEN? |
 When my parents moved to the Lake District, one of the first things I learnt was that their house was situated on the Dales Way. Over 18 years they've had many a walker asking for route directions and sitting on the bench near their home lapping up the scenary on their last few miles on their last day of walking into Bowness-on-Windermere. In the back of my mind, my intention has always been to walk the route and with this in mind I recently purchased a new DVD which I knew had been in production. The DVD in question is The Dales Way with Mark Richards a great new title outlining this majestic route from it's start in Ilkley all the way along its 80 miles to its terminus at Bowness on the shores of Windermere. |
|
 Having a brand is the new buzz word and I am afraid that AW has become a brand. Sadly, and I am sure he would hate this, when people mention AW in fellwalking circles, their ears prick up. Of course AW is to be admired, but when people start to abuse this name many years after his death I begin to feel that they might just have lost the plot. Although for anyone unfamiliar to AW, this book might be useful, however to most of us I think that investment in a very large barge pole will be the order. I don't want to slate the company that saved the Wainwright guides but come on Frances Lincoln, let's have some originality if you are going to use the great fellwalker's name to sell a book! |
|
|
Forthcoming Events
There are no upcoming events currently scheduled.
LDNPA News
"I'd just like to say what a great weekend it has been and thanks to everyone who made it such a great time." Liz Lemal on the Honister 2007 weekend
|
