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Bob Campbell Memorial Walk - 29th September 2007
Well, we did it – all of us!
What started out as a passing comment in the office after one of Wainwright’s Walks on BBC4, resulted in a group of 26 – a cross section of staff, including 4 Directors and representing 4 Clancy Offices, together with partners, offspring and friends – managing to get to the top of Helvellyn, and more importantly safely back down again, via Striding Edge. There was a great shared feeling of teamwork and achievement in what was a fitting tribute to the memory of Bob Campbell.
It was dark, thanks to horrible delays on the M6, when the advance party arrived to pitch tents in Glenridding on Friday evening. It was even darker by the time we were joined in the pub by Des after a dash from Nantwich in time to get the last couple of rounds in before bedtime. Luckily it was a cold, still night which did not test the poor pitching of tents by the inexperienced young Structural Engineers in the team. They did however pass the early morning cooking test, Stephen providing bacon butties for all, before meeting up on time at Patterdale with the Saturday morning arrivals.
The early enthusiastic pace soon told on the long pull up to the ‘hole in the wall’ where we re-grouped and took on board food and drink before the fun started.
Disappointingly, after such a good forecast the previous evening, misty tops stayed with us all day, denying us glorious views over the Lakeland fells, but providing, for some at least, a comfort blanket along the exposed ridge.
Striding Edge is described by Mr Wainwright as an ‘exhilarating adventure’. Try asking some of the less experienced walkers in our party if they were exhilarated or not. Other words spring to mind, but despite attacks of previously unknown vertigo, wobbly legs, light headedness, self doubt and tears – not to mention the slippery rock – we slowly edged our way along the ridge then up the steep pull to the summit. It was a great display of teamwork, which was again demonstrated at the top as we joined forces to polish off a bottle of Macallan malt whisky in a toast to the memory of Bob.
The final challenge, down Swirral Edge and the long haul back to Glenridding, was completed in good humour, despite the tired legs and sore knees, to be rewarded by the Directors digging deep into their pockets at the appropriately named Traveller’s Rest public house.
Some had to leave for home, but the campers and local B&Bers joined up again for an evening in the White Lion – to enjoy hard earned good food, drink and excellent company.
A late amble back to camp past a still Ullswater under a shining moonlit starry sky rounded off a memorable day.
Some hadn’t been up a mountain before, some may never go again! For others it was ‘a short 8 mile walk’. For all it was a grand day out with a shared sense of achievement and remembrance for a colleague we all miss.
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