The drive to Torver was made a bit more tortuous that might have been expected due to high winds on the A66 meaning most YAC-ers braved the A65. The advance party left the car park around 9.30pm and traipsed up the track to the hut. Once we got there it was something of shock to find it 1) huge and 2) very well equipped!

Once Simon F had the fire going (!), the place warmed up nicely as the rest of the group turned up in dribs and drabs. This being YAC, the girls ignored the Male/Female split to the rooms set out by the LCCC and made their way to the huge main bedroom complete with en-suite and triple decker bunks! The boys also decided to not play along, with Mike and Nigel making a beeline for the Ladies dorm in the East Wing of the hut.

Saturday dawned pretty cold (but not cold enough....) and very windy. Nigel set off early (as usual) and Martin Perry (new member) went along too.

A motley crew set off to find some scrambling on Wetherlam and Simon C and Carmen went off for a run over lots of things. They seem to like doing that. Alan K disappeared. Best theory is he went for a quick run and then a pub crawl around Coniston to find somewhere showing the Boro' match (FA Cup 3rd Rnd - very important!)

The rest of the group went in a couple of parties up towards Goats Water but on being blown off their feet made their back down again.... Simon F and Debra had by this time become the weekend's convalescents (as is now traditional YAC tries to always have some sniffling, sneezing souls in the hut to keep the fire going and the tea flowing all day....) and retreated with their colds to the warmth of the hut. The Kays and Matt went on round to Coppermines Valley and had a look-see round the mining ruins.

Simon and Carmen returned in good time (for once), closely followed by Nigel and Martin. Turns out Nigel had almost got himself blown off the ld Man (literally). We're under strict instructions to never mention it in case his wife finds out....

Alan K came back very happy with both the result (Boro won) and the fact it took three pubs to find a suitable venue. Of course, it was only politeness that made him have a beer in each one.....

Then the scramblers came back.... Incredulity from Mike that they'd been beaten back by Simon and Carmen and some disbelief from Rob that they'd blundered round in the mist looking for their second scramble for so long without success! The first one had been fun though and served to show Peri that she knew what scrambling was all along and has been doing it for years!

It being Burns Night (or the day after!) a "traditional" haggis supper was laid on. Preceeded by a not quite as traditional butternut squash soup, courtesy of Soup-Meister Stone. The haggis, tatties and neeps had been kindly carried from the car by Cefyn and Martin. Such a heavy load and without a murmer of complaint..... Thanks Cef! ;-)

The next day was more of the same, wind and more wind (insert haggis joke here...). Being full of cold Simon F and Debra retreated to Ambleside in search of the only known cure - a Full English. Simon C and Carmen were also spotted in Ambleside. Rumour has it that Carmen bought yet another pair of boots.....

But some people actually did something on the hill! Here's a brief report from the Chair:

No one was feeling too energetic and brave and given the gales howling outside its hard to fault them. After extensive tea drinking and faffing we set of with our objective as a stroll around Goats Water sited underneath Dow Crag. Cloud was whistling above our heads and white horses raced across the water - but this hadn't stopped two brave souls climbing on Dow - hats off to them. We plodded up to the col bracing ourselves for a windy assault but mercifully it was calm. A rest, some lunch and sufficient peer pressure persuaded Cef to come with us to the top of the Old Man. We made our way back to the hut via the quarries on the south side and few cups of tea later, headed
home.