Peak District Day trip, February 2018

Bronwen’s first trip as Co-President didn’t go entirely to plan. The trip list was largely composed of new members who were all keen to come on a long, rather ambitious walk led by Bronwen and Chris H, while Chris K led a smaller group on an even more ambitious expedition. We took a wrong turning in some fields and were chased by some hungry sheep within the first mile of the walk. During lunch break at the high point - a rather misty trig point - we enjoyed some tinfoil-wrapped creme brulee left over from the Annual Dinner. It quickly transpired that the large group was not moving at a sufficient pace to complete the planned walk; this was realised at roughly the halfway point. Marci and Simon valiantly ran all the way back to the carpark to pick up the cars, and the rest of the group marched on to meet them at the nearest road. A cafe was marked there but the rather gloomy spot turned out to be nothing more than an empty carpark and derelict public loo. Everyone had run out of food by this point and was starting to feel rather miserable, but we were mercifully rescued by the drivers and ferried to the nearest pub. There wasn’t enough space in the first load for Bronwen and Chris, who waited by the side of the road in the dark to be shuttled later, and felt it was better to laugh than to cry over the entire shambolic episode. Luckily everyone cheered up a great deal when we were given complementary roast potatoes at the pub, and went on to enjoy a delicious curry before hitting the road South.