Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club
Coniston Walk & Joans Dramatic Rescue
Apologies for the delay but my internet has been down since Sunday night and has not yet been restored. 48 hours with no internet, it’s like having your arms cut off. I wouldn’t recommend AOL, Talk Talk, whatever they call themselves, to anybody, it happens too often. When you try to find out what’s going on all you get is a voice from the Far East telling you all systems are down and call back later. Not good enough. When you finally get to speak to somebody, after about twenty calls, pressing one for this, two for that, three for something else and listening to boring bland music, you are just fobbed off with a well rehearsed speech telling you normal service will be resumed as soon as possible. They then hang up on you before you can say anything. Absolutely disgraceful service, I think it’s time I changed my broadband provider. Enough of my rant, I’ve come round to my Son’s house to use his internet.
“B” Walk Sunday 19th May 2013
Coniston “Helicopter” Walk
A walk led by Mary and John Atkinson. It sounded like a really good walk especially as an “ice cream van” was included. I always expect Mary & John’s walks to be eventful but little did we know what was in store. Thirteen of us set off, with how the day turned out, was that an omen? The weather was very pleasant and everything went fine for the first few miles. We came across a very unusual toilet, I think the correct term is “Thunder box” and it was a “two seater”, John & Pat tried it out (see photos) and gave it full marks. We reached the highest point of the walk on Holme Fell and started the gentle descent heading for our lunch stop. We heard a shout from the back and turned round to see Joan Benson lying on the ground. She had slipped on the muddy path, heard and felt her ankle crack and was in considerable pain. She was quite sure it was broken. We made her comfortable and with the help of a map and satnav we established our exact position. John dialled 999 and spoke to Mountain Rescue. We settled down to wait for their arrival. There is a “Map & Compass” course coming up soon (free) available to all members, get yourself booked up if you don’t know how to use them. Despite being in a lot of pain Joan was in good spirits. We had a great response from the emergency services, about forty minutes later we heard the lovely sound of a helicopter. This was an ideal opportunity to use my “High Viz” jacket and I waved it enthusiastically in the air. Everyone should carry one, available from the “Pound” shop for, surprisingly, only £1. If a tight Scotsman can manage that then everyone else can. It was the Great North Air Ambulance coming to our aid. They tried to land next to us but the ground was too muddy so flew a bit further up the hill. As the doctor and paramedic made there way from the helicopter a few of the Mountain Rescue team appeared over the hill, followed by a crowd of them a few minutes later. It was the “Coniston” Mountain Rescue Team” and what a very professional and pleasant team they were. They assembled the stretcher while the doctor and paramedic attended to Joan. After fixing a weird looking metal bracket to Joan’s ankle, they got her on the stretcher and carried her off to the helicopter. They told us they would be taking her to Barrow Hospital. Off Joan went into the sky, she had fulfilled an ambition, she had told us earlier that she had always wanted a ride in a helicopter. It’s amazing the things some people do to achieve their ambitions. We had been there about two hours so didn’t have time to complete the walk. We decided to take a more direct route back to Coniston, which unfortunately meant missing the ice cream van. Stan, on his return to Coniston, phoned the hospital and was told he could collect Joan on Sunday night. A big thank you to the rescue services, they did a superb job. The quick response and service was brilliant. Remember we are doing a walk in August to raise funds for Mountain Rescue, Sunday’s events demonstrate just how much we need them. Looking on the positive side, seeing the emergency services in action was an interesting experience for everyone. Not one we would want repeated but interesting and very reassuring. A big thank you to Mary & John for a lovely walk, despite the accident. Best wishes to Joan, she was brilliant, never complained or moaned at all, we all hope she recovers quickly, and is soon back out walking again.
Coniston Old Man, Sunday 19th May 2013
The A walk was exactly as described on the tin - bus to toilets to Walna Scar Rd., to Dow Crag to Coniston Old Man to the pub and to the bus. En route we passed fells we had either never heard of or at least would never have had a clue as to location but nodded knowingly to as though this was our morning dog walk - Brown Pike, Buck Pike, Brim Fell. We were promised stunning views - and they turned out to be 40 metres in any direction except vertically where, at least on Dow Crag, we could see 92 million miles. We congratulated each other on the fact that it never rained and to be fair to the weather, it did clear up to give glimpses of the surrounding fells on the Eastern side of the Old Man, but not a hint of the vast rock climbs on Dow or the evocatively named Goats Water, the deep, cold pool between the two main mountains. Actually a very enjoyable walk, good company, all the latest scandals to share and a pleasant pint at the end. Peter Flynn
Letter From Joan
Hi Folks
Just wanted to say a great big thank you for all the lovely cards and messages I received since my "unfortunate tumble" It's just as I've always known, Ramblers are the nicest and most considerate people. The photos had me trussed up like a little old turkey in John A's "tin foil" but this bird aint yet ready for roasting!! I'm hobbling along quite nicely and hope to resume where I left off asap!! Incidentally I think GAS & AIR should be on sale in every retail outlet.
Thank you all once again.
Cheers and mind how you go!!