We did hope to visit the World Sheep Dog Trials this week (14 – 18 September inc. Wed – Sun) but the Liverpool visit claimed the Wed (which was only the opening ceremonies) and a fine day on Thurs claimed our local waterfall walk.
Fri and Sat were more rainy days so we didn’t fancy standing out in the rain watching the clever curs; anyway we were able to watch the highlights of the heats and the semi finals on the TV.
Routine trip to KL on the Friday (raining again) and then on Saturday (still raining) we had a drive up to Kendal where the whole population of the Lakes and the Dales had had the same idea. Finally managed to get a parking spot and managed to check some emails and banking in the Kendal library. This was after I forgot my backpack and went back to the car park to get it and guess what – I couldn’t find the car!! Stolen? No, just on Level 2 and not on Level 3 where I thought I’d parked it. These levels all look alike to me…
!8 September
Finals of the Sheep Dog Trials so set of north for a looksee.
The parking was luckily bog free but not the walk to the viewing area. Even though the organisers had laid mulch at the entrance and also constructed pathways of non-skid aluminium sheets it was still very sloppy (definitely an English Wellingtons day). Found a bog free spot on the hillside and watched about four of the finalists; the eventual winner from Holland we missed as he and his dog had been on just before we arrived. All in all and despite the weather (dry but still overcast) it was really entertaining watching these really intelligent working dogs (Border Collies) under their owners instructions, put some 20 sheep through many tests.
Inevitably the rain came and so did the cold wind so we retreated back to Cowan Bridge.
19 September
Surprise surprise another rainy day! Trip to KL and another attempt to access the internet on laptop via wireless at Plato’s bar and restaurant – connected to WLAN but still no success in connecting to internet. As a digression I appeal to all those Australians who have been persuaded by Tony Abbot’s criticism of the National Broadband Network (not to mention Malcolm Turnbull’s vested interest in wireless technology) to come to England and witness first hand the absolute nightmare of wireless technology in the field of modern communication. Low connection speeds, high drop out rates, not to mention poor initial connections. If it's not an outstanding success in this small country the prognosis for Australia is grim. But never mind computers ask any audio technician his/her opinion on wireless transmission of sound and cover your ears for the abusive reply.
20 September
22 September
A fine day at last! Mary dropped me in Ingleton at the start of the walk to the second highest point in Yorkshire – Ingleborough Hill (723m). It was a long steady climb but an easy grade along a very good track, considering the number of walkers that use it. Ingleborough is like a huge tiered wedding cake with about three jump-ups. On reaching the summit the wind was blowing a gale and the four walled shelter near the trig point was packed with walkers. In Britain people just seem to appear from nowhere (rather like a German or Chinese bus stop) but considering there are some 60 million of them it’s no wonder. You are always in someone’s way in Britain or to put it more assertively someone is always in your way.
I dropped off the summit very quickly to avoid the wind and made good time back to Ingleton to meet Mary at the car park.
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