Not the best attended of recent MMC meets, perhaps because of a bum weather forecast, or the promise of a campsite owner trained by Pol Pot who hates the MMC (forcing us to employ subterfuge, becoming the LCC for the weekend), or maybe it just seemed a long way to go. Anyway, the enthusiasm of the hardy few who made it remained undampened - despite the weather!

For those who haven't been to Boot, it is probably one of the most peaceful bits of the Lakes. It is cut off by the impressive Wrynose and Hard Knott passes from Windermere - both impassable to coaches and caravans. The result is a total absence of twee shops and shuffling grannies smelling of wee. The campsite, turned out to be pretty good, even had free hot showers, and the manager was alright really. And there are two boozers in Boot, each with seven or eight real ales, yum yum. Anyhow, on with the action…

Arriving on Thursday night, Chuck and Wendy established base camp as far away from a rather muddy looking field within Hollins Farm Campsite as possible - only to be informed by the campsite owner the next morning that the LCC (did I say, MMC, you clearly misheard!) were in fact booked into the muddy field... now even muddier after a full night of rain! Not to be put off (well, after travelling for seven hours to get there, would you be?), the pair then made the most of the improving weather and completed two pleasant routes at Shepherd's Crag later that day - a two pitch VS 4c called Adam and an HVS 5a called Creeping Jesus.

The arrival of more showers later also heralded the arrival of the rest of the LCC. But by Saturday morning the grey skies contained almost a hint of blue... well a hint anyway. Chuck, Simon, Catherine B. and Wendy headed to a popular local crag called Buckbarrow - or so the guidebook claimed. With gardening skills proving more of an advantage than climbing technique, the crag was quickly renamed... er, yes, you've got it...

Another climbing party set forth on Saturday, comprising Nick, John P, Jill and two guests Caroline M and John B (just as well, the meet was well below the statutory John quota), in search of Goat Crag. Somehow the group got split. The lads, armed with a map and wanderlust eventually got to the bottom of the crag. The gals, armed with a GPS, could be seen on a distant horizon. After much waving and an animated debate, the group was reunited. Despite the strong wind and occasional drop of precipitation, Nick and John P did a couple of VS routes on the crag. Dunno what they were, but the nut key doubled up well as a trowel and there were no problems with polishing. The rest of the gang thought it rather inclement and went for a plod.

Clare went for what should have been a 4-5 hour bike ride starting about a mile left from the campsite and heading back right off-road down to Ravenglass (apparently terms like West and East confuse her). After two hours of struggling over boulders and through mud, opening what seemed an endless number of gates, and carrying her bike looking for river crossings when the swollen river proved deeper than the guide allowed, she was mortified to pop out onto the road opposite the Brook Inn, about 100 metres right of the campsite (if you are facing the right way). Rejoining the off-road path some way down the road, she finally gave up after another hour of battling through nettles and returned via tarmac for a well-earned afternoon snooze.

Jen and Sarah (they be new folk, hopefully not put off too much) were much impressed by everyone else on the meet pretending to be climbers. However they soon saw through the charade and deduced that this simply seemed to involve saying they were going climbing, finding a crag, finding something wrong with the crag, deciding not to do so much climbing after all, and then going shopping or to a tea shop. Anyways, the two of them walked from the campsite at 10.30am - to Brotherikeld, up the Esk, up Scafell Pike (3.00pm, had lunch) and back to campsite at 7.00pm. Managed to avoid rain - only drizzled lightly for 10 minutes, so were pretty lucky. Bit misty up top, but patches of clear gave them quite a good, if rather chilly, view.

Also a wee bit of quality bumbling going on, Simon and Hilary slept most of the day and Caroline P spent most of it on the miniature railway! The evening was spent in the fine hostelries of Boot, quaffing splendid ales and discussing climbs that could have been…

Sunday. Woke up to rain. Went back to sleep. Repeat x n.

The rain threatened to dampen everyone's spirits resulting in a morning faff at the local Eskdale miniature railway station café (er, the railway is miniature, the café is standard size). Many were tempted by the lure of a steam train ride but only a few succumbed. Voting to go under their own steam instead, Hilary, Robin, AG, Jen, Simon M-C stomped up the Old Man of Coniston followed by Chuck and Wendy. AG stormed ahead as the wind plucked the smaller team members from their feet and stones got blown off the cairns - a refreshing day. Further refreshment followed with a few drops of the traditional rain on the descent. Chuck particularly enjoyed the day, later announcing to the amazement of listeners in the pub that he'd summitted the Old Man of Hoy...

This was another good day for bumbling too. Simon A was in fine bumbling form, hampered by an arm in a sling (how did you strain that wrist?) Well, once you get to 40 you do get a bit fragile you know! Caroline P and John P also had an exhausting day - visiting the mini railway (two days in a row Caroline?) Clare, Nick and Catherine did a local tour of the Lake District, doing the obligatory gear shopping, café attending, and ferry crossings. They finished it off with a walk around Ravenglass, to wander home pondering the reasoning of the Romans to build a port in what was clearly the most depressing part of the Cumbrian coastline.

Sunday was also an evening of some amusement, as a power cut hit Boot. We all met up in the candle lit boozer for many fine ales, some nosebag and exaggerated tales of bumbling daring do. Elder club members, like Simon A, started to share tales of the blackout during war… A head torch pool challenge saw Jen and Sarah take on Nick and John P. Suffice it to say that experience triumphed.

So with the Bank Holiday drawing to a close, the LCC hardcore prepared for the long and arduous journey home. The first challenge was to get out of the swamp (sorry, our corner of the field), best achieved by aiming at the gate with your welly to the metal - clearly while making sure you left no trace upon the grass.

Though most took the short or picturesque routes home, some folk still had energy to burn. Clare and Nick headed for the Peak District in order to break the journey home. They drove through the pouring rain to the Peaks with the eternal optimism of climbers - it might just not have rained on that crag. Unfortunately the case proved otherwise, and after going for a short walk to verify that indeed the rock was unclimbable, they settled for tea and scones before heading back to London.

Some folk had a longer trip home than others. After negotiating the final hairpin bend in Eskdale, Chuck's car (a generous legacy from John Hillary and John Nolan) had had enough and refused to go any further. Further investigation revealed that the brake pads were completely worn through! Just as Chuck and Wendy were preparing for a tedious wait for the RAC man, Catherine Billson appeared round the bend - rescue was at hand! Bizarrely mistaking the road side for a belay ledge, the hardenened mountaineer quickly put on a brew and produced her entire emergency rations - soon the party were toasting their misfortune with coffee, cake and beef sandwiches. But when the RAC man turned up, the food had all gone (well, that's a bit selfish). Advised not to drive the car any further, Chuck and Wendy were forced to stay an extra night in the Lake District.... a real hardship as the weather was getting hotter... and hotter! They eventually headed for London again on the Tuesday morning - this time with a car and brakes - and even managed to bag two routes in the Roaches on the way.

JP