Once again a “run” that was varied and slow! I say run, it was mostly scramble through waist high heather and dead bracken, although we did manage a run for hundred yards or so. All began well, despite the howling wind and lashing rain, 15 hardy souls set out and even stayed together until the cairn by the Dukes Drive. The next target was the bridge over Oaken Clough; amazingly the group managed to split into two in a truly headless chicken sort of way, one group turning right and the other going left up the track to Flint Hill (duly checked with the use of technology, maps are so last century). At this point, I received a text from Mr Holmes with a screenshot showing where they were, surely an abuse of technology, not to be encouraged on these runs, getting lost and losing people has always been a significant part of the enjoyment of a warts’ run. Duly reunited, the group set off down hill towards the bridge, at which point I noticed a bomb shaped thing just at the point where my foot was about to descend!
Brent, our PFR foreign representative, who was with us, duly advised us not to touch, as it had an exposed and, as it transpires, a very active fuse. Turns out it was one of these nasty little devices (below), which had it been kicked hard enough, would have wiped out the cream of DPFR in one big bang! Mr Winterburn was duly informed (can’t remember why) and he has informed the Bomb Disposal team. So fun all round! Anyway, after the excitement had died down, we staggered through Ewden Beck, which was a bit floody and up to Fox Stones where whisky and truffles were consumed. Ewden Pond was next and not for the first time, Mr Harmer came off too soon and we got lost again! Once again the technology rescued us and we headed back to the cars via the slimy girders, an adventure in itself and if anybody can enlighten us as to why there is a footpath on the map which suddenly ends next to them, apparently going nowhere, please let us know!
