| Lake District, Fellwanderers 2002/2003 Winter Tour. |
So I finally got a chance to visit England's Lake District. It almost didn't happen, but after swapping a bunch of days with folks in my department and catching a train up to Cumbria three days after the tour started I finally made it to this lovely place. Doesn't it look lovely? This was my New Year's morning. I forgot to bring waterproof gloves... I thought my hands were going to fall off at the top of this little hill. |  |
 | Fortunately we had the Hilton of barns to stay in at night. While the area we slept in wasn't heated, the kitchen area was nice and toasty (that way the mice were comfy as they ate our bread). In this particular photo Lester is trying on my new fedora. I think the general feeling was that this new hat just screams "texan" a bit too loudly. In my opinion it just needs breaking in. |
Here's another barn photo. Braky is not quite tipsy yet and Phil is eating something that is apparently baffling him (not unheard of on Fellwanderer trips, alhtough I must admit the food on this one was excellent). |  |
 | I didn't take many pictures on day two, largely because I didn't want to see my camera die from the stupid amount of precipitation that the heavens dumped on us. However, day three was glorious. After going nearly hypothermic on the two previous days I had made the decision in the morning to stroll with the injured members of our happy band around Lake Buttermere. However, when we were about to go our separate ways I looked at the mountains and the blue skies - and like a moth to the flame I was lured back to the icy challenge of the peaks. This particular section of our climb was rather unfriendly, very slick. |
But the climb was well worth it. This is me and Beccy (current fellwanderers president). You may note the absence of a certain piece of headgear... it was back in the barn drying after getting completely soaked. |  |
 | Lester has this funny habit of wandering off and making his own way up peaks. Someday he will probably fall off without anyone noticing, but for right now it makes for some fantastic photographs. |
And there's Braky enjoying the scenery. The purple speck below is Ex-Fearless Leader, Pete Hield. |  |