Lakeland Walks

It was late October and the schools half term. The winter winds were just beginning to swirl through the valleys; the earth rock and water were fast cooling. The leaves on the trees were turning yellow and ready to fall in the winter winds.

The Crag Rats of Crag Wallor Hall where somewhere between Mel fell and blencathra, although no living person knew for sure of where they’re grandiose home might be.

Now you the reader may be a wondering who the Crag Rats are ? I think it only right and proper that I introduce you all.

First and head of the family is Billy-bob who is quite the portly farther figure along side Brenda-bow who is ever so much the homely baking type of motherly love a child would desire. Brenda-bow also took her name from the fact she was flexible like a bow if you where wondering. Then there are the children.

Jimmy-jam, what can one say!! If he drove a car it would be as fast as that car would go and twice as fast, although he was not daft and could get out of many a jam when needed. He was reliable under pressure and a one for adventure, and or adventures.

Pally-ally, now this was a Crag Rat with the skill of orienteering beyond living memory at Crag Wallor Hall. In plain simple terms this Crag Rat could find its way out of any tight ally and into the wide-open spaces and back to home.

Freda-bee, now she was as soft and gentle a girl you could wish to meet and new all about the birds and bees. Healing was second nature and she could heal any wound or injury that might occur in life.

The whole family were up and around the big farm house kitchen table when Billy-bob said today was the day the family were going to all learn to boat and sail. Now as we all know rats are good swimmers and just like us they need to learn this skill. “Today we go to the yachting club by the lake” he roared as he finished his large cup of tea. Brenda-bow had a picnic hamper done and ready to go.

Outside of Crag Wallor Hall was Murphy the trusty stallion of a land rover, not your normal everyday land rover; big wide tyres with plenty of thick tread for speeding away from farmers. Mud, mud was everywhere on Murphy as it helped to disguise her.

The Crag Rats all jumped aboard old Murphy and headed down the long drive from Under Fell and under Slate Bridge and through the beck making a huge splash. Soon the beck would be in flood with winter rain and the traffic would have to go over the big slate stone that formed the bridge over the beck. The splash of water went over the front of Murphy as the land rover ploughed through the beck and on wards towards the sailing school on the lake.

Murphy came to a skidding halt in some bushes near to the lake, and the CragRats family all jumped out. Walking towards the lake there was a great array of boats, and then they saw them, the Canadian style canoe’s. The red one looked good and they all heaved hoe and it slid down the sandy gravel and into the water as they jumped in one by one. Oars, they had and the wind was fair as the canoe started to drift. Not a soul in the sailing clubhouse noticed the missing Canadian canoe as they slipped away.

Now the wind was blowing from the Glenridding end of Ullswater down the lake towards Pooley Bridge and the waves get bigger as you sail down the lake, knowing this Billy-bob steered the Canadian canoe as best he could with his paddle. Then with Brenda-bow showing all the young CragRats how to paddle the task eased up and in no time at all the Canadian canoe was moving through the waters of Ullswater with speed and purpose.

The whole family CragRats got the hang of it very quickly so they started to paddling down the lake. As the day went on the wind got stronger and the CragRats got colder, the Canadian canoe started to wobble. Then suddenly the Canadian canoe started to wobble. Then suddenly the Canadian canoe tipped right over and they all started to panic as they fell into the cold November Ullswater Lake. Billy-Bob was trying to calm them all down as they all clambered back into the Canadian canoe. They all calmed down once they were back in the canoe and shacked all the water off.

Mean while back at the Sailing Club they had still not noticed the missing Canadian canoe, although the manager wasn’t out to do his daily checks on all the boats. Then he noticed that the red canoe was missing. He got the keys for the bright orange rescue boat and he went all the way down the lake its entire length and did not come across the red Canadian canoe.

The CragRats were all the way up the Grisedale Beck at the Glenridding end of the lake paddling against the flow of the beck as the waters come of the Patterdale Common.

For the next instalment about the Lakeland CragRats visit this website soon and also follow the CragRats and their friends;

Levi cheeky chimp the Yorkshire Terrier.
Monkey Boy Jack the Border Collie and
Evil Eye the cutest cat in the whole wide world.

Guinness the Cart Horse and Rory the lamb.

Uploaded By: alistair bradbury on 23rd November 2009