THE LAKE DISTRICT

I haven't blogged yet this month, since I have been in the U.K. on my annual walking holiday in the Lake District. Because of the hills, it is almost impossible to get an internet or mobile phone connection (though some of the more dedicated members of the group immediately open their Blackberries when they get to the top of a suitable peak). It has in fact been nice to get away from the daily electronics round.

Up to seven friends from University go on this trip, and this year's was the ninth, with everyone present. It always takes place during the summer half-term, as two of us are teachers. We meet in Lancaster on the Wednesday evening, travel to the Lakes for three days of walking, and return on the Sunday morning. At our age (50+), three full days is just about the right length of time.

This year we stayed in the Little Langdale valley at the Three Shires Inn, the meeting point of the three old counties of Westmoreland, Cumberland and Lancashire. The valley is beautiful, and we had some great walks in perfect sunshine. The weather has been fantastic for each of the last 5-6 years, so we were all expecting a drenching this time. But there was no rain. In fact, there had been no serious rain since last November, and the hills were the driest I have ever seen them. Many of the streams had no water in them at all.

The day of our arrival was marred by the news that a lone gunman had shot and killed 12 people in the area, and wounded a further 25, before committing suicide. Some of the killings (eg his twin brother and solicitor) were targeted, but many were random victims. A fair proportion of the local people were in shock.

Our party had its own horror story. Nobody fell down a ravine or sprained an ankle. But at the top of Bow Fell, as we stopped for lunch on the second day, I took off my T-Shirt and showed the others my cycling bib shorts. This created such frissons of revulsion and panic in the group that I had to get dressed again in a hurry. In vain did I tell them that all serious cyclists wear them, they were not convinced. But at least it gave us something to talk about on the way back down.

Walter Blotscher