Don't put off till tomorrow....

She who must be obeyed has issued demands to take her to Liverpool this weekend so she can visit honourable number one stepson, who is a PhD student studying Nuclear Physics (I'm not kidding, clever little sod - took me by surprise when he casually announced he was going to become a genius), and works off and on at Sellafield. Of course this means I can drop her off early Saturday and pick her up Sunday tea time, affording me the opportunity to have a mucky weekend with her sister. Sadly, previous attempts to abscond with siblings-in-law have come to tears (generally of disbelieving laughter) so I guess I'll plan another walking weekend in t'Lakes.

I have this theory that Wainright baggers get about 75% through the list of 214, to suddenly realise the last 25% will take twice as long as all the time they've put in so far. This is because you have to go back to places you've already been and complete what I call the "Oughts". The little uninteresting ones that you "ought" to have gone that extra mile for. On my last walk I skipped Kirk Fell, and I suppose I could have done Haycock. Haycock is OK to miss on a Mosedale round because it can be part of a Western Wasdale set separately. But Kirk Fell is now a thorn in my flesh because I've done everything round it, including Gable, so the only way its going to get done is a special trip to do just that top alone. I've been knocking off four or five at a time each trip, and I know that sometime next year when I get to 75%, I'm suddenly going to think "Bugger, I've got to go back to Hellvelyn to do Catsycam", (this is sadly true).

I'm now thinking of publishing a list of "Oughts" as an appendix to Wainright's pictorial guides, although, I have to confess, there's one of the volumes that I think is nearly all "oughts" and seems to be a contractual obligation volume almost. Perhaps that's not fair now I've said it. Some ridge warriors might argue that Castle Crag is a tiddler hardly worth doing, but actually its a lovely rock with a beautiful feel and view - one of my favourites. I took one of my favourite pics on my last walk to Castle Crag, in the valley below. Well, wherever I end up, I guess it'll appear on here sometime.
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