The club members who volunteered to cook were on their way, the accommodation was booked and the weather was set fair. Thirty four of us came, from all points of the compass, to Hornby Laithe bunkhouse (near Settle) for this year’s Xmas dinner away meet.
The Friday evening involved arriving and settling in, catching up and vigorously chopping vegetables in preparation of some dishes for Saturday night’s meal. The organisation was exemplary. This organisation carried on into Saturday’s activities with a large party doing a walk that involved caves, waterfalls and finished with a hidden gem, the huge Hoffman Lime Kiln. Other party’s activities included a 23 mile cycle with a lung busting 900 metres of ascent, a trip underground into the awesome Long Kin West pot, and a run over (on foot not in a car!) to Horton in Ribblesdale to check out a new café. On return the cooks got to work on the meal and others adjourned to the barn for a mini table tennis tournament (led by Linda the club’s table tennis supremo). The three course meal was a triumph of preparation, flavours, taste and variety of dishes. Following the meal and washing and tidying up there were further activities in the barn with no less than 24 members taking part in circle dancing (led by Vanda the club’s dance supremo) and a few shaking out to some tried and tested disco tunes – who needs to watch Strictly with this much talent to be seen live on the dance floor. After this it was time to relax and in Lorna’s case go to bed in the barn where unnatural noises during the night meant she was never sure whether she alone or …
Sunday was a less hectic day with walks to see salmon leaping up waterfalls and a walk over to the café in Feizor.
All in all this was a great weekend. My thanks go to the cooks and mulled wine specialist (Alison, Bill, Ali, Bron, Elen, Simon and Lorna) all who led the activities, all who helped wash up, clean and serve food and everyone for coming.
Where to go next year? Can I face organising another Xmas meet? IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS AS TO POSSIBLE VENUE(S) GET BACK TO ME or if you fancy the rare opportunity of taking over the rewarding job of Xmas meet organiser get back to me/the committee.
Cheers
Andrew
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