Jan 5th
As has become traditional, a short walk was arranged to start the new years activities. The same route was taken and the sun shone (Thanks Akela aka sun-god). But it was cold, I should point out that it had rained almost non stop the preceding week and snowed the day before the walk.
We; Akela, Baloo, Hathi, Mrs Akela, both Ryans, Shaun, Jess F, Ben, parents, a granddad and two dogs met at 13:15 at the Scutt for the advertised start time of 13:30. If nobody had turned up the walk may have been shorter, i.e. straight into the Harvester.
It seems that the idea of the walk being muddy had occurred to most people and boy were they right! Last year was a bit disappointing with the mud being almost dry. This year with the hard frosts of the previous few nights the mud was nearly frozen solid, in some places the mud was really hard and in others it was lovely and soft.
To Akelas dismay there were no O-O-B [1] moments, but the walk was very pleasant all the same. The Horse's Home fields had a few friendly horses in them. They were so friendly that they were quite intimidating, a horse is a large creature to some of our younger Cubs, and older Leaders. The horses soon realised that no food was to be forthcoming and so did not follow us far.
The Stony field, for those people that have read reports of earlier walks, was doing very well with a faint green covering as his winter crops had made the most of the mild weather in the beginning of the month. Again the talk as we passed through Queen Charlton was how lovely it was and all it needed was a pub to make it perfect, especially a pub that welcomed tired muddy walkers from Stockwood
The sheep in the field on the exit to Queen Charlton did not recognise Akela this year, perhaps Rich not being there didn't excite them. The sun continued to shine we continued to walk and after a while the half way point was reached, a muddy slippery bridge at the lowest point of the walk. This news was greeted with considerable apathy until it sunk in that we now had to climb a gentle but relentless hill back to Queen Charlton. The Priest road had been re-graded and was much easier to walk on than last year or indeed the previous several years.
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The walk back was, or seemed, shorter than the walk out, strange. The horses did not recognise us or assumed that we must have stopped at a fodder shop to get them something, they remained disappointed. As we arrived back at the Scutt the sun was low enough to warrant a quick half in the Harvester Pub, our muddy boots were not allowed in and were left in the doorway for passing drinkers to admire. Hathi managed to get away with not buying a round, AGAIN!!! something must be done with him.
Thanks to the sungod and the friends that turned up. It was a really good way to start the year, Now what are we going to do on Wednesday when the little darlings start Cubs again.
[1] Out Of Boot
