AAC Coniston Meet, December 2017
By Jackie Coe
28 AAC(UK) members attended last year’s Coniston meet in the Lake District. This took place for the third year running at the beginning of December.
Saturday walk on top of the Old Man
Photos: Jackie Coe
19 members stayed at Low House, which belongs to the MAM (Midland Association of Mountaineers). All agreed it was well-equipped and comfortable, as well as being well-placed in the middle of Coniston. Others stayed in self-catering and B & B accommodation in the village.
Lunch Break while waiting for the sun
On the first evening 14 participants attended a local village event, the Lancashire Supper, to celebrate the fact that Coniston was once part of 'Lancashire north of the Sands'. No points for guessing what was on the menu - Lancashire Hotpot. We enjoyed listening to Lancashire singers, the Saggy Bottom Girls.
View from the way up White Maiden
On the Saturday a group of 21 of us supported the local bus company by catching the X21 bus to Torver, where we met 3 more and walked up to White Maiden. Unfortunately this, the Dow Crag ridge and Coniston Old Man were all shrouded in mist. This did not deter us however and we all completed the route as planned and got down before dark, which is of course rather early at this time of year.
Winter’s first snowman
12 of us met up again on the Sunday in Ambleside for a walk up Red Screes. We were rewarded with much better views and better weather. Others did shorter walks as they had long journeys back home.
As we walked and dined together we discussed returning to Coniston next year, and perhaps extending the meet a bit to give people optional extra days on the fells. I have therefore made a provisional booking for 2018 with a choice of 2 - 4 nights' accommodation in the MAM hut or elsewhere in the village: Thurs 22, Fri 23, Sat 24 and Sun 25 November. More information will follow nearer the time, but we have to secure our booking with MAM early - the first choice weekend in early December had already gone!
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