Afar in foreign graves they lie,
Not here where they could wish to be,
"Under the wide and starry sky,"
Upheld by British crag and scree.
And yet we felt their spirits dwell
Amidst the circumambient air,
Above the heights they loved so well,
Austere, enchanting, cloud-capped, bare.
For those who bravely die, 'twas said,
Their tomb is the wide earth's extent,
And Gable is for these, our dead,
Their playground, and their monument.
W. Snow.
Next weekend I'm off to Borrowdale YHA to sample the infamous high levels of precipitation again. In theory, this could be the first time I get to wear my Rab Corrie jacket in anger - for the last three years it's stayed in the bottom of the pack whatever the weather, relegated in favour of the Rab VR Climb and the Montane Featherlite Smock. I'd best check that it still fits me!
So far I've not figured out where I'm going to walk, I might just leave that decision until I'm there and can assess the weather first-hand. The obvious choices for me are the three Wainwright fells thereabouts that I've yet to visit properly. Of the three candidates only Ullscarf and Rosthwaite Fell are really in the frame, as a long time ago I decided to save Castle Crag for my "compleation" fell.
The problem is that Borrowdale's so near to the heart of Lakeland that a foray to the bigger fells will always be a temptation. The Scafells are probably beyond my range at the moment due to me not being at the pinnacle of human fitness, but there's always the draw of Great Gable which, by then, should be wearing its traditional red cap of Remembrance despite requests by the FRCC to not leave poppies or wreaths on the mountain. Maybe it's time to go back there again by a different route - such a fine place deserves yet another visit, and it's another chance to honour the fallen.
