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A mass exodus, well at least half the members of Leicester Local YHA Group set off going west into the setting sun on a Friday evening. Wales is noted for its high rainfall. The weather forecast indicated that there was to be a sunny weekend with little wind but what there was would be from the cold north. One of the vehicles was carrying the kitchen sink well not really a sink but a circular washing up bowl, a nice red plastic one with a raised pattern around the side. It is known that some members pack all their wardrobe just in case it turns out to be cold; or very hot, or wet, or very wet or windy and wet. These folks are really in their element when the weekend is hot and wet, windy and cold. It is possible a first for the group to take such an item as a washing up bowl. Concern was expressed after eleven o’clock that one of our cars was missing. Kings hostel is situated in a river valley and has such has no mobile signal reception. Mick arrived at half past midnight to be greeted by Boh who directed the passengers to their respective rooms except that Stella found the dorm full and a torchlight viewing of the other girls dorm found a empty bed. One o’clock lights out.

I was late up the following morning so missed the T’ai Chi callisthenics class on the lawn in front of the hostel led by Sooi and thus my mind and body remained uncleansed.

The Saturday walk was carried out under a cooling cloud until the summit of Cader Idris was neared. At the summit the mist blowing from the sea over the top provided some dramatic pictures of silhouetted figures standing on a rocky outcrop which appeared to be higher than the trig pointed peak. On the assent some walkers said there was a possibility of a Brocken Spectre. I did not see one. The silhouetted figures might have been trying to create one. It is caused by the brilliant sun projecting the shadow image of the viewer greatly magnified on to the mist in front of one some distance away. Your walking partner will not see the same image as you. Brocken is the highest summit on the Hartz range in Saxony where the optical illusion was first observed. Not many minutes at the top saw the mist lift and the cloud blow away so that the dramatic views of Barmouth town, beach, estuary and the surrounding hills appeared to be brought nearer so clear was the atmosphere. The café was closed, but that was not surprising, as it had not opened for very many years. It still proves to be a good shelter in inclement weather. Saturday’s weather was very clement. The sun, very hot, was beating down through an extremely clear atmosphere with the cloud cover gone.

Tempus fugit

The walk back to the hostel was full of expectations. Leicester YHA group was to celebrate a birthday. A few Leicester YHA members in 1937 set up the group. The party was to celebrate the seventy-year history of the group at Kings, which also opened in 1937. It was just as well that half of the group membership was in attendance preparing the food. A barbeque kindly brought along by Liz and Boh heated the bangers, kebabs, burgers and sausages. The veggie stuff was in the hostel oven. Rob presided over the salad preparation and gave advice freely to all the helpers. It was a warm night. The campfire lit the camping area around which we all gathered. The midges were out. It is only the females that bite. Carrying out a selective cull in the dark is difficult. I consider that my attempts to do just that were the reason that I was bitten on face, neck and hair. There was alcohol in the form of wine and beer. The female midges drank freely of blood.

With the food out of the way the birthday cake was removed from its protective washing up bowl and carried with due ceremony to a small table erected by the camp fire. The candles were lit. The time had arrived for Alan to say something about 1937 for no one else was around at the time except him. The country had a new King and Alan had spent some time during that year suffering from measles. The candles had to be snuffed before burning the cake. That also ended the short speech. The man in the blue bow tie proposed a toast to the future of the group, and the reply was “The Leicester Local YHA Group”.

It was at this point that the chairman circled the fire brandishing a knife recalled the previous occasion on which a party had been arranged in honour of the birthdays of Alan and Tony Thompson. The resulting photos appeared to show a gay wedding. Well any thing for a laugh. And so the cake was cut. Alan who was still wearing his waiter’s bow tie distributed the slices to all in the darkness. Rob was careful to cut pieces to a reasonable size, somewhat bigger than wedding cake pieces. The hostel management was not overlooked and received a piece each. I later noted that Rob was giving his recipe freely to the management and discussing catering methods.

Dorothy was given a round of applause in appreciation of her efforts for the group to celebrate this birthday occasion. Organising a larger group does entail more work as more folks create more problems. Having sampled the cake Rob was thanked for his wonderful creation topped with petite fours and iced with marzipan all round the side in a basket weave pattern. Another round of appreciation applause was handed out for Rob. We all retired to clean up the kitchen and campfire area before retiring to bed or reminiscing over walks and weekends to alcohol accompaniment. Some stayed up later than others and imbibed rather a lot of alcohol units.

A tired and weary lot appeared in the common room and kitchen on Sunday morning. Tired legs, aching muscles, and hangovers were all having some effect such that several alternative excursions were planned. It appeared that the car drivers were taking members all over the Welsh coast, and very few wanted to sample the low level planned walk. It was decided that we would all meet in Barmouth by the Old Lifeboat house. This prominent building would be easy to find. It was hot and warm. This weather also brought out all the day-trippers in their cars. It is not a good idea to arrange such a meeting on a bank holiday Sunday morning. Well eventually all the drivers managed to find a space to leave their cars and we all met as planned. Some had already gone to the beach, which is a very low level walk, or to Portmeirion, which again is the next to an estuary beach. The remainder set off to the small ferryboat in order to catch the narrow gauge train to Fairborne. To attract custom this day was India day on the railway. The locomotives were decorated with garlands and the staff wore suitable Asian headgear. It is not usual for the group to use four modes of transport to reach the start of the walk. These were; a short car drive; a long walk from the car park to the meeting point and ferry; a ferry ride and then finally a railway ride behind a small replica narrow gauge steam engine. We were not hauled by the Darjeeling replica but were able to see it half way along the line when our train waited for it to pass puffing on its way towards Barmouth. Our train was hauled by a replica of the engine that pulled and puffed along the Lynton and Barnstable holiday railway line between the two world wars.

Smiling Norman who had packed up his tent and left the hostel independently met the train by chance at Fairbourne and decided to walk with us. A leisurely walk along the lower hills above the estuary gave brilliantly lit views. The weather was warm and sunny although the wind at times was chilling. We were attracted by young persons screams of terror or delight depending on their nerves, to descend into a disused stone quarry to watch and for lunch. Those young persons entertaining us were whizzing down a catenary wire from the top of the quarry wall into cold-water bum first. They were suitably clad in wet suits for the thrilling ride. We moved on when the entertainment packed up and a slight chill had set into our bones. Wandering on we all found our way along the paths beneath the Cader Idris ridge heading for the footpath alongside the railway line over the Mawddach River. This was featured on one of the episodes of Coast and described by Nicholas Crane. We all paid the toll otherwise the walk avoiding this fee was too long to contemplate. Up a steep slope we walked and then we were all back in Barmouth. Some took refreshment in tearooms or a pub. I joined three lovely ladies at the Bath House for hot chocolate on the terrace over the sand. The sun was still very hot. We sat relaxed.

We all gathered again at Kings hostel to cook our meals and partake in the alcoholic beverages supplied from the management.

On the Bank Holiday Monday we all went our various ways to return to Leicester, as was the wish of the car drivers. Patricia was driving the car; Rob and Maggie were the other passengers. We decided that Machynlleth was a suitable place for a cuppa.

Welsh organic food was purchased and the kind shop assistant directed us to a nice teashop for lunch. Patricia ordered organic tea without the tea bag, and ham eggs and chips minus the ham and the chips. This order did not faze the staff one iota. So fascinated was I by this quality check by Patricia on the food used by the establishment that I cannot recall my order or that of anyone else.

We later stopped in Shrewsbury for a walk round and afternoon tea in a pub except that Patricia decided that her needs could be met by tea without a teabag and water. Maggie had tea and I supped a beer. In the meantime Rob and Patricia had returned to the car. I visited the loo and said I would catch up later.

On the main street I realised that I could not recall the whereabouts of the car. This was reinforced when I found myself outside the Bingo Hall where we first parked before deciding that there might be a real fire inside to which the fire and rescue service were attending. At this point the value of modern technology came to be truly valued. A mobile phone call from Rob arranged a meeting at the Railway Station. Let this be a warning to all that this is what dementia has in store for you all.

This was an excellent bank holiday weekend organised by Dorothy with food purchased by Chris and Dorothy cooked under the direction of Rob.