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| Black Sail in the sunshine for Guardian Northerner weekend | Black Sail in the sunshine for Guardian Northerner weekend |
| (10 days later) | |
| A cheerful note to start the week: the Guardian Northerner's first Bloggers Weekend was a major success, thanks to the weather god or gods and a young couple called Suzie Brett and Martin Lyne. | A cheerful note to start the week: the Guardian Northerner's first Bloggers Weekend was a major success, thanks to the weather god or gods and a young couple called Suzie Brett and Martin Lyne. |
| Regulars in the Lake District will know them as the exemplary wardens for the past two years of that shrine for fellwalkers, Black Sail youth hostel in the far reaches of Ennerdale, beneath the bastions of Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar. | Regulars in the Lake District will know them as the exemplary wardens for the past two years of that shrine for fellwalkers, Black Sail youth hostel in the far reaches of Ennerdale, beneath the bastions of Great Gable, Kirk Fell and Pillar. |
| No more, sadly. Suzie and Martin are moving on, initially to cycle out to Turkey and other parts of the Middle East to use their energy and enthusiasm as English teachers. We were the last party to enjoy their curries and wine cellar at the former shepherds' bothy, seven miles' walk from the car park at Bowness Knott on Ennerdale Water. | No more, sadly. Suzie and Martin are moving on, initially to cycle out to Turkey and other parts of the Middle East to use their energy and enthusiasm as English teachers. We were the last party to enjoy their curries and wine cellar at the former shepherds' bothy, seven miles' walk from the car park at Bowness Knott on Ennerdale Water. |
| New hands will take over when the hostel reopens next Spring (apart from the YHA's weekend self-catering bookings which continue over the off-season without resident wardens). Black Sail is also going to benefit from a major overhaul, although thankfully not the transformation originally planned by the Association. | New hands will take over when the hostel reopens next Spring (apart from the YHA's weekend self-catering bookings which continue over the off-season without resident wardens). Black Sail is also going to benefit from a major overhaul, although thankfully not the transformation originally planned by the Association. |
| The visitors' book is peppered with protests against this; a change into a purely self-catering hostel with more of the comforts that modern travellers demand, even at hostel level. That approach is working at other YHA premises, but at Black Sail the 16 bunks, outdoor loos and mountain hut atmosphere - complete with curries made by someone else - are the place. They are what its visitors, of whom there has never been a shortage in all its 75 years, go to enjoy. | The visitors' book is peppered with protests against this; a change into a purely self-catering hostel with more of the comforts that modern travellers demand, even at hostel level. That approach is working at other YHA premises, but at Black Sail the 16 bunks, outdoor loos and mountain hut atmosphere - complete with curries made by someone else - are the place. They are what its visitors, of whom there has never been a shortage in all its 75 years, go to enjoy. |
| To its credit, the YHA listened and changed its mind; a process which also gets plenty of comments in the visitors' book, this time warmly approving. The tiny cabin will retain its character as part of 'Wild Ennerdale', a combined approach to the valley by all involved in its welfare which you can read more about here. | To its credit, the YHA listened and changed its mind; a process which also gets plenty of comments in the visitors' book, this time warmly approving. The tiny cabin will retain its character as part of 'Wild Ennerdale', a combined approach to the valley by all involved in its welfare which you can read more about here. |
| Wrapped in an envelope of kindly weather, we walked over Scarth Gap pass to Buttermere whose more conventional delights include the ever-excellent Bridge Hotel. Its merits need to be bracketed with the Fox and Hounds at Ennerdale Bridge, a triumph of a community rescuing a pub, which is worth going many miles out of your way to enjoy. Alan Sykes, the Northerner's arts expert who also farms at Talkin near Carlisle, advised us on sheep – Suffolks come to the bucket, Herdwicks stick to their ancestral patches, or hefts (in Cumbria, heafs). Malcolm Dean drew brilliantly on 40-plus years of social policy expertise for the Guardian and government. Sarah Hartley of the Northerner and n0tice.com outlined future glories of the blogosphere as a rainbow divided Buttermere from Crummock Water. | Wrapped in an envelope of kindly weather, we walked over Scarth Gap pass to Buttermere whose more conventional delights include the ever-excellent Bridge Hotel. Its merits need to be bracketed with the Fox and Hounds at Ennerdale Bridge, a triumph of a community rescuing a pub, which is worth going many miles out of your way to enjoy. Alan Sykes, the Northerner's arts expert who also farms at Talkin near Carlisle, advised us on sheep – Suffolks come to the bucket, Herdwicks stick to their ancestral patches, or hefts (in Cumbria, heafs). Malcolm Dean drew brilliantly on 40-plus years of social policy expertise for the Guardian and government. Sarah Hartley of the Northerner and n0tice.com outlined future glories of the blogosphere as a rainbow divided Buttermere from Crummock Water. |
| Martin and Suzie, meanwhile, were up on Green Gable having a snowball fight in a blizzard while on Raise fell beyond Helvellyn the ski lift (and England's second highest lavatory) was among the first handful in Europe to start the 2012/13 season. Hailstones drummed on Black Sail overnight but Sunday saw serene blue skies as the couple brought in porridge. We're expecting a Northerner post or posts from them when their farewell party this week is over and everyone has recovered. | Martin and Suzie, meanwhile, were up on Green Gable having a snowball fight in a blizzard while on Raise fell beyond Helvellyn the ski lift (and England's second highest lavatory) was among the first handful in Europe to start the 2012/13 season. Hailstones drummed on Black Sail overnight but Sunday saw serene blue skies as the couple brought in porridge. We're expecting a Northerner post or posts from them when their farewell party this week is over and everyone has recovered. |
| Some of the Northerner crew outside Black Sail with co-warden Martin Lyne (extreme right, with Guardian). Photograph: Suzie Brett. | Some of the Northerner crew outside Black Sail with co-warden Martin Lyne (extreme right, with Guardian). Photograph: Suzie Brett. |
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