It’s been a busy and fun month and I haven’t had time to do a blog, so here goes…
| Started with the Lancaster York University Roses Athletics Competition at Lancaster University in early May. As Chancellor I played croquet, teamed up with our President of Student’s Union against the Deputy Vice Chancellor of York University and their SU President. I’m afraid we lost, | 
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| But Lancaster won over all and here’s Mark Hanley, Captain of Athletics with the trophy. | 
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| On 24 May, my daughter in law Ann organised a sponsored walk with the children from her primary school in Aspatria up Catbells and invited me along. Here’s she briefing everyone at the start. | 
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| It was a glorious day. Here, grandson Will, followed by my son Rupert, on the little scramble just short of the top. | 
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| The whole team near the top of Catbells. | 
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| On the 25th, Wendy and I celebrated our Golden Wedding with our family at Lyssick Hall Hotel just outside Keswick. It was a lovely and very special night. | 
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| Next morning, with a slightly sore head, I joined the Lancaster University Mountaineering Club on one of their weekend meets to go climbing on Kern Knotts on Gable. | 
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| I joined Josh and Ben on Central Climb South Face, a lovely old classic graded Mild VS, first climbed in 1919. When you think of the kind of gear they had then, it was an impressive lead. Here, Ben took there lead, climbed it in style and I must confess I was glad of a tight rope on the crux. | 
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| Our team on top, Ben in the middle and Josh on the left. | 
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| There LUMC just about filled the crag – just as well we had it you ourselves – and did a host of routes. | 
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| On Sunday, I joined the University hiking Club for a walk in the Howgill Fells. I’d been with them two years ago when the cloud base was only just above the road, it was poring with rain and I didn’t see anything at all. This time it was perfect – not a clouds in the sky and a refreshing breeze. Cautley Spout is in the background which yields a great winter climb after a week of extreme cold. | 
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| Powering up the side of the Spout. | 
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| Our team on top of the Calf. It makes a great walk with very few people around. I really enjoy getting out with the students. | 
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