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After missing last year's commemorations due to the covid problems, we hear that this year's gathering on the top of Castle Crag will go ahead once again.

Few of our usual group are in the Lakes so only Gill and I set off on the walk, just two people plus three retrievers.

As a result this year's group photo to start the day is a little smaller than previously !

Finlay (of Borrowdale) Dougal and Dylan . . . their adventures today will add to the story of the walk.

	- - - o o o - - - Gill and I set off for the walk up to Castle Crag. She had a slight problem and so chose not to walk to the top and would return home once we reached the base of the fell. Along the way Gill met friends and locals who were also heading for the summit, including a Keswick Scout Group and their leaders. - - - o o o - - -

The River Derwent and Broadslack Gill were both flowing well

but not as high as during the October bad weather of course.

Still. it was high enough to encourage us to use the foot bridges rather than wade the streams.

- - - o o o - - -

When we reached the top bridge Gill said farewell

and returned with Finlay to Grange to prepare lunch,

but not before borrowing my camera for some reason !

I set off up the track with two dogs but on reaching the gate I had lost one.

Dougal had run back to be with Finlay !

A quick whistle before he disappeared from view

pursuaded him to turn around and our team of three

were once again reunited, so able to re-started our climb to the top.

- - - o o o - - -

Looking back down the Broadslack Gill Valley path

and at the distant view of Derwent Water, Keswick and the Skiddaw and Blencathra fells.

Looking along the rough paved track towards the planned left turn and the climb to the summit.

The weather was rather grey and overcast so the photos were not too bright, but at least it was dry.

The dogs and I have made good time but along the way we met up with a fellow walker who preferred as slightly different ascent route.

Always one to discover new routes I followed on, past the normal path, as we chatted our way to the top.

The view west to the high fells of Glaramara and Great End.

A short back-track and we headed for the path below the wall.

The path gave good view ahead of the climb up the slate heap to the summit.

Not a lot of people in sight this year.

Nice views across to Grange Fell and distant Helvellyn.

- - - o o o - - - Decisions . . . decisions. Should we cross the fence or not ? We opted for the straight ahead route but that brought us down a rather steep and slippery rock buttress. Either way we ended up at the same tall ladder stile and despite my protestations the dogs were up and over before I had time to stop them. - - - o o o - - -

On the other side was a gentleman I recognised.

Syd had bivied out last night but decided that the final climb, with the increasing number of people about,

would be too difficult for him and too awkward for others who wanted to make the top in time for eleven.

He declined my offer of assistance but did give me four memorial crosses to place on the summit on his behalf

[ a task I also did for him all those years back when we first met in George Fisher's shop in Keswick]

- - - o o o - - -

The two dogs and I were just about to start off when I realised that I had aquired a third.

Just as Dougal had run off to be with Finlay, so Finlay had abandoned Gill to be with his best mates, Dylan and Dougal.

He must have followed the crowds up, or followed the scent of the other dogs upward till he met us, but he did look happy to be here !

Oh well three dogs for the summit but only two leads.

More people about now as the dogs and I climbed towards the summit.

The larch adding colour to this rather overcast day.



I had Finlay on the lead but the others made their own way up.	I thought you might like an artistic slate photo from the steep climb.

At the quarry the sculpture of previous years has suffered from a certain amount of 'weathering'.

Following the other walkers up, we reached the summit of Castle Crag

and enjoyed the classic views down to Derwent Water which revealed themselves through the trees.

There was a good crowd on the top in anticipation of the eleven o'clock ceremony.

I places Syd's memorial crosses under the summit memorial stone.

One was for Joseph W Beck, the son of the blacksmith Jobby Beck who used to work at the Loweswater Smithy.

The second to John Travers Cornwell V. C. the youngest recipient of that award in the First World War.

Sydney Walter Cornwell who I understand was the uncle that 'Syd' was named after.

The fourth, with the star, was to Bronislav Rawicz, a jewish man who died at at the Concentration Camp in Krakow.

There was a good attendance of 60 to 80 people gathered here on the summit as Miles started proceedings.

He welcomed everyone to what was the hundredth anniversary of the first ever National Ceremony of Remembrance in 1921.

As a lay preacher he led a short series of prayers to those that were lost in the First War

and to those that had subsequently died in active service of their country.

- - - o o o - - - In his address he mentioned the names of all those that featured on the memorial stone, the Service Men of the valley that had died in the war. Everyone then paused at 11am in a two minute silence to their memory and no doubt also to remembers other significant people who has passed out of their own lives in recent years. - - - o o o - - -

	- - - o o o - - - Following the silence there were two readings one by Joanne and a second by Margaret both from here in the valley. The first was a poem remembering the animals who suffered and died in support of the war effort. The second was a full rendition of the poem which contains probably the most quoted lines of Remembrance Services worldwide. I have copied both poems below for you to read yourselves. - - - - o o o - - -

After the proceedings were complete there was time to chat. ( Photo by Chris and Jeff Goode, with thanks.)

The Explorer Scouts from Keswick grouped for their own personal ceremony

to induct two new members into their group. Afterwards they paused for their own photos.

Miles had a chat with the group, as did David, a fellwalking friend of mine.

- - - o o o - - - Time to leave the summit and head back down, this time with three dogs in tow. I had phoned Gill but she didn't have her mobile on her so she hadn't picked up my message about Finlay being safe and well. It turned out that she had spent the last half hour or so searching the woods for her dog. - - - o o o - - -