We took the Shallop and only one Sandalo as the weather and forecast winds got worse as our visit drew nearer. We needed the fullest crews in each boat to row in the high winds. Happily the launch was straight forward thanks to diligent planning by our North West resident member Roger Heise. The shallop set forth across the windy lake seeking the lee of the far shore before heading North from Bowness to Newby Bridge. It was hard work in the head wind but we reached the Swan at Newby Bridge for a rather late lunch. Needless to say the wind was mainly straight up the lake and there wasn’t much shelter from its force. Amazingly the wind hadn’t turned through 180 degrees over lunch, so we had a good blow back with a couple of additional passengers to the pontoons below Beech Hill Hotel where the majority of us were staying. The Sandalo which has little freeboard wisely went straight to moor on the pontoons rather than slog up to the Swan.
On the Saturday the wind had strengthened more and one missed stroke coming off the pontoon would have seen us rapidly on the rocky shore only 20 yards away. Common sense prevailed and we found other diversions like visiting Hill Top the very charming cottage in which Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated many of her books. Seeing the vegetable patch complete with watering can where Peter Rabbit escaped from Mr McGregor and seeing where the books were written will give added pleasure when reading these books to grandchildren. By 4pm the wind had dropped a lot and we rowed for a couple of hours, the Shallop mainly doing exercises and the Sandalo catching up with the cruising IVs of Lakeland Rowing Club.
Sunday dawned clear and still. Setting off across a mill pond with a scattering of snow still on the hills all around the lake and green unbelievably well manicured meadows and woodlands around the edge was truly beautiful. We had rowed to about a mile north of Belle Isle near Bowness when puffing silently up the Lake came a very beautiful steam launch. It was Roger Heise’s Vesuvius complete with a magnificent picnic prepared by Roger, Sue and friends to feed us all. Vesuvius and Allegra rafted up to the anchored Royal Thamesis, an anchor watch was set and Vesuvius puffed us all back to safety when the breeze which had now set in caused the light anchor to drag slightly.
We were back at the slip at 2pm and both boats were on their trailers and ready to go soon after 3pm. About 16 of us squeezed into John Rew’s room in the hotel to watch the boat race which a majority of Cambridge supporters enjoyed for the 1st 7 minutes when weight and Olympic experience increased the enjoyment of our Oxford members..
16 of us attended dinner in the hotel on the Saturday evening when Roger Blackburn presented Richard Norton with a silver gilt Barge Masters badge of the Drapers Company on behalf of City Barge to thank Richard for all he has done as founder and the Chairman of the club for its first 14 years.
