johnsunter.com >> adventures - uk >> dave stag 2
Celebrating David's Stag Do in the Lake District(2/2).
After we had all had a go of the circuit, our instructor says right lets get out and see what we can find.
We head for various rough and angled patches of ground, as he talks us through different driving techniques.
Driving through an expanse of water.
I got out to take this picture, as the Land rover hits the water.
The trick when driving through water, is to create a single consistent wave, in front of the vehicle, as Pete has done in this picture.
Out the other side, the water and mud wash off the tyres.
A really steep down hill, is marked with cones, to indicate its seriousness.
It was in 2 levels, with a sort of shelf halfway down.
You can see the instructor uses his hands to assist in instruction.
By now, we weren't completely terrified, every time the vehicle went down a steep hill.
Paul takes the wheeled, and we head through some mud and long grass.
We were also taught some theory about driving through ice and sand.
After this, we move onto black powder shooting with Tony James and Neville Howard (Neville owned the estate and actually lived in Greystoke Castle).
Here we are talked through the principle of Black powder shooting using a replica springfield rifle (a gun used significantly in the American civil war, and based on a design by Lee Enfield).
A black powder license is needed to load guns like this, so although we were shown how to load them, they had to be loaded by the instructor.
This worked out well though, as with 2 instructors, we were able to spend more time actually shooting, which is what we all wanted to do.
I asked several questions relating to the guns used in the series Sharpe. Turns out they are Baker rifles, and shoot differently to these guns (Baker rifles have rifling, these are smooth bore). I discovered that the trick in the series about putting spit on the ball and dropping it in the barrel, don't actually work on a rifled gun.
I was surprised at the size of the balls we were shooting. They were fractionally smaller than marbles, and when shot would flatten, and be so than that they were almost transparent.
It was explained that the guns would be half loaded. That way, if any mistakes were made, and the gun loaded twice, nothing serious would happen.
We were also shown how to cock the gun, and where the fraise "going off half cocked comes from".
Three multi coloured steel squares are our target, and are positioned on the far side of a small lake.
When shooting a black powder gun, there is no recoil back towards you, however the barrel "jumps" up, and this is almost impossible to control.
The key is to counter this by aiming down and too the left.
The sound of the gun firing, was a lot louder than I had expected a gun like this to make.
Loads of smoke billowed around.
As we talked, our instructor pointed out, that in battle, a division of 900 men, would work in 3 rows of 300, and at 3 shots a minute, would fire 300 balls every 6 seconds.
Because of the smoke, within just a few minutes, the division would be unable to even see the enemy. Two shots missed, but I got the orange square with my 3rd.
The next activity was air rifle shooting with Brian Steadman a former Police firearms instructor.
I must admit, that I had my doubts. I had fired air guns as a schoolboy, and a shop near my house, sold air rifles for £20.
I shouldn't have been so skeptical. These were state of the art pneumatic cylinder rifles with telescopic sights.
The air rifle "rig" was set up to be towed using a Quad bike.
The instructor was really helpful, and here gave practical tips on shooting.
It was funny at times, as we would say animated things like "go for his legs, kill him." or "catch him as he comes over, dead".
It was easy to forget, that we were shooting clay, and not real birds.
My favourite quote of his, was "if it flies, it dies"
Although a curry would have been my first choice for a stag do, my brother has always been more a fan of Chinese food.
There were only 2 Chinese restaurants in Keswick, and by researching on the internet, we chose The Silk Road.
The food was quite good, and everyone agreed they had enjoyed it. Here everyone poses, while our waiter takes a photograph.
We potter around Keswick, visiting a few traditional pub, before splitting up into two or three groups.
A few people went to the appalling loft nightclub, although it was commented that it is far superior to any nightclub in Chester !.
The following morning, the rest of the group do Mad Trax racing.
Having done it previously, and been sick, I decide to sit it out.
I visit the Everest exhibition at the Rheged centre.
Here an exhibit shows the rout taken on the original everest expedition of 1952.
This tent was actually used on the 1952 expedition.
It was ironic, as Glastonbury was on that weekend, and most of the "revelers" would have slept in a superior tent to this one, for a cost of about £30.
Some articles donated by Sir Chris Bonnington from the 1975 ascent of Everest via the South West face.
The photo is of Doug Scott (the actual summit'er) and signed by everyone on the expedition.
The Ice axe and Boot were also worn on the expedition, along with a small piece of rock from the summit, sealed in glass which Bonnington originally gave to his mother.
Astoundingly a former member of the SAS, Bronco Lane, was benighted on everest and lost his toes.
They are normally on display at the exhibition. A decision, I found extraordinary.
On this occasion, they were undergoing some Pod iatric Restoration.
Meanwhile, back at the Ranch...
The Mad Trax are unique, having amazing suspension, and being effectively rough terrain Go Karts.
The lads line up ready for the starting gun.
For safety reasons, those waiting to race, stand inside the stalwart all terrain vehicle in case the steering should go on one of the Karts, or some other problem like that.
In the picture, Paul is wearing a hairnet. Not for reasons of fashion, but since the helmets are used week in/week out, it makes sense to protect the scalp.
My brother David, in Mad Trax 3, races around the course.
Later, we meet back at the Rheged Centre, and have a superb (and very reasonably priced) 2 course Sunday lunch, washed down with a couple of beers.
We then hit then shake hands, hit the motorway and head home.
What can I say. David organized his own Stag, and did a superb job of it. I have organized similar trips before, and I have to say that they are very stressful, I just hope Dave realises how grateful everyone was, and that it was worth it.
The attendee's were a superb bunch, and everybody mucked in and stood there round at the bar, which doesn't happen on every trip.
Special thanks to Rookin House Farm and Greystoke Castle activity centre's for there professionalism and significant contribution.
