08 March 2008

Fell End Clouds KWL (Shap Surprise - it wasn't at Shap)

Ray Gill eulogises

A little known poem called:
Dallam Supplied Flags. 1804 William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a Cloud
Running on high o'er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd
A host of dancing Dallam Flags;
Along the path, and from the start,

Twenty dancing in the breeze.
Hune from Cumbrian Birch and Sycamore,
Guided frantic runners in glee:—
A runner could not but be gay
In such a flapping company

I gaz'd—and gaz'd— but little thought
What wealth these flags to the KWL had brought:
For oft when in my Walshes I plod
In exhausted or in pensive mood,
They wave upon that rugged course
Devised by the Helm Hill brood,
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Dallam Flags to meet the Kendal Winter League Flag appeal.


Well what a pleasant race, about 8 miles past Sedbergh in Limestone
country. A bit chilly and a low turn out from the senior Dallam
tribe.

For the under 17s we had Alex Till and Cathy Gill, Sam was
mysteriously missing. Both competitors ran well, though I suspect
Alex would have come first if he had his younger brother Sam was
snapping at his heels.

On arrival Dawn screamed that there were Cows on the course and the
wayward but semi attached Hazel Robinson expressed concern about her
Calfs giving her trouble, though I could only see a few Fell Ponies.
Well, Hazel passed me after about 200 metres together with the rest of
the stampede and I assume she was the first lady overall as I never
saw her again, probably worried about the Calfs. Dawn also had a
trouble free run without Cow problems.

The last person to finish commented that "The course was well flagged".
A grand day was had by all.