METHS

MULANJE EXPATRIATES THREEPEAKS SOCIETY

HOME | NEWS | MEETS | REPORTS | MEMBERSHIP | CONTACT


Blantyre Three-Peakers Do It Again. 29 June 1996

28 miles, 6,000ft up, 6,000ft down. That is the challenge of the Blantyre Three Peaks Walk. This year's walk coincided as last year with the Music Society's annual charity production and a late night before meant that the ringing of 18 alarms fell on some very unwelcoming ears. John Moorhouse, lost in the nightmares of jaws and cavities, failed to make the starting bell and belatedly joined the party at Michiru Conservation Office.

The walkers gathered at the BSC car park by 5am. Val Wallace was first there to stow gear in 'old faithful' and with George sadly excused on account of an ill-timed bug, a steady pace was suggested. Well, a steady pace from Andy and Simon is no mean thing and we soon found ourselves galloping down the road to Michiru in the early dawn.

Such early risings are clearly the norm for many Blantyre folk, for there was a fair bustle of activity as heads loaded with produce made to satisfy the needs of slumbering city dwellers. Dawn was breaking as we neared Chilomoni and tarmac gave way to dust. From first light to last Michiru suffers the attentions of wood gatherers and we dodged descending bundles as we clambered up our first ascent of the day. Michiru peak was reached in a very short time and, with a chill wind blowing and the mob at the front having scarpered, there was no excuse to hang around. Up strains muscles and down strains joints, so with some caution we hastened down to the Conservation Office for breakfast and took stock of the situation.

James Lee had his own ideas for the Three Peaks in the form of a mountain-bike contest. James is not at his best in the early hours and found his sense of direction a little out of kilter. He somehow ended up battling up Ndirande instead of Michiru — a losing battle as it happens as James took a bad fall, not having gained sufficient momentum to whiz up the gully, and took in QE as the next point on his route. Hats off to all such valiant nutters.

Veronica found the early fast pace a mite knackering and wisely threw in the towel in favour of breakfast at the Conservation Office. Miriam and Grace soon took the measure of the Three Peaks as bloody long and bloody hard, and to cut a long story short bypassed Ndirande peak but revived at the lunch stop to complete their never-again attempt. Sarah Mossford took in Ndirande peak but gave her all in the process, so it became two peaks for her.

This left us with 13 walkers to go the full distance. The weather was kind indeed as we scrambled down Ndirande and crossed the treeless forest reserve to Limbe. Andy sacked out at Hynde Dam but still reached Soche before us on account of his iron leg and our misguided route finding. Weary limbs tackled the steep and thankfully still well-forested slopes of Soche, knowing we were on the home leg. A group of self-styled holy men had beaten us to the top and came out with some distinctly unholy language when we scaled the peak rock.

We had a little trouble finding the best route down, but Dave Cornelius, determined not to give his putrefying feet any more work to do than necessary, soon zeroed in on the right line. Pat Royal, Claire Hill and Shelley Milstein awaited us at Chimwankhunda Dam with welcome tea and biscuits and a liberal sprinkling of talc. We then staggered off to the BSC and the end of another Three Peaks Walk. Congratulations to all participants and a special thanks to this year's marshals. Martin Horrocks

Participants: Martin Horrocks, Willie "Willy" McCorquodale, Christine Wardlow, Tich Robb, Simon "Scope" Cope, Veronica Foy, Miriam Horrocks, Liz Gould, James Lee, Phil Nagle, Roddy Sharp, Jim Raffelberg, Grace Horrocks, Sarah Mossford, Andy "Sideways" Crabb, Dave Cornelius, Susan Raath, Tigger Foden, John Moorhouse


© WDYFO, 1996