KMC: Dave Wylie, Keith Williams, John and Midge Castick, Christine Beeston;

FRCC: Ron and Ruth Chambers, Richard Morgan;

KMC/FRCC: Bob Anderson, Chris Thickett.

Several people turned up on Friday lunchtime to start the activities despite cloud covering the higher fells. Ron, Ruth and Richard went for a spin round the lake. Dave climbed the Knott Rigg) Ard (Crag) ridge. Bob and myself made for Rannerdale Knott after an orange and chilli flavoured ice cream from the farm. In the end, just ten turned up to enjoy the evening round the fire.

The weather on Saturday morning couldn't make up its mind. Cloud down; then a blast of sunshine on the fells! Then back again to cloud!

Keith was first to make up his mind – off to Little Town to complete a horseshoe round Maiden Moor, Dale Head, Robinson and back to Newlands. The 3 R's headed off to walk the terrace route in the Loweswater area. John and Midge bagged some Birketts near Whinlatter. Christine tested her sanity in the company of Dave, Bob and myself whilst traversing the Dale Head to Robinson ridge including fine views off Higher Snotragg. The weather was not fine all the time; Dave descibed the inclements as 'high velocity horizontal drizzle'.

Saturday evening was spent again convivially round the fire in the hut. Some read and others chatted. Then there was the game-players; all went quietly until a certain game of cards. Only Ron seemed to know the rules and he changed them more frequently than the cards were dealt, much to the exasperation of the other players. Unfortunately, some of the older male attendees demonstrated their declining hearing although it was suggested they could form the 'Eh! Team'.

Sunday's weather was a total mist-ery. The higher you went the better the weather. And some meet attenders mist-eriously disappeared. Keith ended up on the Dovedale fells in glorious weather. However, Birkett Bashers had less luck. Dave forwarded me an email, part of which is as follows:

I managed to find Midge and John at Thackthwaite, so I joined them on their expedition into the Loweswater fells. Midge's main target was Hatteringill Head which is a Birkett, but I don't know if that makes her a Birk or just Mad as a Hatter. I was criminally insane enough to run off and take in an extra top on Broadmoor Hill (perhaps this suggests that I should be sent to Broadmoor?) on the way up.

The three of us next headed over Fellbarrow, then Smithy Fell (after which John headed down to the car) and Sourfoot Fell (from which Midge headed down to catch John). I continued ever onwards to practice my navigation in the murk and took in Darling Fell ("'Ello darlin'!") and Low Fell (but it was not low enough to be out of the cloud).

As far as I can tell, none of the little tops or lumps and bumps were high enough to be "Corbetts" or "Nuttalls", but I think that we could class some of them as "No'buts" or "Cock-Alls".

Meanwhile, Uncle Bob and myself decided to haul our respective bad legs, bad back and bad jokes up and over Haystacks. During the struggle up to Scarth Gap, we amused ourselves by testing the sense of humour of everyone we met with our insults. They countered with tales of Brocken Spectres on High Stile.

Immediately before the summit we were surprised by the loud croaking of frogs manufacturing sporn in a pool. We took refreshments in the lee of some rocks and enjoyed the warm of the sun and the swirl of the mist. During one misty interlude, I managed to redirect a couple of walkers - but perhaps they enjoyed the environs of Black Sail youth hostel rather than the path towards Fleetwith Pike.We did observe our own spectre – a dark shadow within a light patch in the cloud to the northwest. As this was more towards the sun as away from it, the only plausible explanation was that it was the grumpy ghost of Wainwright seeking peace up on High Crag away from the clamour of amourous amphibians.

Descending under Green Crag we met a guy with a large rucksack going to spend the night in the Warnscale Head bothy. I admitted that I had recently spent a night in the nearby Dubs Hut. "Did you see any flashing lights? I did," he told us. I can't wait until the next episode of the mist-ery of these parts but perhaps I can't see me staying at Dubs Hut in the foreseeable future!

The joint meet with the FRCC will be held again at their Birkness Hut, Buttermere, GR NY186160, this time on the weekend of 10/11 March 2012.

I will be booking 9 male and 7 female places for our club members and guests. The overnight fees are £7 for Karabiner club members and £8 for guests.

Book your place with me in advance but pay during the weekend.

It is an excellent walking centre although anything may be possible depending on the weather.

If you are at all considering coming on the Buttermere meet, please let me have your name by Friday 2 March to reserve your place (FRCC rules - see KMC handbook!) - Chris Thickett