The group will remain anonymous.

A arrived quite early with B and C arriving a few minutes before 7pm. Contact with D was made by phone who was still some distance away. A wanted to crack on as the round trip would be some 3 to 4 hours and hopefully a light weight D would catch up. Unfortunately when A was selling the meet to B and C the 70 minute walk-in was confused with 'walking' and as B and C are strangers in these parts became unhappy with the realisation that the walk was double the distance anticipated. However good progress was made until the boggy steeper section on the River Kinder and A became aware that B and C were less then happy. Confidence in A grew to the point of mutiny, the map came out and A was asked to point our position on said map. A could see that the Downfall was quite close, conditions so perfect but hopes of having a belayer were diminishing fast. A tried to persuade B and C to complete the walk-in and that the higher path would be a better option for the return and we would also see D's head torch light from higher up but to no avail. A's thoughts of going on alone were quickly quashed and all retreated down stream without incident except there was no sign of D! Back at the car park there were the same number of cars as when we set off so A checked his phone, one message from D - 'gone home'. Right then, the pub? We're not going to the pub said a much happier B and C.