Raft race

The phrase "silly buggers" comes to mind as Gill records our entry for the fifth year running in the annual August bank holiday River Lowther raft race in Bampton, Cumbria.

We left our cottage on Deeside bright and early to get down to the north Lakes in time to join the race. This year we decided an Olympics theme would enable us to show off our athletic physiques. Some of the same faces on the raft were present on the back seat of this bus to an England Rugby Union International back in February. All are old enough to know better.

The reason that Simon at the back is sans paddle is that it broke soon after the start.

There was a double-bed raft entered by a honeymoon couple. The groom was my friend Pete's son. Pete is a farmer and drove the newly weds from the church to the reception in his muck spreader (cleaned out for the occasion) pulled along by his tractor.