Strensall

We were lured into a false sense of security as we left the village in sunshine this morning, headed north east of York for an orienteering event at Strensall. Strensall is a flat area which is home to Army firing and exercise ranges and it is notorious for its degree of wetness. When the rest of the country is experiencing a heat wave Strensall is wet. Several years ago on one particularly cold and icy day, I took what I hoped was a shortcut across an innocuous looking wet bit and went up to my thighs in icy water! It didn't help today that the event information warned that ditches would be wider and water filled, that existing water features would be larger and that there would be plenty of unmapped water on the area! Standing at the start waiting for the off, we watched competitors heading across the terrain, obviously picking their way across tussocks and around very wet bits, then one girl disappeared completely and apparently was pretty much submerged..and retired some moments later. The dry wit in front of me said, 'Best stick to the right of that tree then!'

To cut a long story short it was indeed a very wet 5k and not uneventful. I caught up Christine and then we both came across a young girl sobbing who had lost one of her shoes in the bog. Then I heard another youngster howling several hundred yards away and slogged across the bog and tussocks to reach her only to find she was having a paddy because she had followed someone who was not on the same course as her! I kept my temper and turned to head back over the marsh only to see Christine heading off into the distance towards the finish.

Back at the car and Tony was seriously shivering following a downpour whilst we were out on our courses so it was on with the heater and out with the flask! I didn't feel fully warm again till after a hot bath. I am now relaxing after Sunday roast chicken and looking forward to having a glass of wine and one of yearofhappy's homemade chocolates!