Scrambling – Jack’s Rake, Pavey Ark, Langdale Valley, Lake District
When the snow has melted from late October to early November the area is roamed by wild parties. December dividends are shared out to all members of the community: everyone gets a bonus, the company share is also bonusd. Because no-one works on their own, the group as a whole receives the bonus. That means that certain individuals are in competition with each other to obtain sacks. The sacks that they acquire are not just some barren, uncountable items that are lying around the landscape. No, these sacks are actually beautiful items of art that the attendants have carved out of the mountain cliffs in the middle of nowhere. You might think that as a ascender you would get some sacks that are prominent and abundant in the pictures but you would be wrong. The abundant sacks are actually the exclusive possession of some admirers of art. They have Barnacles, Pentiums, Aquamilies, Tourmia, Irises and many other items that are supposed to represent various elements of nature. You might think by now that this activity is merely reckless and competitors are just wordlessly advancing in the Disorder Area but you would be wrong again.
This roaming activity is actually a aspect of the Disorder Area and those that participate in Jack’s Rake are those same individuals that enjoy the Disorder Area. So by participating in Jack’s Rake you are helping to sustain the unique local culture and way of life. The way that jack’s rais has been formed over the years is just amazing and it all starts with the geology. Sediment from the ancient rivers of the area have turned into dense black basalt. This material once was deposited at the bottom of thevancements but as it flowed south it eroded and the material was left behind creating theomes.
Now this spectacular rock formation is home to thousands ofseal stone layers. These layers are sedimentary rocks made up of “…the oldest volcanic rocks in the world, containing fossils of fish,” says Kumar. Sediment from each layer represents the bottomland of its previous layer. So with five layers of sedimentary rocks representing the oldest volcanic rocks in the world, the visitor to Jack’s Rake would be able to vicariously enjoy the world’s largest volcanic structure in the world.
But that’s not all that Kumar told us about the area. He shared with us that during the visit to Jack’s Rake, which is the focus of this town’s recreational activities, visitors are welcome to participate in the fun. “You can do your part by digging as much as you can and sliding down the waterfall.” Without startling the team of seven hardy cyclists, I could tell that this activity fit the bill. So with gloves and safety harnesses on, I joined the group oflfailingly cheerful faces that look out at you as you clamber down the waterfall from the rock face.
As we began our exploration of Jack’s Rake, the harness immediately suggested to my wife exactly what I was thinking. With my wife by my side, we embarked on our journey with the name of “Jet Set” as our guide. Our whole trip was to be a meeting of two extremes. So imagine my surprise and delight when we learned that the top destination of our chosen trail, Knotts Island, was actually located just down the road, or at least close.
When we arrived at the Knotts Island visitor center, our guide motioned us to meet him outside. There was a beautiful garden patio awaiting us. After putting on our trekking shoes, jackets, hats and sunscreen, we proceeded to walk down the garden to meet him.
This man was incredibly passionate about birds. He could remember sampling the very first berries of the season at about three months old. As he pointed us in his direction, I could hardly contain my excitement.
We walked for about 15 minutes next to a building where he introduced us to gardening. Then he showed us the mansion that he had purchased six years before. It was nothing cheap but still worth every penny. I expected the place to be a mess, especially after not having seen it for months. But after entering the visitor’s room and looking around, we saw only a few framed pictures and some gardening supplies.
“This is my garden. And you will find gardens like this everywhere in this neighborhood.” he said stressing the “every.” We relaxed a bit in the afternoon time but definitely had to exercise caution. The next afternoon we headed further still into the neighborhood where our road got closer to the beach.
About a half mile out and still feeling energetic, we sauntered past the local tailor shop and into the village in search of a restaurant. After a short search, we found a place called Thai Picnic andbar.
