Tag Archives: Lake District

Jun 21 2009

Lily, Breast Cancer Charity

Here I am pictured on Scafell Langstrath with our group of happy wanderers

Here I am pictured on Scafell Langstrath with our group of happy wanderers

I went up to the Scafell Hotel this week to support an event there my sister was hosting for a local breast cancer charity event called Lily.    To date they have raised £49,000 and supplied two digital scanners to their local hospital.   

 The event was a great success and enjoyed by all who attended.    It took the form of Ladies Day at Royal Ascot and a tote was run with half the profit from all the races going to the charity.     I stayed overnight and took advantage of my surroundings by walking up Langstrath with some friends the following day.  We all got rather wet but it’s just great to get out in the wonderful countryside, that the Lake District has to offer.

Apr 24 2009

Hotel’s tribute to “Dam Busters” mastermind

 

I am pictured in the middle outside the Sacfell Hotel with other guests

I am pictured in the middle outside the Scafell Hotel with other guests

Earlier this week I was delighted to attend a special tribute to one of Britain’s greatest ever inventors as the Scafell Hotel in Borrowdale honoured a famous former guest.

A luxurious £30,000 suite will open at the Scafell Hotel in the Borrowdale Valley near Keswick – dedicated to the late Sir Barnes Wallis.

Sir Barnes, born in Ripley, Derbyshire, is famed for inventing the bouncing bomb called “Upkeep,” which was immortalised in the 1951 book The Dam Busters and the 1954 war epic of the same name.

Both tell the story of the series of daring war-time raids by the RAF’s 617 squadron, to destroy vast water supplies powering Hitler’s war effort.

Unknown to many, Sir Barnes made regular sojourns to the Scafell Hotel in the Lake District during the early 1940s and was a regular guest for over 30 years.

Such was his affection for the area, Sir Barnes’s headstone is made from original Lakeland slate from Honister Slate Mine; which has helped provide the special slate for the suite.

To honour the occasion, Mr Jessop, one of the owners of the Scafell Hotel and Mr Nelson via Flt Lt Ed Stephens have linked up with the 617 squadron, based at Lossiemouth, Scotland, and we were priviliged to witness a fly past of RAF Tornado GR4s.

As well as local dignitaries and guests, the event was attended by representatives from the 617 Squadron Aircrew Association (Veterans) and serving RAF officers.   All in all a tremendous day and the hotel is well worth a visit.   I have put a link to its website here

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