Published on MyT 29th July 2008
To continue the tale, we managed to slip over Hadrian’s Wall without being caught and carried on with our journey. I was a wee bit downcast because we had not had time to check out the many art shops of Carlisle for genuine works by David Harkins . I cheered up, however, when I remembered that I would be back there in late November to watch the Robins stuffing whatever the local team are nicknamed. Plenty of time to renew the search then – I still think it’s going to be a good investment in these cash-critical times, given the Royal connection to which I have previously referred.
Our next MyT-inspired stop was going to be a real pleasure. Last St Andrew’s Day, Christa posted a blog suggesting Dunsop Bridge as the venue for the annual MyT picnic. Her reasoning was that it was the closest village to the geographical centre of the United Kingdom, and, totally coincidently, just up the road from her. I felt that I had to check the place out to make sure that I could arrive in good time if the site elders did decide to hold the function there.
I have to say to Christa that it is an inspired choice. A village green with plenty of room for us all to spread out our egos and enjoy ourselves:-
A telephone box (the 100,000th in the UK) where Amicus could hold the Hemmett fan club meeting:-
Convenient public toilets with ample parking behind them and a recycling centre for the cut and paste merchants amongst us – by the way, that’s my good lady wife reading the ‘Daily Telegraph’ and wondering why the Hell we were there in the first place:-
Christa did offer to provide sandwiches, but I see no need. Plenty of ducks and the surrounding hills were alive with the sound of sheep. I reckon that Jamie MacNab and I can let our ancestral genes kick in and steal enough of them to keep us all happy and we will have WW and Joeslavko to work their culinary magic.
So thank you, Christa, in all seriousness. The Forest of Bowland is beautiful and the drive over from Lancaster to Dunsop Bridge was spectacular. We stopped at the top and looked back over Morecambe Bay – even in poor weather it was a view that will live in what’s left of our memories.
Christa’s blog :-
my.telegraph.co.uk/christa/blog/2007/11/…
Blogs you might also enjoy from the same time:-
Ex-partie with a test of your species – Help ma Boab was around then, but had obviously not come out:-
my.telegraph.co.uk/ex-partie/blog/2007/1…
Phil Slocombe with a general apology to us all:-
John Mackie 
Is there really an annual MyT picnic?
Dysfunctionals United?
Waht do they put in the sandwiches?
Hi, Isobel. It has been mooted in the past and I seem to remember that SabinaA, Marya, Amicus and others did have a West Country get together.
I didn’t realise there were photos until after posting comment 1 and actually only half your blog appeared at first. I can’t see Mrs Mackie or a Daily Telegraph. Ora telephone box. Are you sure you’ve posted the right pix?
Yes, definitely the right pictures.
If you click on them, you should be taken to where they are stored on MyT. You can then view the full size image and should be able to spot the phone box in the bushes in the middle picture.
Mrs M. is sitting in the car behind the toilets to the left of the bottom picture.
Oh John I loved the links. Christa’s was lovely and v funny, but EX-P’s made me laugh out loud.
interesting to see from Phil Slocombe’s that theer was trouble at the old place even in 2007. I only joined in August 2008.
Good morning John,
I’ve spent a good part of the last hour reading your material and thoroughly enjoyed it. Your sunny picnic blog is a gem. It’s very trying (non-rugby use of the word) trying (no rugger again) to read “archives” on MYT. This gives you a splendid vehicle for reprinting your works and I will be an avid reader. Of course it was through the wonderful world of Bearsy that I have found this place and I wish him well on his new venture.
Today is the 13th, Rangers are 13 points clear and Ally McCoist played number 13 for Kilmarnock. An omen or what? Um..er.. good luck in your league fixture.
The Royalist (smiley thingmybob)
Hi, JW. Good to see you here. Nice tribute to your gran by you on MyT She sounds a right character.