MICHAEL COADY
Back to alumni stories

MICHAEL COADY - Ullswater, The Lake District, 1958

WE WERE DOING OUR LAST TREK WHICH LASTED FOR TWO DAYS.ON THE FIRST DAY WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HIKE FROM CAMP TO THE SUMMIT OF CONISTON OLD MAN.WE DID NOT REACH THE SUMMIT BUT CAMPED AT THE BASE.THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE ROSE EARLY WENT TO THE SUMMIT AND THEN WE MADE OUR WAY BACK TO THE SCHOOL.MY MEMORIES WERE RECENTLYREMEMBERED FOLLOWING A RECENT STAY AT THE PATTERDALE HOTEL.WE ARRIVED BACK ON THE ROAD NEAR THIS HOTEL AT AROUND 10 OCLOCK IN THE EVENING STILL HAVING TO WALK THE CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO THE SCHOOL.WE WERE ALMOST ASLEEP ON OUR FEET AND I CAN HONESTLY SAY I HAVE NEVER BEEN AS TIRED AS I WAS ON THAT EVENING.WE DID EVENTUALY REACH THE SCHOOL AFTER A JOURNEY OF I DONT KNOW HOW MANY MILES.I WAS 14 YEARS OLD AT THIS TIME AND I AM SURE THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF THIS ENDURANCE TEST HELPED ME GREATLY FOR THE REST OF MY WORKING LIFE.THIS COURSE WAS EITHER 1959 OR 1958