Another phone conversation

'Hi I'm calling from the Winchester Echo and we're doing a feature on The Lake District and '

'Sorry to interrupt - are you trying to sell me something?'

'No, no. Anyway we are doing this great feature about The Lake District and in particular we are targeting Keswick as a destination market town and '

'Are you trying to sell me advertising or editorial space?'

'No, not at all. Anyway we are going to run the feature next week in time for the August Bank Holiday and '

'Well I'm sorry but it's a bit late as we are full already for the August Bank Holiday. Sorry - but are you trying to sell me something? Advertising or column space?'

'No, no. Anyway we are sure that even if people from our area don't come for the August Bank Holiday that they will remember the piece for any future visits and '

'So how does this affect me? Are you asking me to advertise?'

'No, no. But anyway there is a tremendous circulation of our paper and it not only '

'Sorry to ask again but is this going to cost me money?'

'No, no. And we have a very loyal following and '

'Is this going to cost me money?'

'No, no, not at all. Anyway we are running the feature and have a limited number of spaces available for '

'Sorry to interrupt and ask yet again but is this going to cost me money?'

'Err, yes. But here's the deal there are only '

'Sorry, no thanks.'

'But it's a tremendous offer and you '

'Can I just ask how you found us?'

'Well you are on page one of Google for "Bed and Breakfast in Keswick" and I thought that .... ahh, I see, do you think that maybe I ought to target people on, say, page 3 or 4?'

'That could be a good move.'

'Cheers.'

'Not at all.'

Phone calls

Well dear reader it has been a busy few weeks and it's all a bit of a blur again - one day rolls inexorably in to the next with no days off and no such thing as a weekend. It's busy busy busy - hence the lack of updates.

But I thought I would let you in on a few of the slightly eclectic phone calls I have had recently.


First there was the chap who called to say that he wasn't a climber, had no experience of mountaineering and had never been in a tent - but he's good in the gym - so was it possible for him to come and climb Everest? Not with my group was the reply. Why not? was the answer. So ... after outlining that it is better suited to people who are independent climbers and mountaineers in their own right and that it is a serious knarly place and that if you are a liability to yourself then you are a liability to everyone around you he proudly went on to tell me that he reckoned that he and a few mates might just rock up in Kathmandu, get a permit and that they'll see us at Base Camp. Jolly good.


Next there was another chap (sorry guys - it is generally men rather than women that I hear these crazy ideas from) who had trekked to Everest Base Camp, had ascended Kala Pattar with no problems and, having seen Ama Dablam, wanted to have a go. Again I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous answer.

A while back I had an enquiry about rock climbing. We chatted for at least 30 minutes and I had his e mail address to send the application form as well as debit card details to confirm the booking. We were just saying our goodbyes when he asked 'does it matter that I only have one arm?'

And lastly I have had numerous calls from people such as 'The No1 SEO Company,' or 'The UK Search Engine Optimization Website,' or other such drivel, telling me that they can get me not only on page one of Google but, in some instances, to number one on Google - in the organic listings. Now this creases me up every time because I generally get straight on to the computer whilst we are chatting, type in 'Web SEO' or 'Search Engine Optimization' in to Google and start searching - for them. Whilst we are chatting I casually drop in that we are already on Page 1 or high on Page 2 (and indeed for some key phrases I am No1) and they answer 'well I typed in Hotels in Cumbria and I haven't found you' (interesting - how come you managed to get my details to call me then?). Anyway having pointed out that we are a) not a hotel and b) we aren't just 'in Cumbria' and that c) a person would probably search for 'B&Bs in Keswick,' or 'Keswick B&B accommodation' or other more relevant Keswick accommodation based search phrases I then ask why I haven't found them ... after 14 pages of searching on Google.

At this point the line usually goes dead.

The Bob - update

Bob Graham Round update - 8 mins up on Skiddaw and then 10 mins down by the top of Blencathra. Very difficult and slippy going underfoot along with increasingly poor visibility. 25 mins down by Threlkeld with a good bash on the ankle where I managed to pop it straight in to a rocky crevice on the way down. Oops. At this stage eternal optimism seemed to be the way ahead and, rationalising it, I figured if I made the pit stops 5 mins less and kept the pace going I'd still be in with a slim chance. Especially as I was on a 23 1/2 hour schedule - so there was another 30 minutes!


So my fantastic support crew (who had just been running with me for 4 and a half hours in the wet) pandered to my every need for 10 mins and then I set off on Leg 2 in to the ever decreasing visibility and ever wetter weather with a new support team (1 of whom had just joined at 5 that afternoon because my original navigator had tweeked his back).


Anyway, awful conditions - but, well, you just get on with it. Very difficult nav and lost a bit of time here and there with little purchase in places on the muddy terrain. In fact there were a couple of spots where you would have thought we were wading ankle deep across rivers and streams.

Result was I ended up being 1hr 25 mins down by Dunmail. Sore ankle playing up and the prospect of trying to claw back all that time (in what was not a favourable forecast as it happens) meant that it was knocked on the head. A difficult decision but now that I am hobbling around like Kaiser Soze - the right one.


A big up thank you to the folk that ran with me and my apologies to everyone else who had volunteered to help that I didn't end up needing your services.

Great views coming down of Seat Sandal though when the cloud lifted.

Hey ho.

The Bob

Just been stocking up on pain medication in anticipation of getting very sore knees when attempting The Bob Graham Round starting tomorrow night. Should I really be doing this I ask myself? I'll let you know how it goes on Sunday (or whenever I manage to get out of bed and downstairs). Then again the beauty of WiFi is that I can update from the comfort of my own bed.

Other news - was out on the hill with Pete Sidwell last week for his forthcoming tv series on Channel 4 throughout Sept. Didn't manage to get the B&B mentioned (but maybe slipped in Ama Dablam and Everest - we'll see what the editing team do! Then the kids were being filmed as well for the same series at a tea party.

Guests coming and going and we've been non stop. Last time we didn't have anyone in the B&B was for one night on 8th July and before that was May 26th! One day off in 10 weeks. Hmmm. Tough working for yourself but then it has to be done. And juggled with everything else. Talking of which we will be looking for a member of staff or a couple to run the B&B next April - Jun. Let me know if you are interested.

Apparently the Chubb Fire Extinguisher man only services 15 Bed and Breakast properties in Keswick.

Bob Graham Leg 2 / Filming Channel 4

Tuesday I was out with Stuart Williams and his mate in pretty awful conditions for a pootle along the Helvellyn Range from Threlkeld to Dunmail. Now Stuart certainly knows the route intimately and I'm sure he'll be very successful in his sub 22 hour attempt. I wasn't feeling too good so sat down as the sun came out below Seat Sandal and missed out Fairfield.

Out yesterday on Skiddaw filming with Pete Sidwell for his cookery / travel series which is due to be aired throughout September on Channel 4. It was better than Monday and turned out to give some quite atmospheric and moody conditions - which hopefully will be captured and stitched together to give a half decent show.

Busy busy in the Bed and Breakfast with a full house. Shanee and co leaving mega early tomorrow - but as they are regulars I'll be up to give them breakfast and see them off.



Then 3 rooms to turn around whilst looking after 2 children! Hmmm. A tricky one but I have a cunning plan....

Now - where was I?

Okey dokey - bit of a long time since the last post but then it is officially the silly season. B&B work is now absolutely mad and all time consuming. Juggling it all together with the family and our other jobs is a tough act - especially as we don't want to compromise the B&B, our guests or our quality of life (hence the long time since the last post).

Anyway it looks possible (possible not probable) that our BGR attempt will be next week. Weather looks like it may be ok for next Mon / Tues - we'll see nearer the time. Unfortunately this also coincides with a frantically busy week with lots of room changes at the guesthouse as well as Ali being at work. But we'll get there. Somehow.

Talking of the weather, I was supposed to be out filming with Pete Sidwell today for his Channel 4 series that is being aired in September. Totally and utterly clagged in with virtually zero vis so we've postponed until Wednesday.

Out tomorrow with a chap to do Leg 2 of the BGR. Strangely enough the way we got in touch is when he made a booking at the Bed and Breakfast because of The Bob connection. So we got chatting (and I must say it sounds like he's done a lot more training than me) and he's coming up tomorrow - so we'll share lifts and have a mooch on the hill. I was supposed to be out on Leg 3 last Sunday but contracted man flu (it was a serious bout - lasted over 48 hours) and so decided against it. Not sure which was the worst prospect - making myself a little iller due to the exertion, or sounding croaky for Pete Sidwell's filming episode.

So it's now busy busy with B&B change overs as guests come and go, final preparations for The Bob not to mention the final tweeks and changes for the Ama Dablam trip. With Ali at work for the rest of the week it's going to be a busy one and then out on the hill with a group on Saturday and a slide show on Sunday. Just taken 3 bookings today for guests coming in the next fortnight and have a few climbing bookings coming up over the next few weeks as well.

Still ... I wouldn't have it any other way.

Oh, yes, joined the 21st century with an iPhone 4! Fantastic.

'The Bob' is a go

Have just announced intentions to have a crack at The Bob Graham Round sometime at the beginning of August. Rather than setting a fixed date now, and being at the mercy of the weather, I've contacted my potential supporters, I'll find out their availability to do various legs according to which day of the week and what commitments they have, and then once I have a better idea about the weather I'll get in touch with everyone and set the date accordingly.

Went out on Blencathra with Stuart (the chap who'll be having a go on the same day as me) and we hoofed it up to the summit in 1hr 10mins. Then we went back along towards Great Calva to suss out the line from the river crossing and then hung a left and dropped across to the Skiddaw House track and back across the top of Latrigg. A good little run out but I realised as I got to the top of Latrigg that all I'd had that day was a left over rasher of bacon for breakfast and a spoonful of baked beans for lunch. It had been a bit of a busy day in the B&B and I'd had Max to look after and, well, I just ran out of time for breakfast and then forgot to have lunch. Nearly, but not quite, bonked - so a very valuable lesson. Good to know that I could still run on empty and took on the importance of keeping the fuel tank topped up.

Just been up Clough Head this afternoon in between and amongst the rain showers. Not sure whether to tackle it up the steeper more direct line or the less steep but longer ascent. The difference amounts to about 300m / 4 minutes - not a lot but if you lose 4 mins here and 4 mins there it could make all the difference between success and failure.

The beauty of mobiles and the internet! Managed to take 3 calls and a booking while out on the hill. Brilliant. Not like the old days where the B&B owner had to be in to get the passing trade. Or when people used to get the tourist brochure, ring the B&B, make a booking, send a letter and a cheque to secure the reservation and get a letter in reply to confirm the booking. Nowadays people can book at any time of the day or night online - which is why we offer a discount for internet bookings.

We have tweeked the B&B website and gone for a brand new, cleaner look with bigger photos and a slightly different layout. Any feedback much appreciated.

Still getting Ama Dablam enquiries but have unfortunately had to close the trip. Not so much because of the number of people that I am looking after but more that there could be a potential logjam if everyone is on the same schedule and trying for the summit round about the same time. The camps are rather bijou to say the least:

Camp 2 on Ama Dablam - just enough room for 5 or 6 tents

Camp 2.9 on Ama Dablam - even less room. 3 tents at a push.

The problem comes when trying to get more people than the available tent spaces up and down over a two or three day period - especially when relying on tent spaces being vacated for the next wave of people on their summit push only to find that the people who are already there are perhaps too pooped, or conditions haven't been suitable, for them to descend.

Anyway all being well we'll have a great time out there and hopefully we'll be reporting back with lots of summit successes. Watch this space.

In the meantime I'll be out on the hill in a couple of weeks with Pete Sidwell who is filming with a company called Liberty Bell for a forthcoming series that he's managed to get picked up for showing on Channel 4 throughout the whole of September. Fingers crossed for some good weather. Not sure how the day will pan out, or how it's going to fit in to the structure of the programme, but I'm delighted to be working with him. Apparently he's been doing an awesome job and it will be good to see the end result.

For the time being ... 'That's all Folks.'