Walking!

I had heard stories about the topology walks organised by our leader. Horrible stories! Mud-spattered tales of relentless forced marches up hill and down dale, through mile-high peat bogs and thick clouds of driving rain; tales of hapless mathematicians in heavy water-hugging wind-welcoming coats and disintegrating shoes, armed with only a Kit Kat for their lunch.

So it was with some enthusiasm, and a pair of worn-in Berghaus walking boots, that I agreed to go on the latest topology walk last month. The walk lived up to expectations very well indeed. First, the weather leading up to the walk had been ceaselessly vile, with just a glimmer of sunshine, lots of wind, but no rain predicted for the day in question. LIES! Well not entirely: it was dry for the whole morning, and someone who knows these things worked out that the wind must have been at least gale force eight*. However, by mid afternoon the rain had arrived, horizontally , and then we got lost, so that by the time we made it to the pub we were tired and wet. But no matter! It was still great fun to be out and about with my nice new colleagues, and best of all we got to see Kinder Downfall being blown upfall by the wind.

*You could google to find out how strong this means the wind is, but the correct definition is "feels like it'll blow your glasses off your face".