To mark their 125th Anniversary the Bradford Straddlebugs Touring Association, believed to be one of the oldest walking clubs in England, undertook their Annual Spring Tour to the Lake District following the routes and utilising the modes of transport adopted by "bugs" of yore.

Departing from Shipley station, the main party proceeded to Carlisle via the Settle/Carlisle line collecting various "bugs" on route, changed trains for Maryport where they were met by a modern day charabanc and transported to Loweswater from where the remainder of the journey was made on foot to the Bridge Hotel, Buttermere, the Sraddlebugs, spring base for the last 23 years.

Various hikes were undertaken over the weekend that replicated some of the walks recorded in the surviving minute books of over one hundred years ago. Forty members attend the annual dinner that was followed by an illustrated presentation of the Association's first fifty years.

The return journey was made by the by the scenic Cumbria west coastline to Carnforth returning to Shipley.

For further information please contact Ian Briggs at Dacre Son & Hartley on 01943-600655.