Due to the forecast heavy rain on the day and the recent devastating floods in Sowerby Bridge, this events was postponed until Saturday 9th January 2016.

Early Saturday morning –  many parents are getting in touch to see if the event is still going ahead as some weather forecasts gave torrential rain all day and even at 9.30am, an hour before we are scheduled to meet, its still raining stair rods with a very black sky. The BBC forecast, which I find to be pretty accurate says that by 11am the sun will be out, so we go ahead. By 10.30am the rain has virtually stopped and 10 Cubs, 1 Explorer & 4 leaders met. By 11 ish there are breaks in the clouds and some sunlight shines through.

We decided to recce the alternative route for this year’s Brow Hike as the floods had washed away Copley bridge – our usual crossing point over the Calder. The new route will cross the new Hollas bridge, pass under the railway and continue up Hollas Lane, and up to Norland via Pickwood Scar. We arrived at the moor and crossed it to the park where lunch was taken, and a chance to play on the swings and zip line.

After lunch we dropped down to Hob Lane and took the mainly level, although at times boggy, footpath through East Longley & Longley to the head of Highlee Clough. Due to the amount of water and mud we felt that going down the slippery cobbles to Triangle would not be a good idea, so we headed for Highlee Lane and dropped down to the old railtrack above Kebroyd and then followed this back to Sowerby Bridge. It was probably a mistake as the way was just as muddy and slippery and added a mile and a half to the walk – the Cubs didn’t mind though as there was plenty of water to splash through. We arrived back 20 minutes late.

We had planned to walk 5½ to 6 miles and ended up walking 7½! You ask the cubs; would you do it again? NO! never! On the next pack meeting I asked the question again – this time Yes!