Olicana Telephone Company

The Olicana Telephone Company is nothing to do with telephones. It comprises a group of friends some of whom at one time had connections and allegedly employment with a certain major telephone company.

You will not find the OTC at Companies House as it exists only in the presence of the “directors” but exist it most definitely does.

The name arises because the founder members (Managing Director and Company Secretary) live in Wharfedale and close to Ilkley. The Roman name for Ilkley was Olicana. Q.E.D.

The original and ongoing purpose of the organisation is to fellwalk. This continues but the scope has now expanded into a multitude of social activities, not least drinking, sailing, drinking and drinking.

The inaugural walk took place on 11 May 1983.

There are two annual unmissable events.

1) Harry's Ramble

Harry Lancaster

2) The Derbyshire Dawdle
This is a summer event usually June, a variation from the usual areas of The Lakes or Yorkshire Dales. The original claim was that we walked and drank the same number of of miles and pints. The drinking is a little more restrained these days (well a bit). Following the lunchtime session, a sleep in a field is usual, weather permitting. There have been post lunch accidents, not least the MD slipping on wet limestone and splitting his lip. A lifetime hare-lip was avoided thanks to the first aid skills of the Co.Sec.

3) A third event is not regularly annual but is extremely enjoyable when we go. This is the Olicana Regatta, when the OTC hire one or more yachts on Lake Windermere, cruise to a pub for lunch, then back to Bowness.

HISTORY

In terms of describing the origins of the Company, one can do no better than quote from the Director of Special Project's weighty tome, "The First 10 Years and the First 50 Walks" which he magnanimously compiled. The Company eagerly await The Next 10 Years.

The first walk took place on 11 May 1983.

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"The First 10 Years and the First 50 Walks

There have been many stirring deeds of derring do during the first ten glorious years of the Olicana Telephone Company, but none can really surpass the accomplishments of the Rambling section. It is these members who have truly carried the flag and achieved what was envisaged by the founding fathers when the company was just a sparkle in their eyes and seemed like a good idea.

Where can one start to log everything that has happened in this, our first decade? Well, at the beginning seems a good idea.

It is well documented fact that the first Olicana venture was a fell walk in our beloved Lakeland. The weather was a little inclement if my memory serves me well: in fact we all got drenched as we made our way up Pike 0’ Blisco and across to Crinkle Crags. We didn’t see an awful lot all day due to the low cloud, but we did make it onto the summit of Bow Fell to crown a good debut and get the Olicana off to quite an auspicious beginning.

Lakeland has become second home for the Olicana during the period of our existence. Although we have visited many different areas over the years such as the North Yorkshire Moors, the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District in both Derbyshire and Staffordshire, it is those lofty peaks in Cumbria we keep returning to.

It is my mission as Director of Special Projects, to attempt to catalogue all the walks ever undertaken by the group and hopefully you will agree that none have been left out.

Suitable notes have been appended along with other important detail like the venues and places visited, the actual dates of the walks, the weather, those present, and perhaps most interesting of all, the hostelries visited during or after the walks.

PARTICIPANTS

Many friends and guests have accompanied members on their perambulations and we all have our own especial memories I’m sure. Who can forget our dearly departed friend, the late Bob Rushworth? He, the constant camera shutter opener who took a record 146 shots in one walk, over Sharp Edge, Blencathra and Skiddaw, during the Summer of 1984. We all remember him with great affection I know, for he’s oft mentioned, with a tear in the eye, as we tread the high peaks. Is he listening to us and walking at our sides, I wonder, with a slight smile creasing his countenance as we conquer another mountain top?

Maureen and Rufus were two early pioneers and, although they have now moved on to pastures new, they’ll not be forgotten: not when we remember tobogganing down snow-fields, using survival bags as make-shift sleds, on the Langdales!!

Uncle Norman Swain, famed for ‘You’re going in totally the wrong direction” on Fairfield in 1985, his daughter and niece and his wife, not to mention Zak and Zaklette, have also been with us. Indeed Norman can be credited with being there at the inception of the company as he took part in the early talks and musings when the company began to take shape.

Wives, brothers-in-law, sons, cousins, nieces, friends, friends of friends have all joined us from time to time as the fame of the company has spread to far and wide.

It would be too much like school if we were to have a roll call for the number of times each member has taken part in our rambles. Some members only join the party for the Christmas walk, others for the Derbyshire Dawdle or Harry’s Ramble. However many times members of our company decide to join us though, we are always pleased to see them. -

I think it must be fair to say however, that the main protagonists are those who like to be known as the “inner sanctum”. This is certainly not a clique you understand. Definitely not!! No, it is just that a certain four or five members take part in most of the walks, and three of these were in on the ground floor when the company was formed.

Perhaps they should stand up and be counted right now, with the titles they are proud to answer to in this wonderful company of ours. They are

David Lee - Managing Director (MD)
Ron Smith - Company Secretary (CoSec)
Cohn Hillam - Director Special Projects (DSP)
John Kelly - Director of Social Services (DSS) a.k.a. JK
Mike Rose - Director of Education (DE) a.k.a. BY (Big Yin)

From now on each of these fine fellows will be known by their company title or a.k.a. for brevity as much as anything."