"and then I ate a pie.." - A Couple of Tedious University Anecdotes

I was slightly peeved when I opened my free copy of Shortlist last week, as they brought to the world's (well, to the males of the UK who go to work around 8am and tolerate having sheets of paper thrust in their faces by surley midgets in branded caps) attention the running joke of my third year of uni.. The Cumberland Pencil Museum!

See! Secret Wartime Pencils!

Experience! A Journey Through a Graphite Mine!

Marvel! At the World's Largest Coloured Pencil!

I picked up this pamphlet at a pub in the Lake District on a Photography Society trip (quiet you!), the main activity which was an all day wander through the gloriously scenic hills. I managed to drop and break my camera approximately ten meters after setting out in the direction of gloriously scenic hills, whilst trying to take a photo of a nice tree. This then meant a long day of people taking photos of aforementioned hills and a bored me trying to get in their photos of hills ('for perspective!'), until it started to rain and it was generally agreed to head for a pub post haste. Unfortunately 'poste haste' translated into a monotonous five hour hike, not particularly helped by the numerous farmers who would cheerfully tell us that their local was 'just around the corner!' when in fact it would be another three hour trudge down massively steep shingle hill.

But anyway, we eventually bum rushed some unsuspecting local joint, usually only used to superhuman speed walking farmers and the occasional rambler, and this leaflet made it all worth it. Well, this leaflet and a massive portion of pie.

We were going to go on a house trip to the Cumberland Pencil Museum, but the joke wore a bit thin and laziness prevailed so we just ended up going to York, I ate another pie, and we snuck into the Minster for free.