Dennis Usher (ON 1940-1950), DJWU, Skip, has had an extraordinary impact on so many generations of scouts after spending 34 years with the 34th Nottingham troop, and a really fulfilling 34 years of retirement since leaving the troop in 1991. Since retiring he has bagged all the Munro’s (celebrating with a bottle of fizz on the summit of Ben More on Mull), expeditioned in the Pamirs, climbed all the Wainwrights, the Welsh 2000’s, and completed the Coast to Coast. Up until a couple of years ago he was still pounding around Country Parks in his beloved Nottinghamshire. He is now less mobile in his 94th year and it was lovely to see him spotting his old haunts in the Peaks as we drove up to Monsal Head.

The opportunity for a pub lunch with Skip snowballed and it was lovely to see several Moths gathering to meet an inspirational old flame. Jon Riley (ON 1983-1990) joined us from Ilkley a place on the edge of the Moors which he was inspired to move to after learning to love the outdoors with Skip. Ditto Andrew Moore (ON 1985-1995) who made the pilgrimage from Inverness where he has chosen to live close to the Mountains and the Great Outdoors. Ditto Ben Atkinson (ON 1989-1994) who joined us from his adventures in Morocco where he is now living next to the Ocean on the edge of Agadir. Ditto the Frymann brothers David (ON 1985-1995) and Andrew (ON 1980-1990) who are London based but love regular outdoor experiences with their families and trips to the North where their “animal spirit” still resides.

We nestled Skip into the Stables Bar and treated him to halves of pale ale and Fish and Chips which lubricated the stories to start flowing.

Written by Dan Taylor (ON 1984-1994)

You can read more on this in the next edition of the ON magazine, Winter 2025