Back in the days when Mark Wilson was in attendance, the most notorious cross-country route at Kirkbie Kendal School had the pupils leave by the back gates, turn left and head along the old canal towpath, under the low stone arch of the Change Bridge, past the allotments on their right. So far, so flat. Then they turned right and began the climb towards Kendal Castle, perched on top of a hill overlooking the Cumbrian town.
The path up to the rugged ruins of the 12th-century castle is long, winding and forbiddingly steep, the ascent made trickier by cobbled steps that grew slippery in winter months, and they would be asked to run up to the castle and down again until they could not climb
