Reasons for Reasons
I was ‘raised’ – to use a phrase from our American friends – in south Lakeland and it has always remained home. Even though I left to study when I was 18 and didn’t return untill September 2010. A lot of years.
During those interim years I have had a great life, travelled and met some wonderful people and also have a managed to bring up my son fairly successfully. So, it although it was sort of ‘on the plan’, my move back North was not without trepidation.
As part of my ‘self affirmation’ that I had made the right decision I started a Facebook album ‘Reasons To Move North’. This has had wonderful comments from my friends but I never had the courage to make it public. Then recently I went on a Travel Writing Course with Zoe ,and much to my delight and surprise received more affirmation from positive comments on my travel writing. Something else which has always remained strictly within closed leaves.
A mindful review of my first year here followed and I realised that I had had an amazing twelve months. Yes, I have travelled away, but I have also done more here in the North West than I would have previously thought possible. And I have had so many visitors! People like it here! I have become a guide for friends and acquaintances who then spread the word about how wonderful the Lake District is. This led to my providing itineraries for weekends or longer visits. Some I accompanied, others I simply provided a ‘bespoke’ itinerary, with or with accommodation booked.
So, now it’s time to go Global!
And now I have built my own blog I have used my technical, from a previous life in IT, to build one for the Howgill Harriers. If you would like one put together then please contact me for a quote.
Cumbria in July
July must have been, is busy, Not much time to put many words or pictures together. A few evenings wandering round Arnside. Days in south lakes. Reservoirs and lichens Then there was a wild camp, on Birk Fell, just above Great Intake Langdales across the valley and the usual mixed bag of weather. over Wetherlam which completed the round. Other routes days up Wetherlam here and here. Tent Terra Nova Cook with Jetboil...
read moreChange of Scene
Brexit has been but not gone! Like many, I find myself reading more political blogs than is healthy and writing little. More gripping than House of Cards. I wish it were fiction. Though I may have written little my camera has been with me wherever. One weekend in July I went to: A sleepy British town, Dodged rain in the park watched waterfalls pristine ponds, and woodlands In London
read moreThat Day in 2016
To say it has been a strange week is an understatement.So strange that for once my blog has to venture from its usual track of hills, travel and tearooms, with a slight detour into politics. Assuming you know that a ‘majority’ of voters in the UK referendum on the 23rd June voted to leave the European Union. I didn’t. I voted to stay in. For many reasons, most have been aired and illustrated widely in the more liberal press. But for very personal reasons too. My father is Latvian. I consider myself to be European. I have already begun...
read moreAskham Hall
On Sunday I discovered Askham Hall. Askham. A picture postcard village on the edge of the Lake District. A mere fell separating it from Ullswater and Pooley Bridge. A tiny place with the perfect village green, two pubs and even a swimming pool. Heated outdoor. Much of my childhood was spent in the village. My family’s favourite weekend escape. I was amazed the pool was still there and open. Askham Hall was then the private residence of The Earl of Lonsdale. Now it has been transformed into a luxury hotel. We went to...
read moreBow Fell and a Bit More
Same hill. Different route, different weather. Kind of. Bow Fell, at the top of Langdale, a hill I’d only been up once, in the snow. A June jaunt was destined to be a much more relaxed affair. Intersecting meadows splashed with the colours of summer. Oxendale was ridiculously dry. No signs of the the floods of late ‘15. Water was actually difficult to spot amongst the scattered grey. Only when squeezed into ghylls did it make an appearance. It may be June, but the clouds hung around on peripheral hills. Blisco and the Langdales...
read moreOutlying Fells of Swindale
Even Wainwright mentions ‘parking’ in Swindale. Public transport to the central fells would now present a challenge, the outlying fells even more so. Swindale is a pretty valley perched right on the edge of Cumbria between Shap and Haweswater. I probably glanced at the hills at the end of day four of the Coast to Coast, walking into Shap. I didn’t think it was going to be too difficult to find. With my car. Little was I to know that the rollout of superfast broadband was going to totally close the single track road between Shap and...
read moreMore Monros
I woke with the realisation that I’d hiked up three hills higher than Scafell Pike yesterday and was about to, hopefully, hike two more. Was this really sensible I wondered? But despite the dubious comfort of thermarest and tent nothing appeared to ache so there was no reason to not. From nearby Bridge of Orchy there are a couple of Monros without a long hike in. Beinn a Dothaidh and Beinn Dorain. From the road both are reached from a track west rising to over 700m over a bit more than 2km. The track rather disappointing and at first, rough...
read moreMonros and Midges
After Easter’s foray ‘up north’ and the typical Scottish weather. It was a shock to to have temperatures around 20oc. In a half term holiday? Despite having countless family holidays in Scotland as a child, a week wandering round Shetland rooting out wildlife and even a skiing holiday when I managed to trash a knee, I’d never before climbed a Munro. Three in one day was a bit of a baptism of fire. I’d picked the Southern Highlands, just because it wasn’t quite so far to go, as Braemar. Tyndrum village is parked on the West Highland...
read moreOrchid Time
Only the common variety But still lovely. Same flower different picture. Photos taken with my fujifilm X-T10, 35mm lens
read moreTrees and Flowers
Summer evening. Not so long, not so far. Just close to home and wonderful. A tree in Dallam Park Bees feeding on flowers and wonderful sky. Good night!
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