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.
Great Day on Gable
Harping on about the weather again! But this time because it was good! Cumbria has had a bit of a wash out summer and autumn is not proving to be much better. Being able to grab an odd day of sunshine was positively exciting and a hill had to be sought. Days of heavy rain meant white water spewed over Seathwaite Slabs. Splicing between now golden bracken. Deep green of summer still lingering in the valley Only just managing to catch the rainbow falling of Sour Milk Gill. Not having to hike up Base Brown, Gillercomb is a relatively...
read moreAutumn
Autumn has drifted in. Not quite the dramatic gold of last year. Wet soggy weather doesn’t do any more for leaves than it does for With the impending threat of the tail end of hurricane Ophilia, the leaves will have disappeared before they turn colour. Wind hit the hills early yesterday. But at least it blew away the clouds so there was more to see than the torrents of water from Hayeswater. Bracken has turned to gold, dying. Looking far better than it does when it’s green. Angle Tarn looking perfectly sultry. So I took...
read moreCatch up
From Mont Blanc to Lake District It’s over a months since I got back. Nearly 2 since I left for the big walk. The TMB. Back in the Lake district and this blog has been sadly neglected. There have been other things to do. Literally the day before we flew to France I achieve my much coveted Summer Mountain Leader. So I’m now determined to make use of the qualification which entitles me to traipse across the hills with ‘groups’ in tow. As it took a while. It took the best part of two years. In fact. A lot of...
read moreTour of Mont Blanc
The TMB has been trod my many before me and many now have blogged about it but it is impossible for me not to add a few words and even more ‘images’ to what was such a visual delight. We followed the classic anti clockwise route. Using Cicerone’s TMB book as our main point of reference. It was pretty accurate. Only on Stage 3 did we find a discrepancy. The book, though durable is somewhat heavy to lug round for 11 days and mine is now a shadow of its former self having been mutilated to make it fit for purpose. Our map was...
read moreTour of Mont Blanc – An Intro
There are too many superlatives to make my trip to Mont Blanc a ‘quick fix’. So I’m going to start by posting just a sample of the many photos I took on the trip. May be one per day, may be two or three. Day 1 from Les Houches to Les Countamines and it rained! For most of the day we had low cloud and rain. I went back up the hill at the end of the trip and this is what it should look like! A fabulous view of the Bonnissay Glacier. From Les Countaimes to Les Chapieux the clear air with blue sky arrived and stayed with us for most...
read moreSolitude
It’s August. I think. Visitors have flocked to the Lake District despite the unseasonably ‘dreich’ weather. Pummelling rain showers can not be avoided but crowds of visitors can be. Most people, myself usually included head for the picturesque central fells or dash up ‘north’ via the M or A6. Passing the rounded and empty Shap fells without so much as a second glance. In a bid to avoid the much loved tourists I decided not to go quite so far from home and visit these much maligned fells just inside the Park with the boundary...
read moreSteel Edge
A few weeks ago when the sun was shining Blue sky but just a little breezy. Maybe not such a good thing with a few ridges to contend with. Steel Edge up Wetherlam was planned. My first time up being rather daunting in the snow. A little more enticing in July. But the route would be different. Time to take a detour to pause and pose on perfectly placed rocks. Before the last scramble to the top of the ridge. And on to Wetherlam to see the Sca Fells seemingly stretch across to Langdale There’s a bit of down to Swirl Hause, And a fair bit...
read moreAnother Day in Nidderdale
Despite stair-rods of rain battering the windows of my ‘weekend retreat’, on Greenhow hill, at dawn, it eventually drifted away to clear sky and dry. A stroll round Fewston and Swinsty Reservoirs. The water was rather low but the fishermen persisted. Half way round the Church at Washburn serves delicious tea and cake. Perfect for a break. By evening a wonderful apology for the wet start from the day shown across the valley. And true to the promise the morning broke blue, so I walked down the lane, with the sheep, after they visited the...
read moreDifferent Ways Up
Cumbria compared to Scotland is small and compact. But I’m still finding hidden corners, often empty, and different ways up hills. Even in well tramped Langdale there are ways up to the Pikes I have not yet been. Thorn Crag is perched on below Harrison Stickle. Despite looking like a climber’s paradise there’s a fairly easy track trundling round the side giving an interesting view down to Dungeon Ghyll. Not worth a slip. Take a slight detour to Pike Howe which is not a Wainwright. Could be something else if you’re desperately into...
read moreThrelkeld to Rydal
It appeared to be a good idea. MWIS implied the cloud would disperse from the hills later in the day. So an afternoon hike from Threlkeld, ending the next day in Rydal would be a good summer stroll. But who can tell what July in Cumbria will throw at you. Perhaps it was a good thing UNESCO were not with us. A grey line hung above us as we left the Blencathra Centre and there it remained. Soon wrapped in a cocoon of white fug. From Threlkeld Knotts to Sticks pass there was nothing to see. We plodded along with a vague hope things would...
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