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.
New York and Cheap Eats
Cash strapped students don’t get to eat out much and if they do, it’s definitely budget. A parent’s purse is a chance to fill the stomach and expand knowledge of New York’s restaurants. Surprisingly they don’t have to be expensive. This particular parent does not have an expanding wallet or a particularly flexible card. The moment I set foot in the city the scene was set with ‘reunion’ in Szechuan Gourmet where the speciality ‘intestine’s was actually fairly tasty. Sleep was a mere distraction before the ‘all American breakfast’ at Barney...
read moreTwo Halves of a Day
Within and above Grasmere. As a volunteer with the Lake District National park, I went on a village wander. The Grasmere Wordsworth Walk, A free, guided walk for the Lake District National Park. I would usually don my boots and hike a hills, even with the Park. So this was a ‘change’. From the meeting point in Stockghyl car park we went on a ‘push chair friendly’ ,there were no push chairs, walk through the village to explore everything Wordsworth. First the church. Everyone likes a grave. It comes to us all and the Wordsworth family plot is...
read moreThe Knott and Angle Tarn
Another photo frenzy day. Starting at Hayeswater and on to The Knott Route picked simply because I hadn’t been there for some time. There is no other reason to go to the top of The Knot bar the view. A glance over the hills to the east and Bannerdale, the first hint that you not in a mountain range of continental proportion. There was a vague thought to perhaps go up Rest Dodd, but then – I changed my mind. Instead wandering down to find Angle Tarn. Water and sunshine. A good camera combination. Before Angle Tarn the tiny...
read moreMy Summer ML
There are some things in life no one will ever tell you the bad bits of. Childbirth. Contact lenses. Oh, it’s fine… glossing over the difficulties. Conversely. ML Assessment, that’s Mountain Leader for the uninitiated, is rumoured as the: hardest week ever, tough, no feedback, mentally and physically exhausting. Even the course outlines only give a brief agenda. Rope work, steep ground, three day exped and so on. I’ve read a few blog posts about how to get through it, what to revise and so on, but what I wanted to know before I did my...
read moreRosthwaite Fell
Glaciated Borrowdale has many crags and crinkles. Hike up steep glaciated sides for a cardiovascular work out. On top, what may once have been jagged and volcanic, has been smoothed and weathered by ice, wind and rain. Almost flat, with some ragged hard core lumps and bumps Now providing a perfect platform for viewing those higher fells and deep valleys. Just what I wanted to play with camera and lens to try to capture some of the lovely landscape colour. Up Combe Gill to the picturesque puddle, the Tarn at Leaves. The Langstrath...
read moreWay up Wetherlam
Where were they? The first weekend of full sun saw the roads fill to the capacity of city streets with pubs and cafes spillinth their contents out to the pavements. Many may have climbed the iconic routes, or may be they stayed on the lakes. But the hills above Coniston were blissfully tourist free. An interesting route up. Including a good run of scree in an ascent of 300m in less than 4. With a reward greater than usual, Coniston was soon seen spread out below. Snaking its glaciated trail to the distant west coast. Thence followed an easy...
read moreRetail Therapy
Weather wash can deter even I. Friday I hardly stirred from my door. Saturday was a perfect day out to escape from the deluge of Cumbria with a brief foray south to the NEC and the photography show. A time to drool over camera kit and be inspired by those in a slightly different league. Louis Cole’s vivacious enthusiasm shone through his speaking. Recipes for making money from photos without ever selling one, or adding copyright. A far cry from the more traditional, yet no less inspiring, Alex Webb, with his fabulous images of street life...
read moreIn Like a Lion
So the saying goes, for March. But is it going to go out like a lamb? With only a few rays of sunshine, for a few fleeting sunsets, March bowled through its first weekend with storms and snow. Cwm Idwal giving a fair approximation of a Christmas card . Not exactly ideal conditions for ‘summer’ navigation practice. Even the wildlife cowered amount the crags in a sad soggy state. Back in Cumbria and though a little quieter. Winds more mouse like than lions breath, let mist linger on the tops of hills. This was not a weekend for views. Fog so...
read moreWet Weekend Cake
Not a good weekend for walking. Even for me. I did get out. A potter around Potter Tarn on Friday afternoon. Snatching the dry before the deluge set in. Saturday was so bad I baked bread and cakes. Experimenting with a new to me recipe from a book I’ve inherited from mum. It was a bit of a faff with boiling the fruit first, and I nearly forgot to put the eggs in. But it was worth it. Totally delicious, rich and sticky. Perfect for eating on the hills. Duly tried on torrential Sunday, when we had to resort to lunch in St Johns Church,...
read moreEagle to Ullscarf
Cumbria’s circular shape hides its inner core from anyone wanting just an easy stroll, on an empathetic slope. The ice moulded central mass dominates the rocky west of England in a greater way than its, in truth, small mountain height should. Eagle Crag, a big chunk of black rock at the end of the Borrowdale valley, pushes, face forward, daring you to approach. Guarding the centre from the faint hearted. It’s a bit of a pull up a rather steep slope. The privileged view of the Langstrath Valley and Borrowdale All the hard work...
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