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.
Back to Bagging Wainwrights
Newlands valley lies sleepily hidden with winding roads squeezed in between the hills and the topography of this hike was way more pleasurable than I anticipated when plotting it on the map. We began from a blissfully empty car park and wandered down to the church through spring green grass with trees not yet having turned to Autumn. Although the cottages and farms were ‘quaint’ names were rather contradictory. The gentle stroll down leafy lanes abruptly turned to a steep slog up the side of High Snab, but...
read moreThe 12th and Final Day!
Carried along on the euphoria of achievement this was possibly the shortest 19 miles I have ever walked. With the north sea in sight, literally from midday, tired muscles and sore feet melted away. A final leg of uphill moorland, and down woodland dales, with far more civilisation than we had seen since leaving the west coast. Small bijou villages painted in Farrrell and Ball, with more resemblance to the Home Counties than Yorkshire Grit. ‘Normal’ tourists found amusement in accessible waterfalls, tea rooms and...
read moreClay Bank Top to Glaisdale
Our 11th and penultimate day, crossing the north York Moors. It was a day of grouse and stones. There has been the odd grouse on other days but they squared, quacked and chortled at almost every turn. Not really a wonder that they were so flighty as they are bred to be shot at. Grouse aside I had been expecting a dismal, uninteresting trudge along flat featureless moorland. So the vivid purple heather, easy walking on sand or old railway cutting with deep wide valleys were an unexpected bonus. Sadly the weather was not that kind. The...
read moreDay 10 Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top
After the previous day’s flat, long tedium today was a short, (when did I start to think 12 miles was short?) hilly interesting day along the Cleveland Way. Wainwright was clearly delighted to be above sea level again as he says ‘This is the finest section of our marathon (outside Lakeland) a splendid high-level traverse along the escarpment of the Cleveland Hills’. And so it was. From Ingleby Cross we had a zig zag ascent through Arncliff Woods to the escarpment. The path skirts the edges of moorland, roughly on the north side, with the...
read moreDay 9 Richmond to Ingleby Cross
An unashamed quote from Wainwright ‘If you are fond of placid rural scenery and have an interest in farming you might enjoy this section of the walk; but if your preference is for high ground and rough hills you will find it tedious. This crossing from Swaledale to the Cleveland hills is the only section of the route that lies wholly over low ground There is no escape…’ AW can find nothing good about this stretch. The only reason I think he must have put it all as one section, is to get the torture over all in one go! 23 miles is a long...
read moreDay 8 Reeth to Richmond
Day 8, Richmond. 117 miles down, only 73 to go. Today was virtually a rest day. Only 11 casual miles from the picturesque village of Reeth, to the equally picturesque town of Richmond. Amazing what a difference the terrain makes. No mountains or moors today. Just a slight gain of contours up the edge of Swaledale. Leaving our B & B after a delicious breakfast, there was even time for a quick photo-shoot in the village No charge for parking poles Autumn colours were creeping in Picked out perfectly by bright sun and blue...
read moreDay 7 Keld to Reeth
Thankfully yesterdays deluge stopped and the Yorkshire Dales were given a much more favourable review. Reeth and Keld are linked by the river Swale and after yesterdays rain we had thought about taking the easy option and just strolling along the valley but as there was the merest hint of sunshine we took the alternative over the moorlands. Even the waterfalls of Keld were worth a picture or three, now that the rain wasn’t horizontal and may be it would be worth a second visit. Quite impressive The rest of the walk was a lesson...
read moreDay 6 Kirkby Stephen to Keld
Not a day for the faint hearted. It rained. Well actually it poured. It was windy. It was misty. It was miserable. It was a day when only those on a mission would set foot on a fell. It rained from the start, in Kirkby Stephen. There is a bridge which may be quite attractive. Thankfully the signs have improved from Lakeland and it was easy to figure out the way, well almost. The way up Hartley Fell showed little promise of a good day, and there was certainly no view and it did not improve. Nine Standards are very, hum,...
read moreDay 5 Shap to Kirkby Stephen
20 miles is a long walk, especially after four previous days of hiking up Wainwrights. But we made it, without blisters or any other tragedy. We left Shap and after only one other walking passing us while we paused to consult the map, we didn’t see another soul all day until arriving at the Black Bull, Kirkby Stephen. Which was full of Coast to Coasters. Our bedraggled state was sufficient for them to realise we were also were part of the clan. Questioning with incredulity on how they had managed to arrive before us and look so refreshed...
read moreCoast to Coast Day 4
My priorities have changed. Life has shrunk to a microcosm of a world along a plotted path between St Bees and Robin Hoods Bay. If you are not walking that route right now, then, well you don’t exist. Feet are in my thoughts first thing in the morning and then when I pull off my boots sometime after 5. Food. No longer is it something to be enjoyed and savoured. It has a purpose. It alleviates hunger. It activates and energises me. Who cares if it is not organic or the hens are happy. I am even eating e numbers. Chips, well wow. ...
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