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.
Forgotten Friends
Lets face it we always forget someone! There is inevitably the card that drops on the mat or the gift left by the door from someone whom you thought you would not see again. Or maybe, like me, you drop your phone down the loo and it contains most of your addresses. Then again, you may just be so disorganised that you miss the international Christmas Post. Of course we can also search our consciences and decide that Christmas is so commercialised that if we gave what we spent on wrapping paper alone it would feed a family in Africa for...
read moreRails and Ales
The Settle to Carlisle train line is a brilliant way to support a linear walk, reduce your carbon foot print and, I am reliably informed, access several of Yorkshire and Cumbria’s Real Ale. The stretch along the Eden Valley from Armathwaite is just over 10k, route here, with a mixture of woodland and small country lanes. Hardly high fell but with water logged ground and ‘considerable buffeting’ forecast it was an easy way of getting the dog, and myself, out for some exercise. We caught the train from Appleby in torrential rain and were...
read moreWalk on a Grey Day
After a week of glorious sunshine the forecast was accurate in predicting a wet blustery weekend. Which it is now, at time of writing on Saturday morning. Determined to get at least one dry walk with the dog I went out early Friday morning to try to beat the down pour. There was one stretch of estuary which I had not walked along and Cicerone usefully had a walk in their book. There were no great views or vistas with the clouds sat so low, so my photographs took a distinctly grey them. With part of the route being on the limestone link...
read moreBampton Fell
I am not sure that the road along the south side of Haweswater reservoir would have featured on AA Roadwatch, if I had bothered to look. A quick check on MWIS is the usual affirmation of route. Saturday was going to be ‘considerable buffeting wherever you went in the Lakes, but the deception in the low, softer south lakes led to the initial choice. Anyway, Plan A was to trundle along the edge of Haweswater, where I have not been for eons, then walk up the hill to Highstreet. But the road was closed. Now being a Saturday, and that the...
read moreUnnatural Landscapes
Fairly recently I watched a series on BBC 4 which showed how what we now think of untouched and natural has actually been quite dramatically changed by ancient civilisations. So it is in much of our native ‘wilderness’. The Lake District fells would not be what they are if swathes of forest had not been cut down for shipbuilding. The rolling fells cut by dry stone walls would not be present in the Lakes or Yorkshire, where it not for sheep farmers. Add to that the industrial past and even the hillsides would not be the same shapes. The...
read moreHeversham Head
Had stuff to do today… lots.. but before I went for a walk at around 1, the only thing productive I managed to do was post parcels to the US and Oz. Then I faffed around on my blog trying out new menus etc. and not really achieving very much at all. Thankfully Friday walking friend Anne, also needed a break and we agreed to meet in Milnthorpe and walk ‘where ever’. We have both come back to our roots and we just ‘set off’. It was good not to have a map or backpack and just ‘know’ where we were, if not where we were going. In the...
read moreKnock Murton
The intention was to tick off at least four off the Birkett list, this time from the far west of Cumbria, clinging to the Lake District before it falls off to what’s left of the industrial coast and the Irish Sea. But short days, irritated farmers, day-glow jackets along with inappropriate way markers were to conspire against us. Park at Lamplugh Church, NY 089 208, and you will find an inviting stile with a path heading towards the first hill, Owson Fell. Unfortunately the right of way does not quite go ‘all the way’ to the...
read morePlan A
An advantage of living in the Lakes is that friends are keen to keep in touch, if they like hills. But the weather, unfortunately, can not been booked to co-operate in providing those fantastic vistas we all tell them about. Consequently, driving over Shap to reach Blencathra, the rain lashing against the window and thick mist was making me frantically wonder what we could walk as a plan B. Then, tantalising, over the hill and along the A66 there was just the hint of blue sky and the rain had stopped. So plan A survived and we set off up...
read moreTiger’s Nest
All who are fit enough make the pilgrimage, whether on a trek or culture trail. Our guide told us he would not have completed his task if we had omitted this Monastery. The bright white buildings cling to the cliff face with trees apparently rooted in rock surrounding. It perches at 3140m though the ascent is a mere 600m over 6.5k. Though much is steps and the altitude makes for the slowest stair climb ever. Even with the tourist crowds up to the half way tea-house it was well worth the journey. This was the only place in Bhutan we had...
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