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.
Capture the Colour – in Cumbria
Travel supermarket is running a photographic competition, five photographs titled the five colours: blue, green, yellow, white and red. At first I thought it would be a great opportunity to show photos I have taken from around the world that don’t appear in my usual blogs, but looking through my blogs realised that colour, though not always striking and vibrant, is all over Cumbria, sometimes in the most unusual places. Blue Sometimes we forget the sky is blue here in Cumbria, but at other times the inclement weather can create spectacular...
read moreWesterly Wainwright
I was almost pleased to see the rain in Greenwich today, simply because it has been such a grim weekend here, but having spend many years of my past involved with horses I appreciate how miserable it can be. those riders who had to ride in the torrential down pours deserve an extra few points. Back to the walking. Yesterday’s walk was pretty grim, and one I shall have to do again when there is less cloud on the top. Black Combe is the most south westerly of the Wainwright hills and in an area I have not walked so often. Though as I child...
read moreWandering Walls
Only having lived wedged between the Lakes and the Yorkshire Dales for 18 months, (if you don’t count the first 18 years of my life), there is so much yet to discover. Including the back of Gummers How, here. Dent is a tiny village on the Dales Way with Heriotesque cobbled streets and picturesque cottages straight out of a glossy brochure. Add to that its Real Ale brewery and stunning scenery, and surely there must be something for every one? We took a hike along this route which climbed up High Ground towards Shake Holes and Wold End...
read moreGummers How
Had to sandwich my walk between life’s necessities today, so had to be out, about and quickly back. A hill with a view? Gummers How is such a classic and I have been up it so many times it would not surprise me if I was the sole perpetrator of the path erosion! Last time I was there was in the pouring rain at Easter. Today, though was clear. The views were terrific. To the south Blackpool Tower was in view and in the foreground Windermere could be seen from end to end. Coniston nestles in between Loughrigg and the Langdales. As the...
read moreOutdoor Gym
I recently heard a radio article purporting the benefits of walking outside as opposed to pounding the treadmill in a gym. Better both for body and mind. How could your spirits fail to be lifted looking up the clear blue sky with the grey and green pallets of tree and rock silhouetted against it. So sometimes it may be a little grey, or maybe there is tower block in front of you, but surely that is better than a bland wall or even worse the inane actions of piped in music videos. I certainly prefer the wanderings of herdwick sheep. Far...
read moreTilberthwaite
Tilberthwaite is a delightful valley just over a mile north of Coniston. With a convenient, (NY306010), and free car park, a rare thing in Lakeland. There is no through route by car to the north but there is an easy valley walk through to Little Langdale and Slater Bridge. Those dotted green lines of paths and criss – cross the fells with the car park as a starting point for either a short or long, easy or strenuous, hike in almost any direction. West will give access to Wetherlam and the Tilberthwaite fells, east to Holme Fell and on,...
read moreWalking Weather
How windy? (On the summits) Easterly, 25 strengthening 35mph to locally 45mph into the afternoon, with local gusts toward 60mph.Effect of wind on you? Significant, locally considerable buffeting on the hills, and locally to low levels, where through some cols, passes and west of major ridges there will be sudden ferocious gusts. How wet? Bursts of heavy rain; lightning. Often dry, but scattered thunderstorms will give heavy rain. Cloud on the hills? Extensive low cloud east Cloud will shroud Pennines most or all day, base 200 to later...
read moreScotland Walk
A new idea for this site! Dave Welch is a trained National Park Ranger, working in the Peak District for for 7 years mainly teaching navigation skills and leading guided walks. He has an OCR Guided Walks Leaders Award. Dave is proposing a walking weekend in Scotland July 20th to 22nd July. Arrochar Alps Leaving on the Friday from Cumbria to do Ben Lomond in the afternoon. 11 K 974m ascent 4 hours. Stay campsite near Arrochar to climb Ben Vane, Beinn Ime and Beinn Narnain on the Saturday. 20K, 1550m ascent and about 7 hours. Sunday climb...
read moreFast Forward
The weather Gods have, I think, got a little confused. Look at the beautiful blue of November 2011, Now, compare with this wonderful skyline of the Duddon Valley taken on the 1st July 2012. I think the weather clock needs a re-boot. This was a day when there was a plan, but the plan change. The west Lakeland Fells were supposed to have the best conditions so we had planned to a walk around Harter Fell from this cicerone book. The start was Birks Bridge car park, Eskdale, SD 235992, fairly easy...
read moreMusical Musings
I walked this weekend, for hours. Not up mountains but in, over and through mud. If you caught the news then you will have seen the Isle of Wight invasion reported as a chaotic quagmire of the worst kind. Tales of people sleeping in cars and being delayed for 9 to 14 hours. Thankfully not me. There are people who write great reviews of music and festivals, not my speciality, and after reading a few This, from The Guardian sums it up pretty well. If you haven’t been to a festival you will wonder what on earth possesses...
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