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.
Tarn Hows
If there is a theme to this post it has to be WATER – lots of it! MWIS, (planning) informed me that it would not be raining later in the morning but the stair-rods and low cloud surrounding my village, perched on the outer edges of the Lakes, did not fill me with a great deal of confidence. Still, the dog had to go for a walk somewhere and as I was going to get wet we may as well go somewhere there would be the possibility of some interesting photos. May be still some snow? I had seen a clear covering on the Yorkshire moors two days previous,...
read moreFirst Snow
Snow! There is snow! How exciting. Was a ‘big kid moment’ looking at the snow on the mountains on Monday morning. I just hope it doesn’t all melt before I can get out in the hills. It would also be good if the wind dropped a little. I was nearly blown away today simply filling my car with petrol in Morecambe. I wasn’t even on the coast road. Though driving along this morning was pretty impressive. The tide was in, the waves were high and there was definitely spray blowing over the road. But would this be good on the mountains? Not at all...
read moreChristmas Gift Idea
If you like my photos and need gift ideas how about a book? Small Notes – Important Things |
read moreNidderdale- a great escape
Yet again I was given an exit visa! Not to the deep south this time but to the Yorkshire Dales. I am fortunate in having friends who live at Gill Beck Farm, a mile from Pateley Bridge, on the edge of Nidderdale. Nidderdale is a wonderful base for walking and cycling and has loads of outdoor activity centres from caving to kayaking. The journey over from South Lakes is another Northern dream drive – as long as you are not in a hurry. Tractors abound on the A65 and it rarely transforms into 4 lanes. Patience. Thankfully, for me, the...
read moreWhere to Walk?
You will have noticed that I have not written walking guides, you could not print out my blog and take along to find your route. This is not my intention, I just hope to ‘inspire’ you either to ‘take a hike’ or may be just reassure you that there is a wonderful world out there even when we are stuck doing the more mundane things in our lives. But how to choose a route? There are a lot of walking guides out there. Online and in books. I have now set up a ‘page’ (static blog) Planning a Walk, where I am going to list any good guides I...
read moreNovember Weekend
With ‘readers’ comes responsibility! Thank you those of you who have signed up to have my posts delivered direct to your email. I will try to entertain and inform. Just now a lot of time is spent just ‘sprucing’ up the site. Some of it you will not even notice. Weekend has been a mixture of rain and sun with a heavy helping of wind which led to some wonderfully dramatic skies on Friday. Being sandwiched between the sea and the hills often leads to wonderful light, as well as pretty wet, miserable and dull conditions. Saturday I went...
read moreKendal Calling
The 31st July 2011 found me watching the day wake in parkland – courtesy of the Earl of Lonsdale. The mist grey chill boded well for another splendid day! Kendal Calling had not been the tacky imitation I had feared. It proved and excelled as a delightful, quirky festival. To say a mini Glastonbury would at the same time be a complement and an insult as it had its own originality which comes not from imitation. In its 5th year, my inaugural visit surprised me by providing ten official stages and a number of other quirky show cases for those...
read moreLangdale Valley – and more
‘There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing’. Not sure who that quote can be attributed to but combined with my quote from my blog on Thursday, there is no excuse for staying indoors in all but the worst weather. So even though it was dull and misty the Lake District hills were still there to be experienced. There is a lovely walk around the Langdale Valley, starting from Elterwater (see tours and itineraries page) which keeps you low and out of the mist while still enjoying the splendour of the hills. I love all...
read moreFarleton Knott and Holme Park
This morning was going to be a ‘chores day’ – mercifully I was saved! By a text at 8.30am asking if I felt like going for a walk ‘would I ever’. (Thank you Anne!) Quickly dispatched the PJs, ate breakfast, packed lunch and without so much as a flick of a duster found myself out in the sunshine. Farlton Knott the closest hill to my house and we did a circuit of about 4 hours which can be found in several books. Cicerone Walks Around Silverdale included. Summer has obviously come late to the Lakes this year, and yet again the sun shone. A...
read moreInspiration
Thursday found me on the most beautiful stretch of motorway – with no traffic –at 9am! The stretch of the M6 j36 to 42 stretch’s over to Carlisle and has the most wonderful scenery, especially when the light has the soft low glow of autumn. I went on a personal motivation course, of which I will not write, suffice to say it was a great day, (thank you Cumbria Chamber of Commerce) and I am going to unashamedly steel a quote given to us by Paula Lernelius a climber. “Ceux qui regardent le meteo passent leurs jours au bisto” – “...
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