Lockdown 2020

Well, these certainly are unprecedented times.

Firstly, my thoughts and sympathies are with everyone who has relatives and friends they have lost, who are unwell, in the most vulnerable section of society or coping with lockdown alone.

Secondly, huge respect, thanks, gratitude and admiration for all our NHS workers, emergency services, supermarket workers, chemists, delivery drivers, food producers and every other key worker who are all toiling selflessly, tirelessly and at great personal risk to help us all and keep us fed.

So, with weeks at home, what am I doing to keep busy? We were due to go the Lakes for a fortnight in the middle of March which has been moved to October and I really appreciate the three hotels and one cottage company moving them quickly without additional charge. We have another two weeks booked at the end of May which I will move to next year.

Exercise: We are taking one short fresh air walk from the door each day - within a mile we can be in rural countryside where we meet no one. We have a running machine and a little stepper at home which we use and Bro has his road bike attached to Zwift - an online virtual cycling programme - where he cycles virtually with friends and even has a virtual coffee afterwards! Just to keep fitness levels up and keep active.

Gardening: We’re lucky to have a sizeable garden, so we’ve been weeding, pruning, painting benches, fences and steps, but it’s also nice just to sit and listen to the birds. We have a couple of bird feeders up and it’s incredible the number of birds that appear. We also have some Blue Tits in our nest box and lots of squirrels.

Kit: This is a great time to sort out kit. We have cleaned and re-proofed our walking boots, re-proofed down jackets and waterproofs, mended any fastenings or straps on rucksacks and cleaned them, cleaned walking poles and generally turfed out old or broken items. Winter hats, gloves and fleeces have all been washed.

Planning: This is a great time to plan routes, new destinations, new trips. There a lots of ideas on You Tube, in books, magazines, online, on Facebook groups and so on for walks and routes. We spend a lot of time doing this and hopefully when all this is over, we will appreciate being able to get out on the fells again even more.

Photos: I spent a lot of time going through my thousands of photos; editing, deleting and filing. I also spent a couple of hours a day last week producing a photo book. We also spent time looking at the photos we have in frames and re-framed, re-mounted, re-printed or touched up those we had to make them look better. We also did the same with pictures on the walls.

Blogging: For those that write blogs, this is a good time to create more content, or try to promote your blog. Perhaps even start a blog or even a You Tube channel.

Books: I have a lot of books and went through them, streamlining and editing out those I don’t read any more. I took a bag to our local charity bin drop which I neatly combined with my short daily walk.

Social Media: There are some great sites out there where people are posting pictures and funny items to keep peoples’ spirits up. I love my daily dose of Lake District pictures and those amazing people who run marathons on their balcony and climb Everest up their stairs. Whatever we can do to raise morale is a good thing. It’s a perfect way to keep up with self isolated friends and we also have a work What’s App group to keep in touch.

Neighbours: We’re lucky that we have lovely neighbours, both next door on each side and next but one on each side and it’s lovely to chat over the fence - much more than usual as everyone is normally at work.

Arts: A bit of a new one, but Bro paints really well so he’s being doing that although he works from home and does have work still coming in. He’s also taken up wood carving and has produced some lovely little figures. I had a go at lino cutting as I’d had the bits for over a year and never touched it, with surprisingly reasonable results, and photos of both our efforts made it into Cumbria Life magazine!

So, whatever your circumstances and surroundings, we will get through this.

Stay at home, observe the guidelines, be kind to each other, keep safe and well.

All this to look forward to!

Wittenham Clumps

Round Hill, the taller of the Clumps

Here in the south, whilst we might be blessed with beautiful, pastoral landscapes, ancient sweeping chalkland vistas, acres of woodland and stunning coastlines, we're not over endowed with high hills. There are the Mendips (325m), the North Wessex Downs (297m), the Quantocks at 389m, the Purbeck Hills at 208m and Dunkery Beacon and High Willhays on Dartmoor peak at 600m and 621m respectively. Nearest to us are the Chiltern Hills which are lovely, but they come in at a lofty 267m. For those of us who have a passion for the high fells, this is all a little frustrating.

However, a mere half hour drive from us lies a pair of wooded, chalk hills towering over the South Oxfordshire landscape at a whopping 120m called Wittenham Clumps. The 'clump' refers to the wooded portion on top of each hill, but they are officially called the Sinodun Hills; Sinodun meaning old fort. Named Round Hill and Castle Hill, there is a bronze age hill fort on Castle Hill and evidence of a long occupation. Time Team dug here for a while and discovered some sort of Roman villa with a mosaic floor.

I remember the Poem Tree. In the 19th century, a Joseph Tubbs carved quite a long poem into the trunk of one of the trees on Round Hill (the Earth Trust’s website has the poem detailed in full - see www.earthtrust.org.uk) but even 20 years ago it was difficult to read. Sadly the tree died long ago and has collapsed fairly recently. A couple of other folkloric things of interest are the Money Pit - a hollow where a raven is said to have buried its treasure and some of the trees on the top of Round Hill are known as the Cuckoo Pen - legend being that if you trap a Cuckoo there, it will be endless summer.

The Thames, beautiful in May, walking to the Clumps from Dorchester

Locally known as the Berkshire Bubs (the county boundary was moved a few decades ago) or Mother Dunch's Buttocks (after a local lady of the manor), they are something of a landmark, standing proud of the Oxfordshire plain, close to the River Thames. What they do do, is provide a viewpoint for a fabulous 360 degree panorama over Oxfordshire and the start or end point of a series of lovely walks. We have been going since we were kids as Dad always only really enjoyed a walk if it had a view, something we've obviously inherited. 

Stunning views from the top of the Clumps over oxfordshire

Surrounded by fields, it's a great place for families to picnic and very popular for kite flying, dog walking and Sunday afternoon strolling, but you can combine the clumps into much longer walks if you prefer and it really does make a lovely day out, especially in the spring when all the May blossom is at its frothy best. Nearby Dorchester is a beautiful little village with a huge Abbey, Wallingford a pretty market town with a long history and there are scores of lovely villages in rural settings to visit en route or stop for a wander. The Thames runs nearby, but it’s the gentle, meandering greeny blue Thames, with fish, birdlife and tiny beaches.

Frothy GORgeous May blossom

A peaceful, sunny spot

So whilst you may not have to pack a rucksack and take walking poles, I will always have a soft spot for the Clumps - a little piece of high ground punching way above its weight. Or height.

Brightwell barrow. A barrow not a clump

Sedentary v Sporty

I have a largely sedentary job. I work in a branch of a small group of six travel agencies which, by necessity, involves some lengthy periods of sitting at my desk and I really don't like sitting for long periods of time; well, even short periods of time.

I do have a comfortable chair and I do move my screen directly in front of me, but I tend to cross my legs at the ankle with my legs tucked under my chair, meaning when I do get up, my knees feel stiff and achey. I can't think this is a good thing. I try to plant my feet squarely on the floor, keeping my legs at a right angle to my body, but turning the screen, leaning forward, writing notes, flipping brochure pages and juggling files and a keyboard on the desk is, I'm sure, ultimately bad for my posture. Let's not even talk about tucking the phone between ear and shoulder whilst writing or typing...

To this end, I like to get up and move about at every opportunity; ‘ants in your pants', 'whirling dervish' and 'you've got too much energy' have all been levelled at me over the years by my poor, exasperated colleagues. I have been known to stretch and lunge in the back office, much to their consternation and amusement sometimes. Dealing with brochures however, (yes, we do still have them) is a great workout and a job I relish. The packs are heavy, so it's a lot of lifting, shifting and moving about as the office is sizeable and I feel I've done at least a modicum of exercise during the day once I’ve finished.

I did once record the distance I walked at work on my phone - just moving about the office, sorting out the brochures, walking to the local bakery for a sandwich and to and from the car all amounted to just over 2 miles, which really surprised me.

The NHS advocates we all do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. That's a little over 20 minutes a day. 

20 minutes! 

So, how can you improve your sedentary working day and inject some exercise into your daily routine?

If you take public transport, perhaps get off the bus or tube a stop or two earlier and walk a little further.  Ask a relative/colleague/friend/car share to drop you somewhere slightly different in the morning. Cycle or walk for a change if you can and perhaps take a longer route if possible. I had a colleague once who always drove the mile to work....

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Just move about the office more. Try to get up every quarter of an hour or so, even if it's just to stand at your desk and stretch (surreptitiously of course - I don't advocate doing this in full view of customers/clients). Try standing up when you answer the phone.

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Deskercise. There are lots of stretches for back, neck, shoulders and legs that can be done whilst sitting at your desk that your colleagues may not even realise you’re doing, for example rolling your shoulders or moving your lower legs.

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Develop a habit. Start going out at the same time each day, or stretching at your desk every hour, so it becomes second nature. You could even go to the gym or for a run at lunchtime. Take the dog out before or after work, exercise with a colleague every Tuesday.

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Volunteer to walk to the post office/get the milk/take the rubbish out/buy coffee. Even five minutes will clear your head and stimulate your system. Walk more quickly than usual to get your heart rate up.

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Log your daily walking, running, swimming or cycling on Fitbit, Garmin, Strava, Map My Walk/Run or Viewranger (among others). There are lots of virtual challenges out there too, some with certificates, badges or medals for completing certain distances and it's fun to log your mileage and see progress. Bro and I have done 5 challenges this year so far between us and we're really competitive with each other, so it's a great motivator.

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We don't have a cleaner at work and I am a real Monica, so I usually do all the cleaning - wiping the desks, cleaning the kitchen, the shelves, hoovering, hauling the heavy bins in and out are all good, simple ways to keep moving. 

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Try to go out at lunchtime. I know this isn't always possible for everyone and I'm guilty of never really taking a proper lunch break, but I do like to get out and do the 'circuit' - a little half mile route I devised from the office, down to the river and back which only takes 10 minutes or so. Your brain and eyes do need a little time to re-charge and rest and it's a relief to get away from ringing phones, pinging texts, endless emails and frankly, the sound of my own voice sometimes, to destress and take a few lungfuls of fresh air so you can face the afternoon refreshed. Especially invigorating in winter I find, when heaters and heating in the office can leave you feeling dry and headachy.

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Always take the stairs.

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20 minutes a day!

Obviously where I’d like to be each day….

20 Golden Nuggets

Our hiking career started what is now well over 30 years ago. Fell walking, hiking and climbing all over the world, the UK and the last decade intensively climbing the Wainwrights in the Lake District.

I’ve listed twenty golden nuggets of common sense and advice I wish I been told all those years ago, because it would have saved a lot of discomfort and effort. They are all pretty straightforward, hopefully sensible and practical and all honed over years of making mistakes and learning from them (which has been kind of fun!)

1. PLAN YOUR ROUTE

   In the early years, we just bowled off without really looking at maps or guidebooks, resulting in much longer and in some cases, much harder routes. In Wainwright climbing terms, we’ve missed fells out for various reasons (too tired, too far, bad weather) which has meant long additional days going back to them and most of them were in the middle of a ridge and took ages.

2. TAKE THE RIGHT FOOD

   We really didn’t take enough at the beginning and what we took ended up soggy, tasteless and squashed flat. Utterly unappealing. We then went for spicy, strong flavours which made us feel queasy. We now take food we actually look forward to eating and much less sweet and spicy options; boiled eggs, chicken chunks, brazil nuts, dried fruit…but not all at once….

3. DON’T GO AT IT TOO HARD

   There is a temptation to go full pelt, head down to ‘get it over with’ day after day, especially if you’re away for a week or two, but all that happens is you end up exhausted and not enjoying it. We always have a day’s rest in between walks to re-charge and it really makes a difference.

4. GET SOME DECENT BOOTS

   What more to say really? Blisters, rubbing and chafing are agonising on the day and and could in the long run end up doing serious damage to tendons, ankles, knees and hips. You really shouldn’t think about your feet at all if you’ve got it right.

5. TAKE TIME TO LOOK AROUND YOU

   Isn’t this why we all do it? Why we flog up steep hills and rocky paths or squelch through endless mud and marsh? The views, the outdoors, the fresh air. It’s a beautiful world and we’re all in too much of a hurry most of the time to appreciate it.

6. IF YOU PEE ON THE HILL, USE PAPER

   This is more for the ladies. I know it’s indelicate, but you get hot and sweaty walking and if you haven’t used paper, it’s not good. Nipping and burning when you pee leads to stomach ache - it’s not comfortable and please don’t ignore it hoping it’ll go - cranberry juice and over the counter treatments don’t work, only a course of antibiotics cures it. Drink plenty, use paper and carry a plastic bag with you to put it in afterwards.

7. LEARN TO GIVE UP

   For whatever reason; too tired, too late, too wet, too cold, boots rubbing, dog pulling. Some days you just won’t be feeling it and it’s much more sensible to give up, turn around and call it a day. It’ll all still be there the next time.

8. PUT CLOTHING ON BEFORE IT GETS COLD OR WET

   Obvious really, but I’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve fumbled in rucksacks for waterproofs as it’s hammering down, tried to force overtrousers on in a gale and if you’ve ever tried to get gloves on soaking, numb hands in a hail storm….. Bro always seems to let his hands get red raw frozen before he puts gloves on, but I have a touch of rheumatism in a couple of fingers so try to keep them as warm and dry as possible. Similarly, take clothes off before you overheat.

9. MAKE SURE YOUR CLOTHES ARE COMFORTABLE

   And by that, I mean every item of clothing you wear. If you’re aware of what you’re wearing, it’s wrong.

10. READ THE GUIDEBOOKS

    Having a quick read of a guidebook of the area you’re walking or visiting means you won’t miss anything of interest. If you’re climbing peaks, it could mean you take in additional, lesser summits you didn’t know were nearby. I can’t tell you the number of things like stone circles and burial mounds I’ve missed by about 100 feet.

11. DON’T TRY TO BE TOO GROOMED

    Elaborate hairstyles will sink and flop with the addition of a woolly hat or hood, make up will run in the rain or sweat off and jewellery will either be lost or dig in. Best to tie long hair up and keep cosmetics to a minimum. I only wear a simple pair of stud earrings and even then I’ve lost the back off them twice by tucking sodden hair behind my ears.

12. MUSIC REALLY HELPS

    This is a relatively new one for us. A couple of years ago we tackled the nose of High Hartsop Dodd and put some music on while we climbed and we were at the top before we knew it. We’ve since plugged in for a couple more steep climbs and it really helps to focus your mind. I certainly don’t advocate blaring music for all to hear, or being plugged in all day - just for the big climbs.

13. DRINK PLENTY

    Probably one of the most important elements of any day in the outdoors. Just because you’re not thirsty, doesn’t mean you aren’t dehydrated. Electrolyte tabs will help with the favour of your water and with replacing lost salts, as too much water can flush them out. Over hydration isn’t good either.

14. STOP TO BREW COFFEE

    Again, this is fairly new for us as we have never liked the taste of tea or coffee from a flask and we didn’t always want to carry any additional weight on a long day in the hills. However, on weekend or low level walks, we always take a little burner and brew a decent cup of coffee with real milk and freshly ground coffee. It really boosts morale and gives you a halfway stop to look forward to, a reward at the end of a walk, or a pleasant thing to do even if you’re just sitting on a bench admiring the view.

15. KEEP YOUR WRISTS WARM

    Keep your wrists warm keeps your hands warm. Lots of arteries are in your wrists and it’ll keep the blood warmer before it gets to your hands. Similarly, running cold water over your wrists in hot weather cools you down.

16. GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME

    Walking does sometimes take longer than you think. You may decide to take a different route, to make it longer, to climb another peak or sit in the sun for a while. You may be tired, just not in a rush, generally slower or been stuck in traffic and arrived later than you intended. Just make sure you’ve got enough time and energy for the return, because you really don’t want to be descending in the dark or over bog if you don’t have to. Be especially mindful of this in winter.

17. LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

    Take note of how you feel. Don’t ignore any persistent aches, pains or twinges. Bro had real knee trouble that he put down to a sprain - turned out to be a torn meniscus needing surgery. Eat sensible foods as you walk to avoid queasiness. Note that hot spot where a blister might be forming, drink more to avoid a nasty headache developing and think about how your rucksack’s fitting and packed if your shoulders or back are sore at the end of a walk. Prevention is better than cure and all these symptoms means something’s not quite right.

18. HELP YOUR BODY

    Obviously, fitness is hugely beneficial as we all know. Core strength seems to be at the, well, core of everything; strengthening your back, helping your legs and improving posture but there are other ways we can help too. Walking poles can take the strain off your knees on descents and help with balance and stability, insoles can correct your gait and compression clothing can help increase blood flow and recovery time. Cover, plaster and file corns, blisters and calluses, keep toenails short, balm your lips, moisturise your face, slap on sunscreen, put on sunglasses and icepack aching muscles. Stretch, roll, soak and massage. Eat well and sleep well. Pamper your feet and respect your back, or it’ll go out more than you do.

19. INVEST IN THE RIGHT CLOTHING

    I don’t mean go out and spend a month’s salary on a jacket, but one or two carefully chosen pieces really will make a difference if you intend to make your chosen activity a regular thing. Made from the right materials, to help with perspiring, waterproofing, support, comfort, aerodynamics or warmth, they’ll help you enjoy your days in the outdoors that much more.

20. MAKE IT ENJOYABLE

    If you’re in an area to climb, it can be a little relentless if you’re not careful, especially if you have limited time. It’s tough, climbing fells or mountains, walking long distance paths or crossing boggy moorland, so take time to look around you, take friends and share it, take photos, sit and look at the views, spot wildlife, listen to the skylarks, but mainly just drink it all in.

Great Outdoor Reads

There's nothing better than being cosy and warm by the fire in the winter, with the rain or snow lashing against the windows, a mug of hot tea and some dark chocolate digestives to hand enjoying a good book. I'm a voracious reader, getting through a book every three days or so, and here are a selection of really good stories I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed.

Adventures of the Yorkshire Shepherdess by Amanda Owen

The third in the utterly delightful series of the Owen family and their remote hill farm in the Yorkshire Dales. A real James Herriott style read for today’s generation. Full of warmth, decency, family, hard work and simplicity, it’s a real tonic. She’s a lovely lady too; I met her after attending one of her talks this year.

The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd

An absolute classic of mountain literature. Nan Shepherd recounts living and breathing her beloved Cairngorms in such a personal and evocative way as she pursued her quest to find the essence of the mountains.

The Bond by Simon McCartney

Bro bought this from the Kendal Mountain Festival a couple of years ago and it disappeared to the back of the bookcase until I dug it out at the beginning of this year. This is a really fabulous read about two epic Alaskan climbs and the ensuing determination, friendship, hardship, trust and courage. Brilliantly written and utterly absorbing. Can’t recommend it enough.

A Croft in the Hills by Katharine Stewart

A really gentle story of a family making a living on a croft with no previous experience at all. Told from today but looking back fifty or so years, it tells of hardships, but also details a simpler, happy family life with the characters, neighbours and friends they met along the way. Really lovely.

Thinking on my Feet by Kate Humble

I love Kate Humble; she’s so natural, down to earth and bubbly. Someone I think I’d like to be friends with. This is a lovely book about walking the Wye Valley Way as well as her thoughts, feelings and observations on her walks and runs over the course of a year both here and abroad. Chatty, warm and friendly, just as I imagine she is.

Walking Home by Simon Armitage

This is brilliant. Just so well written, I couldn’t put it down. It tells the story of his walk along the Pennine Way giving poetry recitals in the evenings to help with the finances. He describes in little snapshots the people he meets, how he feels, what he sees. Just delightful.

Ghosts of K2 by Mick Conefrey

This is a fascinating account of the race to be the first to conquer the world’s second highest and most dangerous mountain. Really well written and researched, it gives a huge amount of interesting facts and information surrounding this most deadly of races to the top. A great read.

The Ogre by Doug Scott

A fascinating account of Bonington and Scott’s dramatic first ascent of The Ogre. The first part of the book details the history of the local area, its people, other expeditions and the mountain, then the second half focusses on the ascent and epic descent. A really fascinating read. I have met Doug Scott as well. Just saying.

Captain Scott by Ranulph Fiennes

I'll admit to Captain Scott being a bit of a hero of mine as is Ranulph Fiennes, so the two together were always going to be a winning combination for me. Fiennes writes really well, in a clear, simple almost chatty style that brings the tragedy of this story to life in a way many other versions I've read, don't. Exceptionally well researched and well paced, the story builds dramatically to the tragic ending you know and dread is coming, to the extent I really couldn't put it down. Wonderful.

I hope this whets your literary appetite or might appeal to anyone else you know who loves the great outdoors.

All that remains for me to say this year is have a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy, healthy New Year.

28 Wainwright summits to go…..

Well, we spent two weeks in the Lakes from the middle of October, and it would be an understatement to say it was a good trip. It was one of our best.

Firstly and most importantly, Bro’s knee held up brilliantly. As a bit of background, he had had a flaring up of his knee three times since December last year meaning it swelled horribly, he couldn’t walk and it took a week to settle down. After this had happened three or four times he went to a specialist who diagnosed a torn meniscus.

Keyhole surgery in June fixed the knee, but he then had several bouts of terrible achilles pain meaning the same sort of swelling, great pain, inability to walk and a week to settle down, so he was eventually prescribed some seriously strong ibuprofen for acute tendonitis which immediately took the inflammation and the pain away. So far, so good.

We set off with a little trepidation about how he was going to be. Brilliant, that’s how. We did some big walks, but always with a day to rest in between. He was meticulous about stretching and strapping his ankle and using an ice bag in the evenings.

How was the weather? Brilliant, that’s how. Day after day of beautiful, warm sunny weather. Hardly a breath of wind on the summits. Perfect walking conditions, perfect views. We had a day of rain on one of our rest days and our last walk was drizzly which turned heavier and a little colder, but we still had the views.

magnificent views from causey pike

How were the walks? Brilliant, that’s how. We did 14 summits in 6 walks. We stayed in Buttermere for the first week which is most definitely our favourite area to walk in, and climbed Great Borne, Starling Dodd and Red Pike in one walk, Whiteless Pike and Rannerdale Knotts in another, and the sublime High Crag and High Stile ridge which we think is our favourite walk so far.

Utter perfection from High Stile

The second week was based in Keswick, and we tackled Causey Pike, Scar Crags and Sail on such a perfect day it could have been late summer. The views were staggering and Causey Pike is definitely one of my favourites. The next walk was Grasmoor which was very windy on the top with Wandope and Crag Hill (formerly Eel Crag), from Force Crag mine which was a wonderful day and fairly straightforward. We met some interesting people who’ve since become Facebook friends, and a young Canadian girl wearing a hat saying Canadian ski marathon team, so naturally she was up and down Grasmoor by the time we were half way up!

Our last walk was Seathwaite Fell which in all honesty, we weren’t going to tackle, but it meant we would end the year with less than 30 summits to do. It was a damp day which got wetter and colder, so thank goodness for the open fire at the Glaramara Hotel, where we thawed out with hot coffee and sandwiches.

Beautiful views from Crag Hill

On our rest days we wandered round Buttermere and Crummock, sat in the sun, explored Keswick, walked in the temperate rainforest that is Great Wood in Borrowdale, and enjoyed the wonderfully warm weather. We felt fit and healthy, tramped over 55 miles and really achieved much more than on this trip than others of late. Hopefully, we’ll finish the Wainwrights in two more weeks of walking. How good would that be? Brilliant, that’s how!

Such amazing weather

Sublime

A catch up in Cambridge

My oldest friend and Uni roommate and I meet once a year. We live about two and a half hours from each other and I do go and stay with her and her family, but we also have a weekend somewhere different occasionally. We’ve been to Liverpool, Bournemouth, Whitby, Skinningrove, Poole and Derbyshire amongst other places and it’s always lovely to catch up on the year. This time we decided on Cambridge; somewhere I’ve been to a couple of times before although I really don’t remember it, and somewhere my friend has never been.

In less than two hours on the train, I arrived (two and three quarters for her) and a short walk from the station took us into the city. Over the next two days we walked the beautiful narrow streets, beside the River Cam to and around Jesus Green, visited King’s College with its awe inspiring chapel and Ruebens painting behind the altar, enjoyed coffee people watching as the students arrived for Fresher’s Week and went punting on the backs which was magical.

Cambridge is such a stunning city. Small in scale, but big on beautiful old buildings, exquisite colleges, individual shops and wonderful parks and riverside walks, all in amongst a busy, buzzing atmosphere. It has such a lovely feel to it; very warm and gentle, helped by the weather which was perfect.

What an inspiring place to study; I almost found myself longing for my student days again. Well, almost.

Kings College Chapel

The stunning fan vaulted ceiling inside Kings College Chapel

Punts on the River Cam

The other Bridge of Sighs

Bicycles, everywhere!

The Land of the Rising Sun

Working in the travel industry, I’m often asked which is my favourite country. I love lots of different places for lots of different reasons; for relaxing, for culture, for landscape, for sightseeing, for beaches, for wildlife, for activity, but mostly I love places that are totally and utterly different to anywhere else, that have their own unique culture and identity and that are authentic and unspoiled. To that end, my top three countries for all those reasons are Tibet, Tanzania and Japan.

There are two times of the year recommended to visit Japan. Spring for ‘Hanami’ meaning cherry blossom viewing and Autumn for ‘Koyo’ meaning red leaf for the amazing colours. I’m lucky enough to have been in both seasons and I couldn’t pick between the two. Cherry Blossom is a time for families to picnic and party and appreciate the beauty of the flowers, so there is a joyous and celebratory atmosphere, but Autumn is staggeringly beautiful too; stunning colours and a time perhaps of quieter and calmer reflection.

Hiroshima peace park

beautiful quiet temples

Japan is such a contrast of the ultra modern and centuries old tradition; a model society of clean, quick, polite efficiency. The bullet train system is a wondrous thing. Spotless, punctual to the minute and quiet, it speeds you through the ever changing countryside in smooth, clean comfort. The driver bows as he boards, and the snack trolley is heralded by more bowing. All the seats spin to face the direction of travel and no one makes telephone calls or talks loudly in the quiet carriage. The underground system is surprisingly easy to use and is spotless. It even has glass display cases housing archaeological relics and art on the walls.

In Tokyo, beautiful wooden carved and painted temples sit amongst glass and steel skyscrapers and busy bustling streets filled with shops offering the latest technology or traditional tea sets. The people are incredibly respectful, shy, gentle and gracious in their help of the bewildered tourist trying to negotiate the underground system; no words, but a gentle tap on the arm and you’re led to where you want to be.

Kyoto is a delightful maze of narrow streets, tiny shops selling exquisite crafts (bring a spare bag - it’s all stunning) - we bought beautiful Kokeshi dolls, silk Kimonos, lacquerware, fabrics, inlaid bowls, exquisite omamori and chopsticks ; all superb quality at reasonable prices.

We admired Geishas wandering the streets of Kyoto in traditional dress, we walked the Nightingale floor at Nijo Castle, visited the Snow Monkeys bathing in the hot springs in Hell Valley, photographed a snow capped Mt Fuji, marvelled at stunning wooden temples in Nikko, relaxed in an Onsen, silently wandered the museum at Hiroshima and the Peace Park, went into the mountains at Nagano and explored Tokyo’s many districts. We saw Ikiabana, Sumo and Kabuki.

We ate beautiful fresh tempura prawns and sticky rice in tiny restaurants, sitting cross legged in booths high up in the roof, or at bar counters with just enough room for six people. We had tea in tiny cups overlooking perfect zen gardens, marvelled at the skill of the Teriyaki chef in a tiny wooden restaurant and tucked into delicious ramen noodles from a viewpoint high above Tokyo.

the snow monkeys bathing in the hot springs

utterly exquisite wooden temples

barrels of sake wrapped in straw as offerings at the meiji shrine

the shinkansen or bullet train

There is so much to see in Japan for all tastes, abilities and budgets. It has such a strong culture and identity that isn’t like anywhere else and that’s exactly why it’s in my top three.

The Land of Fire and Ice

As we lost our dog last year, this year we said we’d have a week abroad to have a slightly different type of holiday and we pondered for ages trying to decide where to go. I said perhaps we should go for culture as we spend most of our time away in the hills, but in the end we came full circle and settled on…….lakes and mountains!

We’d been to Iceland 21 years ago when I won a promotion through work which paid for the two of us to go for four nights. Then, we went in April when it was still pretty cold, stayed in Reykjavik and took a tour of the Golden Circle as it’s called, part way along the south coast. It takes in waterfalls, geysers, a glacier, some traditional turf roofed houses and some pretty churches.

This time we decided to go in July and self drive for added independence. I was more than a little nervous, given that Bro had had keyhole knee surgery 6 weeks before and wasn’t driving and I’d never driven abroad on the other side of the road before…

As it turned out, the driving was fine. There’s really only one ring road round the whole of Iceland which, for the most part is very straight and flat, has hardly any traffic and has a speed limit of 55mph. Hire cars all seem to be white and the locals have obviously learnt to give them a wide berth! We were lucky with the weather which was mainly very warm and still, but there was quite a bit of cloud cover. The scenery was wonderful.

Iceland is staggeringly beautiful and a little other-worldly in places. Obviously hugely volcanic, it has enormous, jagged, impenetrable central mountains, huge glacial valleys, spectacular waterfalls and awe-inspiring glaciers. We drove right along the south coast to the Skaftafell National Park, visiting black sand beaches with their puffin colonies (puffins were on my bucket list), and saw huge waterfalls. We walked to glaciers, marvelled at icebergs on the beach and wandered amongst miles of wild purple lupins with their minty fragrance.

We took the ferry across to the Westman Islands which was like visiting an island from Jurassic Park, climbed the volcano and watched the sea birds. We saw puffins, gannets, arctic terns, skuas, seals and pretty Icelandic ponies. We walked in lava fields, were amazed at the midnight sun and listened to icebergs calving while sitting in the sun.

It really was such a special, beautiful and unique place to visit.

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Reynisfjara Beach

Beautiful wild lupins

Iceberg at Glacier Lagoon, Jokulsarlon

Icebergs on Diamond Beach

Svinafellsjokull Glacier - right behind our hotel!

Leaving the Westman Islands

The Cumbrian Rainforest

THE BORROWDALE WOODS

What springs to mind when you think of a rainforest? Steamy, hot and humid, a tropical wilderness of wildlife, unusual plants and gigantic bugs in a far flung corner of the world? Well, you’d be right of course, but we have rainforests in the British isles too, but temperate rather than tropical.

Aside from the high rainfall, the temperate or celtic rainforests are coniferous or broadleafed ancient trees covered with mosses and ferns and are in ‘moist oceanic regions’ in temperate areas such as New Zealand, south east Austrialia, north west US and the Atlantic islands of Madeira, the Azores and the Canary Islands They are also found on our western shores of Scotland, Snowdonia, the West Country, north and south Ireland and Cumbria. They are cool, shady and damp, have a huge diversity of life and are incredibly rare areas, heavily protected and internationally important.

They may be Sites of Special Scientific Interest, given the highest level of protection in Europe - the Special Areas of Conservation - but that doesn’t mean we can’t all enjoy them simply as beautiful old woods full of birds, insects and wildlife, especially Red Squirrels.

THE WOODS NEAR GRANGE

So where are our rainforests? There are 15 in Scotland, 8 in Wales, 4 in Northern Ireland, 5 in the Republic of Ireland, 4 in Exmoor and Dartmoor and 2 in Cumbria and those lie in the Lake District National Park, on the shores of Derwentwater and Ullswater.

In Borrowdale, the National Trust owns and manages the Borrowdale Woods stretching up from Great Wood below Walla Crag to Lodore, Stonethwaite and Seathwaite, with little pockets in the Newlands Valley, on the shores of Buttermere and up at Honister. On Ullswater’s shores, National Trust owned Glencoyne Woods surround Aira Force, but the woods below Hallin Fell and Low Wood near Brothers Water also fall into the rainforest bracket.

They are wonderful old woods, the Borrowdale complex being especially known for their ‘old forest lichens’ and there are plenty of paths to follow to give beautiful views over the lakes. Great Wood is a particularly accessible walk from the centre of Keswick.

AIRA FORCE

johnny’s wood, borrowdale

great wood, borrowdale

In an ever-changing world, it’s lovely to think we still have these special little sun dappled areas to enjoy that really haven’t changed for centuries.

Recommended Reading:

The Rainforests of Britain & Ireland by Clifton Bain, www.woodlandtrust.org.uk, www.naturalengland.org.uk, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/borrowdale, www.thelakedistrict.org

Simple Pleasures

As I get older, I find I like the simpler life.  I spent a huge part of my twenties, thirties and forties rushing around the globe trying to see and do as much as possible. I thought nothing of 12, 15, 24 hour flights on dodgy airlines, staying in all sorts of dubious accommodation and eating heaven knows what from street vendors. All that was exciting, amazing and wonderful and I loved every minute and, while I still like to travel, I don't have the same reckless abandon and itchy feet that I once had.

I like a bit of peace and quiet, things to be calmer and the pace a little slower. I find I get up and go to bed earlier, eat less but well, feel grumpy if I don't have fresh air and exercise every day and have way more fruit, veg and pulses than I ever did. On the flip side, I don't deal with stress so well, I worry more about silly things, obsess a bit over comfort (think footwear) and a warm sunny day now means good drying weather.  

Tastes in everything simplify and crystallise as you know and hone what you like; music, reading material, clothing, home decor, art, films, food, interests. Even friends. It's a good feeling.

But it's the simple pleasures that begin to pinpoint a day.

We try to inject a simple pleasure into something not so enjoyable and the biggest simple pleasure we have is stopping for a coffee wherever and whenever we can. This has been inherited from Dad who always does it, much to the disapproval of Mum, who doesn't. Even if we've been to the supermarket, we balance that with a simple, pleasurable coffee afterwards. There are plenty of other things though; a recent trip to the dentist ended with me sitting in the garden to calm jangling nerves watching the birds squabbling on the bird table. A stressful day at work can be countered afterwards by a short walk to a lovely nearby wildflower meadow, a long motorway drive can be soothed by a hot bath, a glass of something fizzy can feel indulgent in a day spent wallowing in housework and many an upset has been quelled by taking the dog out and simply throwing a ball about.

It doesn't have to involve any money, any effort or anyone. Walking through a bluebell wood, seeing new fresh green leaves, smelling wild garlic, listening to birdsong (a skylark on a summer's day in the hills is my absolute favourite), watching the rain wrapped in a rug, reading by the fire in winter, lying in long grass in the summer, walking next to running water.

In a job years ago, we - five of us girls - had to work on Saturdays, so the boss left us money for our lunch as a treat. We always shared a fresh loaf, smoked salmon and cream cheese which we ate together, giggling, in the cramped little kitchen. It broke up the day and we really looked forward to it each week. Years and years ago when I was a pony mad young teen working weekends in the local riding stables - mucking out, grooming and cleaning tack, the simple pleasure was being allowed to ride the horses bareback down the lane to the field to turn them out at the end of the day.

On the way to work now, I cross a small bridge over a tiny river and the flowers lining the banks lift my spirits. I always stop and look for a few minutes. Simple.

after every shopping trip!

lifting the spirits on the way to work

Life throws so much at us; there's so much horror, fear, negativity, worry and cruelty in the world, that simple pleasures might not just be simple after all.

5 walks for National Walking Month

May is National Walking Month; a chance to get outside in the lighter, warmer evenings for a full on hike, a gentle ramble,  a stroll, promenade, roam, plod, meander, trek, march, jaunt, amble, saunter or even a peregrination if that's your bag. In other words (if there are any left), there's something for everyone's age, health, ability, inclination or preference.

We know the benefits of fresh air and exercise on our bodies and minds and best of all, it's free. You can enjoy it at any time of the year, at any time of the day or night, with or without company and it can be fitted in wherever and whenever you choose, for as long or as short a duration depending on how you feel. A quick dash round in your lunch break, a more leisurely dog walk after work or a full day's hiking. Endless possibilities. With so many different places to choose from, here are five different walks we've enjoyed.

Buttermere Village to Crummock Water

I appreciate that not everyone wants to race uphill, so this is a lovely gentle little walk between Buttermere Village and Crummock Water we did when Bro aggravated an old knee injury and didn't want to do anything too taxing. Starting from the car park in Buttermere, past Syke Farm camp site following a tiny stream, you cross a beautiful meadow heading for a stand of trees on a small hillock which is a great place for atmospheric photos as the light is softly filtered and the trees are very moss covered. This southern end of Crummock is lovely, with pebbly beaches and little coves leading down to the water's edge and lots of places to sit and picnic. It's just a delight here and a real suntrap if you get the weather. The Fish Inn or the Bridge Inn are great places to have refreshments afterwards.

Fleetwith Pike

This is an absolute favourite and there is more than one route to choose from, but a slightly different way is to take the Honister Rambler bus from Keswick to the Honister Slate Mine which is a really relaxing way to start. Circling the foot of Catbells,  you get wonderful views across Derwentwater. The route from the mine follows the quarry path up to Bell Crags and from there it's a straightforward walk to the summit which is just stunning. Looking straight down the length of Buttermere and Crummock Water, ringed by fells, it's a magical spot. Don't forget to the check the return bus times (we had a slight panic once that we'd missed the last one which we just caught)  and it can get really busy in peak times. Otherwise, there is plenty of parking available for £5.00 a day which is refundable against mine tours, the Via Ferrata or purchases in the shop over £10.00.

Arnison Crag

This is another of my absolute favourite areas to walk and is a moderate sized fell with huge views. Arnison is an outlying fell belonging to the Fairfield group and looks down on Patterdale village. The path up wends its way through the bracken following a lovely old dry stone wall and doesn't involve anything too strenuous, but your reward is a panorama of the Eastern fells and a corker of a view down Ullswater.

Tottlebank Height

This has the advantage (as does Carron Crag) of being one of Wainwright's Outlying Fells if you fancy a spot of peak bagging, but it's in a very quiet and beautiful area at the southern end of Coniston Water. Heading towards Blawith and parking off the road opposite the Giant's Grave, the walk can easily be combined with Blawith Knott if you fancy a longer outing. Magnificent views towards the Coniston Fells and over the Duddon Valley to Black Combe.

Carron Crag

Right in the middle of the beautiful Grizedale Forest, you have the added benefit of coffee and cake before you start, or tea and cake as you finish at the lovely Grizedale Cafe at the Visitors Centre. The forest has eight marked walking trails for all abilities, as well as mountain bike routes and forest roads. This walk follows the red marker posts up through the forest with gorgeous, far reaching views once you get to the top.  A lovely little summit area, not too strenuous walking and some interesting sculptures along the way.

What are you waiting for?!!

Transylvania ha ha.......

I was very fortunate to be offered a week's work trip in April to Transylvania somewhere, frankly, I have long wanted to visit.

Those that know me know I like anything spooky and this, coupled with the mountains and the history, was perfect for me! A number of people have said, before I went and after I returned, that they didn't think Transylvania was even a real place, so firmly entrenched are we in the Dracula myth, but yes, it is a region of Romania and yes, there actually was a real Dracula - Vlad Tepes, also known as Vlad the Impaler. He obviously wasn't a vampire, but he might have drunk the blood of his victims as it meant taking on their characteristics - be it strength or bravery. Dracula meant son of the Devil which is a reference I guess to a fairly brutal and cruel reputation, but they were different times and he is regarded a something of a folk hero in Romania.

Anyway, the myth is a little perpetuated in some areas - mainly for the tourists - but it is a fascinating country with some truly unique sights I've never seen anywhere else in all my travels, and I loved it.

bran castle - DRACUla’s castle

vlad tepes, aka vlad the impaler aka vlad dracul

the shoemaker’s house

We visited the cities/towns/villages of Bucharest, Sinaia, Brasov, Bucovina, Sighisoara, Bistrita, Cluj Napoca, Alba Iulia and Sibiu, and the overriding impression I had is that everything is very old, very authentic and very unspoilt, which was fascinating. Most of the smaller towns and villages date back to the 13th century and I don't imagine they look so different from those times. Small, crooked houses all brightly painted, narrow cobbled streets, tiny old churches, covered wooden walkways and fantastic old clock towers dominate town and village squares.

We visited the beautiful Peles Castle filled with stunning wood carvings and Bran Castle traditionally known as Dracula's castle, although Vlad Tepes was only held prisoner there for a short time. Prejmer Fortified Church really was an extraordinarily tangible example of the history of everyday people; a four storey fortified wall around the church; all built of wood which we had to feel our way round in semi darkness on uneven floors, and all utterly untouched since the 1300s. Tiny rooms where families sheltered in troubled times were just as they would have been back then. Astonishing and quite moving.

The landscapes varied as we travelled through this amazing country against the backdrop of the Carpathian Mountains, still with patches of snow, from the mightily impressive 1000ft cliffs of the Bicaz Gorges to the more rolling and pastoral Moldovan farmland region. We visited the utterly exquisite painted monastery at Voronet, one of only a handful left in the county with unbelievably beautiful, vibrantly painted Biblical scenes covering every surface, inside and out. We visited the unique Salina Turda salt mine with its three hundred foot cavern and lake at the bottom where you can row a boat in the dim light and people come to take the air to help with respiratory problems.

We also visited museums and huge churches in Cluj Napoca and Alba Iulia, had dinner in Dracula's birthplace and childhood home which is now a restaurant in Sighisoara and ended in Bucharest which is a busy, buzzy city - a little like Paris but on a vast scale, with little remnants of the older city still existing in tiny churches and ornate courtyards tucked away down narrow back streets.

prejmer fortified church

voronet painted monastery

dracula’S house in sighisoara

salina turda salt mine - boating 300ft down!

carpathian mountains

All in all, it was a fascinating, memorable trip. It's a wonderful place to visit if you want something a little different, somewhere unspoilt with a long, interesting history and a touch of spookiness on the side!!

Spring in the Lakes

thornthwaite crag

Well, a fortnight's trip to the Lakes has been and gone far too quickly. We had a fabulous time, even if it didn't go quite as we planned. The weather was utterly amazing and we spent a fair amount of it in T-shirts, but then had a fall of snow on the last but one day, which made everything look magical.

We did beautiful Catstye Cam from Glenridding village whilst staying in the gorgeous Glenridding Hotel, which finished the Far Eastern fells for us as well as the whole ridge from Clough Head to Dollwaggon Pike. We took a steamer from Glenridding to Howtown and walked the length of pretty Fusedale up to Whether Hill which was a mopping up exercise as we'd done the rest of the ridge going back towards Pooley Bridge in a huge smog cloud a few years ago and, having walked 10 miles, didn't much fancy carrying on as it was irritating our chests and eyes. This completed the High Street ridge for us.

We did a big walk up the nose of Gray Crag from Hartsop, along the top of the glorious ridge to Thornthwaite Crag (another mop up from our High Street/Mardale Ill Bell day with a young dog we didn't want to push too far) and on to Froswick which was beautiful. We then went back up to Thornthwaite Crag and down Threshthwaite Mouth and along the Pasture Beck valley, but the next day Bro's knee swelled and he was laid up for a few days at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. I spent some time exploring; I went into Mickleden, up to Blea Tarn and Oak Howe which was all really lovely.

Our time in our favourite Buttermere was superb. We’re not very good at relaxing, but the weather was stunning, the views sublime and we were staying at the Fish Inn which was very comfortable and friendly. Bro’s knee improved to such an extent that we could walk to and and sit by Buttermere and Crummock, taking photos, paddling, reading, brewing coffee and enjoying the peace and quiet. There was no mobile signal, no wifi and no television, so we read lots, slept 10 hours a night and ate well. It was just what we needed without realising we needed it.

We then moved to a rented cottage in Keswick with the most fabulous panorama of the northern fells from the back bedroom window. We enjoyed some lovely gentle walks in the area; a gorgeous one around Crosthwaithe Parish Church, another round Derwent Water, round the pretty village of Braithwaite, explored Keswick and also in Whinlatter Forest watching the amazing bird life from the comfort and warmth of the cafe.

SWIRral edge towards helvellyn

Fusedale

Froswick from thornthwaite crag

So, while Bro couldn't really do any of the higher fells, he experimented with camera settings and the drone while I re-climbed Castle Crag, right up the hated slate pile this time that had slightly scared me twice before, meaning I didn’t go right to the very top. Bro decided on the last day he wanted to climb something small, as we’d be in the car for five hours the following day, so we climbed Rannerdale Knotts, an old favourite. His knee held up and he was able to manage the walk quite easily.

At home, he’s undergoing an intensive round of physio and a full recovery is looking promising.

fleetwith pike

BUTTERMERE valley from rannerdale knotts

crummock water from rannerdale summit

brew with a view

So, we have 46 more Wainwright fells to climb to complete the challenge, which feels achievable before we both get too old and decrepit. I say both; I was on fire.......

More Hidden Gems

When we are in the Lakes for a week or fortnight we always factor in days off otherwise the climbing can feel a little relentless and tiring, especially if you only have a limited time there. You do need a little time to re-charge so, if like us you have itchy feet and a desire to see as much of the area as possible and make the most of the time, here are a few suggestions of lovely, slightly out of the way places we've found and enjoyed.

Scaly Moss - this was on the way to climb a couple of  fells, but it was memorable enough for us to go back to. Mainly memorable for a herd of fell ponies cantering across the common, then wandering nonchalantly along the road. I adore horses and these beauties were very friendly. The area is just lovely to sit and admire the views, have a picnic or a wander, far from the madding crowd. Kinniside Stone Circle is also interesting, set on a rise just to the right of the top of the road in the picture.

free ranging fell ponies

Boon Wood, at the southern end of Coniston - this gently wooded, slightly sloping, grassy area is perfect for a picnic; five minutes from parking the car you can sit in the shade on the southern shores of Coniston Water with views up the lake and across the water to Brock Barrow and Low Light Haw on the eastern shore of the lake. Very peaceful.

Deepdale - we came across this area on our way up St Sunday Crag and it was gorgeous. Very secluded, very quiet and very beautiful running alongside Deepdale Beck, then sandwiched between the bulk of St Sunday and Fairfield, it would be a lovely place for a walk and a picnic in its own right. Lovely little Shetland ponies graze next to the track and we didn't see another soul all day.

Summit of Brae Fell, Back o'Skiddaw - a little fell with a big panorama towards Dumfries and Galloway. These Caldbeck Fells are lovely; lonely, grassy, not particularly high but surrounded by higher fells, it's a great place to wander or sit and relax and you can usually have it all to yourselves. Feels lovely and remote in winter.

from boon wood down the length of Coniston

Binsey - another little fell in a superb position. The furthest north of all the Wainwright peaks, it sits on its own looking back towards Skiddaw and the northern fells one way, and across the Solway Firth the other. An easy ascent of probably no more than an hour if taken slowly brings you to a flattish plateau area. Very peaceful, out of the way, this is  good one for a summer's evening.

Binsey’s summit cairn

Mousethwaite Comb - this area looks like a giant scoop has been taken out of the fell side. A steep path runs diagonally upwards, but it's the views back over Clough Head that are so worthwhile. At the top, you have options to go on either towards Sharp Edge or Bannerdale Crags, up Blencathra or over to Souther Fell. We've taken each route at various times, but on a calm, warm day, it's lovely to sit at the top and just take in those views.

the top of mousethwaite comb with the path snaking downwards

Angle Tarn - another gem and, judging from You Tube, also a popular wild camping site. This is in one of my favourite walking areas and there are a number of approaches. We've taken the path from Patterdale to Boredale Hause and walked the Coast to Coast path skirting Angletarn Crags, and also from Hartsop up to Hayeswater, then heading the other way on the Coast to Coast path. It's just so stunning and quiet and tucked away, you'd never know it was there unless you put some effort in. Always the best reward, I think.

Angle Tarn

Wonderful Winter walks with water

grasmere

Not everyone aspires to the heights in winter and there is great pleasure to be had in wrapping up warmly and going for a bracing winter's walk by water without expending too much energy, whilst still enjoying the views and rewarding yourself afterwards in the pub, by the fire. Here are a few favourite Lakeland suggestions.

Loweswater Lakeshore

Loweswater is one of the smallest lakes on the western edge of the National Park. It's the only lake where the water flows back towards the park and not towards the sea and is a beautiful, peaceful place. In two and half miles, the path will take you from Maggie's Bridge through Holme Wood and back again (you can continue right round by taking the road if you prefer a loop), giving you beautiful views of Mellbreak and the high fells round Buttermere. Reward your efforts in the Kirkstile Inn.

Circuit of Ennerdale

The most westerly of all the lakes and the most remote. It's a deep glacial lake and the only one with no roads running alongside it and which has been the subject of a successful rewilding project. Much of the pretty shoreline is National Trust owned, and the full walk is along the shoreline for about six and a half miles on good paths. The views are superb looking up the valley. Very tranquil.

ennerdale

Devoke Water

The biggest tarn and one of the highest in the Lake District, is just off the Birker Fell Road in Eskdale. Even on a warm day in the height of summer, it's still possible to be the only people there and the views are staggering. The path round the tarn is mostly good, but can get a little marshy in places and part of the loop will be via Water Crag and Rough Crag, but the climbs are not too strenuous.

Aira Force to Glenridding on the Ullswater Way

A three mile walk by what some say is Lakeland's most beautiful lake. Straightforward paths, some surfaced, some not, run alongside the lakeshore taking you through Glencoyne Deer Park, all the while enjoying the stunning views this beautiful area has in spades. There is a small stretch on the road, so take care. New last year was the Dalemain Loop of the Ullswater Way - a five mile route across fields and parkland.

Wise Een Tarn

Located in Claife Heights, a favourite area of Beatrix Potter, this pretty tarn has beautiful views over to the Langdale Pikes. There are a number of ways to reach the tarn with walks of varying lengths, but the paths are all good and not too taxing. It's a lovely, gentle area to explore, with glimpses of Lake Windermere along the way.

wise een tarn

Third time lucky!

helvellyn summit views

We did it. For the third time of trying. At last.

I would hazard a guess that if you asked most people to name a mountain in the Lake District, the answer is usually Helvellyn, This is now helped by it having been voted 'Britain's Favourite Walk'. We have been visiting the Lake District in earnest for well over a decade now, but when we tell people about our experiences of trying to complete the challenge of climbing all the Wainwright peaks, the question had always inevitably been 'have you climbed Helvellyn?' We were always slightly embarrassed to admit that we hadn’t.

The first attempt failed because we were woefully unprepared in almost every way, so that attempt was aborted at Grisedale Tarn. Attempt two was slightly better from a preparation point of view, but the weather, coldness and Bro's thigh cramp scuppered that attempt, but we were at least on the Dollywaggon end of the Helvellyn ridge that time. Fast forward half a dozen years and lessons have been learnt, mistakes rectified, experiences put into practice and we finally conquered the mountain.

thirlmere from the climb up brown cove

worth the wait - the view from helvellyn

We have been to Swirls car park opposite Thirlmere countless times over the years. With an old dog, then a young dog then a sick dog, it provided a lovely little spot to park and take a really gentle walk up to Helvellyn Gill where the dogs could potter around by or in the water, without any real effort. The views down the valley towards Skiddaw gave the humans something to look at as well. This time it was different.

We once met a couple on Tarn Crag and got talking about climbing the Wainwrights. They had at that time done around 50, as had we. The difference was that they had done the 50 highest and we, the 50 lowest. As we parted, Bro and I pondered which approach was best. A friend of mine who had never been to the Lakes before, went with her new husband who persuaded her to climb 'something'. That something was Scafell Pike and she hated every minute of it and hasn't been back since. I really think, for us, it has been better to build up to the bigger fells; to make all our mistakes on the relative safety of grassy banks with lower elevations and shorter distances. For all of the first half of the Wainwrights, we had a hugely strong dog on a lead with us, which could have been dangerous on some of the bigger, rockier fells. We've also been able to build up fitness, amass all the right equipment, work out what food and drinks works for us and most importantly, enjoy it and face it with the right attitude.

striding edge from helvellyn

yes, i did look at the view!

So back to Swirls car park. We decided to go for the rocky path up to Brown Cove; a 2.5km climb which is not too bad, if a little relentless, but with the added advantage of gaining height quickly. The views of Thirlmere and the northern fells were welcomed at each pause for a breather. Eventually, we summited on a lovely mild September morning and had breathtaking panoramas all around us. It was wonderful and real sense of achievement.

striding edge

helvellyn’s summit trig point

Hail and hearty!

We haven’t been back from the Lakes for long and I'm already missing it. Strange yes, without our furry buddy, and while we tried not to visit too many places with strong associations, it was still disconcerting and upsetting to be walking without a dog after the last 16 or so years with one or other. Anyway, we decided to tackle a few high fells that had been in mind for ages and for one reason or another, hadn't been done. These are what we climbed in four days.

Dollywaggon Pike: We first attempted this about seven years ago when we were green, naive and inexperienced. We walked (slowly) up from Patterdale in torrential rain, got cold and wet and Bro got the worst cramp of his life on the ridge so we went straight back down without actually reaching the summit. This time we went up the Raise Beck gully from Dunmail Raise, branching slightly left before Grisedale Tarn and tackling the immensely steep grass bank which leads you up onto the ridge. As we started this slightly soul destroying climb, the heavens opened and a job lot of hail was deposited on us from then until the minute we got back to the car. It was absolutely freezing on the summit, but we did get the views, so that made up for the drenching!

Absolutely baltic

Mellbreak: We've done a few in the Loweswater area and Mellbreak was the lowest of the ones we still wanted to do. We set off a bit later than usual in beautiful sun, after treating ourselves to coffee at the Kirkstile Inn before we started. The path down Mosedale was lovely with fantastic views of the famous lonely Holly Tree, and Hen Comb on the opposite side of the valley. After a while, we decided to turn left directly up the side of Mellbreak, about half way along its length. This brought us out on a sort of saddle in the middle and it was an easy walk to the top. Once again, the hail hit us, but it couldn't dampen our enjoyment of the stunning views down the full length of Crummock and Buttermere to Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks. No wonder lots of people have told us it's their favourite.

what a view

Blencathra: Another we'd been wanting to do for ages and it was a beautiful day. In the valley. We parked at the bottom of Mousethwaite Combe quite early where there was an older lady and another couple about the same age as us already there, and we only saw each other all morning! As we started the climb up from the top of Mousethwaite Combe, the cloud/mist came down and that was it for the rest of our time on Blencathra. I quite like walking in the mist; it's really quiet, a bit spooky and it also hides the climb ahead so it seemed in no time at all we had run out of mountain and realised we were on the summit, but couldn't see anything. The mist cleared on the way down and we did get views which were stunning and we both really enjoyed this one. Obviously it was a beautiful day when we got back to the car and the cloud/mist lifted for the rest of the afternoon.....

just beginning to see the views…..on the way back down

Helvellyn & Nethermost Pike: Yes, after all this time, we still hadn't climbed Helvellyn. In the south, most people I speak to have heard of Helvellyn and yes, every time they ask if we've climbed it.....We have tried twice before and have been thwarted, once by our own woeful inadequacy and then by the aforementioned Dollywaggon Pike experience when we didn't even reach that summit. So, fully prepared this time and again, in beautiful, hot sun we set off from the Swirls car park, taking the direct route up to Brown Cove. Steep, but short, on a fantastically well made rocky path. The views over Thirlmere and beyond were stunning and made the climb easier. Once on the broad summit plateau, there were jaw dropping views in all directions, but especially down to Red Tarn and over Striding and Swirral Edges. We decided to go on to Nethermost Pike and we got more wonderful views down the Grisedale Valley towards Patterdale. As we turned to go back up to Helvellyn again, the cloud descended and we couldn't see anything, but we had had the views. We ate a soggy sandwich in the shelter with a few others, then began the long, wet, windy descent. As we got lower, the weather improved and we ended with a well earned meal in the Kings Head.

just stunning

THe view towards patterdale

On our last day, we bumped into and had a chat with Chris Jesty, then took a boat from Waterhead to Bowness, had lunch and a walk around and sailed back. It had been a wonderful week with some great weather, wonderful walks and relaxation after a difficult August. We'll be back in November for some winter summiting. And more hail no doubt.

Bletchley Park

bletchley park

In the middle of September, Dad and I visited Bletchley Park, somewhere I'd wanted to go for a very long time. I find the history of what went on there fascinating and I've read a lot around the subject; Alan Turing's biography, memoirs of the ladies of Bletchley, Gordon Welchman's story of Hut 6 as well as more general histories of the war effort.

Bletchley is situated just outside Milton Keynes. Dad had been before about a decade ago and couldn't believe the wonderful restoration work that has taken place. The way the exhibits and stories are laid out is amazing. Everything is beautifully presented and you are either free to wander at will, take a guided tour or use an audio guide. Dad and I wandered freely around the huge and impressive site.

The big house is stunning and the rooms are staged as though their occupants have just stepped out for a breath of air. The huts are probably the most interesting and, although the layout of each is not known specifically, they are set out as though work is still ongoing. The interactive, touch screen exhibits are fantastic - you can have a go at cipher and code cracking, mathematical problem solving, pattern spotting or memory puzzles which are all fascinating. They also have holographic projections of characters on the walls, so it's like you're joining a conversation that started just before you walked in.

an enigma machine

inside one of the huts

There is also a fascinating museum with huge number of Enigma machines, films, deciphered messages, a lot of examples of Alan Turing's papers and books and crucially, his apology.

The reconstruction of the Colossus machine is, as you might imagine, colossal, although it would also have been incredibly noisy, oily and filthy. Soundtracks of the experiences the female operators had working with the machines play over speakers as you walk round.

miles of cables, hundreds of bulbs

A few minutes walk to the far end of the park brings you to the Museum of Computing which houses the only replica, fully functioning Bombe machine in existence and we had a fascinating talk from one of the 15 people who built and operate it. Miles of cabling, thousands of bulbs, hot, noisy and a bewildering array of turning, clicking dials - it's mind boggling that people could have invented and built a machine like it.

the replica bombe machine

how anybody can work this out…..

Bletchley is well worth a visit and I would allow a full day to explore and take it all in. Your ticket will also be valid for a year from the date of issue, so you can go back for free if you wish. It's such a fantastic reminder and memorial to those special, brilliant, dedicated, brave and loyal people who helped us win the war, but were never allowed to tell anyone what they did.

www.bletchleypark.org.uk

North by North East

the view from roseberry topping

At the beginning of July I went north east for the second year running for a long weekend’s house party to celebrate a milestone birthday for my oldest friend and Uni roommate and her family (14 of us!) in a large house in Skinningrove, north of Whitby.

Skinningrove was part of large ironstone mining area and in fact where we stayed was the old power house for the mine. The mine entrance was just behind the house and is now closed, but the soil, rocks and riverbed in the village are a lovely rich terracotta colour as a result of all that ironstone There’s a lovely sandy beach which is huge when the tide is out and Skinningrove is also on the Cleveland Way, following the cliffs towards Saltburn one way and Staithes the other.

the beach at skinningrove

We did a lovely coastal cliff walk from Skinningrove to Saltburn and back which gave us fabulous sea views. Saltburn is a wonderful old fashioned Victorian seaside town which was bustling with holidaymakers on its immense sandy beach and in the sea. After a restorative cream tea, we headed back. It was very hot but cooler in the evenings so we had barbecues outside for every meal, enjoying a drink or two and the hot tub! ​

We took an early evening trip to Staithes, a pretty fishing village clustered around a busy harbour and spent a couple of hours watching the boats and the seabirds nesting on the cliffs. We also had a wander round Whitby which I've visited several times before, although I went up and into the Abbey this time and got a different perspective over the town and coast.

SALT BURN from the cleveland way

giant wind chime on the cliff just outside saltburn

just part of SALTbURN’S huge beach

pretty staithes

On my last full day there as some of the others were staying longer, we climbed Roseberry Topping near Great Ayton in fantastically warm weather, something I've wanted to do for a while and which was absolutely beautiful. A fairly stiff climb but straightforward and the views were superb.

It was a really enjoyable weekend in an area I’m really starting to fall in love with. A few days of laughter with good weather, good food and better friends.

roseberry topping

roseberry’s panoramic view