Author Archives:

About McEff

Journalist on The Northern Echo, former shipyard electrician, former quarryman and tunneller. Climbs mountains and runs long distances to make life harder. Gravitates to the left in politics just to make life harder still.

Feet First: I’m Not a Pheasant Plucker . . .

SO I’m sitting at work doing my job – which consists of creating and editing the national news pages of The Northern Echo and one or two other things – when my eyes alight on a story from the Press … Continue reading

Posted in Climbing, Environment, Feet First 2012, Hiking, Hunting, Mountains, Northern Echo, Politics, Ranting, Walking | Tagged | 12 Comments

Haunts of Ancient Peace

Walking on the wind in the Howgill fells . . . Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology, Bronze Age, Climbing, Cup and ring carvings, Environment, Hiking, Mountains, Walking | Tagged | 19 Comments

A Final Voyage

YOU can see Scafell Pike – the highest mountain in England – from the forecourt garden of the terraced house in which I spent my early childhood. From the back garden of the bungalow the family moved to when I … Continue reading

Posted in Camping, Chockhead, Climbing, Death, Hiking, HMS Theseus, Korean War, Life, Mountains, Sanquhar, Walking | Tagged , , , | 41 Comments

The Howgills – and the Sound of the Wind

SOMETIMES it’s enough just to walk, to place one foot in front of another and allow the miles to slip by. What’s that old Irish saying . . . ?

Posted in Bronze Age, Climbing, Cup and ring carvings, Environment, Hiking, History, Mountains, Railway goods wagons, Railways, Walking | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

Counting the Stones on the Brough-Bowes Turnpike

BELDOO Moss is not the most spectacular hill in the north Pennines. Few people have heard of it; even fewer have tramped across it. But it does harbour one or two surprising features that make it worth a visit. I’ve … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology, Bronze Age, Cup and ring carvings, Great North Road, Hiking, History, Mountains, The Romans, Walking | Tagged , , , | 26 Comments

London 2: Casting Bells, Fighting Fascism, Hanging Pirates

A walk through the East End in search of the unusual – and a good pint . . . Continue reading

Posted in Battle of Cable Street, Beer, Food, Hiking, History, Industrial archaeology, Politics, Prospect of Whitby, Ranting, Walking | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

London 1: Old Roads, Karl Marx, Two Dicks

The best thing to do on a visit to London is get the hiking boots out . . . Continue reading

Posted in Beer, Dick Turpin, Environment, Great North Road, Hiking, History, Karl Marx, Politics, The Spaniards Inn, Walking | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Stainmore Summit: Signs of the Times

THE last train steamed over Stainmore Summit in 1962. I missed it. It’s not my fault – I was only five-and-a-half at the time. But if I hang around there just might be another along shortly . . .

Posted in Environment, Hiking, History, Industrial archaeology, Mountains, Politics, Railway goods wagons, Railways, Walking | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

The Dodds, the Coach Road and the Railway Wagon

North of Helvellyn, on the Old Coach Road, and the mysterious railway wagon . . . Continue reading

Posted in Climbing, Environment, Ghosts, Hiking, History, Industrial archaeology, Mountains, Railway goods wagons, Railways, Walking | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

The Great North Road – Carved by Feet and Hooves

I LIVE on an ancient highway. It’s called the Great North Road. For many hundreds of years it’s been the main arterial link between the capital cities of two countries – England and Scotland. It is woven into history, folklore … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology, Environment, Great North Road, Hiking, History, Industrial archaeology, Life, The Romans, Walking | Tagged , | 30 Comments

Swindale – and this is Alvar Lidell . . .

Swindale has grit, bog, remoteness and bed linen. It’s a valley with attitude but no railway wagons . . . Continue reading

Posted in Climbing, Environment, Hiking, Industrial archaeology, Mountains, Quarrying, Railways, Slate quarries, Walking | Tagged , , | 27 Comments

Feet First: Keep on running . . .

This gallery contains 2 photos.

I HAVE a plan. Tomorrow is my day off because I worked Sunday. I’ll drive across the icy Pennines to the Lake District, abandon the car on a rough piece of land at a charming cross-roads above Dockray, climb Birkett … Continue reading

More Galleries | | 6 Comments