Tag Archives: The Lakes

Martindale Fells and the Three-Legged Pig of Prague

Posted on May 16, 2011 by

YOU think you know your parents. You presume that, after a lifetime of familiarity and togetherness, their lives, their characters and their pasts are so utterly immovable and unchangeable that they might as well be cast in stone. Then one … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Cookery, Food, Geology, Hiking, Mountains, Walking | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Soupless in Seattle (well, Mardale actually)

Posted on May 10, 2011 by

Eric Pickles and an empty billy can spoil an otherwise flawless day on the fells above Haweswater . . . Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Cookery, Hiking, Mountains, Newsquest, Northern Echo, Politics, Ranting, Walking | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Bleath Gill: Whatever Happened to the Heroes?

Posted on March 24, 2011 by

A Pennine walk through railway history in the company of heroes Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Hiking, History, Life, Mountains, Politics, Ranting, Walking | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

The Search for John Bolton’s Rock Hotel

Posted on March 9, 2011 by

In 1863 a 73-year-old geologist called John Bolton hiked into the Lakeland fells to spend a couple of nights beneath the stars. His adventure turned into a nightmare. Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Environment, Geology, Hiking, History, Mountains, Walking, Writing | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wet Sleddale and I

Posted on February 22, 2011 by

Wet Sleddale is famous for being wet and not much else. Unless you include Poacher Jake, a dead hare, and the unquenchable Uncle Monty. Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Environment, Hiking, History, Mountains, Walking | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Bannerdale, Bowscale – and the Immortal Trout

Posted on February 10, 2011 by

TWO immortal trout inhabit the depths of a remote Cumbrian tarn. I don’t know how I come to know this. I think I read it somewhere a long time ago. But it’s a legend worth passing down to future generations. … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Hiking, History, Mountains, Walking | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Carrock: The Mine, the Fell, the Fort – and Nowt

Posted on February 1, 2011 by

Beneath Carrock Fell lie the remains of Carrock Mine, where wofram was produced – usually during times of war. Because war is good for business. McEff goes in search of history . . . and doesn’t find much. Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Environment, Hiking, History, Mountains, Ranting, Walking | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Souther Fell, Blencathra – and the Ghost Army

Posted on January 25, 2011 by

HEAVY rain and high winds on the fells. Not ideal weather for walking – but good enough for hunting ghosts on Souther Fell and Blencathra . . . Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Ghosts, Hiking, History, Mountains, Walking | Tagged , | 4 Comments

A Mountain Ritual – Czech Cabbage Soup

Posted on January 17, 2011 by

A POOL of blue light, a hiss of flames, and the warming steam from hot tea as night closes in and swallows the mountains. Ah, this is the best part of the day. A wintry breeze blows cracked leaves through … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Cookery, Food, Hiking, Mountains, Walking | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Helvellyn with Ghosts (Part 2: The Waterfall)

Posted on January 10, 2011 by

IT’S December 1981. Two young men dig deep into the snow at an altitude of 2,000ft on England’s third-highest mountain. Six feet down they strike wet scree. The air is so cold that the scree freezes as they dig – … Continue reading →

Posted in Caving, Climbing, Hiking, History, Mountains, Potholing, Walking | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Helvellyn with Ghosts (Part 1: Wythburn Mine)

Posted on December 23, 2010 by

ON the other side of the wall lie the bones of two children in a grave beneath the snow. It’s too dark to read the inscription on the stone. The sun has not yet risen. But I know it by … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Hiking, History, Mountains, Walking | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Skiddaw. Permissively.

Posted on December 2, 2010 by

The best route up Skiddaw is along the ridge to Ullock Pike – then up into the mist, the snow, and the internal arguments Continue reading →

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