A Great End on Great End!!

WE DID IT!!!!!

We finished climbing all 214 Wainwright Lakeland mountains on a beautiful still, warm summer’s day on the morning of Monday 26 July 2021, 14 years after we climbed our very first fell, Latrigg, but really in earnest after 9 years as we only climbed four fells between 2007-2012. If you pushed it all into one continuous timeline, it’s taken just under four and a half months! We left Great End until last as it seemed an appropriate place to finish and it really was; we had the summit to ourselves, it was a fantastically perfect morning, and we thought it had some of the best views of any we’ve seen in the whole of the Lake District.

So, we set off from home at the start of a heatwave in the middle of July that didn’t really start to cool down until we’d been away for five days. It was really hot and very humid and we really don’t like hot weather, so we broke the journey to Eskdale with a night just outside Lancaster and a walk beside the River Lune that evening. We then had two nights at the Woolpack Inn in Boot. From the Woolpack, we did a simple two mile walk beside the beautifully clear little RIver Irt that afternoon, then cooled off with a swim in its crystal clear waters.

The next day saw us setting off at 6am for the climb up to Hard Knott via the Roman Fort and sitting on the stunning summit well before 8am. A gentle walk down, crossing the Hard Knott Pass and across a pretty flower strewn common brought us to the base of the very steep climb up Harter Fell which was draining in the rapidly building heat. The strong, cool breeze at the top and all the way back down was wonderfully refreshing.

The next stop was Nether Wasdale for four nights based at the Screes Inn which was comfortable, if warm, with excellent, plentiful food. Setting off at 3.30am the next morning to avoid the worst of the day’s heat and to get a parking space in a very busy Wasdale, we tackled Red Pike and Yewbarrow, watching the sun rise over the Over Beck Valley and having Red Pike to ourselves at 6am. Yewbarrow’s flanking path was a little tricky in places, but once on the summit, the views of the Wasdale giants were magnificent, as was the view over Pillar and down Wast Water. We were back at the car cooling our feet in the beck by 10.30am just as the heat of the day was building.

After a day off, we set off again at 3.30am (we really enjoyed walking at this time and it was warm enough for just a Tshirt and so lovely to see the sunrise), this time up the Nether Beck Valley from Wasdale. It was a much longer walk to the head of the valley but the pink sunrise ahead of us was stunning. A stiff climb saw us at the top of Scoat Fell, watching the sunrise turn peachy gold over Kirk Fell, which was so beautiful. We carried on to Steeple with its beautiful views down Ennerdale, then took the easy path down and back up to Haycock, which, in the beautiful weather, was so lovely and quiet with fabulously clear views. Our final point was Caw in the distance, although it was an easy walk and the summit was flat, warm and quiet. We then took a flanking path all the way back to the rim of the Nether Beck Valley, pushing down through the bracken to the valley bottom and walked back to the car. This had been a long walk, about 10 miles, but the weather had finally broken so it was warm without the humidity, which was perfect walking weather and such a relief. We hadn’t seen another person all day.

We then left Wasdale and headed round to Keswick and Borrowdale, to the Glaramara Hotel in Seatoller for our final walk and final summit. We’d had some Tshirts made with a a graphic Bro had designed, and we had a half bottle of Champagne to take with us for the summit. We filmed our preparations leading up to leaving our hotel room, then the journey to Seathwaite Farm and shots of each of us climbing little sections all the way up. Again, it was a lovely day with clear skies, sunshine and no cloud. The pull up the valley beside Ruddy Gill was warm as it began to get a little hotter, but at Esk Hause there was a lovely cool breeze. There were lots of people toiling past on their way to Scafell Pike, so we were pleased to be branching off to Great End, which we had to ourselves.

We filmed ourselves walking towards the summit and touching it at the same time. It was an overwhelming moment and we were both a little emotional - perhaps tiredness, relief, delight, sadness or a mixture of all of them, but it felt strange to think this was officially our last mountain. We spent a long time on the summit, soaking in the views, toasting Alfred Wainwright, remembering our dogs, taking photos and video and finishing the Champagne! After about an hour and a half, some sandwiches and water, we set off on the long descent back to the hotel where were enjoyed a cool shower, celebratory drinks, a delicious meal and hearty congratulations from the staff and some of the other guests we’d got talking to.

We are immensely pleased and chuffed and delighted to have completed this amazing challenge together. It’s been a joy from start to finish and something we’re incredibly proud to say we’ve done. I’m not sure what we’re going to do with ourselves now as it’s been such a big part of our lives for so long, but our next holiday will definitely be something completely different (and a little more relaxing!), then we might start exploring the Yorkshire Dales, Wales, Scotland and Northumberland. We will always make return visits to our beloved Lakes and we might even climb something, just for old times sake!

Letting the train take the strain

As we clicked over into June, we had 8 Wainwright fells to climb in order to complete the 214 challenge. We had moved our two pub and one hotel stays three times over a 16 month period and they were now re-booked for mid July all being well.

Still being on furlough, Bro and I thought we could squeeze in a few days away and we decided to go to the Lakes for three nights using the train for the first time.

We planned to climb Pike o'Stickle and Loft Crag in Langdale and Baystones from Ambleside. In the early stages of starting climbing the 214, we had a very large, strong dog with us and back when we did the Langdale Pikes and Pavey Ark in 2014, we felt it was a little too much for him and us, to get him up the very last rocky sections of Loft Pike and Pike o’Stickle, so Bro and I were going back to re-climb them fully as we have now sadly lost both our dogs. We booked into the New Dungeon Ghyll for two nights and the newly refurbished Ambleside Inn for one night and planned to get around by bus.​

All the arrangements worked incredibly smoothly. We changed once in Manchester and caught the bus from Windermere within 20 minutes of getting off the train and that bus dropped us right outside the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

The next morning we set off from the Stickle Ghyll path behind the hotel. Reaching the Cumbria Way, we decided not to cross Dungeon Ghyll, but to carry on and follow a path that wound under, round and up to Pike How. This put us on the 'wrong' side of Dungeon Ghyll, but we gained height quickly and it seemed to be marginally less steep. As we walked the ridge with the huge bulk of Harrison Stickle in front us, the cloud came down and there was a light drizzle, although it was still warm. The path climbed steeply beside the huge, deep ravine of Dungeon Ghyll to a small col and at the col, the path became much narrower with big drops into the ravine to our left. The cloud came right down, we could only see about 10 feet ahead and the rock became very wet and slippery. Not really being comfortable with drops at the side of slippery paths, we decided to re-trace our steps back down to the col, then branched across the flank at the top of the ravine and climbed up and onto the ridge below the start of the climb to Loft Crag.

Although it had entailed a bit more climbing, it really only took us about 20 minutes. A very steep path up to the col between Thorn Crag and Loft Crag brought us out onto Harrison Combe where we took a path up to the summit of Loft Crag. The views were amazing. We took some photos, lingered a while then headed off towards Pike o'Stickle. There was no discernible path up its rocky top and it entailed a bit of a hands on scramble, but it was good fun and the views at the top were stunning; down into Mickelden, across to Glaramara with Skiddaw to the north and Windermere to the south. It was warm, sunny and quite busy.

pike o’stickle’s rocky top from loft crag, the figures on the top give a sense of scale

Coming back down again, we had lunch watching people tackling the very steep path up to Harrison Stickle, then made our way back to the col and began picking our way down again. We took the same route on the way back; crossing the trickling Dungeon Ghyll and re-joining our ascent path up from Pike How. As the sun was shining and it was very warm, we made a slight detour to Pike How's summit and sat enjoying the gorgeous valley views for half an hour before going back down to the hotel.

The next day we took the bus into Ambleside, dropped our surplus bag off at the hotel and set off straight away for Wansfell as we were already in our walking kit and boots. The climb began immediately and I'd forgotten just how steep it was. We'd last been up in 2012 and Bro had also been up again on his own in 2018 when our second dog was very poorly and that time, he’d had also gone on along the ridge to Baystones, which is the Wainwright summit and not something I think we’d realised back in 2012 when we were just starting out in earnest, so I hadn’t done it. He wasn't overjoyed at tackling the climb for a third time, but that's brotherly love for you I guess!

It was very humid and the climb seemed to go on and on but it was much cooler once we reached Wansfell’s summit and the views north over Ambleside and south over Windermere were just stunning. After pausing for a drink, some photos and enjoying the views in the cool breeze, we set off along the very undulating ridge towards Baystones, which looked a fair way on, but was very straightforward. No one else followed us even though there were quite a few people about.

It was a fairly uneventful walk with some gentle ups and downs, but nothing strenuous. The cloud came down as we were on the summit, but we did have wonderful views of the Troutbeck valley, the Kirkstone Pass and Red Screes before the mist and light rain saw us donning waterproofs and heading back. It was much quicker on the way back as we found a path that ran more along the ridge tops and even after a sandwich stop, took us no time at all. The weather improved as we began the descent and we emerged back into the sun and humidity of the valley bottom again, where a cool drink at the Ambleside Inn was very welcome.

It had been a very enjoyable and interesting few days and left us with just four more walks to finish the challenge!

Beautiful langdale from pike how

ambleside from the climb to wansfell

A Lakeland Spring

We’ve been lucky, very lucky and it was so good to be back in the Lakes again after 7 months away.

We had a week’s self catering booked from last year which we moved to last week, and which was able to go ahead under the covid easing regulations. We stayed in a small three bedroom semi detached house in Portinscale that was beautifully comfortable, in the perfect location, and we ate there every evening. We had one coffee out in the whole week.

The weather was amazing, as the week before ours had seen quite a heavy snowfall, but we had no rain (other than one evening), the snow had gone, it was warm enough for a fleece without a coat and there was virtually no wind. We did have one walk with very strong gusts of wind that made us stagger sideways but other than that, it was mild and warm with one or two overcast days, making the perfect walking weather.

At the start of the week, we had 12 Wainwright summits left to climb to finish the challenge. The plan was to tackle 3 of them from Borrowdale and 1 from Ullswater, leaving the last 8 in Wasdale for later in the year hopefully.

The first walk was The Nab from Patterdale and Boredale Hause on a blustery day, but it was a good walk to get ourselves hill fit again and we managed 9 miles and nearly 3000 feet of overall climbing, but the wind picked up on the return and was incredibly strong around Angle Tarn, but exhilarating.

The second walk was Kirk Fell and we took the Hoister Rambler bus from just outside our house up to Honister Slate Mine and climbed up the mine path heading across the flanks of Grey Knotts and Brandreth to Moses Trod. The sun was out, it was warm and still and we only saw 5 people all day. The views down Buttermere and Ennerdale were spectacular. Once at Beck Head, with Great Gable for company, we climbed the steepish, scrambly rock path up the side of Kirk Fell onto the summit plateau where there was still a fair way to go to the summit, but it was easy walking and the views of the Scafells and Wasdale were magnificent.

Walk three was Rosthwaite Fell, one Bro had done before on his own when we had a sick dog to look after, but he generously came back up with me. The views down Borrowdale to Skiddaw were beautiful, but it was a steep climb, although not that lengthy, and much cooler on the top where we realised we were almost at the central point of the Lake District. It was amazing to be able to spin round 360 degrees and realise we’d climbed everything in sight, as well as most of the ridges and valleys.

The last walk was Esk Pike from Seathwaite. We arrived early and parked easily and courteously at the side of the farmer’s road and took the path straight up to the head of the Grains Valley to Esk Hause, following first Grains Gill, then Ruddy Gill. As we gained height, we walked into the low lying cloud which, unfortunately, didn’t lift at all, but it made a wonderfully atmospheric walk up past the enormous ravine of Ruddy Gill, which was very dramatic. The pitched path was very easy to walk on and you didn’t really notice the steepness of the route. At Esk Hause, it was such a shame we couldn’t see the views, but the final pull up to Esk PIke’s summit was very straightforward and we arrived on the top at mid morning. It was very warm and still with not a breath of wind (we’ve read that the wind can be fearsomely strong up there), so we had a drink, took some photos of each other, then made our way back down again. The cloud began to lift as we got lower and we had lovely views of the valley ahead.

All in all, it was a fantastic week and a real privilege to be back. Everywhere was incredibly quiet as the hotels hadn’t opened, people were friendly and the weather had been kind to us. Just the tonic we needed.

Hygge

I’ve been reading a lovely uplifting book called the Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. Apparently, the Danish are the happiest people on earth and a great proportion of that happiness is due to Hygge.

Hygge is one of those words that is hard to translate; a single word that seems to encompass lots of things; a sentence in a word. I think the Chinese and Japanese have similar sentiments in some of their characters. We don’t seem to have it in English so much; the closest I can think is cosiness.

Hygge is the feeling of comfort and warmth and contentment you get from wrapping up in a blanket in front of an open fire with a few friends, a warm drink, a thick jumper, cake, a book and a sense of peace. It seems to help if the weather is cold, wet, stormy or wintery, but hygge can be experienced in the summer months too.

Hygge can apply to anything warm and cosy. Lighting, candles, firesides, food, drink, clothing, good books, board games, small groups of friends. The Danes, according to Meik Wiking, use hygge as both a verb and a noun, so something like a wool jumper can be a hygge-jumper or you could ask someone to come round for some hygge time. It seems to be more a way of life that’s simple, clean, casual, rustic and non technological, but in a really lovely way. Taking your time, slowing things down, watching, listening, sitting.

No bragging, not materialistic, no one trying to outdo anyone else, not having the latest gizmo or gadget, just simple, old fashioned warmth and companionship. It is also about nature and bringing that into the home; greenery, pine cones, conkers and the like; grounding us I suppose. In summer, it would be the act of gathering friends and family at the end of a day’s activities for a simple supper, barbecue or picnic. Christmas by its very nature is the ultimate hygge time with gift giving, family, traditions and decorations playing starring roles.

The acts of baking together, playing a simple game, sitting by the fire, watching the stars, all in the name of relaxation and restoration. A time for adults to perhaps do things just for fun, rather than have an outcome or end result from doing or completing a task. Just a simple way to live well and happily. We could all learn a lot from them.

The Danish also have the concept of Lykke which is simply happiness and the way to try and live a happier life. The Danes are a very sociable nation and it is this feeling of togetherness and community that will promote greater happiness.

“Scandi” style is very on trend at the moment and they have given us clean lines, wonderful design, superb quality, minimalism and functionality with beauty, lightness and simplicity in furniture, furnishings, textiles and clothing, but I think their concepts of hygge and lykke and finding happiness are far more valuable to us all than anything else.

A Feast for the Senses

Connecting, or reconnecting for some, with nature is such a boon to our health and wellbeing. In these altered times when mental and physical heath are at the forefront of our minds, nature’s role in playing a major role cannot be underestimated.

I have found, as many I have spoken to have, that this lockdown has been harder; perhaps because of the winter weather, the frustration of not knowing how long it would go on for, or perhaps just a year of negative news, who knows, but walking locally every day has really helped clear my head when it felt fuzzy and woolly from being indoors too much and has in turn helped with my physical fitness too.

I have always loved being outside and in nature, but perhaps because I’ve had more time to walk; dawdle even, walking the same few local routes over and over again whilst trying to make them all a little different and really take notice of what’s around me, has meant a real appreciation of nature, its benefits, the memories it evokes and the comfort you can derive from those memories. A feast for the senses if you like.

SIGHT

The spring flowers are now everywhere in full force. Delicate pink and white blossom, lovely cheery daffodils, sweet little grape hyacinths, tiny wood violets, celandines and a few early tulips. Buds, shoots, berries and new green leaves are appearing everywhere. We have a west facing garden and have had some stunning sunsets this year and I spend a lot of time looking at the clouds which are really beautiful. We’ve found a field that has a proper old hedgerow running along the length of it, and it’s full of goldfinches, and I mean clouds of them. It’s lovely to sit and watch them flitting about like little embers on the breeze. Watching the birds on the feeders in the garden has been lovely and a flock of Redwings one Sunday was a real treat. We also have four resident Red Kites that glide overhead most of the time and they really are such beautiful birds.

SMELL

There’s a path we walk daily, across which the most gorgeous soft flowery scent wafts and I can never tell where it’s coming from but I love it. We stop and say hello to horses in the local fields and their comforting smell takes me back to my pony mad teens, working at the local riding stables. I love the smell of woodsmoke, pine woods, hay and straw in summer, cut grass, the fragrance of a bluebell wood and the pungent and mouth watering scent of wild garlic.

SOUND

I have really, genuinely found pleasure in birdsong this last year, perhaps because I’ve really listened, or maybe there’s less traffic so I can hear more clearly. To wake up to the sound of a robin in the tree outside my bedroom window instead of the shrillness of an alarm has been wonderful. We have seagulls overhead (even though we’re an hour from the coast) but the sound is so reminiscent of childhood summer holidays. The soft call of the wood pigeon instantly transports me back to my Grandmother’s house, my favourite skylarks (a wonderful discovery in a local field) takes me back to summer days on the high hills, geese honking overhead to each other as they fly always reminds me of the end of summer and crows cawing, of midwinter country walks.

TASTE

I remember sucking on a dead nettle flower as a kid to get that tiny hit of sweetness on my tongue and chewing the end of sweet, new grass. I’ve made nettle tea, used wild garlic in cooking, made crabapple jelly and damson jam from the garden trees and grow any number of herbs that I use in meals and drinks. We collected bags of juicy blackberries and fallen apples from the woods in the autumn and had lots of lovely hot winter puddings.

TOUCH

I’m always touching things on walks and picking things up; gnarled bark, soft moss, new leaves, sheep’s wool caught on a wire fence, smooth stones, twigs, pine cones, acorns, conkers, sweet chestnuts - all manner of things that are so tactile I can’t leave them alone. In the same way, I can’t resist stroking every dog or horse I meet or every cat arching its back to me on a wall.

The next time you’re out, it’s really worth looking around you with all your senses and taking pleasure and comfort in those smaller things that get us through the bigger things.

Social Distancing Lakeland style

Still being on furlough, but with lockdown slightly easing, we took a trip to the Lakes that had been moved from our original March date. Some trepidation preceded the trip; would we go, should we go, how would it work, would it be safe enough, but we were reassured by guidelines emailed from the hotels about the check in procedures, cleaning methods and social distancing measures they had put in place.

Once we arrived, the staff were all fantastic as were their systems for keeping everyone safe. Rooms are now not cleaned every day (which I really don’t mind at all), one way systems, masks, sanitiser and tables thinned and spaced out in the bars and restaurants with table service. A huge thanks and appreciation go to all of them - one lady admitted they were all exhausted after an extremely busy summer.

Wast Water from the descent of Lingmell

We’ve heard about the National Parks experiencing huge volumes of people who might otherwise have gone abroad for their summer holidays and some of those people behaved disrespectfully and thoughtlessly with rubbish being left everywhere, barbecues smouldering (we saw evidence of burnt patches of grass in several places), trees being cut down, walls damaged, gates left open and more. We met a wonderful lady called Lindsay Buck on the climb up to Scafell Pike who calls herself the #WasdaleWomble; she’s climbed Scafell Pike voluntarily over 140 times to litter pick. Have a look at her Just Giving page as she’s raising money for Wasdale Mountain Rescue. A real life wonder woman.

Mosedale dwarfing the Wasdale Head Inn. From Lingmell

So now that we’re in Autumn, things seem to have calmed down a little and may be returning to a sort of normal, with only avid walkers braving the heights and elements. We based ourselves in Wasdale for the bulk of the time we were there, which in itself is fairly off the beaten track. We stayed at the wonderful, historic and iconic Wasdale Head Inn, somewhere we’ve only visited before for food and drink, and it was fantastic.

Full of the history of the pioneering days of British rock climbing, with the Abraham Brothers’ photos covering every wall, it has such a special atmosphere. You’re also surrounded by all the giants of Lakeland, so the scenery is truly magnificent and it’s very easy to social distance here! We climbed Scafell, Slight Side, Scafell Pike, Lingmell and Pillar while in the valley and Allen Crags and Rossett Pike in Langdale with varying weather conditions from warm and sunny to utterly freezing with high wind, sleet and torrential rain, but it really cleared away the cobwebs and we only ever met three or four people all day.

The lobby of the Wasdale Head Inn

We are so grateful to have been able to visit the Lakes in these difficult times, but it really has helped to recharge and rejuvenate us for the coming months ahead when we could possibly end up facing another lockdown, but here’s hoping and praying this all ends soon for all of us.

Mickleden from the descent of Rossett Pike

Pinpricks of light in dark times

Who’d have thought we’d still be in lockdown albeit now it’s gradually beginning to ease? For us, a simple pleasure is that we can now visit local coffee shops as part of a walk which was something we really missed doing. I am still a furloughed worker, but I have been keeping busy and I had a think about those things personal to me that have given me simple pleasure during these dark times.

Exploring our home area

Exploring within 10 miles of home

the secret bluebell wood

I know this has been the topic of lots of posts and tweets, but it’s true. Walking dogs in our area over the past 20 years has meant we’ve done most of the immediate and middle ground around home, so we’ve stretched out a little further as we were allowed to, and walked for ten miles or so. We found some beautiful little places and took paths we’d never tried. A tiny bluebell wood in full bloom tucked away at the back of two fields in a little hollow that we had all to ourselves in May was the highlight.

Walking on the golf course

A privilege to be allowed to walk here

Our county golf course is only a ten minute walk from us, but obviously has been off limits to the general public ever since I’ve known it, except for one tiny stretch that we always hurried across in case we were hit by fast moving balls. They very kindly opened it up in April for about six weeks to local people and it was an absolute delight. Stunningly beautiful, quiet, filled with flowering trees and wild flowers, long valleys and some pretty views, it was a total pleasure especially early in the morning. I was quite happy wandering there alone or with my brother. with a full perimeter walk being about three and a half miles. We could also make the walks longer, knowing we could cut back across the course, instead of negotiating a long stretch on a narrow but busy road. I was genuinely upset when they closed it again for the golfers.

Birds and Butterflies

one of the jays living in our oak tree

stunning peacock butterfly

Aside from the gorgeous birdsong greeting me each morning with my window thrown wide open, we’ve spent more time watching the birds in the garden. We have several feeders and it’s lovely to see all sorts of birds, some of which have become quite tame. We had a lovely little Blue Tit family in our bird box we were lucky enough to see as they fledged and blundered about loudly in the trees for the first time. We had Jays nesting in our oak tree and a family of squirrels, three of which are still in the garden each day. We have a large number of Red Kites that float overhead and do occasionally swoop down into the garden if they think they spot something. Dunnocks, Long Tail Tits, Nuthatches, Goldfinches, a pair of ducks that came at the same time every day for three weeks, a party of really tame white pigeons, a gang of Jackdaws and many more and it’s been lovely. We also have a huge Buddleia bush which has been filled with butterflies and it’s so lovely to watch them feeding.

oOo

I realise many people have had terrible, grief stricken, stressful and worrying times or put themselves at risk to help others over the last months and my sympathies go out to them, their families and friends, but let’s hope there is light and better times at the end of the tunnel for us all. And soon.

Pastures New

So, lockdown continues apace, although after this weekend, there might be announcements of slight easing. Let’s hope and pray this is the beginning of the end of the worst of it.

As part of daily exercise, Bro and I have been getting out from home and it’s been really quite surprisingly good. Within about half a mile we can be in pastoral, rural farmland and not see a soul. It’s been stimulating to explore new paths, revisit areas we haven’t walked to for ages and get a little creative with where to go, so it doesn’t become stale. The weather has been utterly amazing too which has really helped.

Our county golf course also generously opened up to walkers and runners and, luckily for us, the clubhouse is a mere ten minute walk away from home. The golf course is absolutely stunning with beautiful trees, woodland, bluebells and some nifty hills to get the heart rate up and maintain some hill fitness.

I thought I’d share some phone photos of the local walks and new places discovered on the doorstep.

Local rural farmland

Beautiful in the warm sun

Early morning light on the golf course

A bluebell wood hidden away and found by chance. We had it all to ourselves!

Revisiting paths we hadn’t walked for a while

Walking on the golf course

The golf course - just beautiful

Stunning May blossom

Our local pond

I hope you all keep safe and well; thanks and gratitude go as always to front line and key workers, and let’s hope this wretched virus is slowly on the way out, so that we all can be too.

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 colleagues/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, 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!

20 Nuggets of Common Sense

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 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.

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; either we were too tired, it was too far or the weather was bad 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, squashed flat and 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 that is much less sweet or spicy; boiled eggs, chicken chunks, 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

   Imperative. 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 push ourselves 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. Infection causing 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…..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 of them twice by tucking sodden hair behind my ears.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. MAKE IT ENJOYABLE

    It’s tough, climbing fells or mountains, walking long distance paths, cycling miles 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 take time to soak it all up.

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…..

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 and inability to walk, so he was eventually prescribed some strong anti-inflammatories for acute tendonitis which immediately took the swelling and 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 so far. 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 high level day and fairly straightforward. We met some interesting people who’ve since become Facebook friends, and a young lady in a  Canadian Ski Marathon Team hat, 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 progressively 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 I meet once a year. We live about two and a half hours from each other and I enjoy staying with her and her family, but we also have a weekend somewhere different occasionally. We’ve been to Liverpool, Bournemouth, Bristol, 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 carriages. 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 for 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. The driving was very straightforward. 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 being comfortable 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. 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 Whatever you choose, there's surely 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 trudge 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 before you start, or tea 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.