RICHARD DAWKINS

THE CHEVIOT TO KIRK YETHOLM

Thursday 20/05/2010. Well I can't quite believe it, today I will be finishing my traverse of The Pennine Way! Yes I'm actually going to do it and it's a strange feeling for some reason! My regular time-keeping holds out and I'm making my way up Cairn Hill's rather boggy track by 7am. Unfortunately for me the clag is down, so this my final day's walking is the only day on which I have not set off in perfect conditions, but still nothing can interfere with my jovial self-assurance and I'm savouring the feeling of being a PW completer, I know, I know and I am conscious that chickens can be counted too soon. With the weather conditions I neither take the optional extension to top-out on the summit of The Cheviot or when it comes the official high-level finish over Steer Rig and White Law taking the easier "bad wether" option of the low route down to Halterburn and into Kirk Yetholm. Obviously I'm now keen to finish and calculate that my final day's walking will be of the order of eight or nine miles. However when I get down to Halterburn - and the track is a beautiful end to the walk the sun has burned off the cloud and mist and it's another wonderful early summer day, gosh I am lucky! I'm also a bit of a sight and guess I must be a bit smelly - you can never tell yourself can you? so I stop by the side of the Witchcleuch Burn and strip down to dry off in the hot morning sun and don a clean T shirt after a splash of water to freshen up, golly I do need a shave too. Then I give my boots a clean and head down onto the farm track that leads past the junction with St. Cuthbert's Way and into Kirk Yetholm. Done it laddie. Into the bar at the Border Hotel where I was presented with a certificate showing my time of Nine Days Seventeen Hours and Forty Minutes, quite fast. I had a few drinks to celebrate and a customer took me out of his way to help me get a bus to Berwick. But with over an hour to wait for it I hitched a lift, my luck continued I got to Berwick, to Newcastle, to Middlesbrough and home to Ingleby Barwick, Well chuffed too.

PADDON HILL TO THE CHEVIOT

Wednesday 19/5/2010. PHOTO: The Street, Cheviot Drove Road.
Despite my proximity to the minor road (not a single vehicle passed by overnight, though I do sleep soundly) there is a feeling of being quite alone in this vast unpopulated area making my morning ascent over Paddon Hill to drop into Redesdale valley on the eastern fringe of the mighty Keilder Forest. Several miles of forest track walking -two separate sightings of lovley Roe Deer - leads to the River Rede then crossed to reach two little hamlets, contenders for the distinction of having the longest place names in England, to wit: "Blakehopeburnhaugh" & "Cottonshopeburnfoot" (surely the locals will abbreviate), from here the west bank of the river is followed into Byrness. I had an interesting encounter with a sleeping Adder in the forest, I thought it was dead and tapped it with my foot which sent it scurrying off before I could get my camera out, bugger, you couldn't have asked for a better picture opportunigy! But soon my little heart was skipping a beat faster on reaching the roadside garage with it's cafe a hundred yards or so from the point where the Way meets the A696 at the hamlet of Byrness, but alas I was in for a swift disappointment as this business has also closed. A bit of a blow as I was relying on this stop to get the food I will need to finish the walk. From here there is only 28 miles to Kirk Yetholm, but the crossing of the Cheviot Hills must be made with all requirements on your back as there are no services at all between Byrness and the finishing line in Kirk Yetholm and Byrness is so small it hardly merits the title of even a hamlet, so I was not a happy bunny. There is a B&B up a hill on the opposite side of the road - it was previously Byrness's advertised hotel - and I walked up to see if I could get some food there, my luck was in as the owners are well aware of the needs of PW walkers and indeed are planning to open a cafe on their premises. This was a great relief to me as I was invited in to enjoy a cup of tea, bacon sandwich and took away with me apples and biscuits which with my own remainding provender should see me through to the bitter end! (Wonderful value for under a fiver, Pen-y-Ghent cafe please note) Phew that was a close thing. The message is that backpackers should make essential purchases at Bellingham. From Byrness the route heads up into the woods where I quickly managed to lose sight of any PW signing but by keeping in a proper northerly direction, but not without that element of little that accompanies the knowledge of being off-route, particularly as the Forestry Commission are at work so raising fears of possible confrontation. I eventuall got it sorted out by passing the bothy called "Spithope", essentially I have taken a low-level route, only a few hundred yards beneath the skyline and the proper path, but I could see no way up! but after the bothy soon got back on the proper Way. Soon I was passing the site of the roman fort at Chew Green and further north the handy little mountain refuge hut at the foot of Lamb Hill, where the route swings to the north-east for the next few miles. I can now smell the finishing line and keep a good pace but I am getting increasing pain from my right shin, however there is no turning back from here I am now fully committed to the route and even if the pain gets much worse I have no option but to complete the walk! At least it keeps things simple. It's another fine walking day and I'm making good progress despite my leg and have to admit I'm now looking forward to the finish, my timing is working out just perfect too, if I get as many miles in as possible before my final PW camp tonight I can reduce my last days walking to sub-ten miles which will hopefully allow me to get home by public transport avoiding the need for another overnight's camp. This is a beautiful lonely section with vast empty miles and gentle rolling hills in all directions. The only people I met on the crossing were a couple of Pennine Wayfarers (who offerred and shared a dram with me), wonderful lads wild-camping just north of Windy Gyle the only living souls seen before reaching the outskirts of Kirk Yetholm. I kept walking till 8.30pm by which time I had passed north of the King's Seat cairn and pitched in the heather - hard to pitch in good to sleep on - beneath the west facing slope of Cairn Hill the outlier of mighty Cheviot. Bedded down a happy man, I will be completing The Pennine Way tomorrow!

HADRIAN'S WALL TO PADDON HILL

Tuesday 18th. May 2010. PHOTO: Hot Bank Farm at Crag Lough.
Another incredible bright and hey-hi-ho summer's morning sees me leaving my seventh camp on The Pennine Way along Hadrian's Wall in goodly spirits having slept soundly following a long 32 mile day yesterday. I have six or seven miles to go along that constant up-and-down section of the Wall which is mildly disconcerting as steady striding is constantly interrupted - how much harder on the men who built the wall I wonder? On arriving at Rapishaw Gap just this side of Housesteads Fort the only person met along the Wall was a solitary local dog-walker out enjoying this bright new day, we dallied for a chat near the summit trig point on the highest point on the Wall - Winshiels Crag at 1132' above sea level. It was a great treat to see several Whinchats hereabouts. The early morning light is so good I took quite a few pictures despite having covered this section phtographically on my double-traverse of the Wall a couple of years ago. A quickish march brings me to Rapishaw Gap where the Wall is left in favour of the lowland moors leading into the eastern extremity of the formidable man-planted woodlands of Wark Forest. I had an unusual encounter on an open path in a warm sunny clearing through the woods, stepping over an Adder asleep on the track. It was so still I thought it was dead and gently tapped it with my foot, a procedure that failed to meet with complete viperous approval! Off it went at a rare lick, instantly disappearing in the long grass, my closest encounter yet with an Adder but I should have got a picture before standing on the poor thing. On leaving the forest- at least the going has been quite fast on the trails - I dropped down to cross first the Wark Burns then Hauxty Burn and on into the town of Bellingham. My first port of call in Bellingham (pronounced BellingJAM), was to the local chemist, I have hurt the bottom part of the shin in my right leg, I think I have been tying my boot lace too tight, and although I have loosed off the lace, the pain is increasing, I bought some "ice" gel. Then it was into the bakers shop next door, Yummy, down the lane to a public tap - every town should have at least one of these for wayfarers who are always on the look-out for water and then off steeply up the road for a mile or so to regain the high ground above the valley. A few easy miles and I'm reaching my evening knackered stage and begin to keep an eye out for a place to pitch up for the night and in due course after passing Hareshaw House and crossing the minor road then traversing over Rough Shaw I found my spot by the next minor road about a mile below the summit of Paddon Hill. Another good day and I have walked at least 60 miles in the last 48 hours and I'm beginning to think that I might actually finish the walk! It's a fact that less than half of all starting walkers make it from Edale to Kirk Yetholme and that has been on my mind, not only that but the Pennine Way is about 70 miles longer than my previous record distance for a continuous walk, so it represents quite an increase on what I know I can do! Slept very well, as might be imagined>

GARRIGILL TO HADRIANS' WALL

Monday 17th. May 2010. PHOTO: Hadrian's Wall.
I'm up and away about 7am. having settled into a sleeping routine that allows me to get up and off quite early, my intention is to arrive in Garrigill just as the shops open. I walked quickly on the downhill path and got into the village about 8.30am and by happy co-incidence met the post-office owner while I was dumping yesterdays litter in a bin, asked when the shops opened and he said not till nine "but I'll open up for you if you want" such is the power of private enterprise! Thank you kind sir.. From Garrigill it's an enjoyable five miles walk to Alston along the banks of the South Tyne and I arrived in Alston mid-morning. I detoured into the town to stock up on food etc., which added about 45 minutes to my time then it was back downhill to follow the South Tyne river just a little west of north, through the unromantically named old mining village of Slaggyford onto the abandoned bed of the South Tynsdale Railway and on to the village of Greenhead some 18 miles north of Alston. I arrived after a slightly confusing crossing of the golf-course immediately north of the A69 and made for the pub and had my first beer for over a week! I needed to beg water and with the pub very full I felt compelled to buy a pint! I have a reason to celebrate too as I get here exactly a week after leaving Edale and the official tally of miles is 199, so with my several tours I drink my beer toasting having walked over 200 miles in a week. I'm sure that will be a new one week distance record for me. Then it was off passing the track to Thirlwall Castle and then with a bit of a pull too, it's always the same tiring drag with hills encoutered at the fag-end of the day.. up along Cockmount Hill with a dramtic change of direction from north to east as the next section of the Way crosses wonderful Hadrian's Wall to Housesteads. Soon I'm at the car-park at Cawfields and have the wall all to myself in the warm evening light spilling in from a setting sun in the west making for good photograhy. Time to find somewhere to camp but as there are farms around and conscious of how unwelcome wild camping is in these parts - fears are that tentpoles and pegs may cause damage to as yet undiscovered archeology, something I am happy to recognise - so I elect to have my first proper night out under the stars this year and kip in my bivi-sac. righ by the wall and I'm in a small way sorry to say that I was not in the least worried by the ghosts of the Roman Legionairs. A great night and in a great spot too, as can be seen in my picture.

HIGH FORCE TO GARRIGILL

Sunday 16th.May 2010. PHOTO: Greg's Hut.
Leaving "Juniper Camp" I have by my caluclations now completed 146 miles of the walk. The next dozen or so miles I know quite well and expect to make fast progress to Dufton and so it turns out. Once I have passed and photographed High Force (again), it's a short climb up Cronkley Hill and down to cross the Maize Beck and on to the waterfall of Cauldron Snout and the dam wall at Cow Green Reservoir. Reaching the dam wall involves several miles of wonderful sprung-turf walking by the riverside passing the whitewashed farmsteads of the Raby Estate. But alas the Way abandons this five star terrain for a couple of miles of boulder-hopping to reach the bottom of Cauldron Snout's waterfall, the difference in going is sudden, dramatic and the turf is soon missed! At the top of the Snout I met and chatted to a man from Australia who was also walking the Way but was making for Langdon Green to meet up and then walk with his friends, all fellow Australians. Most of the walkers doing the Way seem to be from overseas so the Way is contributing to our foreign exchange reserves, or at least the walkers I am meeting are. The next notable landmark is the wonderful Whin Sill glaciated valley at High Cup Nick, I had my photo taken here I'm meeting more folks on the Way than on any earlier day! Down into Dufton and a bit of a blow to learn that the shop in the town is no longer open! dratt.. I went into the pub preparing to have to fork out extortionately for sandwiches etc but had great good luck to meet a fellow (lady) walker, who on learning of my predicament gave me her surplus food, thank you ma'am! Next on the walk is a big pull up onto the ridge leading to The Dun Fells with the Radar Station atop, on the climb up I even managed to get some snow on my boots! Making my way to Cross Fell was hard going a) I was tiring by this time in the early evening and b) a stiff and very cold wind did nothing to help. But I was making good distance and soon found myself dropping down to Gregs Hut the old mining cottage now serving in the office of a bothy. No one was resident, I had a quick look at the log-book and was gratified to see that my immediate predecessor (walking the Way and signing the book) started his entry "Day 12 on the Pennine Way", I was tempted to start mine with "Day six on the Pennine Way- so there!" but modesty forbade me! I considered spending the night here and it would have been a pleasant doss but the time was just too early, I can easily get another hour or two on my legs and get closer to Garrigill, hard tonight, but I'll be glad on the morrow. It's all downhill but a bit uncomfortable underfoot due to the rather stony track, but I endured and found a wonderful spot to camp about three miles above Garrigill in the small bay of an old quarry near some abandoned mineworkings. A great little spot and the Golden Plovers kept me company and I slept a happy man.

THWAITE TO HIGH FORCE ON THE TEES

Saturday 15th. May 2010. PHOTO: Racock Moor to Baldersdale.
The beautiful weather continues and all of today is blessed with continuous warm sunshine and with good tramping underfoot I pace the miles with relish. Thwaite was still asleep as I walked through, in passing I stopped to photograph the Cherry Kearton Hotel (tea room closed early am. alas), named after the famous naturalist and photographer who lived here before elevation to fame and fortune. Out of Thwaite leads to a pleasant climb over the hill called Kidson then easily downhill to the attractive hamlet of Keld - I last passed through Keld on my walk along Wainwright's Coast to Coast route during the first week of August 2008. The next stage from to Middleton-in-Teesdale is a long one at 22 miles and takes a direct line north over the Stonedale Moor to the famous Tan Hill Inn. I stopped for a cup of tea and found the service appalling; I'll need to be in some extremity to be tempted across their door again. Leaving the pub the good news is that the Sleightholm Moss crossing was a bouncy romp given how dryed out it was and this is possibly the worst reputed bog on the entire Way. Next the busy A66 is crossed at God's Bridge, no need to use the bridge however as the river Greta has almost disappeared underground! Then a gentle climb over Ravock Castle to descend to the reservoirs at Baldersdale and the erstwhile home of Hannah Hauxwell at Birk Hatt Farm - took a picture for my BritLit Flickr group- and uphill to a rest by Hannah's Meadow (the meadow and the farm are now in the possession of the Durham Wildlife Trust). Here in mid afternoon, I took a short break in the sun relishing the fact that I have now walked 134 miles since leaving Edale last Monday evening so I have now accomplished half of the Pennine Way - and I'm just inside the time required for a sub-ten day completion! But the road beckons and so off north once more, I miss the Bowes Loop and will restock on food and water in Middleton about two hours walk away. Arriving about teatime I made for the local fish and chip shop and had a smashing fish-supper alfresco on the pavement tables then after stocking up on essential comestibles made my way along the west bank of the River Tees - From here to Dufton I will be travelling in the opposite direction taken when I last walked this stretch on TheTeesdale Way done in early June 2007. After passing Low Force I'm ready to turn in at the next possible campsite and soon wander off the path to camp in the juniper woods a couple of hundred yards below the High Force waterfalls, quite out of site and a good soft pitch about four miles or so from Middleton-in-teesdale. So get set up in the evening sun, put the kettle on and this is the life for a man like me!

PEN-Y-GHENT TO THWAITE

Friday 14th. May 2010. PHOTO: Peter and Judy Scott.
By 8am I am making my way from my camp the Halton Gill Road sonn passing Churn Milk Hole to climb the steep stepped path of Pen-y-Ghent on another dry and fine morning. However the mist was kissing the trig point on the hill's long summit sitting 2372' above sea-level. On the way up the track passes the gritstone edge of Pen-y-Ghent seen much clearer from Horton-in-Ribblesdale and I lapsed into memories of a rock-climbing visit with Ruth Conway - a scan of my climbing guide shows that the trip was made on 18th. July 1983, our agenda was the Classic Rock route "Red Pencil, I led the direct finish and we also climbed the routes; Damocles Groove, Pagon's Purgatory and Nose Cracks. I recall that it was a very warm day and after our climbs we repaired to trig point to admire the view. Low flying jets screeched overhead so close you could have poked them with a walking pole, gun-powder explosions echoed from the Whernside quarries and below us in Halton Gill sheepdogs barked and the sheep bleated adding to the general cacophony! So much for peace and quiet of the countryside! Down in Horton I stopped at the cafe, signed the book and had an expensive cup of tea and a bacon sandwich. Then back to the walk and quickly passing the reveered Crown Inn and up the route of the Ribble Way along the walled route of Harber Scar Lane and into classic Dales scenery of field vale and limestone walls. It's a fifteen mile section to Hawes and once more I got my head down and my feet in gear completing the distance in under five hours. This allowed me a bit of luxury in rehydrating and also a chance to buy some more food before setting off to make my way along the next secton to Keld. I quickly arrived at Hardraw and started the long climb up Great Shunner Fell when to our mutual delight I met old friends from my climbing days with the Derwent and Oread Mountaineering Clubs in Derbyshire - Peter Scott and Judy Woods, so this part of the Way is becoming a real stroll down memory lane! We sat and had a good blether but I have many miles to go and had to say farewell after an exchange of email addresses etc and continued on the lonely track (today) up to the summit shelter of the fell then down to Thwaite as a lone Golden Plover kleeped me off the hill, now well paved and so another famous Pennine bogfest has had it's teeth drawn. I got a good camp about half-a-mile above the Village the proper ending to another great day on the fell.

WINDY HILL TO ICKORNSHAW

Wednesday 12/05/2010. PHOTO: Stoodley Pike.

After Tuesday night camped by the busy M62 where, I'm pleased to say, neither frost nor traffic noise could penetrate my sleep! I got off bright and early this morning being keen to walk into new territory, the Derbyshire end of the Pennine Way being quite well known to me from the years I lived in the county from 1979-2000. Fairly soon I'm crossing Blackstone Edge with it's trig point atop an impressive rocky mound at 1549' above sea level. Then a rather windswept drop off the high moor to reach an old paved road by the ancient waymarker the Aiggin Stone.
The Way now enters proper reservior country, after crossing the busy A58 close to the White Horse pub, (closed of course) there are several easy miles by the side of Blackstone Edge, then Light Hazzles and finally Warland reservoirs. Lots of nesting Mallards, a few Sandpipers and the odd Wheatear enlivening the scene with the ususal crop of Swallows working the water. Stoodley Pike comes into view and is followed by a steep descent into Calderdale and Hebden Bridge - another water detour, the weather is warm and my high mileage makes constant rehydration essential. My guide now gives a distance of 18 miles to reach Lothersdale which will keep me busy for a bit! And it starts with a steep climb back up to the moorland plateau, I did another minor detour to grab a cup of coffee and a bun or two at Highgate Farm (Alladin's Cave), well worth the effort. More but gentler climbing leads up to famous Top Withans and it's tenuous connection with Wuthering Heights, for a while the Way follows the path of The Bronte Way and after a descent to Pondon Reservior climbs over the summit of Wolf Stones and on to Ickornshaw Moor. After passing the village the Way continues north and I'm on the look out for a camping spot, this is actively farmed countryside but I soon find a nice out of sight hollow, pitch, brew, eat and sleep. Some 60 miles completed now.

Thursday 13/05/2010. ICKORNSHAW TO PEN-Y-GHENT. (Due to an editorial error (hmmm) today 's report will be included in this post with Wednesdays!
After an early and frosty start to my day I set off in the now customary bright sunlight and
the first place of interest reached was the pretty village of Lothersdale and from there it is a fifteen mile stretch to Malham and the limestone country of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, a good target. All good easy walking with a brief spell along the Leeds and Liverpool canal taking in the interesting double stacked bridge near East Marton. Then on to pretty Gargrave where the Co-op supplied food and drink and an meat pie emporium opposite sourced my water needs as well as an excellent jellied pie (should have bought two). Had a bit of bother getting off-route on the last mile to Gargrave which caused me to head too far east, don't think it added much in the way of distance but had me road-walking for a bit longer than necessary. After Gargrave it was on to Malham in beautiful sunshine, I really have got it good with the weather and in Malham I stop for a drink of ornange and soda at the Buck Inn my preferred pub in the village. At the Cove I had a chat with a couple of RSPB lads who pointed out where a Peregrine was sitting on it's nest, unfortunately not showing in the little time I could spare for birdwatching - I got a good shot of an Oyster-catcher chick on the river Ayre on the approach to Malham though - then up the steep steps to the limestone pavement and away from the crowds and on to deserted Malham Tarn passing the field centre ( with it's literary associations with Charles Kingsley). I left Malham at 3.30pm and about four hours later had climbed and crossed Fountains Fell making a tiring ascent at the end of a long days walk, down the other side and down to the minor road above Stainforth just to the east of Pen-y-Ghent where I camped for the night midway between two farms close to the road but with the protection of a good wall. It has been a long days walking and I'm too tired at 8pm to tackke the ascent of Pen-y-Ghent and though this was a chancy sort of place for a wild camp in Yorkshire, I was up and away early in the morning with problems.

ASHOP HEAD TO WINDY HILL

Tuesday 11th. May 2010. PHOTO: Erosion Control on Kinder Scout.
With my evening start yesterday, I only managed a couple hours or so of walking up Jacob's Ladder over Kinder Scout and camped on the col above the Ashop Head to Snake Pass track, it was snowing when pitching! The morning was crisp clear and compelling and I'm mustard-keen to get some dirt on my boots and miles on my legs and boy there is nothing to impede. It's thirty or so years since I first tramped these hills and moors and over that time there has been a lot of work aimed at reducing the erosion caused by boots and now the authorities are engaged in a long on-going campaign to lay old paving slabs across the worst of the moors bogs and what a difference it makes. The ground is very dry and this is encouraging, I have had this walk in mind for over 25 years but the thought of the bogs (and of course Wainwright's moaning about them) has provided a rich source of excuse material. Too late now and with the exceptional dry weather in April I have got the conditions right for a fast traverse my target is to complete around the ten day mark. I will be wild camping throughout. Today's walking will take me over familiar terrain and after crossing the Snake Pass onto the once feared Featherbed Moss followed by a descent to Crowden and it's reservoir. Here I detoured to find water adding a good half hour's walking, water, water everywhere but so hard to get a drop to drink! but still, the sun shines. The next leg from Crowden to Standedge is 12 miles in length passing Laddow Rocks where I remember ticking off some rock-climbs thirty years ago, and a pair of Peregrines and some Ravens are nesting today. Black Hill comes next and fast too all that flag-laying has tamed the bog, time was that the Black Hill trig point was an island protected by a deep and potentially lethal moat of noxious liquified peat, horses were rumoured to have disappered in it's murky deep! At Standage I made my first route finding error where the Way leaves a tarmac lane on a sign simply marked "public footpath" whereas the lane it leaves continues signed with a white acorn marker for the Pennine Way Bridlepath, taking that I wasted half an hour or more before being rescued by a knowing local who observed "everyone makes that mistake" Indeed I was later to meet a fellow Pennine Wayfarer who had done exactly the same (but with a much more serious consequence unfortunately). Keen to get the miles in I carry on walking till 8.15pm and camp on a pitch just above the M62 north of Windy Hill, by which time my distance walked was about the thirty mile mark. Even if the faint rumble from the M62 had been as loud as thunder, my sleep would be quite undisturbed!

THE PENNINE WAY EDALE START

Monday 10th. May 2010. PHOTO: The Old Nag's Head - Edale.
Joy drove me over to Keswick last weekend and I am bound for the Pennine Way while Joy will be enjoying a few days in the lodge. I travelled by bus to Manchester but finished the journey to Edale by train from Manchester Piccadilly station. I purchased my ticket and ran out to the platform only to see the train draw away, a minute earlier, or if the train had been a minute late and I would have been on board and not obliged to hang around for another hour and thirty five minutes.... Still I got to Edale about six pm walked up to the official start opposite the Old Nags Head pub and started off on my journey of 268 miles at exactly 6.10pm. The weather forecast is good and the start was dry and sunny and these conditions prevailed throughout the walk although tonight and the following two saw sub-zero temperatures overnight, but as this too was forecast I have come prepared. My daily posts on the walk will not be expansive as a full record has been logged on my "summonedbyfells" page on flickr.

A NIGHT AT THE THEATRE

Wednesday 21/04/2010. I had a pleasant evening down in Stockton-on-Tees at the ARC theatre for the next in their series of spoken work events, this one called "Your Are Here" A poetry night though perhaps a bit of an exageration to call it a night as the show lasted an hour, no break and that was that. Despite it's brevity I enjoyed it for there are few opportunities for live poetry events in our area. The performance poets in attendance were Jo Shapcott, quite a well known poet whom I recall seeing a few years ago reading at the Words by the Water Festival in Keswick with A E Fanshawe (who died not long ago). On my flikr page I have used a poem from each of the writers performing tonight, to illustrate and go with the pictures taken for my British Literary group on flickr so I will not repeat them here, for Jo's poem called "Shopping" go to: http://www.flickr.com/photos/summonedbyfells/4546111788/ (It ocurrs to me that I should be able to insert a page link that would allow direct connection to my flickr photo, as it is and until such time as I can work out how to do this, it will be necessary to copy and past the link to see what I am referring to). I have to say this sort of commentary poetry doesn't do a great deal for me, it all seems very ordinary and hardly worth the effort of writing it down, I can't see that it has much to say about anything. Conversely Daljit Nagra an Asian teacher had some interesting work on the theme of his growing up in a cross-culture environment, he had something original to say; at least to me. His writing opened a door and offerred a glimpse into another world of identity confusion but another world we all knew and think so little of now - that of childhood. The third poet of the evening was for me the best a fetching lass from Ulster called Colette Bryce, her wispy lines, her observational accurary catch at how simple description and a connecting thought process produce a striking imagery, for this reason I will repeat her "Nature Table" here, maybe it was her gentle but compelling Derry accent but whatever it was I thoroughly enjoyed her performance and felt happy to have encountered some new current work.

NATURE WALK - By Colette Bryce

If only my bag had been large enough,
I would have brought the lonely men in parked cars
by the river. I would have brought the woman
dabbing khol tears with the heel
of her hand. I might have brought the ancient couple
who read each word on the YOU ARE HERE
board, then turned and ambled on, heads
a little upward-tilted showing
an interest in everything.

I would have brought the coping stone
from the twelth pier of the original bridge, and the 4.06:
from elsewhere, curving (glittering) carefully across.
And all the busy people on it; all their coats
and phones and wallets. I might
have brought the restless gulls that dropped
like paper boats on to the water. And the burger van,
the girl inside with greasy hair,
her quite unsolvable crossword.

And put them all on my nature table,
and fashioned little cardboard signs:
a small display that would speak in a way
about lonliness and life spans, parked cars and rivers.

I bought some bark, and a couple of conkers,
one still half-encased in it's skin like an eye.

*************

And of course she brought them all with her!
My picture was taken by Daljit Nagra and shows me with Jo Shapcott.

**************

There is something about parked cars in the poetry of Ulster, or maybe there isn't, but Colette Bryce's line about the "lonely men in parked cars" chimes with other troubled parked-car associations with Ulster - like Paul Muldoon's:

IRELAND

The volkswagon parked in the gap
But gently ticking over.
You wonder if it's lovers
And not men hurrying back
Across two fields and a river.

Perhaps you need to know a little about Ulster's Troubles to get it, but I certainly do and so did poor Eamon Collins, beaten to death by the roadside in Strabane. In his book "Killing Rage" the role of cars, parked or about fearful business play a deadly if secondary role.

AROUND GREENBURN

Saturday 17/04/2010. This is my final trip in pursuit of unclimbed Birkett summits and my plan is to finish off the hills in the Consiton section of Birketts List in "The Complete Lakeland Fells" As with my Shap and Wasdale walks I will be combining Birkett's recommended routes into a single walk starting in Elterwater. Soon the walk passes the lovely Little Langdale Tarn to approach the first felll of the day, my targets are: Birk Fell, Wetherlam, Black Sails, Swirl Howe, Grey Friar, Great Carrs, Little Carrs and Hell Gill Pike. Having made many walks among the Coniston Fells only Little Carrs and it's lower extension Great Hell Pike will be new tops for me but I'm not bothered by that; these fells provide classic lakeland walking of the highest order and the sun continues to shine heralding another treat in store. From Elterwater it's about a two mile walk south-west out of the village passing the old slate mines in Sawery Wood then a bit of descent to pass Little Langdale Tarn and the famouse much photographed Slaters Bridge. After that it is a short uphill passing the one-time mine worker's cottages now all second homes and climbing club properties, I see the Climbers Club and the Yorkshire Ramblers have huts here at Low and High Hall Garth. A fine walk up the lower reaches of the Greenburn Valley gives excellent views of the Langdale Pikes before the good track is abandoned for a bit of a slog up by a boundary wall then strike off right and up to the top for the first summit of the day, Birk Fell. From here the route is obvious taking the ingenious footpath through the broken cascade of rock that is Wetherlam Edge, a big pull up and there is the summit with three or four fellow walkers resting, we exchanged cameras and took each other's pictures a courtesey on the hills that is very handy when travelling solo. Now comes a stiff climb up the Prison Band. (after a short detour to take in the often by-passed top of Black Sails, an outstanding vantage-point for pictures of Consiton Old Man and Levers Water). The Prison Band is bit of a grind and quite foreshortened so you never quite see the top until you are virtually upon it. But all good stuff and when climbed essetially that's all the day's climbing over. A stroll north down to the col beyond Swirl How's fine cairn to Swirl Hawes allowes access to a faint track leading over west for half-a-mile to the great hump of Grey Friar, a bit like Black Sails, Grey Friar just off the main trod gets far fewer visitors even when the main tops are quite busy like today. It's a case of retracing steps back to the Hawes and then a short uphill climb passing the poignant ruins of a World War II aircraft ruin and memorial (see my picture, Grey Friar in the background behind the remains of the hapless Halifax bomber) to reach the top of Great Carrs, a short downhill stroll along the edge above the steep drop into the Greenburn Valley and Little Carrs is quickly reached and the continuation along the top of Wet Side Edge soon brings the minor top of Hell Gill Pike beneath your boots. This seems an impressive name for what I thought was a rather inconspicuous top but perhaps it has a better profile from the other side of the Wrynose Pass. Now I take a path, not always easy to follow, over the side of the edge and gently down into the Greenburn Valley. I had thought about camping by the abandoned reservoir at the head of the valley, it looks a dramatic position surrounded by Wetherlam and the cliffs along Wet Side Edge but with all the old mine workings I decide that camping on the shoulder with fine views of the Langdale fells and Little Langdale Tarn would provide a better lakeland ascthetic, and so it was. An easy walk-out in the morning and I bused back to Keswick well pleased with this walk which with the Shap and Wasdale walks have given me a total of 28 Birkett Summits totalling over 16,000 feet of ascent and 69 miles of walking. Keep it up laddie, keep it up.

END OF MY WASDALE WALK

Friday 16/04/2010. Yesterday was quite a long day of walking and climbing I think I did about 21 miles in total taking in seven new "Birkett summits". As I had no chance of making Borrowdale in time to catch the last bus back to Keswick I walked till early evening and made my second wild camp of the walk just above Sty Head Tarn close to the Mose's Trod path where it joins the Sty Head track near the mountain rescue box. (See my picture). The cliffs behind me belong to the east face of Cam Spout towering over the Corridor Route to Scawfell. I had a fine and comfortable night and in the morning ambled down past the tarn saying hello to a few folks who were making the early morning climb up to the Scawfells etc. I spoke with two north-east lads who were heading to Lingmell to complete their round of the "Wainwrights" and I wished them well. By the coincidence of things they were fellow members of the Online Fellwalking Club (OFC) and on Lingmell encountered another member of the OFC amazingly also completing his Munro round on Lingmell. This surprising conjunction of Wainwright completions is written up with photographs on the Hiley website: www.loweswatercam.co.uk/visitors 18.htmlwhich is how I came to learn of my small part in it all! It's a grand sunny morning to end my walk and I have timed it to perfection as I reach Seatoller the Borrowdale Rambler (bus) pulls in and with the flash of the magic that is a bus pass I am soon in Keswick for a wash clean up and preparation for my final outing of this visit, to Wetherlam and the Coniston Fells around the Greenburn valley.

OVER ILLGILL HEAD

Thursday 15/04/2010. From my tarn-side camp I awoke to another fine day, brewed up had something to eat and was all packed up and away by 8.30am. As my first objective of the day is to complete the round of the three tops of Eskdale Fell (Great How) it's close companion fell, Whinscales then the pleaseant but unobtrusive top of Boat How at the southern end of Burnmoor Tarn before tackling Illgill Head it becomes obvious that if I can stash my rucsac somewhere in the region of Oliver Gill my progress is bound to be a bit quicker. I managed to find a suitable spot by the side of the beck coming down from the Gill and then made an easy climb up to the top of Great How along the rising shoulder of Blaeberry How and on above Raven crag to the summit. This route gives fine views of the Slight Side end of the Scawfells which will require my attention before my Birkett Round is complete. In little over a half-an-hour I had my first top of the day. As the next top, Whinscales lies less than a kilometer south of Great How and at an altitude 300' lower, it is little more than a ten minute downhill romp to reach it's undistinguished top. It does justify a visit as it gives excellent views of Scawfelll, Bowfell, Esk, the Crinkles etc. From here I took a pathless but direct lline to the edge of Oliver Gill followed it downhill, crossed the beck headed west to cross the Bulatt Bridge over the Whillan Beck then looping round Burnmoor Tarn Lodge to reach the flat summit plateau of Boat How. From here I retraced my steps past the lodge (taking a few pics) and on to retrieve my rucsac and head over to the start of the steeper climb to reach the top of the Illgill Head ridge. Once on top the ridge provides wonderful views of The Gable Pillar and Scawfell hills and today the weather is magnificent so all is well with the world and my tiny place in it! Met a couple of walkers on the ridge as I strolled in a liesurely fashion topping out on the summit cairns, taking a picture at the nameless tarn below Whin Rigg and then reaching that top after the short ascent from the ridge. Now I can get stunning views over to Morcambe Bay and the Irish Sea on my west side of approach downhill to the rather insignificant top of Irton Fell with the interesting view down Greathall Gill into lower Wasdale. The final top on my list is the least significant summmit I have encountered in Lakeland called Great Bank and at 1079' it just qualifies as a "Birkett", I had difficulty finding it through the protecting conifers and went a mile or so off route - crap navigation - and when I got there it's a paltry summit hardly worth the flog through conifers bracken and bramble and the descent into Miterdale is not the best bit of walking in Lakeland either! but still I have completed my round and now have another seven Birkett tops to tick off when I get home. Well done Freddie boy. Now all I have to do is walk back to Wasdale return over Mose's Trod to an overnight camp up on the plateau above Sty Head Tarn, where I slept the sleep of a happy man after a very successful walk in wonderful weather in a great part of Lakeland, so smile and the world smiles with you I say.

WASTWATER VISIT

Wednesday 14/04/2010. After a good day at the lodge with Joy I am setting off this morning to tackle the two Birkett routes on the Screes side of Wastwater which comprise the tops of Illgill Head, Whin Rigg above Wastwater's gloomy depths and Irton Fell and Great Bank lying south of Whin Rigg. In addition I will be starting off with an ascent of the Eskdale Fell tops, that one plus it's outlier Whinscales and the low but appealing Boat How lying at the southern end of Burnmoor Tarn. I get a bus down Borrowdale to it's terminus at Seatoller and from there walk the one-and-a-half miles down the quiet lane leading to it's terminus at the National Trust's Seathwaite Farm. Surveyors were out with their instruments on the approach to the farm measuring up for something with activity on both sides of the road, perhaps Seathwaite is going to get a proper car park - the current arrangements of paking on hard standing by the road while a lot better than the way things used to be are still less than satisfactory, so we shall see what transpires. I have a ten mile walk in to Wasdale by way of the Sty Head pass to gain Mose's Trod over the col and down to one of my favourite valleys in the lakes - Wasdale. I made good time to the tarn, passing a few parties who seemed in the main bound for the corridor route to Scawfell. As I am not intending to tackle my Birkett summits till tomorrow my concern for today is to complete the walk-in and find a decent camping spot and be "in situ" for an early start tomorrow morning, I intend to string the two Birkett-routes together and do them as a single day-long walk, and depending on time will probably need to spend another night on the fells on my return journey. As I was making a good pace; when I reached the junction where the Mose's Trod path and the Sty Head ascent route to Great Gable meet, I decided to have a bit of a proper climb and take the high level route to Wasdale by way of the summit ofGreat Gable. I have not previously climbed this large but beautifully formed mountain from Sty Head so this will be a new ascent route and as I'll be returning via Moses Trod - not having traversed it before - two new routes will be bagged. The climb to Great Gable's rocky summit is direct and steep but pretty straight-forward. I passed a few climbers making their way down from the summit and learned that the weather was poor on top, but ever the optimist I'm hoping it will improve before I get there. Unfortunately this turned out to be a forlorn aspiration, it was cold windy and cloud-fast when I sat down by the memorial to the members of the Fell & Rock Climbing Club who lost their lives in the First world War. On armistice day a memorial service is held here (I have attended, in fact I think the last time I was on Great Gable was for the memorial service in 2007) it's a quite moving experience, especially if the clouds are not down as low as they are today.

From here I descended into Wasdale by way of Great Hell Gate a terrific scree run which must be about 2000' in length down to the valley floor, great stuff and another first for me on Great Gable. I passed through Wasdale by the back door of the Wasdale Inn only just managing to resist the temptation of callling in. Soon I was heading up the drive to Brackenclose the F&R's local climbing hut and taking the track south and up towards Eskdale Fell with the great mass of Illgill Head on my right hand side blocking out any view of Wastwater. The sun is back with a vengeance designed to infuriate as it popped out of the cloud as soon as I came off Great Gable into the valley ! Never mind it is very welcome and gave me a wonderful end to my day as I climbed over the col and dropped down to Burnmoor Tarn and pitched my tent by the side of the tarn, see my picture, for a great night's wild camping. Ideally positioned for a successful days climbing tomorrow morning.

SHAP FELLS CONTINUED

Sunday 11th. April 2010. Up reasonably early and with no reason to linger on a good morning by 8.15am I had packed up and was tackling the climb up onto the Bannisdale Fell ridge, only a few hundred feet above my campsite just below Lord's Seat. The sun is out and the outlook for the day looks very inviting with lots of tops to reach before the end of the day. The first of which is Long Crag on Bannisdale Fell. From here a fine long and easy ridge runs south-east over the trig-point summit of White How and on for about a couple of miles to drop down to the slopes of Lamb Pasture. Route finding is dead-easy, just follow the wall which deteriorates into a fence by the time it reaches the high point of Lamb Pasture, here the fence needs to be crossed to reach the small cairn marking the top of the fell and a grand point to look into and across Bannisdale and the other side of the valley where the route continues. I made a direct descent over the Bannisdale edge of the fell and picked my way steeply down between the crags and a small patch of stunted woodland obviously suffering from exposure at this relatively high altitude. Down in the bottom approaching Dryhowe Bridge the backward view of the descent looks like an impressively steep descent but it is ot to bad in the doing of it. The sun is very hot now and this is probably the warmest day of our year so far (limited competition for the title though) so I take a break and strip of a bit to coold down before the next climb up onto the western ridge of Bannisdale and the first cairned top of Whiteside Pike. From here there are good views on all sides and over to east are the quiet hills of Kentdale with the village of Staveley where I briefly lived in digs for a few months in 1971, a long time ago. Now I am working my way north or a little west of it keeping to the ridge to take in succession the tops of Todd Fell, Capplebarrow and Ancrow Brow, all an easy walk along the summit ridge with Bannisdale and Borrowdale on my right and the tapering heights of the western Shap fells running down to the Cumbrian coast. I had a lunch break on Ancrow Brow, where the summit cairn is unobligingly three feet on the wrong side of the fencing. Next the route trurns round the head of the Bannisdale valley before I strike north passing the inviting Mere Crags to flog up to the ridge just east of the summit of Harrop Crag, where I turn east to follow the fence line to reach yesterdays early top of Great Yarlside, then I took a direct line over fell and bog to reach the shelter of a strange walled enclosure on the banks of Tongurigg Beck where it meets Sleddale Beck. Sun still shining for England and at 5pm I am pitching my tent and getting a leisurely brew organised. I have had a good couple of days walking of about 25 miles and managed to tick another 18 Birkett tops off my list.

SHAP FELLS FOR BIRKETT ROUTES

Saturday 10th. April 2010. Now that spring seems to have sprung and with a forecast for at least a week's dry weather courtesy of genial atlantic high pressure I have set off for The Lakes travelling over by bus on Friday (yesterday). And what a journey that was setting a new personal best for misfortune on this journey. My third bus of the day, en-route from Newcastle to Carlisle broke down at Hexham and we had an hour's wait for the next service, with relief we boarded and set off but bugger me a few miles out of Hexham the bus was stopped by police who informed our driver that the road ahead was blocked due to an accident! The alternative route was along the way of the Hadrian's Wall bus route but as several passengers were due to disembark before Carlisle in villages that the bus could not now service on that diversion, we had to return to Hexham to drop these unfortunates off and then set off for a direct but much longer run to Carlisle where I arrived about an hour after the last bus for Keswick had gone (4pm). A 45 minute wait and I boarded a service to Penrith which left on time but stopped about a mile away from the bus station where the driver announced that he "could not drive the bus to Penrith" and that we would have to wait here for another driver! As he would not answer a direct question about "why not"? I surmise that it was the end of his shift and he wanted to go home! Asked why we had stopped here he was honest enough to tell us that stationery buses clog up the bus station so we are shunted out to wait for better things, which, took about 30 minutes, but when the replacement driver turned up we got to Penrith and from there I got the last connection to Keswick arriving at Burnside Park about 7pm a total journey time of nearly ten hours, phew, hope to have nothing like that again.

After a night at Burnside Park I got a morning bus back to Penrith and from there a local service down to Shap where I got off at the Wet Sleddale Reservior Road End for the two mile walk in to the public car park on the south side of the reservoir. My objective is to finish off all the unclimbed fell tops which reach over the minimum height of 1,000' - and that will be 18 in total. In Bill Birkett's book "The Complete Lakeland Fells" which covers all the 25 Shap Fells, reaching the qualifing height in a series of five walks I have done two and now plan to walk the final three in a single continuous round rather than as three separate walks, which because of the distances between the start points would be very hard, or rather, take a lot of time, as they are quite far apart in an area with virtually no public transport services.
I walked down the Shap to Wet Sleddale road end at 11.15am reached the dam at the reservoir and then struck uphill to head for the first top, that of Sleddale Pike, this is a rather insignificant hump among the moorland with a couple of stones serving as a cairn. I had some company on the top and so got a photo arms akimbo on the summit. From here I parted with my company and never spoke to another person for the rest of the weekend. I yomped across the moors south to the top of Wasdale Pike and then west to Great Saddle Crags, I stashed my ruc-sac in some of the rockfall and carried on down to the top of Ulthwaite Rigg which overlooks Mosedale. Retracing my steps back to Great Saddle Crags to retrieve my ruc-sac and then headed south and downhill before climbing up to reach the ridge of Great Yarlside, (my picture shows Great Yarlside from the south from near the top of the Little Yarlside fell, love the wall), this at just under 2,000' is the highest point on the entire walk and so the high point of the 18 tops on my list. The sun shines strong and my old bald head is feeling the heat but this is fine, so on down to the lower end of Great Yarlside, named quite sensibly Little Yarlside, continuing along the ridge and gently downhill in a south-west direction to the top of What Shaw and then steeply down into the valley bottom crossing the Crookdale Beck at Crookdale Bridge Farm. Took a break at the bridge and filled up my water bottles from the fast flowing stream, water would be a bit of a problem if you are not prepared to chance the free stuff. From the bridge it was a stiff climb up to the shoulder of High House Bank (I must be a bit tired as I found the climb quite taxing), to reach the southern ridge of Crookdale where I will be heading north-west on the opposite side of the valley - and in exactly the opposite direction from the earlier part of the walk. From here it is about two miles over the top of the engagingly named Robin Hood summit to reach Lord's Seat. On reaching Lord's Seat I picked out a likely camping spot down into Borrowdale by the beck immediately below Bannisdale Crag (not that there were many options), which will be the first of the eight tops scheduled to be completed tomorrow. And so to bed, ten tops topped about a dozen miles walked and a few thousands of feet of ascent climbed. I shall sleep well by the Borrow Beck.

ON COCKLE SHELL ISLAND

Tuesday 06/04/2010. Well here we are with Easter not only upon us but over now. We had planned to go to Keswick for the holiday but the weather forecast for Cumbria for the holiday weekend was dire, so we decided to stay at home. In the event the weather turned out slightly less awful than forecast for The Lakes but there was still an awfull lot of rain so I think we made the right decision. A pleasing consequence was that I was able to attend the RSPB Saltholme work-party scheduled for today and tomorrow. The main objective is to shore up the shuttering that surrounds the island in Back Saltholme Pool, this is a much used nesting site for Canada Geese, Common Terns and Roseate Terns. The effect of the constant wind driven wave power is to undermine the shuttering - itself necesary to keep the island from being washed level - this causes erosion of the land and the essential cockle-shell surface so suited to our birds. Our tasks involved the transportation of rubble to the spit of land closest to the island from where it was manually loaded into tote boxes which in turn were loaded onto the reserve boat and then the payload was taken across to the island where repairs were carried out. This was all good work there is no doubt that you are engaged in something valuable for the birdlife, we set up some experimental nesting boxes especially for the Roseate Terns . By the side of the shuttering we had a Canada Goose nest with seven white eggs. We covered that up with a woolen jacket while working there, the parents kept close by but despite their natural concern no harm done. I stayed from 9.30am till 3.15pm and returned home by bus. On Wednesday I returned to continue working on the island, but for the morning only. Another Canada Goose has set up home and had a single egg by the shuttering exactly where we land and offload the materials for the repairs. But you gotta love 'em don't you? On Wednesday we finished the job on this island but we still have similar work to do on the others.

END OF THE WEST HIGHLAND WAY

Sunday 21/03/2010. After my long wait at Buchanan Bus Station in Glasgow the two hour journey on the National Express Glasgow to Paddington run went past quite fast, the coach was pretty full with most seats taken. I got out at Carlisle just before midnight, it was literally freezing and a low fog lay over the town, not a very welcome prospect. I had a look at the possibility of camping by the river Eden in Bitts Park, but decided against that as it is Saturday night and lots of young folks are around some the worse for wear and I fear I would attract attention. Not too sure about what to do I decided to walk round town and watch the weekend revellers as they make their way home or to the next open boozer. For an old codger like me this is a different world which is permanently hidden from those who go to bed in the same day they got out of it. The amazing thing is how few clothes are worn, especially by the girls who are uniformly semi-naked, hugging themselves in a doomed attempt to keep the cold at bay. The other thing to catch my attention was all the town centre chip and pizza shops are open and doing a roaring trade, they looked as if they were making lots of money and good luck to them, it's not coming easy.

Eventually I went to the bus station, where a coloured gentleman was shouting into his phone about how unfair it was. Apparently he had to change buses in Carlisle with a three hour wait in the early hours of the morning and made the mistake of thinking that he could comfortably pass away the time "inside the station" Alas Carlisle bus station, is not so much a bus station as a stopping place with no indoor facility whatsoever, and this poor traveller was stuck out in the cold for the duration, still if he wandered up Lowther Street towards the railway station he could at least get a cup of coffee and a bag of chips in one of the late night eateries. I thought about spending the night in the waiting room at the railway station, but the station is locked up overnight so Carlisle is not too acommodating to the low budget traveller arriving in the wee small hours. Fortunatley there was a nice quiet shop alleyway just off the bus station concourse and I bedded down there for the night, didn't get the best sleep of my trip but it was comfortable enough, dry and I was undisturbed. As can be seen in my picture, urban-camping is the latest thing. In the morning I got the first bus to Newcastle-upon-Tyne about nine thirty and then on to Middlesbrough, no Ingleby buses on a Sunday so from Middlesbrough to Thornaby with a 25 minute walk to finish the journey off. I arrived home about 3pm.

FINISHING THE WEST HIGHLAND WAY

Saturday 20/03/2010. After a good night's sleep by the ruins of the Larigmor Cottage I awoke quite early determined to get to the end of the walk in Fort William as soon as possible, from there I have a long journey back home so an early departure is in order and I was up and walking by 7am. It took about three hours to reach the outskirts of Fort William and descending Glen Nevis was a pleasant downhill trod but unfortunately the low cloud denied me much of a view of the Ben and surrounding hills, but never mind I was making good time and in good form. Not long after leaving Larigmor, the nature of the walking changes as the mountains are forsaken and the route winds it's way into the forest on the approach to Glen Nevis, there was some rather unwelcome uphill work as well but not too taxing. The last couple of miles were along the pavement leading to the round-a-bout at the entrance to Fort William, this has been the traditional finish to the West Highland Way, but an extension has been agreed to take the walk into the center of the town, this seems sensible as surely every walker will of necessity be going into Fort William anyway. Unlike the start of the walk 98 miles away in Milngavie, there is no structure or marker to show precisely where the "new" end is. Never mind, it has been dry for these final ten or so miles and now that the walking is over the sun has decided to come out. I found a toilet and had a good wash and a shave then something to eat. An earlier visit to the Tourist Information Centre has established that the best way to Glasgow was by a coach leaving at 2.15pm. Thus I had about two hours to enjoy in town and in the sun this was relaxing and just fine. My feet were in good order despite my new expensive boots having been wet through for about three days, I have no blisters but intermittent soreness comes and goes, I think it is the osteo-arthritis I am now getting in my big toes - especially the right one- kicking in. Never mind I haven't done too bad for an old man, my walking time being under three and a half days end to end. The coach to Glasgow was a delight going down Glencoe and across Rannoch Moor and on to Loch Lomond, in a reversal of my route north and quite a lot of the walk could be seen, particularly on Loch Lomond, from the bus. I arrived in Glasgow at 5.30pm and had to wait it out till 10.30pm before I could get a bus to Carlisle. My trusty bus pass is no help in Scotland, alas and my expenditures on fares to and from Carlisle amounted to £40.00. quite a lot but worth the cost for the walk. I should like to do more long walks in Scotland but the cost is a depressing factor. Hey-ho. (My picture shows the ruins of the cottages known as Tigh na Sleubhaich, my camp site lay half-a-mile further down the valley, just before the point where northern toe of Beinn na Caillich reaches the floor of the glen).

ACROSS RANNOCH MOOR WEST HIGHLAND WAY

Friday 19/03/2010. Long days make for a good night's sleep so notwithstanding my position close to the railway at Bridge of Orchy, the trains run unexpectedly late, with the lights of the station burning away all night, I slept soundly through the wind and rain, I was lucky to be able to pitch in a brief rainless spell and my good fortune returned in the morning and I was able to pack up in the dry - the tent went into it's bag very wet, adding to the weight to be humped around.
Not long after packing up the rain came back and stayed with me at varying degrees of ferocity for the rest of the day, this was a shame as it restricted my photography in what is surely among the most beautiful miles of the route. Once clear of Bridge of Orchy (good camping by the bridge with pub to hand too) the route climbs and winds steeply uphill corkscrewing it's way over the northern slopes of Mam Carrsigh to descend with Loch Tulla to the north-east to reach Inveroran and it's hotel, early to mid-morning as I passed and no sign of life, from here a walk round the quiet road to Forest Lodge and the wonderful military road over Rannoch Moor with all those wonderful Munro's off on my left hand side (north-west) guarding Glencoe and forcing the traveller down to cross the A82 at it's access to the ski runs on Meall a' Bhuiridh and on to the pleasures of Kingshouse Hotel. It was pouring down as I arrived at the hostelry, the climbers bar was closed so I had to brave the rigours of the lounge bar to get my first cup of decent coffee for ages. As I left the local mountain rescue team out training their dogs and handlers were pouring into the hotel in search of a respite from the weather. None for me though, so after about a mile or so along the minor road behind the hotel I struck uphill once more to reach the access of The Devil's Staircase, opposite the Majesty that is Buachaille Etive Mor, with the bewitching positioned and whitewashed Scottish Mountaineering Club hut "Lagangarbh" at it's base. It is over 30 years since I first stayed in this legendary climbing hut. It's about six miles over to Kinlochleven and a bit of a pain on the final couple of downhill miles as my downhill muscles are underused on this walk and prone to complain when pressed to service. But I made it OK, only to start on my final climb of the day (and of the walk virtually too) along the southern bank of the Mamore's, once the initial climb was over the going got much faster and I churned up the miles to make as much ground as possible before darkness arrived, not only that but camping spots were rather scarce so I had reason to march. But in due course I came to the flatter ground as I headed west and camped in a lovely spot by the ruins of Larigmor Cottage, (see picture) with about ten miles to complete in the morning. Late afternoon and the rain gave up it near 48 hour barrage and I camped a happy man and slept the sleep of the just. Tomorrow I'll be in Fort William.

GLEN FALLOCH TO BRIDGE OF ORCHY ON THE WEST HIGHLAND WAY

Thursday 18/03/2010. Again I am up and away by 7.30am and delighted to find the day calm and dry, though this was alas but an early respite from two continuous days of high wind and heavy rain, but at least I had the benefit of ignorance when I set off. The Inveranrnan to Tyndrum leg of the way gets the walker away from the shores of the Loch and sets the mood for the hills that lie ahead. The outstanding weather feature of today was the constant rain, which came on after my aforementioned dry start, about 10am and persisted all day. It was quite kind to me at my camp spot opposite the Bridge of Orchy rail station, as it obliged by drying up while I struggled with the gales to get my tent up, but I hate having to do that in the rain so all was forgiven. I passed the Inveranran Inn, or at least I passed the ferry signal point which would have got a boat over to take me across the loch to the Inn (£3.00 each way, minimum charge £6.00). Sadly I resisted, on cost grounds and of course I don't drink alcohol while out walking, but even so I felt the tugging strings of nostalgia thinking back to the many times I stopped there to savour a pint on my way south, and to admire the bonnie braw kilted lads, fine highland specimens that served behind the bar, but that was 30 years ago! Really good walking up along Glen Falloch passing Crianlarich then thorough the woods to descend to pass the graveyard at the ruins of St. Fillans Priory and on to Tyndrum. Stopped at the little general grocer I last visited during my Munro campaigning and then off uphill into the blast of rain and the welt of wind pas the beautifully sloped Beinn Dorain (summit invisible in the clouds) and on to Bridge of Orchy where I pitched in the dark about 7pm., just opposite the railway station. Not a recommended wild-camp spot but the first piece of flat ground in several miles and the boy was tired, another 27 miles logged in the course of the day. Well done Freddie.

THE HIGH ROAD - WEST HIGHLAND WAY

Wednesday 17/03/2010. A bit of a wild night but I was up and away from my camp at 7.30am. for the walk downhill with Dumgoyach Hill up on my right hand side. It's a grand dry morning and I'm keen to get some miles eaten up so step out lively and the terrain is very accommodating nice and flat and I am pleased to see that three miles per hour is quite a comfortable pace, which is a lot faster than I have been able to maintain on my winter walks on the North Yorks Moors. The highlights of the morning were seeing a fallow deer cross the track in front of me then at almost the same time watching a pair of Buzzards scouting out a rookery and being seen off individually, strangely, only two defenders present but by tackling a predator apiece they saved their progeny (this time). Todays walk takes me onto Lochlomonside for the twenty mile or so stretch over the lovely Conich Hill to Balmaha and on to Rowardennan to Inverarnan, Inversnaid, Doune Bothy and Tyndrum. I walked a total of 27 miles during the course of the day and camped on the shores of Loch Lomond with the Ben towering over all. Ben Lomond was the first Highland Hill I ever climbed, I would be about 14 and on a school outing, one of those early taster sessions that so gripped me that I am held fast still. During my working career as a sales Rep for Elbeo Ltd., in the early 1970's I had a regular three weekly trip up to Inverness from my home in Hurlford near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire. After completing business calls in Inverness I would return to home down the Great Glen to Fort William and then through Glencoe to Glasgow and so to Hurlford. I must have travelled on the mian-road side of Loch Lomond dozens of times but this is the first time I have made a journey along the "Ben" side of the Loch, and on foot it is a better way to travel. 31 miles completed by the time I got to my campsite in the picture, a beautiful place to spend a night, quiet, alone and all my world wrapped in the still goodness of a gentle night.

NORTHWARD BOUND - WEST HIGHLAND WAY

Tuesday 16/03/2010. When we planned our trip to Keswick for the Theatre by the Lake Literature Festival, I had it in mind to stay on in the Lakes for another week or so to continue my campaign on The Birketts (The hills in Lakeland exceeding 1,000' recorded in Bill Birkett's "Complete Lakeland Fells"). But I must admit that when push came to shove I rather fancied a longer walk than the short bitty days that Birketts would now involve. I have about 30 routes to do to complete my round and would dearly like to knock them all off in 2010, but Keswick is not now the best base. For obvious reasons the routes still to be climbed and walked are all farthest away from Keswick and so will mostly require an overnight camp to complete, given my dependence on public transport. So as I fancy getting some longer miles on my legs I decided to come back with Joy and then set off for Bonnie Scotland and have a go at the West Highland Way, at 98 miles it is only two miles short of my favourite walk distance!
I set off from home on the 8.45am bus to Stockton and arrived at Milngavie just before 7pm. Fortunate for the fact that Milngavie celebrates it's relationship with the West Highland Way making finding the start a doddle, even in the dark. I walked for about an hour and a half before pitching my tent behind a wall close to the site of the pre-historic stone circle beneath Dumgoyach Hill about four miles out of Milngavie.

My picture is of Queen Victoria's statue in Bitts Park, Carlisle. I had a bit of time to kill and washed up here to have a look at the old lady and explore the connection with Jacob Polley's novel "Talk Of The Town" I won't go into details here, but my Flickr page reveals all...

MIREHOUSE - WORDS BY THE WATER

Saturday 13/03/2010. Today's two events are off-site so to speak, being located in the country-house splendour that is Mirehouse as opposed to the Theatre by the Lake. Since last Monday's event - Jacob Polley/Matt Hilton/Amy Bloom, I have attended one other lecture in the Theatre featuring the writers (and birders) Tim Dee and Horatio Clare on the subject of "Observing Birds". Horatio Clare's book "A Single Swallow" is really a travelogue as he followed migrating swallows from Africa to his own home ground in South Wales. He was a strangely compelling speaker and had wonderful tales of his minimalist existance as he raced from one country to the next learning not only about the swallows but of life and human organisation as well, for instance he drew attention to the absurdity of national borders, but you have to be careful where you talk like that. Tim Dee's book "The Running Sky" tracked man's emotional, intellectual and social responses to birds and trys to discover why we are so fascinated by them. This was a very good show, but I bought no books.

To get to Mirehouse, the home of the Spedding family I had a four mile walk along the Carlisle road, timing it a bit neat given the trouble I had in finding the right building - poor signing Mirehouse! but I just made it and got one of the last available seats. John Burnside was here to talk us through the judging process and award the prizes, £350. for the winner and £100. worth of books for the nine runners up, good prizes for regional competition. The theme for this year's annural Mirehouse Poetry Competition was "The Bliss of Solitude" and the winning entry was from a local (though the 250 or so entries came from all over the country) poet called Jennifer Copley with her poem called "Now You're Gone" - The text of this poem can be seen on my Flickr page for Words by the Water. About half of the ten finalist were present and they read their poems witht the others being read by John Burnside all this made for a pleasant morning of poetry in a lovley setting, coffee and biscuits helped the thing along nicely. All attendees got a print out of each of the ten winning entries and I managed to get four of mine signed by their respective authors, I'll see if I can scan them in to my PC.

Before the poetry competition and John Burnside we listened to John Spedding reading from a collection of witty pieces which have been edited into a new publication called An Uncommonplace Book - The Wit of Nineteenth Century Mirehouse. Mirehouse famous throughout it's 350 years in unbroken ownership of the Spedding family has many connections with Thomas Carlyle, Tennyson and the Lake Poets and the sheer quality of the material linked to Mirehouse is stunning I could easily imagine it making a terrific TV programme (if it has not already been done). I bought a copy (£4.00) and had Mr. Spedding sign it, I have to say though that he was a poor reader and rather failed to get the best out of this treasure trove. But you can't argue with the man who owns the place.

In the evening my wife and I went to the Theatre by the Lake for our final event of the Literature Festival, to listen to the sharp-witted Jeremy Hardy which was very good indeed. We saw Jeremy, here, I think it was two years ago, and he was every bit as funny as then, though I think he swears a bit more than he did then. A good, if ireverant end to our Festival 2010. On Sunday we packed up and drove home to Ingleby Barwick.

JACOB POLLEY - WORDS BY THE WATER

Monday 08/03/2010. My motivation for this event is centered on Jacob Polley (the picture shows me with Jacob as he signed my copy of "The Brink"). Popularily described as an "up-and-coming young Cumbrian poet" he appeals to my interest in current Cumbrian writers and given the area's poetic precedents you have to admire anyone who makes an effort! With two collections of poetry published "The Brink" & "Little Gods" Jacob has now turned his hand to fiction and has recently had his first novel called "Talk of the Town" published. It's a tale of teenage life, angst and a bit of a who-done it? set in Carlisle. I have copies of these books and was keen to see him in the flesh, this being one of the attractions that litfests offer readers. I have to say though that he was a bit of a disappointment, the lecture was essentially about novels and writing styles so his poetry played no part in the proceedings, which was a shame as I'm sure that is his strength. He spoke vaguely, and sadly did not come over well, and I got the impression he would feel more comfortable with a reading group in a small-town library, sorry Jacob but your poor showing as a live performer, does not detract from your value as a poet. Jacob, like his fellow Cumbrian author, Sarah Hall is a product of the "creative writing" scene, when this came up in discussion he made a rather telling point is stating that if a young violinist showed great talent with a violin they wouldn't be left to get on with it themselves, a good teacher would be considered essential, true enough, provided you don't look to closely. We also heard from a bright and sassy American author called Amy Bloom - who was new to me, unlike Jacob Polley, she was a great speaker but her reading from her latest novel seemed very dull kitchen-sink stuff to me; I found myself thinking why had she bothered writing it and who would be intersted enough to pay to read it, not me for sure Mam, where is the Brit interest in hearing about "racoons invading the kithen ", or of "semesters"? Next came the interval and the opportunity to mull over a disappointing first half and that this event was turning out to be a bit of a duffer. Back to our seats and we were introduced to Matt Hilton, a Scot now living in the Carlisle area who has emerged as a new sort of Jack Higgins novelist of the fast moving - death and destruction on every page, no matter how fast you turn them school. I was considering not going back in for this session but was delighted that I did as Matt was hugely honest, modest, engaging and entertaining to boot, and he kept the audience enthralled by his personal story and how he goes about writing. His success has come after 20 years of effort and he is clearly enjoying every minute of it, so his performance not only saved the event from a medicore tag but was tremedously good fun too, just another of the good things that can happen at litfests. Well done Matt, I will buy one of your books someday! Promise.

PENELOPE LIVELY-WORDS BY THE WATER

Sunday 07/03/2010. A beautiful Sunday afternoon walked down to The Theatre by the Lake to hear Penelope Lively talking about "Reading Writing and Letters Home" a sort of my life in books discussion of her approach to writing. Unfortunately Penelope is badly afflicted by back problems and her stature looks very fragile all the more impressive then when she spoke with a clear confident and distinctive voice. She covered a lot of the things that a new writer never anticipates as he/she sets out to complete a work, the travel, correspondence and a host of incidents including friendships made (and the advantages of writing in the English language). I "discovered" her as a result picking up her novel "Making It Up" from the recycled books desk at last year's festival. Making It Up follows a storyline exploring what might have happened had an alternative turn been taken at pivital moments of decision in her life, an interesting model which I thought of immediately at Melvyn Bragg's talk yesterday when he metioned his notion of writing a novel about a man who "goes off in three different directions and then unites at the end" It would allow for good fictive possibilities, so I must keep my eye on Melvyn to see if he gets round to it. A most enjoyable event and nice to know that I now know Penelope Lively, so been there done that and enjoyed it too.