Footsteps Issue 58
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Issue 58 - Summer 2017 THE WAINWRIGHT SOCIETY MAGAZINE A new exhibition at Keswick Museum The Wainwrights in Colour – Journey’s End The 14th Annual General Meeting of The Wainwright Society Encounters with Wainwright – Robert ‘Bob’ Walker Peanuts and Pennies – Part 2 Walking the 214 – by bus pass and much much more ... THE SOCIETY FOR LOVERS OF THE LAKE DISTRICT AND FELLWALKING www.wainwright.org.uk Wainwright Society members get Note from the Editorial Team 25% off titles at Frances Lincoln! As usual, this Summer issue includes a wide range of articles and features. Inevitably, © Terry Abraham many are retrospective – reporting on WAINWRIGHT’S WALKING GUIDE TO WAINWRIGHT’S GUIDE TO THE LAKE recent events such as the Society walk to THE LAKE DISTRICT BOOK 4: DISTRICT FELLS: Reston Scar and the AGM later that day, THE SOUTHERN FELLS THE EASTERN FELLS while others nostalgically recall memories from long ago. Revised by Clive Hutchby Revised by Clive Hutchby Among the latter are Jack Woods’ recollections of his first visit to the Lake District, as a schoolboy in 1955, and Ossie Hopkins’ and Malcolm Pinder’s account of completing their 214 over seven decades – a venture that started in that same year (I do so like coincidences!). of Clive Hutchby’s revision of The Southern Fells Another excellent story is by Mike Birney, who and of a Lake District quiz book produced by a has completed five rounds of the 214, including Society member. A longer-term opportunity to one in true Wainwright style – travelling only by win prizes is given in the article on page 9 about bus (and shanks’ pony, of course). the 2017 Photographic Competition. This issue is not, however, without news of a prize winner, Alan Thomas has written another well- Val Wilkinson, who took part in the Peanuts and £12.99 ISBN 9781781011911 £13.99 ISBN 9780711236578 researched article in the Book Dedications Pennies challenge set in the Winter 2016/7 issue. series, this one on Harry Griffin – a friend of WAINWRIGHT’S GUIDE TO THE AW’s and a significant figure in mountaineering, In all, another full issue which we hope you will LAKE DISTRICT FELLS: A WALKER’S NOTEBOOK walking and journalism circles. Bob Walker is enjoy. Have a good summer! By Alfred Wainwright not such a household name, but was a much THE FAR EASTERN FELLS David Johnson – Editor closer friend of AW’s and helped him with his Andrew Stainthorpe – Graphic Designer Revised by Clive Hutchby researches for the Pictorial Guides. An extract from this story, told in full in Encounters with Wainwright, is on pages 12-13. SOCIETY CONTACTS Also included are articles about Andy Beck’s recently published Wainwrights in Colour, a • SOCIETY SECRETARY new exhibition at Keswick Museum – Life of Derek Cockell, The New House, a Mountain BLENCATHRA, and a related article Station Road, Bishops Lydeard, on AW’s appreciation of that fell. Taunton, Somerset TA4 3BU Tel: 01823 431698 The Spring issue of Footsteps was unusual in that it Email: [email protected] contained no quiz or competition, but the Summer issue is back to normal with chances to win copies • MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Richard Daly, The Wainwright Society, £12.99 ISBN 9780711236554 £7.99 ISBN 9780711235458 PO Box 35, Milnthorpe, Cumbria LA7 7WJ Issue 58 - Summer 2017 Email: [email protected] To take advantage of your discount, please visit our website www.QuartoKnows.com THE WAINWRIGHT SOCIETY MAGAZINE • WALKS ORGANISER and, where prompted, enter the promotional code WAINSOC (case sensitive) Front cover photograph: Caroline Nichol – Tel: 01253 738721 Summer mists from Email: [email protected] Blease Fell to Bleaberry Fell A new exhibition at Keswick Museum The Wainwrights in Colour – Journey’s End • FOOTSTEPS EDITORIAL TEAM ©Terry Abraham The 14th Annual General Meeting of The Wainwright Society Encounters with Wainwright – Robert ‘Bob’ Walker Email: [email protected] Peanuts and Pennies – Part 2 Walking the 214 – by bus pass and much much more ... THE SOCIETY FOR LOVERS OF THE LAKE DISTRICT AND FELLWALKING www.wainwright.org.uk 3 Chairman’s Notes Well, the books have started to arrive had the sense to back off. Her response was an in preparation for judging the 2017 abject apology. Wainwright Prize, celebrating the best CONISTON TORVER DUDDON VALLEY SAWREY LANGDALE writing on the outdoors, nature and UK ‘Please go ahead as you are and we will re-think travel. But, while the heaps of hopefuls get our design accordingly.’ bigger and my postman gets a hernia, I’m reminded of a spat between AW and his I wonder if the authors gathering on my desk editor at Michael Joseph, Jenny Dereham, with their eye on the Wainwright Prize have who had written to outline her production their publishers wrapped quite so tightly round plans for the first of a series of glossy books their little finger! illustrated with photographs by Derry Editor’s note: It should be noted that AW’s long letter, Brabbs. Wainwright’s reply was blistering. partly quoted above, ended with ‘Despite all this ‘I am horrified at the emphasis being given to the acrimonious argument, please be assured that you cost of publication by the counting of pennies. still have my very best wishes.’ Jenny Dereham is a Your intention should be a perfect book, full member of the Footsteps team and has commented stop, not a book as perfect as finances permit that ‘she responds to this public humiliation by saying ... You have knocked the stuffing out of me. she was only passing on instructions from the Design Wedding I like to feel free to do as I think best, not to department, and that we hadn’t then had the joy of work in harness imposed by designers who seeing AW’s typescript which was typed so every word Venue may never have been out on hills and have no would fit onto the page round the space left for the feeling for them … I have no interest in doing specific view he wanted Derry to photograph.’ a book I cannot feel proud of. If you persist in taking advice from your staff and not from me, I am afraid I must consider pulling out of our With magnificent views, our unique venue at The Coppermines Mountain Cottages arrangement, much though I need the money make a truly memorable location for any special occasion for a good cause.’ WELC Ouch! Fortunately for Animal Rescue Cumbria, TS OM Eric Robson PE E We support which was the good cause in question, and for Chairman The Lake District Cottages us, Wainwright’s growing legion of fans, Jenny Cottages sleep from 2-35 people Hot Tubs Village, Country & Mountain Cottages Wi-Fi Couples, Families, Groups & Weddings Log Fires A new exhibition at Keswick Museum Presented jointly by Society honorary Entry to the exhibition member Terry Abraham and Keswick is included in the The Coppermines & Lakes Cottages Museum, Life of a Mountain BLENCATHRA is museum’s admission /TheCopperminesLakesCottages an exhibition now on until 4 January 2018. charge (which provides The Estate Office, The Bridge free entry visits for a Coniston LA21 8HJ @Coppermines Topics covered include history, farming, mining, 12-month period). fell hounds, mountain rescue, as well as walking T. 015394 41765 @Coniston_Coppermines and climbing. Featured will be the eponymous film by Terry Abraham. The Society has assisted the museum with information about AW’s strong www.coppermines.co.uk association with Blencathra – see page 10. 5 The 14th Annual General Meeting of The Wainwright Society Fifty-six members attended the fourteenth The AGM commenced at 3 pm with Eric Robson Annual General Meeting of The Wainwright in the Chair welcoming members to the meeting. Society held at the Village Hall, Staveley, In his report, he highlighted the notable events of on Saturday 25 March 2017. 2016 including the Wainwright Prize where the Society took part in the judging process for the Prior to the AGM, John Bewick introduced Sean award for outdoor, nature or UK travel writing. Day, Director of the Lake District Calvert Trust, The winner in 2016 was Amy Liptrot with The the Society’s main beneficiary for 2016. Sean Outrun. The Central Fells Challenge raised £1,500 showed members a short DVD about the work for the Calvert Trust, which was presented to of the Trust and then went on to give details of the Trust at the Bowderstone Bothy in May. the renovation of the Bowderstone Bothy (see the The Wainwright Exhibition, held for a second Spring 2016 issue of Footsteps). This project has year at Keswick Museum, was supported by the been made possible by donations including £10,500 Society. The Wainwright Memorial Lecture in raised by the Society during its Challenge event and October, with guest speaker Richard Else, was a from sales of the Society’s calendar in 2016. great success with Richard telling a near sell-out Sean explained that the bothy, formerly leased audience at Rheged about his long association to a mountaineering club, will be adapted to with Wainwright during the 1980s when he was meet the needs of the Trust’s disabled visitors. the director of the films made for the BBC. In September, the Society purchased six items at Eric also presented David Harrison with a The work is expected to be completed by framed photograph of his winning entry in the volunteers during 2017 and, when finished, will the auction of Wainwright artefacts being sold by Hunter Davies. These unique items Society’s Themed Class (Limestone Country) of mean that up to twelve people at a time will be the competition able to experience a night ‘in the wild’, with the will be deposited on loan with the Wainwright bothy being used as a base for various activities, Archive at Kendal.