Wainwright's Walks · Friday March 23, 2007
The BBC recently did a great mini series on the walks of Alfred Wainwright. I’m not very enamoured with his books, and agree with the comment of a Lake District walking guide with whom I once conversed: “I think they just have a curiosity value…I can’t walk with them”. There are actually better walking guides, contemporary to AW – check out the books by WA Poucher, published around the 1960s. I used to take them into the hills before I was familiar with the place as I am now, when I almost never need a navigation aid. Poucher had a similarly quaint way of making an artistic rendering of the landscape, in his case not with laborious drawings but with route lines drawn onto photographs. It works quite well, much better than AW’s idiosyncratic artistry.
A few years ago AW’s books nearly disappeared from the shops, lacking a publisher. Now not only are they easily available, but so are follow on volumes with titles like “After Wainwright”. I do have all his books, but almost never consult them. I recommend though, his autobiographical volume Memoirs of a Fell Wanderer. It’s a fun read: quirky, romantic, interesting.
I don’t agree with the walk-bagging approach large numbers of people have, inspired by AW’s books. I think he himself would have been appalled; he thought the fells should be savoured, not regarded as tick-off targets. ‘Doing the Wainwrights’ is a popular pastime but I recall meeting someone at the top of Harter Fell in Eskdale explaining he was doing just that, and that he’d walked from a very boring and dull place towards the Duddon Valley. Indeed. I’ve never looked at the books closely, but I understand some of the walks lack interest. If I lived in Kendal as he did, I’d no doubt explore with a similar thoroughness. But when it needs time, effort, and money to get there, I maximise the delights with the best rather than mediocre walking.
He did though, have a romantic affection for the Lake District that it’s nice to read about. He is very popular, and it was a great idea the BBC making four programmes depicting his walks. And they sent one Julia Bradbury to tackle them, who’s a bit of a cutie with a game, smiley, ‘I’m a city girl but this is fun’ demeanour. Julia stops for lunch. Julia says the wind blowing her trousers is like ferrets running up and down inside them. Julia says, “this…is…just…gorgeous”, or tells us how disheartened she is seeing a drop down before she has to go up again, etc. Cute. And I liked the girly embroidery on her walking trousers.
Programme One showed the Buttermere route up to Haystacks which was a good choice, being AW’s most beloved spot and where he asked his ashes to be scattered. It is indeed a lovely location with views swooping down to Buttermere one side, and across to Gable and the Scafells in the other direction. I clearly recall when I first saw the latter, didn’t know what mountains they were but found the view exceptionally beautiful. I still feel that way, not necessarily even from Haystacks, for example the same panorama from the Buttermere ridge (High Stile and Red Pike) is also enjoyable – but Haystacks is a more attractively miniature setting, with the added benefit of Inonimate Tarn.
Near to Haystacks summit, looking towards Great Gable and then the Scafells peeping through:
High Stile to the Scafells:
Haystacks:
Programme Two took intrepid city girl Jules to Sharp Edge on Blencathra, which is a slightly worrying proposition the first time you do it. They sensibly had a guide with them, an elderly but sprightly fella who’s been walking the fells for decades. I like Blencathra, for a quick and easy walk accomplished in a leisurely four hours but with a rewarding viewpoint. Sharp Edge is exciting but actually quite dangerous in wet, slippery or icy conditions; there’s one section in particular where you traverse a large flat rock that’s smooth, polished, and from which if you fell, it would probably be your last living experience. I currently have no worthwhile photos from Blencathra! I’ve done it two or three times, but it’s always been grey skies.
Programme Three took city cutie up to Castle Crag in Borrowdale, another mini walk she described with enthusiasm as a satisfying “bijou mountain”. And “look at this!”, she says, just before the peak, admiring a lovely moment with distant views through an overhanging tree. Aaw, bless. You’re right, Jules, and so was Wainwright: the Lake District is full of wonderful mini moments, compositions of hill, tree, tarn and vista that are a simple delight.
Castle Crag looking towards the ‘Jaws’ of Borrowdale:
Castle Crag from the Borrowdale valley:
Programme Four ended with the walk Wainwright regarded as the best of all, not for prettiness as such but for rugged panoramic grandeur: up to Scafell Pike from Borrowdale. It is indeed a tremendous walk, although I’m not sure it’s clearly the best. For example the walk up to neighbouring Scafell from Eskdale is a favourite of mine, reaches a nearby similarly impressive point, and has many delightful attractions. The approach is up an exceptional waterfall valley and across a silent plateau called Great Moss in Upper Eskdale, which is a singular Lake District location:
But it’s fun to rank your all time favourite walks, and Borrowdale up to the highest English mountain is certainly up there at the top, as is its impressive height. Hey Julia, you paused at Styhead Tarn and it is indeed a lovely spot, but you really need to see it in winter:
Or perhaps from the path up to Great Gable:
And you paused at Esk Hause, but just below did you look back and notice this composition, or indeed the view while you crossed the stream:
One memorable autumn day I went up to Scafell Pike from Wasdale, seriously disheartened with the cloud literally sweeping in from the Irish sea, filling the valley and obscuring everything. One moment blue skies, the next about fifty foot visiblity…damnit. However, onward and upward, and suddenly I was above the cloud layer and witnessed an astonishing cloud inversion covering the land and sea from the Isle of Man, to Scotland, to Borrowdale and Keswick, indeed as far as you could see in every direction, an ocean of cloud with a vibrant blue sky above it: and there I was, at Scafell Pike, highest point in England, about 4 pm, and no one else was there – a very rare occurrence.
Jules, you should have been there. Failing that, check this out:
And from slightly below Scafell Pike on a peak called Lingmor, across to Great Gable:
Next up, city girl, I recommend maybe a visit to this area, Helvellyn, especially in winter like you see it here. What’s that?! – you’re stuck in traffic on the Fulham Road?
Part 2: the second BBC series
Hi James, I edited the ‘Wainwright Walks’ series and was just doing a bit of a net-trawl to see what people thought of it :) Glad to see you enjoyed it, we’ll be doing a second series soon! You have some absolutely fantastic photographs – I particularly loved the ‘ocean of cloud’ around Scafell Pike.
All the best,
Henry
— Henry · Apr 17, 03:55 PM · Henry">§
Hi Henry, good to hear from the team. Thanks; my Scafell Pike walk was memorable indeed.
I think you hit the right buttons on how you portrayed Wainwright re. how he’s popularly perceived and his private life which is not entirely disclosed in the books, and in depicting some of his interests. Haystacks and Scafell Pike were good selections, for the associated reasons.
Other than that….it’s just great to see an area I love and know very well being represented on TV, a sentiment I’m sure many people will share.
Really look forward to the 2nd series, and interested to see which walks you select and why. Oh, yeah, and tell JB she’s gotta wear the same embroidery trousers :-)
— James Lomax · Apr 20, 12:49 PM · James Lomax">§
Great photos James. I’ve just completed my first “mountain” walk which was in the Brecon Beacons. Travelled light with an old digicam as I did not know what to expect. Your images have made me want to try the Lakes area next. Thanks for sharing them on the web. Regards – Trevor
— Trevor Durritt · Sep 12, 11:21 AM · Trevor Durritt">§
Thanks Trevor!
Yes I’ve wandered Wales a little, though mostly Snowdonia. If you saw the Griff Rhys-Jones TV series ‘Mountain’, at one point he says the Lakes are the most famous for astonishing beauty. I agree with that!
If you wanted, you could find areas quite similar to the Brecons (not walked it but seen photos), or there’s other kinds of topography, as you see in my photos.
Its a great place.
— James Lomax · Sep 12, 12:56 PM · James Lomax">§
Love your photos but your general tone is patronising and holier than thou. Stick to your day job, you’re no TV critic.
— Stuart Brown · Jun 26, 12:00 PM · Stuart Brown">§
And you are, I take it? If you want to make a constructive comment feel free, though I won’t be debating those remarks which are subjective froth on which I disagree. For anyone who knows the fells well it’s obvious the production crew did not, and should not be regarded as worthy ‘experts’. I did however enjoy the programmes very much, and that includes their little quirks: none of which is really a matter of ‘TV criticism’ so much as one’s person response just like (silent) yours. Anyway I’m glad you like my photos Stuart.
— James Lomax · Jun 26, 12:28 PM · James Lomax">§
When I said “patronising” I was referring to comments such as “city girl Jules”, “city cutie”, etc. which are irrelevant, especially since you’re a “city” boy. The girl did a good job regardless of where she chooses to live.
— Stuart Brown · Jun 26, 02:19 PM · Stuart Brown">§
‘The girl’ did indeed do a good job. She is a ‘city girl’, and she is pretty ‘cute’, I meant it affectionately and in her/this case having a ‘city’ life is relevant. I really have no time for this; kindly desist.
— James Lomax · Jun 26, 03:14 PM · James Lomax">§
hi,just a little note to say how much i enjoyed your photographs,having recently discovered the lakes i find immense peace in the lakes and are just beginning to consider walking a few fells as opposed to the lakes themselves.i have taken several pics and i am always amazed at the sheer beauty of the area.every i visit it always leaves me wanting to return,how fortunate you are to live there.
— sandra cox · Dec 26, 11:10 PM · sandra cox">§
Hi Sandra glad you enjoyed them, yes the Lakes are a fabulous place.
I live in Manchester, though its not too far away.
— James Lomax · Dec 27, 03:15 PM · James Lomax">§
Hi James,
have just watched the cutie on the box doing the coast to coast,and came across your site,love your pics very good indeed.would love to do the walk although i have no real experience only hiking with the scouts,so i can read a map and compass.One day maybe.
— Richard Theobald · Aug 5, 12:35 AM · Richard Theobald">§