After more than two years of walking to and from seven particular trees in Cumbria, it seems that whenever we venture out, our sense of place is always felt in relation to these trees. Invisible lines of connection across the land are ingrained into our mental maps – but it is more than intellectual: our… Read More
The Under Helm Sycamore stands on a steep slope made all the more precarious to humans by the fact that it is covered in a shifting layer of stone slabs. In some places, stone, earth and moss have worked together to give some stability, but much of the stone is so loose that the ground moves beneath your feet, as if… Read More
Walking from the fell tops into the Troutbeck Valley to meet the Troutbeck Alder: a day of sunshine, trees, orchids and poetry … Read More
I have wondered what it is that leaves the small bones of rodents amongst the limestone beneath the Little Asby Hawthorn. Yesterday, under the cloud-scudded blue of a warm summer sky, I was given a clue. As we strode … Read More
Seven days in the fells, simply, walking. No roof but the sky, air always fresh, bodies engaged, minds on the simple task of putting one foot in front of the other and the gentle but necessary concentration that comes with that – walking on uneven paths with a heavy load requires a focused mind. When… Read More
THE LONG VIEW