The Trespassing Rebellion

At a time when the government seems determined to make even the mildest bit of country trespassing and wild camping a potential criminal offence, under their horrendous policing bill, it is time every country walker fought back. This is the time to lobby your Member of Parliament and to tell them to fight the legislation.…

Don’t Lose Your Way deadline set to be abolished

Good News from the Ramblers Association… The UK government has today (16th Feb) announced that the 2026 deadline to register historic paths is to be abolished in England. This great news for walkers, which follows years of campaigning by the Ramblers, will help ensure more people can connect with nature for generations to come. It gives…

The Saviour of Ullswater – an important anniversary — Friends of the Ullswater Way Blog

“GO AWAY. COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY IF YOU WISH.” By Miles MacInnes 8th February 2022 marks 60 years since Norman, Lord Birkett QC’s eloquent speech to the House of Lords (widely regarded as one of the finest parliamentary speeches of modern times) scuppered plans by Manchester Corporation Waterworks to extract water from Ullswater, which would have […]…

A Stroll from Appleby – First Snowdrops

We had a short stroll from Appleby to see the first snowdrops. Just three miles of footpaths and quiet lanes. Always a delight to see the snowdrops and we’ve never seen as many as in Cumbria. Our walk began at Jubilee Ford on the River Eden. (Free Parking right there for cars, a bus service…

A Walk into the Orton Fells

Want to get away from the crowds into some decent wild country? Then give the Orton Fells a try. Apart from where the Coast to Coast path runs across the landscape, the chances are you might only see a couple of people or nobody at all. And along the way you’ll be exploring some grand…

The Complete Rambler by “Pathfinder”

As an aged rambler, I still mourn for those long lost days when the rambling movement was more militant. I yearn for the days when we had Forbidden Britain days and trespasses, and rambling leaders as outspoken and radical as Chris Hall, rather than the present world of “stakeholders” (ghastly word) and Ramblers “Head of…

Six Herons in a Field – A Timeslip Walk

In a field on high ground in the Eden Valley – well away from any water – we saw at least six herons standing facing each other in a large and ragged circle, well within sight of a solitary house. Almost as though they were having a socially-distanced committee meeting. We see a lot of…

Rydal Coffin Path

Yesterday, we went to Grasmere and repeated our regular walk to Rydal and then back along the so-called coffin path, supposedly along which, back in time, the bodies of folk who died around Ambleside were carried for burial at Grasmere church. A popular route for walkers today and with grand views across to Wetherlam and…

Paths in Lowther-Land

Participating in the search for lost rights of way as part of The Ramblers’ Association’s “Don’t Lose Your Way” campaign, I was interested to see on old Victorian maps that they were several paths in the vicinity of Lowther Castle that have now vanished. I duly recorded them as potential Rights of Way that had…

Merry Christmas

Wishing you all a terrific Christmas and a Happy New Year.