I’ll not bore you with the pains of these past few weeks except to say that if you own a web site and ever want to tranfer the domain registration from one registrar to another, be very careful.
I was transferring five domains from an American to a European registrar and they disappeared into space for a couple of weeks, or maybe they went for a swim in the Atlantic en route.
Three more shots of the beautiful Eden Valley. Before reaching the centre of the town the River Eden passes Bongate (the place where in ancient times the ‘bondsmen’ used to live), down below the cliff where Appleby Castle stands proud. Here is a cold January midday shot of the river, reduced in level from what it was a few days earlier, flowing over the weir, frost still lying on the grass from the night before.
River Eden Reflections. That one was taken a few days ago. This next one just a few hours ago this afternoon, a little further upstream toward Ormside. I like the contrast between the flow and the stillness.
And finally, just to show that all was not dark and gloomy but actually bright under an almost cloudless sky, here is the parkland by the Eden banks close to where the second shot was taken. This shot was taken just slightly away from directly into the sun, hence the whiting out of the sky, but I think it does capture the sense of cold January mistiness.
I hope these help to demonstrate further that the beauties of Cumbria are not limited to the Lake District National Park. Don’t miss the Eden Valley from your Cumbrian itinerary.
Pub signs have provided a way of navigating through the streets for many a century. Instructions such as “Turn left at the Eagle and Child” or “Bear right at the Dog and Duck” have been commonplace.
Yesterday I wrote on our Lake District in Books site a short piece about Ordnance Survey maps. The response has been encouraging with several people stressing the importance of map, compass and the skill to use them. These responses via Twitter and email have led me to write again today, this time on the Around-England blog.
So what has this to do with pub signs? Well it just occurred to me that maybe there should be a warning on footpath signs pointing to the hills with wording such as “Map and Compass – Got them?” Someone could maybe design this incorporating a skull. Far too many people venture onto the hills ill-equipped, risking not only their own lives but also the lives of of the brave volunteers in the mountain rescue teams who would come out if called to rescue them. (See “Another Mountain Rescue Statistic – You? Me?“).
Yes, I know, if it were done there’d be cries of “nanny state” treating us like children. But then, maybe more of us should stop behaving like children and adopt a grown-up attitude of respect toward the mountains and the fells. But no, it’s not a serious suggestion. It is, though, a serious call to whoever reads this.
The map is the first thing, but without a compass it can be difficult to use especially in poor visibility, and once the light starts to go a good handheld or head torch becomes essential too. These should be part of the kit for every walker, but so often are missed. Further up this page I included a graphic of Peter Hawkins’ guidebook, Navigation: Techniques and Skills for Walkers (Cicerone Mini-guide): Using Your Map and Compass. If you’re uncertain as to your navigation skill level please get this book and digest it before your next expedition.
As a little extra help I’m putting here two videos from the Ordnance Survey featuring Simon King, the first on “Know Your Compass”, and the second, “How to Use a Compass”.
OSMapping have an extended series of videos on YouTube to help further.
Today’s expedition south from our northern base is to Lincolnshire in the East Midlands. To be technically precise Burghley House is in Cambridgeshire, but it is so close to the ancient town of Stamford just across the county boundary that it is usually considered to be in Lincolnshire, and that is its postal address.
Burghley House is an outstanding legacy of William Cecil from the sixteenth century, standing in splendid parkland laid out by Capability Brown which provides the setting for the annual Burghley Horse Trials, a major event in the British Eventing calendar which had its 50th anniversary in 2011.
The house and parkland open to visitors, and even when the house itself is closed the park, and also the tea rooms, are often open. Lunch in the Orangery is to be highly recommended, or even a snack on the terrace. Check the Burghley House web site for details of opening times and for historical information going back to the first Elizabethan times. Owned and managed now by the Burghley House Preservation Trust it is still home to descendants of the 6th Marquess of Exeter.
The North Pennines, stretching from the Eden Valley up towards the Scottish Border, are characterised by wild moorland with long expanses of silence apart from the wind and the birds. This special landscape needs protection, and it is good that the staff of the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have it under their [...]
Recently I’ve written several times about Lake District places associated with William Wordsworth, the great nineteenth century romantic poet. In addition to describing a visit to Wordsworth House in Cockermouth and seeing the tremendous work that has been done to recover from the devastating floods of November 2009, I posted a further article summarising the [...]
I had not expected to be sitting at my keyboard this afternoon. The sun was shining, there was blue in the sky, and it would have been an excellent opportunity to drive to one or two of the places here in the Eden Valley where I’ve been wanting to take photographs but have been waiting [...]
Here is my musical Christmas card. For many years when living in Lancashire we used to join the annual pilgrimage to King George’s Hall, Blackburn, to hear the Blackburn Choral Society sing Handel’s “Messiah”. Tonight I found this extract from a performance in Winchester Cathedral and hope you enjoy it as it points beyond the [...]
Of all the gift suggestions I’ve made this year, both on the site and via Twitter, the most popular have been the scenic jigsaws. This morning I’ve found two more, so here is a quick post with the links. Whitby Harbour – 2 x 1,000 piece jigsaws The Lake District – 6 scenes on a [...]
This afternoon I was in the process of preparing another article on Wordsworth for after Christmas (Yes, occasionally I do manage to do things in advance!) when I came across a video of Jeremy Irons reading “Daffodils”. I hadn’t planned on putting up anything new today but am sure that many of my readers here [...]
it can be difficult to use especially in poor visibility, and once the light starts to go a good 
