Landscape

Hellgill Force near the source of the Eden

May 14, 2013

Today I did another of my photo-drive-walks, returning to Mallerstang for the second week in succession. Last week I did a circular walk between Nateby and Pendragon Castle, taking in Lammerside Castle, so today after a few shots of Pendragon Castle (over the wall; it’s now “closed to public access for building repairs”) I started [...]

Read more →

Beautiful Mallerstang, and Disgusting Litter Louts

May 8, 2013

Yesterday was a beautiful early Spring day in Mallerstang. Yes, I know that in many parts of the country Spring is already well and truly sprung but up here in the North, in a valley whose lowest points are around 1000 feet above sea level, Spring is still on its way in. The photo here [...]

Read more →

Wanthwaite Crags near Keswick – Autumn and Winter

March 23, 2013

A very brief item today. I just noticed that I had two photographs taken from almost identical positions (close to Burns Farm at St Johns-in-the-Vale near Keswick) showing Wanthwaite Crags, one from last October and the other this past week. So here they are together, the contrast of Autumn and Winter colour in the Lake [...]

Read more →

Northern England – Land of Rivers and Castles

October 30, 2012

Last updated: The North of England is rich in scenic landscape, ranging from historic coastlines with fishing villages and castles to mountains, moors and lakes. Last week I was speaking at an event in Babes Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, the second city of Romania. Many people asked where in England I lived. On being told [...]

Read more →

Crummock Water Today

October 10, 2012

“Around-England” temporarily moved office today to The Rock, Hause Point, Crummock Water. Back in my usual base at Appleby in Westmorland tomorrow morning!

Read more →

The River Eamont – Ullswater to Eden

August 17, 2012

The Eamont is one of Northwest England’s shorter rivers, rising among the Lake District mountains at Ullswater and flowing northeast to join the Eden, which then flows north and west into the Solway Firth and the Irish Sea. Ullswater looking southwest from Pooley Bridge From where it leaves Ullswater at Pooley Bridge (the photo above [...]

Read more →

Lake District History & Now: Axe Heads to SatNavs

February 21, 2012

Today’s title reflects just some of the eclectic content below, with ancient axe heads, charcoal burning, water-powered fulling mills, train crashes, a Roman helmet, today’s forests, map reading skills and even an international treaty. Last week I wrote about books on Lake District history and finished up with some thoughts on its future. Today I [...]

Read more →

Lake District History and the Future

February 14, 2012

I was writing a piece on my “Lake District in Books” site when it occurred to me how much material I’d written there over recent months referring to the history of the region. This post is substantially a survey of things I’ve written there in the past, brought together for readers of the Around-England blog. [...]

Read more →

Barnard Castle and the Bowes Museum

February 7, 2012

Last weekend we paid an unscheduled visit to Barnard Castle. Our normal pattern when driving over the A66 between Cumbria and County Durham has been to fly past at 60 to 70 miles per hour on the way to or from somewhere or other. This time, however, a glance at the fuel gauge said quite [...]

Read more →

River Eden near Appleby on a Wintry Afternoon

January 17, 2012

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 [...]

Read more →