Tribute to Master Fellwalker Alfred Wainwright

My first recollections of Alfred Wainwright were of, watching the Coast to Coast walk shown in four weekly parts on TV in the late 1980’s. I had done a little walking but nothing too serious having had a hip problem for a number of years, but after watching this long distance walk I was hooked and resolved to do my utmost to complete this walk as soon as possible.
Alfred Wainwright was born in Blackburn in the county of Lancashire in 1907. Leaving school at the age of 13 he began work as an office boy at the Blackburn Town Hall, later becoming a trainee accountant. His first visit to the lake district was on holiday in 1930 at the age of 23. Stopping initially at Windermere, he made that first short walk up to Orrest Head that was to change his life forever. It was here that AW first fell in love with the Lake District and resolved to put down some roots there. His chance came in 1941 when he applied and was accepted for the job as accountancy assistant at Kendal Borough Treasurers Office, accepting a lower salary just to be near his beloved Lake District.
AW as he is fondly known by his many fans was to become the country’s most famous fellwalker, and his seven pictorial guides have sold almost 2 million copies. His first the Eastern Fells, was started in 1952 and finished in 1955. He completed the other six in the following eleven years and is now the author of almost sixty books. There can be no finer legacy left to fellwalkers anywhere.
Over the last fifteen or so years I have collected all his guides and many of his other publications plus video’s of the TV programs he made with Eric Robson, which I never tire of viewing. I know I am only one, of his many, many fans and admirers that have appreciated his many works that inspired people from all walks of life to get out there on the fells.
Alfred Wainwright died in 1991 and I along with many others who had bought his books was saddened and felt a great loss, for although I had never been fortunate enough to meet the great man, it was he who had inspired me to take to the fells that I now love as dearly as he did.

The Great Lakeland Challenge

The Wainwright Society was formed in 2002 to keep alive the things that AW promoted through his Guide books. This year the society organised The Great Lakeland Challenge. The idea was to celebrate the first of these guides the Eastern Fells published 50 years ago by scaling all 270 Wainwright fells in the pictorial guides including the outlying fells between the 14th and 21st of May 2005.
My contribution to the challenge was to climb Harter Fell in Eskdale, my wife Carole and I completed this on the 14th May, details of which are posted below.

Reports about the Great Lakeland Challenge can be found at the following addresses:  Cumbria Online.  and   The Cumberland News

Harter Fell Eskdale  'Book 4'  The Southern Fells

Carole and I set off on a beautiful Saturday morning to complete our walk to the top of Harter Fell in Eskdale, for the Great Lakeland Challenge.  We arrived in Eskdale a little later than anticipated, leaving the car park near Dalesgarth Hall at 10.45 am to walk along the beautiful river Esk.  We chose AW’s route from Boot because he described it as the most charming way up Harter fell, and after our walk today I can quite understand why.
The weather was perfect with glorious sunshine and a cool breeze to keep us from over-heating on the ascent.  On the way we couldn’t resist a brief stop to wander around the lovely little church of St. Catherine’s in its idyllic peaceful setting by the Esk.
Then onward we travelled with Harter Fell soon looming prominently ahead of us, a reminder that after this pleasant easy stroll along the Esk; we had the grunt and groan of the ascent to come.  After crossing Doctor Bridge and passing Penny Hill farm, we started the ascent up the fell stopping for a break just below Kepple Crag. Ater our well earned break we pressed on to Spothow Gill at which pointl I checked my watch; it was 12.30 pm and time to push for the days objective, the summit of Harter Fell.
The final ascent was not quite as bad as expected but still quite a grunt all the same, we had plenty of stops to admire the view (that’s our excuse and were sticking to it) and take a photo or two.  Finally reaching the summit at 1.40 pm it was time for lunch, we had a very pleasant 45 minutes and made the most of the excellent views including all the major tops in the Scafell range and out to the Isle of Man.
The return journey deviated from our approach heading north down a track that turns north east under Dodd Knott to reach Jubilee Bridge. We then headed west back along the Esk but staying on the south side at Doctor Bridge to reach the car park via Gill Force at 5.00 pm. This had been a wonderful days walking!!