Wainwright - rude, reality or just a little short-sighted?
I had cause to seek out our copy of Wainwrights “Pictorial Guide to the Outlying Fells of Lakeland” this week. I was thinking about autumn and how it would be wonderful to keep Team Tortoise going though the later months of the year. I was looking for some inspiration for lower fells and maybe shorter walks for the shorter daylight hours and possible less joyful weather.
Blowing the dust off the cover (oops) I was surprised to read the dedication to “the old-timers on the fells”, and then the introduction - “primarily for the old age pensioners and others who can no longer climb high fells”. Maybe it was a lovely way of showing that there is still something for everyone no matter our age. However I think he misses a trick here and excludes a huge audience….. There are those who chose not to go up high, maybe due to the weather, time of year, level of confidence (though you’ll need better navigation skills to do these than most of the core 214 list!). You might have already done 60km that week! Alternatively you might just be like me and appreciate the great outdoors, what ever size its ups and downs come in, and I think I might like peaceful summit to enjoy my sandwich more than jostling for position on a prime Lakeland peak.
The photo of me is on Blawith Knott, a mighty 248m peak, chosen because the wind was blowing 40-50mph in the higher fells above Coniston - seemed like a far more sensible thing to do, followed by a toddle over to the fantastically named Tottlebank Height (236m). Does this make me an “old-timer” on the fells? If old-timer means I’ve been walking in the fells for a long time and am able to make sensible decisions about when to go up high, when to stay low, and frankly when to go to a cafe , then maybe yes I am ! But do you know what, I’m 45… I love a big mountain day but I also love just walking, exploring, going to new places. Sometimes I don’t mind at all that the summit point is only 26m above the elevation of my own house!
If you want to explore the wonders of the outliers without the need to be drawing your pension (though you are of course most welcome if you are) check out some of this autumns events . There are 116 outlying fells apparently, but like ages… who’s counting?