A celebration of the landscapes, culture, heritage and people of Cumbria and the Lake District.
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#131: The Atlantic rainforests of Borrowdale
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...in which we stride out from Seatoller in the company of conservationist and lichonologist April Windle to explore the Celtic woodlands of Borrowdale and celebrate the designation of a new 721-hectare (1,782-acre) National Nature Reserve in the valley. Immersing ourselves in the damp and shady confines of an oakwood, and tantalised by a tapestry …
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#130: Goldscope – The wealth of Newlands
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...in which we journey deep into Newlands to tell the remarkable story of Elizabethen copper mining, and the part it played in making Keswick the birthplace of modernity. Leaving Little Town in the company of the inimitable Mark Hatton, we ascend the flanks of Hindscarth, and rewind time to the 1560s, to when England's war footing meant a domestic …
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#129: Loughrigg Fell: Tales of a small mountain
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…in which we climb one of the Lake District's most popular heights, Loughrigg Fell, to celebrate the launch of a new book, Loughrigg: Tales of a small mountain. In the company of author Eileen Jones and botanist Pete Martin, we consider why this rambling maze of a fell – the classic 'first and last hill’ – holds such a special place in so many peop…
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…in which we head to the far northeast of Cumbria to explore the once thriving North Pennines coal industry in the company of ex-pitman Clive Seal. Rewinding to the 1240s, we unearth the first records of coal production in the area – supplying the monks of Lanercost - and discuss the border raids that threatened the cottage-style industry all the w…
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...in which we stride out from Waterhead in the company of ecologist and Save Windermere campaigner Matt Staniek. In the vibrant watermeadows that flank the River Rothay we dig into local lad Matt's early life – where hedgehogs were nursed in the family home and Matt took nature walks with his grandmother. Fast-forwarding to the car crash that brok…
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#126: Pubs of Cumbria: When communities save their pubs
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...in which, standing in for Mark and Dave, BBC Cumbria's Nick Brownlee takes a seat at the bar to discuss the highs, lows and daily realities of operating a community pub. In a hospitality sector beset by staff shortages, rising costs and closures, Cumbria is home to a handful of thriving pubs that have been acquired by their communities. Nick spe…
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#125: Nature friendly farming champion: James Robinson from Strickley
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...in which, guest presenting for Mark and Dave, Radio 4's Caz Graham dons her boots for a day on the farm with organic dairy farmer, Chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network and one of Cumbria's farming heroes, James Robinson. In a wide-ranging conversation with fifth-generation farmer 'James from Strickley' – in the shadow of The Helm – Caz a…
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124: 778 ascents of Helvellyn, with fell top assessor Jon Bennett
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...in which, standing in for Mark and Dave, broadcaster Nick Brownlee ventures out with Jon Bennett – a man who has climbed Helvellyn 778 times. Ascending Mires Beck, we hear from Jon about the important role of the National Park fell top assessor – a job Jon never thought he would get – and about why, even after 16 years climbing Helvellyn, he's s…
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123: Barrow-in-Furness – A tale of iron and ships, hair and shops
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...in which we explore the industrial and social history of Barrow-in-Furness in the company of former mayor John Murphy and artist Maddi Nicholson. Overlooking Walney Channel and distant Black Combe, we delve into the Furness peninsula's deep past, when monks arrived in the secluded 'valley of the deadly nightshade'. We proceed to the discovery of…
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...in which we set out from springtime Orton to explore the limestone scars of the Westmorland Dales in the company of husband-and-wife geologist / botanist team Syvia and Peter Woodhead. Alongside bubbling Chapel Beck, we encounter early flowers and a lively March hare as we learn about the geological origins of limestone - in distant coral seas s…
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121: A history of paper-making on the River Kent
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...in which we take a Dales Way wander downstream from Cowan Head to Burneside to explore the long history of paper-making on the River Kent. In the company of paper manufacturer and fell-runner Mark Cropper, Chair of the six-generation family business James Cropper plc, we rewind the centuries to when 50 or more mills spanned the Kent, processing …
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...in which we are joined by Kendal-based author and Windermere Lake Cruises skipper Robert Beale to dive into the deep history of boating on England largest lake. Rambling along the fine new path from Lakeside to Finsthwaite, we look back to Roman times and beyond to hypothesise about the first lake users. Moving into the medieval era, we consider…
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...in which we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of George Fox – founder of Quakerism – on a journey through '1652 country' with historian, Quaker and Professor Emeritus at Lancaster University, Angus Winchester. Starting our walk at the Society of Friends meeting house in the picture-perfect hamlet of Brigflatts just outside Sedbergh, w…
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118: James Forrest - Record-breaking round of the 214
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...in which we're defeated by weather, so shelter indoors to hear from one of the UK's great adventurers: Cockermouth-based James Forrest, who has bagged all 1,001 mountains in the UK and Ireland, and broke records walking both the 446 Nuttalls and 214 Wainwrights. An escape from the nine-to-five was, James tells us, the drive for his first challen…
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#117: Above Great Moss: Stone axes of the earliest settlers
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...in which we rewind the centuries to the Neolithic Age on a journey in search of Lakeland's earliest settlers and their highly-valued stone axes. In the company of archaeologist Steve Dickinson, we set out from Brotherilkeld – the great medieval farmstead with Norse roots. Leaving the valley walls behind, we enter wild country, once a place of fo…
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...in which we uwrap a selection box of our favourite clips from the year past in the company of Lakeland Walking Tales blogger and Lakeland Walker contributor, George Kitching. Featuring clips from, among others, Bill Birkett, Will Rawling, Charlotte Fairbairn, Rob and Harriet Fraser, Debbie North, Mark Hatton, Fell Foodie, Chris Butterfield and M…
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Countrystride #115: A Cumbrian Christmas feast - With Helen Rebanks and Ivan Day
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...in which we are joined by Farmer's Wife author Helen Rebanks and food historian Ivan Day for a feast of Cumbrian Christmas fare. In Ivan's historic Westmorland farm kitchen we learn about the dishes that marked a traditional Christmas – 'hackin', powdered goose and sweet pie – before Helen and Ivan serve up three very different gingerbreads. Dis…
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Countrystride #114: Fell Foodie - A feast on Silver How
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...in which we climb one of Grasmere's low-level favourites to dine in a dell with outdoors cook, author and mental health speaker Harrison Ward – a.k.a. Fell Foodie. Setting out along the old drove road from Allan Bank, Harrison speaks frankly about his former life: of his long history of clinical depression; his obesity; and his 12-year struggle …
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Countrystride #113: Why we Run - Fell and trail running in the Lake District
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...in which we embark on one of our all-time favourite walks – up the Glendereterra valley – to ask why runners head into the toughest of fell landscapes on journeys of adventure, endurance, technical challenge and self-discovery. As we delve into the Back o' Skidda', we hear from Keswick born-and-bred Jacob Tonkin about the heritage of fell-runnin…
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Countrystride #112: Melvyn Bragg - Back in the Day
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...in which we return to post-war Cumbria in the company of author, broadcaster and parliamentarian, Melvyn Bragg, to reflect on his early years in the market town of Wigton. Evoking a close-knit community on the threshold of change, Melvyn describes daily life in the Black-a-Moor inn – the Bragg family home for a decade – and celebrates the rich d…
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Countrystride #111: The Herdwick, with Will Rawling
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...in which we head to misty Ennerdale in search of the Lake District's iconic sheep breed: the Herdwick. In the company of Will Rawling, Chairman of the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association – whose family have farmed the far-western fells for 500 years – we take a whistle-stop tour through the breed's long history, from its likely Norse roots throu…
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Countrystride #110: Eliza Lynn Linton and The Lake Country
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...in which we visit Crosthwaite to shine a light on one of Lakeland's most neglected historic figures – remarkable Eliza Lynn Linton, the first female salaried journalist in England. In the company of author Philippa Harrison, Keswick Museum curator Nicola Lawson and academic Sue Wilkinson, we learn about Eliza's traumatic childhood and the self-e…
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Countrystride #109: Aira Force - Lakeland pleasure ground
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...in which we take a timeless tour of Aira Force – one of Lakeland's enduring honeypots – to uncover a history that takes in Victorian tourists, Colonial tree collectors and Baronial money and power. Treading paths trod for generations, we set out from the Pinetum glade in the company of National Trust Cultural Heritage Curator Harvey Wilkinson an…
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Countrystride #108: To the Lakes! The early days of tourism
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...in which we journey back 200 years to the early days of Lake District tourism in the company of Jeff Cowton MBE, principal curator at Wordsworth Grasmere. Tracing the footsteps of the first well-to-do visitors, we ascend the pastures of Latrigg, midway between the perennial honeypot of Keswick and long-climbed slopes of Skiddaw. As we walk, we c…
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Countrystride #107: Tales from Little Langdale
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...in which we stride out from Fell Foot Farm at the foot of Wrynose Pass to explore the upper reaches of Little Langdale with National Trust Archaeologist Jamie Lund. Opening with a brief history of the valley, we consider its strategic importance in the heart of the Lakes, and the historic route – used by the Romans onwards – that draws down to F…
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Countrystride #106: The lichens of Borrowdale
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...in which we take a deep dive into the miniature world of lichens with Cumbria Lichens & Bryophytes expert Pete Martin. Embarking from the car park at Seatoller – and not wandering much further - we ask what a lichen is (a question not easily answered) and why lichens matter. Wandering up-dale towards Seathwaite, we stop at trees and walls to enc…
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Countrystride #105: The Old Man and the slate
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...in which we are joined by industrial archeologist supremo Mark Hatton to talk all things slate as we ascend and then tunnel deep into the fellside of The Old Man of Coniston. Picking through the abandoned remains of old working floors and tips, we learn about the long history of slate quarrying in the Lake District – an industry spread over 200 …
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Countrystride #104: Eskdale - Living the Fisherground dream
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..in which we don the Countrystride shorts for a balmy trip west into sylvan Eskdale to hear about Ian and Jen Hall's 27-year journey to make a success of a Lakeland hill farm. As we set out from the handsome farmhouse at Fisherground – one-time home to the couple, alongside close friends Anne-Marie and Geoff Wake – we learn about the passion that …
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Countrystride #103: Ambleside - A town through time
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...in which we take a tour of honeypot Ambleside in the company of Blue Badge guide, and lover of all things Ambleside, Alison Pickering. Setting out from Rothay Park, we visit the riverside Roman Fort, once a thriving settlement with strategic links throughout Cumbria, before making our way via the centuries-spanning milling powerhouse of Stock Gh…
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Countrystride #102: A Coast to Coast love affair, with Debbie North
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...in which we travel east to the big-sky North York Moors to meet access campaigner and Cabinet Office disability ambassador Debbie North on a stretch of her beloved Coast to Coast walk. Setting out in springtime squalls from The Lion Inn at Blakey – infamous stopping point on Wainwright's enduringly popular cross-country journey – we learn from D…
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Countrystride #101: The Yellow Earl and Lowther Castle
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...in which we visit one of Lakeland's great historic houses, Lowther Castle, to explore the history of the 'Yellow Earl': Hugh Lowther, 5th Earl of Lonsdale, one of the most extravagant members of the English aristocracy. In the company of Charlotte Fairbairn, seanchaidh of the Lowther family, we rewind in time to the early days of the Lowther dyn…
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Countrystride #100: Why we love the Lakes
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...in which we celebrate our 100th birthday with an ascent of Grasmere's favourite fell, Helm Crag, to consider the question: "What is the unique magic of the Lake District?" In the company of Little Langdale cragsman and author Bill Birkett, poet Harriet Fraser, photographer Rob Fraser and – sharing our birthday – 90-year-old Gordon Bambrough, we …
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Countrystride #99: PEAT, POWER & THE PUBLIC – Caring for Watendlath
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...in which we explore the much-loved hanging valley of Watendlath and the High Tove ridge above in the company of veteran National Trust ranger Roy Henderson and Cumbria Wildlife Trust's Sean Prokopiw. Posing the question: 'How do we balance the management of such precious landscapes with increasing tourist demands?', we take a whistle-stop tour o…
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Countrystride #98: Askham – A vernacular celebration
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...in which we take a wintry trip to Lowther country and the pristine village of Askham to celebrate the built heritage of Cumbria. In the company of historic buildings officer Alexandra Fairclough, we take a long view of the vernacular and its champions – from John Ruskin to Professor Ron Brunskill – before embarking on a whistlestop tour of a vil…
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Countrystride #97: Townend – A Troutbeck farming dynasty
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...in which we descend upon the cloistered valley of Troutbeck to celebrate the 75th birthday of the National Trust farm at Townend, home for 12 generations to the 'yeoman' Browne family. In the company of Collections & House Manager Emma Wright we uncover a trove of farmhouse treasures, including an expansive 'meat loft', the last George Browne's …
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Countrystride #96: Eric Robson – Wasdale, Wainwright, and a champion of Cumbria
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....in which we head west to Wasdale to talk with one of Cumbria's living greats; broadcaster, author, film-maker and former sheep farmer Eric Robson OBE. Sat by the stove in his isolated farmhouse study, we learn about Eric's long love affair with Wasdale, and the decision to donate his OBE to his beloved adopted Cumbria; we take the long view of …
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Countrystride #95: Catbells & Hugh Walpole
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...in which we make the classic ascent of Catbells to celebrate the remarkable life of Sir Hugh Walpole, at one time one of the world's best-selling authors, now a figure largely forgotten outside of literary circles. In the company of Walpole enthusiast Simon Dunant, we learn about the author's traumatic start in life – of family upheaval and boar…
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...in which we are joined by outdoors writer and editor John Manning for our annual delve into Countrystrides past, picking our best bits from 2022 as we chat about everything from dialect to dynamite; walls to wolves; and farming to fellrunning; before naming our favourite walks of the year. As we hear from, among others, Lee Schofield, Mark Hatto…
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Countrystride #93: A Grasmere Gingerbread Christmas
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...in which we take a Grasmere ramble under wintry skies with local lass Joanne Hunter, Partner at Grasmere Gingerbread, for a seasonal trip down memory lane. Embarking from diminutive Church Cottage – the one-time school house – we learn about the life, heartbreaks and invention of Sarah Nelson, the working class Victorian cook who landed upon a n…
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Countrystride #92: Dentdale and The Dales High Way
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...in which stride out from Chapel-le-Dale in the Yorkshire Dales to nine-miles-distant Dent on the Dales High Way long distance footpath in the company of the trail's co-creator – and local lass – Chris Grogan. Leaving the diminutive 'chapel in t' dale' with its memorial to navvies killed building the Carlisle–Settle line, we rise into farm countr…
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Countrystride #91: Geology of the Lake District
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...in which we brave dark skies for a windy wander over Sale Fell to unearth the history of rock and glaciation in the Lake District. Setting out from cloistered Wythop vale with author, geologist and local lad Ian Francis, we learn about the three rock groups that form the backbone of Lakeland, as identified by Keswick geology pioneer Jonathan Otl…
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Countrystride #90: The VIKINGS in Cumbria
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...in which we are joined by archaeologist Steve Dickinson in Gosforth to seek out the lost Norse kingdom of 'Laithlinn'. Embarking from the infamous Viking Cross – where Steve guides us through a series of remarkable carvings – we set out on an autumnal wander over the meadows to Irton, and a second iconic cross. As we walk – down quiet bylines, a…
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Countrystride #89: Steve Birkinshaw – Smashing the 214
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...in which we escape the autumn rains on Clough Head to meet fell-runner and Threlkeldonian Steve Birkinshaw, who in 2014 broke the record for the fastest run of all 214 'Wainwrights' – the ultimate British ultramarathon. His 6 day, 13 hour record – which smashed Joss Naylor's epic 1987 run by a staggering 12 hours – not only laid down new lines t…
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Countrystride #88: Forty Farms – Food and nature at Low Sizergh Farm
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...in which we visit one of Cumbria's most visited farms, Low Sizergh Farm, in the company of owners Richard and Alison Park, and photographer Amy Bateman. On a farm tour taking in fruit-laden hedgerows, diverse meadows and Richard's organic dairy herd, we celebrate the launch of Amy's 'Forty Farms' book and consider the state of Cumbrian farming i…
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Countrystride #87: Trees in the age of the Romantics
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...in which we journey into Romantic-era 19th century Lakeland to explore the roots of change in our relationship with trees. In the company of Dr Anna Burton, Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Derby, we embark on a heatwave-hued ramble through Lorton Vale to hillside-hugging Holme Wood above sparkling Loweswater. As we walk, we l…
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...in which we take a warm-weather wander from Far to Near Sawrey in the footsteps of author, illustrator, farmer and countrywoman Beatrix Potter. In the company of long-time Hilltop volunteer and Beatrix Potter Society member Janet Edwards, we trace Wilfin Beck to Moss Eccles Tarn – one of Mrs Heelis' favourite spots – and then on into Near Sawrey…
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Countrystride #85: COPPERMINES VALLEY - Landscape legacy of audacious ambition
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...in which we journey into the mining past of iconic Coppermines Valley above Coniston with industrial historian Mark Hatton. Rewinding time to the 16th century, we seek out the earliest signs of copper extraction on the lonely slopes below Hole Rake, before climbing to the wheelpits and addits of The Company of Mines Royal - monuments to the Germ…
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Countrystride #84: Latrigg - with Friends of the Lake District
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...in which we make the perennially popular ascent of Latrigg in the company Douglas Chalmers, outgoing chief executive of Friends of the Lake District. Setting out from Fitz Park, Keswick, where the landscape charity was founded at a public rally in 1934, we learn about the farming upbringing that led Douglas, a Lake District agnostic, to fall in …
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Countrystride #83: Alston & Isaac’s Tea Trail
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...in which we stride out from the North Pennine market town of Alston on an amiable wander along the Isaac's Tea Trail footpath. In the company of Tea Trail creator Roger Morris and 'tea lady' blogger Anne Leuchars, we unearth the remarkable rags-to-riches tale of 18th-century tea-seller Isaac Holden, who escaped a childhood of lead mining poverty…
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...in which we wander the wildlife-friendly meadows of Strickley farm, Old Hutton, with geologist and waller Arthur Robinson to learn about the history, heritage and practice of dry-stone walling. After a brief overview of the landscape's geology – which gifts Kendal walls a unique array of stones – we look back over the long history of walling and…
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