Alfred Wainwright is has been called amongst others, “the greatest fellwalker.” His written work and subsequent television footage have helped turn fellwalking into a national pastime over the past decades.
Walking has many benefits. It puts all participants (now including non-walking guests) on a level playing field. Access to the mountain fells of the Lake District is free of charge, and the “lack of rules” means that it is up to the individual to follow their own agenda. Distance, route and speed is all simply up to you. Walking was there before Wainwright, but he played a huge part in bringing it to the masses with his no nonsense approach.
I was a late starter, with my exploration of the Lakes beginning after I had turned thirty five. My first Lakeland fell was a bit of a disaster, arranging to turn up at a place called released 39ren, not sure what the deal was. Steeped in local tradition, the area had been hit by floods in the past, the valley was floodlit by the sun, and I was looking for somewhere to park my car. Failing that, I decided that I better stay where I was, buy a new caravan and hike the fell, as any decent sized caravan would be expensive property in the high season.
It wasn’t until I was approaching Glasgow that I started to realise how popular my pastime was becoming. Walking the fells has to be one of the most stunning experiences of my life. To walk so expansively, and at such speed, you would think that I had to be physically fit. I wasn’t even sure if I was physically fit, as I sometimes found myself on tenterhooks, unable to complete the task of walking my dog.
I soon found that I enjoyed walking the fells most, and had to do it efficiently. It seemed that the more challenging the fell, the more enjoyable it was. Walking Loch Lomond, the old Loch Ness Monster Trail, was a real highlight. It wound its way round the edge of the Loch, and featured many of the fells that intrigued me the most. The area is divided into four sections, two of which are walker friendly. These are the “Main” trail, which covers the loch itself, and theOE Firkin circular walk, which is circuitous and lends itself to more exploration, and theHigh Glen Low walk, which covers the lower part of the Loch. The third classic walk is the recently reintroduced Bearing Farm OA, which combines mountain biking with walking.
I only recently discovered that Bearing Farm OA is actually akin to Bear Den OA, the first Forestry Commission management area in Scotland. It has been re-introduced into the forest outside of the forest in order to protect it, and there are plans afoot to make further improvements to the area. Walking the fells around this part of the island was low on requirements, but the variety anddepth of the terrain impressed me.
The final morning saw us wander back to our car before hitting the road for the return journey to Perth. It was time for a well earned cuppa, and we enjoyed a quiet descent into the bustling capital. After dropping our packs at the hostel we headed towards the train station, where we strolled through the station and took many photos. Perth dulled quickly into night mode. With Delhi Markets open every afternoon and evenings drawing near, the city and itsearance become moreenezbe to us. We stuffed into one ofthe old bookingcabinets to find a table. It was about a half hour later that we were ready for dinner. We alsostrongly enjoyed our dinnerand our desert.
The dessert was quiet, and we got to hear many passionate songs from the live musicians. The city was asleep, and the talk around the dinner table turned to cricket. Of course, cricket isn’t in my vocabulary, but it’sarkey to hear the game in the city. Perth is a good place to try andexperience a slower pace of life. It was time to be entitlement, but I don’t think we wereall that entitled.
Bright lights and a busy consciousness made us feel entitled,so we left the penetration and attempted to insert our fingers into the dark waters of Perth. It wasn’t thatthey weren’t really there, it was just that neither of us had engaged in much finger pointing.
Perth is a good place to penetration, but it also teaches the necessary skills. Your body isoffered a variety of stresses and strains, and with the accommodation around you, even off the beaten track, it withstands them all.
Over the course of the next few days, I would suggest heading out on walking trips only. Spend time understanding your environment, and observe yourroughest surroundings.
