Recently, I got together with the author of  Sky Dance, The Last Hillwalker and Bothy Tales  to talk about creativity in lockdown, how I got into writing and my thoughts on the future of the Yorkshire Dales and its uplands.

I don’t get chance to chat to a fellow scribe often so it was great opportunity to talk about books and the outdoors – as well as woodland creation and a bit of caving too.

You can check out the podcast here  with John also giving me permission to embed it below (after listening me go on for half an hour!)

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#11): A Chat with The Last Hillwalker appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It’s been a while since our last update here – some four months – and it’s fair to say that’s a long time between drinks.

Things have been pretty hectic at Mascarandy towers with a book deadline and several other things happening to preclude some thought on these pages.

So here’s an explanation (kinda…)

Caving

Folk will know I’ve long been a keen caver. Since moving my ‘day role’ to the Yorkshire Dales it has allowed me to be closer to the caving areas – and open the door to finally joining the Red Rose Caving and Pothole Club.

It’s a club I’ve wanted to be part of for a while; initially because I thought the hut looked cool, but mostly, and now I’ve grown up, because it is based in the best caving area in the country at Ease Gill.

My Secret Dales book project allowed me to interact with members of the group and finally submit an application. I’m pleased to say I was accepted and have begun to finally learn how to get up and down a rope.

Down in fine – my sizeable frame helping the descent. Up isn’t – gravity working against my sizeable frame.

It’s been fun so far, but hard work, and I’d like to thank Jack Overhill, the training officer at the club for being very patient.

Why caving? It’s the fascination of not knowing what is around the corner. I find crawling in enclosed spaces somewhat comforting too. No idea why…

Wombling

Trees … millions of them. That’s the plan for the country to help it meet its climate targets and at Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust they have ambition to plant 100,000 in the next two years. So far, we’ve planted close to 60,000 taking our in total figure to around 1.5 million since 1996.

That’s a lot of trees … and a lot of tree guards.

YDMT has been leading the way on finding an alternative – and you can see why from the pic below. They were removed from Bargh Wood in Stainforth with the landowner – and we were featured on  Farming Today over the Christmas period.

I’m really pleased to be part of an organisation that is a real ‘doer’ when it comes to things like this. It’s outdoors, in the fresh air and making a difference.

(I’ve been to Bargh Wood so many times over the last few months planting and wombling that I am petitioning the owner to have it changed to Mike’s Wood. Catchy eh?)

Snapping

My deadline for Secret Dales is fast approaching and therefore I’ve been out and about researching and gathering as many snaps as I can. The book will have nine chapters and focus on things like landscape, folk tales, notable people, mining and cottage industries for example.

At times, it’s been a difficult write. Changing jobs meant a chance in circumstance and time management issues, but I’m pleased to say I’ve got on top of that over the last few months.

It’s made me realise two things. When the draft wasn’t proceeding as well as planned, I felt it was because I was spending too much time on my research; typing up notes for example. When it came to crafting the draft, that research made life a lot simpler. Lesson number one – enjoy the grind, it pays off.

The second thing was bringing my eldest up to the area I now work in. We went walking on Giggleswick Scar and cave hunting / cooking down at Ease Gill. It was lovely to be able to introduce her to a new environment even if she is a reluctant walker. I hope this is the start of her getting to know the outdoors a lot more.

And finally…

Just some further updates. The Mascarandy Meanders podcast will be returning shortly! It will continue to feature me meandering on about whatever outdoor or writing subject is bothering me at the time – but I’ve also lined up a few interviews too which I hope you’ll find interesting!

I’ll also be blogging a bit more about my journey to 10 books and various other things like top 10 bivvys, caving trips etc.

This site will be having a small update shortly too with some new banner artwork, giving it a fresh look.

Finally (again), if you’re unable to buy a book, postcard or print from my shop, then there are a couple of things you could do to help me keep this site up and running.

The first is to check out two of my partners and consider supporting Mascarandy through them.

Splash Map is an  innovative company which designs  wearable, washable, all weather maps for the real outdoors.  Basically, any map – Ordnance Survey etc – can be printed onto fabric that can be worn or stored in your pack.

FATMAP – I’ve been submitting walk ideas to Fatmap since they joined the scene and the link is my walk up Ingleborough. Check it out and my other walks and tell FATMAP if you like them!

Secondly, the proceeds of every book, picture and postcard sold on the site goes back into writing more books, taking more pictures and creating more postcards.  If you can’t buy a book, picture or postcard, then would you buy me a brew to keep this site up and running?

Yes?

Nice, I take sugar in tea or alternatively you can click on the button below.

The post Caving, Wombling & Snapping appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

50 Gems of Cheshire is due out at the end of April next year.

Stalybridge Buffet Bar

The first was Stalybridge Buffet Bar which dates back to 1885, one of the very few remaining Victorian station buffet bars. This was one on the list a long time ago, via a recommendation and it didn’t disappoint. 

The bar itself is decorated, no … more festooned in old signs, memorabilia, historic artefacts from the railway … but it’s tastefully done. And the selection of beers etc on sale is superb, as is the food. Away from the bar there is a more formal dining area too, but not too stuffy that you would feel out of place nipping in and having a quick bite.

It really is not to be missed and worth the special trip for sure.

Hack Green

My second visit on ’50 Gems’ was to Hack Green Nuclear Bunker. I’d been in touch with the curator Lucy Siebert for a while and finally landed on a date that suited us both. When I arrived (this place is certainly secret as my sat nav had a nightmare) Lucy was taking a tour so I pretty much had the run of the bunker to myself.

All I can say – as I don’t want to spoil the chapter in the book and your visit – is that it brings home the planning and preparation for what would have happened after a nuclear attack. It’s non-political, very informative, stark and bloody frightening in places too. 

It opened my eyes on any preconceptions I might have had … you just have to go and take a look. 

Some of the equipment may look outdated but it’s still operational as well. Sobering … although it’s not hooked up to the national network as times have moved on of course.

We hope?

Brew With A View

Finally, in-between these visits I made my way to my happy place – Gaping Gill in the Yorkshire Dales. This is a well known pothole in the Dales and many a visitor has gone passed it, and looked into its depths, when trudging up Ingleborough. 

In fact, you can get winched down it on two separate occasions in the year – Spring and Summer Bank Holiday.

I’ve always picked my time to head up through Trow Gill and beyond as a result and a misty afternoon was the ideal time to do so. I saw one person on the way up and no one on the way down as I came back into Clapham as the night drew in.

It gives me time to think; up in that expanse, and listen to Fell Beck as it makes its way down the hole.

Grizzly’s Adventure Blends

I also had the opportunity to try out some of Grizzly’s Adventure Blends’ products – a company I’m hoping to link up with in the New Year.

Their Mint Hot Chocolate was my tipple of choice and it seemed to fit in well with the rushing of Fell Beck and the cold whipping around Gaping Gill’s shakehole.

It’s pretty easy to make too – I opted for hot water (sourced out of the beck of course before boiling) instead of milk and it made it a powerfully tasting hot beverage. Not for the feint-hearted for sure. Quite an adult drink too in its richness and it certainly powered me back down to Clapham.

You can see an ‘Insta Story’ of the brew being made here – just head to #brewwithabrew Highlights.

Next up for me to try is the Breakfast Blend Tea and Orange Hot Chocolate.

Hopefully, via a Kelly Kettle … more to follow on that.

A Favour To Ask…

It’s Christmas and I very rarely do the hard sell so I won’t do that here.

Kinda.

Everything in my store has been written and photographed by myself and, in the case of the books, all commissioned.

Every penny I make on these products goes back into Mascarandy so I can continue to grow the ‘brand’, get out, walk and write, and be more attractive to the likes of Grizzly’s and Splash Maps (see below).

Visiting those partners helps them help me. 

I try and price everything so it is competitive compared to the high street and Amazon and offer free postage (and packing too). 

So if you’re looking for a unique Christmas Gift, or a bloody good read, then check out Splash Maps below and my Shop.

Finally…

It would be really really really good if you could sign up to my newsletter! 

Everyone does this don’t they? You click on to a website and there it is, a sign up button.

So why should you do it here?

Well, you’ll receive the very latest news direct to your inbox including trip reports, gear reviews, blogs and what’s happening with book launches and signings.

There will also be competitions and discounts in my store.

And, we promise, there will no Spam and you can opt out at any time.

That a deal? Simply input your email address below!

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It was 2014 and as part of 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales I got the opportunity to see one of the bone fide stars of the book up close and personal.

I made a trip down Yordas Pot and you can see it  below or on the Video and Audio page.

“There’s no point going if you aren’t going to look down … or up.”

THE PITCH:

Now the soft sell … you can read about the 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales and my other books on the area buy checking out my store to find out more.

The post TBT: When I Did Look Down appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It’s amazing how a change in circumstances can kick start a love affair with something that is in your very core.

I was thrown a massive curveball recently; feeling you’re invincible is checked somewhat as you hit 40-years-old but in my head I was always in my mid 20s anyway and I thought my body was too.

People who know me would be surprised to read that – I have an odd taste in music (alternative country…) and like whisky for one.

But things change, road blocks and potholes (hmmm, potholes) come from nowhere and every set back is a chance to reflect and think about what lies ahead.

I know these are clichés but I’m working through some alterations in how I perceive myself and readdressing my values going forward.

Getting outside is always a chance to reconnect and when I sleep under the stars, I feel very privileged to be part of something that is bigger than day to day life.

Tarn Hows was the ‘venue’ of choice this time round – it’s near Ambleside in the Lakes (check it out for yourself). After having a couple of beers in the Drunken Duck Inn, myself and my mate Johnny headed down to the Tarn and went around 400 metres (anti-clockwise) until a spot was found near the ‘shore’.

Eerily quiet, camp was set up under the trees and food cooked on my trusty Alpkit Brukit – finished off using the ultra-lite Kraku.

Bats circled overhead as ducks and other wildfowl serenely crossed the water in front of us. We then spent probably 20 minutes or so, in silence, just watching the light fade and taking in the scene. Meditation.

It’s probably the most relaxed I have been on a bivvy and had a superb night’s sleep as a result. I’d inhaled the landscape and it had peacefully brought me back down to base and soil. The perfect medicine.

Next morning was warm and after packing up we took a walk around the tarn before Johnny indulged himself in a bit of wild swimming.

I’d not seen Mr Hartnell do this before and I have to admit I was jealous. I’m not a swimmer, and far to self-conscious to get my gigs off in public, but watching him off his in own world brought home just what nature can do for you.

Privileged.

I used some of his footage in the video below to give you a flavour of what it is all about.

Back in the car we were both pretty quiet – very unusual for Johnny as it happens – but it seemed that this was the perfect bivvy and we were both trying to digest it.

A reset button for the soul.

Next…

People ask me why I bivvy, walk mountains and go caving… it’s probably pretty obvious from my blog posts.

I’ve had some shocking nights under the stars – this Silverdale trip for one – but the walk back from that camp was worth the pain alone.

Caving takes you to places not many people go… and it’s NEW. On each trip you feel you are the first person to scramble along those passages. It’s exploration in its purest sense. Off the map, off the grid.

Bivvying is all about travelling light. Getting set up and then getting away in the morning. It is also closer to the earth, water and air. Tents are great but you cannot get the connection to the land as you do with a bivvy.

Kit…

Kit is simpler too. A stove, sleeping bag, bivvy bag, sleeping mat and off you go.

I talk about Alpkit  a lot in my posts too and they are an ideal starting point if you want to go and bivvy.

Most of my gear is from them – the Numo, Brukit (my version is now discontinued), Kraku, Kelvin, Hunka XL are superb additions to my kit list.

They are light, practical and affordable.

My sleeping bag is a Vango Ultralite and it all packs into a Berghaus Torridon backpack.

I’m aiming to upgrade my bag at some point but for now it does the trick.

There’s other things I carry too – water in a Nalgene Bottle (great for hot water to use as a water bottle on a cold night), Sawyer water filter, Rab Silk Liner for my sleeping bag, inflatable pillow, various pieces of clothing, Alpkit head torch, hip-flask and a first aid kit.

Food wise it’s simple. Can of Tuna and some Pasta Mug Shots. Coffee sachet and porridge for the morning.

Then I have all my photography gear including Manfrotto tripod and GoPro.

Some of the above will be overkill for true ultralite specialists, other bits are essential…

I’ll blog further about my gear in future articles.

Gallery

The post Tarn Hows appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Heading out of Ingleton late in the evening, we arrived in Windermere with plenty of time to find a car parking spot in what is notoriously a busy place… and to get to the pub.

The Crafty Baa was the drinking establishment  of choice and we herded in as soon as we could.  On entry ewe’re hit by how small the gaff is, no bigger or wider than a terraced house and it has two floors. Heading to the bar you choose from a menu on the left for various craft beers (too much choice for me!) and a small number of ‘taps’ on the right.

The craft beers went down pretty quickly – you can see the pictures below – and after finishing off four the plan was made to head up Orrest Head to find a good spot. The idea was to catch the stunning views from the top and a starry sky.

My kit list contained the usual – but I’d attempted to lighten up a little.

Sleep system was the Vango Ultralite 600 sleeping bag  with Rab Mummy Silk Sleeping Bag Liner. I set this on an Alpkit Numo Sleeping Mat and slotted the whole lot into their wonderful Hunka XL.

Food wise I’ve found these great packet Mac and Cheese Mug Shots that I’m a little too obsessed with and added some Tuna. All cooked in my Alpkit Brukit. Sadly, Alpkit don’t make my version of the stove now. I did have their little Kraku stove just in case too.

Oh and after the scalding water incident on my list trip, I got the Brukit a stand too… oh and put some SealSkinz socks on too.

The whole lot slotted into a Berghaus Torridon 65 alongside the usual camera gear, GoPro and various warm clothes.

The evening was pretty decent; the moon was out and you didn’t need a head torch to walk up the trail and pitch a spot.

But that’s as good as it got as around 3am the hail came in leaving a very uncomfortable sleep until the morning.

The Hunka is waterproof but with the hood over my head, the condensation of my breath made the inside a little damp. I suppose the moral of the tale is not to breathe.

6am came and it made sense to get up and take in the view. It was grey, wet, incredibly windy but blooming superb!

Bivvies may not be perfect… mine never are really, something always seems to happen, but that view, that solitude in the morning, is worth every suffering.

The post Orrest Head Bivvy appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I grew up waiting for the bongs watching Clive James give his candid view of the previous 52 weeks. I loved his simple style as he  ran the rule over what had happened that year.

Angus Deaton was next up, but it didn’t seem to work for me – I always felt he was trying too hard, or perhaps he and his writers just simply didn’t  have the aplomb and delivery that Clive had.

Nowadays they don’t really bother with review shows, apart from Charlie Brooker who’s Wipe delivers me pretty close to Mr James. But even that is getting more sanitised – this year’s version was far away from the genius of the one at the end of 2014. It was decent, but felt very mainstream compared to recent iterations. Cunk on Christmas however made me snort.

Moving On…

Anyway, my 2016 was pretty decent as it happens and I don’t want to make an apology for it.

I first thought about writing something that summed up the turmoil of the last 12 months and ignoring the above. Something about how me and many others feel about the environment, Brexit, and the USA elections. I know that for some though 2016 was a good year politically. People who wanted change, who wanted to send a message. I only hope those people are right and can lead the rest of us along with them. Because we all need to be in this together.

I was going to mention my concerns too, like  local councils looking to chop at the Green Belt. My hometown of St. Helens seems hell bent on handing over green land to developers to make it a logistics hub. We won’t worry about not only removing green land – stuff that helps us breathe – but we’ll add a load of trucks into the equation as well. Same for HS2. By the time it is built tech will be so different but the damage is likely to be irreversible. Many towns have brownfield sites that  seem to have been forgotten as well … or housing stock that could be made more attractive.

I was also going to talk about  fracking – which seems pointless given that renewables are clearly the way forward – and the badger cull. I was going to ask  why  the Tories would go against public opinion and 1) allow fracking and 2) allow fox hunting to return as well. All this coming at the same time May said there needs to be more local government and politicians need to listen to the people. Ahem.

Then there’s the whole potential cold war and climate change conversation. The two aren’t linked but could well be!

But anyone who talks up on the net these days gets shouted at. Like Brooker said on Wipe this year – we’ve gone from “meh” to just arguing and saying what we want without considering others. I was brought up to respect those around me but that seems to have gone from our society. That’s sad.

Anyway, it looks like I am going down that post road so let’s return to why  2016 has been pretty good for me, Mascarandy and my family.

2016…

I welcomed a new four-legged member of the family in Lhotse  and she is now in  front of the fire as I write these notes. She has been an excellent addition to the house; very loyal and always hungry. I forgot how greedy Lhasa Apsos are! She has been a good walker too, locally, but we  haven’t ventured too far north just yet. I need to get her into the Dales asap.

Early in the year Mascarandy underwent a bit of a rebrand to reflect more of what we are doing. It was fresh, modern, more professional and well received. We will continue to develop over the coming year.

I also had the pleasure of reviewing Terry Abraham’s new film about Blencathra  and that was a real highlight.

In May I launched my seventh book – 25 Great Walkers’ Pubs of the Yorkshire Dales  – and that was well received too. You can read a review here.

And my second daughter, Emma, came into the world… a little early as it happens. That was a surprise to all!

I probably didn’t get out as much as I wanted to in 2016 but enjoyed three great trips of note. There was a bivvy in Silverdale  which was horrifically wet, followed by one on Norber  that resulted in a severely infected foot after an accidental scalding. Looking back at my trip report I made no reference to the fact my Brukit fell over and poured hot water into my shoe and thus foot, but it was pretty bad. A course of antibiotics followed and talk of a possible skin graft. Thankfully, the latter didn’t occur.

The year walking wise was finished off with a walk along the High Street – easily one of my best to date.

2017…

So what has 2017 got in store?

After watching Jen Randall’s film The Bivvy Project  I texted a friend today to say 2017 needed walks, caving, bivvy and whisky and I don’t think you can go too wrong with that.

Mascarandy is waiting on a couple of projects in the new year to be given the nodbut what WILL be happening is the publishing of Danny Sculthorpe’s autobiography with Vertical Editions.

50 Gems of Derbyshire will also be in research and my  many pics will be on sale on Alamy, Shutterstock and Adobe Stock.

I’ll be out and about blogging as per usual and hopefully getting underground a lot more.

I’d like to thank everyone who made 2016 a good year for Mascarandy and in particular Danny Sculthorpe, Karl at Vertical Editions, the chaps at Amberley, Johnny Hartnell and Inglesport and Mike Law at Walking-Books.

Finally, my Yorkshire Dales books are now just £10 each at my store. Take a look and order!

Here’s to 2017… I have a bottle of unopened Talisker that is about to be no longer closed!

The post Here’s to 2017 at Mascarandy appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I’ve not done a great deal of walking in the Lake District – I’m more of a Dales man – but boy did this trip convert me.

We started at Mardale Head,  made our way up to Kidsty Howes and then Kidsty Pike, through to the High Street for some window shopping, and then moved across to  Mardale III Bell, Blea Water Tarn, Nan Bield Pass and finally to Small Water Tarn.

At times it wasn’t pretty – especially on the descent as the weather closed in – but the views more made up for it.

The images don’t do the walk justice, although I am really proud of them.

In particular as we reached the snow line there were some amazing features including Rime as you can see below.

That is when supercooled water droplets of fog freeze on contact with a surface as it drifts past.

Stunning.

These images  are available for syndication by contacting me here.

The post High Street Shopping appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Ok, I’ve made that sound like I’m really roughing it … to be honest it’s nothing of the sort. I use an Alpkit Hunka XL, Vango Ultralite sleeping bag and I’ve just recently bought a new sleeping mat.

It all adds up to a ‘comfortable’ night in the open air.

I don’t think I have ever been 100 per cent settled when I’m sleeping out but my most recent bivvy, in the Yorkshire Dales, really was the best I’ve had.

A few beers in a local hostelry and selecting a spot was as simple as it has ever been – up on Norber – as were the conditions of no wind, no rain and a warm and clear night.

Milky moon, crystal skies an added bonus.

A nice whisky followed as did a really deep sleep and a beautiful sunrise – as the pictures show.

My friend told me, as he woke, that a Robin landed on his rucksack and basically watched him as he arose from his slumber.

It  got me thinking that such an interaction is something that everyone should enjoy  but in the Dales, in my experience, it doesn’t happen as much as it should.

In Easegill (near Barbon) I have hardly heard birds tweet – and that’s simply down to the lack of trees  and other vegetation.  The Dales is a working landscape but it’s also a landscape that lacks trees and therefore places for birds to nest and thrive.

The latest State of Nature report doesn’t paint a great picture of our country’s wildlife.

It says  is faring worse in the UK than other countries too.

Last  month, the  Guardian  reported that  our  best-loved wildlife was  in serious decline  and we all know what is happening with one of our best loved mammals – and national icons – the Badger.

In a landscape like the Dales, farming is pivotal and critical – it is what has shaped the rolling hills and fells. The Dales would look totally different if it wasn’t for agriculture – but is that a good thing?

Rewilding is in the news at present and I certainly back its aims. But balancing agriculture and the needs of the natural environment isn’t simple whatsoever. We have to feed an increasing population for starters.

The farmers I know certainly do their best with the multitude of environmental schemes which pay them to strive for that balance –  but what happens to those projects  post Brexit?

People who think the government will continue subsiding farmers at the same levels are sadly going to get a big shock – and I have to say I was surprised that before the  vote  Farmers Weekly  suggested 58 per cent of farmers it polled would back ‘Leave’.

To me that’s turkey’s voting for Christmas – without the EU and subsidy there’s no way some hill farms could survive –  but the reasons why many would have voted ‘out’ are complex. It’s not just about subsidy. It’s also being tied into a single market, with a lot of regulation.

And I can see why some wanted to leave – but “regulation” to me is environmental controls and they are vital. In fact, a YouGov poll showed that the “majority of British public polled support protections at least as strong as current EU rules and many think farming subsidies should focus more on environmental protection”.

I know farmers who agree with that also.

Interestingly, the National Trust has just bought  Thorneythwaite  Farm in the Lake District and it looks like its  intention is to use the land as part of a general rewilding project.

This has caused some consternation in the farming community who effectively the Trust gazumped. The price paid for the Farm meant no prospective farmer could get close.  How this one unfolds no one knows but farming is changing. As is public scrutiny.

One commentator said that the Trust wanted to ‘disneyfy’ the Lakes, making it a nature reserve instead of what it is – a working landscape. However, it seems that Thorneythwaite is  already a reserve as it is, with hill sheep attached. What happens next is anyone’s call… but I do ask, if farms need subsidy to survive then why shouldn’t the Trust use its members’ funds to try something different?

I’m certainly open to having  my mind changed on that.

That ‘disneyfication’ comment has also been labelled at the 15 National Parks by the Open Spaces Society.

Their general secretary Kate Ashbrook pointed to the National Parks Partnership which has been set up to enable  businesses to engage with the parks ‘to enhance the quality and utility of the parks now and for future generations’.

She said  that businesses would want to profit  from the scheme through ‘inappropriate sponsorships’.

“If they (the Parks) become prey to commercial predators they will be at severe risk and their special qualities will be destroyed,” she said.

That was a worry  I wrote about  in Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales. I was concerned with how the Yorkshire Dales National Park had been selling its own merchandise for the ‘Three Peaks’ competing against  local and well established smaller businesses.

I couldn’t see how that was right. The same could be said for the  Three Peaks Project receiving  funds from  Hanson  – who operate quarries in the area – and aggregate for paths.

But not everything is so black and white. So moral.

With cuts in funding it’s impossible to see how these partnerships  won’t get bigger in the future too.

And why not? Our National Parks are under pressure financially  so it’s no wonder they have joined together under a Partnership.

And therefore we shouldn’t be surprised if big business want to get involved. The Parks aren’t left with much of a choice.

I suppose the answer is pretty simple. Fund our Parks, rewild where possible and work with farmers to ensure they can  be allowed to manage the environment whilst supporting  their businesses.

It would be a utopian ‘partnership’.

Subsidies will be ending, no doubt, so use what funds there are to ensure a balance so maybe my children can hear birds tweeting and see other wildlife without having to go to a zoo.

The post Bivvy Nights… And Thoughts appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

When a text message says: “It could be wild” as you’re prepping for an impromptu bivvy, a wise man would type back: “Let’s give it a miss and watch Euro 2016 instead.”

Yes, clearly I didn’t heed that advice as this would have been  a poor blog but  even in hindsight, typing this with a cold and still finding bits of damp clothing, it was the correct decision.

The plan was to head to the Lancashire coast, near Silverdale and pitch up near Jenny Brown’s Point to take in the sunset.

The trip up should have set alarm bells ringing. The M6 was at a standstill at 33 and it took more than an hour to shift.

In the end myself and Johnny Hartnell arrived  in Silverdale just as the Euro final started.

The Silverdale Hotel is a nice boozer; spacious  throughout and a really hospitable landlady. She had only been at the pub for three months but you could tell she loved the area, even though she’d not had a chance to explore it yet.

However.

Two hours later torrential rain was still smashing into the conservatory but we’d gone past the stage of no return (too many beers to drive home –   see Ribblehead bivvy) and we had to set out into the wild.

The road down to the beachside was peaceful; the shore glistening on the right hand side and even though the weather was bad, you could see the lights from Morecambe and beyond.

Once the road and path came to a halt, we continued  to walk along that coast, trying to avoid the slippery limestone (I didn’t – ouch) before reaching grass banking for easier movement.

We then threw a left up to Heald Brow and took the path up the hill. This was more akin to  a waterfall but whether it was the Guinness talking up my bravado it was negotiated with ease and in little time.

By the time it  got close to midnight we realised we’d have to pitch somewhere. We’d been searching for the perfect spot, but bivvying never is that exact.

Tarp attached to a tree looked good, but the rainwater ran into where our sleeping bags would be.

Johnny had also left his walking poles by his car which made  erecting said shelter more difficult. It was a dire situation really… until…

“Stay there, I’ll be back in a second,” was Hartnell’s  shout.

Now, I’m used to stuff like this from him … normally followed with a “marvellous” or a “fantastic” afterwards.

In fact, Johnny has the ability to be over enthusiastic when faced with any task. It’s bloody annoying as it happens. But useful when you’re wet and fed up.

Five minutes later, he informed me he’d spotted a “five post” gate and we could attach the tarp to it.  Result.

The groundsheet then went down, my Vango Trek 5 sleeping mat came out and it was a case of trying to make the best of what was a grim situation.

Thankfully, my Rab silk sleeping bag liner and Vango Ultralite  600 did the trick, alongside my trusty Alpkit Hunka.

Sleep came quickly, as did the slugs that decided to take up residence on my face and inflatable pillow. Enough said.

In the morning, the rain still fell. My Alpkit Brukit was fired up (still sounds like a jet engine) and porridge forced down before we decamped and headed back the way we came.

The walk back to the pub was superb. Although it was raining, the mist created an almost gothic background to proceedings and gave the coastline more character. Like most bivvies, I felt like I was the only man alive as I made my way back.

This is a beautiful part of the north west and I watched birds wading in the mudflats with only their calls and the sound of the rain creating the acoustics. I was cold, wet and in pain but totally happy with my lot.

Myself and Jonny often joke about other people being locked away in their houses and tucked up in their beds when we are bivvying. It’s often tongue in cheek because of the poorness of our situation.

But you know what, at times like that it’s worth the dampness and the suffering alone.

Kit Wants / Update:

• The Vango sleeping mat needs to be upgraded to a lighter and smaller version. Looking at an  Alpkit Airo 120  or Alpkit Numo. Have you any thoughts?
• It’s time for my own tarp.
• I need some Sealskinz socks.
• When will someone make a better instant porridge?
• Aquapac would save my iPhone!
• For a comprehensive review of bivvy bags on the market, click this fantastic article here.

The post Wild Nights appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

They are usually away from the mainstream, lower budget than normal ‘features’ and allow the filmmaker and viewer the chance to get more involved in what is happening in the wild.

They also seem more real to me with documentaries in particular opening a door into a world that many of us don’t see or understand.

Terry Abraham has been pushing this form since his first ‘movie’ The Cairngorms in Winter.

I have an affection for this programme  as it saved my soul, the life of my cat and probably, at the very least, any bits of crockery that could have been smashed within a short radius

Liverpool were playing my team Everton at Anfield a couple of years ago and I had a funny feeling things wouldn’t go our way. I downloaded  Cairngorms, popped in my earphones and went away for just over an hour and half. I was transported, via a magnificent soundtrack, into Britain’s artic with Chris Townsend, stunning scenery and an even better presentation from Abraham.

As the final credits rolled, I flipped on BBC Sport and swore several times at what I saw. Liverpool 4 Everton 0. But it didn’t bother me as much. Terry and the Cairngorms had saved my sanity.

His next film  Life of a Mountain: Scafell Pike was clearly bigger budget and thus a bigger project to boot – and it stepped up the game. Swept away up and down England’s highest mountain, this was a masterpiece, with humour, character and simply brilliant film-making. My personal favourite moment is Alan Hinkes’ sheer enthusiasm coming through as he takes to the peak – and Terry’s use of time-lapse alongside a soundtrack that makes your hair stand on end. Yes, it was sentimental at times, but it worked.

There’s no way he could better that, could he?

If Scafell Pike was as close to the perfect outdoor essay you could get then I am simply lost for words on the next film in the series –  Life of the Mountain: Blencathra  as it raises the bar once again.

It’s clear when Terry takes on a project it is fully immersive. He spends hours on the hill. The conduit of the landscape helps tell the story and Terry is a happier man  on the fell behind the camera, than in front of it.

This is a much more  intimate portrait of one of the Lake District’s most famous fells. Terry is  the region’s Nan Shepherd. It feels less intimidating in terms of scale than Scafell and therefore a lot more personal and real.

I’m purposely not going to reveal spoilers about the film – that is something Terry has asked all his reviewers to d0 – and it would be wrong. People simply need to sit for two hours and enjoy  another breathtaking view of this country.

Characters abound once more, but unlike  Scafell,  the hero is Blencathra or ‘saddleback’ itself. We’re never far away from the mountain and its stunning vista, nooks, crannies, features and admiration. This isn’t just a year in the life, it is a love story.

Love of a geological and physical feature and those who interact with it everyday. Terry pulls out every trick in his arsenal to display  his and the locals’  affection for  Blencathra but it never becomes too much or over-worked. The aerial footage in particular – an oft overused form these days – compliments rather than dominates.

I also prefer the angle of  conservation  and environment that perhaps  Scafell    slightly lacked. There is more ‘human’ in this.

The music too is absolutely stunning. Shamelessly, it made me fill up at times and married with Terry’s endless talent for not only getting the right shot at the right time, but also perfecting a style of editing that any filmmaker would have to applaud, it has you out of your seat.

Terry is going places. Helvellyn is next to be given the Abraham treatment, but in all seriousness, he should  have people beating a path to his door  with work offers. I would love him to have a crack at the Cuillin on Skye.

This is a must see and I’m humbled to have the opportunity to view it before any one else.

The DVD of the film will be out from May 14 from  www.stridingedge.com  and on Amazon for £14.99. It will also be on Blu Ray.

For other screenings and information click here.

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The Three Peaks is one of the busiest areas in the country in terms of footfall and sponsored events.

Whilst the National Park rangers and staff, verbally to me anyway, said  they actively questioned groups about their Y3P challenges and told them the potential damage to this delicate area, on the flip side they couldn’t realistically turn anyone away.

The fact we  can’t ban events and groups coming to the Dales is a given  – a National Park is just that, National and open to all.

The owner of Pen-y-Ghent said it was something they were wary of too … the numbers of people on the hill and the damage they did … but they  were working with the YDNP to minimise the damage.

And, of course, you then had the Friends of the Three Peaks.

This organisation, run by the YDNP, asks people for donations and subscriptions  – and sells merchandise – so it can plough the money back into path maintenance.

An official governmental body operating in  a commercial sense isn’t anything new, but it didn’t sit well with people who were directly affected by Three Peaks traffic.

Some questioned whether the YDNP was morally right to be selling souvenirs  connected to the hills when many local businesses are treading that fine line between being financially viable and going under.

My views on a large groups heading to the hills are quite simple. If they can operate in a sustainable way, and understand where they are going and what they are doing, then there isn’t an issue. Buy local, park in local car parks and give something back.

Yet, not everyone can do this – especially large organisations seeking funds for projects. The Y3P can be a money spinner … and it shows in the spring, summer and autumn  months when Horton In Ribblesdale is a no go for locals.

Some organisations like the BHF work with the YDNP to make sure their event is run properly and has limited impact. It is a partnership … and understanding.

Others won’t do that and probably think they shouldn’t have to. They pay their taxes after all.

That’s why the BMC’s Mend Our Mountains campaign is one I applaud but also one that leaves me uneasy.

It aims to raise £100,000 by mid May to help repair damaged footpaths and has been backed by  Cotswold Outdoor, clothing company Alpkit and adventure film website Steep Edge, along with many other smaller sponsors for individual projects.

National Parks’ budgets have been cut and I understand the need for external funding. But I think there needs to much more education to get walkers and groups to spend local but more importantly  understand their impact.

Naturally, members of the BMC will know this. You aren’t a member of the British Mountaineering Council unless you are an active walker and have that love of the countryside.

But I am wondering whether the Council is being used as a conduit for funding that the National Parks should have in their budgets and if we are missing the point entirely.

In any case, the projects highlighted below will bring relief to  the most damaged trade routes and that has to be a good thing.

But for me education has to follow … and that is up to the likes of myself, the BMC, Ramblers and the National Parks to work together.

The Mend Our Mountains campaign will run for two months, until May 16, at  www.crowdfunder.co.uk/mendourmountains

The individual projects are:

• Watkin Path on Snowdon, North Wales
• Ringing Roger on Kinder, Peak District
• Waun Rydd in central Brecon Beacons
• High Moor on Dartmoor
• Swine Tail, Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales,
• Scafell Pike in the Lake District
• Lyke Wake Walk in the North York Moors
• Long Chains Combe in Exmoor Forest

The Dales Project In Focus

A path below the summit of Ingleborough known as the Swine Tail. It is on the route of the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, which is conservatively estimated to raise 5 million pounds annually for charity, but this path must  withstand 60,000 pairs of feet a year to support all those efforts. It costs £28 per metre to maintain the 42 kilometres of the Three Peaks.

David Butterworth, Chief Executive, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority:  

“We are delighted that our project to repair the badly eroded Swine Tail route on Ingleborough is part of the BMC’s fantastic ‘Mend our Mountains’ campaign. With 120,000 walkers making it to the summit of Ingleborough every year and the Swine Tail also forming part of the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge, every pound donated to this work will be very well spent.”

Steve Hastie, Three Peaks Manager, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, added: “The BMC campaign recognises that everyone had a responsibility to help in the management of some of the busiest paths in the country. This is a fantastic chance for anyone and everyone who has walked to the top of Ingleborough or who just loves the area to generate vital funds to help keep the paths in A1 shape for the hundreds of thousands of people who use them ever year.   We hope people will support our bid and pick us – and we’ve got some excellent and unusual rewards for the different levels of donations they make.”

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So whilst I’m seeing Instagrams of friends and people I follow hitting snowy hills in crampons and ice axes, I’m firmly fixed to a chair, tapping away copy and creating as much content as I can.

It can be hugely annoying as I see the snow come down in Scotland … or worse in the Dales, knowing I can’t get out there to enjoy it … just yet!

But that is the route I’ve chosen for now and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Cabin fever is difficult to shift without actually getting ‘out there’ but the arrival of tiny feet certainly helps distract the mind.

And when I say feet, I mean paws.

If you’ve read Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: Inside Story of the Dales, you’ll have seen Max, a Lhasa Apso that accompanies me on my travels. Technically, he isn’t mine. Well, there’s no ‘technically’ about it. He isn’t – I borrow him for walks and he repays me by enjoying himself and giving his owner some breathing space.

So I was really happy when my partner suggested we get one of our own. We wanted to adopt, but with a nangy old cat in the house, it was difficult to find the right kind of dog. In the end we went for a well bred puppy – and another Lhasa.

Her name is Lhoste – her breed hails from  Tibet so it felt right – and I’m hoping she will live up to her name and hit the hills with me as soon as she is ready.

Which won’t be long.

Then a bivvy …

Having a dog means you have to get out more and when I get the chance I am hitting the trails and paths behind my house. I’m lucky that we back on to Pennington Flash and walking at ‘Lhotse pace’ certainly makes me appreciate what we have in our own back yard.

It’s a stunning place in winter as frost kisses the ‘Flash’ and the paths  – and at this time of year there are already many signs of spring.

The Dales isn’t far from my mind though and 25 Great Walkers Pubs of the Yorkshire Dales  has been submitted to the publisher – with its  planned release being the second week of May.

50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales is also set to be revised to take into account the National Park expansion which will happen in August 2016. If there’s an area of the extended park you’d like to see featured, please get in touch.

Finally… in preparation for my annual winter birthday bivvy (well, March), I have purchased a Rab Sleeping Bag Liner. It is an interesting pinky purple shade, but I’m sure it will work. Will let you know how I get on … what’s your best piece of bivvy equipment?

One more … prices in my shop have been reduced ahead of ’25’ coming in. All cheaper than Amazon too.

The post Cabin Fever appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Not only was 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales released but 25 Great Walkers’ Pubs of the Yorkshire Dales was commissioned and 5-9 microadventures became the norm!

In March, the first of those 5-9 microadventures didn’t quite go according to plan. A visit to Ingleborough in full winter conditions had us retreating in a whiteout. Knowing when to turn back is a vital part of being a competent walker.

I was also invited to join the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild – a great honour!

The wintry weather didn’t beat me in the end though and at the end of the month a bivvy at the Cheese Press Stone was a real highlight of the year.

The Stone is one of the 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales and that book was officially launched at Inglesport in May. Several copies were sold as visitors to the area discovered some gems they hadn’t known about!

The Store wrote:

We were delighted to be contacted by Mike Appleton, the author of 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales, as a book signing was definitely something new for Inglesport in our 37 years of trading.

The publisher Amberley Books were in contact every step of the way supplying us with flyers and posters for the store window.

Mike and Amberley books built up the tension and suspense via Twitter, Facebook and local press and the Yorkshire Post produced a great two page spread on the area a week before the event.

Before the launch we had people coming into the store, calling via telephone and contacting us on social media asking for a copy to be reserved.

On the day of the event Mike turned up about a hour before launch, introduced himself to the staff explaining his passion for the area and the reasons for promotion.

He also explained the following day that he intended to lead a walk to one of the gems and everyone was welcome to come along.

All in all we noticed an increase in footfall of customers old and new and the publication has been a good seller for ourselves and will be enjoyed by many over the coming years.

We would like to thank Mike and Amberley Books for making the launch a success and also for choosing our store for the event.

Good luck with any future ventures.

You can read about one of the Gems here.

Positive reviews for the book followed in June with both the Yorkshire Post and Westmorland Gazette featuring it heavily in their publications.

Wanderlust also carried the book on its website in a special feature  and will cover it in a special guide to the UK released in the new year.

In July,    another microadventure followed as well as a spot of iPhone caving  and a month later some serious underground travel followed – this time to Buttersett Mines.

25 Great Walkers’ Pubs of the Yorkshire Dales was also commissioned by Amberley.

In October, a visit to one of those pubs – the iconic Tan Hill Inn – brought probably the best bivvy and microadventure of the year.

And another pub visit to the Game Cock Inn in Austwick saw  a fantastic bimble  around Norber and its erratics.

25 Pubs is now with its proofreader and there will be an extract here shortly!

Just a few highlights of a busy here year… more to follow in 2016!

Remember…

Prices in the  Mascarandy Shop  are cheaper than Amazon – and the money goes direct to the author rather than a huge corporation!

Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales  is now just a tenner too.

The post A Busy Year! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

All in the name of research of course as 25 Great Walkers Pubs continues its fact finding stage!

A fantastic night in the Inn, with landlord and landlady Stephen and Viv proving to be excellent hosts.

The following day took a very hungover and weary researchers to Kisdon Force from Muker… and resulted in damaged wrist for my companion!

Johnny Hartnell hitting the deck at the waterfall  with such panache.

Stop Press

Prices in the  Mascarandy Shop  are now cheaper than Amazon – and the money goes direct to the author rather than a huge corporation.

That means I can continue to write and create content!

Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales  is now just a tenner too.

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The hostelries are the primary focus with the wanderings a way of passing the time before, after (or in-between in a couple of cases) visiting them.

It’s different from usual pub books which see the boozers as an A and B point on the route.

These are walkers pubs, there are reasons for walkers visiting them – and the walks galvanise that bond.

Ok, so that’s a little grandiose but when it’s out, you’ll get my meaning.

For instance, you could visit the Barbon Inn and enjoy is warm, country style interior. But popping in after climbing The Calf, caked up to your knees with mud, will make that first pint all the better.

One of my recent wanderings in researching this project took me to Norber which is roughly just over a mile from Austwick – and the Game Cock Inn.

It was a walk I hadn’t done before – but heard a lot about due to the erratics and the views from Norber itself.

I don’t want to give too much of the walk away, but I was memorised by what I saw – the erratics in particular are stunning – and the sightlines that stretched all the way in front of me to include Pen-y-ghent at one angle,  before going near enough 180 to see Ingleborough.

I think the pictures below do it justice…

Stop Press

Prices in the  Mascarandy Shop  are now cheaper than Amazon – and the money goes direct to the author rather than a huge corporation.

That means I can continue to write and create content!

Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales is now just a tenner too.

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I’ve been posting various caving trips and other 5-9 Adventures on there recently – with a lot more unique content to follow!

Subscribe to the channel here – and don’t forget to click the thumbs up if you like the videos!

Stop Press

Prices in the Mascarandy Shop are now cheaper than Amazon – and the money goes direct to the author rather than a huge corporation.

That means I can continue to write and create content!

Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales is now just a tenner too.

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I wrote last month here that ‘a  busy 9-5 type of life – and more hours besides – needs an outlet to refresh the senses.’

It needs a 5-9 adventure.

Well, taking it a little further from the walk in that post, I ventured underground once again with my good friend Johnny Hartnell from Inglesport to the sandstone mines at Buttersett.

You can enjoy a video of the trip here  or watch it below.

The mines are pretty extensive and we visited three in total. Of course, you need to have the right gear and be pretty competent to have a look round them. It also helps to be fit as mines are unlike caves in the fact they don’t usually have a free flow of air.

Both myself and Johnny found this out as we got deeper into the mine – it is very tiring indeed.

Thinking of getting some 5-9 adventures yourself? Then why not grab a copy of 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales here for some inspiration. 50 places in fact!

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That’s the opening line from my new book 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales published by Amberley. The tome seeks to discover some of the best places the area has to offer; being distinctive, historical, picturesque, geologically fascinating and above all personal.

Identifying a ‘gem’ is something I thought would be easy.

As my introduction says: “We can all identify an icon, a symbol, an area of outstanding natural scenery; in fact we do it every day in the choices we make. Holidays are often based around lakes, mountains and ravines; drives and cycles in the country end up in fantastic pubs or cafes; we can all name a stunning vista from our childhood.”

The Dales is my gem and I have been able to transform that love into narration and the ability to use the knowledge I’ve gained, foot by foot, step by step, in language.

Surprisingly though, that adoration was tested to the full when I was asked to photograph, capture and name 50 of the best places in the Yorkshire Dales. Quite simply, for an area that has so much natural beauty, how can you choose one particular ‘sight’ over another?

How can you rank a gem? In a time of bucket lists and must dos, how do you choose the ‘big’ numbers, the scenery that everyone must see?

What happens if the smaller fells, a rock in an odd place or setting should be on the sheet too?

In the end I had to make a choice as I wanted the gems to be as personal as possible. They needed to connect me to a landscape I know and love so much. They are my 50 and as a result there had to be a certain amount of trade-off to make sure I drafted a list I could be happy with.

They also had tick the boxes – I hate that phrase – of what Amberley does best. Local, Historical, Geographical and Accessible. I think I achieved that.

Here are some of my favourites:

1. Ease Gill
It takes a hardy (if somewhat mad) soul to go underground through the multitude of passages that honeycomb the Dales, but the rewards are immense.

Ease Gill (main picture) is part of the Three Counties System, the longest and most complex cave system in Britain, and lies below the Casterton, Leck and Ireby Fells around the 2,057ft Gragareth. So much so that nearly 90km of passage has been found to date – with discoveries continuing all the time.

Cavers don’t have it all to themselves: you can enjoy what’s happening above the surface too. Simply follow the beck from its full flow, right through to where it disappears underground and then into spectacular gorges.

Its remote location means it is very rarely visited. It’s serene, colourful at all times of the year, and the perfect place to reflect.

2. Semerwater
Semerwater, near Bainbridge, is the second largest natural lake in Yorkshire after Malham Tarn – and legend has it that it was once the site of a prosperous city in the Dales.

The story goes that an old man came to the city in search of food and drink. He knocked on each door, being rebuked every time, before he found a welcoming ‘hovel’ where a poor couple pitied and took him in.

After enjoying the couple’s hospitality, the old man turned to face the town and said: “Semerwater rise! Semerwater sink! And swallow the town, all save this house, Where they gave me meat and drink.” Immediately, the waters of the lake rose up and flooded the area drowning all of its citizens, except for the couple who took him in.

Today the lake is rarely busy, usually glass-like and great for the many birds that visit its shores.

3. Cheese Press Stones, near Ingleton
Take the path to the Turbary Road from Ingleton to experience this eerie scenery at its finest. You climb into an area of dense limestone, boulders and pavement, before the going is fairly flat and grass-like with Gragareth stretching ahead. Here, in this superb setting – in the stunning Kingsdale – are the Cheese Press Stones.

These stones were more than likely left stranded in this location by ice movement in the Ice Age. Since then, unlike the limestone which is nearby, they have been shaped and smoothed by the elements, not contorted or cracked.

The view from here across the Dales is equally as impressive.

4. Gunnerside
Long before farming and tourism became the dominant way of making a living in the Dales, heavy industry shaped some of the countryside we visit today.

Take a walk around Gunnerside – particularly Gunnerside Gill – and the impact of this activity, albeit hundreds of years ago, is there for all to see. This picturesque dale, Swaledale, was the site of a major lead mining enterprise.

The valley still contains much of its industrial past with dammed streams and old workings dotted around the gill. Sure, it sounds a bit bleak – but in a strange way it adds a certain charm to some of the best countryside the Dales has to offer.

5. Some little-known pubs…
Yorkshire and pubs go together – and after a walk there are several you can enjoy. My favourites are:

The Falcon Inn, Arncliffe
The original Woolpack in long running soap Emmerdale. It’s the way it serves its beer that is the real gem.

The ale of choice, Timothy Taylor’s Boltmaker, is poured from a jug to a glass. It’s the traditional way of serving beer which keeps the ale at room temperature and ensures it’s great condition.

The George and Dragon, Dent
The tap house for Dent Brewery! Say no more!

Station Inn, Ribblehead
Remote and in the shadow of Ribblehead Viaduct and Whernside, this pub offers breathtaking scenery and great ale!

You can buy a copy of 50 Gems in my store now and for a limited time only if you type mascar15 at checkout then you can get 15 per cent off everything there.

The post 50 Gems: Choosing A ‘Gem’ appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Struggling to get any kind of proper time off I opted to flip my day around and settle on a 5-9 adventure – or microadventure as they are more popularly known these days.

Little planning was necessary, although I always seem to overplan and overthink, just a pack with my camera in and some walking clothes.

Then, I was on my way up the M6 to try and fit in a blast around the Dales and possibly the chance to photograph an amazing sunset.

Meeting up with Johnny Hartnell from Inglesport we opted on a circular ‘see what happens’ route, with a pint at the end. We had a vague plan; avoid getting wet, stretch the legs and be back before it went dark. No need for a map, just some water, little conversation and hope for the best.

Our route went something like thus. Head towards the Youth Hostel, check out a limekiln, join a little seen river that flows into Ingleton, climb up to the stepping stones near Beezley and then come back via Ingleton Quarry and up towards Crina Bottom.

Only a few miles but good fun…

It also took in mole traps, watching wild deer, photographing a lone tree and then some iphone caving down Skirwith Cave due to the lack of torches on our person.

From there, snap a superb sunset, talk about sheep carcasses, explore a geocache in Storrs Cave and finally enjoy a nice refreshing pint in the Wheatsheaf.

Superb – and it goes to show that 9-5 needn’t be a bad thing… if you have a 5-9 ready and waiting.

Below are some of the unedited pics from the bimble. The purple river is a particular favourite but the iphone pic of the column inside Skirwith is a joy to behold.

The Dales is full of microadventures and you can find out more by reading 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales and Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales.

Both are available in the shop – and for a limited time only if you type mascar15 at checkout then you can get 15 per cent off everything there.

The money comes to ‘Mascarandy’ too and that means I can write more books on this great area in the future!

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Here, the Yorkshire Post carried an interview with myself about how the book was created and featured some of the gems whilst the Westmorland Gazette said it was “stunningly illustrated with 70 colour photographs.”

You can get your signed copy in the online store for just £14.99; and that comes with free P&P.

Incidentally, the launch of 50 Gems has generated more interest in Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales.

Rob Fearnley said: “As good an account of modern rural life as I’ve read in years and every bit as important as the work of Marie Hartley in the early to mid 20th century. Appleton has spoken to a good range of people who live and work around the 3 Peaks which offers a fresh perspective on an area that is much more than than boots and beer. Highly recommended!”

The post Reviews Begin To Come In appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

The idea was to round-off the official celebration of the book being available, after a successful day in the Ingleton-based store, and to revisit an old friend.

The Stones have featured on this site before – I have bivvied under them after I penned a chapter on these fine pieces of geology for the Gems.

The route we took was much more of a circular; heading out of Ingleton towards Thornton Hall, but cutting across a field to follow some of the waterfalls walk (from above), before emerging at the ‘base’ of Kingsdale.

We then climbed to the Stones, headed to the Turbury Road and back to Ingleton via Edith’s Wood and the Marton Arms.

Avoiding the pub was the best option considering the celebratory night in the Wheatsheaf the night before!

The walk was probably no more than five miles or so and considering it was Bank Holiday weekend, we didn’t cross more than 10 people on the entire route – and that is probably an overestimate.

For all my protestations in the Dales being too busy at times, particularly around the Three Peaks region, to find solace whilst combating a significant hangover was very pleasurable indeed.

The entry in 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales for the Cheese Press Stones is:

Karst scenery by its very nature can be very varied. From the sweeping scars of Twistleton, White Scar and Southerscales to the Norber Erratics near Austwick and the caves and potholes at Ease Gill, it can be very haphazard and dynamic.

Taking the path to the Turbary Road, this scenery is among the finest. You climb into an area of dense limestone, boulders and pavement, before reaching a fairly flat area with Gragareth stretching ahead. Here, in this superb karst, are the Cheese Press Stones.

I’d been in this area too many times to mention and just took the stones for granted. They were marked on the map, and Alfred Wainwright noted them in his book Walks in Limestone Country. However, I was far more interested in the Turbary Road itself and Kingsdale with its flat valley floor and steep limestone scars either side, one of which I was climbing, the dale itself the almost perfect definition of glaciation and its results.

Indeed, Kingsdale is a gem in itself. It is probably 3 miles in length before it finishes and encloses itself in glacial drift. Its caves – Rowten Pot, Swinsto and Simpsons on the left, all of which link to Kingsdale Master Cave and Valley Entrance, and Heron Pot, King Pot and its cousins on the right – are legendary in caving circles the world over. And even then, Kingsdale Beck is dry in most conditions until it meets Keld Head – the resurgence for those subterranean journeys.

Yet, approaching them with Tow Scar (SD684760) on my left, I wondered where they had been all my life. Two stones, almost laid on a plate, with Ingleborough and the Dales stretching behind them. The perfect photograph.

The stones – one large, perhaps 9 or 10 foot in height, and one smaller by about 2 feet – were more than likely left stranded in this location by ice movement in the Ice Age. Since then, unlike the limestone which is nearby, they have been shaped and smoothed by the elements, not contorted or cracked.

Spend an hour exploring them, lie flat on the ground with a backpack for a pillow and just take in the noise, smells, openness and exposure.

Details
There isn’t an easy way to get to the Cheese Press Stone other than under your own steam! Follow the road to Thornton in Lonsdale (signposted near and from Ingleton), and when you reach the Marton Arms take Thornton Lane on the right. From there, take the lane upwards until the landscape opens out. On your left will be a radio tower, but don’t take the road past it, continue onwards for a couple of hundred yards and there will be a lay-by on your left.

If you have gone past the obvious parking point on your right after the road dips and the lane that stretches back towards the waterfalls walk, you have gone too far. Take the path over the stile to the Turbary Road, which will take you over a wall and then into an area of limestone boulders, pavement and other scenery.

The Cheese Press Stones are at SD688761.

To buy a signed copy of 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales, click here.

The post 50 Gems – An Extract appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Whether it’s the want to see the stars as clear as possible, the chance to be chilled to the bone or just because my time off always falls at the same time, around this point of the year I’m navigating up the side of a hill, by moonlight to find a great spot.

Last year’s bivvy nights.

This time, I had picked my ‘spec’ a long time in advance and I’m sure those of you that like the Dales will recognise it from the attached pics.

As a clue, I headed out of Ingleton in the Yorkshire Dales – one of the gems features in 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales – up one side of the waterfalls walk and then turned left when I reached the Roman Road. From there, you can work it out yourself.

I wanted to try to see how my Alpkit Hunka would cope under colder temperatures than my last trip, and I also felt like testing out my new Alpkit Brukit too.

Making my way up the hill to my nightspot I also had the opportunity to test out my night navigation skills, and scrambling at night.

It was that sort of trip.

I arrived at the ‘summit’ around half an hour later than I wanted to, but it was a perfect night to try out some night photography. After knocking out some shots and setting up a timelapse, I attempted to get some Adventure Food down me – a Vegetable Hotpot. It was anything but… yet it was edible and that was all that was important.

Getting into my Vango Ultralite it was a cold night, baltic, and I had a fair amount of frost around my site too. In fact, probably an inch. It was a restful night though; the stars illuminating the scene and allowing my brain to wander and rest… mostly without sleeping. I ‘slept’ by allowing my head to become those stars. Nature and human together. Amazing.

I woke up from my shivering slumber around 5am and took a moment to look around and take in the morning – the pink hue coming from over Ingleborough and the mist rolling up the valley.

I took as long as I could to pack up and then made my way back to Ingleton, via a couple of Geocaches and to my car.

Which had a flat tyre. Pump and run back home… where I then found I had another.

Wonder became wounder…

The post Bivvy Nights… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Icy needles, primed and angry ripped from the sky.

We’d seen it coming. Approaching Ingleborough the ensuing storm had darkened already grey clouds down the valley.

It came at speed, enveloping everything before it like a child furiously colouring in a picture, not paying attention to care, time or form.

Within moments, the snow was swirling all around. Not thick, but frustratingly everywhere with the wind trying to take one’s footing away, testing your valour.

In the end it was simply too silly to progress further.

I’d been planning a trip to the Dales for a few weeks to tie in with my birthday; ideally a through caving trip from Calf Holes to Browgill.

When the snow came down that quickly changed to a bimble up Crina Bottom to test out my new Alpkit Brukit and hopefully grab some kind of timelapse video of the stars.

Plans quickly changed and Ingleborough via Southerscales seemed viable, if somewhat wintery, with my friend Johnny Hartnell coming along for the ride.

We’d progressed past the kiln at Philpin Sleights with the vista of Ingleborough spread out before us. Sadly, that’s when the weather came in and it seemed sensible to complete a low ground loop and head back to the car.

I’m sure that both our mountain skills could have got us to the top. I know the area very well and Johnny is an expert. But sometimes you just have to say enough is enough and make your way back down.

There’s no disgust or embarrassment at turning around. The hill will be there another day.

Sadly, over the winter I’ve read a few tales of people being stuck on hills – either clinging on to trig points (Grough, March 4) – or simply just getting caught out. The hills in this country are just as susceptible to bad weather as those anywhere in the world.

On Ben Nevis wintry conditions can continue right through to May and beyond.

I’ve had some cracking times on Ingleborough. I’d navigated off the summit in a white-out before now. And I’ll be back soon.

Meanwhile…

Incidentally, I have recently become a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild and I would like to thank them for welcoming me into their ranks.

I am also Chairman of the Ice Hockey Journalists’ UK, as well as being a member of the Sports Journalists’ Association, Rugby League Writers’ Association, National Union of Journalists, the Mountain Training Association and the British Mountaineering Council.

Grab this great photo print of Ingleborough in a more sedate but equally as stunning winter scene in my shop.

The post Knowing When To Turn Back appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

You will be able to order the book in my shop and also from all the usual book outlets.

Two of the Gems are featured in this news item – the main image is from a waterfall near Dent and the second the wonderful Malham Tarn. Both images will also be available as prints in the shop soon.

It is a book I really enjoyed putting together and I hope you like it too. It dominated the back end of 2014 for me but comes from a lifetime’s affection with the Dales. Each Gem is a personal favourite and I’m sure people will find out something new about their special places too.

THIS is probably the highlight of the book for me and you can see more of the Gems here.

Book information:

The Yorkshire Dales is one of the most diverse and rich landscapes in the British Isles.

Limestone interlaces with sweeping and rolling fells and dramatic peaks arise from its plains.

Within are caverns that stretch for miles under the surface, emphatic flora and fauna that thrive in this unique environment and the hardiest of local folk who eek out a living in unison with their surroundings.

This equilibrium is is harnessed and interwoven by a revered heritage that not only stretches back hundreds of years but is retained, protected and celebrated today.

In this book, we explore 50 of these magical places and discover what makes the the Yorkshire Dales a unique place to live, visit and be part of.

See the majestic Skipton Castle, enjoy the splendour of Bolton Abbey and the fascinating views and history from the Three Peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside then compare them to the tragedy and triumph of Ribblehead Viaduct.

Follow the underground routes overground at Clapham and Chapel Le Dale and find out the secrets of life in Dent, Malham and Gunnerside.

Discover some of this area’s secrets and treasures, and learn the fascinating history behind them with this handy guide.

Malham Tarn © Mike Appleton

The post Each A Dales Gem appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

However, as it is the festive season it would be unfair in a period of tradition not to yield to some of what has gone before.

Therefore, like many other programmes and blogs, it’s time to write my review of 2014.

On a personal level, as soon as the clock did indeed strike midnight, I was glad to see the back of the year. It’s been 12 months I’d like to forget.

But as they say hindsight is always 20:20 and it wasn’t too bad after all.

I took my first ever Wild Camp in March and it really was an enlightening if somewhat cold experience. Finding a spot next to a fairly active waterfall I watched the sun go down, struggled to keep warm, and awoke after a fairly restless night to a pink sunrise.

A month later my fourth book was published.

Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales was released in April to great reviews.

It is my personal journey into  one of the most popular areas of the Yorkshire Dales. I use the traditional ‘Three Peaks’ walk over Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough as a roadmap  to discover the real story of the Dales.

Along the 26 mile route I interview the folk I meet on the way and find out what makes the area tick, why it is fascinating and how people are ensuring its viability for years to come.

It was a rewarding experience to finally present this work and offer some opinions and views on an area I have been connected to since I was a boy. It received some great reviews too as well as airplay on radio in the Dales and many printed outlets.

It led to the commissioning of my fifth book – 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales – which I am penning at the moment.

It charts my favourite places in the Dales and features oddities, natural beauties, historical gems and many other sites I consider to be the best. It is due out in May this year – and you can read a short trip report from November this year here.

October brought the opportunity to put together a documentary on the Three Peaks book in both audio and ‘TV’ formats.

The audio version features clips from the people I interviewed and passages read by the wonderful Lauren Moss of City Talk 105.9 as well as some of my thoughts whilst walking in its landscape.

You also hear from farmer Gary Middleton, the wonderful Bob Jarman at Ingleborough Cave and Robert Bell who owns Pen-y-ghent.

At around the same time I was approached by two film producers from St.Helens who wanted to make a short film based on the book and my affection for the Dales.

Recording for that has been completed and is now being edited for launch in the next month or so.

Finally, December brought probably the highlight of the year for me – a trip down Yordas Pot.

Johnny Hartnell, who works in Inglesport up in Ingleton offered to give me an alternative view of the cave as it appears as one of my Gems. My route can be seen in the clip above and it was a real night to remember – a real gem.

I also watched the sun going down over Ingleborough… magical.

So here’s to another year of Gems, trips underground and enough material for January 1, 2016!

The post Looking Back… 2014 Reviewed appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Last week I spent four days around Ingleton for 50 Gems and got the opportunity to see one of the bone fide stars of the book up close and personal.

You can view my trip through Yordas Pot below or on the Multimedia page.

And as I said to the wonderful Johnny Hartnell – after his excellent tutelage – there’s no point going if you aren’t going to look down… or up.

More pictures from my trip can be found on my Instagram account too.

The post Do Look Down! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Road Trips often evoke spiritual, memorable and emotional moments as the miles clock up – and that certainly was my experience last week.

But it came in an area no more than two hours from my home; hardly a trip spanning timezones.

My latest project – 50 Gems in the Yorkshire Dales – has such a tight deadline that it was all hands to the pump, camera primed and four days in which to capture as much as I could.

Accompanied by a very willing (I think) driver, we headed to the North Western Dales and covered pretty much everything that was to be snapped in a limited time span.

Several stalwarts of the area were captured on camera – often a little quicker than I really wanted – but I was on a clock.

Thing is, the Dales isn’t built for this high paced visits… it encourages you to delve deeper and get more involved.

You have to belong.

On the first day, with the light fading and the drizzle falling, I ran from the car park at Aysgarth (which is around ten miles from Hawes) to the lower falls.

I set up my camera on a second-long exposure and got some lovely milky shots.

The middle falls – a short sprint away – were simply gushing; powerful, magnetic to the eye and hypnotic.

Light giving in to the dusk and evening, I sprinted to the upper falls and framed my shot with the branches of a tree offering a beautiful arc to the sheer magnificence of the waterfalls. Peat emulsified the water creating a latte effect as it twisted and turned underneath.

I stayed there longer than I really needed to and took in the moment. You simply can’t rush scenes like these.

A couple of days later I arrived at The Green Dragon in Hardraw, early in the morning, to get a decent and memorable picture of Hardraw Force which is on its land.

But the pub was closed and with no other way of getting in, it threw my planned day into disarray.

I drove back to Hawes and went through the motions of photographing the village and the Wensleydale Creamery before heading over to Semerwater.

The glacial lake reinvigorated my senses and my camera caught the light sneaking through the clouds and the ripples on its surface.

It really picked me up but I had a nagging pain in the back of my head about not seeing the waterfall and being behind on my project.

And, as it had been raining, I knew it would be in near perfect condition to picture.

Thankfully, back in Hawes, a simple phonecall to the landlord granted access to the Force.

Walking the short way from the pub to the fall, my anticipation rose as the noise of the water grew closer.

The light was fading once again but I managed to get some great shots in front and behind the waterfall as every sinew I owned pricked and awoken.

Such was the force of Hardraw that it was difficult to understand where the waterfall began and I ended. The noise, mist, pace and environment meant we became the same. In a sense I was rewilding.

I didn’t want to leave but it was getting blustery so a track was hastily bid back to the warmth and firelight of the pub. Smiles affixed.

I wrote in my Three Peaks book that the Dales calls you.

I think that day at Hardraw I answered its call and I can’t wait to return.

Below are pics at Aysgarth and Hardraw… untreated, untouched, pure raw files. .. with the main image being Semerwater.

The post Answering The Call appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It wasn’t just the culmination of 18 months of hard work and research but a lifetime of connection with its sweeping fells and hidden dales.

I’ve put some of that personal affection in a special ‘radio’ programme below.

It features clips from the people I interviewed and passages read by the wonderful Lauren Moss of City Talk 105.9 as well as some of my thoughts whilst walking in its landscape.

You can hear from farmer Gary Middleton, the wonderful Bob Jarman at Ingleborough Cave and Robert Bell who owns Pen-y-ghent.

If you have any comments don’t hesitate to drop me a line.

The post Radio Programme: Inside Story appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Checking the Mountain Weather Information Service the day previous seemed to suggest a decent ascent with a low amount of cloud and good views from the top.

It was clear that was a huge lie – not the site’s fault of course – as as soon as I got in my car at Leigh, it was wet, foul and windy even in Lancashire.

I pressed on as not only would a wet day test my skills but you never know, the forecast could have been right and I could have found an inversion on top of the hill.

It was important for me to at least grab a few half decent pics for the book because I’d promised myself I wouldn’t use archive stuff and refresh the imagery I had.

At around 7.30am, the walk through the Nature Trail is pretty eery and the view below was what greeted me as I came out of woods. The sky had made the scene somewhat dour and quite spooky, but wrapped it with a welcoming glove that hugged the landscape.

Leaving Trow Gill having captured a few nice images, I climbed up and made my way to Bar Pot and Gaping Gill beyond. Compared to the sheer amount of rain in the air, impressive shaft of the pot hole was quiet say for a tiny trickle of water snaking its way to the chasm. Rat Hole further up the beck had a minute amount of water heading its way, but you could see the flood debris just inside revealing its true nature and danger.

The route onwards was Ingleborough itself; a tough ask with gales blowing down its face and rain hitting me from the left. As I approached the summit and scorned the interpretation sign installed close to the top – what is this doing in a natural wilderness – I locked my Go Pro in place to make sure I could easily record the trip back down.

All the hopes I had of an inversion were sadly misguided – in fact, I hunkered down near a rocky outcrop to make sure I wasn’t blown off the hill.

The Dales can be a beautiful place… but at times like these, it’s best to admit you’re beaten and head back down to the safety of a cafe. I’d missed out on the picture I wanted, but I’d not seen a soul all the way up and had the solitude I’d craved. It’s a gem is Ingleborough – yet it needs to be treated with respect.

The post Battered… But Not Defeated! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Firstly, it’s amazing how past lives and past projects continue not only to reappear in my world but cause me to rethink, reflect and smile. With the announcement that Ice Hockey star Tony Hand MBE would be playing in his final season before retiring I was approached by ‘Slapshot Scotland’ who asked if we would consider updating the Tony Hand: A Life in British Ice Hockey autobiography.

He’d asked a number of people who agreed that bringing the tome bang up to date would be a fitting tribute to the Scot’s story. Tony was the first British born player to be drafted into the NHL and has scored more points than any other player in this country… and that description belittles his contribution to the sport really.

I’m hoping to make this project a reality after learning that Mr Hand would indeed be interested too. Watch this space.

Interestingly, the original book finished as ‘Sir Tony hand’ signed on as Player-Coach at Manchester Phoenix. That club has been in the Elite League, moved to the English Premier League, won the playoffs and are current champions too. He’s also been the Head Coach of Great Britain.

So yes, it does need updating!

Speaking of the ‘original’, sales have picked up since Tony announced his impending retirement and I received a tweet about a review from Ashley March who is Director of Comm. for @RiverKingsLNAH, Journalist for Sports Energy & @CCHLNETWORK amongst others according to her Twitter biog. She had reviewed the book and her writing certainly captures what both myself and Tony intended when we scribed it many moons ago. Check it out here.

Secondly, the PR and reviews for Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales continue apace.

Last weekend, I headed up to Horton-in-Ribblesdale for the first day’s shooting on a documentary about the book and the area. I was joined by two film makers from St Helens and we worked on the slopes of Pen-y-ghent and in Chapel-le-Dale.

It was a superb experience and a real eye opener. Firstly, it’s amazing how long you stay in one place to get the right shot for a scene. We spent probably more than three hours on the hill but to be fair both Mike and Geoff made the experience very rewarding. They left me free with the mic to record my thoughts and also took me through how to talk to the camera, appear natural and not be afraid to get things wrong. I can’t wait for the next installment.

They also didn’t mind working with walls covered in moss, Max the dog and in the cold. And boy for a summer’s day it was cold.

The short radio documentary I have prepared on the book is pretty much good to go now too; with just the links and tweaks in production left to complete.

The latest review of the book was written by the team at Grough and you can read it here.

In my view editor Bob gets it pretty much spot on but I’m not sure I agree with his point about ‘there is little to reflect the viewpoint of the thousands of walkers who undertake the challenge or indeed those who just come for a quiet walk up one or other of the fells or an amble along some of the lower-level routes.’

Pretty much every interview in the book is with a person who walks on the fells and the book is written by a fell walker… but I certainly respect his viewpoint.

Thirdly… Speaking of challenges, more so the National Three Peaks Challenge, Terry Abraham has written this fantastic blog on the challenge which covers Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon.

Many of you will know I am very anti ‘challenge walks’ on the hills and peaks and I’m not sure how covering three mountains in England, Scotland and Wales, in 24 hours, can be sustainable. In fact, how can a hill challenge like that be environmentally sustainable for starters…

Why do people feel the need to cover these hills in 24 hours, or 12 in the case of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, as a challenge… leaving little time to appreciate the countryside as they blast around?

Terry’s blog is pretty stark too and the damage in Wasdale for instance is scary and damn-right outrageous. It would be remiss of me to print his blog here – follow the link and feel free to send me your thoughts.

I will never give money to challenge walkers nor will understand why challenges like this can’t be completed on a treadmill or in a local park. The cost of taking part in an event like this surely could be given straight to the charity instead?

Hills are free to climb and roam but there has to be a better way of managing them and personally I don’t think ‘engineering’ a route, as in large chunks of the Dales route, is the best way.

Finally, I’ve been producing PR for Bethany Cammack recently to highlight the work she is doing with charities around the St Helens area. There’s no challenges here, no special stunts, just a young woman using her pageant win and titles to help others. Good luck to her.

The post Hand, Films, Rants & Help appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

They say it gives ‘a very useful insight into the current position of life and work for those who live in the area today and is a welcome addition to add to our knowledge of a special area of the Dales’.

It is a great review.

Whilst I can’t comment on Chris Wright’s view of the book binding – that’s up to Amberley – one thing I would say is he raises an interesting point in the Settle-Carlisle line and Bus Services.

I do talk about transport in the final chapter of the Book and the number of times trains and buses are referenced are frequent. I certainly didn’t think I avoided the issue but yes, perhaps I could have gone into more depth.

I will be revisiting that on this site shortly!

The Great Outdoor’s (TGO’s) review:

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After a great but uncomfortable bivvy  back in March I opted for a Vango Trek Standard  sleeping mat alongside a Sawyer Mini Filter so I wouldn’t have to carry as much water.

I also camped in a Vango Atlas 200 as well.

The VANGO TREK STANDARD  is self-inflating and offers great protection against the ground. It takes around 15 minutes to inflate, but I left mine for the afternoon when I first used it to make sure it was properly unfolded and inflated. It’s pretty light (860g) too making it ideal for backpacking on a budget.

Alongside my Vango Ultralite 600  it did a decent job of keeping the cold out, but to be fair this was Buttermere, in June. It would have been a godsend on that cold night in my Hunka in the Dales.

It’s just a shame it’s bright red though.

I’ve been looking at water filters for many years after carrying two Sigg litre bottles up Ben Nevis, alongside a full plastic bottle and an overflowing Platypus bladder. It was hard work up the peak, especially as I decided to break new boots in as well. Yes, I was that stupid.

I’d seen the SAWYER MINI FILTER  advertised by Terry Abraham  – they are one of his sponsors – and thought I’d give it a go. You can see the cheesy pic of me below with said filter testing it on the way up Haystacks.

As its name suggests, it’s a small filter (65g) which attaches to a pouch. You fill the pouch with water and suck, squeeze or pour it out of the filter. Simply find a mountain stream, or water that is at least moving, fill and sup.

Obviously, a stream up in the hills will have cleaner water than most…

The filter  has a 0.1 micron hollow fibre membrane. It lasts for 100,000 gallons too apparently and can even be attached to other bottles instead of the pouch.

The water I took from the  stream tasted great and to be honest I probably would have drunk it without using the filter. But to be sure I used it – especially as there are a lot of sheep about. It was clean, quick to use and the back washing process to clean is pretty simple. It’s a great piece of kit.

Finally, the last new piece of gear I had was the VANGO ATLAS 200  – a nice little birthday present!

It is designed for two people but with sleeping mats and bags, big backpacks  and boots etc  I have no idea how that would work and be practical – especially if you couldn’t get outside because of the weather.

It would certainly be cosy.

For one person it is ideal – but if there are two of you a triangular piece of groundsheet, on each side,  between the inner and flysheet  is ideal  for boots and things like that.

It’s heavy though at 3.25kg – but  I’m sure you wouldn’t feel that if it was packed correctly across your backpack.

As you can see from the pic, it has an unusual shape – more dome like – and perhaps more sturdy as a result under wind. It took a fair while to put up – as it was my first time – and the shape meant I wasn’t ever sure whether it was up correctly or not. It certainly kept the weather out though with no condensation inside.

It has plenty of ventilation too. In the ‘roof’ there are two adjustable ports to allow air into the tent and mesh at the top half of the ‘doors’  either side.

There’s plenty of guide ropes, hooks, loops and  velcro in and out to make sure it stays attached to the ground; and to make sure the  flysheet stays in contact with the tent itself.

And there’s four pockets – two ‘north and south’ of where you’re sleeping as well as one in each opposite corner – for your bits and bobs.

The pegs supplied were pretty poor though so I got some back ups and they did the trick. There also aren’t  enough to go round but don’t let that put you off this tent if    you see one online.

Vango says it is discontinued now but I’m sure Amazon and places like that will have a few.

It’s likely I’ll use this tent on my Mountain Leader training course  so I’ll be able to give you more of a detailed review once I’ve carted it about for a few days.

If anyone wants me to test their gear then please get in touch  – I’m particularly interested in walking boots that provide innovative cushion support for feet and good quality stoves.

The post Camping Kit appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Descent Magazine  implored the caving community to ‘seek out a copy… and take time to read and think about its contents. Mike offers some insights that might make you pause and think’.

The full review (many thanks to Descent):

Many people will know I have spent some time on Drystone Radio; on Dave Watkiss‘  View from the Clocktower  magazine show on a Thursday evening and, more frequently, my weekly Rugby League correspondent duties on Dave’s Saturday morning Sports Magazine.

Dave said the book  made him: “sway from one side of the argument to another… it was a very interesting book and it leaves you with plenty to think about”

The full review (many thanks to Drystone Radio):

Other reviews:  

• The Westmorland Gazette and The Lancashire Telegraph
• The Dalesman

You can buy your signed copy of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales here – with £3 from each copy sold in June going to Cave Rescue Organisation.

The post More Positive Reviews appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

But one I hold close to my heart is the Cave Rescue Organisation.

Based in Clapham and established since the 30s, they rescue people above and below ground in the Yorkshire Dales.

Their work is vital in saving lives and helping those  who get into all kinds of difficulty – and animals too.

And it’s amazing that on such an engineered route as the Three Peaks how many people still need rescuing.

Walkers, cyclists, runners – you name it – still get lost  on this well-known route.

I interviewed Rae Lonsdale MBE and Steve Finch from the CRO on a cold night at their depot and we spoke about the history of the organisation, what they stand for and what the future holds.

The latter is important as the number of rescues needed below ground are decreasing.

That’s due, in part, to less people caving, amateurs sticking to the ‘safer’ systems and the expertise in a decreasing pool of caving talent being higher.

Of course the CRO  still get called out to complicated cave rescues, but rescues on the surface far outweigh those in wet passages.

It’s statistics such as this  that make this organisation very important indeed.

Excerpt from Chapter 10 ‘Renew and Regenerate’

If you look at the stats from 2000, there were around 28 mountain rescues in that year compared to approximately 65 in 2009. In fact, from 2009, the number of mountain rescues dramatically increased in comparison to earlier years. Looking at the incident reports, the number of walkers having difficulties on the Three Peaks routes is higher too – placing more pressure on the CRO.

It difficult to pin down the reason for mountain rescues increasing over recent years, but it does seem a fair bet that as more people are taking to the hills more people need to be rescued. I don’t think that is rocket science. Because it isn’t the Lake District, Wales or Scotland, some see the Dales as an easier hit and perhaps underestimate what lies ahead. I’m no expert – but the guys at the CRO are.

Rae said: “If you get into serious trouble on the fells actually calling for help or a rescue can be difficult. If you call 999 and ask for the ambulance, as is suggested by the phone book, that’s what you’ll get. Get into trouble down Quaking Pot on Ingleborough, for example, and the last thing you’ll need is an ambulance. You’ll need a professional cave rescue service.

“If you ask for Cave Rescue when you call 999 they won’t put you though either. You should ask for the police and then Cave Rescue. It also helps if you say what county you are in and have a map.”

For each copy sold I’ll make a donation to the CRO.

You can buy the book here.

The post Cave Rescue Organisation appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

The Dalesman said: “Readers who want more substance than gloss will enjoy this personal account of a journey through a much-loved landscape.

“In this book, journalist Mike Appleton – accompanied by his dog Max – looks deeper than the tourist brochures generally do to uncover the inside story of this picturesque part of the world.”

Interestingly, before I saw the review I took a call from a lady who had seen The Dalesman. She had left a message on my phone saying how pleased she was with the cover of the book and the fact she could see her old bungalow on it.

I called her back, had a lengthy chat about the Dales and Horton-In-Ribblesdale and how  wonderful the area is to walk in. She was heading back up there in a couple of weeks and staying in The Crown.

She then called me a local celebrity!

Later in the day I had another message from the lady and the fact she had made a special visit to Leeds to get the book, loved the pictures and thanked me for all the work I do in promoting the area.

It was humbling that someone would go out of their way to give me a call and thank me for writing a book.

We shared a passion for the Dales and my only hope is the thoughts and comments in the book are taken on board so this fine area of the country is viable for future generations.

You can buy the book here – £3 from each copy will go to the Cave Rescue Organisation.

The post Reviews & Calls… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It is a precursor to a short TV documentary that will be filmed in the next few weeks by two local film makers.

The storyboard for that has been created and whilst I haven’t seen the settings, nor the story flow, I am really excited about what it contains. I hope to share some of that with you shortly.

In the meantime, the radio script isn’t far from completion and I have asked a local radio journalist to voice over some passages from the book to intertwine the wonderful interviews.

I talk about some of the issues the Three Peaks area of the Yorkshire Dales faces in the Sound Cloud clips below. They form the basis for the radio script. Enjoy.

The post Aural Exposure! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

The Westmorland Gazette and Lancashire Telegraph said:

“AS ONE of the many thousands of walkers who have scaled the Three Peaks of the Yorkshire Dales in one day, I’m well aware of the beautiful scenery to be encountered.

However, setting out to trek over Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in ten hours or so doesn’t give you an awful lot of time to pause and admire the surroundings in detail.

That’s where this lovely book comes into its own.

Journalist, caver and walker Mike Appleton helps us appreciate the finer detail of the countryside around the famous peaks, ably assisted by around 100 photographs.

His book takes us ‘away from the trudging boots’ to find the story of the Three Peaks area which the visitor and walker doesn’t always see.”

It’s always a great fillip to receive a good review and certainly word of mouth has been good around the project so far.

Sales seem to be going well too and now my job is to continue with the promotion of the book with Amberley Publishing  to continue its success.

With that in mind I created a Facebook Page for the book to post snippets and other information from the ‘Three Peaks’

If you’ve read the book please drop a review to me via the contact page, head to Facebook or Amazon.

The post Reviews appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It uses the traditional ‘Three Peaks’ walk over Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough as a roadmap  to discover the real story of the Dales.

Along the 26 mile route I interview the folk I meet on the way and find out what makes the area tick, why it is fascinating and how people are ensuring its viability for years to come.

I was always drawn to the Dales. My memories are filled with the sweeping landscape, caves, potholes, wandering off the beaten track and the sound of birds. Even now, whenever I hear a jackdaw croak I am taken back to my days around Dent. It fills me with happiness and I am drawn back time after time.

The Three Peaks area of the Yorkshire Dales is different than it was all those years ago when I first ventured up there. It is busier – more  than 250,000 people visit each year – but ironically local shops are on the decline. Cars are king and on certain weekends you cannot get near some villages.

I was inspired to put pen to paper when I saw a pile of plastic bottles stuffed next to a dry-stone wall on the way up Pen-y-ghent from Brackenbottom. I picked up a few but couldn’t carry them all. I thought, ‘Who will clean this up?’

And as I found out… there’s a lot happening. It is complex. There’s happiness, hardship, pleasure, decline, entrepreneurship, damage, life, change and evolution…

It’s fair to say the book  was an absolute pleasure to write – but some of the opinions very scary and  tortuous indeed. I met farmers, park rangers, locals, landowners, users, people who know every inch of its landscape and those to run, walk and cycle it several times a year.

The traditional start of the route, Horton-In-Ribblesdale, is an interesting place. In the summer it can attract more than 1,000 people to its narrow streets and humble parking facilities. People park on fields, in the road, on verges  and then hammer the route for pleasure and for charity.

Yet it’s a village that can’t even sustain a local shop. A number of locals can’t find housing within the village’s boundary. The local school will, over time, lose pupils as families aren’t attracted to the area.

What is being done to reverse this decline? You’ll find out if you read the book.

The route of the walk itself is now very ‘engineered’ and in areas it certainly detracts from the beautiful nature of the area. But what can the Yorkshire Dales National Park do? If they fail to manage it the  paths will get wider; if they do manage them, they have to engineer paths to  try to limit the impact of thousands of visitors.

And these need to be hard-standing and weathering and be cost-effective.

They can’t turn people away either, that is not the remit of a National Park, but they will encourage big groups to try and take their walk or event elsewhere.

It’s a tough problem to solve and the introduction of the Friends of the Three Peaks – and indirect commercialisation of route through this membership club and resultant merchandise – not only makes it harder to turn people away but puts them into direct competition with businesses.

In the book I speak to the Park, as well as local businesses and farmers who rely on the Authority, but don’t like what it is doing in some areas.

I speak to the Cave Rescue Organisation, the late Dr Farrer in Clapham who told me about his social policies, Bob Jarman at Ingleborough Cave and Natural England.

There’s also views from users of the Park like Joe Symonds – fell runner and Three Peaks Race Winner.

Mike Harding also throws his thoughts into the debate – and is pretty forthright – as is Pen-y-Ghent landowner Robert Bell and Reverend Charles Ellis who looks after St Leonard’s Church in Chapel-le-Dale.

I find beauty in the labyrinth of passages under the mountains and in solitude at Scar Close.

I also witness what happens at Horton Quarry but listen to the views of its operators and how they manage the work they do.

There’s plenty of funny takes and a fair number of cows and sheep!

I care deeply about the people I met there. It is vital to me it continues to thrive long into the future. It dismayed me that some of the  people I spoke to on my trip thought it wouldn’t survive, and in fact, that the Yorkshire Dales was dying.

Why? Because I don’t believe that is the case.

Why? Because there are too many people wanting it to flourish for it to go by the wayside.

I don’t find a silver bullet to solve the economic and social decline all rural areas are suffering, but I expose one truth – everyone wants to succeed and retain the Dales for what it is.

As I close my eyes I can hear the wind at the top of Ingleborough, Max panting on Whernside, the jackdaws as I walk towards the base of Pen-y-Ghent. I can feel the warm glow of the sun as it touches down over Birkwith and the ice-cold water that flies into my face at Great Douk. I can savour the experience of Scar Close and of seeing what the Dales is like without human intervention, I can feel the breeze making my face turn red as I slide down High Lot. Above all, I welcome the warm kindness of some of the best people on this planet, who cut across the Three Peaks timeline for only a short spell. It calls you.

Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story Of  The Dales is published by Amberley and is priced £16.99

For a signed copy click here.

The post Go Inside The Dales appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

When I was approached by  Allan at the firm about a new website I was sceptical. Yes, I needed a fresh look to the old version, but I wasn’t sure how radical a change I wanted.

There’s no hard sell with Allan. He took me through the existing site, made pointers to where it could be better and how best to present what I do.

The main issue was the fact my forthcoming – and now published – Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales had some fantastic landscape images and the site wasn’t doing them justice.

He also presented a strong business case for an improved store, better home page and integrated SEO.

It was a no brainer. How can I write about going for a wild camp when I can’t  display my pictures well enough? How can I promote my work without an effective platform? How can I make best use of the audio clips and video footage I have?

What you have in front of you is thanks to Allan and Amplify. The site is his work – pictures and words by myself – and the patience and pragmatism is certainly all his.

I would recommend him and his firm  to anyone.

Allan’s view: “Mike’s new website provides him with a professional communication mechanism and marketing tool to easily share his latest news and promote his range of services.

“The idea behind the design was to showcase Mike’s latest titles on the homepage whilst allowing users to easily access his latest news. Supporting pages provide information on his services and ecommerce facilities, amongst other features.

“Content can make up 50 to 70 per cent of website pages. In this project we created a web content management system with powerful features, but it is Mike who has populated this and turned it into what you see now.

“It’s always great to work with people who are excited to use our creations and turn them into useful tools for their business.”

This site will evolve over the next few weeks. It will have trip reports, walking blogs, video and podcasts of the Yorkshire Dales book. I will review products too as well as muse upon writing and the media.

So look around, visit the store, buy some prints and send me some feedback.

The post A New Beginning appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

At present, I’m undertaking a Mountain Leader course and one of its many facets is the need to be proficient in wild camping and navigation.

I decided to take this a step further and attempt my first camp at the back end of Winter and bivvy.

People who know me know I am a big planner and this was something in the diary for a long time. I’d got an Alpkit Hunka  and a Berghaus Torridon, found an old and lightweight camping stove and some dehydrated food and was set to go. Then, a conversation with Terry Abraham  made me realise very quickly I’d need at least a three season sleeping bag too… and I was glad of it I can tell you.

I was pretty nervous the day before the camp as even though I knew where I was going to go, the realisation I would be out in a bivvy in the wilds was a tough notion for my brain to handle.  I chose a mountain I knew well and a good escape route just in case the bottle went.

The climb up to the top of the hill was fairly uneventful. I saw one person the whole way and despite the fact my fitness isn’t what it should be I made it up top the top pretty much when I wanted. I sat down, surveyed the scene and realised camping on summit wasn’t a good call. The place I’d chosen – along the wall at the summit ridge – was being hit with gale force winds and there’s no way I could have been comfortable.

After about half an hour I decided to head back down the hill to about halfway and camp near a waterfall I’d seen on the way up. This was an ideal spot as you can see from my pictures. I don’t want to add many more pictures of the area as I don’t want this camp to be noted. It’s technically illegal to wild camp in England and therefore I arrived late and left early. I was discreet.

I found a decent lie, made coffee with a significant tot and watched the sun go down. I then, around 8pm, climbed into my bivvy and tried to sleep. It was impossible and I think I must have done an hour on and an hour off all night.

Thankfully, the Vango Ultralite 600  kept me warm, coupled with about four layers, because it was significantly cold.

At midnight I woke up with a start as it had got very chilly in the Hunka – the sky had cleared and the moon was playing hide and seek with the clouds. Then, off and on once more, I woke at 5am to get ready for the sunrise. It was spectacular so I packed up my kit and chased it down the valley.

To be the only person on the hill was truly staggering and an experience I will never forget. I felt like the only person alive and at one with my surroundings. I have always been drawn to the countryside, the wild, the bleak and this made me feel like I belonged.

Thanks, and free plugs to the firms above, and Terry, for helping me achieve this.

Things I learnt…

1) Sitting down on the way up a mountain for a break leaves you with a damp backside. When you get to camp, climbing into sleeping bag with that dampness doesn’t help your core temperature.

2) Packing my Torridon better would have made for a better pillow.

3) Going to bed early wasn’t a good idea as I didn’t sleep. I should have read a bit more and took in my surroundings.

4) Waterfalls are great, but they are noisy…

5) PACK A SLEEPING MAT! I didn’t and I’m still suffering.

The post Room With A View appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I’ve also had the proofs to the Inside the Dales project with publication due in the next four to six weeks.

It’s a busy time at Mascarandy towers with Hills, Holes and High Tales  in research too.

The new website is designed to showcase our work better and also the wonderful images I take on my many walks.

I will also be producing video walks soon and increasing the number of audio media available on the site.

Thanks to Amplify for making it happen.

The post Radio Ga Ga appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I interviewed him for my Inside the Dales project about his work in Clapham and the future of the area.

He was pretty frail at the time, but gave me an audience for more than half an hour whilst we chatted about how his family came to be in the Yorkshire Dales.

He told me:  “I’d like to think my son and daughter will continue to run the Estate but who comes after them I don’t know. Hopefully there will be someone in the family to take it on. It is a big job and they will need to be determined. I have been here for more than 50 years in an area as nice as this and it is very special indeed. It has been good to continue on the work of my grandfather and those that came before him too.”

Amen to that. Good night Doc, and many many thanks.

The post Fond Farewell Dr Farrer appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Last time out I posted some pictures of my  solo trip  into the Yorkshire Dales. Those images now form part of my project and some are  even on sale  with the proceeds heading to the  Cave Rescue Organisation.

Both my current tomes are doing well and my  Yorkshire Dales  one in particular has evolved to encompass more of pictures and a bigger visual impact.

An old gaffer of mine once told me I should ‘never lose my bottle…’ – basically if you know you have a talent then you shouldn’t be afraid to use it.

On countless occasions during my Dales project I have indeed come close to using my bottle.

I can write about sport – it is something I do for a living.

It is what I am and it took a fair while of grafting and long hours to reach where I am at present.

I always dreamt of working for my hometown club.

And now players have become friends and I’ve witnessed some incredible moments first hand including cup wins and dressing room celebrations, bus rides home, and yes, a fair few downs too. It’s an environment I’m comfortable with.

I believe you have to constantly challenge yourself and I’m now in that phase of my life. I’m 36 and despite I the fact still like Haribo and love listening to Paramore, I ain’t getting any younger!

That’s why the Dales book is important and needs to work for me.

I need to show I can write on other things than sport.

Weirdly, I’m actually not that bothered about selling thousands of books – although that would be nice – It’s more about proving to myself I can do it.

That feeling will come when it is submitted and I suppose, in the future, when it receives any kind of praise. The book is for me and to tell the real story of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire.

I’m shy, reserved and quite humble when it comes to my own work.

And so the change in structure of the project has worried me as it could move away from my original intentions. But it is something both myself and the publisher have agreed to so I’m not going in blind.

It the meantime I have  created this page  to show the project and have posted an audio clip too.

Check it out.

Finally,  these postcards are on sale now  – I’ve put a lot of work into them – so buy a pack and help out the CRO.

The post Something A Little Different! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

OK, so not an update as such, but wanted to share some pictures with you.

2013 has been all work, work, work so far and as I am writing this, there are 101 days until my  Dales book  is due for submission.

Here’s a few of the pictures I will be using from my last trip to my second home.

The post Pictures! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I like walking on my own – mountains and all – as well as caving, to rely on my own self and know my limits. People think I’m a little mental as a result and ask me “what would happen if you had an accident” but you never know you are truly alive until you push your capabilities.

Also, I tend to think I know what I am doing…

Society seems to balk at the fact people can operate alone and be perfectly happy. People don’t want to take risks anymore and the health and safety culture, and the fact we are more bone idle, has driven large sections of it never to experience the thrill of the peaks, the rain, wind and snow.

I think that’s a shame but on the other hand it’s better as the fells are free for the rest of us to enjoy.

I feel energised when I come back from trip to the hills and even though I get that familiar hunger pang to be back there almost immediately, it remains with me for a few days.

It’s a hit, a drug, a need. Being on my own there is a symptom of that hit. It’s vital. It’s necessary and prescribed.

Being office based leaves me with cold turkey until the next adventure and new experience.

That’s why writing my ‘Yorkshire Dales‘ book is important for my soul. Without it I would feel lost, without commitment.

2013 will probably be my busiest year to date. I am continuing with Lee’s book, although I have a week to complete the final chapter for now, and I have my Dales project which has proved bigger than I ever thought imaginable. It’s opened my eyes to many facets of the area and also the loss that is being felt ecologically and socially. I am already in mourning and I haven’t written it yet.

Please leave a comment and tell me what you think of how being alone is good for the soul.

The post Jack, Todd, Jones…. Single, Solitary appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Lee Briers’ autobiography was such an involved book and has taken most of my spare time for the last 18 months.

Now we are on the last chapter and that means I can now finally focus on my Dales project.

That began in earnest last week as I got a week off from the day job to go interviewing, walking and caving in an area I hold close to my heart.

And it worked too. Interviews flowed, as did my literary juices and I feel ready to tackle it head on.

It wasn’t easy… on the first day my new camera decided to purge the battery of all its juice even through it was charged and then two of my interviewees didn’t show to arranged meetings.

However, these were just blips in a superb week.

Now I have a bundle of transcripts to do and even more interviews to arrange – thanks to the people I met on the way.

I will also be podcasting my walk and ramblings for ‘Walks Around Britain‘ too.

I’ve been reluctant to talk about the book to a few people as it is a real labour of love and I didn’t want to jinx it. Once completed, the plan is to give a chunk of the proceeds to the  Cave Rescue Organisation  too.

So, what’s it about:

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