Danny Sculthorpe’s  Highs, Lows and Hypos  was launched at Waterstones in Wigan with queues stretching out of the door. We’re truly humbled at the response, and we were signing copies long after the official session close time before popping over to the Wigan Warriors’ store and signing up another 50.

I use the royal ‘we’ there… Danny did all the signing. Being a ghost writer can be an odd experience when it comes to a launch. The majority of work in a book comes from the writer but come release time the subject receives all the plaudits.

And rightly so! Without the story from the subject, the book can’t be written…

Anyone who knows me knows this doesn’t phase me one bit. I was happy to be in the background and I am honoured that Danny chose me to help write his story.

At times it wasn’t pretty or easy for him to speak on what happened … and for me too to listen, not interject, and let him use his own words… although it also enabled me to open up to Danny with some of my own past struggles.

I think it was cathartic for Danny to impart his story like that and  I’m sure it will do well for him.

One of the things that fascinated me at the launch was how Danny was received. That may sound strange but when I penned my previous three autobiographies, the reaction was superb, don’t get me wrong, but this was different.

Those books were tales of a life’s work and the future. People bought them to read those stories and have a record of the player’s career.

Danny received lots of “I’m proud of you” throughout his signing session today; the book was recognition of how far he had come in his life, rather than it being a record of his life.

If that makes sense.

It was also good to see Steve Hampson and Ben Flower come out to support him too.

Danny’s story is well known in rugby league circles but it is his off-field tale that is harrowing and inspirational. I don’t want to give too much away so I would hope you would buy a copy of his book.

We have copies on sale in my store and have another signing at Waterstones in Warrington on October 21 from 12pm.

Blurb

Car-crash tackles at lightning pace, brutal hits and extreme physical exertion in all weathers; rugby league is an unforgiving sport.

It’s a battle between player and opponent, whilst the demons inside your body are screaming at you that every sinew is in pain.

Show weakness and the opposition has an edge over you. You’ve already lost and you’ve also let your team-mates down. Don’t, and just maybe you can experience the best the sport has to offer and the adulation of thousands of supporters.

Danny Sculthorpe epitomised what being a tough, no-nonsense player was all about. Released by Leeds and Warrington before he’d even become a man, he revitalised his career at Rochdale. Then came the big money move to Wigan and the highs and lows of a cup final before he was unceremoniously dumped by a coach he thought had his back.

Spells at Castleford, Wakefield and Huddersfield followed until he landed at one of the most storied clubs in the world – Bradford Bulls. But agony struck. After beating countless injuries – and type one diabetes – over a long career that saw him captain his country, a simple training ground accident cost him his livelihood and almost his life.

Forced onto the scrapheap with many years ahead of him, depression followed alongside an addiction to medication and sleeping tablets. Worse was to follow as money troubles finally came home to roost, leaving one of the toughest players ever to play the game to contemplate suicide.

Highs, Lows and Hypos – The Danny Sculthorpe Story is an incredible story of being a sportsman at the top of your game to someone who came acutely close to losing everything.

It’s how one man battled his black, emotional state to become an inspiration for all.

You can buy the book here.

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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!

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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.

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With the scope of our work changing to include more content on the outdoors and nature, we commissioned Gareth Wright Design to design  us  a new logo with that in mind.

We wanted it to be fresh, whilst displaying a new horizon and outlook for us – whilst retaining the original Mascarandy brand.

So here it is, welcome to the new look Mascarandy Media.

“The logo is designed to be noticeable at a glance, bright and reflect Mike’s attitude to the countryside,” Gareth at Gareth Wright Design said. “I have known Mike at Mascarandy for quite a few years now and when he asked me to design his new business logo I knew I wanted to design something that was perfect for him.

“The logo is very personal towards him and shows his love of the countryside, and his work, in an abstract but simple and eye-catching way.”

Mike added: “I’m really pleased with the new look and I’m delighted that Gareth was able to work with us.

“The logo is part of a series of new and exciting projects at Mascarandy – without detracting from our core values of producing quality content in the sporting and ‘nature’ arenas.

“It sums up my outlook; seeking new horizons and ways of doing things and I’m really looking forward to the future.

“If you’d like to get in touch and find out what we can do for your business then drop us a line.”

Mascarandy: Next Up

The next book off the shelves here will be 25 Great Walkers Pubs of the Yorkshire Dales.

It is due to be released in May and will  chart  twenty-five of the best pubs in the Yorkshire Dales and find out why  they have become favourites for so many  over the years.

Discover the Inn that was  frequented by playwright JB Priestley and still holds a traditional  land-letting auction each year; the one  that  used to be the site of local trials and find the original Woolpack  … that serves beer in a very special way!

Visit pubs that are tap  houses, house waterfalls, display quirky signs, have impressive  features, produce great food, play great music  and so much more!

For further information,  drop us a line here.

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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.

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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.

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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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There’s nothing quite like a refreshing beverage after a day on the fells and hills of the Yorkshire Dales.

Scenic beauty, majestic views, impressive crags, towering cliffs, peaceful tarns, extensive caves and picturesque villages that are rich with the heritage and culture are visited by millions of people each year.

And those that work within this stunning countryside ensure the Dales and its communities continue to be vibrant for future generations.

At their hub are hostelries that tell their own tales; cornerstones of local communities which reflect the social and economic story of a region that is changing and evolving everyday.

In this book, we chart 25 of the best pubs within the Yorkshire Dales and find out why they have become a beacon and pull to so many over the years.

Discover the Inn that was frequented by playwright JB Priestley and why beer is served in the traditional way in Arncliffe!

Visit pubs that are tap houses, house waterfalls, display quirky signs, have impressive features, produce great food, play great music and so much more!

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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!”

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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.

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Although it will be officially launched at Inglesport on Saturday May 23 from 10am, pre-orders and review copies should be hitting   doorsteps soon.

I’m looking forward to the launch in the best caving and walking shop in the Dales, and meeting some of the punters who have promised to buy a copy.

It will be a little strange too as with my sporting books – Tony Hand MBE, Lee Briers and Kel Coslett – the focus is understandably on the subject of the books… the autobiography.

This will be the first time I’m really in the spotlight so to speak (apart from the Yorkshire’s Three Peaks – The Inside Story of the Dales) and I’m quite excited. I hope people come down and use Inglesport and then come and talk to me about their Gems in the Dales. Who knows, there could be a second book there.

Work has already begun on my third book in the Dales and I’m hoping a fourth isn’t too far behind.

The day after, on Sunday May 24 from 9am, the plan is to lead a walk with Johnny Hartnell from Inglesport, to the Cheese Press Stones and back, via some very secluded lanes, to Ingleton. This is an open invitation to attend the walk – so please drop me a line here if you want to attend.

In the meantime, a hint of the Gems included in the book can be found here at Wanderlust Magazine.

The Yorkshire Post also interviewed me about the Gems:

To buy a copy – and to say hi call into Inglesport on Main Street in Ingleton on Saturday May 23.

Or you can buy here.

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Copies of the book will be on sale from around 10am in the shop and I’ll be on hand to sign a few and chat about why I chose this particular half century to represent the best this wonderful area can offer!

I may even buy the brews!

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

This equilibrium 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, I explore fifty of these magical places and discover what makes the Yorkshire Dales a unique place to live in and visit. See the majestic Skipton Castle, enjoy the splendour of Bolton Abbey and take in the fascinating views and history from the three peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Ingleborough and Whernside. Compare this to the tragedy and triumph of Ribblehead Viaduct. Follow the underground routes overground at Clapham and The Churns and find out the secrets of life in Dent, Malham, Settle and Gunnerside.

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

The book is priced at £14.99 and as per my Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales book, which will also be on sale, I will donate some of the proceeds to the Cave Rescue Organisation.

On Sunday May 24, along with Johnny Hartnell of Inglesport, the plan is lead a walk to one of the Gems from Ingleton.

The route takes a gentle pace out of Ingleton (beginning at Inglesport) up to the Turbury Road and then back along picturesque paths and quiet lanes for a well-earned brew back where we started.

The walk would begin around 9am and if you want to come please RSVP here.

You can buy a copy of the book here.

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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

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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.

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.

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.

I have sponsored Shannon McDonnell who signed on with the club a couple of week’s back and Jamahl Lolesi.

This helps promote the Mascarandy brand at a world leading Rugby League club – in its programme, website and on matchday – as well as giving something back to the club I have supported since I was six years old.

The post Sponsorship appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Yours, Mine and the Truth*.

In writing Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: Inside Story of the Dales I wanted to cover as many angles as possible to find out what is happening in the area at the present time.

I set myself the task of walking the route and interviewing people I met along the way as well as landowners, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority figures, farmers, business owners, Natural England, the Cave Rescue and users of this famous route.

It took me approximately three years of my life to research and complete — although that is tempered somewhat by the fact I wrote, with Lee Briers, his autobiography, in the meantime.

It involved several emails, visits, phonecalls, hours upon hours of walking, face to face interviewing and much more.

For the record, I spoke to:

Melanie and Matt at Pen-y-ghent Café; Steve Hastie from the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Friends of the Three Peaks; Dave Gallivan from Yorkshire Dales Guides, Dave Morphett farmer at Birkwith; Johnny Hartnell at Inglesport; Rae Lonsdale MBE and Steve Finch at the Cave Rescue Organisation; local resident Lucie Carr; Gary Middleton who farms on the slopes of Pen-y-ghent; Charles Ellis, Vicar of St Leonard’s church in Chapel-le-Dale; Adrian at the Seedhill B&B in Ingleton; Colin Newlands and Andrew Hinde at Natural England; Mike Harding; Chris Bonsall and Paul Weaire who spoke about what is happening in Ingleton (Chris is the organiser of the Folk Festival); Gill Woods (head), Richard Patterson (head of governors) and Jane Edwards (teacher) at Horton Primary School; Bob Jarman at Ingleborough Cave; Fell Runner Joe Symonds; Pip Land at the Association of Rural Communities; Robert Bell at Langcliffe Hall; Tom Lord at Lower Winskill Farm; Chris and John Sharp (Famers); Dave Taylor at the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust; Nick Oldham at the Yorkshire Dales National Park; Dr Farrer at Ingleborough Estate (who has now sadly passed away); Ben Ayres and Simon Garner at Hanson; Jonathan Tompkins; the Clerk at Horton-in-Ribblesdale Parish Council and Colin Speakman who provided me with  his Visitor Management Report for Horton.

There are others too and I appeared on Drystone Radio, which broadcasts in the region, at least four times to discuss what I was doing to gather opinion.

The views I received were wide and diverse. Many didn’t think there were any major issues as a result of the rural decline most of country is suffering. Some were more vociferous than others whilst many wanted to tell me of the beauty of this superb area.

I covered as many bases as possible before drawing a conclusion and my conclusion was pretty much to a person what I have been told in the book. I even wrote a chapter on positive things for the future and schemes.

That is, everyone needs to come together to make sure the area has a vibrant future.

Therefore I’m dismayed by one or two ‘reviews’ that said the book was biased. It certainly wasn’t. I could have eulogised about the number of visitors and the damage they caused and just taken one view. I didn’t. I quoted from the traffic management plan and spoke to the Friends of the Three Peaks as well as those who benefit from visitors in the area.

I also spoke to Robert Bell who owns Pen-y-ghent and users of the Three Peaks route. Several of them.

I could have written paragraphs on environmental damage. I didn’t. I spoke to Natural England, The Yorkshire Dales National Park and other important bodies. I even took a tour around Horton Quarry.

When it comes to retail issues I spoke to Inglesport in Ingleton, as well as other shop owners, and gained valuable insights from Mike Harding and his wife — and the Association of Rural Communities – about how communities are pulling together.

I even said that the YDNP’s selling of items connected with the Three Peaks damaged the local economy.

There was certainly no bias in there nor did I try to belittle what anyone was doing. My only bias was and still is, that I am phenomenally passionate about the Dales.

I allowed several of my interviewees the chance to review what they had said in the book too before publication.

The book has gained positive reviews from The Great Outdoors Magazine, Descent Magazine, The Yorkshire Dales Society, Drystone Radio, The Dalesman, The Westmorland Gazette and several others.

From my experience in journalism, the media do not provide positive reviews if they don’t mean it. It is easier to criticise.

The Cave Rescue Organisation  will benefit from the sales  the book too.  I certainly wouldn’t do this, nor would they, if it was a biased tome.

I’m not asking everyone to love the book. I had one lady call me to say she loved it especially the pictures. I had another one who told me they enjoyed it, but wished I had gone a little deeper into the issues.

I can accept that and plan to do follow up interviews on my site over the coming months.

If you have an issue with anything contained within the book then I am always here to hear your side — and I will interview you – and run the interview on this site.

People have opinions, will always do, and I am happy to hear them.

Descent Magazine summed up what I was trying to achieve perfectly in this review:

Having set scenes, Mike tells his tale by interviewing local people, many of whom are in positions of authority  â€”  not ‘authority’ in the sense of police and the like, but representatives of walking groups, the national park, shopkeepers and cafe owners, event organisers and so on.

This sets his book apart  â€”  it is a snapshot of time, of opinion, during a period of spending cuts and increased pressures on the fells. The fascination comes from this diversity…

*Gold star to whoever names the band, song and album…

The post Unbiased and Balanced 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:

The post Yorkshire Dales Society / TGO 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.

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.

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.

2003:  

Dec: Seeking favourite walks as part of a new project. Click here for more details

Nov: Mike makes second appearance on Drystone Radio’s View from the Clocktower show to discuss Off The Cuff.

Oct: Mike appears on City Talk 105.9fm’s In Touch Show to talk about ‘Off The Cuff’ and Alty & Sale Sport to discuss Manchester Phoenix.

Sept: Mike named IHJUK Chairman.

Aug: Mike appears on Drystone Radio’s View from the Clocktower show to discuss Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales.

 July: Mascarandy agrees to sponsor Saints starlet Greg Richards for the rest of the Super League season.

June: Check out our new online store which offers Postcards & Prints.

May: Work continues on two projects with another two already submitted for review.

April: Mascarandy is on Soundcloud  &  Mascarandy continues annual PR duties for the EPL Playoffs

 Jan, Feb, Mar: Work continues on new project and Ice Hockey coverage

2012 – Selected

April: EPL Playoff Finals Weekend work as EIHA Press Officer.

2011 –  Selected

Oct: Megan’s Just Grand At Co-operative Grand Final.

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