‘Our National Parks are essential for our country’s health, hope, and connection.’ – From the foreword by Alastair Humphreys.

From the UNESCO-listed Lake District to the arctic plateau of the Cairngorms, the UK’s 15 National Parks are home to some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes. This comprehensive guide celebrates their rich history, heritage and natural beauty, while helping you plan every visit with confidence.

Organised by Park and packed with practical advice, this book will help you make the most of your time – whether you’re seeking iconic landmarks, unforgettable walks, local food spots or memorable places to stay. You’ll also find inspirational insights from National Park champions, must-see sites and must-do activities tailored to each Park’s unique character. With accessible walking routes, family-friendly ideas for days out, plus adventures ranging from wild swimming and birdwatching to stargazing and caving, there’s something for everyone.

Complete with beautiful photography and maps, plus a foreword by Alastair Humphreys, this is the only guide you need to explore and uncover the very best parts of our National Parks, make amazing new memories and leave nothing behind but footprints.

Published by Bloomsbury on April 9, 2026.

Order here.

The post OUT NOW! The Complete Guide to the UK’s National Parks appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode, we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology, and so much more!

We’ve called episode nine Plastic Patter, as we round up the latest news and views from the sector. Enjoy!

(Apologies for the audio quality of this episode)

Episode Notes:

00:31: Introduction and life updates…

08:12: The Global Plastics Treaty, why it is important and why it failed…

18:50: Microplastics concentrate in woodlands…

21:48: Why you should Plot your Plastic and help us clean up our woodlands…

29:35 Microplastics are everywhere, and they don’t need to be…

33:44: Why have Christmas trees been buried on a beach?

37:19: The hosts are positive most of the time…

Get in touch! mike@mascarandymedia.com

Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

Forest Plastics Working Group Website

Plastic Tree Shelter Recycling

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

Support the Podcast

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep9 – Plastic Patter! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Featuring more than 75 images, Celebrating The Yorkshire Dales is a personal homage to my favourite National Park, covering everything from Auction Marts and caves to Dales’ sport and village fetes.

Along the way, I interview authors, speleologists, farmers, musical legends and cheese makers.

There is something for everyone who loves this special place – food, villages, folklore, meadows and the ubiquitous pub.

You can buy your copy here.

The post Celebrating The Yorkshire Dales appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Discover more in the eighth edition of SustainabiliTREE, a podcast that explores all things trees and woodlands, with a particular focus on the issue of plastics within the forestry sector.

In each episode, we explore a variety of topics related to this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology, and much more!

Episode Notes:

07:10: National Trust for Scotland – Mar Lodge

John Muir Trust

Scotland: The Big Picture – Aspen in the landscape

11:30: Forest Plastics Working Group

13:45: James Bickley

21:35: UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS)

UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)

23:38: FPWG 2019 conference

FPWG 2022 conference

24:42: Plastic Treeshelter Recycling Hubs

27:05: Forest Plastics Working Group guidance and research

30:45: MJ Potter (1991): Treeshelters

39:30: A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan

43:45: Human-made materials now equal weight of all life on Earth (2020)

45:00: Priti Patel vs. Mathematics

46:50: Gary Bencheghib

Get in touch! mike@mascarandymedia.com

Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

Forest Plastics Working Group Website

Plastic Tree Shelter Recycling

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

Support the Podcast

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep8 – Forest Plastics Working Group appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode, we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology and so much more!

Episode 7 explores greenwashing and how to identify it.

We had some technical issues with this edition … normal service will be resumed next time out!

Episode Notes:

0:33: Welcome back … and apologies for the audio quality

4:16: Greenwashing – what is it?

Becky Spencer Interview:

7:24: Katie welcomes Becky Spencer to the podcast!   

8:20: Becky’s backstory

9:32: Greenhushing

11:03: Becky’s Five Top Pet Peeves

14:16: Labelling something as natural

15:20: Toxicity of paper and bamboo products

15:50: Glues

24:42: Why aren’t we challenging greenwashing

26:30: Becky’s tips on spotting the bullsh*t

27:45: Parfum or fragrance

30:00: Unconventional plastics and greenwashing

34:45: UK Forestry Standard

41:30: Sustainability of unconventional plastic tree shelters and guards (FPWG research)

44:30: Buzzwords… one’s to spot

47:45: Talking Rubbish Podcast

48:20: SustainabiliTREE on LinkedIn and Instagram

57:30: Next episode’s topic…

Get in touch! mike@mascarandymedia.com

Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

Forest Plastics Working Group Website

Plastic Tree Shelter Recycling

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

Support the Podcast

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep7 – Greenwashing appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode, we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology, and so much more!

Episode 6 answers your questions and catches up with Katie, who has been rather busy over the last few months. Listen on to find out more!

Episode Notes:

0:50: Life-changing events!

5:24: How are you advertising the podcast and the recycling hubs…

12:51: What is the plan with the data from Plot That Plastic

20:52: Waste hierarchy

25:45: What happens to the guards that are collected for recycling

35:00: Life Cycle Analysis and tree shelters (video)

38:40: Katie and the Forestry Journal

44:15: Mike’s writing

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

Support the Podcast

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep6 – Question Time appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology and so much more!

Episode 5 looks at fluffy creatures “our native small mammals“ and now they can damage trees.

Episode Notes:

0:33: Welcome’s bang on about the weather

3:30: Voles, rabbits, squirrels, mice

4:05: Squirrels, how they impact trees and what can we do?

Grey squirrel and deer damage to trees

Identifying squirrel damage

8:15: Ring barking

15:36: Contraception in squirrels

14:45: Pine Marten return

22:30: Tree diseases

27:20: Voles

34:00: Preparing the ground

40:40: Time for bunnies.

44:40: Pillow Mounds

46:00: Shifting sands project

52:30: Quiz time! Can Katie beat these Hare-y questions?

59:05: Next time out

1:02:10: Parish Notices

Get in touch! mike@mascarandymedia.com

Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

Forest Plastics Working Group Website

Plastic Tree Shelter Recycling

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

Support the Podcast

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep5 – Small Mammals and Trees appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

To celebrate National Recycling Week we are looking at how the sector is cleaning up its act!

Episode Notes:

0:35 National Recycling Week

2:20 Why do we recycle?

3:30 Carbon

4:10 Seven generation sustainability

4:50 What waste does the sector produce?

7:28 Tree shelter recycling

8:12 YDMT Plastic Free Woodlands project

Tubex recycling

9:00 UKFS page 10 and page 20.

15:40  Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

Plot That Plastic Dashboard

Forest Plastics Working Group Website

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep4 – Bonus Episode – Recycling Week 2024 appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology and so much more!

Episode 3 looks at deer management and features a lovely chat with Ben Harrower from BH Wildlife Consultancy – we learnt a lot!

Episode Notes:

0:28: Summer’s making a retreat

2:15: What are we talking about – deer!

3:30: Deer in the Dales

4:25: Deer in Essex – the whole lot!

6:10: Deer in the UK

8:50: How many deer are out there in the UK?

9:50:  Ben Harrower  is welcomed to the podcast

(no more time stamps for Ben – we want you to listen to the full interview!)

42:35: Our key takeaways from Ben

46:10: A change of plan for the next episode

47:20: How can we manage deer? What are the options?

51:35:  John Muir Trust – Clear on Deer

55:05: FPWG Conference

56:30: Deer Management Consultations

England

Scotland

Wales

58:18: Quiz time!

1:04:10: Parish Notices

Forest Plastics Working Group Website

Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

Plastic Tree Shelter Recycling

1:05:50: Countrystride Podcast

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep3 – Deer with Ben Harrower appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode, we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology and so much more!

Episode 2 looks at plastic pollution and the use of tree shelters and other guards. It’s also Mike’s turn to put co-host Katie on the spot with a tricky tree fact quiz.

Episode Notes:

0:35 Welcome back!

4:17 Setting the scene on plastic pollution in Forestry

5:02 Is Katie’s magic hat genuine?

6:20 What types of plastics are used in Forestry and woodland management

8:20 FAO report on plastics in forestry use

10:00 Origin of the tree shelter

14:30 Why do we use tree shelters

19:30 Sten Gustaf Thulin

28:15 Microplastics

Definition

Potential harm to humans

33:13 Where does grant funding stand on plastic use?

BN11

HE3

38:00 UK Forestry Standard

40:45 UN Plastics Treaty

41:30 Plastic Tree Shelter Recycling

49:10 Plot That Plastic App and Citizen Science Project

53:55 Quiz Time!

56:40 Listener Questions

59:15 The Next topic…

1:00:00 Parish Notices

https://www.forestplasticsworkinggroup.co.uk/

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep2 – Plastic Tree Shelters and Pollution appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In each episode, we’ll be looking at a variety of topics around this theme, including woodland creation, funding streams, plastic pollution, deer, soils, ecology and so much more!

Episode 1 looks at why we plant trees whilst podcast host Katie puts her co-host, Mike, on the spot with a tricky tree fact quiz.

Episode Notes:

0:35 Introductions

1:56 Why SustainabiliTREE

5:02 Katie’s magic hat…

7:20 Why do we plant trees?

The UK is the third largest importer of timber

Coppicing

15:18 Ash Dieback and Deadwood

16:44 UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)

17:30 Natural Regeneration

England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)

20:40 Tree Fact Quiz!

25:10 All the gear…

27:50 The next podcast…

28:20 Plot That Plastic

29:55 Parish Notices

Forest Plastics Working Group Case Studies

Reducing the Use of Plastic in Amenity and Woodland Planting

SustainabiliTREE is a Mascarandy Media production. You can contact the team at mike@mascarandymedia.com

Music by Bensound.com/free-music-for-videos

License code: GWONJNIUPEIMF1GC

Podcast logo by Ryan Collins t/a Wild Whenever.

The post SustainabiliTREE Podcast Ep1 – Welcome: Why do we plant trees? appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Both legends of Rugby League, you can read more about their fascinating life stories in these entertaining and humbling books.

Off the Cuff: The Lee Briers Autobiography can be bought here  whilst you can read about St Helens legend Kel Coslett here.

Both come with free shipping and are ideal for Father’s Day!

The post SALE: Briers and Coslett – £10 each appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

My relationship with Amberley stretches back to well before its inception; a multitude of contacts and people I’ve grown to rely on when penning a new project.

The pandemic, like many people, forced me inwards and once Secret Yorkshire Dales had been published, I felt I’d completely frazzled my creative juices and decided to take a gap between drinks.

But the Yorkshire Dales continued to weigh on my mind and, punch drunk, I wandered back in, wondering if there was another angle I could tap into.

The team at Amberley suggested the popular A-Z series and I have to admit I was pensive. Cramming the breadth of the Dales into a handy ‘cut and keep’ A to Z guide is not an easy task. What do I include, omit, or go into detail about?

Yet, that’s what I did; visiting and researching areas of this fantastic national park I hadn’t experienced. It re-ignited my passion for this special place once again.

Hopefully, the book demonstrates my love of what I call my second home; the place in which I spend most of my time working and breathing. I’ve included some of my favourite dales and spoken to cavers, farmers, and those entrusted with protecting this special place.

Of course, those omissions! Readers will almost certainly note that I’ve not included every dale within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, nor every mountain, or honeypot site. I wanted it to be an A to Z of things special to this national park; seldom found anywhere else in Britain.

So, to whet your appetite, here are some opening snippets of my favourite chapters:

Commoning

The Yorkshire Dales is a working landscape that has been framed by industries such as mining and farming ever since humans settled. One ancient agricultural practice is ‘commoning’, where farmers graze their sheep on common land in the uplands. In the Dales, this method is somewhat threatened as areas of land are turned over for tree planting and natural regeneration. Historically, the commons were important as they allowed people to scrape a living by being self-sufficient on small areas of land, and then graze their animals on the uplands. As common land was enclosed to increase the efficiency of agriculture to feed a growing population, it was these local small holders who lost out…

Dancing Flags

Dent is packed with heritage amongst narrow, cobbled streets that could be straight out of a film set. Just to the north of the village is Flintergill. Head upwards out of the village green to a steep climb that eventually breaks free to provide great views of Barbondale and beyond. The gill is also climbable for those more adventurous … in dry weather, of course.

Just before the route lifts is an obvious path to the left which takes you to an open pavement of limestone, right in the gill itself. These dancing flags would have been a hive of activity in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as women pulped cloth on them with their feet…

Ease Gill

Stretching some 90 kilometres, the Three Counties cave system is British caving’s jewel in the crown. For a long time, the thought of physically connecting passages across Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cumbria has been the work of ardent mud lovers who stoically toiled in tight passages to make breakthroughs and extend the system.

But the thought of making a Three Counties trip itself was the stuff of folklore. Such a journey would see the explorer undertake many dives in brown, peaty water and negotiate a multitude of dry passages. They’d also need to be fit as a fiddle to climb and descend ropes and have a team of like-minded speleo fans to provide backup support.

On 25 September 2021, two cavers did just that. Jason Mallinson and Chris Jewell entered Large Pot in Kingsdale at 11 a.m. to traverse the system through to Top Sink in Ease Gill. The preparation to complete such a task was immense. Some of the connecting dives had never been completed as a through trip – having been dived from the opposite side – and new routes had been discovered. Then there was the sheer number of climbs and pitches that needed to be pre-rigged. Transporting gear was a mammoth task…

Scaleber Force

Drivers on the route out of Settle to Malham wouldn’t know this wonderful waterfall was here unless they’d pre-planned a visit or took a punt after seeing a few cars parked up. It’s not signposted and only a small Woodland Trust ‘Scaleber Wood’ marks the spot … kind of. Trust your instincts and descend the tricky path. Here, Stockdale Beck falls 40 feet into an amphitheatre of woodland, thanks to the action of water. It has eroded the limestone, which is on the South Craven Fault, into a deep gorge. Drink it in, there’s nothing to do but watch the waterfall tumble over the rocks in a beautiful setting.

Yeti

When you’re researching an area you love a great deal, one you’ve walked over and been part of for years, you’d think there’s nothing left about it that would surprise you. Well, in late 2022, I was sent a short video clip of British cryptids – animals that some people believe may exist in the wild but are not recognised by science – and I was taken aback. Apparently, one of these has been apparitions was sighted in the country, moreover in the Yorkshire Moors, and it’s called the Yorkshire Yeti. The video entitled British Cryptids: Yorkshire Yeti was released in 1974 but only seems to have been ‘shown at schools or languished in public libraries’, according to the poster. It starts with the line ‘between 1956 and 1961, over twenty sheep worrying incidents were said to have been due to the actions of the Yorkshire Yeti’, and then discusses mutilated sheep carcasses that haunt shepherds to this day…

To grab your signed copy of A to Z of the Yorkshire Dales, click here.

The post Not another guidebook… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I’ll be in store, signing my new book from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

Pop in and say hello!

If you can’t make it, you can pre-order a signed copy from my store.

The post Book Launch appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

A huge variety of people, landscapes and wildlife can be found within its boundaries, from churches that acted as places of rest on long routes, pubs that doubled up as courthouses and Neolithic discoveries in the new extension of the park,  to the longest, deepest and oddest caves in the region and rare flora and fauna – there’s plenty to discover.

A-Z of the Yorkshire Dales reveals the history behind the area, its streets and buildings, businesses and the people connected with the region. Alongside the famous historical connections are unusual characters, tucked-away places and unique events that are less well known. It is fully illustrated throughout and will appeal to all those with an interest in this spectacular corner of England.

A to Z of the Yorkshire Dales

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Size: 234mm x 165mm
• Pictures: 100, full colour throughout
• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Publication Date:  July 15 2023
• Price: £15.99

The post A to Z of the Yorkshire Dales appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

After the publication of Secret Yorkshire Dales I took a wee hiatus to focus on living day to day.

It hasn’t been an easy 2022 as I struggled to adapt to the new normal and increased work-life balance pressures.

I’d like to say things are more clearer – they’re not – but I am centred on new projects and adding to the stable of publications I’ve produced over the last 20 or so years.

What does that mean? Firstly, I’m working on a new book for Amberley – again on the Dales.

Secondly, my podcast will be fired up once again… thank you to everyone who continues to download it every single day.

And finally… more content on writing, the outdoors, interviews and much more.

I’ll even try and talk about the last few months.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this site over recent times, and those who have bought my books and checked in on me. Your support doesn’t go unnoticed.

Mike.

You can support this site, my podcasts and basically tell me I’m doing a half decent job  here.

The post We’re still here… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

As a map addict I love pouring over these things and obviously have a ton of OS maps in a box under my bed.

I’ve gone through countless Yorkshire Dales OS maps on my travels and even the active maps – designed to be used in harsh conditions – are showing signs of wear.

I’ve also tried Harvey maps, BMC’s mountain maps and a route guide to Everest base camp when I was thinking of bigger things.

Strumpshaw, Singleton and Giggleswick’s maps are hardly designed to be used on the hill – as a route finder they’re pretty much pointless – but that’s the point. This epically, well-researched sheet, is packed with information about adventure across the country giving lots of  scrumptious ideas for itchy feet!

Yes, it would be way too easy to say it’s bit of a gimmick; I guess it is in a way,  but it’s absolutely stuffed full of ideas for adventure all over this Isle.

The map is a hubris nudger and would be great for kids looking to find out more about the UK.

The post Marvellous Maps appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I make no excuses for the fact I’m a caver and love being underground. But why do we do it? In this free ranging chat I spoke to Jack Overhill who is the training officer at the Red Rose Caving and Pothole Club as well as being a volunteer for Cave Rescue.

Jack takes people underground for a living and has also worked with those with special needs.

We chat about  all things to do with adventure tourism and also speak about the cave rescue that took place in Brecon recently.

This is a cracking chat, I’m sure you’ll agree!

You can follow Jack on Instagram

Feel free to drop me a line here.

You can support this free podcast by leaving a tip here.

This podcast was from 29.11.21

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#12): What Makes a Caver? appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

A snippet of information on social media can go around the world virally in seconds, whilst advances in science mean we know more about the planet we live on than ever before.

There are so many books on the Dales which delve into its past – both archeologically and geographically – that there seems little else to discover. I have already penned three books on the national park that uncover its gems and look at its socio-economic recipe.

Thing is, if you keep looking at something, or take a different stance, a new way always reveals itself. Historians are still discovering how people lived in this area every day; cavers are pushing the boundaries of their discoveries to reveal new entrances, whilst farmers are changing the way they work to adapt to the landscape and the issues we face through population increase and climate change.

The Craven Way which rises out of Dent.

That change, the circle of life and always wondering what lies around the corner – I’m a caver so forgive the pure optimism of my exploration – allowed me to uncover more secrets of an area I thought I knew pretty well.

In writing Secret Yorkshire Dales, I spoke to people who are managing the land differently, explored quarries that were once plundered now being overtaken by nature, and met entrepreneurs adapting to new opportunities presented by traditional methods.

Then, there were pubs of yesteryear retaining their stories for future generations, modern-day mining enthusiasts protecting the past and notable folk still having an impact on the Dales whilst old thoroughfares, indelibly marked into the landscape they were designed to take people across, are still giving passage to wayfarers.

My journey brought me up close with fables and folk tales passed through families – in contrast with the ‘new ways’ – as well as new areas of the national park, opened up in 2016, just waiting to be discovered.

It was a real revelation to pen and I made friends for life… who then prompted me to consider a magnitude of different projects…

The magnificent Muker meadows.

So what are my favourite ‘secrets’?

First up had to be my interview with now chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Neil Heseltine. At Hill Top Farm, with partner Leigh, they farm in a different way, in harmony with the landscape and without heavy inputs. Neil reduced his sheep flock to increase his quality of life and his story is eye-opening… and probably an indicator of what is to come over the next few years in upland farming.

Second was John Cordingley’s description of more than 30 years of exploration in the underground river of Malham Cove. He’s no ordinary explorer. Humble to the extreme, he has dedicated half a lifetime’s work to discovering the massive cave system that must lie behind Malham Cove. His description of the differing water sources is simply a mind-bending revelation.

Next up is my fascination of the macabre preparation for nuclear war in this country. I visited all the sites of the Royal Observer Corps Monitoring Posts in the Dales – and those just outside the border – and one of then, at Dent Station, still exists. Such an incredible view … and then you wonder what the thoughts of the volunteers it continued would have been if the bomb dropped. Frightening.

Nuclear Bunker… in the Dales… behave yourself!

Going fourth… or forth… The Dales has a fascinating network of old drovers and packhorse tracks that link villages to important trading areas and other areas in the country. The area also has a Roman influence, with Cam Road stretching to Bainbridge, its fort and beyond. My favourite is the Craven Way – the old packhorse route that connected Dentdale to Ingleton and other routes.

It climbs steadily to Wold End before you reach Great Wold – a ridge of firm limestone which has also been noted as Craven’s Wath or Little Craven Wald. On this track is Horse Well, which indicates it was a path used by horses, and a number of springs. There are fossils in tracks at Duncan Sike Foot, small caves and refreshing springs. Further towards Whernside, Dent Head Viaduct comes into view as the descent is made to Ribblehead – and you can see all the famous three peaks in one vista.

And finally… Visiting my favourite brewery to watch my favourite ale being brewed you say? It’s a hard job! Dent Brewery may be small, but it packs a real punch. Its fermenters can produce up to 1,800 litres (that’s more than 3,150 pints) per brew per day and run five times a week in summer. Bottling is done off-site, although they have hand-filled for special orders, while all beers are conditioned in the cask, rather than in tanks!

Contained in this little house is Dent Brewery.

Secret Yorkshire Dales is available now.

Thank You!

Thank you to the many people who have kindly “bought me a coffee” to keep on writing. If you enjoy my writing, podcasts and photography, then please feel free to drop me a donation to keep the site going … and free!

The post When is a secret not a secret…? appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

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.

Designated a national park in 1954, it attracts millions of visitors each year who are lured there by the spectacular scenery. Then there are historic towns such as Skipton, Settle and Hawes.

Its landscapes are famous and rewarding, whilst picturesque chocolate box villages are untouched by a bygone era and yield a life full of character. But there is more to the Dales than meets the eye. With 841 square miles of beauty and things to do, it’s full of hidden gems that show a glimpse of its lesser-known heritage.

In Secret Yorkshire Dales, author Mike Appleton takes the reader on an enlightening and entertaining journey through the park’s past, delving beneath the surface to uncover its secrets.

You’ll discover a network of passages that have shaped the landscape above it, learn why the clack of needles was to be feared and hear folk tales from years past. You’ll also find out about hidden kilns and mines, discover why a village had to drive a spike through the heart of a dead man and tread along long-forgotten routes and pathways.

Then there are the secret inns, meeting places, notable folk, the intriguing cottage industries and much more that make this area special.

Secret Yorkshire Dales is Mike Appleton’s tenth book and his most researched and varied to date.

Secret Dales – Information

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Size: 235mm x 165mm
• Pictures: More than 100, full colour throughout
• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Publication Date:  November 15 2021
• Price: £15.99

The post Secret Yorkshire Dales appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It is a follow up to this blog.

Feel free to get in touch on what you hear – mike@mascarandymedia.com

You can support this free podcast by leaving a tip here.

Remember to subscribe and leave a review too – it really helps more people become more aware of the Mascarandy Meanders!

Music:  Many thanks to Jason Shaw for the use of  ‘Running Waters’.

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#10) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I enjoy being on a windswept fell, alongside a river watching the light dapple on its surface or walking up a sketchy and exposed trail on the way up to a well-earned summit.

It’s something I’ve probably taken for granted – especially with everything that has happened over the last year or so. Not many people find a career that tallies perfectly with what they love.

As well as being a writer I work for an environmental charity based in the Yorkshire Dales; and part of that role involves the management of planting trees, plastic tree and encouraging the use of alternatives.

When I started on my career path, I was all about writing and wanting to see my work appear in print. As I’ve gone on I still enjoy that thrill, but I’m more passionate about helping people tell their stories and the project management part of the written product.

I don’t know if that is because I have found my style or just I’ve found different ways of keeping stimulated whilst writing.

Recently, I feel I have become more comfortable behind a screen than being outside and interacting with the subjects I have worked with for many years.

I love caving and I am active within the Red Rose Caving and Pothole Club; but the thought of going underground at the moment doesn’t give me the same contact with the senses.

Getting out for a simple walk has been beyond difficult; I’d rather hide away watching a seminar or YouTube.

And when I got the opportunity to head to the Dales with my work recently, I was hoping it would be cancelled so I didn’t have make the trip.

Have you felt these emotions? When I got there – I’d never just cry off – my first thought was when do I need to leave and what route I would take. I was not in the moment.

There were some real highlights though. Working with like-minded people in sub zero temperatures found something I’d been missing for a while – contact with people away from isolation.

And then there was the landscape. The Dales needs trees (that’s why we do what we do) but the light brown views of the hills, snow still on the ground and the crystal clear rivers were something I’d been calling for.

It was great.

But now I’m at home… typing… and the prospect of doing the same again seems daunting. I’m anxious because my house feels secure and it goes beyond a safe haven.

I’m an outdoors person.

Do you feel this way? How did you snap out of it? Is it normal considering the circumstances? Have I lost my passion for my calling?

The post Something’s missing? appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Feel free to get in touch on what you hear – mike@mascarandymedia.com

You can support this free podcast by leaving a tip here.

Remember to subscribe and leave a review too – it really helps more people become more aware of the Mascarandy Meanders!

Music:  Many thanks to Jason Shaw for the use of  ‘Running Waters’.

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#9) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I’ve quoted Seth Godin in my thoughts before and one of his recent emails struck a real chord.

Like most during lockdown, I’ve been trying to figure myself out, where I sit in this mad world and how I can contribute to it.

I’ve been struggling to find my sense of place and in return that has affected how I feel about my work and what I am seeking to achieve.

This has been aligned to my ever-darkening thoughts, lack of creative output and loss of muse.

It’s therefore no coincidence  that Maria Popova’s interview with Tim Ferriss would set hares racing in my head. Her Brain Pickings blog is nothing short of phenomenal and their conversation about her work, and how she does it, spoke to parts of me that have been crying out for some sort of boost.

Perhaps I needed to hear what I wanted to hear.

An affirmation.

Perhaps it was something I already knew deep down.

You need to write for yourself first and the rest will follow.

Bingo.

My first Dales book on the Three Peaks was written for me. I always wanted to pen a homage to the place I love and that work was about not only showing the world the issues people face in the Yorkshire Three Peaks but, more importantly, that I could do it.

So when Seth says ‘tell your story’ and Maria says ‘write for yourself’, I have to listen yes?

It got me thinking about Mascarandy and where it is heading. I know I have written about this a few times on these pages and tried to discover why I do what I do.

Quite simply … and it is simple … I love helping people tell their stories. My vision, mantra, manifesto for Mascarandy Media is thus – I help you to own your story.

So isn’t it about time I did the same internally too? I need to own my story, my direction and realise I have gotten to this point – soon to be 10 books in, alongside an experienced career – because people like me telling their story.

And that should include telling my own through my love of place, connection and nature.

This post isn’t a reawakening; it’s a note to self.

What have you discovered recently to raise your sense of connection to what you want to achieve?

If you like what you have read, would you consider buying me a virtual brew? I really appreciate those that have so far. Love you all!

The post Owning my story appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#8) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It’s fair to say that the pandemic has forced many people to do a great deal of soul searching. There’s strong evidence the virus came from animal to human transmission, causing many to question their own path in the world and the damage they do to it.

Then, seeing earth and time seemingly slow down has brought changes in nature; maybe a slight recovery.

I’m sure there will be studies in the next few months that showed the natural world flourished under lockdown – and it was more than evident that connecting with the outdoor world in these troubling times has been and will be never more important.

People with time on their hands, in my experience, have a tendency to do two things. Get active; DIY etc (my dad painted everything he could on the outside of his house … to basically avoid painting the kitchen) or overthink.

I’m certainly in the latter and has time has gone on, I’ve turned more and more inwards looking at my own place in the world and my role in it.

The same goes for Mascarandy Media’s too.

My tenth book will be published in November (fingers crossed) and despite saying it was my last, I’m working on a few more ideas. Writing is a bug you see, and I’d like to think I make a decent job of it.

(The picture above is from that book – the wonderful Muker meadows)

Going forward I will be podcasting more and starting to get out and about once again filling up my YouTube Channel.

There’ll be also more regular posts on here on all manner of things from my writing style, thoughts on the outdoors to more general chit chat. I’d certainly be interested in hearing what you’d like me to discuss.

Or not. I can take a hint.

In the meantime, here is a lovely, but somewhat crude list of where you can find me:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Mascarandy Meanders Podcast
• Sign up to my Newsletter
• Pinterest – lots of my photography work here
• Shutterstock – download my pics for a small free.
• Fatmap – my favourite routes.

Lastly, my work on here is funded by the books I sell and I’m really grateful to everyone that has supported the nine books I’ve written so far. Every single penny from those books, and my freelancing, goes back into this site and creating more content.

So… if you like what you read, would you consider buying me a virtual brew? I really appreciate those that have so far. Love you all!

The post How do you find me? appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

FATMAP is an outdoor adventure platform and high-resolution 3D map for both web and mobile (iOS and Android).

It allows you to plan your routes, download them to your device and then see them in HD, giving you the best view of your hike or climb.

Three of my favourite walks are below and I would love to know if you’ve walked them and what you think.

Click on the maps to interact with the walk, and see pictures from the routes.

You can check out more fantastic walks  here.

Ingleborough from Clapham

Cautley Spout and Calf Top

Whernside… the old way!

WILL YOU TIP ME A BREW TO KEEP THIS SITE RUNNING?

Thank you to the many people who have kindly bought me a brew as encouragement to keep this blog and my work going!

The post My favourite routes with Fatmap appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Each has brought me into close contact with the National Park I hold most dear; the landscapes that connect my sense of being and nourish my soul, whilst its effervescent, down to earth folk seem more real, more concrete, more grounded.

I’ve always felt I could do more though. Not only to get further under the surface of that vibrant mixture of cultures that make the Dales but to champion local business and innovation.

My first book – Yorkshire’s Three Peaks: The Inside Story of the Dales  – attempted to disassemble a small area of the National Park and understand how its individual pieces are working with – and quite often against – each other to ensure its future.  

I’ve since written about Derbyshire, Cheshire and sport but I’ve returned to the Dales, completing the circle somewhat, to discover more of its secrets – and to emphasise its heritage,  entrepreneurs  and future.

Secret Dales will be released in November (damn you Covid for the late date) and I was thinking it would all but complete my Yorkshire Dales odyssey.

Thankfully, the ideas are still flowing and I have no doubt there will be more! You can stop booing at the back.

Secret Dales’ blurb suggests that it’s predominantly a history book:

An enlightening and entertaining journey through the Park’s past, delving beneath the surface – and sometimes well below – to uncover its secrets.  

You’ll discover a network of passages that have shaped the landscape above it and why the clack of needles was to be feared and hear folk tales from years past. You’ll also find out about hidden kilns and mines, why a village had to drive spike through a heart of a dead man and tread along long forgotten routes and pathways.

Then there’s secret Inns, meeting places, notable folk and more that make this area special.

On reflection, it’s more than that. It’s about diversification and adapting to change whilst maintaining that link with the past … and the Dent Vampire which I must talk about in every book I write by the looks of it.

There’s no bucket lists here, no must visits – just a delve into the past and how it’s shaping the future.

I look forward to showing you more…

Will you tip me a brew to keep this site running?

The post Let me tell you a little secret… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Like most writers caught up in the Coronavirus crisis – amazing that Microsoft Word already autocorrects this by the way – I’ve been wondering whether to add my two-penneth on the situation and how it affects my profession.

It’s clear folk not working for months on end, especially those self-employed in the outdoor industry, will have a profound effect on their prospects going forward.

But that’s all been said already hasn’t it?

Well, what about the so-called increased inspirational creative foresight all of us now possess since we’ve been quarantined in our own homes?

Search any social media platform and you’ll see plenty who are positively loving the fact they are at home more. There’s those who are learning new languages, doing yoga (I’m included in this, don’t @ me), baking and so forth.

Do you really want another scribe on that and why it might or might not be the case for me?

Brace yourselves … I was told that because my story is personal, it is automatically different because it offers another viewpoint. If that is the case then it may be that other people might want to read it? Isn’t it cathartic to get it on screen too?

So, I’m jumping in. Following the bandwagon. Here goes the short version.

The Beginning

COVID lockdown for me came around a week before Boris did his thing.

I’ve worked from home before – some 18 months out of a small flat in Didsbury years ago and was looking forward to it. My commute is a lengthy one and initially I found being in a changed environment very rewarding.

Like most I migrated from the kitchen table to a quieter space upstairs but after a while, the  lack of seeing people and not having that external stimulation was something that weighed heavy on me. I work in a rural setting, whereas my home is on the outskirts of a town. My place of work is connected to what I do.

Creatively, that burst of energy and the newness of the situation saw my Secret Dales project submitted to my publisher (well ahead of time), with publication now expected to be in November. That’s a perfect time for Christmas everybody so I will be offering pre-orders very soon!

Being away from my stimulus; the outdoors and particularly the Yorkshire Dales has been overwhelming.

It’s hard to know that my work, my research base, is some 60 miles away. No amount of virtual walking can replace that and I know many other outdoor scribblers are feeling the same. You see the pictures, videos and blogs and it makes the pining worse.

Lucky…

Yet, I know I’m lucky. I can continue working from home, contributing, whereas many are in a different position, waiting for the outdoor world to re-open so they can take commissions.

There are so many uncertainties about when that will happen, so much conjecture and I believe the financial packages available to lessen some of the impacts aren’t perfect for everyone.

I’m told that B&Bs and guest houses can’t access the funds. People who have nurtured these over a number of years face ruin through something that isn’t their fault.

And as we know from the Foot and Mouth crisis, a return to normal in a rural setting can take years – particularly in isolatied communities.

And yet…

I’m also fortunate that where I live is surrounded by fields and woodland, all explorable from my door. But that’s where I’m struggling…

At the time of writing, I haven’t left the house in near five weeks which obviously isn’t great for my mental health or my creative muse.

This facet of my life; the walking, caving, being outdoors, has been hit the most, almost to a point when I actually feel more comfortable indoors. It’s like I’m off kilter and have gotten used to a new way. Indoors feels safe, outdoors doesn’t.

I know it’s going to be very difficult to move away from that, but deep down I know I have to.

In the meantime, I’m trying to pick away at what I can control.

With Secret Dales now in the can, I’m looking for my next project whether that is writing, self-publishing, or project managing someone else’s work. Keen? Get in touch.

Secondly, I have moved a lot of my photography examples on to Pinterest.

It’s a nice showcase for some of the pictures that feature in my books, and the platform offers a degree of safety too when it comes to the images being lifted and used.

Anywhere you upload pictures to can be lifted I guess, but I felt this was a nice way to show what I do.

Check them out here – all images can be made available for commercial use so please get in touch.

Next, I have been using the isolated experience to talk to more authors. We writers can place ourselves on an island, we’re all competition to each other depending on the genre – but speaking to the likes of Phillip Bell (Beachy Books) and Alex Roddie  has helped immensely. Thank you chaps…

What I have been reading

Social Media … Bad for me, a hurtful place with only snippets of compassion. The #bekind movement didn’t last long

Winter’s Bone  &  The Death of Sweet Mister – Daniel Woodrell

The Lighthouse – Alison Moore

The novels aren’t the most uplifting trilogy of tomes but fit perfectly with my mental state! I found Woodrell via my favourite author Willy Vlautin. Their styles differ but their tales of hard hit Americana are similar.

What I have been listening to

I’m a podcast junkie so I won’t list all the podcasts I’ve taken over the last few weeks.

I will point you to this one by Beachy Books though – Phillip Bell answers my question: “How do you find your muse and motivation in a time of shit”.

What I have been watching

Check out this excellent short from Jenny Tough about her camping trip in the highlands. I’m a sucker for a great Scottish melodic soundtrack!

Kilian Jornet’s Path to Everest

And finally, there’s a few pics below from the woods around my house – and an old road too. Posting them will hopefully help me find my muse.

Are you in a similar vein of thought? What are you doing to keep going?

Will you buy me a virtual brew to keep this site up and running?

The post COVID thoughts … Is life on hold? 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.

He argues that the discipline is no longer about – and I’m paraphrasing here – spreading the message far and wide and hoping people come to you. It’s finding your smallest viable audience and then making sure you delight them. Because if you do, they tell others.

“On the other hand,” he says. “If you aim for mass (another word for average), you’ll probably create something average. Which gets you not very far.”

As an outdoor writer I would say that the scribblings I produce are niche and are aimed at such an audience.

I’ve been mulling over why one of my books didn’t seem to sell as well as the others. The 25 Great Walkers Pubs in the Yorkshire Dales, I thought, would fit into that mass market rambler category; people love a pint and a walk don’t they?

I thought it was unique too – the pub is the glue to the walk. You’ve done your 10 miler and now you’re in a great pub. Want to know more? Course you do. It was built in etc etc etc…

Thing is … most people don’t want to know that. They want a pint at the end of a walk. And so, in my eyes, it wasn’t as well received as my others.

I’m wrong of course. Sales figures stack up against my other work … it’s just that this book was niche. It found its smallest viable audience and sold. Knowing who reads my books means I can tailor the product to them. I can make it special, not mass market, and therefore, not average as Seth suggests.

Now … I would love to sell a mass market walking book! Most writers would but I’m attempting to kick the demons away from my head here and give myself a tap on the back. Seth’s right. Quality over quantity.

The tricky bit

When I write a story or book, I’m always really wary of releasing it into the wild. The books are a personal journey; these are my special and wild places and now everyone (not everyone Mike … the smallest viable audience), now know about it. Grid references and where you park instructions lead to more people knowing about them. That brings its own particular issues and a delve through Twitter after a bank holiday weekend brings them to the fore. Look at the queues of cars trying to get into beauty spots in the Dales over Easter … and the rubbish left behind on beaches etc.

But, unless we introduce people to gems, how can they care for them or worry about them in the future. Climate change and Brexit will bring a change in this country. The latter is likely to make public money for the rural much harder to come by. We will have to sell a story to why these places are important to conserve.

Therefore, you need people to come and visit them to understand because you will need them on board when the government is deciding where to spend its diminished capital.

If they listen.

But unless we make the connection then there’s a small group of people shouting. This is where Seth’s model doesn’t work. It needs a connected effort from all – and therefore it is the job of all outdoor writers to educate.

Thankfully, this is where the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild can help. Its membership  represents a tremendous body of experience and expertise covering almost every conceivable field of activity and all corners of the globe.

We (as I am a member), care about the environment deeply; and making it sustainable as possible by ensuring we connect people with the landscape.

And finally…

Whilst I welcome my ‘smallest viable audience’ and what they do for me – and I hope I serve them well – if you’re unable to buy a book, there are a couple of things you could do to help this blog.

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!

And Finally (number 2)…

I really appreciate you taking time out to read this post.

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 Go Niche Or Go Home…? appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Feel free to get in touch on what you hear and make suggestions:  mike@mascarandymedia.com

You can buy Mike’s new book – 50 Gems of Cheshire –  here. What’s in the show…

FATMAP:

It’s great to be part of the FATMAP family. FATMAP is an outdoor adventure platform and high-resolution 3D map for both web and mobile (iOS and Android).

I have been commissioned to post a number of my favourite routes on the site – challenging and gentle and I really look forward to sharing them with you.

Here is an example – download on your phone, enjoy and above all let me know what you think of the route.

SPLASHMAPS:

In December, we announced an affiliate partnership with SplashMap.

The innovative company 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.

And as it’s fabric, it will take the best of the British weather too!

I’ll be scribbling a product review of the map shortly but in the meantime, use the link  and support one of our partners.

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 soon.  

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

Music:

Many thanks to Jason Shaw for the use of  ‘Running Waters’ in the podcast. Check his music out on the link!

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#7) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales was a jewel filled quest in a national park I knew like the back of my hand while although 50 Gems of Derbyshire took me to a different part of the country, I felt comfortable in the chocolate box villages and on the fells.

Cheshire seemed an obvious port of call; being minutes from my home in Lancashire and relatively well known in terms of attractions and places to visit.

Jodrell Bank… check… Sandbach… check… simple.

Yet, this proved to be one the hardest projects I have undertaken because the county itself is a bit of an anomaly!

Its current boundary covers roughly more than 900 square miles but historically was a lot larger. It took in the Wirral and stretched across to Black Hill, which is now in the Peak District and near Yorkshire.

It also travelled as far down as Crewe and skirted along the Welsh border.

Then, even though it is relatively flat, it has three distinct ‘tops’: the aforementioned Black Hill, which is the highest point in the historic county,  but now effectively on the border between the borough of Kirklees in West  Yorkshire and High Peak in Derbyshire – yes, it’s a Cheshire hill, in  the Peak District near West Yorkshire! – Shutlingsloe and Shining Tor.

Alderley Edge Mines take you underground as does Hack Green Nuclear Bunker. Stalybridge, near Stockport, is as far removed from Ness Botanic Gardens as you can get, as is Newton-Le-Willows, part of Merseyside, from the likes of Nantwich and Crewe.

Then you could include Flintshire, which is now part of North Wales.

How could I not include all these gems and thus stick to a modern 900 square mile restriction? In the end it was a relatively easy decision to take – but then I had to whittle the Gems down to 50!

So old boundary, new boundary, there’s plenty of places to discover and the gems are designed to be visited in clusters. For instance, the Lovell Quinta Arboretum is a stunning collection of trees in the late Sir Bernard Lovell’s garden, the famous physicist and radio astronomer. It is a stone’s throw from

Jodrell Bank and located in Swettenham, which is beautiful village in its own right. Delamere Forest has Hatchmere Lake as its neighbour while Parkgate and Ness can be visited in an afternoon.

Here I present five of my favourites; I hope you enjoy them!

Lovell Quinta Arboretum

Sir Bernard Lovell created this fantastic arboretum in the grounds of the house he bought in 1948. His vision was to collect a variety of trees and shrubs from around the world, based on the four volumes of W. J. Bean’s Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles and establish them in this quiet part of Cheshire.

It was very much a personal project – he was meticulous in keeping records, hand-drawn plans and a card index for each plant – and was at the heart of developing it as the years progressed.

As an astronomy pioneer, that level of detail is more than reflected in his arboretum and his home village, from the creation of the reflection pond to the avenues and areas that symbolised major events in his life. In 1996, the site passed into the watch of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust and is now with the Tatton Garden Society and the capable hands of Rhoderic Taylor, the curator.

He looks after close to 2,400 plants, some of which are ‘champion’ trees, and others of international significance and importance. This is an amazing site with a varied and interesting collection. There is an honesty box in a prominent position, with a suggested entry fee of £2.50 per person, but to be honest, the walk is worth a lot more.

Hack Green Nuclear Bunker

Sometimes a gem stays with you for a long time. I’ve been fascinated with the history of the Cold War and particularly the aftermath of an attack ever since I discovered a Royal Observer Corps Post while researching another of the 50 Gems series. It opened up a whole new area of underground discoveries for this speleologist and reflection of the world I was growing up in when I was a lot younger.

Visiting Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker married those two interests together and brought with it a sense of poignancy, empathy and terror I never expected. This was a site of preparation for a nuclear attack, an operational Cold War base, the foundation of civil defence in the region and a reminder of how far we’ve come since the threats of that period.

Starting in the canteen, you tour the around the base and get to see what life would have been like at Hack Green. Your tour includes where nuclear fallout would have been tracked by top scientists, communications and BBC broadcast centres, Home Office briefing and conference rooms and their still operational radio equipment, a ROC Post, bunk rooms, the actual equipment Thatcher used to signal the attacking of the Belgrano in the Falklands conflict and a whole lot more.

It is incredible, stark, frightening and weirdly reassuring. The fact that the government had all this in place in the event of an attack, to make sure survivors had the best chance of living, is pretty sobering. The team at Hack Green have created something that is educational and entertaining, non-political and utterly fascinating.

Black Hill

Reaching 1,909 feet, Black Hill isn’t a particularly majestic ‘mountain’ or somewhere that would be high on many peak bagger’s lists, but it retains a certain charm as well as being a real oddity.

But the views on the way up to the summit are amazing on a clear day and getting to that point is relatively straightforward – from the A635 and along the well-paved Pennine Way, if you’re inclined to take that route.

Its location makes it important too as I mentioned above!   It got its ‘bleak’ name because it was once covered in deep black bogs; exposed peat stripped back due to 150 years of pollution and wild fires.

The difference between that description and the present day couldn’t be more contrasting as significant conservation efforts have taken place.

Remedial work started on the 46-hectare site in 2003, aided by the Heritage Lottery Fund, before the Moors for the Future MoorLIFE project came to the fore. They spread 50 million sphagnum fragments on the moorland to reintroduce sphagnum moss, a key peat-building moss. They also planted bog cotton and bilberry, and these are evident as you reach the summit.

Gawsworth

You only have to see the picture here to understand what a beautiful village Gawsworth is.

It’s peaceful, tranquil and its church is flanked by two pools, making it the most idyllic venue for a place of worship.

Parkgate

For everything Cheshire has to offer, the last thing you would expect to find is a coastal resort.

Parkgate was an important port towards the end of the seventeenth century, serving as a leaving point for Ireland. Originally, ships docked further in stream at Chester but as the River Dee silted, alternative disembarkation points were needed.

The first was built at Burton but as the river became less navigable, a location was found just outside the boundary of Neston’s hunting park. Parkgate was that ‘post’ and it became a bustling hub with ships anchored in the main channel – passengers and goods transferred by tender. It retained that status until 1815 before the majority of trade with Ireland passed through Liverpool.

The area is managed by the RSPB, who purchased it from British Steel in 1979. Hen Harrier, Merlin, Skylark, Redshanks and Short-Eared Owls all call it home – with even more arriving when tides flush out mammals and insects.

Taking a walk along the Parade is like stepping back in time. The site of the Old Customs House, once a starting point for donkey rides, provides a host of information, while on the opposite side of the road is Mostyn House School from 1855, the Ship pub and places to buy local seafood and the resort’s famous ice cream.

Want to find out more? Then you can buy  50 Gems of Cheshire  here.

The post Five Cheshire Gems appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Inspired by Forest 404 Mike  takes a look at his change of circumstance and why outdoor writers have to link people to nature even if it means giving up their ‘gems’ for all to experience.

Feel free to get in touch on what you hear and make suggestions:  mike@mascarandymedia.com

You can buy Mike’s new book – 50 Gems of Cheshire –  here.

Mascarandy 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 you’ll get great notifications of when the Mascarandy Meanders Podcast is available – and how to get involved with it too!

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

That a deal?  Simply input your email address below!

Listen to Edition 6:

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#6) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Cheshire also boasts more than its fair share of heritage and history, from the ancient walled city of Chester to its distinctive rural villages of half-timbered buildings, as well as many ancient castles, houses and religious buildings that tell fascinating tales of the county’s rich and varied past.

The fifty gems featured in this book are places that will get under your skin and invade your mind.

Some will take your breath away, some will make you pause and think about how our ancestors shaped the landscape, while others have a fantastic tearoom or cosy pub nearby.

50 Gems of Cheshire is overflowing with awe-inspiring photographs and fascinating facts to draw you closer to the places you already know and love and to tempt you to discover new gems of your own.

50 Gems Of Cheshire – Information

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Size: 234 x 165mm
• Pictures: 120, full colour throughout
• Publisher: Amberley Publishing
• Publication Date:  April 15 2019
• Price: £14.99, now £13. Buy here.
• Press Spec / AI

The post 50 Gems of Cheshire appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

In the past I’ve posted ‘year reflection’ pieces that look back at year successes and highlights.

This time round, I’m focusing on the future and the here and now.

So here goes:

Fatmap:

It’s great to be part of the FATMAP family.

FATMAP is an outdoor adventure platform and high-resolution 3D map for both web and mobile (iOS and Android).

Over the coming weeks I have been commissioned to post a number of my favourite routes on the site – challenging and gentle and I really look forward to sharing them with you.

The first is here, go ahead, download on your phone, enjoy and above all let me know what you think of the route.

SplashMaps:

In December, we announced an affiliate partnership with SplashMap.

The innovative company 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.

And as it’s fabric, it will take the best of the British weather too!

I’ll be scribbling a product review of the map shortly but in the meantime, use the link  and support one of our partners.

New Book:

50 Gems of Cheshire is set to be published in April.

Available to pre-order from my store, it features 50 of the best places to visit in Cheshire and several interviews with some of the people behind the Gems.

Like 50 Gems of Derbyshire, some will be familiar … others not so and I guarantee you’ll learn something new!

You can find out more here.

OWPG & TGO:

I’ve been a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild for a number of years now and it is something I am really proud of being part of.

The affiliation has opened the door to a whole host of differing advice and people and I am honoured to be a member.

I’m convinced the association allowed my work to be considered by other publishers and outdoor companies – and my recent inclusion in the TGO Blogger Network.

TGO Magazine is a must read and the link above directs you to some great work by fellow authors.

Check it out.

Sign Up For Our Newsletter:

Simple one… receive an occasional email from Mascarandy with what we have been up to, the odd competition, snippet, list of stuff, top 10s and much more… no spam. Promise.

And Finally…

I really appreciate you taking time out to read this post.

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 (yes, I’ve said it again) 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 Welcome To The Brain Dump… 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!

The post Bars, Bunkers, Brews & Bargains! appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

The innovative company 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.

And as it’s fabric, it will take the best of the British weather too!

Check out the links below to find out more and support one of our partners!

The post Mascarandy Partners With SplashMap appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Feel free to get in touch with me on mike@mascarandymedia.com

I mention the Travel Writer’s Field Guide in this edition and it’s well worth listening to the podcast there.

A few unedited pics of my trip are below – as promised:

Mascarandy Newsletter:

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#5) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

TGO Bloggers Network

For those visiting these parts for the first time, hello!

I know you’re likely to have come here from all sorts of places but if you’re popping by from the TGO Bloggers Network then greetings to you.

I’ve recently been added to this list which is a collection  of  ‘the best online writing on the subjects of backpacking, hillwalking and the outdoors’ according to the fine people at The Great Outdoors magazine.

It’s a list I’ve wanted to be a part of for a while as it contains many of my favourite authors across the outdoor world. Alan Rowan, Alistair Humphries and Mark Horrell are all writers I enjoy reading alongside the likes of Fiona Russell and Kate Jamieson.

I’ve been penning stories on my ‘adventures’ for a while now as well as sharing video and audio content across the web. If you’re here for the first time, I hope you enjoy these pages.

(If not, let me know, I can take it…)

(I think)

Podcasts

I’m a podcast fiend. Commute, down time, work time, travels … whatever the occasion, I usually have one in my ears.

My choices are quite eclectic and I’ve even dabbled in producing some myself (you can subscribe to them here). At this precise time, there are 11 on my iPhone and I’m going to bore you with them.

First up there’s my NFL ones which at present are two of Ross Tucker’s. I also listen to Around the NFL and also Gridiron’s efforts too. Then there’s Farming Today, Outside Magazine, Ted Talks, BBC’s Costing the Earth and Documentary series. I’ve also got one from the Boston Globe too about Aaron Hernandez.

Still awake? I wanted to highlight one I’m really enjoying at the moment by Bonita Morris. She’s the youngest person ever to reach Everest and the North Pole and after releasing her book –  The Girl Who Climbed Everest – she’s producing her own Podcast.

I’m three deep into the ‘She Loves Mountains‘ series now; she is currently talking to Sophie Ratcliffe (Challenge Sophie) about her fascinating life and how she quit the rat race to become a real influencer in several fields.

All I can say is give these podcasts a listen. Inspiring, informative and taken from the view of someone who has done it, rather than someone just trying to get an interview.

They are conversations, rather than straight Q and A’s, but don’t just take my word for it – give it a try and you won’t be disappointed.

Books

Not the hard sell … it feels quite small fry compared to the big mountain experience of Bonita but work is continuing on my 50 Gems of Cheshire book. I’ve recently been in Parkgate on the Wirral which is a salt marsh and the county’s only coastal ‘resort’.

I’ve also spent some time with the chaps at Ness Botanic Gardens (see the raw snap above!) and over at Lovell Quinta Arboretum too. All three are fantastic places and complete gems in their own right.

The next job is to finish off snapping some of the remaining places and get cracking with the writing. Then it will be on to a Secret Dales project I’ve been wanting to get my teeth into for ages.

Social Media

Likes? Dislikes? Clicks? Are they important? I’ve seen loads of posts recently that show the reality of people who seem to be ‘living their best life’.

That’s a term that should be banished into the bin alongside ‘outside the box’, ‘blue sky thinking’ etc.

There seems to be this clamour to put something out on a social account that shows a person surrounded by paperwork, hair a mess etc to show the world that this is the reality of what they do rather than the pristine, well-filtered posts of the outdoor world.

Why do it? We head to social media, especially Instagram, to see the best of the world, not masses of paperwork that you’ve set up to show you’re normal!

No one wants to see a picture of me typing this with a brew (you can if you want though) – they seek the pics of Warnscale, my caving, being out and about.

Come on Insta outdoors folk … let’s keep it real yeah?

Finally…

Can the complete dullards who dumped the keyboards in Selside please take a long hard look in the mirror? And then hit yourself repeatedly, preferably with something hard. Like some keyboards.

I know where there’s a load of them.

The post These Are The Things… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

They are an organisation ‘who maintain simple shelters in remote country for the use & benefit of all who love wild & lonely places’.

It had long been an ambition of mine to take in a night in a Bothy – sleeping somewhere rather remote and warmer than my usual bivvy spots.

Warnscale fit that bill as it wasn’t that far to travel, compared to those in Scotland for instance, and I’d heard the view from the window was worth the trek in alone.

And right those people are.

The route to the Bothy is up the track from Honister, walking past and down Dubs Hut (another bothy), crossing the river and then climbing up to Warnscale Bothy itself.

It’s a steep walk in – especially if you’ve been out the night before, as was my excuse anyway – but the views and the bothy are more than worth it.

I packed my usual bivvy kit, some decent whiskey and some wood as the night was bound to be cold.

Now… Warnscale is a popular place and on approach there were a number of photographers there taking in what is a well-known picture in the Lakes.

It also has been visited by Alistair Humphries and therefore you’re hardly ever going to get it to yourself. In fact, checking out the visitor book inside, there’s hardly a night all year round it isn’t used.

This time a there were two chaps called Nige and Steven who were bedded down for the night too.

That could have been awkward but they were decent guys and we chatted the night away… well, until the wood ran out!

That’s when the Bothy’s mouse made an appearance – gnawing through Nige’s pack when he was asleep and tucking into some Bombay Mix.

The morning brought a welcome respite from the cold (when will I ever get the lower half of me warm on a sleep out) and a walk down to Buttermere.

That’s when my mate Johnny Hartnell took a dip in the lake (about 12 degrees it was he tells me) and we wandered into the village for a pint.

A quick bus back up to Honister and it was job done, one ticked off the list.

But it wasn’t a tick-off experience. That wasn’t the point. It was getting outdoors and trying to reconnect for a bit. Did I do that? Close… but it’s paved the way for more.

The Trip:

The Music:

As a bit of a folkie I’ve been trying to expand who I listen to but more often than not fall back to alternative Americana act Richmond Fontaine.

They give me a sense of comfort; a sense of self that I struggle to connect with with other acts.

Another band that does similar is the Susie Jones Band and it was whilst travelling to Warnscale that they appeared on my ‘shuffle’.

I’d been pretty impressed with ‘Shake Away The Devil’ a couple of years back and particularly the melodic ‘Chances We Take’ so I reacquainted myself with their back catalogue and came across ‘Once In A While’ from the Hear It My Way EP.

It’s a cracker and the ‘reprise’ version fit perfectly with the video.

I thank them massively for letting me use it.

Check them out here.

The post A Night In Warnscale Bothy appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Seems that they like it, which is very nice as it gives me a boost and pitches the book to the cavers who read the magazine.

Copies of 50 Gems of Derbyshire are available in my store now.

Apologies for the slightly curved image.

The post 50 Gems Review appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

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!

The post Mascarandy Newsletters appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

It’s a collection of ‘gear’ that works for me and my recommendations for a comfortable night on the hill.

Ideally, I’d like to go a little bit more lightweight and perhaps look at what I wear more closely but I’ve no complaints yet.

That’s a lie of course … the one thing I struggle with on a bivvy is keeping my legs warm! I’ve been in my bag with thermals on, and my day clothes, socks to the knee etc, but still not found something that works!

Bivvying is pretty simple. Turn up late with a  stove, sleeping bag, bivvy bag, sleeping mat and off you go.

Throughout these pages you will have seen  Alpkit  mentioned a lot in my posts and there is a reason for that. They are a UK brand, some of their gear is made here, and they seem to understand the practicalities of being outdoors. Their stuff isn’t flashy; it is designed for a job and ideal for what I want.

They are a superb starting point if you want to go and bivvy – and offer great bundle prices too.

The majority of my gear is from them as the price range is ideal for my budget and it matches my needs perfectly.

The Numo is a lightweight sleep mat  that rolls up and fits in the bottom of my pack. It weighs in at 400g and is ideal for two-season use. I reckon if you wrap up well, it covers everything other than winter. A sleep mat is important as if you don’t have one, you’re asleep on the ground and no matter what the weather, you’ll get cold. Trust me. It’s also a lot more comfortable!

I also use a  Hunka XL for my bivvy bag. Yes, a tent would make more sense at times – or a tarp at least – but you simply get in, flip yourself over, tighten the draw string and don’t worry about the weather. It’s withstood a fair amount of rain this bit of gear has and, as you can see from the pics below, a Yorkshire Dales frost too. It comes in at 500g too, which is next to nothing.

The only downside for me would be that once inside it, it can get a little sweaty as the condensation from your breath has a tendency to linger. I’m sure there’s a way around that though. Perhaps I shouldn’t consume as much whisky before sleep as a do.

With that in mind, Glenmorangie, Talisker or Tobermory are must haves.

Inside the bivvy, I use a Vango Ultralite 600 – it’s discontinued now and a bit heavy at 1.2 kg if I’m being truthful. The mummy design doesn’t quite work for me too so I will be looking to replace it soon.

It all packs into a Berghaus Torridon 65 backpack;  a cracking pack for backpackers but probably a little too big for single overnighters.

Cooking wise, I use Alpkit’s  Brukit (my version is now discontinued), Kraku and  Kelvin, as they are  light, practical and affordable. I only ever tend to cook packet meals like Mugshots anyway with extra tuna so they are great alongside a ‘spork’ of some kind.

I want to get into cooking my own meals from scratch using the Brukit – recipes appreciated!

There are other things I carry too – water in a Nalgene Bottle (great to use as a hot water bottle on a cold night), Sawyer water filter, Rab Mummy Silk Sleeping Bag Liner for my sleeping bag, inflatable pillow, Alpkit head torch (plus spare), a first aid kit and some  SealSkinz  socks.

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

It probably is way above the weight I should be carrying but it works for me and I do look before each trip at shaving a bit of weight off.

On your first trip I guarantee you’ll have the works and be stooping on the way to your bivvy site. I did just that but I’m sure I’ve lost a quarter of that weight now!

It’s worth it … just check out the image at the top of this page.

So what do you use and what would you recommend? Get in touch here.

Sign-up to the Mascarandy Newsletter here.

The post Bivvy Kit Favs And Likes… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

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.

Having authored 50 Gems of the Yorkshire Dales and also in Derbyshire, it made sense to continue the series in a county that is close by.

To be honest, I haven’t really considered Cheshire before as a place for a book. That sounds pretty obstructive of me, I know, but I always thought of it as too small and too flat for the features I seek in a Gems list.

And then there’s the issue of what is Cheshire, where does it start and end?

Two of its peaks – Shining Tor and Shutlingsloe are technically part of other areas – the latter is part of the Peak District National Park – whilst historically being within the former county boundary.

Then you have the Wirral, alongside the likes of Warrington and Newton-le-Willows which is around four miles from my house.

Are they Cheshire? Can you put them alongside Daresbury say? Then you have Stalybridge too.

They are all challenges I’m already enjoying deciphering and I’m looking forward discovering a few more Gems too to complete the book.

Two of my favourites so far have been Delemere Forest and Walton Hall Gardens. The former I visited a couple of months back and produced a podcast from on a scorching hot day.

This week I will be heading to Chester and taking a tour around the Cathedral with the  Bedesman.

As with all my Gems books, I always leave a couple of spaces open for ideas. So, if you have a Gem within Cheshire that should be featured then get in touch!

The post More Gems… appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

I chose Pen-y-Ghent in the Yorkshire Dales, not because it is the highest nor the toughest, but because it was the one that gives me the best memories.

From slipping and sliding my way up there in a pair of ‘USA’ market stall bought trainers at the age of about 10, to a late night trip around its base to land in the Crown, it’s a mountain I have returned to several times.

It’s probably a little different now to those early days as it is rarely quiet, and my horizons have broadened in terms of what I do in the outdoors, but it’s a hill I will always have fond memories of.

So here is my piece – limited to 400 words!

The snowy mass of the 2,273-foot Pen-y-ghent may not seem like a life-changing apex but moved my life forward in ways I couldn’t have imagined.

It was still dark, as was fairly typical for one of my walks – ‘too early’, my dad used to say – and there was a lot of ice and snow on the ground. It was December 2008 and I had promised myself a proper solo walk in ‘harsh’ conditions. The ice that had shaped the Dales was in front of me in all its glory and the hill looked a far different proposition than it did in summer.

I steeled myself to get out of the car, heart pounding in my chest and head as it always did. It is rare on a walk that I’m not sick before I start; at the least I have a spell of dizziness. I’m always really excited when I contemplate a wander and, as this was my first real snow walk, I was on edge. I knew the hill would be difficult; I had not tackled snow and wind at height before. Mountaineer Alan Hinkes may have well done all the 8,000- metre mountains in the world, but for a rank amateur this was my Everest.

I took one step out of the car, then another, and promptly hit the deck. It wasn’t a good start. Picking myself up and making sure no one saw my early disaster, I shuffled around to the boot, put my boots, coat, gloves and hat on, and then took the latter off because I looked daft and set off. I may have inherited my dad’s charm but I definitely got my mum’s high cheeks. Quite simply, they make me look awful in hats, but she can carry it off. I fell over at least four times on that trip, including a perfect star-shaped effort while descending the mountain. I loved it; I had aching feet, was sore all over and had wet pants too, but I took home a sense of real achievement.

This day still echoes whenever I feel disenfranchised from the world. It was the beginning of my real love affair with the Dales. One that beckoned me to write, photograph and find several long-long friends. It’s a place I seek solace in, it re-invigorates and I am forever grateful.

The Pitch:

Now the soft sell… you can read about the Three Peaks of Yorkshire and my other gems of the area in three books I have written. Check out my store to find out more.

The post The Kickstarter appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Feel free to get in touch with me on mike@mascarandymedia.com

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#4) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.

Feel free to get in touch with me on mike@mascarandymedia.com

The post Mascarandy Meanders Podcast (#3) appeared first on Mascarandy Media.