Countrystride

A celebration of the landscapes, culture, heritage and people of Cumbria and the Lake District.

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166 episodes
Updated July 24

Episodes166

Newest first

Oct 15, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Countrystride#66: Eskdale - Rain & recollections
...in which we embark on a wild, wet-weather wander from Boot in Eskdale to explore the valley's folk history through the memories of residents. Striding out from Boot Inn, we talk with Patricia Nolan, whose mother once owned the Post Office, about an Eskdale childhood. And after rising by Eel Tarn to seek Aga-side shelter at Howes Farm, we talk with Janet and Noel Baines about a lifetime farming on Scafell. As we cross boggy Great Barrow, we discuss the names of locations from Doctor Bridge to Peel Place Noddle; we learn about long journeys on the Whitehaven bus – and the intoxicated trips home; we wonder why Wainwright overlooked striking Great Howe; we talk soggy bottoms in the Eskdale Show; and we consider why this long-isolated valley evokes such strong feelings of home.
Oct 1, 2021 · 1 hr 3 min
Countrystride #65: The passionate sisterhood - Sisters and wives of the Lake Poets
...in which we stroll out from rainy Keswick with author and Back o' Skiddaw native, Kathleen Jones, to discuss the women in the lives of Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey – sisters and wives whose stories have been lost in the margins of history. As we wander past Greta Hall – one-time home of the Southey and Coleridge families – we learn about the remarkable 'constellation' of young idealists (and orphans) who made Lakeland home; we consider the intense, often strained relationships between the group; we talk about opium addiction, domestic drudgery and chronic illness; we discuss long walks and constricted creative talents; and – arriving at Derwent Water as a storm brews down Borrowdale – we consider the key role played by the oft-lonely women in holding the group together, long after the men had fallen out. Kathleen's book, 'A Passionate Sisterhood: The Sisters, Wives and Daughters of the Lake Poets', is available from all good bookshops. Kathleen is on Twitter at @kathyferber
Sep 17, 2021 · 1 hr 4 min
Countrystride #64: Joss Naylor
…in which we head to Wasdale in the company of farmer, fell runner and Lakeland royalty Joss Naylor to discuss his legendary 1983 ‘Lakes, Meres and Waters’ run. In a wander onto the slopes of Buckbarrow – a patch of ground Joss has nurtured over decades – we discuss his 105-mile ‘day of magic’ run from Loweswater to Over Water whose time has never been bettered; we talk about the Iron Man's lifelong love of Wasdale; we recall a childhood of perilous school commutes and terrifying operations; we consider the healing properties of Guinness; we take a crash-course in Herdwick contraception... and we learn why a love of Lakeland solitude is key to his achievements as a long-distance runner. 'Joss Naylor's Lakes, Meres and Waters of the Lake District' is published by Cicerone. You can find it here. It comes highly recommended. Thanks to co-author Viv Crow for walking and talking with us on the podcast. Viv can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/viviennecrow
Sep 3, 2021 · 52 min
Countrystride #63: Danny Teasdale - Ullswater after the storm
...in which we explore the wildlife-rich meadows of Matterdale in the company of local lad Danny Teasdale, founder of the Ullswater Catchment Management company interest company (CIC). Moved to action by the devastation wrought to Glenridding by 2015's Storm Desmond, Danny set up the CIC to improve flood resilience in the valley and prove it is possible to restore nature in a way that complements sustainable farming. As we wander – passing re-wiggled becks, newly planted woodlands, bunged feeder streams and insect-heaven ponds – we hear about Danny's childhood passion for damning becks; we learn how word-of-mouth recommendation has energised more than 70% of Ullswater landowners; we consider why rural funding must be decentralised; and we relish the joys of unearthing salmon redds. Danny is on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/UllswaterCic To find out more about the work of the CIC see: https://www.ucmcic.com/about
Aug 20, 2021 · 58 min
Countrystride #62: GRANGE-OVER-SANDS & Hampsfell
...in which we take in the salt air at the Victorian seaside resort of Grange-over-Sands with local historian and National Park Rights of Way Officer Nick Thorne. In a wide-ranging conversation covering history, ecology, tourism... and lots of old postcards, we walk the town's mile-long promenade and imagine the refined resort in its heyday; we visit the town's salt-water lido, in which generations of children shivered as they learnt to swim; we consider the history of paths in coppiced Eggerslack Wood, with its water ways and sunken lanes; and we discuss the practicalities and perils of crossing the ever-shifting Sands of Morecambe Bay, before alighting on Hampsfell's summit Hospice, with its breathtaking panorama. Nick's local history website can be found at https://grangeoversandshistory.weebly.com
Aug 6, 2021 · 57 min
Countrystride #61: Norman Nicholson - Son of Millom
...in which we journey to Millom to discuss the life and writings of Norman Nicholson, one of Cumbria's foremost – and most neglected – wordsmiths. On a coastal walk with Nicholson fan and academic Dr David Cooper, we visit 14 St. Georges Terrace – the home in which the son of Millom spent all but 20 months of his life – before exploring the site of the town's former iron works – ghost of an industry woven into the DNA of both town and man. As we wander, under brooding Black Combe, we learn about the poet's early-life traumas, we discuss the sanitarium convalescence that was to inform his painterly vision; we wrestle with concepts of place, home and provincialism; and – gazing west from Nicholson's grave – we let our eyes at last be blinded by dazzle. You can find David on Twitter at @DrDavidCooper The Norman Nicholson Society can be found at www.normannicholson.org For more about the NN walking App see www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKMYgN6OA3Y
Jul 23, 2021 · 1 hr
Countrystride #60: Wad - The wealth of Borrowdale
…in which we stride out from Seathwaite with mining authority Mark Hatton to unearth the turbulent history of Borrowdale graphite. As we battle bracken on the fellside of Low Bank, we seek out the nature-reclaimed remains of a mining industry that played a key role in the emergence of industrial Britain. In a story that starts with a lone farmer discovering a means to mark his sheep and ends in financial collapse on a huge scale, we learn how critical Borrowdale and Keswick were in the development of early capitalism; we debunk the myth that Derwent Isle was used to safeguard German immmigrants; we meet counterfeiters and bandits; we wonder whether ‘breathing’ mines might explain legends of dragons; we consider how lawless this wild-west hamlet once was… and, last but not least, we talk pencils…
Jul 9, 2021 · 56 min
Countrystride #59: Rural visionary - John Dunning in the Westmorland Dales
...in which we swap walking boots for the wheel as we journey down the M6 to meet John Dunning, founder of the nationally-acclaimed Tebay Services, sited above his beloved Westmorland Dales. Taking the long view of a man wed to land and community, we discuss farming roots; we hear about spiritual moments on the fells; we plot the insights and drive that turned an unremarkable stretch of motorway into a family-owned Cumbrian institution; we ponder the age-old history of travel through the Lune Gorge; and we consider the steps needed to build a resilient upland economy. The Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership Scheme reveals the hidden heritage of the Westmorland Dales. You can find out more about it – and the fabulous Dales - at www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk/westmorland-dales-hidden-landscapes-partnership The Westmorland Family can be found at www.westmorlandfamily.com
Jun 25, 2021 · 53 min
Countrystride #58: Swaledale - Meadows & mines
…in which we cross county lines to visit the internationally-important hay meadows of Swaledale. As we amble out from the Dales village of Muker with local lass and Keld Resource Centre manager Helen Guy, we discuss the traditional farming methods that support a wealth of wild flowers; we delve into the arduous, short lives of Swinner Gill lead miners; we discover David Attenborough's unlikely link with this isolated dalehead; we consider why sometimes you need to leave home to fall in love with it; and we revel in the dialect meanings behind Hartlakes, Crackpot, Buttertubs and 'tow'd man'. For more about Keld Resource Centre, see https://keld.omeka.net The heritage audio recordings in this broadcast are (c) YDNPA. More can be found at https://keld.omeka.net/collections/show/8
Jun 18, 2021 · 55 min
Countrystride #57: Helvellyn
...in which we tackle one of Lakeland's most iconic fells via the rocky arête of Swirral Edge. In the company of Tom Hayek from the John Muir Trust – the charity which manages Glenridding Common – we discuss people pressure in a post-lockdown world; we discover how locals are nursing sub-alpine plants for the high fells; we hear about Tom's journey bagging the Nuttalls; we take in Mark's panorama from this finest of felltops; and we consider why, when undertaking landscape-scale work, we must be prepared to make change we’ll not live to see. You can find out more about the Trust's work on Glenridding Common at www.johnmuirtrust.org/about-us/where-we-work/glenridding-common Follow Tom on Twitter at twitter.com/hayektom
May 28, 2021 · 57 min
Countrystride #56: Life in the woods - Working the Rusland rainforests
…in which we explore a rainy Rusland valley – the wooded lowlands between Windermere and Coniston. As we wander, with Rusland Horizons’ Marion Brown, we learn about the industrial heritage of bobbin mills, charcoal pits and tanneries, and the extraordinary rarity of Cumbria’s Atlantic woodlands - Britain’s temperature rainforests - before being joined by Jo Clayton and Darryl Kelbrick, who abandoned the nine-to-five to buy, live in and work their own 33-acre wood. In the sheltered porch of their off-grid home on the hill, we talk about the highs and lows of a simpler way of life; we hear why trees don’t just need planting - they need long-term care; we discuss the couples’ sustainable lifestyle making charcoal products and traditional woodland crafts; we witness the devestation inflicted by out-of-kilter deer populations; and we abandon decimalisation in favour of the Cumbrian pimp. You can find out more about the valley and the Rusland Hoirzons project - which includes downloadable walks - at https://www.ruslandhorizons.org Jo's woodland crafts can be found at https://joclayton.co.uk/ Darryl's charcoal, biochar and more can be found at https://naturalcharcoal.co.uk/
May 21, 2021 · 52 min
Countrystride 55: Threlkeld - A story of stone & steam
...in which we stride out from the gateway village of Threlkeld, once a thriving industrial hub, with local lad, ex-forester and third ever Lake Distirct National Park warden, Donald Angus. As we walk - up the bluebell-flushed outgang of Blease Gill then down to picture-perfect Derwent Folds - we learn about the mining heritage of Threlkeld and the history of its quarry, whose stone flags and setts pave many northern towns; we talk about trainspotting on the old Penrith – Workington mineral line; we consider Tewet Tarn’s unlikely contribution to Cumberland brewing; we share recollections about the one-time TB 'sani' on the hill; and – most importantly of all – we ask exactly who was Fisher’s Wife? This walk is one of 18 in our debut walking guide, The Threlkeld Walking Companion. Packed with heritage insights and fabulous walks from Mark, 50p from each copy sold is gifted to the community-owned Threlkeld Village Hall. You can find out more details about it here.
May 7, 2021 · 51 min
Countrystride #54: Damsons of the Lyth Valley
…in which we journey south to the snow-blossomed Lyth Valley to unearth the heritage of damson plums with long-time friends and local lads Desmond Holmes and Hartley Trotter. As shadows lengthen over the peat-cut mosses, we take a trip down memory lane, considering the history of the nutty-flavoured ‘Shropshire prune’ - from its use in the Kendal tanning trade to its long association with northern jam; we hear tales of the families, prisoners of war and Land Girls who picked the fruit; we reminisce about bonfires on Whitbarrow, Melvyn's Mobile Cinema and threshing-day hotpots; and we discover why retirement is still a long way off for the two octogenarians… You can buy damson suckers and frozen damsons, and find out more about the fruit from the Westmorland Damson Association: www.lythdamsons.org.uk/damsonday
Apr 26, 2021 · 55 min
Countrystride #53: The lost history of hill farming
...in which we head to Borrowdale in Westmorland with author and dry-stone waller Terry McCormick to uncover the lost history of hill farming. As we explore one of Lakeland's quietest valleys, we take the long view of a turbulent history, starting with the David vs Goliath battle of the Kendal Tenant Rights Dispute 1619–1626 that established the pattern of resilient farmsteads still operating today; we consider why writers – from Wordsworth to Wainwright – have frequently misunderstood or ignored the lives of upland farmers; we ponder how a new golden age of farming literature – championed by James Rebanks – can co-exist with the closure of Newton Rigg; and we discover why Terry's new vocation as a waller ('Aim for beauty; settle for strength') at the age of 55 felt like coming home. Terry's book, Lake District Fell Farming - Historical and Literary Perspectives 1750-2017, can be bought from Bookcase.
Apr 5, 2021 · 52 min
Countrystride #52: Cumbria Way with Paddy Dillon
...in which we track the undulating west shore of Coniston Water from Sunny Bank to Coniston Hall with backpacker, long-distance walker and prolific outdoors author Paddy Dillon. As we wander, through woods and over meadows, we discuss the origins and delights of the Cumbria Way – the Lakes' only dedicated long-distance footpath; we challenge Paddy to sum-up each of the UK's National Trails in just one word; we consider why patience may be the best approach to tackling problem campers; and we discuss two great Lakeland eccentrics: W. A. Poucher and George Constantinescu. Paddy's guide to the Cumbria Way, published by Rucksack Readers, can be bought from www.rucsacs.com/book/cumbria-way/ You can find Paddy's extensive list of Cicerone-published titles at https://www.cicerone.co.uk/authors/paddy-dillon The Backpackers Club can be found at http://www.backpackersclub.co.uk
Mar 19, 2021 · 54 min
Countrystride #51: Skiddaw House - Loneliest house in England
...in which we enter wild country at the Back o'Skiddaw to visit Skiddaw House - the loneliest house in England. As we wander, with former wardens Martin Webster and Marie-Pierre Gaudez, we talk through the history of the one-time hunting lodge, learn about the icy perils of Whitewater Dash, discuss the off-grid practicalities of living and working four miles from the nearest road – and discover what it takes to turn a House into a home. Skiddaw House can be found and booked online at www.skiddawhouse.co.uk John Martin's excellent history of Skiddaw House, The Loneliest House in England, is available by emailing the author at dijon_martin@yahoo.co.uk.
Mar 6, 2021 · 1 hr 1 min
Countrystride #50: The young people of Cumbria
...in which we celebrate our 50th birthday by handing the microphone to the next generation, as we hear from three young people with a passion for Cumbria and the Lake District. In a wide-ranging chat with poet Matt Sowerby from Kirkby Lonsdale, film-maker Rachel Jessett from Kendal and TV producer Rachel Owen from the University of Cumbria, we discuss walking and mental health; we ask what role Cumbria can play in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss; we consider northern identity and ask why the north is underrepresented in national politics and media; we brainstorm policies that might keep more young people in the county; and each guest recommends a walk, pub and place that they love. You can find Matt at https://www.mattsowerby.co.uk and at https://twitter.com/HopepunkPlanet You can find Rachel Owen at https://twitter.com/rachelowenmedia
Feb 19, 2021 · 1 hr 7 min
Countrystride #49: Wainwright on Haystacks - An anniversary retrospective
...in which we commemorate the 30th anniversary of Alfred Wainwright's passing by taking a virtual stroll to Innominate Tarn with archivist Chris Butterfield and long-time AW film-maker Richard Else. As we wander – through the history of the Pictorial Guides and AW's television career – we discuss what makes the Guides so unique; we talk about the emergence of an unlikely cult personality; we hear why the great fell-wanderer was almost certainly on the autistic spectrum; we trace AW's final steps onto his beloved Haystacks; and we pose the question: 'Was AW a genius?' Richard's book, Wainwright Revealed, can be bought from all good bookshops. Chris's Facebook Group, Alfred Wainwright Books & Memorabilia, can be found at https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/AlfredWainwright/
Feb 8, 2021 · 51 min
Countrystride #48: Hadrian's Wall
...in which we head to the Cumbrian borderlands with long-time Roman authority David Breeze for a virtual stroll along Hadrian's Wall. As we wander west from the village of Gilsland towards airy Craggle Hill, we deep-dive into Emperor Hadrian's era of pragmatic consolidation; we learn how his vision changed as the Wall's construction progressed; we ponder why threats from across the Solway never materialised; and we discover why the Wall was not the end of Empire – but merely the base of a vast infrastructure extending north. David's latest book on Hadrian's Wall,Hadrian's Wall. A Study in Archaeological Exploration and Interpretation is available from Archaeopress at 20% discount: https://doi.org/10.32028/9781789691672 – Use voucher code HW20
Jan 22, 2021 · 49 min
Countrystride #47: Lakeland pilgrims
...in which we embark on a virtual pilgrimage with John Fleetwood and Stephen Wright, the founders of two Cumbrian pilgrim trails. As we wander, from the great rock cathedrals of Scafell Crag and Napes Needle to the softly-spoken churches around the Northern Fells, we ask what it means to be a pilgrim; we unearth the history of Saint Kentigern – Cumbria's great saint; we consider why long distance walking generates such a deep bond with the landscape; and we ask what spiritual journeys have given to Stephen and John. You can find out more about the Kentigern Way, and buy Stephen's guidebook at https://www.sacredspace.org.uk/products You can find out more about John's Lakeland Pilgrimage at http://lakelandpilgrimage.blogspot.com You can find out more about pilgrimage in Britain and buy the book Britain's Pilgrim Places at https://britishpilgrimage.org/portfolio/a-lakeland-pilgrimage/