Countrystride – Mark Richards: Outdoor Writer

Ullswater

27th December – This coming February my Ullswater Walking Companion will be published by Countrystride. 20 fell and dale walks that reveal the scenic magic of the Ullswater valley Pooley Bridge to Brotherswater.

3rd December – Recorded the Countrystride Christmas episode from Grasmere, ascending Huntingstile Lonnin onto Dow Bank and over Silver How bound for Blind Tarn and Easedale. Our festive guest Alan Cleaver taking this photo of David Felton (producer) and myself in the cobbled lonning.

3DadsWalking

10th November – An uplifting day out with Andy Airey climbing Blencathra from Threlkeld on a Countrystride podcast recording. We talked about the loss of his daughter Sophie, his remarkable 320 mile @3dadswalking adventure and of suicide prevention. Visit http://3dadswalking.uk

Greening up an Orresting view

Orrest Head

3rd November – Great afternoon recording our #68th episode of Countrystride reaching the modest but stunning brow of Orrest Head to survey the majesty of Lakeland. My primary guest being Richard Leafe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Lake District National Park Authority.

Countrystride 67 — the England Coast Path

28 October — Episode #67 walking the England Coast Path from Drigg to Ravenglass with Peter Frost-Pennington from Muncaster Castle, and Angela Harker from Natural England, goes live on 29 October.

Muncaster Castle… is haunted so it seems

18th October Recorded a walk along the England Coast Path from Drigg sand dunes to Muncaster Castle with Angela Harker of Natural England and Peter Frost-Pennington owner of the castle estate. Peter mentioned that the castle was one of the most haunted houses in England. Well can you doubt it, I took this long photo upContinue reading “Muncaster Castle… is haunted so it seems”

The good ol’ days

18th October Visited Ravenglass during our latest Countrystride podcast recording and spotted this old petrol pump in the village street. 1s 5d (ie one shilling and five pence/gallon) mindful that 5 litres is 1.1 gallons this is a measure of how prices have soared over the years.

Glannoventa Roman Fort

16th October Looking forward to my next podcasting foray when I will be visiting Ravenglass on the Cumbrian coast this coming Monday. The setting was a natual sheltered harbour, created by a the great sandbank formed where three rivers converged the Esk, Mite and Irt. Here the Romans established a fort as Hadrian’s Wall wasContinue reading “Glannoventa Roman Fort”

Dowthwaite Head

14th October — Once the home of seven farming families Dowthwaite Head rests quietly by in the upper Aira Beck valley, seldom appreciated by walkers and almost never by the general tourist. Recently sold, its future hopefully secured to sustain the traditional pastoral setting and nurture the valley as a haven for wildlife.