Blog Posts

Two Northern Rivers – Kent and Ribble

February 1, 2012

Today I’m looking briefly at books featuring two rivers in the Northwest. The two rivers are very different in scale, and one of them is a bit outside normal geography for a site dealing with Lake District books, but both have a fond following among people who love the North of England countryside. The River [...]

Read the full article →

Lake District Maps – “Horses for Courses”

January 10, 2012

In recent weeks mountain rescue organisations have been appealing to walkers to go out better prepared into the hills. In particular they have called for people to stop over-relying on technological gadgets (phones or otherwise) with digital maps and GPS. There is nothing wrong with this type of technology. We provide an image link to [...]

Read the full article →

Lakeland in Black and White – Poucher and Wainwright

January 5, 2012

This morning I pulled from my shelves a copy of the 1953 edition of Country Life’s Picture Book of The Lake District. I was interested to find out how many of the photographs were taken by W. A. Poucher, having just spent some of my Christmas/New Year relaxation reading Roly Smith’s biography of him, A [...]

Read the full article →

The English Lakes: A History, by Ian Thompson

October 14, 2011

This beautifully produced book was published last year by Bloomsbury (ISBN 978-0-7475-9838-1) and is truly a “must” for lovers of the Lake District. From ancient geology through to Wainwright and the National Park the author follows the story of this most beautiful corner of England. The illustration is excellent. Indeed one might almost buy the [...]

Read the full article →

The National Trust in the Lake District – Two Histories

October 3, 2011

Today I scarcely need to write anything to explain the subject of the books I’m listing. The National Trust is such a vital part of Lake District life, and has been for many decades, that it surely needs no introduction. Bruce Thompson was for many years between the two world wars the agent for National [...]

Read the full article →

Penrith and the East Fellside

September 29, 2011

Recently I mentioned Michael Ffinch’s book, Portrait of Kendal and the Kent Valley. Here today is another from the same series published by Robert Hale in 1985. From Greystoke to Temple Sowerby and from Lowther to Lazonby, not missing out the central town “Market Penrith”, the middle reaches of the Eden Valley and its tributories [...]

Read the full article →

A Tour in Westmorland

September 26, 2011

Sir Clement Jones was a diplomat from around the time of the First World War who had a strong family connection with Westmorland. His mother was a Cropper, of the paper-making family in Burneside just outside Kendal. His father was Rector of Burneside Parish Church. For many years he and his wife owned Godmond Hall [...]

Read the full article →

A Lakeland Valley Through Time

September 22, 2011

A Lakeland Valley Through Time is the story of an area that most people pass by on their way from the M6 to Windermere, not realising the richness of history and landscape that they’re missing – Staveley, Kentmere and Ings – although the people of Staveley are no doubt pleased that most now pass by. [...]

Read the full article →

The Lowther Family, by Hugh Owen

September 19, 2011

The Lowther Family by Hugh Owen is a weighty work. It is an extensive family history packed with thoroughly researched material. It covers not only the Earls of Lonsdale responsible for Lowther Castle but many other branches. Lowthers played important roles not only in Cumberland and Westmorland but nationally and internationally from way back in [...]

Read the full article →

“Portrait of Kendal and the Kent Valley” by Michael Ffinch

August 26, 2011

This 189-page book was an outstanding 1983 contribution to the Robert Hale series of Portrait Books. Michael Ffinch also authored volumes in the same series on the Howgills and the Penrith area which I hope to cover here at a later date. Kendal comes first in the title, and its character and history are pictured [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

Next Entries →