UKC

Looks worth a punt. Coast and Map man's Nicholas Crane...the eccentric enthusiast who always has a brolly sticking out of his rucsac...walking through the Highlands following the route taken by Thomas Pennant. 'Great British Journeys'.

No doubt someone will complain that he doesn't solo 'The Bat' but hey ho.

In reply to Jonno:

He didn't solo The Bat.

Nice programme though. It's nice to see the history associated with all those places. My only criticsm would be that when doing the walk through the Fisherfield forest he didn't point out that paople lived there then, not like now. Also, I think he should have noted that until the potato famine (yes, there was one in Scotland too), there were no roads whatsoever North of Loch Carron.

In reply to Removed User:

Some information on the programmes here, they missed a couple of people who should have been included;

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2007/08/11/nosplit...

In reply to Removed User:
It was very similar to Mountain, too similar in fact.
I found it very interesting and was glad he didn't show Shenevall, which must have been a real temptation.

Don't go nicking those coins off the trees though, real back things will happen!!

In reply to Graham Callander:
Nah, I'm going to gently disagree- it was nothing like Mountain. He was profiling the journey taken by one man- not doing a gentle travelogue about the entire region and its current inhabitants etc the way Griff does.



anyway, I enjoy both progs, and I think they are pretty different- the only real similarity was that it was set in the countryside and involved some hilly bits.

sarah
xx

In reply to Jonno:

I watched it, hoping from foot to foot as he toured the islands, singing "sailed there sailed there".

The wife continued to waffle on about stuff and sent me back upstairs to paint things.


Nick Crane is a geat presenter and mad as a sack of beagles.

Yep, he's one of those people who really knows his stuff, has boundless enthusiasm and passion for his subject, and this comes over in his presenting.

I want to have his babies.

Sxx

In reply to Jonno:

This programme was interesting and I enjoyed it, unlike some of the outdoor programmes on TV of late. Most of the contents of this programme would have went over your head as it was not meant for people like you.

In reply to Sarah G:

My mate knows his Dad. I can get his phone number if you want ;op

In reply to Jonno: Blast, missed all but the last five minutes. Anyone know if it's being repeated any time soon?

In reply to John Rushby:

Off on a tangent, but have you read his "Journey to the centre of the Earth"? Ultra-lightweight (think drilled teaspoons) cycle ride with his cousin to centre of the Mongolian plateau: an engagingly bonkers endeavour.

Bob

In reply to John Rushby:

Nick Crane never seemed to slow his pace of walking, which is brisk for going up hill as well as on the level.

I hope they do another series after this one doing George Borrows Wild Wales, and Boswell and Johnson in Scotland

In reply to Robert Dickson:

he ran the himalayas with his brother too in the 80's

In reply to Martin W: Oh good, seems it's being repeated tomorrow night from 7pm on BBC2, even in Scotland.

In reply to John Rushby:
Cor, yeah! Yes please <<pauses to wipe dribble, and to get back on the chair Ihave just slid off....>>

Sxx

In reply to Sarah G:

Just mailed him to check on Nick's marital status.

In reply to John Rushby:

Did he not get married, and then immediately go off for a couple of years to walk the length of Europe's mountain ranges (Clear Waters Rising). Very forgiving wife...

In reply to johnsdowens:

Yes, from what his wife had to put up with in the book, Sarah may not have to wait too long...

In reply to John Rushby:


He looks exactly like my mother in law, even down to the glasses, so we call him Enid in her honour.

In reply to sutty:

Yes I enjoyed it a lot and found it amusing as he toiled up one the Jura Paps on an escalator of moving scree he panted ...'I love mountaineering..gasp...sigh ! ...but this is rubbish !'

Yes...would be good.

Tonight our square jawed hero Nick Crane paddles down the Wye Valley in an open canoe in the latest prog .

More wet stuff at 9 in Ultimate White Water.

Yes...I am becoming a couch potato but I'm off into the hills now for a scramble so see yer.

In reply to Jonno: Interesting guy Nicholas Crane. He decided to walk from Finistare in the West to Istambul in the East via the Pyranees, low lying mountains though France, Alps and then the mountain range that goes through the Ukraine. Took him a year an a half and his companion throughout was that brolley. From what he says in his book, it is quite a useful thing to have in the hills.

In reply to Jon Dittman:

not to menteion "running the Himalayas" in the 80s

oops no wrong Crane, pardon my memory

In reply to Anonymous: bump - Celia Fiennes

In reply to morphus:

Thanks for reminding me.

Why was our hero riding a poxy woman's bike with three gears through the north country ?

Not a recreation as CE went by horse.

In reply to Jonno: Great to see my local stomping-ground, Blackstone Edge, given such iconic/reverential status! If only I'd been up there bouldering when Nicholas Crane and camera crew were there, I'd have almost as much housewife fan mail as Gordon S did after appearing on Mountain

bump- William Cobbett this week
i'm surprised George Barrow isn't getting a slot

In reply to Anonymous:

it is a bit pish this week, although Crane remains enthusiastic as ever

In reply to Anonymous: or even g.borrow

In reply to Anonymous:

now talking about the great city of Salsbury

How many cities are there in England ?

In reply to martin riddell:

A bit flat this week.....like its southern location.

In reply to martin riddell: ay! but did you see the size of that hill! and i learned what a hanger was

Should be more interesting than last week when Nick takes his umbrella to Wales.......should get some use then !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/greatbritishjourneys/journey/gerald-of-wales/index.sht...
BBC - Great British Journeys - Gerald of Wales

In reply to Jonno:

whats with the brolly ? when it rains in scotland its frequently windy !

In reply to stonewall:


It's his trademark. I think he likes to cultivate the lovable English eccentric persona.

In reply to Jonno:

makes him look a bit of a prat though

In reply to stonewall: i disagree

him always wearing the same jacket for continuity purposes mind . . .

In reply to Jonno:

i'm surprised he didn't do George Borrow
here's his eulogy to umbrellas in Wild Wales:

'Oh, how a man laughs who has a good umbrella when he has the rain at his back, aye and over his head too, and at all times when it rains except when the rain is in his face, when the umbrella is not of much service.
Oh, what a good friend to a man is an umbrella in rain time, and likewise at many other times. What need he fear if a wild bull or a ferocious dog attacks him, provided he has a good umbrella? He unfurls the umbrella in the face of the bull or dog and it runs away. Or if a footpad asks him for his money, what need he care provided he has an umbrella? He threatens to dodge the ferrule into the ruffian's eye and the fellow starts back and says 'Lord sir! I merely meant a little fun'.
Moreover, who doubts that you are a respectable character provided you have an umbrella? You go into a public-house and call for a pot of beer, and the publican puts it before you with one hand without holding out the other for the money, for he sees you have an umbrella and consequently property.
And what respectible man, when you overtake him on the way to speak to him, will refuse to hold conversation with you, provided you have an umbrella? No one. The respectable man sees you have an umbrella, and concludes that you don't intend to rob him, and with justice, for robbers never carry umbrellas.
Oh, a tent, a shield, a lance, and a voucher for character is an umbrella. Among the very best friends of man must be reckoned an umbrella.'

In reply to rich:

And pale beige walking pants don't exactly hide the mud when you plough through bogs as Nick frequently does.

In reply to rich:

does the jacket have a hood, perchance ?

In reply to stonewall: i think it does, forsooth

In reply to rich:

then that, at least, might serve one of the myriad functions of the brolly, dost thou not agree ?

In reply to Jonno: late bump B2

In reply to stonewall: crossing rivers...

In reply to Anonymous: now its beavers

In reply to Ste Brom:
>
beavers? oh the animals!

ahhh, beavers testicles would explain it

In reply to cas smerdon:

mind they are talking about testicles!

In reply to cas smerdon: i thought H.V.Morton was the climax?!?

In reply to Ste Brom:


Personally I'm skeptical about Gerald's claim that chased beavers used to gnaw off their balls and throw them at the hunter !

If he wasn't living in the 12th century I'd say he'd seen too many SM vids.

In reply to Jonno: Might be wrong and to be honest normally am but did he ride a bike up killi or was that another chap.
To be honest I rate him as a presenter as he comes across as being real not like some of the wooden horses tv seem to resort to nowadays.

In reply to Jonno: News for fans of Nicholas Crane and his brolly: UKTV History are showing all the Map Man programmes back-to-back from 7am this coming Sunday (23rd).

In reply to Martin W:

I dig the brolly compass on the website. Stick the cursor next to it and it follows it around.

Keeps me entertained for hours !


http://www.bbc.co.uk/greatbritishjourneys/
BBC - Great British Journeys - Home

Hey...I thought that this fine series had finished but square jaw goes to Glastonbury....and Cornwall tonight.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/greatbritishjourneys/journey/john-leland/
BBC - Great British Journeys - John Leland

Climbing in the Cairngorms and Skye mentioned in tonight's episode.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/listings/programme.shtml?day=today&service_...
BBC - BBC TWO - WHATS ON

In reply to Jonno: bump

In reply to Anonymous: on the road to glencoe now on beeb2

In reply to Anonymous:

Not in Scotland. We have the Aberdeen football match. A great game and Aberdeen have just got though.