UKC

During the 1960s and 70s, you might have passed a tweedy gent striding over the Lakeland fells. All of the Lakeland fells. Or perhaps you'd have met him climbing on Dow Crag, or heading up Red Screes in the shortest possible time. Obviously we're not talking Wainwright, says Ronald Turnbull...

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Thanks. I used to love reading his weekly submissions. A great character and an inspirational writer about the fells, submitting copy upto the final week of his life:

https://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/news/510366.man-of-the-mountains-di... 

“ A weekend climbing on Dow Crag, near Coniston, with the mayor of Barrow George Basterfield during his days as a cub reporter, had set in motion a lifelong drive to pit mind and muscle against mountain.

"After that day it was all I ever thought about. All I dreamt about and lived for then was climbing," he later recalled.“

A nice write up from Jim Perrin here:

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/jul/12/guardianobituaries.media 

That walk that avoids wet feet or worse from either tarn or mere is the 09 Grid Line!

Visited Harry in his house near Kendal to interview him, lovely man, kind, polite and had some great stories. 

Excellent stuff, Ronald. I grew up on these yarns: skinned skis on the Kentmere Horseshoe, skates on Ratherheath Tarn : they sound as remote as a Thames Ice Fair now, sadly.

One story is so hazy in the memory I'm not even 100% sure it was AHG it happened to. It concerned making it through to Cockley Beck at Easter after a hard winter (47?, 63?) and being assertively stuffed with food because the lady of the farm hadn't seen anyone other than her husband since Christmas. 

Does that ring a bell* with anyone?

*Christmas pun unintended.

Thanks for posting as the only thing that's missing from the article was a photo of Harry.