A Walk Across England

[Steph1]

Last September, 2 old friends and I walked across England from St Bees, Cumbria on the Irish Sea, to Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, on the North Sea.
200 miles and 3 national parks and a lot of pubs in 11 days..........

The weather was variable, but the scenery was gorgeous.

If you'd like to see it, there are 2 options:

1) A slide show at http://members.shaw.ca/stephan.larsson/photos/

or

2) A photodex pro show gold presentation with some lovely English music at http://www.photodex.com/sharing/
put "slarsson" in the "Browse members" box. The presentation is called "Coast to Coast 2008"
Don't forget to turn up the speakers and enjoy!

I've attached a sample view of Borrowdale.

[bobtowery]

Gorgeous shots, and an adventure of a lifetime it seems to me.   There aren't many shots of villages- where did your mob stay each night?

Lovely! Having just finished Follet's Pillars of the Earth, seeing the stone houses and "fences" was special for me.

Thank you for sharing! Bob.

[Steph1]

Pubs mainly, and a few B&B

And they aren't "fences", but "dry stone walls"!

[Jon Meddings]

Last September, 2 old friends and I walked across England from St Bees, Cumbria on the Irish Sea, to Robin Hood's Bay, North Yorkshire, on the North Sea.
200 miles and 3 national parks and a lot of pubs in 11 days..........

The weather was variable, but the scenery was gorgeous.

If you'd like to see it, there are 2 options:

1) A slide show at http://members.shaw.ca/stephan.larsson/photos/

or

2) A photodex pro show gold presentation with some lovely English music at http://www.photodex.com/sharing/
put "slarsson" in the "Browse members" box. The presentation is called "Coast to Coast 2008"
Don't forget to turn up the speakers and enjoy!

I've attached a sample view of Borrowdale.

Loved the shots, esp the foreboding clouds over the green hills. Must have been a wonderful time.

[stevebri]

What a great ad for life itself... fantastic trip and wonderful images.  I spent 12 yrs as a child in the east riding of Yorkshire, very beautiful indeed...

Thanks for sharing and for inspiring.

S

[Krug]

Thank you Steph1 you quite made my morning - having moved to Canada nine years ago to be nearer growing grandchildren I have missed that "green and pleasant land" that your slide show so admirably brings to life and refreshes memories - thanks very much again.

[masl]

Nice photos and I'm sure a great walk.  Appreciate the rate you three managed, especially considering the ales.

I myself am hoping to visit Exmoor or Dartmoor this July while visiting an Uncle who lives in Cornwall.  Do they allow camping in the national parks?  I couldn't find any clue on the NP web sites.

-Mark

[Steph1]

The vast majority of the land in the national parks in the UK is privately owned, and many of the farmers allow camping on their land.
The bottom line is just to make sure you have permission.

"Wild" camping is allowed in the Dartmoor park.
See http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/vi-wildcamping.htm

[ceyman]

The vast majority of the land in the national parks in the UK is privately owned, and many of the farmers allow camping on their land.
The bottom line is just to make sure you have permission.

These beautiful shots remind me how childish is our "Private Property" fetish in the US.  Having hiked in Switzerland across farmers fields without restraint ("Just remember to close the gate.") I become severely annoyed at the high fences & signs on rural property here.

I almost got shot one time in Texas after crossing a fence to get a better angle for a picture.  

[Steph1]

Thank you Steph1 you quite made my morning - having moved to Canada nine years ago to be nearer growing grandchildren I have missed that "green and pleasant land" that your slide show so admirably brings to life and refreshes memories - thanks very much again.

Been here in Canada 20 years myself, but still miss the North of England!

[situgrrl]

Ceyman - It's not heaps better over here - I'm told farmers often make it has hard as possible to find/cross their land on public rights of ways.  My only experience of this was doing Duke of Edinburgh "a while ago" as the countryside scares me.  That said, it's true, we Brits are traditionally more shouty than shooty.  Rates of stabbiness in cities have increased recently but this is yet to spread to the countryside.  Seriously though.....do you wear a flak jacket now when photographing?  How do you handle such a risk?

[masl]

The vast majority of the land in the national parks in the UK is privately owned, and many of the farmers allow camping on their land.
The bottom line is just to make sure you have permission.

"Wild" camping is allowed in the Dartmoor park.
See http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/vi-wildcamping.htm

Thanks much Stephan.  Not sure how I missed the link before but appreciate the effort.  I only hope to capture the mood as well as you have on your trek.

[John Camp]

These beautiful shots remind me how childish is our "Private Property" fetish in the US.  Having hiked in Switzerland across farmers fields without restraint ("Just remember to close the gate.") I become severely annoyed at the high fences & signs on rural property here.

I almost got shot one time in Texas after crossing a fence to get a better angle for a picture.

I hunt in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and at one time, farmers were quite willing to let people not only cross their property, but hunt on it as well. That created some very nice city/country relationships that lasted for years and even decades. That's going away, alas, and for one major inevitable reason -- lawyers. If people get hurt (or hurt somebody else) while hunting on your property with your permission, you *will* be sued, and awards are so ridiculous that you could literally lose the farm. I own lake front property in Minnesota, and was advised to buy a $3 million liability insurance policy in case some drunk runs into my dock with his boat, or in case somebody tries to climb the beach stairs to my house, and falls. Modern life; ain't it wonderful.

I would love to walk across England sometime. I once solo-paddled the Mississippi in a red canoe, from top to bottom; a terrific time. I took three photographs.

JC

[JMCP]

Excellent photo's and quite an achievement. I have walked the west highland way a couple of times and that is only 96 miles but, my feet were pretty messed up so I would hate to think what they would be like after 200 miles.




Cheers John

[Steph1]

Excellent photo's and quite an achievement. I have walked the west highland way a couple of times and that is only 96 miles but, my feet were pretty messed up so I would hate to think what they would be like after 200 miles.




Cheers John

Mine were pretty bad too. Lost 2 toenails, and had a couple of big blisters on my right sole.
I'd attach a picture but it isn't pretty..............

[russellsnr]

Hi & thank you, I now live in Greece and it was very nice to see some green land again,hope to sell up and return soon and with scenery like that you cannot blame us  
It was nice to see also that you had two or was it three days when the sun got through  
My only suggestion for you all now is GO TO THE HIGHLANDS OF SCOTLAND AND DO IT AGAIN!!!!!!!

Russell.

[ChrisJR]

I'd definitely vouch for going to the Scottish Highlands. I moved to Scotland towards the end of last year and the Highlands are spectacular.

I'm hoping to do a load of photography around Scotland this year once I've recovered financially from spending a month in Taiwan (awesome country).

[Steph1]

I'd definitely vouch for going to the Scottish Highlands. I moved to Scotland towards the end of last year and the Highlands are spectacular.

I'm hoping to do a load of photography around Scotland this year once I've recovered financially from spending a month in Taiwan (awesome country).

I love the scenery in the west of scotland too, but there isn't a pub in every valley!

[jeremyrh]

Fantastic. Sitting here in totally flat Holland I am now feeling very homesick. Can you share the route you took?

[JMCP]

If you want to see some photo's from Scotland I have some on my website from walking the West Highland Way (WHW_2006, WHW_2007) and from the islands Islay and Jura, not great technical/quality photo's, more quick shots whilst hiking and biking, also some photo's from a recent trip to Sri Lanka that may give you a flavour of that spectacular country.

http://www.jmcpaul.co.uk/WHW_2006/index.html
http://www.jmcpaul.co.uk/SriLanka2008/index.html


Cheers John