Countrystride

#154: Rory Stewart: 'Middleland' – Letters from Britain’s most rural constituency

...in which we are joined by broadcaster, author, long-distance walker and former MP for Penrith and the Border, Rory Stewart, to discuss his new book, Middleland – Dispatches from the Borders.

In a wide-ranging discussion about the 'lost kingdom of Middleland', Dave chats with Rory about long walks through the Lake District and Borderlands, about the joys of post-walk pub stays (warm socks, a book by the fire), and the meditative pace of multi-day rambles.

Moving to farming, Rory raises the alarm over a new era of small farm 'clearance', urges caution over rewilding a heritage landscape, and argues that binary thinking is impeding a subsidy regime that would champion nature-based farming.

Grappling with a 'Middleland' identity, we consider why the reality of Cumbria – sparsely populated, mountainous, complex – questions so many assumptions at the heart of modern politics, and learn why we should not lose confidence in our National Parks.

Facing our quickfire questions, Rory describes his earliest Cumbrian memory (rescue from a snow-blocked A6 aged four), his fondness for Penrith fudge and his love of Striding Edge.

Closing on a note of positivity; Rory reflects on the fact that – despite its challenges – Cumbria remains a place in which tens of thousands of people contribute to a place that brings "a type of joy, meaning and happiness that is elusive elsewhere".

• Rory's new book, Middleland, is out today.

#153: Monasteries, mining and manhunts – A 10,000 year history of Seatoller

...in which we congregate in autumnal Upper Borrowdale to explore the history of Seatoller. 

In the company of Steve Uglow – author of Seatoller: History of a Hamlet – we ascend the flanks of High Doat and return to the last Ice Age, when two glaciers carved out a cloistered valley.

Reflecting on the likely in-roads made by Norse incomers (did they settle in the valley? maybe), we move into the age of the Monasteries, when lay bothers from Fountains and Furness Abbeys made Borrowdale productive.

It was the Dissolution that set Upper Borrowdale on a unique course, the Great Deed of Borrowdale securing the freeholds of farmers, transforming their dwellings and safeguarding the ancient valley-side woods.

While the wealthy wad mines of Seathwaite impacted little on back-road Seatoller, the green slate of Honister bought money, miners and cottages to the growing village, and a new private road that opened the pass to motor vehicles.

Before subjecting Steve to our quickfire questions (favourite fell – Fleetwith Pike; favourite pub – The Yew Tree; favourite Lakeland season - spring, summer, autumn and winter), we follow Seatoller into the tourist age, and discuss the ‘Cambridge’ link with Seatoller House, which gave rise to the remarkable Trinity and Trevelyan ‘Manhunts’.

• Steve’s books are published by Bookcase. You can find volume 1 here: bookscumbria.com/product/uk-books/countryside-and-nature/seatoller-1-monks-monarchs-farmers/ and volume 2 here: bookscumbria.com/product/uk-books/countryside-and-nature/seatoller-2/

• You can read more about the Manhunts at medium.com/@Real_XC/pursuit-what-can-be-learned-from-a-manhunt-on-the-fells-0ad18f6cd4f7

#152: The Lost Paths – Jack Cornish from The Ramblers

...in which we're joined by Jack Cornish, author, long-distance walker and Head of Paths at The Ramblers to talk about his book The Lost Paths, and the deep history of England and Wales' extensive path network.

Recorded live at June's Countrystride Live, we step back in time to learn about Britain's first paths – forged by wandering animals through the post-Ice Age Greatwood – then proceed into the era of the drovers, when food was transported through the landscape over great distances, creating many of the trails we tread today.

Turning to some of the least-known chapters in British walking history, Jack discusses the tramping networks of the dispossessed, the revolution of the turnpikes (and the bizarre protests they prompted), and the era of Enclosures, which diminished and fragmented many ancient routeways. He then turns to the post-War legislation that granted us world-class rights of way – a network that needs constant protection, including, locally, at Hayton Woods, east of Carlisle.

Diverting briefly to muse upon competitive walking (weird) and train-era rambling mania (wonderful), Jack reveals that one of his all-time favourite paths is along the Cumbrian Solway Coast and explains why paths – as the oldest parts of our heritage still used for their original purpose – are as important as St Paul's Cathedral and Stonehenge.

• Jack, and The Lost Paths, can be found in various locations online; his Linktree is here.

• Jack's website is here: jackfcornish.com

#151: Eycott Hill – Landscape in recovery

...in which we open Series 2 of Countrystride by exploring Eycott Hill in the northeast corner of the Lake District National Park – a landscape in recovery. In the company of Kevin Scott, Northern Reserves Manager at Cumbria Wildlife Trust, we learn about the reserve's extraordinary transformation – from near-monocultural sheep pasture to a thriving upland patchwork of wildflower meadows, species-rich acid grassland, marshes and mires.

Setting out from the botanically-rich hay meadows – in late summer bloom – we consider whether traditional management techniques might be augmented for wildlife by swapping the mower for cattle. Pausing at a badger sett and heather stands – that bloomed again the moment sheep made way for Belties – we learn about the hill's unusual geology, and how that has shaped its diverse range of habitats.

Summiting the lowly Birkett of Eycott Hill, we marvel at the 270 degree panorama, get soaked in an unforecast shower, then get reflective, asking whether the concept of the shifting baseline is still relevant in conservation, why the economics of traditional sheep farming no longer work, and why 'rewilding' is a term Kevin avoids. We close by reflecting on what the transformation of the hill can teach us about approaches to land management elsewhere in the Lakes.

• More about Eycott Hill from CWT: cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/eycott-hill

That's all for now: By Styhead Tarn

...in which we take a stroll – just Mark and Dave – from Seatoller to Sty Head Tarn to announce the end of Countrystride (for now) and reflect on 149 episodes and 6.5 years of the podcast.

Under perfect Spring skies, we catch the bus from Keswick to Seatoller, where we cast our minds back to our tech- and expertise-lacking trial run above Seathwaite and share favourite memories of the hours spent in the fells since, with the Pennine Way, Goldscope Mine and Upper Eskdale all featuring among Mark and Dave's 'best in show' lists.

Arriving at Styhead Tarn, we settle alongside its sparkling waters to reflect on our lifelong love of the Lakes, before asking a series of fellow walkers about their relationship with the fells.

Turning the Countrystride Quickfire Questions on ourselves, we learn that Mark's favourite fell is Blencathra and his Lakeland hero is Hardwicke Rawnsley, while Dave gets passionate about AW and advocates the joy of a pint at YHA Ambleside.

• After 150 episodes, we are taking a break from Countrystride. We may be back; we may not. Do keep in touch by signing up to our newsletter here (just scroll down the page a little).

• If you have ideas about how we might make the pod more sustainable (financially or otherwise), drop us a line using our Contact Us form (bottom of the page).

• All Patreon subscriptions (for which, many thanks), have been paused and will only resume if we resume recordings.

For now it's over and out. It's been a pleasure, and we'll see you on the fells. 

Mark and Dave

#149: Hostelling in the Lakes

...in which we gather at YHA Borrowdale for a wide-ranging chat about hostelling in the Lake District: the people. the places and the passion.

In the company of Aaron Jones, manager at YHA Borrowdale; Christine Thomas, co-owner of Elterwater Hostel; and Elterwater team member Charlie Spiller, we begin by asking what fanned their hostelling flames (family holidays, illicit treks and Amsterdam's red light district respectively).

Looking back over the early, then glory, days of the YHA – when the charity operated 300 hostels; when you were expected to arrive "under your own steam";, and when guests mucked-in with chores – we proceed to today, where a professionalised 'home from home' hospitality approach is championed by both the YHA and a thriving independent sector.

Immersing ourselves in hostel life, we profile a typical working day at both Borrowdale (buzzy games room, thriving bar) and Elterwater (table service, sticky toffee pudding) before quizzing our guests on their favourite hostels.

Delving deeper into the business of running a hostel – a sector in recovery after the strains of Covid – we learn about the highs and lows of hostel operation; about the satisfaction that comes from facilitating new friendships, and about why, in an increasingly divided world, interactions in hostels are as important as ever.

• For more about Elterwater Hostel (always book direct!), see https://www.elterwaterhostel.co.uk/ and reviews on Google.

• For more about YHA Borrowdale see the YHA website (always book direct!)

• For more about other indie hostels, see https://independenthostels.co.uk/

#148: Tom Stephenson and Thomas Arthur Leonard: Footsteps to the Lakes

...in which we head south to Pendle Hill to explore the extraordinary lives of two campaigning outdoorsmen, who helped establish National Parks, Youth Hostels, the Ramblers and The Pennine Way – 60 years young this year.

In the company of Nick Burton and Bob Sproule from the Pendle Radicals project, we set out from the Lancashire village of Roughlee, where the scene is set for the arrival of the 'two Toms' – a time where workers in the industrial north had to fight to access the hills around them.

Striding onto Noggarth Edge, where views open over the former mill towns of Colne, Nelson and Burnley, we learn about the early life of Tom Stephenson, father of the Pennine Way, who was working in a calico works aged 13, and whose life changed forever on Pendle Hill. Jailed as a conscientious objector during World War I, we follow Tom into his campaigning years, when the concept of his 'Long Green Trail' took root.

Descending to Pendle Water, we introduce the Reverend Thomas Arthur Leonard OBE, one-time minister of Barrow-in-Furness and Colne, whose commitment to social reform – and suspicion of the boozy Wakes weeks – gifted us the Co-operative Holidays Association, and its successor the Holiday Fellowship (he is commemorated in a plaque on Cat Bells).

Arriving at the last-of-its-kind Clarion House, where working class cyclists and walkers still meet for shelter, education and fellowship, we enjoy the cheapest cup of tea in Lancashire, before reflecting on the golden age of access pioneers, and their remarkable legacy.

• Clarion House can be found here.

• For more about the Pendle Radicals, see here.

• More information about the Two Toms Trail can be found here.

#147: Last of its kind – Eskdale Mill

...in which we venture west to the Eskdale village of Boot to visit the last remaining water cornmill in the Lake District.

Guided by Mill manager Kate Hughes, we explore the old gardens – a scene of watery activity, with Willan Beck tumbling over boulders and leats threading through channels to feed three wheels. Here we learn about the long history of milling in Lakeland, where over 2,000 mills harnessed power in their pre-industrial heydey.

Moving indoors, we observe the drying room, where peat briquettes, extracted from Burnmoor, were burned to dry barley – a staple part of the Cumbrian diet for generations.

Moving into the machine room – noisy with belts, drives, cogs and wheels – we consider the hard-graft life of the miller; of the Corn Laws that made of him a pariah in the hamlet; of the seasonal nature of milling; and of the mill's women folk, employed in communal baking and washing.

Outside again, walking through sun-dappled daffodils, we marvel at old mill wheels (each ground for a century or more) and the different stones used on different grains.

Finally, Kate chats about her abiding love of Eskdale; of the views from Harter Fell; of the upper Esk pools; and of the vibrant shades of autumn.

• For more about Eskdale Mill, including open times, see eskdalemill.co.uk/visit

• The Mill is on Facebook (facebook.com/p/Eskdale-Mill-100064829043197/), Bluesky (bsky.app/profile/eskdalemill.bsky.social) and Instagram (instagram.com/eskdalemillboot/).

#146: The lead mines of Nenthead

...in which we visit the far northeast of Cumbria to explore the remarkable history and remains of the Nenthead lead mines.

In the company of geologist and Nenthead Mines trustee Pete Jackson, we learn about the earliest mineral prospecting in the area, where 'the old men' sought out lead in becks, waterfalls and, latterly, artificial hushes.

Arriving at a centuries-old stone leat – still flowing – we consider the unusual addition of flag coverings, and nature's steady reclamation of spoil heaps.

Entering the hill at Carr's Level, we consider the boom years of the London Quaker Lead Company, and the values that gave rise to social housing and an early form of sickness pay.

Moving deeper into the mines – and through the evolution of extractive technologies, from hand-picking to dynamite – we proceed to the great depression that made Nenthead a truly European operation, where British, Italian, French and German miners mixed, mined and lived together.

We end our journey atop the mind-blowing 300-foot Brewery Shaft, where Pete describes the five-mile subterranean canal – once a tourist attraction – that links Nenthead to Alston.

• For more about Nethead Mine, and to find out about publ;ic open days, see nentheadmines.com/

#145: The Westmorland Dales – A century of farming memories

...in which we delve into a remarkable oral history archive to paint a long-view picture of the ever-changing farmed landscape of the Westmorland Dales.

In the company of local-born John Hastwell and project officer Amanda Walters, we listen to farmers past and present as they discuss the hard-graft reality of farming the Westmorland Dales, the northern Howgills and the Orton Fells. 

Looking back to the inter-War years – long before the arrival of phones and electricity in remote valleys – we hear crystal-clear memories (in beautiful accents) of life before mechanisation, when fell ponies and draft horses pulled sleds and trailers; and when 400+ farms in the area kept dairy herds.

Proceeding to the arrival of the first Little Grey Fergie, we reflect on the joys and frustrations of hay-making, and the long hours worked by farm children.

Turning to the social context of farm lives and loves, we hear about the importance of church; of the mart; and of the dances and seaside trips that bound scattered communities.

Reflecting on the priceless value of wildflower meadows and the demise of dairy in Ravenstonedale, we close by asking 'What's next?' for the farms of the Dales, and discover that one model may be a 'back to basics' approach inspired by our farming forebears.

• The Westmorland Dales' 'Our Common Heritage' oral history project was inspired by Friends of the Lake District, which owns Little Asby Common in the heart of the Westmorland Dales. It was one of many projects delivered through the Westmorland Dales Landscape Partnership, led by Friends of the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority.

• Full interviews can be accessed at Cumbria Archives in Kendal and the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.

#144: Gavin Capstick – New CEO of the Lake District National Park

...in which we are joined by Gavin Capstick, new chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority, for a wide-ranging chat about the state of the Park and his ambitions for its future.

Ascending out of Tebay onto the Howgills, we learn about Gavin's Eden Valley upbringing and his first interactions with the Lake District – playing youth football – before a local government career led him to the Park Authority.

Arriving at a stock exclosure fence with emerging woodland, we talk about the balance the Park must try and strike between farming and nature, locals and tourists, conservation and development; and the inherent tension built into National Parks' DNA.

Dropping to the Lune – and a fabulous riverside path below the M6 – Gavin defines 'low impact tourism', notes the 40% real-term reduction in government funding over the past decade; outlines the pressure placed on new honeypots by social media influencers, and describes the highs (ice cream) and lows (rain) of being a Wainwright-bagging family.

Turning to knottier issues, we discuss 4x4s on green lanes; how private car use in the Park might be reduced, the strange silence of Covid lockdowns... and why Rory Delap is Gavin's Cumbrian hero.

• The Lake District is on Twitter/X at x.com/lakedistrictnpa