The Wainwright Letters
Page 39
Yes, I keep very well, thanks, a blessing I attribute to excessive smoking. Tomorrow I am off to Blackburn for a couple of days. I rarely go there, but like to see the Rovers once every season. I shall have a look at the Furthergate area, now totally blighted.
Thank you for your invitation to call on you at Stonycroft. You make it sound like Mandalay! Fact is I am so flaming busy that I find it difficult to get away from my desk, but as you are not likely to meet me on Meldon Hill I will bear your invite in mind when next I am in Arnside.
Yours sincerely
AlfWainwright
LETTER 256: TO GEORGE HAWORTH, 7 MAY 1980
38 Kendal Green
KENDAL, Cumbria
7th May 1980
Dear George,
Thank you for the report on your successful ascent of Meldon Hill, a feat that must almost qualify for inclusion in the Guinness records. I have no doubt that the heaps of stones in fact marked the site of the Hall, which was quite near to the summit. I have never seen any references to the history of the place, but what a story it would make! Anyway, congratulations on a sterling performance.
I had a look at the Furthergate area when over in Blackburn three weeks ago to watch the Rovers. It is a most depressing scene, a wilderness. The Church still stands, but now solitary in a wasteland. And the Post Office still functions. But it is a mistake to go back to the scenes of childhood. One feels a stranger amongst strangers.
Yes, for Mandalay read Manderley. A stupid mistake. My mind must be going.
Off to North Wales in a couple of days, hoping the good weather holds. Hope to do Snowdon (by railway) and a few other summits (slowly on foot).
Be seeing you sometime.
Yours sincerely,
AlfWainwright
LETTER 257: TO GEORGE HAWORTH, 24 JANUARY 1982
38 Kendal Green
KENDAL, Cumbria
24th January 1982
Dear George,
I don’t consider that you need apologize for your 1981 fellwalking exploits. Your itineraries seem pretty good, and far more ambitious than mine. In fact, the only Lakeland summits reached in that year by me were Great Carrs and Swirl How on a perfect day in November. How good it felt to be on the tops again! I came down very reluctantly. But I have not given up entirely. I have had working holidays in North Wales in the past two years and enjoyed splendid expeditions on the Glyders, Lliwedd, Snowdon, the Nantlle ridge, Cnicht, Cader Idris and a few others not forgetting the toughest of all, Tryfan, its two miles up and down taking me ten hours. I have quite fallen for North Wales. It has a greater variety of landscape than the Lakes.
I’m sorry I haven’t yet fulfilled my promise to call on you, and in fact have never been to Arnside since I last wrote. Truth is, my days are so crowded, and becoming more so, that social engagements are ruled out. In spite of ten-hour working days I always seem to be behind schedule. Of course I would like to see you but it would be much more convenient to me if you were to drop in on me sometime when you are in Kendal. To preserve some measure of discipline in my life, and at the same get away from my desk and stretch my legs, I go along to Kendal Borough Museum (near the Railway Station) two mornings a week, Mondays and Thursdays, and do a two-hour stint (10–12) preparing a card index of specimens. These are my two weekly periods of relaxation, occasions when I am often visited by old colleagues and friends for a chat, and it would really suit me better than making a definite arrangement to come to see you, which would have to be subject to last minute cancellation, if you would do the same, calling around 10.30 or 11 so that I could take you out for a coffee.
In the meantime, kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
Frank Nash first contacted AW in 1979, offering to donate all the monies from a sponsored walk he was doing to Animal Rescue. AW and Betty were delighted – and after his first gift, invited him to visit them, which he did. He went on to do many walks, some of them enormous long distances, gathering lots of sponsors, with all the money going to Animal Rescue, especially for the creation of Kapellan, their refuge. Frank also took lots of photos on his walks and sent them to AW, who used some as research material for his various sketchbooks.
LETTER 258: TO FRANK NASH, 25 JULY 1982
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL, Cumbria
25th July 1982
Dear Frank,
Many thanks for your letter, detailing the exciting prospects of October in Lakeland. Your marathon along the High Street range seems likely to make this a memorable visit. The dates you suggest are quite convenient to us. I gather from what you say that you would really prefer to do the walk alone and have no witness to your sufferings. So be it. We will be pleased to welcome you with refreshments either on Garburn Pass or Moor Divock.
The quiz enclosed with your letter was a complete surprise and strikingly confirmed what I have suspected for some time – that I am losing my memory. I could answer only 10% of the questions, and most of the quotes I could not even remember writing.
Ghastly experiences here last Tuesday. A ten-man BBC team, complete with producer, cameraman, sound recordist, dubbing mixers and the lot, descended on us to get ‘shots’ and interviews for a Tyne-Tees production provisionally entitled WAINWRIGHT and due for showing in November. I am not yet recovered from the ordeal.
See you in October if not before,
Sincerely,
AW
LETTER 259: TO FRANK NASH, 7 NOVEMBER 1982
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL
7th November 1982
Dear Frank,
Thank you for your very kind letter and set of photographs, which, unfortunately, don’t measure up to requirements. The viewpoints are excellent and the foregrounds good, but the background reflects the sort of weather you experienced on High Street, mist obscuring all detail. The West Wall Traverse must remain a target for 1983.
All is well here as I hope it is for you, but the weather has been pretty awful recently except for one golden day when we went up Loughrigg. There are now steps up the Grasmere slope!
Love from both of us and eleven cats,
AW
LETTER 260: TO FRANK NASH, 7 MAY 1983
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL
7th May 1983
Dear Frank,
Everybody seems to have enjoyed the TV programme. Actually I did myself. The agonies of apprehension soon passed when I found that the producer had mercifully cut out my bad moments in front of the camera. I couldn’t recognise my own voice but I suppose the sound recorder never lies. On the whole, not bad. I could sit through it again.
The programme ended at 7.35. At 7.36 Joan Rainey was on the phone with tears streaming down her face out of sheer ecstasy – she is writing to the BBC for a repeat showing. At 7.40 another woman was on the phone, also with tears streaming down her face out of sheer ecstasy. So it went on all evening, all the callers being female (why?) and this explosion of enthusiasm for the show has been followed by a spate of letters from all over the country (most of them from unknown females) all favourable and all calling for a reply. I’m busy! Incidentally, Joan Rainey rang a few minutes ago to report that the programme had been featured on ‘Pick of the week’ on the radio.
I have not yet heard from Brian, but will expect to do so. I have my doubts about his publishers and the time for counting chickens is not yet.
We look forward to seeing you in the summer.
West Wall Traverse or bust.
Sincerely,
AW
LETTER 261: TO FRANK NASH, 9 JANUARY 1984
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL, Cumbria
9th January 1984
Dear Frank,
Again my great thanks for the splendid result of your magnificent marathon.
And for the portfolio of photos taken on your pilgrimage to Scafell. I have done four drawings of the W.W. Traverse from these, large enough to be included in the next volume of Lakeland Mountain Drawings but capable of reduction for Brian’s propos
ed book. I think he is very disappointed with his publishers, who seem to be treating him very badly. I will try to get the Gazette to publish if all else fails.
I return your photos with profound thanks.
Best wishes for 1984,
Sincerely,
AW
LETTER 262: TO FRANK NASH, 22 APRIL 1984
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL, Cumbria
22nd April 1984
Dear Frank,
Good news, bad news, and no news.
The good news is that we have been granted planning permission to kennel dogs and cats at the property we have provisionally agreed to buy, despite objections from neighbouring farmers. Betty is over the moon. Now we can go ahead and complete the purchase and hope to be in operation in a couple of months. Next time you come over we will take you on a tour of the premises, in which, of course, you have every right to feel you have a stake.
The bad news is that I have been laid low over the past few weeks with an attack of bronchitis, which has left me totally disinclined for effort of any sort, even ruling out the solution of your crossword. But I have now solved six of the clues, averaging one a week, and hope to have it finished by autumn.
Yours sincerely,
AW
LETTER 263: TO FRANK NASH, 7 APRIL 1985
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL, Cumbria
7th April 1985
Dear Frank,
Many thanks for your letter and accompanying cheque, bringing our reward for your prodigious effort of last summer to an amazing total. Collecting the dues must be even harder work than the walking! We appreciate your great kindness in this matter.
When Derek called on us briefly a couple of months ago he rather gave us the impression (in between cataloguing his personal achievements) that you had rather wearied of your labours on our behalf and proposed to take a rest from marathons this year. It was something of a surprise, therefore, to learn from your letter that you seem again to be chafing at the bit. Now that the money is rolling in in great lumps from Michael Joseph and likely to continue to do so for the next two or three years the needs of Animal Rescue are being well catered for, and it would be perfectly all right if you decided not to exhaust your flesh further in the cause.
However, if your appetite for masochistic exercise continues unabated, the round of the Howgill Fells would be a perfect expedition, all the summits being neatly arranged and well defined but requiring a day of clear visibility. Your preference seems to be for the Northern Fells, a group very similar in plan to the Howgills, calling for a circular tour rather than a ridge walk, but tougher. If your choice is for the Northern Fells, I would suggest leaving your car at the Blencathra Sanatorium, and then, walking clockwise, visiting
Lonscale Pike
Skiddaw Little Man
Skiddaw
Bakestall
Great Calva
Knott
Great Sca Fell
Meal Fell
Great Cockup
Longlands Fell
Brae Fell
High Pike
Carrock Fell
Bowscale Fell
Bannerdale Crags
Ending with a complete traverse of the main ridge of Blencathra and descending Blease Fell to the car. This itinerary visits all the fells in the group except Carl Side, Long Side, Ullock Pike, Souther Fell and Latrigg, which could only be reached by detours or a retracing of steps.
See how you feel nearer the time.
In any event I am proposing to select one of the items of capital expenditure at Kappellan of roughly equivalent cost to the total of your sponsored donations and affix a plaque bearing testimony to your efforts. This is something we can discuss when you come over and have a look round at some of the features we have introduced with Betty as Clerk of Works.
All is well here and at Kapellan, as we hope it is with you. We send our love and grateful thanks.
Betty x AW x
LETTER 264: TO FRANK NASH, 6 OCTOBER 1986
38 Kendal Green, Kendal 6th
October 1986
Dear Frank,
Many thanks for your kind letter and the accompanying parcel of cheques – a magnificent reward for your long trek over the Pennines and Cheviots. Which we appreciate greatly. Not least for the work involved in collecting the promises of your sponsors.
The letter was awaiting our return from a week in Scotland near Kyle of Lochalsh where we had a very spacious and comfortable log cabin that made tolerable six days of abysmal mist and rain. We were joined here by the BBC producer, the main purpose of the visit being to discuss a TV series on Scotland planned for next year.
I’m sorry to be so late in sending you a copy of the book, the reason for the delay being due to the publishers moving to new premises in the week of publication, their failure to send me complimentary copies being due to an oversight. I mentioned this to them a fortnight ago, and the copies have since arrived with an apology.
The Coast to Coast walk is to be published in the spring of 1987, and the Lakeland Mountain Passes in 1989, the latter having been deferred for a year because the publishers and the BBC, acting jointly, want me to do a book on Scotland to accompany the series in 1988. Ex-fellwanderer is to be published by the Gazette to coincide with my 80th birthday in January, and I will send you copy when available. So life continues hectic for me and for Betty, who spends much of her time supervising things at Kappellan.
You make a mysterious reference to Derry. I expect to be seeing him within the next fortnight to check on his final photos for the C to C walk.
Love, and again many thanks, from Betty and me.
AW
LETTER 265: TO FRANK NASH, 11 JANUARY 1987
38 Kendal Green, Kendal
11th January 1987
Dear Frank,
Betty tells me that you are considering making a flying visit next Saturday for my birthday, but please do not think of making such a long journey for so inauspicious an occasion. A nice thought though. But in any case the Gazette have invited me out on that day for a fish and chip meal, which I have accepted.
Betty also tells me that you have reported the collapse of the West Wall track out of Lords Rake. I shall be very interested to have the details next time I see you.
Good walking in 1987
AW
AW was still in contact with Chris Jesty, though he had some bad news for him in 1984 when Chris sent him a copy of the first book he had managed to get published, a guide to the Isle of Purbeck.
LETTER 266: TO CHRIS JESTY, 16 MAY 1984
38 Kendal Green, Kendal 16th May 1984
Dear Chris,
I thank you for your package and congratulate you on getting your first book in print. I recoiled in horror upon finding that the pages were stapled along the spine. This is a shocking mistake. A stapled binding means that the book cannot be opened flat, both hands being needed to consult it. The book should have been stitched down the middle so that every page would open flat on a desk or table and not need the use of hands to control it. Stapled books are infuriating and I never buy them on principle. Black mark!
Another criticism concerns the maps, which are excellently drawn but should have been given a scale in miles instead of the ridiculous 1.25000 etc. these references to size being unintelligible to everyone including myself. You have been a bit too clever here, and your device will not be appreciated by walkers.
The hand-written text is very good indeed and as clear to read as print, but the illustrations are below Mark’s usual standard and a portfolio of colour photographs instead would have been more attractive.
The personal notes are poor, not well composed and largely irrelevant, and would have been better omitted. You must avoid using the word ‘so’. It is no substitute for ‘therefore’.
I haven’t read the text, still having no wish to visit the Isle of Purbeck, but did notice that you had described it as one of the most beautiful places in Britain – a surprising statement from someone who knows
Lakeland and North Wales.
I give you 5 marks out of 10, no more.
Yours sincerely,
AW
AW did try to help aspiring writers, recommending people to Bill Mitchell, editor of Dalesman magazine, though with some reservations. All the same, when Bill then sent him the manuscript of a book he was doing about Scotland, wanting AW to write an introduction, he was rather scathing about the contents.
LETTER 267: TO BILL MITCHELL, 15 SEPTEMBER 1984
38 Kendal Green, KENDAL, Cumbria
15th September 1984
Dear Bill,
I was recently given a manuscript to read written by a Mr Jack Woods, a teacher who lived near Kendal for many years and is now a verger in Westminster Abbey.
His manuscript, titled ‘The North Road’, is the history of the old road between Kendal and Shap with a descriptive account of the route (which can still be seen and followed for most of the way) and is supplemented by a portfolio of his own black and white photographs.
The narrative is excellent, well written and beautifully typed, but the subject is of such limited interest that he is unlikely ever to see it published, and I have told him so. Nevertheless I enquired of the Gazette about a possible paperback, but without success, and also spoke to the local Archaeological and Antiquarian Society, but the text is much longer than they can include in their annual Transactions.
Mr Woods would dearly like to see his effort published and is wondering if Dalesman would consider it for their series of paperbacks, for which it would be just about the right size. He has asked me to write to you on his behalf, to introduce him, and would like to call on you on October 19th, when he will be in this area. I hope you will agree to this. You would find his manuscript interesting, but I fear not a viable proposition because of its lack of general appeal. I have expressed this opinion to him, but it would give him a measure of satisfaction if only he could see a real live Editor with it. He is prepared for disappointment.