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Langdale Pikes
Langdale Pikes photos
Displaying the first of 7 old photos of Langdale Pikes. View all Langdale Pikes photos
Langdale Pikes maps
Historic maps of Langdale Pikes and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Langdale Pikes maps
Langdale Pikes area books
Displaying 1 of 10 books about Langdale Pikes and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Langdale Pikes
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Cumbria memories
The Past
My aunt and uncle used to own the Langdales Hotel, Mr and Mrs Bob Smith, until 1957. The hotel is now called the Wainright. All holidays I stopped there with my mum and dad.
There were busses called Mallinsons from Windermere which stopped at the hotel for afternoon tea, and when they left to go to Dungeon, Gill my cousin and I went on the bus and picked brambles, on the way back the driver dropped us off at the hotel and the cook made fantastic pies with them. There are all sorts of memories, good ones at the hotel, but unfortunately you can't bring back the past (oh how I wish).
Schooldays
During the Second World War my family lived in Liverpool. My parents decided it was much too dangerous for me so I was evacuated to a small school being run in an old house called Kelbarrow overlooking the lake. My best friend there was a girl called Eva. I loved every minute there. We went walks on the fell behind the house, and around the village. Because it was wartime there were no tourists coming to the village and it was quiet and peaceful.
We went to church every Sunday, and always sat in the pews underneath the pulpit,which we didn't like as the vicar sprayed us with spittle when he got excited during the sermon!! I remember one Palm Sunday sitting on the church wall with other village children waving palms
Whenever I am in the Lake District I am tempted to go back and visit Grasmere but am always dissapointed by the crowds and traffic. However a visit to the gingerbread shop to buy a good stock... Read more
Is That Lotus?
Well I wasn't around in 1926 and it was certainly much busier by the 70's when I worked on the launches. You'd never see an empty prom then, at any time of year. One thing unchanged seems to be that launch. I'm sure it is Lotus, she was a beauty very graceful, fast and a joy to drive. Not much dry space for passengers when it rained though. On the other hand glorious in sunny weather! Where is she now though? I bet she's still going strong.
An Idyllic Childhood
I moved to Boot in 1952 when I was one. My father, John Heap, was the manager of the Burnmoor Inn, which was owned in partnership by his mother, Ruth Hargreaves, and Sid Cross. They also owned The Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale. I attended Eskdale High School with my brothers William & Timothy. Jean Hodgson was the school teacher. She lived in The Hill, near Millom, and stayed from Monday to Friday at Brook House which was owned by the Sim family. Billie Sim also ran the local bus service which went to Whitehaven every Thursday.
The Post Office was run by Mary Nolan, who appeared as a guest on one of the early This is Your Life shows. In the next door farm were Arthur and Florrie Irving and her mother Rosa Dugdale.
Cyril Porter used to deliver bread and cakes, Tom Parker delivered meat, Jack Roberts delivered the milk and Jack Woodall was the local grocer. I used to travel with Tom when he went... Read more
Sketch of This Church in 1881
In a sketch I have dated October 1881 there is a cord hanging down from the bell down the outside wall with a hand pull. The name on the sketch it is Wasldale church. Possibly by Beatrix Potter or E Rawnsley.
Character Training Course
Rock Climbing Instruction, Outward Bound Mountain School c1955
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I was at the OBMS in May of 1953. I particularly remember this time as it was when Hillary climbed Everest with Ten-zing. We had been sent on a three day expedition and on the second day I developed an infection in my right heel and was forced to return to base. At the time Edmond Hillary's son was staying in the house. I think he may have been bored at the time and invited me if I would like to explore the main house with him which we did, going up to the top of the castellated flat roof and looking at the view from it. However all was well at this time except that we came down a different way to the way we went up, unbeknown to me it led to matron's bedroom. On questioning he said it would be ok to go through, which we did very quickly, however somebody must have seen us because I was pulled by my patrol instructor to be severely... Read more
The Dreaded Whimsey
Rock Climbing Instruction, Outward Bound Mountain School c1955
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1963 ish....My early morning dip - each morning we donned shorts and pumps to run around the Tarn where we jumped down a large hole, then our sadistic instructors released a gush of freezing stream water, soaking every inch. After circling 3 times we ran back to our dorm for a welcome hot shower. Long hikes in the fells, a 4 day mountain expedition and the solo over-night desaster, they all have thier tales to tell, good and bad. I have revisited Eskdale with my wife and was made very welcome, so much has changed, but I did meet my instructor of Young patrol, Mr Puttiman, who retired and lives not to far away. No, he didn't remember me!
