Happy Horsey Holidays

A Memory of Ennerdale Bridge.

I have the fondest memories of childhood holidays spent in Ennerdale and a deep and lasting love of the valley, brought about not only by the remote beauty but also the many, very happy times that I have spent there with those closest to me.
Residents of Blackburn, Lancashire (Wainwrights home town!), my parents and two brothers spent most of the school holidays and many weekends in the valley. We stayed in the old forester's cottages at High Gillerthwaite.
The cottages are adjacent to the current YHA, several several miles up the forestry road, which is closed to vehicles and in those days, was extremely rough and pot holed. The cottage nestles among some of the signature peaks of the Lakes - Pillar, Steeple and Red Pike. Great Gable heads the valley. When we first holidayed there in the early 1970s, the remoteness meant that it was unusual to see another living soul during our 2 week summer holiday.
There was no electricity in the cottages, and the smell of calor gas lamps takes me straight back even today. Milk was cooled in the stream; the stream provided our running water. The 'facilities' we referred to as "The Loo with a View" as it was outside and if you left the door open, you could ponder Lingmell, the fields, the forest and the River Liza.
We spent our days climbing and walking en famille or just messing about - we had immense freedom to roam on our own as children. There was nobody about anyway, and the dark, pine forest with the wind roaring through it and the River Liza formed a natural barrier to our forays. The river, with its pink and grey granite and slate bed was crystal clear, numbingly cold and a favourite swimming spot - even in March! There was bracken to crawl through and hide in, trees to climb and even a shallow lake with a bird hide which obliged us one fantastic winter by freezing solid and providing a natural skating rink!
Evenings were spent playing cards for dolly mixtures or board games by gaslight, bathtime was a tin tub in front of the fire and bedtime, to our delight, was by candle light. We fell asleep to the sound of owls and the soothing sound of the Shipping Forecast or Sing Something Simple on Radio 2, which was the only radio station that we could receive on the battery set, as the surrounding mountains kept out all but the most penetrating intrusions. Sometimes in the morning, there was excitement when Jack frost decorated the windows or a model aeroplane appeared through dad's dexterity with an Airfix kit.
My Ennerdale experience improved even more in later years, when Bob Orrell took up permanent residence in one of the cottages. He brought with him 5 ponies, 2 dogs and various livestock. Horse mad since birth and a passionate but pet-less animal lover, it was a dream come true and a chance to add some Equestrian Air Miles to my horseless yearnings. I had even more freedom to roam the valley on horseback and learned how to milk goats and tend bullocks. I spent a couple of very happy summers staying with Bob and Sue to help with the animals.
My mount was frequently old Thor, a handsome, docile black fell pony (the local breed) with flowing mane and tail. We shared slow, wonderful adventures. I crossed mountain passes (Scarth Gap and Black Sail Pass) into Buttermere and Wasdale, explored the forest trails and even swam the lake with him!
Ennerdale Show was the big event on the last Saturday of August. These were the days when the show used to be in the field under Bowness Knot at the lakeside. It has now moved to Ennerdale Bridge. I rode Thor several times in the Ennerdale Show. The locals did not need to worry about this outside competition, I came last in most events, even though I was usually well over the age limit for the event. Thor, for all his good points, did not really 'get' gymkhana events. He distinguished me particularly on one event by getting so excited when everyone set off that he ran into the ring at one end and straight out of the other! He was afraid of the sticks with potatoes on, so we had not even retrieved one potato when everyone else had finished the potato race. Curiously, I did win my one and only rosette on him - we came equal third out of four in the fancy dress!
Another of my mounts, Merrylegs, a pretty but poisonous, vicious grey Welsh pony, was responsible for a great many of the 100 falls that they say makes a rider! He was one of the most intelligent ponies I have ever met, but used all his resources in the service of evil. He used to kick, bite, rear, bolt and was a consummate escapologist.
I had the most quaint summer job - as toilet cleaner for the loos at Bowness Knot. I used to ride one of the ponies down there to do my duties, so in my view as a horse mad 14 year old, it was a pretty appealing job!
Ennerdale is more accessible now and there are various trails laid out through the forest, but it has not lost its magic. I spent the Millennium there with my husband, Mark. We still had the wood fire, icicles on the walls when you woke and we chilled the champagne as well as the milk in the stream. On New Year's Day, I took him for a walk to see the Viking settlement, the stream with a semi precious stones in it and surveyed the valley in the mist from Starling Dodd. There is an electricity generator now (powered by the stream!) and a hot shower (Luxury). I have set foot on most of the continents of the earth, but Ennerdale is still one of the most spectacular places that I have ever seen.

---

---