For those listening to these podcasts in the UK who have never been further north than the infamous ‘Watford Gap’, life in the North isn’t grim at all, and though cobbled streets might be found – as indeed they are on the Champs-Élysées in Paris - flat caps and ferrets are about as popular as top hats and tails from Dickens’ era are today in London. Indeed, you may be surprised to learn that around 70 percent of the world's heather moorland is in the UK and the largest continuous expanse of moorland in England and Wales is in the North York Moors – where sheep can wander freely. With four national parks on our doorstep (The North York Moors, The Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland, and the Lake District) the Lord has indeed blessed us with beautiful scenery.For sheer scenic splendour (at least in my opinion), few places in England (or indeed the world) can measure up to the outlandishly beautiful Cumbrian Lake District.
Here in England's largest National Park, I simply love climbing Helvellyn. Indeed, I've climbed this more than a dozen times. The approach via Striding Edge is of course the classic approach, and I certainly feel it is the best. Whatever the conditions – and I have been up in scorching heat to thick snow - Striding Edge is impressive and I guess I do like a bit of scrambling to enliven a climb. So join me on my journey, as I continue to look at life through the 'Eagle's Eye'...
