We are lucky to live in The Pennines, the range of low, ancient hills that form the backbone of England according to legend. There are many ancient sites in the valleys of the Pennines as well as beautiful and seculded places. As well as Celtic, Saxon and Wars of the Roses connections the Pennine valleys, as well as being and area of natural beauty, were one of the cradles of The Industrial Revolution. In your quest for walks don't overlook the potential of an industrial landscape. We will move on to those in another page hpowever, here, as well as natural beauty we have literary associations. The National Trust owned hamlet of Wycoller has fully restored weavers cottages from the pre-industrial era when weavers would produce their broadcloth using yarn spun by wives and daughters from the wool of sheep grazed on the surrounding fells and moors and take it to the earest maket where the cloth merchants would buy unfinished cloth from the weavers and selling it on to dyers and finisdhers before buying it back again and supplying it to clothiers around the country or abroad.

The literary association comes via the Bronte Sisters whose home in Howarth is just a few miles away over Withins Moor, perhaps better known by the fictional name given to it by Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights. That would be a tenuous connection to link Wycoller to the Bronte's. There's more though. Lokk at the picture again. If you wade through the ford (there is a bridge just out of shot to the left for people who don'y like getting their feet wet) and follow the path around the bend, you will come to the ruins of Wycoller Hall which in it's location and the layout described in detail in Jane Eyre is none other than Mr. Rochester's house. There are extensive recreational walks around Wycoller, not the type to interest the serious walker, no sturdy boots, backbacks or waterproof clothing required, these are walks for strollers, family walks, go at your own pace walks. Photo source Ian R Thorpe at Flickr

MEDITATIONS The front page to our Meditations menu contains the article "Have We Forgotten How To Be" and some good advice in rediscovering the art of just being.

Sunsets Heading For Harbour
In The Skerries
The Old Gravel Pit
Walks Wycoller.
A Walk In The Park
Strolling On The Beach
Aysgarth Falls
Industrial Nightmare
Moments To Linger