Fact or Folklore?

Cast your mind back to when you were a child - most of us remember long hot summer days and idyllic snow filled winters - we delete the miserable rainy days spent indoors driving our parents up the wall.  It's sort of the same with history - having written 5 books which explore the hidden histories of the region I can report that trying to separate out fact from folklore was one of the most challenging aspects.  I'm not suggesting I've now got it 100% correct, but I have managed to disprove a few popular local myths.  (I was considering calling this blog "Snopes for the Slopes", but felt that was perhaps a step too far...)

Anyway, here are 5 of my favourite busted myths.

The Bishop of Barf marks the spot where a bishop died and Keswick MR paint it

Possibly, and no.  The story behind this is that the distinctive white stones on the hillside mark the spot where the bishop of Derry (now Londonderry) died in 1783 whilst trying to win a drunken bet that he could ride his horse up and over the hill.  Turns out he couldn't.  To commemorate this the patrons of the Swan Inn at the foot of this hill where he'd been drinking, painted the rocks white and continued to do so in his memory.  When the Swan changed hands and became holiday apartments this practice stopped - someone still paints the rocks, but I can't figure out who.  Wikipedia tells me it's Keswick Mountain Rescue - but they swear it's not them.  As I say in our 50 Gems book: "The reality is it's a 7m high lump of rock in a rather inaccessible spot and painting it would require a good degree of expertise (not to mention paint!) so, if you notice anyone in the area with an abseiling kit and a couple of large bags from B&Q, do let us know."  NOTE:  Please do NOT try and walk to the Bishop - there has been a spate of strandings this year.

Rannerdale Bluebells grow from the blood of fallen Norman soldiers

No, they don't.  I particularly like this one as it can be traced to someone with credibility embroidering a story to generate pubic interest.  The story comes from a book called The Secret Valley published in 1930 by Nicholas Size.  Nicholas, a keen historian, bought the Victoria Hotel (now the Bridge Hotel) and, in an effort to drum up a little trade, published his colourful version of the valley's history involving immense and bloody battles.  His efforts were successful though he was less than popular with the local farmers who quickly got fed up of visitors tramping across their fields.

King Dunmail is buried under the pile of stones at the top of Dunmail Raise

No, he isn't.  Folklore states that King Dunmail (King of Cumberland) was killed her during an epic battle and his soldiers buried him under a huge pile of stones. Depending on which account you read eyes may or may not have been gouged out his crown hurled into Grisedale Tarn.  The truth is that there was a big battle in the 5th century between Dunmail and Edmund (King of England) and although no-one quite knows for sure where it happened Dunmail Raise has been ruled out as no graves or other evidence have ever been found there.

Jenny Brown's Point is named after a nanny who saved her charges from drowning.

No, it isn't - or at least we're pretty sure it isn't. The story goes that sometime during the 18th Century a nanny by the name of Jenny Brown heroically saved the two children in her care from the treacherous tides of Morecambe Bay.  There's a fabulous local history group called the Mourholme Society who are continually researching and discovering new things about the region.  They can't find any evidence to support the nanny story, but they have identified that a local woman named Jenny Brown was named as a beneficiary in a will in 1671 - although we still don't really know why the point was named after her, but it could just have been because she lived there.  (And if you're interested in more history on that particular area check out Andy Denwood's fabulous re-edited version of John Lucas classic book on the region.)

Devil's Bridge in Kirkby Lonsdale is named after the devil himself

Unlikely.  Unless you happen to believe in the devil appearing and making wagers with people.  It’s said that an old woman who lived on the banks of the river lost one of her cows when it wandered across to the other side and refused to come back. The Devil appeared and offered to build a bridge in exchange for the first soul to cross the bridge, assuming it would be the old woman’s. When the bridge was built the old woman tossed a bun across the bridge which was chased after by her little dog thwarting and incensing the devil. This is an ancient crossing point of the River Lune and what's more likely is that the story was created to explain the presence of the large rocks (which apparently burst from the Devil's purse) back in the days before we understood all about glaciation and geology.

OUR THREE BOOKS are packed with loads more stories like these - perfect as a pressie or just to treat yourself!  Click HERE to learn more!

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#LakeDistrictBid Advent Calendar Day 22 - Because of the folklore...

Yesterday it was all about the history so today it's the arch enemy of history - folklore.  When we were researching the book one of the biggest headaches was figuring out where the truth ended and the folklore began.  If you take a story, any story, and only hand down verbal versions of it, pretty soon it's going to get embroidered with things that didn't happen while the things that did happen get lost in the mists of time.  To be fair writing a story down doesn't always do much to preserve it or ensure its accuracy, just take a look at most of the daily newspapers...

As there are, in most cases, small nuggets of truth hiding behind these stories, it's essential that we preserve them and the regions they relate to.

Let's start small with coin logs...  So far as I've been able to work out these are wishing posts - you push your coin in and make a wish.  Other versions suggest that they're for improving bad luck or curing ailments - if you push a coin in it will alleviate whatever has befallen you and, if you were to try stealing a coin, you will be struck down with whatever misfortune affected the person who originally put it there.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Coin log & friend at Aira Force

Then there's Hugh's Cave in Riggindale where supposedly the first king of Mardale sheltered after fleeing from Kind John.

Riggindale valley - there are worse places to hide...

How about Buttermere and Rannerdale where a fearsome Norseman lead a battle against the Normans with the Rannerdale Bluebells springing from their spilled blood.

"Bloody" lovely.

And perhaps the most famous piece of folklore in the Lake District - Dunmail Raise - where stories abound about vast battles and King Dunmail casting his crown into Grisedale Tarn before his body was buried beneath the pile of stones that mark the summit of Dunmail Raise.  Took a lot of digging to get close to the truth on that one and, if you want to know what we found out you'll just have to buy the book. :-)

Looking along Thirlmere toward Dunmail Raise

To learn more about the Lake District's bid for UNESCO World Heritage Site Status please click here - where you can also register your support for the bid with a couple of clicks of your mouse (or prods of your screen).

And if you've only just found this click here to go back to day 1 and catch up with all the other great reasons.

Take the Time to Love Cumbria

There is no more precious commodity in this world than time. “Time is money” so business experts tell us, but they’re wrong; time is far more important than that. During our hectic day to day lives time slips through our fingers unnoticed and, when we go on holiday, we try to cram in as much as we can to “make up for lost time.” A visit to Cumbria is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of modern living; here are just a few suggestions for places to visit and unwind.

Buttermere

Buttermere: Right in the heart of the Lake District National Park, an easy drive from Keswick and perfect for a family lakeside walk. Buttermere is surrounded by high fells on three sides and has a clearly marked footpath the whole way around. There’s parking in the village and a complete lap of the lake is about 4 miles; perfect for those with younger children.

You could pack a picnic to pause and enjoy on the shore of the lake, or treat yourself to a meal at one of the excellent local hotels? But don’t race around, make a day of it; there are streams to explore, waterfalls to admire and beautiful views to drink in.

Caldbeck: If you want to get away from the main tourist route in Cumbria then Caldbeck is the perfect spot. Just a few miles north of Keswick the route to Calbeck winds through a very different landscape to the rest of the Lake District, with gentle rolling hills and open moorland. As you make your way through the farmland and tiny hamlets keep your eyes peeled for red squirrels; we’ve seen several along this route.

The Howk

From the centre of the Caldbeck there’s a short (2 mile) walk to the Howk; a limestone gorge and series of waterfalls. Along the way is an old bobbin mill which provides an interesting snapshot of local history; Cumbria supplied many of the bobbins to the cotton mills in Lancashire and, as 2 of the main requirements for bobbin making are woodland and water, the old mills are usually found in interesting hidden away places. Pause as you make your way around to listen and watch for birds, the natural woodland attracts a wide variety of native species and interesting visitors.

Ullswater: Often voted as one of the most beautiful of the Lake District lakes and certainly one of the most popular, there are many ways to take the time to enjoy everything Ullswater has to offer. Glenridding is a 15 minute drive from Keswick and from here the famous Ullswater Steamers give you the chance to sit back, relax and take in the views of the surrounding fells, including the dramatic Helvellyn looming large behind the village. If you fancy a bit of a walk then you can hop off the steamer either at Pooley Bridge (if you’re feeling adventurous) or Howtown and wind your way back along the lake shore.

Ullswater from Hallin Fell

As you make your way along the lake take a closer look at the hills around you and they’ll tell you a little about how the lake got there. The bowl like shapes high above Glenridding were the birthplace for the glaciers which first carved the scenery and, since then, wind and water have applied the finishing touches.

Cumbria has something to offer everyone but there’s no need to rush. The landscape of the Lake District took several million years to create; it would be a shame if we didn’t slow down a bit and give it our full attention.