Cumbria’s Misty Mountain Tops

Description

About this book:

This book looks at the misty tops of Cumbria’s mountains in the uplands of the Lake District, Howgills and Pennines. Robert Gambles has spent many years researching the county’s history and some of his previous books have been Lake District Book of the Year Award winners.
His love of Cumbria and his knowledge of languages inspired this search for the meaning of the fell top names. The book includes information about each ‘top’ and a little history too. Many of the names come from Old Norse with a scattering of dialect, Old English and ancient Cumbric names such as Blencathra which means a summit with a chair or seat.
The book is illustrated by evocative black and white photographs by Peter Koronka.

The Author:
ROBERT Gambles was born and grew up in Derbyshire. He was a scholar of St John’s College, Oxford, where he took an Honours degree in Modern History and a post-graduate Diploma in Education. He also has a Licentiate Diploma in Music. His professional career was spent in Education, mainly in Ely and Liverpool.
He acquired a love of the Lake District early in life and he has lived in Cumbria in his years of retirement during which he has explored the whole district and written a number of books and many articles on various aspects of its history.
The author has also pursued his interest in a wider national history and a critical study of some of the well-known stories from British history was published in 2013 under the title Great Tales from British History, and was decribed by The Guardian as ‘hugely enjoyable’. Through his Norwegian wife he acquired a special interest in the life and history of Norway: Hayloft recently published his ac- claimed Espen Ash Lad a collection of Folk Tales from Norway.
A keen but pragmatic interest in conservation and the protection of the natural environment has always featured in his philosophy of life and he was for many years a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Friends of the Lake District. He has also worked as a volunteer for the National Trust.

Cover photograph by James Koronka

Reviews:
This book looks at the misty tops of Cumbria’s mountains in the uplands of the Lake District, the Howgills and Pennines, Robert’s love of the county, its landscape, language and history permeate the pages. A lifetime of knowledge is shared in an intimate but accessible way which adds a weight of history to the visible landscape.
Lovers of the Lake District will share names of their climbs, their routes, the highs and the lows, but so much colour can be added with this edition, its detailed description of the ‘tops’ and the origin and meanings of their names.
Catstycam had always intrigued me as a word; I had wondered about its meaning but done little more, as with many of the place-names encountered in Cumbria. Many traversing Catstycam fell might pause for the thought and grip their walking poles a little more tightly with knowledge of its translation…’the ridge with a steep path frequented by wild cats’.
Robert Gambles’ lifetime of knowledge is shared generously and, as always, he has managed to weave history into today’s landscape, making it accessible and vibrant. The book is illustrated with black and white photographs by Peter Koronka. Reviewed by: Christopher James, Conserving Lakeland, January 2022