Part I: Seals teeth and whales ears - Scott Polar Research Institute ...

celebrity, for his avant-garde art. His ‘Merz barn wall’ collage became famous later,
and I suppose I was one of the first to see it. It receives a mention in Gombrich's, ‘The
story of Art’ and is now at the Walker Art Gallery, Newcastle. However I must
confess that I wasn't too impressed at the time! We also visited the Pillar Hotel in the
Langdale Estate, a number of cottages surrounding a restaurant. It was well
designed and the crystal-clear water in river and pools sets off the Langdale green
slate dry-walled buildings.
One day Bill and I travelled with the Woods to Darlington by car. We were
shown Mrs Woods' old haunts and also taken around the family wool Mill.
The Lakeland Fells and rock climbing
It was impossible during the War to contemplate climbing in the Alps, but I
developed a deep love of hills and mountains, which will remain until I die. The
English Lake District is unique, a jewel of great beauty and I always return to it with
a lifting of the heart. I know it better than any other similar-sized piece of the earth
and have walked along most of its tracks and climbed most of the hills; I also did a
bit of rock climbing.
My first real fell walk, in July l940, shortly after we arrived at Windermere, was
with a school party led by Charles Hay and another master William Pennington. We
cycled about fifteen miles to Langdale and, leaving our bikes near the Dungeon
Ghyll Hotel, scrambled up to Stickle Tarn. Then on up endless grassy and heathery
slopes to High Raise and Low White Stones, on to the Langdale Pikes and down
again, to cycle back to Windermere. It was a very hot and dry day, but most
enjoyable and I never looked back after this first stimulating experience (I don't
count Skiddaw, climbed earlier). The next one was up Striding Edge to the summit of
Helvellyn, having cycled to Patterdale on Ullswater.
The pattern that quickly became established was to cycle, usually to Langdale,
then walk up Mickleden to Rossett Ghyll, to Angle Tarn and Esk Hause, and from
there to Scafell, Gable, Bowfell or other tops. Sometimes we covered several summits
in one day, running much of the way. Increasingly I went on my own and as long as
I was back for school at 9.0 am on Monday morning there were no restrictions. I can
remember that sometimes I was very tired by the time I got to the bottom of the hill
leading to Green Gables and it was as much as I could do to push my bike up to the
house. I really enjoyed those adventures on the Lakeland fells.
One day in August Bill and I left early in the morning to climb Helvellyn. via
Striding Edge with seventeen others. It turned out a very wet and misty day and we
returned wet through. The only waterproof I had was an army ground sheet cape,
but because it was rubber sheeting the sweat condensed inside and was as wetting as
the rain! We decided in future to give really wet days a miss if we could in spite of a
desire “to brave the elements". Next time, we were out for the day climbing in
perfect weather, up Great Gable, via Esk Hause with four masters and 14 boys. In
good weather; the party divided almost from the beginning into three groups; led by
Mr Hay, with Mr Milum and Mr Mayfield in the rear. I was in Hay's party and
climbed Scafell Pike after descending Great Gable. Mayfield's party joined us later
for a bathe beneath Gimmer Crag, in Mickleden. Some girls came along as we were
bathing in the nude and we were embarrassed. Mayfield: "It doesn't matter
boys, don't panic. If they are ladies they won't look and if they aren't, it doesn't
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