News Archive

Those organisations who are involved in the tourism business in the Lake District have backed calls for a change in the law on daylight saving. During the winter, organisations such as mountain rescue teams warn those putting on their walking boots and heading for the hills to take a torch, but having more daylight hours could help prevent walkers getting caught out. As the time when MPs will vote on the Daylight Saving Bill draws nearer, tourism groups are saying that lighter evenings would b....

Not content with aiming to break one world record, TV presenter Helen Skelton has made a bid to break another ahead of her challenge to reach the South Pole unaided. Along with her team mate, Norwegian Niklas Norman, the Blue Peter presenter travelled 100 kilometres by kite ski in seven hours and 55 minutes. This they hope will be verified by officials for the Guinness World Records as the fastest this distance has been travelled on skis powered by kite power. Ms Skelton is currently halfway ....

A woman who was rescued from Grisedale last summer has raised £1,700 along with her walking group for Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team. Anne Carruthers had slipped and sustained an injury to her head and members of the local mountain rescue crew stretchered her to an awaiting air ambulance. Having made a full recovery after the incident she decided to help the organisation – which is run entirely by volunteers – and six of her walking group were sponsored to walk 84 miles alon....

People deal with grief in a number of different ways, but increasingly many are strapping on their walking boots and completing charity treks in response to the death of loved ones. Such a move is a proactive response to a situation which many see as being out of their control and is a healthy way of dealing with the situation. Raising money for charities which help to find cures or aim to support those dealing with diseases and illness is a good way to channel grief. Whether it is climbing K....

Good footwear, such as walking boots, waterproof clothing and a map are all essential when heading into the countryside, a walking charity has reminded outdoor enthusiasts. Des De Moor, senior everyday walking officer of the Ramblers, has said that being prepared is important and will help to keep walkers comfortable as well as safe. He said: "Unless you know your way very well, take a map even if following a route from a book or leaflet, in case you get lost or so you can change your pla....

A team from China and America have conquered a Chinese mountain, which has been attempted by many, but never summited before. Located in the Sichuan province of China and looming 6,060 metres tall, Yangmolong has seen many climbers strap on their climbing gear and attempt to reach its peak, including teams from Japan, Britain and Korea. Now two Chinese mountaineers, Su Rongqin and Liu Yong, and two Americans, Tim Boelter and Jon Otto, have achieved what all the others failed and made it to the....

New Year's Eve saw the 50,000th cyclist to use the Monsal Trail in the Peak District, since four tunnels along a disused railway track were reopened. Since the tunnels were reopened in May the number of visitors to the area and residents using the cycle path has increased dramatically. It has also been good for business, as one local cycle hire firm has reported 10,000 bikes hired since March and the creation of extra full-time and part-time jobs. The tunnels were renovated and fitted wit....

Brad Pitt is currently walking with a cane after injuring his knee when he fell while skiing carrying his daughter, Vivienne. Having sustained the injury in making sure that she wasn't hurt, skiers are reminded to practice the sport in a safe manner. Pitt has ended up with a twisted knee and a certain amount of ligament damage, but it is unknown when he will be able to walk without the cane. The Hollywood star was forced to walk with a cane when he attended the Palm Springs International ....

The latest in a series of Walk For All events has been launched in memory of Jane Tomlinson and hopes to take the amount raised by her supporters to £5 million. Ms Tomlinson died from breast cancer in 2007, but was known throughout her illness for taking on a number of fundraising challenges including the London Marathon. On Sunday April 29th it is expected that around 2,000 people will take part in the latest Walk For All event to be held in the Peak District. With a variety on walks p....

Regular walks may not just be good for your general fitness, but also help to keep cold and flu bugs at bay, an eminent professor has claimed. Professor Mike Gleeson from Loughborough University has said that strapping on your walking boots on a regular basis is actually better for fending off winter bugs than going for a long distance run. Walking, the professor claims, helps to boost natural killer (NK) cells in the body which recognise viral infected cells and kill them off, thus fighting o....

The Duchess of Cambridge is to do volunteer work with local Scout groups in North Wales, in order to raise awareness of a shortage of volunteers the association is facing. Her involvement will be ad hoc but hands on, as she enjoys working alongside young people making use of the great outdoors and getting involved in a wide range of activities. A shortage in adult helpers means that 33,500 children are on waiting lists to join the Scouting movement, which 500,000 others are involved with in th....

It may surprise many, but 53-year-old Madonna has never been skiing before – that is until now – as the queen of pop donned her ski wear and headed to Switzerland with her family. While Madonna, Rocco, David and Mercy stuck to skiing, her 15-year-old daughter Lourdes tried out snowboarding at a resort of Gstaad, and after an initially shaky start, found her balance. Taking to the slopes for the first time may have something to do with the singer's 24-year-old French boyfriend, ....

Among the celebrities and entertainers on the New Year's Honours lists are a number of people who are recognised for their service to the community and other causes each year. This year Dorothy Hardy has been granted an MBE for the role she has played as a ranger and conservation worker in the Northumberland National Park. As well as the 51 years Ms Hardy has spent serving conservation in the north of England as a ranger, she has been a member of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust since 197....

Some of the UK's top mountain bikers have shared their New Year's resolutions with What Mountain Bike and some of them are surprisingly down to earth. Steve Peat, who is a Downhill World Champion and World Cup winner, said that his resolution is to do more miles, having signed up for the Cape Epic for 2012. On a more domestic note, Rachel Atherton, also a Downhill World Champion and World Cup winner, admitted to being a bit lax when it came to cleaning her bike and resolved to rinse it....

2011 was a much quieter year for the mountain rescue teams who operate in the Lake District than the one that preceded it. The total figures are yet to be collated, but early indications show that there were approximately 500 rescues in comparison to the 600 which took place in 2010, reports the Westmorland Gazette. Those involved in the service said that despite this move in the right direction, they are still seeing walkers getting into difficulty due to an over reliance on GPS navigation sy....

Top mountain climber, Tim Emmet, is to present a talk in Cardiff this month, in order to raise funds for the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team. Famous for having taken on the difficult Sron Uladail overhang on Harris with climbing companion, Dave MacLeod, live on television, Mr Emmet will be offering tips for those who enjoy scaling rock faces. The talk, which is to be held at The Boulders in Cardiff, on January 21st, will be accompanied by a series of climbing clinics and an auction of equ....

The importance of heading into the mountains well prepared has been highlighted by the incident of a walker who had to be rescued after he lost his way in the dark. Mountain rescue teams were alerted to the fact that a man was missing, having been out walking on Bleaklow in the Peak District on one of the last nights of the year. Volunteers from the Edale, Glossop and Woodhead Mountain Rescue Teams joined the Search and Rescue Dogs Association to track down the man on Friday. He was returned ....

Prince Harry is to be the latest to strap on his walking boots and crampons and take on the highest mountain in the world. He has agreed to climb Everest alongside the wounded servicemen he trekked to the North Pole with last year for the Walking With the Wounded charity. The expedition is to take place in May, which is the best time to attempt Everest, as the weather and conditions are most favourable at that time of year. Buckingham Palace and Prince Harry’s official spokesperson have....

Having graced our television screens over the festive break with his Wild Weekend series in which he took the likes of Miranda Hart and Jonathan Ross into the great outdoors, Bear Grylls has announced his next venture. He will appear on stage at venues across the UK as part of a Mud, Sweat and Tears tour in which he will talk about his various experiences including climbing Everest. The show which will see him live on stage will be based on the content of his book of the same name and his Man ....

Police are hoping to reunite mountain bikes with their owners after the arrest of a couple of suspected thieves in Workington in Cumbria. Six mountain bikes have been recovered, which Cumbria Constabulary believe to have been stolen and worth several hundred pounds. Some of the bikes may have been stolen as recently as within the last few days, a member of the force commented. Cyclists are reminded to take all the necessary precautions to keep their bike safe from thieves and that the Immobil....