Alfred Wainwright memorably likened the gentle, rolling contours of the Howgill Fells (located between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales) to "a herd of sleeping elephants." In this DVD the Howgills are explored by Eric Robson and Cameron McNeish, two of the most experienced and informative walking guides to the northern British Isles. Robson's section of the program serves as a framing device; his own attempted ascent of the Howgills is defeated by the weather, at which point he introduces McNeish, who sets out on a two-day tour of what he describes as "one of the gentlest and most appealing mountain landscapes in Britain." McNeish explores areas like Carlin Gill, Black Force, and the Calf before pitching his tent near the edge of a mountain tarn and brewing a mug of tea on his titanium stove. On the morning of the second day, McNeish descends 400 feet from the summit for a good view of Cautley Spout, the highest waterfall in England. Later, he stops to admire a group of beautifully constructed stone sheepfolds, a "work of art" that blends naturally with the surrounding landscape. After McNeish heads back toward town, Robson returns, in somewhat better weather, to show us the site of an ancient Roman fort, to grumble in his own characteristic way about the potential threat of wind farms despoiling the landscape, and to offer some local folklore concerning the Viking raiders who invaded the area centuries ago. This video, one of Striding Edge's "Great Walks" series, is beautifully photographed by Janusz Ostrowski and features an evocative musical accompaniment.

Larry B | Ventura, California | October 2018