Ron Scholes, a primary school headmaster living in Staffordshire, came into AW’s life by giving to AW’s favourite charity, Animal Rescue, rather than the normal way as a fan: writing a fan letter. Ron, aged fifty in 1979, married with two sons, gave an illustrated talk in Kendal in 1979 about a long-distance walk he had done and donated the fee to Animal Rescue. AW was fascinated by Ron’s long walks, his attempts to write a book about them, and also of course his interest in Animal Rescue.
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
8th April 1979
Dear Mr Scholes,
Very many thanks for your kind donation of fees for lectures.
It was good of you to do this, and your generosity is greatly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
5th November 1979
Dear Mr Scholes,
Thank you for your further remittance to Animal Rescue, a receipt for which is enclosed.
And for your generous offer to give an illustrated talk on the Cambrian Way. I was immensely interested to learn that you had done this walk because some five or six years ago a Mr Tony Drake of Cheltenham asked me if I would do a detailed guidebook to a Cambrian Way he had devised and for which he was then trying to get the blessing of the Countryside Commission and the necessary permissions from landowners. I was mildly interested, sufficiently to get 2 and a half inch maps of the whole route as he described it to me, but told him that I thought the distance much too great for the average walker and suggested that the less attractive southern section should be excluded entirely, starting the walk at Aberystwyth, and further that an alternative to the Rhinogs should be adopted, feeling that the inevitable novices and school parties may run into trouble on this rough ground. I never heard from him again. Two or three years ago I met a friend of Mr Drake who told me that he was making little progress with the idea, since when there has been silence about the whole project.
It was therefore a surprise to find that you had in fact done the walk, and indeed the whole of the original route as he planned it. I had not heard of anyone else doing the full walk, and it does appear from your letter that it has now been recognised as ‘official’.
For this reason I should be very interested to hear your talk and see your slides, another reason being that I am planning a book on Snowdonia: really a portfolio of mountain drawings, and with this in mind spent a week in Dolgellau this past summer and have booked a cottage at Beddgelert for next May.
Now about your very generous offer. I hesitate to ask you to give your talk publicly until I have sounded out the possibilities. My Committee on Animal Rescue is wholly female and probably have little interest in the Cambrian Way, but there is in Kendal a group of CHA and RA members and also a long-distance fellwalking club, as well as a Mountain Rescue team, from all of whom I would expect support. I would hate to ask you to come to a sparse attendance. May I therefore suggest that we leave the matter in abeyance until I have made some enquiries?
Thank you again for your continuing help for the Charity.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
24th February 1980
Dear Mr Scholes,
My ‘agent’ has now reported a sufficient enthusiasm amongst local walkers to warrant my going ahead with arrangements for your proposed talk on the Cambrian Way. I think we may expect an attendance of around 100, and I intend to have this number of tickets printed for selling in advance at 50p.
Assuming you are still willing to do this for us despite the long delay, perhaps you would kindly give me a few dates (in order of priority) so that we can look for a suitable room. Booking may not be easy at short notice and I would suggest April as the best month if this is also convenient for you. Presumably you will want a room that can be blacked out?
I believe you said you could provide all necessary equipment but if there is anything at all I should be doing, do please let me know.
Again many many thanks for your kindness in this matter.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
12 March 1980
Dear Mr Scholes,
I am terribly sorry, but after taking a Gallup poll amongst the supporters likely to attend your lecture I find that the three dates you give are unsuitable to them. They point out that April 3 and 4 are Eastertime, when many will be away, and that the Saturday April 19 is not a good date either, Saturdays being their usual day for expeditions. I am glad to report, however, that there is considerable enthusiasm for your lecture and none seem to want to miss it.
I really think now that we had better leave it until later in the year, perhaps when you can conveniently combine it with a visit to the Lakes.
There seems to be a good choice of suitable rooms in the town, and a Thursday evening is the popular choice.
Have a good time in Wales. I shall be there May 10–17 and greatly look forward to it. I shall be looking at sections of the Cambrian Way.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
3rd September 1980
Dear Mr Scholes
I am writing to inform you that I have booked the Kirkland Hall in Kendal for your talk on the Cambrian Way on Thursday evening, 23rd October.
I am not familiar with this Hall, which was formerly a Primary School, but I understand that it is quite nice, having recently been decorated, and seats about 80–100 people. The Natural History Society in Kendal often use it for lectures.
I propose to have tickets printed for sale in advance and to charge 50 pence for admission.
I will write you again nearer the date to see if you want any arrangements making. I assume you will not want hotel accommodation or overnight hospitality, being only an hour’s run from your base in Wensleydale, but hope we will be able to have a meal together before the talk.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
After almost two years of correspondence, AW invited Ron to pop in, should he be passing, an honour indeed. A year later, he was even addressing him as Ron. Ron did go on to visit AW and Betty several times – and once stayed overnight at Kendal Green.
11th January 1981
Dear Mr Scholes,
Thank you for your cheque and letter.
As regards the three books on loan, I am in no hurry to have them back and it will be quite all right for you to keep them until you are next in the vicinity of Kendal.
As regards the project you had in mind, and which we discussed during your visit here in October, I am now of the opinion that you have missed the boat as far as a comprehensive summary of all the long-distance walks is concerned. My attention was recently drawn to an article in Climber and Rambler in which it was stated that Pan Books had commissioned a young fellow of the name of Westmacott to do the sort of thing you had in mind, and although I do not like his style of writing, the vast resources of the publishers and their wide distribution agencies could kill off competitors. There has also just been published ‘The Big Walks’, an absolutely superb volume in colour of 56 of the toughest walks in the U.K., priced at 16 pounds and worth every penny for the pictures alone. You could not possibly compete with this. Further, I think I told you that Geoffrey Berry’s book of long-distance walks had had a disappointing sale. From my own experience, it is guidebooks that sell, books giving intimate detail that walkers can take in their pocket, not the books that give only a scanty indication of routes and are intended for fireside reading. Therefore, if I were you I would abandon the idea of a brief description of all the long distance walks and concentrate on a detailed step by step guidebook to one only – and that one should obviously be the Cambrian Way, for which there will soon be a big demand and for which you already have much of the detail. You must, however, be first in the field, for there is no doubt that other writers will have the same idea when the route is declared official.
I hope you have now settled in your new address, and like it.
Do please call when next your travels bring you to this part of the world.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
25 January 1981
Dear Mr Scholes,
Very good! Your detailed and interesting descriptions make me want to follow in your footsteps.
I certainly think you should go ahead with the idea and be first in the field as soon as the Way is approved officially. Then you should get Tony Drake to vet it.
Westmorland Gazette would be interested in publishing but have so few distribution agencies that it might be better to try Pan or Penguin.
However, we can discuss these points when you call. In the meantime I will retain your papers and photos.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
10 February 1981
Dear Ron,
Bad news, I’m afraid. Mark Richards, who is in regular touch with Tony Drake, called to see me last weekend, and reports that a RICHARD SALE already has prepared a complete manuscript of the Cambrian Way, which is to be published as soon as the route is made official.
I think you should speak to Drake before doing any more work on the book and I should be interested to learn his views.
Yours sincerely,
AWainwright
1 March 1981
Dear Ron,
Your interview with Tony Drake seems to have been much more encouraging than I feared. Apparently he is not committed in any way with Richard Sale, and from what you say seems to agree that you should go ahead with your own manuscript. He appears to be pessimistic about early prospects on an official blessing, but of course there could be no objection to the publication of a guidebook without the sanction of the Countryside Commission so long as you keep to rights of way and areas of open access, and describe the book by some title other than ‘the Cambrian Way’, e.g. ‘A Long Walk in Wales’. From your report of the interview it certainly appears that you have the green light to go ahead.
I still think that the walk should be from Aberystwith to Conwy to get the best of the scenery and only the best. Further not many walkers can manage the three weeks the full route would entail and would be deterred by this. Starting from Aberystwith it could be done comfortably in a fortnight.
However, you probably feel that your proposed manuscript should fit exactly with the official pronouncement of ‘The Cambrian Way’ when finally made, and in view of the publicity which will herald the official ‘opening’ this must be better from the point of view of sales.
You have certainly got a big job in prospect. You will become engrossed in it. No more telly for the next year or so! You have the best wishes of Betty and myself and our eleven cats (or is it twelve?).
I have now booked the same room as before for your talk on ‘The Pennine Way’ on Thursday evening, 29th October. Thanks again for offering to do this for us.
Yours sincerely
AWainwright
For Aberystwith read Aberystwyth
22 March 1981
Dear Ron,
Thank you for your letter and kind donation.
Of your two suggested titles I like ‘From Cardiff to Conwy – A Long Walk’, which describes the contents exactly. I don’t like ‘Cambrian Ways’, which gives no indication of the nature of the book. ‘Ways’ has other meanings (habits, for instance), and another objection is that this title suggests a poaching of the name of the official route, and if the latter ever gets off the ground, may result in confusion.
It is a good idea to tackle first a much more modest book, to see what the problems are, and the proposed publication of local walks just fits the bill. Presumably Radio Stoke would publish it?
Yes, I shall be pleased to do any drawings you want, from photos to be supplied later.
Many thanks for your further donation
Yours sincerely
AWainwright
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
6 June 1982
Dear Ron,
Thank you for your letter.
Yes, it will be quite all right for you to use the drawings you have listed. Two comments – first, I note that those you have selected are all large drawings, about 8” × 6”, and you should bear in mind that they can be reproduced to a much smaller size if so required to fit the dimensions of the book. I think myself that they are improved by reduction. As an example of what I mean – the drawings used for the Animal Rescue notelets are all full-size drawings severely reduced to about 5” × 3”. specimen of Buttermere enclosed – this is reduced from 8” x 6”. Secondly, I still think the book will seem unbalanced because all the drawings are of northern parts of the country and the southern parts are illustrated by photographs only. To correct this I will, if you wish, do about half-a-dozen drawings of subjects in the southern counties if you will send photographs. For instance I was much impressed by the burial chamber at Pentre Ifan near Cardigan on our recent visit to South Wales, and there are places such as Stonehenge and Avebury that would lend themselves to pen-and-ink illustration.
It is still just possible that I may be able to get down to the Peak District later in the year for some pictures for your proposed guide and my own proposed Peak Sketchbook. If so, my visit will be outside school holidays and therefore I shall not avail myself of your kind offer of hospitality and transport. If this visit materialises I shall probably base myself at Casterton and get around by bus (Betty will not be with me).
Sometime within the next two or three months will you please let me have a list of the places you want illustrated for the purpose of your book? I would then visit those I could get to from Casterton and have to rely on your photographs for the remainder. If I cannot get to Casterton this year I would then have to use your photos throughout, assuming of course that you want to make a start on the book this year and cannot wait until 1983 when I may be able to have a longer stay with my chauffeur.
I have just received my copy of CLASSIC WALKS – a super book, free to me as a contributor.
All goes well here. I enclose a copy of the latest A.R. Report, as you request, and look forward to seeing you in October if not before.
Yours sincerely
AW
Our South Wales holiday was very successful, the weather being mainly dry and sunny. I still think the best scenery is around the Wye and Usk valleys. Gower, except for Worm’s Head, was rather disappointing.
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
25th July 1982
Dear Ron,
Many thanks for your very informative letter. I have written to the Palace Hotel for their current tariff.
I have beaten the printer’s deadline and will be able to prepare your drawings rather earlier that I expected, say by mid-August.
I may make a quick trip to South Wales in a fortnight’s time, taking advantage of my Senior Citizen’s Railcard to have another look at Cardiff and Swansea, which we rather skipped earlier this year, but do call if you are in the area; otherwise perhaps we could have a drink together at Buxton when I am there.
Sincerely,
AW
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
12th December 1982
Dear Ron,
Many thanks for your cheque for 15 pounds in payment for ‘High Crag’ (for which, incidentally and much to my surprise, there were twenty applications). In fact I am having to do several repeats of the drawing for disappointed people. Thank you too for the cheque for 6 pounds earned by the talk.
Yes, please book yourself for a talk at Kendal on October 27th. We are rather spoilt for choice of subject, but will let you know later.
Good news about Book Two on long-distance walks, but in this case you have ‘Long Walks’, splendidly produced and illustrated, to compete with. I doubt very much whether Moorland can match it for quality of production, and I think you will need to devise some different style of presentation and compile a book that sells much more cheaply and has photographs not inferior to those in ‘Long Walks’. Nor can it be a book for the pocket. A walker doing one of the long-distance walks will not want to carry around with him a book that also describes twenty others. My own view is that instead of doing something that has already been done by others, and done well with no expense spared, you should persuade Moorland to let you go ahead with your proposed ‘Walking in the Peak District’, which, although more local, would be assured of a good sale in the district.
Good news about Rex. Is he your new walking companion? How he would enjoy the Roaches!
Best wishes for a happy Christmas and a prosperous 1983.
Yours sincerely,
AW
38 Kendal Green
Kendal, Cumbria
6 March 1983
Dear Ron,
Many thanks for your letter and two cheques.
You are now enrolled as a fully-paid member of Animal Rescue for the present year. Which entitles you to no privileges other than a copy of the Annual Report and an invitation to the next A.G.M. You don’t even get a badge!
Yes, do please send a sample of your Cambrian Way material, please. If it remains your intention to travel with your readers from Cardiff to Conwy, I still think you should do it in two parts, and try one part on the public first before committing yourself to the other. This would cut your time initially by a half and the price by nearly half. Of course I will see Mr Firth about publication, but the trouble with the Gazette is that they have no agents or distribution in Wales. My own books on Wales have, so far, been a dead loss. No booksellers there (except for Joe Brown) will touch them. However, if you are able to slip over for a drink while we are at Buxton, we can discuss matters at length – Mr Firth and his wife are accompanying us. We are now definitely booked in at the Palace Hotel for the week May 14–21. The tariff, by the way, has gone up to 139 pounds per person per week.
Yours sincerely,
AW
BBC2 say the TV programme will definitely be shown soon but cannot yet give a firm date.
‘A South Wales Sketchbook’ will be out in a week or so.