Early training session with Jethro. He’s still wearing the special Monty Roberts Dually halter which his carers at the RSPCA had needed to control him.
Early training session with Jethro. He’s still wearing the special Monty Roberts Dually halter which his carers at the RSPCA had needed to control him.
Checking the route.
Checking the route.
‘I looked back down on the small town of St Bees. It had the simple clarity of all good beginnings: the breakwaters dividing the beach into neat segments; the buildings clustered in radial lines; the coastline extending away to the south with lucidity and enticement.’
‘I looked back down on the small town of St Bees. It had the simple clarity of all good beginnings: the breakwaters dividing the beach into neat segments; the buildings clustered in radial lines; the coastline extending away to the south with lucidity and enticement.’
‘The spectacular ring of mountains of the Western Fells, centred on the domed anvil of Great Gable.’ Jethro with Haystacks in the distance behind him.
‘The spectacular ring of mountains of the Western Fells, centred on the domed anvil of Great Gable.’ Jethro with Haystacks in the distance behind him.
‘Isn’t this what that donkey keeps doing in Shrek? Jethro playing to camera. Note the size of the saddlebags he was prepared to carry.
‘Isn’t this what that donkey keeps doing in Shrek?’ Jethro playing to camera. Note the size of the saddlebags he was prepared to carry.
The three of us at the start of the Old Moses Trod track, ‘He’s decided we’re his herd. Not a very pleasant herd, and decidedly lacking in intelligence, with terrible ears, but about as good as he’s going to get, so he’s making the best of it.’
The three of us at the start of the Old Moses Trod track, ‘He’s decided we’re his herd. Not a very pleasant herd, and decidedly lacking in intelligence, with terrible ears, but about as good as he’s going to get, so he’s making the best of it.’
Jeff Ford telling us about the Bob Graham race: ‘The sad thing is, Hugh, that compared to us, they stay fresh.’
Jeff Ford telling us about the Bob Graham race: ‘The sad thing is, Hugh, that compared to us, they stay fresh.’
The 5½ ton Dodge van. ‘“The thing you have to remember about this van, Hugh,” said Steve, who had clearly rehearsed this line for any prospective purchaser — I was the first — “is that it is reassuringly old.”’
The 5½ ton Dodge van. ‘“The thing you have to remember about this van, Hugh,” said Steve, who had clearly rehearsed this line for any prospective purchaser — I was the first — “is that it is reassuringly old.”’
One of the old muleteer tracks across the Lake District described by Wordsworth.
One of the old muleteer tracks across the Lake District described by Wordsworth.
Walking through the Howgills with Jason’s dog, Toby: ‘Manageable hills of fell and dale, of a soft and fecund green. Jason found them a continuous source of artistic stimulation.’
Walking through the Howgills with Jason’s dog, Toby: ‘Manageable hills of fell and dale, of a soft and fecund green. Jason found them a continuous source of artistic stimulation.’
Jason Gathorne-Hardy.
Jason Gathorne-Hardy.
The way Jason drew with such a fast and kinetic line matched his conversational style.
The way Jason drew with such a fast and kinetic line matched his conversational style.
‘The sort of meandering walk followed in which three men are more interested in the conversation than in where they are going.’
‘The sort of meandering walk followed in which three men are more interested in the conversation than in where they are going.’
Fox’s pulpit: ‘A remote stone in a field where he preached to an audience of a thousand people in the safety of the open air, far from persecution.’
Fox’s pulpit: ‘A remote stone in a field where he preached to an audience of a thousand people in the safety of the open air, far from persecution.’
The long Bowderdale valley: ‘We were walking in a mist, although such a light one that it merely softened the views a touch, like a graduated filter on a lens.’
The long Bowderdale valley: ‘We were walking in a mist, although such a light one that it merely softened the views a touch, like a graduated filter on a lens.’
Jasper in quintessential muleteer’s attitude. ‘He was about as near to a professional muleteer as the British Isles would allow.’
Jasper in quintessential muleteer’s attitude. ‘He was about as near to a professional muleteer as the British Isles would allow.’
The Yorkshire Dales. ‘Most of the neighbouring fields had a small barn at their centre, perfectly square and looking for all the world like little Monopoly houses that a player had put down to show he owned the property.’
The Yorkshire Dales. ‘Most of the neighbouring fields had a small barn at their centre, perfectly square and looking for all the world like little Monopoly houses that a player had put down to show he owned the property.’
‘Quick, funny and passionate about farming’— Amanda Owen looking up at her husband Clive. Because he’s on a step.
‘Quick, funny and passionate about farming’— Amanda Owen looking up at her husband Clive. Because he’s on a step.
‘The high proportion of Viking blood — and place names — still swirling around this end of the Dales.’
‘The high proportion of Viking blood — and place names — still swirling around this end of the Dales.’
A Texel ram guarding some wether lambs. ‘Brought over from Holland in the last twenty years to toughen and “beef up” our own breeds. They look half bulldog; sheep that have worked out in the gym, with impressive and alarming musculature.’
A Texel ram guarding some wether lambs. ‘Brought over from Holland in the last twenty years to toughen and “beef up” our own breeds. They look half bulldog; sheep that have worked out in the gym, with impressive and alarming musculature.’
The shepherd’s hut at Ravenseat. ‘Long and rectangular — more like a railway carriage — and “comfortably appointed”, with a log-burning stove and a bed across the far end.’
The shepherd’s hut at Ravenseat. ‘Long and rectangular — more like a railway carriage — and “comfortably appointed”, with a log-burning stove and a bed across the far end.’
Stopping for a picnic while roaming down the Dales. ‘No, you can’t have any.’ Jasper takes a firm line as he has a buttercup’s view up Jethro’s nostrils.
Stopping for a picnic while roaming down the Dales. ‘No, you can’t have any.’ Jasper takes a firm line as he has a buttercup’s view up Jethro’s nostrils.
Reeth: ‘Its big, broad square, lined on one side by no fewer than three pubs.’
Reeth: ‘Its big, broad square, lined on one side by no fewer than three pubs.’
They might not have a statue to Wainwright in the main square, but at least they had named a beer after him.
They might not have a statue to Wainwright in the main square, but at least they had named a beer after him.
‘Henry Jenkins, who, it was claimed, died at the fabulous age of 169. The mythology that had grown up around him was as interesting as the historical evidence.’
‘Henry Jenkins, who, it was claimed, died at the fabulous age of 169. The mythology that had grown up around him was as interesting as the historical evidence.’
Hugo Hildyard. ‘“As a way of life, in some sense this is finished,” said Hugo, with a wave of his hand at the small fields.’
Hugo Hildyard. ‘“As a way of life, in some sense this is finished,” said Hugo, with a wave of his hand at the small fields.’
Catterick Races. ‘A thoroughbred horse would have been useless for crossing England. That was a job for the equine equivalent of a mountain bike, not a Tour de France racer.’
Catterick Races. ‘A thoroughbred horse would have been useless for crossing England. That was a job for the equine equivalent of a mountain bike, not a Tour de France racer.’
The Yorkshire Moors. ‘To swing up and down from summit to summit along the stone-lined Cleveland Way must surely rank as one of the great walking experiences in England.’
The Yorkshire Moors. ‘To swing up and down from summit to summit along the stone-lined Cleveland Way must surely rank as one of the great walking experiences in England.’
The Animals in War Memorial. ‘A rare recognition of the contribution made by mules to British military success — and of the price they paid.’
The Animals in War Memorial. ‘A rare recognition of the contribution made by mules to British military success — and of the price they paid.’
Steampunks in Whitby. ‘Time travel with attitude. So it can be Victorian but it can also be post-apocalyptic, like Mad Max.’
Steampunks in Whitby. ‘Time travel with attitude. So it can be Victorian but it can also be post-apocalyptic, like Mad Max.’
Goths in Whitby. ‘What happens when you wear black and only come out of your bedroom at night. And listen to darkwave.’
Goths in Whitby. ‘What happens when you wear black and only come out of your bedroom at night. And listen to darkwave.’
Still talking after 200 miles. ‘“Mule pace” is a bit brisker than a normal human one, like being on an exercise machine.’
Still talking after 200 miles. ‘“Mule pace” is a bit brisker than a normal human one, like being on an exercise machine.’
At Robin Hood’s Bay: ‘We led Jethro to the edge of the waves, which were dancing up the launching ramp for the trawlers.’
At Robin Hood’s Bay: ‘We led Jethro to the edge of the waves, which were dancing up the launching ramp for the trawlers.’
Jethro at his new stables after he had been permanently adopted. ‘He always looks at me in the way the English do on such occasions — with a friendly if slightly quizzical expression that leaves the changes in both our circumstances unspoken.’
Jethro at his new stables after he had been permanently adopted. ‘He always looks at me in the way the English do on such occasions — with a friendly if slightly quizzical expression that leaves the changes in both our circumstances unspoken.’