Posted by andyb on December 04, 2007 at 00:53:15 from 86.159.111.221 user beardbiter.
In Reply to: Re: Swallowdale (was Lake district books) posted by Rob Boden on December 03, 2007 at 20:58:36:
Several things strike me about Tilberthwaite Gill. Firstly it is a magnificent place, well worth a visit by adventurous TARS. Secondly, it is in just the right place to have provided a secret passage onto the High Topps. Thirdly, there is no way CF would have climbed the first waterfall laden as he was in SD; it's a 10' rock climb of at least Diff standard even when it's dry. The valley is rather steep and narrow for tents (although I don't doubt that a modern solo backpacking tent could be squeezed in somewhere) and the cave is in a rather more obvious but exciting place than in the story. Apart from that it's just like the book.
(I should add, that assuming we are talking about the same place, it's by far the most convincing SD in CART (Certified Arthur Ransome Territory) as opposed to SART (Speculatively AR Territory, e.g. Miterdale). Trouble is there are so many convincing SDs in ARNWT (AR Never Went There).