Countrystride #43: SHAP & The Postman's Path

...in which we journey to Shap, the historic transport hub, to take a wild and wintry walk among the Far Eastern Fells in the footsteps of 1950s postman Jimmy Eland. In the company of born-and-bred Shapite Jean Scott-Smith and author Alan Cleaver, we visit the secluded remains of Shap Abbey, discover the far-from-the-madding-crowd loveliness of Swindale, learn about the hard-graft lives of rural postmen, and enjoy Jean's memories of pastoral days before the dam rose in Wet Sleddale.

• You can read more of Jean's research and memories at https://shaplocalhistorysociety.wordpress.com/contact-us/

• You can buy Alan's books, Get Lost! and The Corpse Roads of Cumbria at Books Cumbria.

• Alan is on Twitter @thelonningsguy

Shap Abbey linescape.

Our guests for the day: Alan Cleaver and Jean Scott-Smith.

Alan, with his Percy Kelly-inspired letter.

Alan and Jean leave Shap.

The wooden-sided bridge over the Lowther.

Shap Abbey.

Approaching isolated Tailbert.

Surveying Swindale.

In Ralfland Forest.

Nearing journey's end: the postbox at Thorney Bank.