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Descending into mania… who knows what is real and what is imagined? When a naïve Felix Merryweather finds himself unexpectedly reunited with a woman from his past, he can’t imagine the bizarre chain of events that will follow, as he is drawn into the labyrinthine world of the reclusive entrepreneur, Lord Lindisfarne. It is a world born out of Lindisfarne’s, then just plain Victor Turnbull’s, descent into mania following a freak accident. The Episode explores the boundaries between the real and the imagined; between the known and the unknown; between the possible and the improbable. It gives a rare first person insight into how it feels when an individual finds the intellectual certainties that define our daily lives crumbling all around him.
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Descending into mania… who knows what is real and what is imagined? When a naïve Felix Merryweather finds himself unexpectedly reunited with a woman from his past, he can’t imagine the bizarre chain of events that will follow, as he is drawn into the labyrinthine world of the reclusive entrepreneur, Lord Lindisfarne. It is a world born out of Lindisfarne’s, then just plain Victor Turnbull’s, descent into mania following a freak accident. The Episode explores the boundaries between the real and the imagined; between the known and the unknown; between the possible and the improbable. It gives a rare first person insight into how it feels when an individual finds the intellectual certainties that define our daily lives crumbling all around him.
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A compelling journey along the Settle-Carlisle railway, full of detailed research and engaging insights on this treasured line. Widely known as England’s most picturesque line, the enduring Settle – Carlisle Railway crosses the north Pennines between Yorkshire and Cumbria, traversing stunning scenery from the Dales through the lonely and lofty fells to the limestone pavements of Westmorland, and on into the lush, green Eden Valley. The line was built by the Midland Railway company in the 1870s, to forge an independent route connecting its English network with Scotland. Uniquely for a railway in the UK, the entire infrastructure is a Conservation Area in its own right – complete with its viaducts, stations, bridges, tunnels, signals, trackside structures and cottages built for railway workers. By walking all or parts of the route from Settle to Carlisle, you get the chance to get up close to this iconic railway’s magnificent architecture. And in the company of a knowledgeable guide, you’ll also discover centuries’-worth of local history and traditions: Roman remains, medieval castles, the annual Appleby Horse Fair gathering, and much more besides.
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'An energetic and informed historical adventure shining a light on Neolithic Cumbria.' Emily Atherton, Editor, Cumberland and Westmorland Herald To paraphrase L.P. Hartley, “The past is a different country.” Stan L Abbott sets out to explore the visible clues to our mysterious past from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages: stone circles. Cumbria boasts more of these monuments than any other English county. Here, our tallest mountains are ringed by almost fifty circles and henges, most of them sited in the foothills or on outlying plateaux. Were these the earliest such monuments in Britain, placing Cumbria at the heart of Neolithic society? And what traces of that society remain today in the roads we travel, the food we eat, the words we speak, our work and play? By observing and comparing many sites in Cumbria and beyond, and researching many sources, a greater understanding emerges. Were some circles built for ritualistic purposes, or perhaps astronomical? Were they burial sites? Or were they just places for people to meet? Illustrated with linocut illustrations by artist Denise Burden, Ring of Stone Circles follows the search for the hidden stories these monuments guard – and might reveal if we get to know them.
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RING OF STONE CIRCLES PAPERBACK, SIGNED BY STAN L. ABBOTT. 'An energetic and informed historical adventure shining a light on Neolithic Cumbria.' Emily Atherton, Editor, Cumberland and Westmorland Herald To paraphrase L.P. Hartley, “The past is a different country.” Stan L Abbott sets out to explore the visible clues to our mysterious past from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages: stone circles. Cumbria boasts more of these monuments than any other English county. Here, our tallest mountains are ringed by almost fifty circles and henges, most of them sited in the foothills or on outlying plateaux. Were these the earliest such monuments in Britain, placing Cumbria at the heart of Neolithic society? And what traces of that society remain today in the roads we travel, the food we eat, the words we speak, our work and play? By observing and comparing many sites in Cumbria and beyond, and researching many sources, a greater understanding emerges. Were some circles built for ritualistic purposes, or perhaps astronomical? Were they burial sites? Or were they just places for people to meet? Illustrated with linocut illustrations by artist Denise Burden, Ring of Stone Circles follows the search for the hidden stories these monuments guard – and might reveal if we get to know them.
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WALKING THE LINE PAPERBACK, SIGNED BY STAN L. ABBOTT. A compelling journey along the Settle-Carlisle railway, full of detailed research and engaging insights on this treasured line. Widely known as England’s most picturesque line, the enduring Settle – Carlisle Railway crosses the north Pennines between Yorkshire and Cumbria, traversing stunning scenery from the Dales through the lonely and lofty fells to the limestone pavements of Westmorland, and on into the lush, green Eden Valley. The line was built by the Midland Railway company in the 1870s, to forge an independent route connecting its English network with Scotland. Uniquely for a railway in the UK, the entire infrastructure is a Conservation Area in its own right – complete with its viaducts, stations, bridges, tunnels, signals, trackside structures and cottages built for railway workers. By walking all or parts of the route from Settle to Carlisle, you get the chance to get up close to this iconic railway’s magnificent architecture. And in the company of a knowledgeable guide, you’ll also discover centuries’-worth of local history and traditions: Roman remains, medieval castles, the annual Appleby Horse Fair gathering, and much more besides.
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Settle & Carlisle Country: Including a New Long-Distance Walk and Cycle Route from Leeds to Carlisle This is the original guide book to the Settle-Carlisle Way, using the route devised by Stan Abbott with Colin Speakman and John Morrison, the authors. It was published in 1990 by Leading Edge Press & Publishing and now comes with a simple commentary by Stan Abbott, advising where walkers may encounter problems with the original route and also suggesting alternative options that are consistent with the route followed by Stan Abbott in Walking the Line.