Sunset Hike

On Monday evening there we were, on top of a fell, gazing down on the town of  Keswick, Derwent Water and Bassenthwaite Lake and sipping champagne. Not bad for a Monday.

But when one of your pals turns 50, what better way to celebrate?

Jude and Harry

To mark Jude's big day, Nicky, Kiah (our daughter) and I joined the happy throng of 40 friends on an evening jaunt up Catbells, a popular fell just down the road from Millican HQ. Jude is one of Nicky's great friends and the better half of Harry (of Gladstone bag fame).

We've spent many a romp out on the fells with the family and a pile of dogs in tow, so it was extremely fitting to sing that famous tribute at the summit and chomp homemade cake (thanks Jude).

And just a day after the official start of British Summertime was the perfect start to "getting out there" more often.

Jude and friends with view over Derwent Water

The extra hour of sunlight made all the difference, as we watched the sun disappear behind the Western felltops, shadowing Newlands Valley. We sauntered back in the dusk light for homemade sandwiches and cumberland sausage back at base camp.

A few beers in The George topped off a great evening, with all the kids in bed. A select few managed to extend the celebrations with a gathering in the snug. Jude was enjoying some Dutch courage before her tandem jump of Jenkin's Hill the following day with local paragliding God - Jockey Sanderson. Weather stopped play unfortunately, but it's going to happen soon, ticking another box on Jude's "Must Do This Year" list.

Funny how we so rarely decide to grab the last few hours of the day and go out for a hike. Yet, its got to be the best way to clear the cobwebs of the day, see the bigger picture (literally) and collapse in bed with a certain degree of self-satisfaction of a day well lived.

Here's to many more, with summer round the corner - and who needs a birthday to be out with your friends?

Thanks again Jude.

PS: What are we doing for Harry's 50th?

Cup of Tea?

Personally, I am always more likely to read a book recommended by a trusted friend, as opposed to a book review in a newspaper or magazine.

Liz, our web designer who is currently cycling from New Zealand to England with her partner Chris, pointed me in the direction of Three Cups of Tea. She assured me it's an excellent read and she was right. In fact, so right I feel it's only fair to share the recommendation.

Three cups of Tea is an inspiring account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote reaches of Asia.

In 1993 Greg Mortenson, a keen climber who had just attempted the ascent of K2 (the world’s second highest mountain in the Karakoram range) was recovering from the terrifying and disastrous climb in the Pakistani village of Korphe. Taken back by a group of children writing with sticks in the sand, he made a promise to help them build a school.

K2, picture courtesy of Arshad

From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our generation - Greg's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.

Greg and students from the Sitara school, Sarhad village, NE Afghanistan.

David Oliver Relin, an award winning journalist, collaborated on this spellbinding account of Mortenson's incredible accomplishments in a region where Americans are often feared and hated.

In pursuit of his goal, Mortenson has survived kidnapping, fatwas issued by enraged mullahs, repeated death threats, and wrenching separations from his wife and children. But his success speaks for itself.

Greg is the co-founder of the non-profit Central Asia Institute and founder of Pennies For Peace. At last count, his Central Asia Institute had built fifty-five schools.

'Here we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything - even die' explains Haji Ali (Korphe Village Chief) in the book.

Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world - one school at a time.

The Epic Tri

How's this for making all your sporting attempts just pale into insignificance?

Local Adventure Athlete and allround great guy, Bruce Duncan got in touch recently with news of his next big plan - The Epic Tri. A triathlon with a difference.

Bruce in training

The Epic Tri is three major endurance activities rolled into one.

The Bob Graham Fell Race - 65 miles.

The John O'Groats to Land's End Cycle Ride - 874 miles.

The Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race - 125 miles.

Non-stop.

Certainly puts my bi-weekly footie, the weekend hike up a fell and walking the dogs in a different light.

Bruce is teaming up with pal and fellow Adventure Athlete, Ant Emmet for this major event.

Bruce Duncan and Ant Emmet

They're dedicating the whole event to Bruce's Mum Hilary, who sadly died 7 years ago from Pancreatic Cancer. As the guys say on their site "It will be a massive journey for us and we both hope to be able to show the same grit and determination that Bruce's mum showed". Appropriately, all funds raised will be donated to Cancer Research UK, so please help them reach their target donations.

The Bob Graham may not be familiar to you. Up here in The Lakes, the round  is legend and certainly not for the faint hearted.

BG - 65 miles, 42 Mountain Tops, 27,000ft climb, 24 Hours

The Bob Graham, or BG as it's known, is one of the best known fell running challenges in the country.  It involves running in a loop, either clockwise or anti around the major fells of the Lake District from and to our home-town Keswick in under 24 hours.

The circuit includes 42 fells in the The Lakes, including the 3,000-foot (910 m) peaks of Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Scafell and Scafell Pike.

BG is named after Bob Graham, a Keswick guest-house owner, who in 1932 set the record for the number of Lakeland fells traversed in 24 hours.

His record held for an amazing 28 years.

Next up is the End to End Challenge. Most of us know about the John O'Groats to Land's End jaunt - from the tip of Scotland to the furthest point of the south of England, 874 miles, 60 Hours, 400,000 pedal turns to be exact. Only one of them will have a view, since Bruce and Ant will complete the JOGLE on a tandem.
Then finally, there's the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race, the only part of the tri that has a fixed date (22-25 April). Although to hit this date, Bruce and Ant are on a really tight schedule to complete the other two endurances.

The DW is the biggest kayak race in the UK, and has taken place every Easter Weekend for over 60 years. There are usually 300 teams on the start line, all aiming to complete the 125 miles to Westminster, with the record being a staggering 15 ½ hours.

The DW - 125 miles, 77 portages, 24 Hours

With only 12 hours in between each of the 3 challenges, this truly is an inspirational and epic event.
 
Note to self - if I complete one fell each weekend, I can get the BG done by Christmas....

Saturday Afternoon

As you may or may not know, at Millican we like the idea of everything having a second use.

So it probably comes as no surprise to hear that an afternoon spent rummaging around a flea market attempting to unearth a treasure is an enjoyable few hours.

A recent addition to the luggage market is recycled bag company, Jymoku. The story behind the company is that the owner of Jymoku goes out to flea markets, estate sales and fabric stores to source beautiful, used fabrics that are strong and resilient. He then has each piece cut up and remade into three different bag styles: a tote, handbag and a messenger bag. The company doesn’t have a website at the moment, but I came across it via the Selectism blog.

So, I was happy to see that The Paradise just up the road was holding a boutique flea market - I know, a bit of a contradiction isn’t it? A boutique flea market. Well this was Kensal Green's answer to the upmarket flea markets of New York and I have to say it didn't fall short. I turned up shortly after lunch, the sun was shining and I think the whole of North West London had come out (it was that busy).

It was very enjoyable rummaging through the rails of upcycled vintage fashion from Rag and Bow and Humphries and Begg, stalls of bespoke jewellery from Kirsten Grace, retro home ware and gifts. To top it off, there was some great live music, plus the £1 entry fee went towards the Lexi Cinema which sends all its profits to the Sustainability Institute in Africa.

I personally didn't purchase anything, but Bex wasn't going to leave without something for the flat - some vintage bottles for £5 which she assures me are £12 from Liberty. I managed to take a few pictures to share, but was rather aware of everyone around me, realising I was getting in the way. Anyway, that's my excuse for the level of photography.








All in all, an afternoon well spent.

What's in the bag?

Earlier this week I came across some inspiring work from photographer Ellie Brown.

Ellie has produced a photographic installation exploring the duality between the way people characterise themselves in public and the private contents of their bags. This is depicted by a photograph of the subject against a neutral background, in their everyday clothes, with their bag.

In her words, the series of photographs 'allow the viewer a glimpse into the private world of another individual, revealing aspects of this person’s organisational habits, vanities, occupations and preoccupations'. I've singled out the image below as one of my favourites.

Donald, 59, Retired Academic

This has always been a subject I have found intriguing, and it seems I am not alone. Here are some other great examples worth sharing.

Oliver Spencer, Fashion Designer

Details

Bag: Cherchbi Herdwick No. 10, Oliver Spencer waxed waistcoat liner, swimming googles, glasses, Oliver Spencer cycling cap and scarf, Cotswold Outdoor climbing rope, notebook from Italy, Ipod and headphones, No Way Down by Graham Bowley.

Jeremy Langmead, Editor in Chief, Mr Porter

Details

Bag: Bottega Veneta, Connolly suede gloves, Comme des Garcons change wallet, Mr Porter USB Stick, Alfred Dunhill leather pen case, Mont Blanc and Porsche pens, Blackberry, New York magazine, Comme des Garcons notes wallet, Shearwater Rook CD, Andrew Simmonds glasses, car keys, Giuliano Mazzuoli notebook, iPad

Ryan Willms, INVENTORY

Details

Bag: Wm. J. Mills & Co. Tote, Louis Vuitton Passport holder, Canon F1 35mm, Woolrich shorts, The Real McCoy's army hat, Ray Ban Clubmasters, Saint James socks, Papermate pens, Apartamento, HUGE, Moleskine, Muji card holder (with cards inside), iPod, Blackberry & Malin+Goetz moisturiser.

Starting off our own installation, here's what's in my bag. I wonder what you'll make of my personal tastes?

Details
Bag: Millican's Stewart the Courier Bag, Hard Graft Mac Book Sleeve, Mac Book, Earphones, Mulberry Card Holder, Blackberry, Millican Postcards, Albam Artisan Scarf, Stamps, Oliver Peoples glasses, The Economist, Lumix G1, Moleskine with Millican's Matt cover, House Keys.

To be continued ....

Fifty Remote Islands

There has been a lot of talk about books this week at Millican. Understandably, with World Book Day on Thursday and World Book Night last Saturday.

We've all been putting our cases forward to justify why our book of choice should feature on the Millican hit list (see Millican's top ten).

Unsurprisingly, not one of us forwarded our recommendation in an electronic format.
It's hard to ignore the rise in tablets and I have to say it does lighten the load on my daily commute or trip away. E book sales almost doubled through 2010 and reportedly are set for further growth through 2011. But with many it seems that opinions are divided on the fate of the printed book.

Are ebooks going to consume us all?

Well, who knows. Ask Jorrit about a book and he'll tell you about the smell, the feel, the knowledge its there on your bookshelf just waiting to be revisited.

Here is one of those books that is quite simply for the purist.


Judith Schalansky’s Atlas of Remote Islands, subtitled Fifty Islands I have not visited and never will.

It combines elegant illustrations of fifty of the most remote and hostile islands on earth with narratives of their histories on the facing page.

An acclaimed novelist and award-winning graphic designer, Judith has spent years creating her own imaginative atlas of the world's loneliest places. These islands are so difficult to reach that until the late 1990s more people had set foot on the moon than on Peter I Island in the Antarctic for example.

Perfect maps are accompanied by bizarre stories about the history of the islands themselves. Rare animals and strange people abound: from marooned slaves to lonely scientists, lost explorers to confused lighthouse keepers, to forgotten castaways.

It is certainly one for the map lovers and proves that some of the most memorable journeys can be made from an armchair. Never underestimate a good book.

Saying that, I've always thought Facebook would be better as a book ...

When Facebook becomes a book by Siavosh Zabeti on Vimeo.

World Book Day

We love books.

Almost as much as we love bags, and that's saying something.

Every room in our house, and The Shed (Millican's HQ) has shelves bulging with them and one of my dreams is to be locked in a bookshop for at least a week or two, with the freedom (and time) to read whatever I fancy.

There's nothing more satisfying than picking up a new book and jumping in. So what better day than today, World Book Day, to pay hommage to all books ever written.

Songlines First Edition

Here at Millican, we have a few books we hold very dear. Books that inspire us, lift our spirits, make us think and books that are just a damn good read. So, after asking Nicky, Rob and Sandra to chip in, here are Millican's top ten books (in no particular order because we couldn't choose between them):

1. Let my people go surfing -Yvon Chouinard 
2. Rules of the Red Rubber Ball - Kevin Carroll
3. Yosemite - Glen Deny
4. First you need to row a little boat - Richard Bode
5. Slow - Carl Honore
6. Songlines - Bruce Chatwin
7. Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriella Garcia Marquez
8. The Art of Travel - Alain de Botton
9. Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom
10. Feet in the Clouds - a tale of fell-running and obsession - Richard Askwith

We can't mention books without introducing The Watermill in Aberfeldy. Not only because they stock our Millican bags in their homeware section Homer at the Watermill, but more importantly - they know a thing or two about books, having been voted "UK Independent Bookshop of the Year" in 2008/09.

Situated in the heart of Aberfeldy, Perthshire, The Watermill is a delightful combination of bookshop, gallery, cafè and design-led homeware, on three floors of a converted oatmeal mill. 

The Watermill was opened in 2005 by none other than Mr World Traveller himself, Michael Palin. This was less than two years after owners Kevin and Jayne Ramage first viewed the derelict mill with the idea of creating a place to pursue a passion for books, music, art and coffee.

Now that's a combination close to our hearts.

When asked about their favourite reads, Kevin opted for "Loch of the Green Corrie" by Andrew Greig - this author is both poet and mountaineer and the book recounts fishing trips to old haunts of Scottish poet Norman McKaig. The book is a captivating combination of musings, a diary and evocative imagery of the amazing landscape in the North West Highlands.

Jayne on the other hand said "Rose Tremain - I'm ashamed to say I was rather slow in getting around to reading these. Now I've started I'm totally hooked. Tremain is a contemporary story-teller like no other, writing narrative with such a diverse range of context."

The passion Kevin and Jayne have for their thriving business just oozes off the pages, and is very contagious.

"At Homer ... we love our shop", confessed Jayne. "We love opening boxes as new stuff comes in, we love hearing positive comments as customers swoon over colour, texture and quality."

Totally agree.

So what are you reading? What books are you going for next?

PS - If you're stuck for something to do this Saturday, check out World Book Night - a million books will be given away by individual members of the public.  That's better than watching TV anytime.