Book Review – Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland A.D. 1803

Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland A.D. 1803 by Dorothy Wordsworth

Published 1874

For years I have been heading to the Lakes for my holidays and not once had I ever considered that William Wordsworth not only had a sister but one who was rather compelling for all her feats in writing ability and also holding the title to being the first woman to scale Scarfell Pike, Englands highest peak.

It was actually Anne Lister who made the connection for me and I’m very grateful it happened because now when I go to the Lakes I have someone to admire.

While I can’t find an actual definitive link between Anne Lister of Shibden Hall and Dorothy Wordsworth who spent most of her life in Grasmere there are scholars who deemed Dorothy’s journals in a similar context to Anne’s, or at least they would be if anyone had actually discovered anything remotely lesbian about Dorothy. In reality, all that can be confirmed as truth is that Dorothy never got married and stayed a spinster all her life. Dorothy never made detailed descriptions of sexual activities like Anne Lister. From what I’ve learnt so far Dorothy was just far too busy caring for others with little time for her own needs. Her life is no less remarkable though.

Dorothy Wordsworth loved writing, including poetry, just as much as her brother, William did. In fact, she wrote a whole book of poetry that was only published posthumously. She was not interested in fame and fortune while alive instead her writing seemingly just an outlet as it was for many women of that era.

Dorothy also enjoyed writing detail on the places she’d been to, in the form of a journal. One of these places included Scotland. This particular journal was her detailed descriptions of travel across what was still considered wilderness country in those days in-between the bigger cities and towns of Scotland.

Dorothy, along with her brother William and best friend Samual Taylor Coleridge (founding member of the Romantic movement in England), set out in August 1803 on the long 663-mile tour on just a horse and carriage and not much else.  It was an open carriage which is worth remembering when reading the descriptions of the weather and the rough roads they traversed.    At the time Dorothy was 30 and insisted she wanted them to be seen more as travellers than tourists.  I think she’d be pleased to know her writing indeed came across that way.

What I most found likeable about Dorothy’s writing was the way she constantly compared everything in the Scottish Highlands to the Lakes back in England.  Sometimes places surpassing her homeland but on the whole not much compared to her beloved Lake District which shows just how much the place meant to her.  While it was not meant as criticism I felt a sense that as much as she enjoyed Scotland, like all good travellers, she was pleased when it was time to head back home.

At all times during the trip, which took six-weeks, Dorothy kept up with her brother and friend and while she didn’t always follow after her brother who wanted to head out just a bit further she did take the time to meet him when she could.  Time was often spent securing accommodation for the night as they headed along their route.  Some days were easier than others with most people being hospitable and kind.  Some places were busy with tourists and Dorothy and her brother were often overlooked and unable to secure anything which meant many miles to travel before they reached the next town.

It’s difficult to comprehend how difficult the journey must have been for Dorothy, especially.  Spending hours either travelling along on a bumpy road in the carriage or walking miles over rough ground (in a dress which wasn’t made for walking or climbing up and over mountains), in the hopes of seeing a loch or a beautiful landscape which may or may not have been obscured by low cloud and rain.  Not knowing exactly where you’d be sleeping from one day to the next nor what food you might be able to eat when you get there.  While she didn’t detail it washing clothes and having baths were probably just as difficult to come by.

But there is no word of complaint during the entire memoir.  Not one curt word to her brother either.  Only mild annoyance if a local couldn’t accommodate them or in one case just wouldn’t accommodate them without due reason.  Nor does Dorothy seem to get worried by being soaked through from the rain or nearly losing their horse over a loch crossing.  She merely focusses on the people she meets and the stories she can share with those people.   Everything is recorded as fact without getting bogged down in mindless thoughts or feelings which at the time was the way it was.  You get a sense that she wouldn’t have been left behind for anything on this journey.

Instead, heading boldly forth and experiencing all that must come from the journey undertaken.

Long Time No See Partner

Ten days to be precise, that I haven’t posted a blog post. Which is a long time for not having posted anything. Or doing much writing for that matter.

I’ve had a bad cold which has left me feeling less inclined to be anywhere near a computer screen and more inclined to curl up under thick warm duvets reading paper books.

This whole wretched illness business started dramatically last week, with a knife stabbing sore throat which quickly dissipated and I was left with alternating shivers and sweats for a couple of days. Not to be deterred I carried on working during the day and then collapsing in a heap early evening. It was after all just a silly cold.

A few paracetamol and drinks that consisted of honey and lemon should see me right, I thought. But my cold wouldn’t leave me.

It’s continued to cling onto me like a piece of chewing gum stuck on the bottom of my shoe. Everywhere I went, it came too. It made me ache and weary and made sure I knew it was close by, marked by the number of tissues I used up throughout day.

I sat in bed working surrounded by cute pups who thought it was most wonderful that they could spend all day curled up on the sheets next to me.

When the weekend arrived I thought myself much improved. I got dressed and wanted to be outside basking in the first sunshine we had seen in days. So I decided to take Mouse for a little walk. Not too far, just enough to appreciate the weather (making sure of course that I had wrapped myself up suitably). Yes, it was fairly chilly but nothing remarkably low in temperature.

And so we walked our round. Mouse enjoyed sniffing out the latest updates on the street corners and I kept an eye out for a blue flash of the kingfisher who can at times been seen darting low up the ditches.

By the time I got home I felt so knackered it wasn’t long before my trusty pyjamas made their appearance once again. And not long after that I found myself back in bed all but done for the day. Sunday found me in bed asleep most of the day apart from the evening to get up and enjoy some homemade soup with toast. But even soup couldn’t ease the growing tension on my chest that appeared that evening followed by low raspy coughing all night and yet more blowing of my nose. A quick look at NHS.net indicated I now had a bit of bronchitis.

Aren’t older people supposed to get bronchitis I thought? Or am I now that older person? And I’ve never smoked in my life but now It sounds like I do. I cough a lot anyway. I have some kind of dander allergy that never seems to go away. And now this.

And so Monday was spent coughing a lot and trying to relax only to get annoyed by the fact I couldn’t because every time I tried to lie down It caused more coughing.

And that excruciating pain you get in your ear from blowing your nose too hard can’t be understated enough.

I can’t remember a cold taking this long to get through its various cycles of feeling poorly to healthy. Is this an age thing? Or, has not eating as much vitamin C this past couple of months really depleted my immunity? I dread to think what I might have caught had I not had my flu jab.

Unlike the three attempted times this past ten days during which I’d convinced myself that I was on the mend, I think I really am this time.

I’ve broken various healthy habit streaks: walking, writing and eating healthy (toast has been my biggest go-to food group). But on the plus side, I’ve read loads. Enjoyed a thoroughly good novel in just five days.

Now I want to get back to my writing. I’ve missed it. Missed my routines and spending time outside (even if the weather has been mostly ghastly throughout).

And while the pups are definitely going to miss the snuggling up (as am I). It’s time to crack on and get going again.

Writing Achievements – W/e 3rd November 2019

This past week has not gone well.  Something just isn’t gelling with me and I’m not sure what.  I can’t keep focussed and I can’t seem to concentrate on just one writing goal at a time.  On top of that, I wrote my words last night and then didn’t get a chance to post them because I wasn’ organised enough.  So I’ve created another post-break after just 45 days.

Part of this issue is me putting myself under unnecessary pressure, even if there really isn’t any (or shouldn’t be any).  Posting every day shouldn’t be terribly hard but it always comes back to posting something worthwhile and not just words scrambled on a page.  I want it to have meaning and that takes time.  Everything I tend to write with any detail needs to include links to other citations or similar areas that can back up my stance or thoughts.  For everything I write, I’m also testing my theories and the only way to do that tends to mean more writing and researching.

But, I got through the week which means I can start again (or continue) tomorrow with gusto – as long as I can keep my mind on the writing and not think too much about what I could or can’t write about.  If I have 100 unfinished blog posts I shouldn’t worry, I should be treating them like 100 drafts ready to be worked on further when I get more writing experience under my belt.

This writing dream is not as easy as it tends to appear on paper!

What am I reading?

• Arguments of Celsus, Porphyry and the emperor Julian against the Christians; by Celsus
• The Alternative: Towards a New Progressive Politics by Caroline Lucas
• Description and Setting: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Believable World of People, Places and Events by Ron Rozelle

I’m enjoying The Alternative much more than I thought I would and as anticipated it does get me all fired up about politics which just isn’t ideal at the moment.  Progressive politics is a whole blog post on its own which I’ll have to refrain from doing until I finish the book.

Description and setting I’m just starting to get into now but it not ideal to be reading before sleep when I want to crack on with the exercises that finish each chapter so I really need to be reading that during the day.

Arguments is slowly getting there.  It’s not an easy read having been written thousands of years ago.  Again, doesn’t make great bedtime reading so I’m often picking it up first thing in the morning which is when I’m least awake to take it properly in.

I think I need some more fiction to break up these deep and meaningful texts that I’ve got on at the moment.  Unfortunately, I haven’t actually got any on my reading stack.  Not one.  That means that it’s either a great opportunity to buy some more second hands books or pick up something from my own library to read again.

Work in Progress (WiP)

Wildlife and garden writing is becoming my go-to writing arena most of the time.  And that’s because I enjoy it so much.  I like to try and describe how I feel out in the garden or on a walk within nature and while I don’t feel I do it any justice I want to keep trying.  I write about nature journalling this week which took me back to a time when I used to journal my findings in the old garden and local areas.  Now I live in the country I am pondering doing another one.  But then again, am I just adding more pressure and shouldn’t I just be concentrating on the other bits I’m currently working on.

NaNoWriMo just hasn’t happened, as expected.  That’s one pressure I can do without, as much as I’d have like to have participated.  Instead, I’m going to carry on with my blog postings and work towards more garden and nature writings to see where that takes me.  Writing a novel is still something I aspire to do but that will take a bit more time.

NaNoWriMo – Day 1

As days go this hasn’t been the best start to NaNoWriMo.  In total, I’ve only managed to write 783 words.  Not the strongest start to the challenge that I wanted.  I knew this wouldn’t be easy.  I’ve underestimated how much time this will take. Also, me being me, I’ve not included enough reading time to get myself ready for the following day’s writing.  There just isn’t enough hours in the day.  I need to cut something out and/or get smarter at writing.  But I don’t want to add any more pressure around this.  Part of me knew this was going to happen so I should stop beating myself up and come back tomorrow as planned.  Tomorrow is another day as they say.

The most important thing is the bigger project – becoming a writer.  As long as I write then I’m learning and if I’m learning then I’m getting one step closer to becoming a better writer.  That’s the big dream and the one this month only contributes too, it’s doesn’t determine my writing life entirely.

it’s certainly been good weather for writing today.  A perfect day of damp and drizzle outside.  The clouds haven’t lifted at all and even the dew has stayed on the grass.  The predominant colour of grey has been interjected today by the yellows, reds and browns of the trees and shrubs still hanging onto their leaves.  It’s only the mild temperature that has given today a less than cosy feel.  Everything outside feels like it’s just waiting on the cusp of bad weather to strike and then the plants can finally take a bow.  At the moment they are amused by the temperature being kind even if the length of day is not.  Even when taking a walk at lunchtime it was nice to see the birds darting about between one hedge and another.  Enjoying the last berries and time for social interactions before it gets too cold and serious for them.

A good day to spend more time indoors tapping away at the keys of the laptop.  If only the words came a bit easier rather than a constant pulling motion out of my brain and onto the page.

I shall endeavour to get more words completed tomorrow but I won’t get hung up if I don’t. It’s an adventure, not a trial.  I just need to keep reminding myself that.

Thank you for reading.