The Fell And Rock Climbing Club War Memorial

A ceremony of great interest to all lovers of the open fells, no less than to the devotees of the sport of rock climbing, took place at the Annual Dinner of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, held at Coniston in October, 1923. This consisted of the presentation by the Club to the Nation of a large tract of mountain tops in the Lake District, to be held in the custody of the National Trust for the free enjoyment of all lovers of the mountains for ever, as a memorial to those of its members who gave their lives for their country in the Great War.

In the course of a well-chosen address, the President of the Club, Dr. A. W. Wakefield, described the purchase by the Club of between three and four thousand acres of mountain tops in the region of Sty Head, which may be roughly indicated as bounded by the 1,500 feet contour lines, including Kirk Fell, Great Gable, Great End, Glaramara, and the Seathwaite Fells. This tract includes some of the finest mountain and rock scenery in Great Britain, and its crags are famous in the annals of British rock climbing.

It was acquired by the Club from Mr. H. Walker, of Seascale, the purchaser of the Musgrave estate, who, himself a past member of the Club, entered into the spirit of the undertaking and very kindly made the arrangement of the conditions and boundaries as easy as possible.

Dr. Wakefield then handed the title deeds to the Rt. Hon. F. D. Acland, as the representative of the National Trust, who, in accepting the gift on behalf of the Nation, expressed the hope that it might be the nucleus of a national reserve, embracing a large proportion of the Lake District.

It is very gratifying that through the public-spirited action of one of our kindred clubs such a magnificent area should be preserved for the enjoyment of everyone for all time, and it may encourage others, either individuals or organisations, to add to this area, thereby precluding the possibility of the public being excluded from the mountains which they have enjoyed for countless generations, on the pretext of the preservation of game or the formation of deer forests – a state of affairs which unfortunately exists in many parts of Scotland to-day.

The Fell and Rock Climbing Club could have found no more worthy form of memorial to its fallen members. Monuments crumble and fall, but the everlasting hills stand fast and give inspiration to all who lift up their eyes to them until the end of time.

J. F. S.