Alfred Wainwright: Man, 91, climbs Lake District fell to remember friend

Mountain rescue volunteers have helped a friend of Alfred Wainwright up a Lake District fell to the spot where the writer's ashes were scattered.

Andrew Nichol, 91, was supported by Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team (CMRT) to climb to Innominate Tarn, where he paid his respects on Sunday.

Mr Nichol helped Wainwright to publish his well-known Lake District guidebooks before his death in 1991.

He said the trip was "something he had wanted to do for many years".

Wainwright, known as AW, became synonymous with the Lake District for his guidebooks and pen-line drawings of more than 200 hills and mountains.

Mr Nichol was involved in the publishing of the books, but admitted he was not a fell walker like his friend Wainwright.

"He asked me if I did fell walking... I replied that I did my national service in Korea and I did enough fell walking to last me a lifetime, thank you.

"We weren't off to a good start," Mr Nichol recalled.

But over the years the pair became close friends.

Mr Nichol said Wainwright had asked him to scatter his ashes up at the tarn, which is near the summit of the peak Haystacks, "but when the time came, I didn't".

Wainwright's ashes were scattered there by his wife.

"It's never gone out of my mind," Mr Nichol continued.

"I feel I owe it to him to pay my respects.

"I can understand why he liked the spot. The solitude and being alone... that was Wainwright," Mr Nichol added.

He said the walk "brought back a lot of memories" and he "didn't expect anyone to go to all this trouble" to help.

CMRT said it was able to combine a training day with supporting Mr Nichol in the climb.

Crews used their vehicles to drive the team and Mr Nichol up on tracks above Honister Slate Mine to cover most of the elevation.

CMRT's chairman, Martin Pickavance, said 17 members had volunteered to help Mr Nichol pay his respects which was "something that we all wanted to get behind".

"I think it's also the impact that Wainwright had on all of our team as young fell walkers and mountaineers," he added.

Volunteers brought a stretcher and carried Mr Nichol on the more difficult parts of the climb.

He then walked the final 100m (328ft) to Wainwright's final resting place.

Wainwright archivist Chris Butterfield, who helped organise the day, said Mr Nichol "had, for many years wished he could get up to Innominate Tarn".

Mr Butterfield said the pair attempted the climb four years ago but had to turn back.

"We walked one mile (1.6km), but the weather turned with torrential rain and bad winds... it was too dangerous to go further."

He added: "It was something I always wanted to do for him, to say thank you."

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