One For The Older Hill Goer

[Wildfisher]

Here's a question for you older hill goers:  what's a Pouchergraph?   

[bushy palmer]

Is it some sort of slang for a picture of the dug?

[Wildfisher]

nice try, but it's more obscure

[tomcatin]

No idea  :dunno

I wonder if it has anything to do with WA Poucher who wrote all those guidebooks to the hills and was a very accomplished photographer?

[Wildfisher]

Pretty much spot on!   :lol:

Here is a Pouchergraph of Ben Lui

[attachimg=1]

[tomcatin]

When I was a teen our local library had a full set of his guidebooks. I studied his Scottish Peaks, Lake District Peaks, Pennine & Peaks and Skye guide books religously ........ dreaming of those routes!

They were a lot of stunning photos and the route illustrations are quite iconic. If I saw that photo, I may not recognise the mountain or the route, but I would recognise the photographer (I cannot believe that in my daft youth I once skied the Central Gully route on Ben Lui  :shock:)

Did you know he earn his crust (outside of publishing) in the perfume industry!

[Wildfisher]

Did you know he earn his crust (outside of publishing) in the perfume industry!

Sure did. He lived to a ripe old age into his 90s - just shows all that walking is good for you!  This all came to mind when I was sorting out all my books in my posh new hoose and came across a copy of "The Scottish Peaks" First book  on the Scottish hills  I ever bought and it was written by an Englishman! Poucher came in for a lot of stick in Scottish climbing circles and while his books and Pouchergraphs may have removed some of the element of exploration I still enjoyed his quaint style and arrogance. He appeared to be a man untrammeled by self doubt. 

[tomcatin]

The other real inspiration in my youth who competed with Poucher and to a lesser extent with Hamish MacInnes 'Scottish Climbs', the SMC District Guides, the Yorkshire Mountaineering Clubs gritstone & limestone guides and various Climbers Club/BMC guides to the peak was the Wainrightagram

[attachimg=1]

I never really bought into the post-death Wainright industry; he was a difficult soul to fathom (as Eric Robson discovered) but his guidebooks to the Lake District are absolute gems.

In my teens I traversed the Pennine Way twice, North to South, with nothing more than Wainwrights Pennine Way Companion and Tom Stephenson's HMSO guide (the route set out on extracts of the OS maps). Despite having to follow the route backwards & missing out on a pint at Alfred's expense in Kirk Yetholm it was a pleasure. His pen/ink drawings and attention to detail (geographical/historical/curiosity) were so perfect that I could never think of parting with my copy of 'Pennine Way Companion' .......... that single volume is key to a great many memories!