“The very picture of rugged man” – Nemone, BBC 6Music
(her response on air when I sent in a couple of the pics below…)
Millican Dalton was the self-proclaimed “Professor of Adventure”. In 1897 he gave up his life as an insurance clerk in London to live in the Lake District. A vintage eccentric, he lived in a cave and built rafts to paddle down the river below the cave. You can read more about all his adventures in this book. (Thanks to Tomo for introducing me to Millican’s story).
Tom and I paid homage to Millican Dalton by sleeping in the cave he used to live in, building a raft of our own and paddling it down the River Derwent.
A torrential summer storm battered us – it was wonderful!
30’s going on 13…
Thank you, Millican Dalton for the inspiration!
Looks like fun. Good effort on the raft! How far did it take you? Or was just for having fun and paying homage?
We went a pitifully short distance! Definitely just for fun.
“You can’t feel lonely with nature as your companion.”
Millican Dalton – quoted in the Daily Mail, January 1941.
“Millican Dalton, Professor of Adventure. Camping Holidays, Mountain rapid shooting, Rafting, Hair’s breadth escapes.”
Millican Dalton – the wording on his business card.
Im guessing you’ve also heard of Poppa Neutrino?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qh5J8gGm3Q&feature=related
Looks like great fun and a beautiful photos as always Alistair.
Nice! I’m guessing this was the rafting adventure you told me you were possibly planning a few months back? I’m planning on launching mine in mid June
Catching sharks by hand, a la Thor Heyerdahl’s Kon-Tiki style next :-)
You wouldn’t have wanted to to that this weekend, the river was nearly out of it’s banks!
We used to bivvy in the cave for the winter solstice every year, and one of the local bands did a great song based on the writing on the wall in there – ‘Don’t waste words, jump to conclusions’
Looking at your blog I suspect you prefer it gnarly!
Not as gnarly as I used to, Al!
Don’t worry – neither am I!
Thank you!
I thought the national trust had put a stop to people camping out in the cave, good to know its still being used.
Hmmm… I’m not actually sure you are *meant* to camp there. Certainly you should not light fires and leave rubbish in there.
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He built his own raft?! That’s cute!