Lakeland Motor Museum

It is a Tuesday, but it could be any day of the week. It is September, but it could be any month of the year. It is raining. My walk is cancelled. Despite being told that walking in the rain is good for me, I've decided to give it up. I'm getting too old for weary, arthritic joints. I shall replace it with the 'attraction lottery'. Out comes my old shoebox in which are lots of small pieces of paper, each with the name of an attraction on them. All I have to do is close my eyes, dip my hand in the box, and draw one out. The prize for the winning attraction is a visit from me. Lucky attraction!!

And the winner is..........The Lakeland Motor Museum. For those that have never heard of the Lakeland Motor Museum, it is situated in what was the packaging department of the old "Dolly Blue" works, a converted mill beside the River Leven at Backbarrow, close to the main A590 M6 to Barrow road. However, it was originally situated at Holker Hall, a few miles away on the Cartmel peninsular. It moved to Backbarrow in 2010, presumably because of lack of space at the old site.

Now, I have to confess that I wasn't exactly overjoyed at the result of my 'attraction lottery' selection. I am not a big fan of motor museums. Rather like a supermarket car park on a Friday afternoon, they tend to be full of cars! That might sound a tad obvious, so allow me to explain. I once went to a moderately large motor museum in the south of the country. It had very few vintage cars, most on display were from the fifties onwards. They were lined up very nicely, lovingly polished with well written labels telling their story, but they were all locked, and the whole place reminded me of nothing more than a rather posh retro car park. My interest in cars is purely practical, and well set out as it was, the seemingly never ending lines of shiny cars was never going to light my fires of excitement. That having been said, I do remember that some of those visiting (mainly the men!) were getting very excited about each one, and stood around in small groups discussing how they'd love to strip them down and service all moving parts. I overheard one very bored looking lady telling her equally weary female companion that, given the choice of sleeping with her, or a 1930's Buick with double over head camshaft, her husband would probably choose the car.

With this memory etched in my mind, I approached the entrance to the museum with a certain degree of trepidation. The lady behind the counter in the foyer, which doubles as a gift shop, tried to put me at ease, explaining that the exhibitions were smaller but much more diverse than some of the better known motor museums. In particular, she pointed out that there was a section devoted to the history of the building in which the museum is housed. Even so, as I stepped into the main display hall, I was not convinced.

The museum is not large, although this is only a small part of it.

She was not wrong about it being smaller. I didn't count the number of vehicles in the collection, but I wouldn't have thought it to be more than 150. So, what else could I expect to see for my entrance fee? There must be something else, as according to the advertising blurb the museum has over 30,000 exhibits. The answer surprised me somewhat. 

There are several displays of toy cars

I had fully expected to see a display of toy cars, and the small mock up of a garage with a mechanic fiddling about with something he'd disconnected from an engine certainly did not come as a surprise. But a 1960's ladies fashion display? That was unexpected. I discovered it when I spotted a group of four women looking into what appeared to be a mock up of a shop window. Whilst their menfolk were drooling lovingly over a Jaguar XK140 Fixed Head Coupe, the rare one with bespoked wheels, and, very possibly (according to one of the men) a left handed sprockle holder, their ladies were getting equally excited by the flowing lines of a fashionable 1960's ladies dress with full matching accessories. It seemed to me that here was the major difference between men and women. One forever dreaming of some highly desirable object that would forever be out of their reach, whilst the other was full of admiration for something that was not only undeniably beautiful, but also eminently practical. I'll leave you to decide which was which.

1956 BSA Motorbike and Sidecar

In addition to the four wheeled road vehicles, there is also a display of cycles, both pedal and motor, including a motorbike and sidecar not dissimilar to the one my father bought in the early sixties in the days before our family could afford a car.

I want one of those!

One of the most charming collections features children's pedal cars. I always wanted one as a child, but my parents decided that, as we lived on a hill (well, more of a slope really) I might lose control of it and crash into our next door neighbour's new and very shiny Ford Consul.

1950's motor mechanic, surrounded by 'memorabilia'.

The museum also has a large collection of what the blurb calls 'memorabilia', although I have to confess that I have never truly understood the true meaning of the word. I mean, an object that is part of a collection because it is connected with something that is thought to be very interesting, could either qualify or not, depending upon your level of interest. Is a petrol pump interesting? Or an old oil can? What about a trolley jack?

Local history - one of the many display boards for the 'Dolly Blue' works.

Forgive me, I'm being unnecessarily picky. The point is that the Lakeland Motor Museum actually demonstrates the advantage of my 'Attraction Lottery'. Left to my own devices I would not have visited this place in a million years. As I said before, I don't really like Motor Museums. Or rather, I didn't. It has won me over. It is not just cars. The displays cover almost every aspect of private transport, and more besides. In addition, the local history collections are really well presented, and the period shopping displays are wonderful to browse around. 

Off on holiday circa 1962. In the background, ladies fashionware shop fronts.

I even had some fun playing on the 1950's slot machines on the small upper floor. There are only four, but they took me back to happy childhood seaside holidays, as did the Austin A35 parked in a corner with a load of 1960's style luggage on the top. I can remember my father hiring one just like it, loading all our luggage onto the roof rack, squeezing the family inside, and driving us down to Devon for a family caravan holiday. When we got there, the people in the next caravan had exactly the same model, except theirs was blue. Ahhh the memories came flooding back.

 

Replica of Donald Campbell's1967 jet hydroplane Bluebird K7

In a separate building was another display that brought back childhood memories, although not as happy. The Campbell Bluebird Exhibition celebrates the achievements of Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell. It contains full sized replicas of Malcolm Campbell's 1935 Blue Bird car, a 1939 Blue Bird Boat K4 and the 1967 jet hydroplane Bluebird K7. At the tender age of 12, I well remember watching the harrowing news footage of Donald Campbell's boat overturning on Coniston Water in January 1967. I also remember how shocked and saddened the whole nation was at this tragic accident. Times change. National heroes like Donald Campbell no longer exist. They've been replaced by reality TV stars.

Part of the Isle of Man TT races display

The only part of the museum that did not really float my boat was the section dealing with the history of the Isle of Man TT races. However, plenty of people seemed to be watching the various video displays and reading the timeline tracing the evolution of the races and the machines that took part in them. I suppose that sums up the key to museums. You are interested because you either like and relate to what is on display, or not. And I've never been a biker.

Looking across the main display space.

Generally, I enjoyed the Lakeland Motor Museum because of the variety of the exhibits on offer. The local history section was fascinating, especially as, on my walk from the railway station earlier in the day, I had passed the remains of the sites that were featured in the exhibition. Doing so helped to bring the history alive. The shop front displays were interesting not only for their content, but also because I remember shop fronts actually looking like that in the days before out of town shopping centres relegated our high streets to parades of empty shop units with boarded up windows.

1962 Austin A40 - standing in front of a small display of 'Bubble Cars'.

As for the motors on display, well nice as the rarer exhibits were (and there are plenty of them) it was a couple of the more ordinary exhibits that appealed the most. The basic cars that for many families would have been their first experience of actually owning a vehicle of their own, brought back fond memories of an age that has been lost forever. 

Wonderful item of Automata, just put 50p in the slot and watch the Amazing Flying Car work.

 

Early motoring in style

Next door to the museum is Cafe Ambio, which rather conveniently has both indoor and outdoor seating. As luck would have it, by the time I had wandered around the museum, played on the arcade machines, fed the Automata (see pic above) with several 50p's and watched the video presentation regarding Donald Campbell, it had stopped raining. The dark clouds were scuttling away into the distance, revealing a clear blue sky. Enjoying a simple, if rather late lunch of some yummy sandwiches followed by equally gorgeous no calorie cake (who am I kidding!) whilst seated outdoors on a balcony overlooking the River Leven was utter bliss.

A distant train whistle, followed a minute later by the tell tale trail of steam behind the houses on the far side of the river completed the scene. It was also a reminder that this idyllic spot was once a heavily industrialised area. Not only was there the old 'Dolly Blue' works, but a quarter of a mile down the river stood Backbarrow Ironworks, and, a little further still, the Low Wood gunpowder works. All used the river to power their factories, and the railway as a means by which the products they made were exported to the rest of the country, and beyond. An hour before I had my lunch, I had studied the museum displays about the local history, and sitting there beside the river looking out across the valley I imagined what it must have been like on the day I was born, back in the 1950's. A hive of activity, with the good folk of Backbarrow earning their livings creating products that existed in my home, 250 miles away, when I was a child. 

Nowadays, the A590 road allows us to speed past the village without giving it a second thought. Because it is screened by trees, the section of the village beside the river is barely visible from the main road. It could have been swept away by modern developers, the past erased permanently from the landscape. But it hasn't been. The remains of the ironworks are currently being restored. The old Ultramarine works is now the Whitewater Hotel, and has displays about the building's previous use on the lower floor. And the Lakeland Motor Museum not only preserves the history of motoring, but also educates the modern generation about the heritage of the Leven Valley. That is what sets it apart from other motor museums. It is quite unique and very, very special.

My day had begun with a feeling of trepidation. It ended with a sense that I had learned a great deal about an area I mistakenly thought I already had a good knowledge of. The Lakeland Motor Museum was certainly much much more than simply a glorified indoor car park. It turned out to be a treasure trove of surprises. 

And now the technical stuff

According to their website (www.lakelandmotormuseum.co.uk) a visit usually takes about 90 minutes, although of course this varies upon your level of interest. My visit took well over 2 hours, and that was not counting my time in the cafe.  It cost me £12, but if you are a local resident you can get a discount, (see their website for details). 

All the staff were really helpful, which is not always the case everywhere I go. 

How I got there

My journey was a circular one. Starting from Ambleside I took a 599 bus to Bowness Pier, then a cruise down the lake (The Yellow Cruise) to Lakeside. After a steam train ride to Haverthwaite I unfurled my umbrella to walk the final mile from Haverthwaite Station. The advantage with this route is that some of the places you pass on the walk are featured in the museum. After my visit I walked the short distance to the A590, to get the bus (Stagecoach no.6) back to Windermere, and then the 599 or 555 to Ambleside. Being of a certain age (70) the buses are free, and I have a yearly pass for the boat (A Christmas pressie, so that was free!). Consequently, I got there for the cost of the train ride. 

How you should (probably) get there

Sensible people will simply go by car. The museum is well signposted on the A590, about 2 miles west of Newby Bridge, and has a large, free, car park. Post code for museum and car park is LA12 8T. The museum is open everyday except Christmas Day. 9:30am – 5:30pm April to 1st November, 9:30am – 4:30pm at all other times.

Don't let the train take the strain!

At the southern tip of Windermere (the lake), is Lakeside, a small hamlet of scattered houses, a large hotel and the terminus of both Windermere Lake Cruises, and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. The railway runs for three miles, from Lakeside to Haverthwaite, a small village situated close to the main A590 road that links the M6 motorway with the industrial towns of Ulverston and Barrrow in Furness. 

The route of the A590 is a modern one. In days past it not only ran through the village of Haverthwaite, but also crossed the river Leven by a narrow bridge close to what is now the Whitewater Hotel, in the village of Backbarrow. To the 21stC motorist, being able to avoid the queue inducing bridge is a bonus, especially as, at first glance, the village of Backbarrow has little to offer the visitor. But, as we shall see later, Backbarrow is not all it seems, especially if you have an interest in history and industrial archeology.

For most visitors, the cruise down the lake from Bowness or Ambleside, followed by a ride on the short, but very pleasant railway to Haverthwaite, is an enjoyable day out. However, aside from a visit to the small engine shed, a quick snack in the cafe, a browse around the tiny gift shop and, if you have children, a visit to the small kiddies playground, there is little to do at Haverthwaite. Consequently, those passengers that start their journey at Lakeside have a tendency to get the next train out of town, and head back the way they came.

One alternative to catching the train both ways is to walk one way, preferably the outer route from Lakeside to Haverthwaite, then return to Lakeside by train. The walk is just four miles by the route outlined below, and on a fine day is utterly delightful. Although not totally flat, there are no big hills to climb. The route follows a specially made off road footpath for the first mile and a half, before taking to a minor road for the remainder of the walk. You'll never be too far from the railway, and will pass through a parkland style setting on the early part of the walk. Once beyond the hamlet of Newby Bridge, the minor road runs through pleasant woodland before dropping down to the village of Backbarrow, a small riverside village that is not as it first appears.

The walk starts at the ferry pier. Walk away from the lake and turn left to walk past the Aquarium and on to the far end of the car park,

At the end of the car park there is a gate leading to a footpath that runs to the right of the railway line.

Simply follow the path for the next mile, enjoying the views as you go.

You'll know when you are approaching Newby Bridge, as a footbridge crosses the railway. 

Having arrived at Newby Bridge, the path follows the road that runs along the front of the Swan Hotel.

At the junction, cross the road to take the minor road that continues alongside the river, with the railway to your right. 

 

Pass by Newby Bridge Station, and continue along the minor road to cross the rail bridge.

At first there are views to the left, out across the Leven Valley, with the railway following the course of the river. Beyond that, running behind the trees in mid picture, is the main A590 dual carriageway. The Leven Valley is only 6 miles from Windermere to the sea. Nowadays there is little industry in the valley, but in days past it was a hive of activity, as we will see later. 

 

The minor road runs gently uphill for just under a mile. Privately owned woodland obscurs any views of the valley, however, on a nice sunny afternoon it is not unpleasant as the road tends not to be very busy.

The highest point of the walk is this junction, where you need to turn left, following the cycleway sign to Haverthwaite.

Shortly after is another junction, where again, you need to turn left. It is downhill all the way now to the village of Backbarrow.

The woodland you are walking through used to be coppiced. The trees were cut down to allow new shoots to grow from their base. About once every seven years the new shoots would be cut away and used to make charcoal, a substance that was in high demand during the past century. It was used in the iron and steel making industries, as well as for making gunpowder.

On the right hand side of the road there are several areas where rock has been taken for use in building work. Over the years, these mini quarries have been reclaimed by nature, and make a pleasing feature as you continue down the hill.

After almost three quarters of a mile of descent, you reach the bottom of the hill, and a rail bridge. Note that the track here used to be double, the bridge abuttments for the track that is no longer in place still exist, but the overbridge part has been removed.

If your timing is right, you may just catch a glimpse of a passing train!

It is a short distance from the railway bridge to the houses on the edge of the village of Backbarrow. The railway line can be seen running centre of picture.

After another quarter of a mile, the road runs alongside the river. Three things to note here, first the drainage pipes from the garden running through the wall, second the new houses on the other side, and third, in the distance on the right hand side of the river, a low brown building that is part of the Lakeland Motor Museum. The museum was built in an old cooperage. It made barrels for the mills and dolly blue works, of which more in a moment. Later it became the packaging department of the Dolly Blue works.

 

A little further down, the river narrows and runs under a stone bridge. The buildings on the other side were formerly the aforementioned Dolly Blue works. Originally known as the Lancashire Ultramarine works, the mill opened in the late Victorian period and for 90 years manufactured the little tablets of blue dye that most housewives in the early and middle part of the 20th century put into their clothes wash to make the white things appear white, and not yellow. It wasn't a bleach, but a colouring, and those of us of a certain age can well remember it being widely for sale in shops. 

 

The old Dolly Blue works is now the Whitewater hotel. Some public areas of the hotel still display items signifying the history of the site.  The mill closed in 1981.

The power of the water going under the bridge can be sensed in this shot. The River Leven drains Windermere, so when the Lake District has heavy rain, about a quarter of all the water that falls from the sky ends up going under this bridge. In 2005, 2009, and again in 2015, the village was flooded and in both 2009 and 2015 the bridge was severely damaged and the hotel flooded. Also, the A590 used to run over this bridge. The new section of road by-passing the village was built in the 1960's in order to ease traffic congestion. 

 

Don't cross the bridge, but turn right and follow the left hand pavement, which is actually a painted line on the road, for a short distance to reach the remains of Backbarrow Ironworks. The first sign of their existence are the 'paddles' at the sluice gates used by the works to control the flow of water. They are in remarkably good condition.

A little further on, a display board beside the road offers plenty of information about the site. 

 

It is not a big site, and work is currently being undertaken to tidy it up as it has stood idle and derelict since the works closed in 1966. According to the web site associated with the site, the iron made here was of very high quality, which enabled it to compete with much bigger sites. Singer sewing machines were made with high quality iron from Backbarrow, so if you have an old one you own a bit of Lake District history.

The telegraph pole from the railway can quite clearly be seen in the gap between the houses, some of which are social housing, and others privately owned. The village also has a junior school, and a doctors surgery, but no shop.

Close to the end of the walk, and Haverthwaite station. The minor road through the village meets the modern, and usually very busy A590 road here. There is no need to cross the road to reach the station.  To the left of the hedge is a little footpath, which avoids the need to walk along the grass verge!

100 yards further on, to the left, the busy road, on the right is the car park for Haverthwaite railway station.

Depending on your timing, you may have time to visit the delights of the station. It has a small cafe, an engine shed, a small book and gift shop, plus a kiddies playground set amongst the trees. Note that if you arrive at Haverthwaite after the last train has departed you can catch a number six bus back to Windermere from a stop close to Haverthwaite station. This is often a double decker, and a top deck seat on the journey along the A592 from Newby Bridge to Windermere is a very enjoyable experience, especially if  you sit on the left hand side of the bus. 

However, nothing beats the train ride back to Lakeside.

 

Alcock Tarn, or 'A fellwalkers guide to Victorian plumbing'

June 2016. A near perfect day weather wise, and as it turned out the ideal day for shooting a video of the walk from Grasmere up to Alcock Tarn. The views are so good on this walk that a clear day with sunshine and fluffy white clouds is essential.  But this shoot has an added bonus. I have a couple of production assistants (first class, unpaid) to help me out. My good friend Nicola and her son Michael. Nicola is a bright and busy single mum who loves to get out on the Lake District fells whenever she can. Michael has a very enquiring mind, and is developing an interest in history, as well as all things artistic, including videography. It was a chance for them to experience a very different day on the fells, and to also see what goes on behind the scenes on one of my video shoots.

Alcock Tarn

 Alcock Tarn is on the western side of Heron Pike, overlooking Grasmere. On the face of it it's a nice walk through the woods and then up the fell side to a pretty little mountain tarn. But things are not all they seem. This is not just a scenic walk, and believe me, it is very scenic, it is also a stroll through the world of Victorian plumbing, and one of the very best examples of hidden history in the Lake District. So it makes not only the perfect subject for a ten minute video, but also was ideal for a fell walking enthusiast and her history loving son.  This is the story of our day. The pictures are low resolution stills from the finished video. If you want to see that, scroll down to the bottom.

St Oswald's Church Grasmere

We started from the church in Grasmere, close to Wordsworth's Grave, and headed out towards his old house at Dove Cottage. Once there we headed up the old road towards White Moss Common before turning left to follow the path up to Brackenfell Woods. Up to that point the walk had been at a normal pace, with a couple of short stops to take establishing shots. We soon reached the seat just before the entrance to the woods, and the first major stop for filming, a piece to camera about the plush 18th and 19th century villas visible on the other side of Grasmere. It was at this point that the benefit of having a production assistant really paid dividends. Normally, I work alone, so have to spend time setting up the shot and ensuring all the camera settings are as they need to be. But not today.

With script in hand, Nicola took to her new role as though she'd been doing it all her life, whilst Michael put himself in charge of the camera. I'd already done the settings, so all he had to do was actually push the red button. Even so, saying the word "action" gave him a feeling of being in control.

Heading into Brackenfell Woods

With this first filming stop complete and the footage checked, it was time to head up into Brackenfell Woods. This route is along a wide sweeping path which follows the line of an old pack horse route, but that is not the reason it is so wide. Pack horse routes were narrow, often little more than the width of the horse and pack. Similar in fact, to a normal footpath today. This path is considerably more substantial, and was clearly constructed for much wider traffic. The answer to the question of why it is so wide is very simple. What is now Brackenfell Woods was, in Victorian times, a landscaped garden, complete with woodland trails, waterfalls, artificial streams and, to facilitate ease of access, a wide carriageway. This allowed the owners to convey their guests to the top of the garden by carriage from where they could stroll back down, admiring the various features as they went.

The remains of an ornamental pond, dating from the days when Brackenfell woods was a garden.

It was late morning by the time we had finished filming on the path and woodland, and as we proceeded to climb the fell, carrying the camera and tripod in the heat of the day up the steep slope was beginning to take it's toll. Michael decided that his mother and I were just too slow, and raced on ahead, leaving us to struggle on behind. We arrived at Grey Crag to find him sitting smugly on the stone viewpoint admiring the view. There was another filming stop here. Not to show the views from Grey Crag, which are very good by the way, but for me to make a confession on camera. You see, I've been telling tourists little fibs for some while now. It was time to come clean. Progress was then halted by the laughter that followed as Nicola and Michael could hardly believe what I had just come out with. (If you want to know more, you'll have to view the video).

Alcock Tarn, which was formerly known as Buttercrags Tarn

Lunch was taken at Alcock Tarn. Not only was it a chance to enjoy a break, but also a paddle. I may take my video making seriously, but it is also a day out with friends, and there is a certain amount of fun to be had. So having fought against a bracing wind to deliver the story of how this tarn is not all it seems, and having made the occasional error necessitating at least 4 takes, it was time to relax and enjoy the sunshine. All good things come to an end however, and the time to leave came too soon. The second half of the video, and arguably the most demanding, remained to be made.

Leaving Alcock Tarn

Having assistance has great advantages. The shot of me leaving the tarn, taken from one of it's many viewpoints, would not really have been possible had I been working on my own. The time taken to set up such a shot, as well as executing it, would make it prohibitive. But with Nicola and Michael keen to add their input the shot was captured in less than 10 minutes.

Heading off down the northern edge of the fell, a steep and rocky slope.

We didn't return by the outward route. This is a circular walk, and although the descent is steep, and rocky in parts, it is very scenic, with stunning views north west up Easedale and towards Steel Fell.

Thirlmere to Manchester Aqueduct

At the bottom of the slope is the Thirlmere to Manchester aqueduct, the longest gravity-fed aqueduct in the country. It supplies water to the city of Manchester from Thirlmere, which is just 3 miles north of here. It has a fascinating history, yet most people pass by without paying it any attention. Telling the story of the Aqueduct was to make an interesting final segment to the video, but first we had to get down to it. The normal way would be to follow the path to the bottom of the fell, cross the bridge, then turn right to follow the stream up to where the Aqueduct crosses it. But in June 2016 there was no bridge, it having been washed away by the winter floods caused by 'Storm Desmond'. (Incidentally, such was the damage caused by that one storm, with over 350 mm of rain falling in just over 24 hours, that the replacement bridge was a long way down the pecking order when it came to repairing the damage. It was spring 2019 before a new bridge was finally put in place.)

With a camera and tripod to carry, I didn't want to get down to the bottom of the fell only to find no way across. So the decision was made to make our way down through the bracken, which thankfully had yet to reach full height. Michael volunteered to lead the way, acting as some kind of jungle explorer as he hacked his way down the slope. He loved every minute of it.

The top of the Aqueduct turns out to be about a foot deep in rubble from the December flooding

First job when we got to the aqueduct was a check for ticks. It turned out to be a good decision as Nicola had one on her leg. Luckily, it had not sunk its jaws into her, so brushing it off was easy. We also found that she had a nasty case of greenfly! It all added to the fun of the day, but as you all know, it could have been different. Ticks are nasty little creatures and if they burrow into your skin and start to feed on your blood there can be bad health consequences as they can carry Lyme Disease. It is always worth a quick check when you've been through high bracken.

The Aqueduct crossing Greenhead Gill

Telling the story of the Aqueduct and it's construction took longer than I envisaged, mainly because it was a complicated script that contained facts and figures that needed to be delivered correctly. Not only that but I also had a sound problem as the nearby stream was fast flowing and the noise from it threatened to drown out my voice. So I took double shots. One set with pieces to camera, and another set without me in them, or with me just looking at the Aqueduct or into the stream, the idea being that if the pieces to camera were not usable, I would have enough footage to accompany a voice over. Nicola was excellent at this point, ensuring that I got the words right and prompting me when necessary. Michael, meanwhile, continued to make an enthusiastic and first class cameraman.

Time for a paddle

With all footage in the can, it was time for a break, a drink, and another paddle. I always think that on a hot day on the Lakeland fells, a towel and a clean pair of socks is a good thing to pack. The feeling of cool water on the feet is as refreshing as any drink. We sat reviewing some of the footage we had taken, although in truth we had checked it at the time of shooting, but it was a nice way to re-live what had been a lovely day.

The riverside walk in Grasmere

From the bottom of Greenhead Gill we enjoyed a nice stroll back to the main road, then across the fields to Grasmere. I'd decided to finish not by road, but with a walk along the river back to the church yard via the daffodil garden, which turned out to be delightful. Just 4 days later, the video was published on You Tube. Another benefit of having an assistant with me was that I was able to organise the walk and filming in order of shot, which made editing so much easier. Some nice jaunty music rounded the video off nicely, and I have to admit that I was very pleased with the result.