Seathwaite, home to High House

Seathwaite, home to High House

An outdoors club that was originally formed for workers at a shoe factory wants your help.

The K Fellfarers, formerly the walking and climbing club for employees at the K Shoes factory in Kendal, is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its hut in Borrowdale, and is looking for reminiscences from anyone who has stayed there. The recollections will be used in a book charting the history of both the club and the hut, High House at Seathwaite.

Harry Griffin, one of the Lake District’s most renowned climbers and writers, mentioned that High House was one of the oldest in the district, after the Wayfarers’ Robertson Lamb hut in Langdale and the Coniston Tigers’ hut at Coniston, to which Griffin belonged.

The K Fellfarers is one of the oldest outdoor activity clubs Cumbria, having been formed in the then Westmorland town of Kendal in the early 30s.

Howard Somervell, who made two attempts on Everest, including the ill fated Mallory expedition of 1924, was a member of the family that owned the K Shoes factory. After the company was bought out by Clarks in the 1980s, the K Fellfarers severed ties with the firm and opened its membership to the general public.

Most of its membership of 140, including 10 life members, still lives in south Cumbria. As sell as walking and climbing, the club has a caving section. Meetings are centred on High House, but trips to other parts of the British Isles are common and the cavers usually manage an overseas expedition each year.

Club chairman Roger Atkinson said: “Among the things we would like to know are which famous climbers and mountaineers have stayed at High House and did any club members accompany them on their exploits, no matter how seemingly insignificant?

“And there must be plenty of memories out there, be they tragic, happy or highly amusing.”

He can be contacted on 01539 732490 or by email at fratkinson@hotmail.co.uk.

The club is affiliated to the British Mountaineering Council and the hut is available for bookings.