On our recent photoshoot we visited Aira Force, the most popular waterfall in the Lake District, located between Glenridding and Watermillock.

An area owned by the National Trust offering superb circular walks. It was a perfect location for photographing our new multi activity shoes in action. En route we couldn't help but notice two trees with a difference.

At the top of the parking area we took a path that lead us through lovely woodland. Along the way we discovered a fallen tree in which visitors have begun a custom of hammering coins into. They must have been doing so for a very long time as it was covered in anything from pennies to pound coins. Naturally enough this tree has become known as the Money Tree.

We took a circular path that lead us to a pair of footbridges across Aira Beck, one above Aira Force and one below the falls. The best view was from the lower viewpoint, where you could see the waterfall as the water plunges down through a cleft in the rock and taking in the stone upper bridge as it arches across the Aira.

Heading back to the car park we came across another unusual tree. A yew tree that was bent in the middle, apparently one of the branches had been cut causing it to grow like this. It is also meant to have the widest tree girth in the Lake District but I cannot find evidence to back that up.

Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

If you are planning to spend the half term in the great outdoors or simply getting out walking as a family at the weekends, Chichon GTX is the perfect answer to keep your children and their feet happy.

Voted by the Daily Express this Saturday as "one of the best walking boots" which already adds to its "Best In Test" Trail awards in the past four consecutive years.

As described by the Express "this walking boot for kids comes with a GORE-TEX lining ideal for walking on well defined paths and over moderate terrain."

Your children can walk and splash in as many puddles as they like and their feet will remain dry and comfortable all day long.

If you would like to give them a try, please call us on 0191 516 5780 or check out our stockists page at www.brasher.co.uk to locate your nearest stockist.

Music is quite often the topic of conversation in our office - "guess the year of the song and who sings this?" So we thought it would be topical to challenge everyone to think of songs that included the word "walking". We got quite a good list but I am sure there are plenty more...if you can think of any please drop us a line and we will add to our list.

I'm Gonna Be - The Proclaimers (I would walk 500 miles...)
These Boots were made for Walking - Nancy Sinatra
Walk of Life - Dire Straits
Baker Street - Jerry Rafferty (light in your head and dead on your feet...)
Footloose - Kenny Loggins
Fire Walk With Me - (Twin Peaks Theme)
I Walk the Line - Jonny Cash
I'm Walkin' - Fats Domino (yes indeed, I'm talkin'...)
Love's Been Good To Me - Rod McKuen (I have been a rover, I have walked alone...)
Tennessee Bird Walk - Jack Blanchard and Misty Morgan (love those novelty tunes)
The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles
The Happy Wanderer My knapsack on my back, val-de-ree...
Walk Like a Man - Bruce Springsteen, Four Seasons, Frankie Valli, Grand Funk Railroad
Walk Like an Egyptian - Bangles
Walk Right In - Rooftop Singers, New Christy Minstrels (baby let your mind roll on...)
Walk This Way - Aerosmith, Run DMC
Walking in a Winter Wonderland
Walking in Rhythm (moving in sound...)
Wanderer - Dion (he keeps away from Runaround Sue, too!) Donna Summer
You'll Never Walk Alone - from Carousel - Andy Williams, Jim Nabors, Judy Garland, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Pink Floyd (When you walk through a storm hold your head up high...)
 

A useful site offering all sorts of tips and walks for any keen ramblers or even if you just fancy a few hours in the outdoors is www.walkingbritain.co.uk

Full of tips on where to walk, what you need for starting out and even suggested places to stay this site is worth a visit!

This week we received greetings from John Pilkington in Georgia on his latest adventure "The Lebanon Mountain Trail"

You will find John's previous story on our blog if you are interested in his initial adventure plans.

Here is his latest update.....

"Slightly off course at the moment, but enjoying some splendid hospitality and great Caucasus trekking along the Russian border.

Despite frantic efforts and the help of people in high places the Iranians finally refused my visa three weeks ago. Not surprising really, considering what's been going on in Tehran. It's just rather frustrating that they sat on my application through the whole of March, April and May when they were giving visas to other people, but in June all visas were stopped and in July they deported some of the lucky people already in the country.

At the same time the Pakistan army has been driving the Taliban out of the Swat Valley, and guess what, they seem to have regrouped in hideouts along the Afghan border just where I was hoping to cross; so I wasn't at all surprised when the Pakistanis also refused my permit to enter there.

On the plus side, I've spent an unexpectedly brilliant three weeks enjoying the generosity of the Kurds in northern Iraq. North-east Syria was pretty amazing too, where the Euphrates winds its way through the desert.

The good news is that the Neons and especially the Lithium XCR's have been fantastic, and at 42 degrees in the Syrian desert I really appreciated them. No damage or serious wear and tear so far.

As I carry on eastwards, I've come to have a look at Georgia and Armenia and will perhaps have another bash at Iran and Afghanistan next year. It's a bit of a disappointment but I'm considering that part of the trip "postponed" rather than abandoned.

I will send through another trip update when I've finished in the Caucasus."

John Pilkington