(Photo used with kind permission of allybeag on Flickr.)

Recently some of the team spent a very enjoyable day out in the hills with Sir Chris Bonnington.

We were in Wasdale, and it occurred to us that a combination of facts could just make this the most interesting valley in Britain.

Fact One:
Wasdale Head, is home to the smallest church in England. St. Olaf's.

Fact Two:
At 252 ft, Wastwater is the deepest lake in England.

Fact Three:
Wasdale has the highest peak, Scafell Pike at 3209 ft, (we know you knew that, but it is worth mentioning.)

Fact Four:
Wasdale was home to the biggest liar. Will Ritson, Victorian landlord of what is now the Wasdale Head Inn, he had a reputation for telling porkies. So much so that an annual 'Biggest Liar in the World' competition is held every year in his honour.

We think that makes for a pretty compelling combination.

Do you have another contender for the country's most interesting valley?

We'd love to hear from you.

This is the first, (and possibly the last time) this blog will quote the ‘Journal of Theoretical Biology’.

But according to the Thaindian News web site, a new study maintains that: ” While traversing steep hillsides, trekking on a straight line might seem like the shortest route, but its the zigzag course that provides the most efficient and fastest way for humans to go up or down hilly terrain.”

Of course, old hands in the hills have known this for years. But it is nice to get official confirmation.

See the full article here.

We've heard on the grapevine, that there’s a ‘bouncy’ new competition in the pipeline, in which you could win a pair of the recently launched, newer than new, Calusa XCR high-performance, multi-activity shoe.

Full details will be on the Outdoorsmagic web site w/c March 3rd, but all we can tell you now is that the comp is built around our ‘What’s Your Playground’ theme, and there’ll be 10 lucky winners.

So don’t forget to check out Outdoorsmagic. And who knows? You could be stepping out this Spring in a pair of the newest, most sought after activity shoes available.

Whoops, we’ve been so busy getting the blog up and running recently, we almost forgot to give a plug for the launch of our terrific new web site.

We’re really pleased with it, and hope you like it too.

It debuted a couple of weeks ago, and hopefully complements this blog with it’s mix of product information on both our outdoor performance and lifestyle ranges, retailer support, reviews, new product introductions, brasher background and a whole lot more.

As Zoe Brookes, our Marketing Manager here commented on launch day:

“We wanted to communicate our passion for the outdoors and educate visitors to the site on the breadth of outdoor experiences that can be enjoyed out there. The new site treats each visitor as an individual, recommending the right footwear for their preferred activity and encouraging them to share their experiences in the great outdoors.”

The site’s getting plenty of traffic from brasher fans new and old, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, why not click here and go and see what’s new for yourself?

The Wainwright Window in Buttermere Church, which overlooks Haystacks, has been battered by recent heavy storms over Cumbria, sparking fears the window could shatter.

With reports of more bad weather in the coming weeks, the Rev Margaret Jenkinson, vicar of Buttermere Church, took the decision to board up the window while its frame is strengthened.

Full story here on LiveForThe OutDoors with more information here at the Online Fellwalking Club, including news about the restoration appeal.