Wainwright - The Beer and the Man

Alfred Wainwright - Lakeland Misery Guts

Alfred Wainwright was a famous northern English walker and writer of walks, most closely associated with England's Lake District. When the plain-speaking Wainwright died in 1991, the walking guides to the Lakes he started with the Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells in the 50s were still in print and continue to be so.  All this without any advertising or publicity, of which the diffident Wainwright had no interest. In fact, he had something of a reputation of being a cantankerous and unapproachable misery guts in real life, which is not something that comes across in his books. The story goes that he began walking to escape his wife. No such complications with one of his great walking companions - his pipe, of course.

The Wainwright Society was formed in 2002 to keep alive the memory of the man and his works.

Thwaites' Wainwright - 

Exquisitely Good Golden Ale

Thwaites brewery was founded in 1807 in Blackburn, England - Wainwright's birthplace. To celebrate their 200th anniversary they produced a number of speciality ales, including the Wainwright golden ale.

It's light, with a nice hoppy bite and citrus tang - a good hiking ale. But if there's squall blowing outside, a glass of this whilst reading one of Wainwright's books in front of a roaring fire is a good alternative.