Today was a really special day for us — we were given special permission to give the Fanny Mercer cross a good makeover, and to share the moment with our daughter, Emily.
It was warm and very hazy, with the valley below busy with visitors, yet up on Fleetwith Pike there was a quiet stillness around the cross. Emily asked so many thoughtful questions, and at one point simply said, “how did she fall?” — which led us to explain why a cross was placed there in 1887, and to talk about the dangers of Lakeland’s crags and ridges.
This cross is a replacement, and was erected in 2011.
The Cockermouth Mountain Rescue Team has cared for a cross at this location since 1963, so we feel very honoured to have been given this opportunity. Some of the paint was flaking, so in places I had to sand it right back to the wood, but overall it was in good condition. After two fresh coats, it should now twinkle a bit brighter this summer.
A special thanks to Derek Tunstall Mbe for arranging this and allowing us to be part of its story. A full account about Fanny Mercer and the cross will be coming soon to the Lakeland Routes website.
These small memorials, scattered across the Lake District, are more than just markers on the fells — they are stories, quietly reminding us to tread with care in a landscape that is as unforgiving as it is beautiful.
Richard
