Ron Scholes has much experience of long distance walking as well as fell walking, including walking solo from Cape Wrath to Land's End using his own route. He is a retired head teacher, and a former long-serving leader for YHA Walking Tours at home and abroad. He has been a regular contributor to countryside programmes for BBC local radio, and to the 'Yorkshire Journal' and 'Outdoor Pursuits' magazine. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (F.R.G.S.) and a Chartered Geographer (C.Geog.). Ron was a good friend of Alfred Wainwright and met Alfred and Betty many times at their home in Kendal Green. During these visits discussions ranged from his books, the Lakeland Fells and Animal Rescue, to maps ancient and modern and long-distance walking routes. One of these topics centred on a coast-to-coast walk across northern England. Wainwright approved of the route and suggested several helpful points and observations that he felt would improve the quality of the journey.