70 years after the publication The Eastern Fells - the first volume of Wainwright’s Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells - Richard Else discusses the complex man behind these hugely successful books; the forces that motivated him and how Alfred Wainwright fits into a larger tradition of guide book writing. Using extracts from the original films he made with Wainwright, together with a selection of rare photographs (some previously unseen), Richard suggests that the common image of a curmudgeonly individual is not only inaccurate but is a fundamental misrepresentation of this highly driven person. Richard will also discuss Wainwright’s legacy and how this has altered in the years since his death.

About the speaker

Richard Else is a filmmaker, photographer, writer, & academic.He is generally regarded as one of the pre-eminent remote location filmmakers of his generation and is one of the few Europeans to feature in the National Geographic’s Voices from the Summit. He has won over 30 major awards worldwide, including two from BAFTA, Scotland; the Royal Television Society and from film festivals worldwide.

Richard made three BBC series with Alfred Wainwright and was the first person to persuade him to appear on television. Over the course of 10 years, and about 10,000 miles, they travelled throughout the Lakes; many other places in northern England and the highlands & islands of Scotland. But Richard wasn’t just Alfred Wainwright’s producer: the two outdoor enthusiasts became firm friends away from the cameras and spent time on holiday, at each other’s houses and, of course, in many Little Chef cafes and fish ‘n chip shops.