Lyke Wake Clubs Lyke Wake Walk

the radomes of raf fylingdales in 1986, formerly prominent lyke wake walk landmark

the walk takes name lyke wake dirge, yorkshire s oldest surviving dialect verse, watching on wake of corpse (lyke). cowley proposed linking walk , dirge before first crossing had been completed. song tells of soul s passage through afterlife. walk not follow corpse road, although has been suggested does, though there no historical or archaeological evidence it. physical challenge, possibility of bad weather , difficult conditions make dirge appropriate club song.

the club established own culture , developed traditions based around dirge, aspects of cleveland history, superstitions , folklore, , rituals associated suffering, death, funerals , after-life broadly yorkshire, northern english , christian in character, acknowledgement of local folklore , pagan forebears inhabited moorlands. club meetings termed wakes , club badge coffin shaped , decorated ordnance survey symbol tumulus (burial mound), many of found along route. culture of solemnity regarding issues of ritual, folklore , mortality light-hearted aspects relating self-inflicted suffering of participants undertaking 40-mile walk. club membership was/is granted on submission of written report of successful crossing , entitles successful walkers membership card in form of black-edged condolence card bearing club crest, black coffin. many crossing reports humorous , in various forms including prose, poetry, maps, post-mortem reports, last wills , testaments, plays, etc., of quoted in many editions of cowley s lyke wake walk book , in separate volume devoted literature , artwork contributed members. female members termed witches , males dirgers .

typical lyke wake walk terrain, fylingdales moor

the walk emerged when outdoor challenges , sponsored fund-raising events becoming feature of national life. became popular , considered rite of passage outdoor enthusiasts in yorkshire in particular , across north of england. became challenge fundraisers causes. reliable estimates, based on club records, put number of people having completed crossing @ more 250,000. possibly more 30,000 made more 1 crossing, significant number have completed more ten times , handful have made more hundred. 1 estimate put total number of crossings 1994, @ 1 million not supported records. club celebrates walkers have undertaken multiple crossings awards called degrees acknowledging knowledge route, moorland , culture. club designated cowley chief dirger , other officers included melancholy mace bearer, harassed archivists, melodious minstrels, cheerless chaplain, horrible horn-blower , anxious almoner. degrees conferred include master/mistress of misery, doctor of dolefulness , past master/mistress. walkers completed more 1 hundred crossings referred senile centenarians , of march 2016, 4 people have achieved landmark.). requirements degrees are:

the new lyke wake club has instituted degree of purveyor of purgatory leaders have successfully, , without mishap, conducted 3 (or more) parties on walk. can awarded in absentia other degrees awarded when recipient in attendance @ wake.

the walk s popularity owes cowley s book gives insights history, archaeology, geography, natural history, , folklore of moors. book describes club , culture in tongue-in-cheek humorous style. first edition contained list of successful crossings october 1958. possibility of inclusion in future editions use of quotes crossing reports became incentive taking on challenge , inspired correspondents inventive , attain literary heights .

cowley died on 14 august 1994. lyke wake club, founded, closed in october 2005, walk s 50th anniversary. new club has been established – not without controversy – preserve traditions established cowley , take on old club s functions of recording crossings, holding wakes , liaising public authorities. new lyke wake club s activities have included donating funds north york moors national park young explorers conservation group, cleveland search , rescue team, , short story competition schools within national park. new club maintains up-to-date route information on website, funds footpath repairs , removes litter along route, , gives grants young club members educational , outdoor pursuits purposes.

lyke wake club condolence card

both original , new clubs criterion membership completion of crossing within 24 hours, , there no honorary, associate or corporate members. concession can claim 12 hours every 5 years on age of 65 but, although there have been crossings older walkers, on eighty years old, there no record of of them claiming concession. in earlier years signing in/out books kept @ queen catherine hotel in osmotherley , @ pollard cafe in ravenscar. lyke wake clubs have not monitored individual crossings compliance rules, cowley stated no 1 going walk going cheat, satisfactions of crossing entirely individual .