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SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.


Postby trailmasher » Tue Jan 22, 2019 3:08 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Ling Fell, Sale Fell

Date walked: 11/01/2019

Time taken: 2.49

Distance: 9.74 km

Ascent: 523m

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Ling Fell and Sale Fell.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



I'm going to start off this report with a massive whinge, a whine, a bitch and a well deserved moan regarding the antics of Flickr's new owners, SmugMug, who didn't take too long in wielding their corporate and capitalist muscle to hold all subscribers to the once free option of Flickr to ransom with the threat of removing all but 1,000 of their images if a yearly fee of nearly £48 wasn't paid by the 5th February 2019.

Okay, a profit has to be made, but why this way? If it was free I wouldn't mind annoying adverts, I'd get over it. They know damn well that if we don't come up with the money then all our images will be forever lost to whatever other online social media site we use to showcase our images to the wider audience, or viewer. Who knows how many will be affected by this - in my opinion immoralistic - move to glean even more money from the general public, and to me it could be said that 'why, it's only about.92 pence per week' but, that's not the point, we now have no option. Pay up or lose 'em. I am not a professional or even amateur photographer; I'm a happy hill snapper. Others would say 'well, migrate your images to somewhere else in the cloud', yes, there's plenty of options about but who realistically wants to start moving thousands of images around with the chance of something going wrong and then losing all. If subscribers to WH don't join the rush to part with their hard earned brass then all but a few past posts will begin to appear imageless with nothing left to see but the thoughtful prose of a walk enjoyed, the script with which one could only try to imagine what the walk was like.

When I first discovered WH I used to reduce the size of my images to the required size so that I could place the maximum of 24 of them on to their own servers. Now this way is OK although the images do lose some content in the squashing down process and being either a pro, amateur, or just a happy snapper I'm sure that we all like our photos to be shown to their best value, and sometimes more of them to better showcase the walk. Then I was made aware of Flickr, it opened my options, more images at full size, and it was free, what's not to like about this?

I know that some people will think that I'm bitching about the small matter of paying the small amount of £48 but it's not only the fact that I'm a Yorkshire man with short arms and deep pockets; it's just another incidence of hit the public's pockets with corporate greed. After much deliberation - and of course - permission from the paymaster general I reluctantly submitted to this act of kidnap and ransom and am now a fully paid up member of Flickr Pro even though I wield only a compact camera and will never use any of the other 'goodies' that are now on offer to us 'Pro's'.

Well, now that I've got that off my chest I'll get on with the report about the amble over some of the smaller of the North Western Fells, another easy walk for Chris on his way back to the way he was. Only two days after we had walked over Wansfell he was wanting another go, with this walk being a tad longer and with a little more height gain than on the Wednesday. He also brought along a friend of his, Ray, who's having a beer free January and needs a walk on a hill to get fit, Ha.

The start of this walk is from a small quarry at Brumston Bridge - NY185293 - and it's a bit of a nemesis for me as although I have been here on numerous occasions I always somehow seem to take a wrong turn and finish up far away from where I intended to be and today was no exception as on this visit I made the mistake of turning off at the sign marking the way to the Pheasant Inn, turning left instead of right and ended up in the old quarries in Wythop Woods. After then putting things and my navigation to rights we arrived at the quarry on a cold and mostly cloudy day with just a few streaks of blue in the far distance to escort us along into the hills.

ImageCar Park at Brumston Bridge

The woodland that we were parked in was looking winter miserable, bare, damp and partly clothed in cloaks of moss and algae with the remnants of last year's finery scattered about on the ground. All was quiet and peaceful as we walked down to cross the old stone bridge and then turn west along the narrow metalled road for a few metres before arriving at a double width wooden gate where we then left the blacktop to enter the realms of a long and green old Corpse Road that we would follow west for quite some distance.

There was a bit of a chill in the air as we made our way along this very easily graded and well made track and on looking back from around the 230 metre contour Sale Fell could be seen on our left with a cloud covered vision of Skiddaw sat behind Longside Edge in the far distance.

ImageA view east along the Old Corpse Road towards Skiddaw

ImageSale Fell

Another few minutes brought us a view of the pastures of Embleton sat beneath a sky that was striped white and blue giving it the appearance of a large bathroom towel.

ImageLooking across to Embleton

With ambling and chatting it didn't seem to take long before we were turning the corner to now start walking roughly SSE still following a good green and well graded track that had now left the dead bracken behind to begin its journey through large patches of dormant brown heather.

ImageA well graded track all the way to the summit

There were one or two other walkers about, locals we suspected, with their lack of proper walking gear and carrying no bags on their backs. It was peaceful enough, but only when the other two were apart from each other. Struth, they say that women can talk but these two would give 'em a good run for their money when the occasion warranted it. Everything and everybody got mauled, the government, celebrities - especially those from their own neck of the woods - football managers and teams, you name it, they got it. Talk about hillside barristers. After a bit more steady climbing having the odd rest on the way up we reached the level platform that plays host to a couple of ancient grouse butts.

ImageOld grouse butts-Sale Fell and Binsey

The views were opening up nicely with a few northern fells becoming visible behind the cloud cloaked Skiddaw but with the still good track beckoning us on we didn't linger and within a few minutes more were stood on the 373 metre high summit beside the stone built trig column.

ImageLing Fell summit posers

Now we could see a landscape that wasn't going to change much throughout this walk as to the south we could see the rolling green grassy slopes of Lord's Seat, Broom Fell and Graystones sat in front of Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, and Grasmoor, east is Skiddaw with a hint of some of the northern fells peeping out from behind it. West is open ground towards Cockermouth, north is similar.

ImageSale Fell with Skiddaw behind

Earlier as we set off Skiddaw had just a light covering of cloud but now it is much thicker and looks like a massive waterfall as the clouds tumbled down its west facing slopes as though they were going to fill Barkbethdale and Southerndale.

We left the summit to follow a path east down the easy slopes, a path that put us on to a hard stony track…

ImageThe track to Burthwaite Heights

that we would now follow south until we reached a fork where we turned left to follow a path through rough pasture ground.

ImageLord's Seat to Graystones ridge on the way to Burthwaite Heights

Over to our left was the small hump of Burthwaite Heights, a Birkett of some 318 metres, and along with the other two - Lothwaite and Rivings - of no consequence really apart from the fact that Chris is currently on a mission to complete those lesser fells and they are in our way as we walk this circuit back to Brumston Bridge. It was at the access gate that we stopped for our second break of the walk so far.

ImageAnother break before climbing on to Burthwaite Heights

ImageBurthwaite Heights

A decent enough path took us over the rough grass to then climb the easy slopes through patches of gorse that grows on the lower slopes of this nearly flat grassy hill.

ImageLing Fell from the foot of Burthwaite Heights

After a short and easy climb we decided that this was the highest point on the fell.

ImageA mole hill and one stone marks the high spot

Our way now leads us along a wiggly course northeast down the pathless fellside towards the farm at Old Scales…

ImageNow on to Lothwaite-Rivings and Sale Fell

until we reached a gate in the wall from where we walked along a track down to and through the farmyard at Old Scales.

ImageOld Scales

We left the farm behind to reach a narrow metalled lane where we now turned right to follow it for a good few metres until we spotted the fingerpost that would point us in the direction of the path through the fields to Chapel Wood…

ImageLooking back to Old Scales and Burthwaite Heights

ImageThe track to Chapel Wood

where we passed through a deer fence identified by its extra height over a normal fence. The last time that I came this way with E there was a notice saying that the wood was closed due to tree felling when there was actually no forestry activity at all. Today there was no such notice and as we neared the gate a few horse riders passed by on the higher track that runs through the wood. This was to be our way of passage also but in the opposite direction.

ImageRay and Sonny in Chapel Wood

The track is once again good, firm and well graded as it runs through the trees along the bottom of the fellside slowly rising as it creeps upwards through the contours until as we reach the spot below Lothwaite summit it begins to climb a little steeper, over tree roots and some straggly gorse in the higher reaches just below the summit. As we climbed Bassenthwaite began to appear below us with a backdrop of Dodd, Longside Edge and Skiddaw.

ImageDodd - Longside Edge - Skiddaw

Once through these minor obstacles we were once again on a wide and green track that we would now follow all the way to Sale Fell and beyond.

ImageLothwaite summit in view

The views over to the east were marred only by the haze of low but thin cloud but the 'waterfall' on Skiddaw now looked to be in full flow as the clouds tumbled endlessly from the summit into the dales below.

ImageSkiddaw from Lothwaite summit

Looking west we could see our way forward to Rivings - 335 metres - and our second Wainwright, Sale Fell at 359 metres.

ImageRivings and Sale Fell from Lothwaite

We also had a good view of the Lord's Seat to Graystones ridge over to the south.

ImageThe Lord's Seat hills ridge

The way between Lothwaite and Sale Fell is once again easy going, just what Chris needs to help get his hill fitness back, a long green lane as far as the eye can see.

ImageSale Fell far distance

ImageLooking back to Lothwaite from near Rivings

Within minutes from leaving Lothwaite we were at the massive cairn that sits on the small hump of Rivings, a cairn that would give some of the bigger and higher fells, or even mountains, more credibility had they been blessed with a cairn such as this.

ImageSale Fell from Rivings

The path is wide and clear, leading towards a gate in a wall where we stopped to rest awhile whilst we had food and drink to fortify body and soul. A few minutes after our meal break we were climbing the easy slopes of Sale Fell to soon reach the bare summit area of small stones, dirt, and some patches of wrinkled rock slabs from where familiar views are to be had.

ImageSale Fell summit

ImageSkiddaw and the Northern Fells from Sale Fell top

Leaving these fells behind is as easy as walking along the high street with a wide and gentle grass track all the way back down to the short walk along the metalled lane back to the car.

ImageDescending Sale Fell with Ling Fell beyond

ImageGood and easy tracks on these fells

Another decent days walking on maybe what are the two easiest fells to walk in the LD, ideal for Chris who was coping all right today only two days after his first outing and he's already calling for the next one on the following Monday of next week. I'll maybe stretch him a bit on the next one but we'll see how he is on the day.

Today's steady pace has kept the cold at bay although the wind did sneak into any loose place that it could find with the body and particularly the hands cooling fairly rapidly whenever we stopped for a break. But whatever the weather it's always a joy to be out and about on the fells.
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trailmasher
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby Pointless Parasite » Tue Jan 22, 2019 10:34 pm

Thanks, just what I needed. Hopefully I will climb these two on Saturday. I was thinking of doing the Winlatter fells first, which means crossing the bog South of Ling Fell :roll:
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby Sgurr » Tue Jan 22, 2019 11:17 pm

Re whinge. I had over 300 trip reports elsewhere hosted on photobucket. They then decided that everyone was going to pay $399 or else. So I manually removed all my photos and put them on flickr, only to find they are doing the same sort of thing, though less extreme. I too am now a reluctant flickr subscriber. However, I also do ad blocking because I was fed up of ads for funeral plans, care homes, dental implants et al following me round the internet, so I only have myself to blame if I won't watch ads. Then someone discovered a fix whereby you could see the old photobucket photos, even though they were allegedly blocked.

Nice report.
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby johnkaysleftleg » Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:05 pm

Two very pleasant fells these are. Nice views and pics of a lovely easy wander. It looks like it would have been a great day to be stood on Ullock Pike admiring the drama of that cloud waterfall on Skiddaw.
As for Flickr I understand your frustration and concerns however their move comes as no real surprise. They've been in financial difficulties for some years now and have tried a few things to make the platform more sustainable. The problem with all the free storage was; the arse fell out of the online advertising market due to add blockers being so good and the adds that people paid for on Flickr don't get seen as this is just one of many sites which one can see images from Flickr without visiting Flickr. I've had a "pro" account for about 7 years now and this is the first significant rise in membership fee I can recall. Fingers crossed it's not the start of a trend.
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby Alteknacker » Thu Jan 24, 2019 12:33 am

Re: Flickr.

For me it's a matter of principle.

I've moved about half of my pics to different hosting sites, and will have them all moved by the deadline. Yes, it's a pain, but I'm enjoying looking over the old pics....
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby trailmasher » Sun Jan 27, 2019 4:52 pm

Pointless Parasite wrote:Thanks, just what I needed. Hopefully I will climb these two on Saturday. I was thinking of doing the Winlatter fells first, which means crossing the bog South of Ling Fell :roll:


Sorry late with this reply but if you haven't already done it, it isn't as wet as you would think crossing over from Ling Fell to Lord's Seat etc :) Hope that it works out for you :wink:
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby trailmasher » Sun Jan 27, 2019 4:57 pm

Sgurr wrote:Re whinge. I had over 300 trip reports elsewhere hosted on photobucket.was going to pay $399 or else. So I manually removed all my photos and put them on flickr, only to find they are doing the same sort of thing, though less extreme. I too am now a reluctant flickr subscriber.
Nice report.


Reluctant indeed :roll: I'll stick with it this year but will look elsewhere for next time around :? Thanks for your comments, much appreciated :D
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby trailmasher » Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:07 pm

johnkaysleftleg wrote:Two very pleasant fells these are. Nice views and pics of a lovely easy wander. It looks like it would have been a great day to be stood on Ullock Pike admiring the drama of that cloud waterfall on Skiddaw.[quote/]

I've seen Skiddaw 100's of times but never seen this cloud effect before. Stood on Ullock with a cam corder would have produced a great video 8)

I've had a "pro" account for about 7 years now and this is the first significant rise in membership fee I can recall. Fingers crossed it's not the start of a trend.


Being from God's own county I don't like parting with well earned brass Anthony :( but sometimes one just has to bite the bullet, take a deep breath, and pay up. For now :wtf:
Thanks for the comments :D
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby trailmasher » Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:13 pm

Alteknacker wrote:Re: Flickr.

For me it's a matter of principle.....


A man of high principles :clap: and why not to be. 8) Like I said AK, it may be less than a £ a week but hell man it's like paying more money for a smaller Wagon Wheel :lol: there's not much for nowt nowadays :crazy: :roll: :(
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby Sgurr » Sun Jan 27, 2019 6:18 pm

trailmasher wrote:Being from God's own county I don't like parting with well earned brass


We have friends from GOC. We ate out one holiday and they both ate sausages and mash, the cheapest thing on the menu. "Was it nice?" "Not very" Then the next night it was still the cheapest on the menu, so they had it again. We both get the same pension, so we are baffled. I suspect the glow they have from saving the money outweighs any disgust at the menu choice. Maybe you can explain.
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby goingforawii » Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:02 pm

Sgurr wrote:
trailmasher wrote:Being from God's own county I don't like parting with well earned brass


We have friends from GOC. We ate out one holiday and they both ate sausages and mash, the cheapest thing on the menu. "Was it nice?" "Not very" Then the next night it was still the cheapest on the menu, so they had it again. We both get the same pension, so we are baffled. I suspect the glow they have from saving the money outweighs any disgust at the menu choice. Maybe you can explain.


:clap: This is where I wish the laughing-crying emoji was on here :D
Last edited by goingforawii on Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby goingforawii » Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:10 pm

Nice report.

I use imgur at the mo - it’s currently free. There’s some silly stat that around 70% of images on the internet are hosted by imgur. I may have read that wrong... but it means it’ll probably always be free for Jo Bloggs.

It’s not as functional as Flickr. When you upload photos to an album for example, it’s not done in date taken or filename order - but for a scaled down version to embed/link to a forum it’s fine.
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby trailmasher » Mon Jan 28, 2019 8:33 pm

goingforawii wrote:
Sgurr wrote:
trailmasher wrote:Being from God's own county I don't like parting with well earned brass


We have friends from GOC. We ate out one holiday and they both ate sausages and mash, the cheapest thing on the menu. "Was it nice?" "Not very" Then the next night it was still the cheapest on the menu, so they had it again. We both get the same pension, so we are baffled. I suspect the glow they have from saving the money outweighs any disgust at the menu choice. Maybe you can explain.


:clap: This is where I wish the laughing-crying emoji was on here :D


It's inherited, bred in the genes :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ta for a nice, funny tale. Maybe they're relatives of mine 8)
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby trailmasher » Mon Jan 28, 2019 8:38 pm

goingforawii wrote:Nice report.

I use imgur at the mo - it’s currently free. There’s some silly stat that around 70% of images on the internet are hosted by imgur. I may have read that wrong... but it means it’ll probably always be free for Jo Bloggs.

It’s not as functional as Flickr. When you upload photos to an album for example, it’s not done in date taken or filename order - but for a scaled down version to embed/link to a forum it’s fine.


Thanks for your comments, advice and tips GFW, much appreciated :D :D :clap: TBH I've never heard of it but will now check it out and give it a burst with a few photos and a dummy run on WH :thumbup: Again thanks for your comments :D
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Re: SmugMug/Flickr bandits - go Pro or lose your images.

Postby past my sell by date » Fri Feb 01, 2019 6:53 pm

Maybe we've become too used to the internet being free. As the world moves into recession will the "Paid for by advertising model" continue to work? I spend a vast amount of time on WH and I've just made a small donation. If you enjoy it as much as I do, can I suggest you do likewise - whatever you can afford. It would be tragic if it was forced to close
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