Mr W.J. Corrie

W. Jackson Corrie, of Little Langdale, was an adventurer who encouraged many people, both young and old, to take to the hills.

Born in Workington, where he lived until he was 18, Mr Corrie was the second of three brothers and studied at Newcastle University. He then took up a post at Ferranti in Manchester following his National Service, which he spent in Bavaria installing radio and radar equipment.

Later he took up a post at Manchester College teaching telecommunications, where he remained until retiring.

As Rag Week stunt co-ordinator at Newcastle University, Mr Corrie completed the classic Three Peaks - Ben Nevis, Scafell and Snowdon - on a motorbike in the middle of winter.

Married to Anne, and father of Andrew, Heather and Jessica, Mr Corrie moved to Little Langdale in the 1970s.

He took up climbing in the 1950s, initially in the Borrowdale area. He was a regular habitué of Wall End Barn, in Langdale, and attended reunions in the Old Dungeon Ghyll for many years.

In October 2006, Mr Corrie completed a route in Yosemite with his son-in-law Leo Houlding, the Appleby-based climbing ace.

Mr Corrie encouraged his children to follow their own interests and both Andrew and Heather became international slalom canoeists, while Jessica followed her father's interest in climbing and has been involved in many first ascents, both winter and summer.

Although Mr Corrie never learned to swim, he was a regular sailor and took part in many kayak and Canadian canoe trips.

In 2002, at the age of 68, Mr Corrie was involved in a climbing accident that left him in a coma for nearly two months.

Mr Corrie was a man who stuck to his principles and took farmers to court over access issues and had brushes with the law in the States while on a demonstration concerning Native American rights. He was also a passionate educationalist and gave his time freely to his family and any other children who sought his help.