Here are some quotations from letters and faxes that I sent to Kate Cave of Frances Lincoln in 2005 in connection with the revision of The Eastern Fells. I have made changes to clarify which parts of the page are involved.
Arnison Crag 2: The dotted route beside Hag Beck is shown on Birks 4 because that is an ascent diagram and the route is used in the ascent. It is not relevant to the maps of Arnison Crag or Birks.
Clough Head 5: From the Ordnance Survey map it looks as though the paths to the north from the Old Coach Road may lead to the Mining Museum. If so it is certainly worth mentioning, and there is room to show it. I shall go out there again and have a look. (This could also go on page 3.)
Clough Head 3 and 5: The two paths do not lead to the Mining Museum or to anywhere else.
Dollywaggon Pike, page 8: You have got the top paragraph to fit very nicely.
Hart Crag 9, middle paragraph: I like to leave the text unchanged unless it is clearly wrong. A broken wall is still a wall, and ‘from the eastern cairn’ is still valid, but I don’t mind if you change it.
Helvellyn 13: It is a feature of the Wainwright books that the text area is always exactly six inches high. When I suggested shortening the text I assumed that you would increase the space above the footnote and add a space between each of the route descriptions. I hope you will not think me too fussy if I ask you to do this page again.
Helvellyn 20: ‘SWIRLS CAR PARK’ should be in italics because it is a destination (c.f. ‘THIRLSPOT’, ‘WYTHBURN’).
Little Mell Fell 3: It doesn’t matter if ‘new’ is taken out, but I think that the reference to heather should stay in because it is about a change that has taken place since the book was published, and because it helps to fill the space and, most importantly, because the paragraph reads better if it is left in. I think that the way that the sentences are constructed so that they sound right is one of the reasons that the Wainwright books are so popular. I try very hard to live up to the standards the author has set, and I hope that you will not make any more suggestions that prevent me from doing this.
Low Pike 3: Your comment shows that you do not understand the new text about the descent to Rydal at all. Nevertheless it is a helpful comment because it tells me that other people may not understand it. I suggest:
For Rydal, follow the wall south and turn right at Low Sweden Bridge (see Low Pike 2).
There is room if you start the sentence on the line above, after ‘unexpectedly.’ While you’re about it you could replace ‘Low Pike 2’ with ‘Dove Crag 5’, as more of the route is shown on that page.
Nethermost Pike 3: Here your request for destinations is legitimate because the paths were not shown on the original edition. I suggest ‘SWIRLS CAR PARK 2’ to the north and ‘DUNMAIL RAISE ½’ to the south.
Nethermost Pike 5: Here again I think that arrows and destinations would be useful, in this case just ‘SWIRLS’ to the left and ‘DUNMAIL RAISE’ (in two lines) on the right. The note about Comb Gill could be moved to the left if necessary.
Red Screes 7: The scale of the map is large enough to show both summit cairns in their correct positions.
Seat Sandal 3, near the foot of the page on the left – ‘1938’ should be ‘1983’.
Stybarrow Dodd 6, last paragraph: When I wrote that it would be practically impossible to avoid hyphenating Deepdale I was underestimating your ingenuity.
Stybarrow Dodd 7, halfway down: Except in the Personal Notes, A.W. refers to himself as ‘the author’ throughout the books. This is convenient because it means that I can refer to him in the same way whenever the occasion arises. It would be inconsistent to refer to him by name on this page and as ‘the author’ everywhere else.
White Side 9, Paragraph 2: I suggest:
A good path leads down to the depression
(where a branch descends to Glenridding).
Strike up the ridge ahead, following a wide
ribbon of gravel, and after reaching a cairn
cross the level plateau to the stony summit.