The White Mole's Story - Making Mountains out of Molehills

Stephen, mole catcher and dry stone waller, has a taste for adventure and a liking for hiking. Put these together and you have a series of holidays in Switzerland and Austria, where he decides to try for the Golden Boot hiking award. This involves completing ten hikes, with no cheating! His adventures include witnessing the vanishing victim of the ice grotto, new companions and great 'crack' wherever he goes.During this and his subsequent adventures in Canada, Scotland and the Lake District, the plot darkens, drifting into his developing mental illness, with frightening, unrecognised symptoms. His unusual behaviour causes concern and several 'missing' reports from fellow travellers and tour reps, then worry for his family, leading to hospital, a trial, bipolar disorder and a breakdown.This diary chronicles his personal journeys, both on foot and in his mind, giving an insight into mental illness and his passion for mountains.

Stephen W Titterington was born in Penrith, Cumbria in 1961. He was educated at Ullswater School and then Cumbria College of Agriculture – Newton Rigg.

His early working life was spent on the family farm in the shadow of Blencathra and he went on to become a self-employed dry stone waller and expert molecatcher. He now lives in Penrith.

Customer Reviews

4.0

2 reviews

M Petrovics

For anyone with an interest in hill-walking, this book transports you to various places with lively tales of walks both epic and enjoyable. A hard-working life out of doors is also well documented, with fascinating details of skills which are now becoming rare. The descriptions of his mental illness give an insight into what trying to cope with such problems means to the sufferer, and his family and friends, told with an objectivity which is little short of amazing under the circumstances. A brave book.
Peter Brennand

An interesting and informative read about one man's love for the countryside and mountains where he finds pleasure and relief from the everyday struggles of living with bipolar - an unseen but handicapping illness.

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