He dreamt of becoming an actor but his mother, Nessie, was having none of it and started applying for jobs on his behalf. I had a CML 109 with a Saito 125a and it flew very well, it would not go vertical but loops were better with diving to get the speed up. He doesn’t ‘garden’ in the traditional sense, although he does own 35 acres of oak and ash woodland and an orchard of fruit trees in land surrounding his Lake District home. Nevertheless, Eric is only retiring from one job and will continue broadcasting and writing as well as full-filling his roles as chairman of Cumbria Tourism and chairman of the Wainwright Society, a position he has held since its inception. Next day after replacing the points I suggested we go to Devon for the rest of the time we had left of our summer holidays.

A broadcaster and television documentary maker, he got to know Alfred Wainwright uncommonly well while filming with him in the 1980s. A fellow of the Tourism Society, Jim is also currently chairman of Eden Tourism Network and has been an enthusiastic supporter of Cumbria Tourism during the whole of his 40-plus year career in tourism in the county – including a stint as the organisation’s interim managing director in 2017.At the age of 36 he had risen high in the ranks of English historians and he had the most brilliant prospects.

This includes a previous role with national parks across the UK, leading tourism development and working with VisitEngland / VisitBritain and other destination management organisations nationally. Still, his fingers are green enough to roll his eyes when I enquire what he feels about the latest trend of ‘vegan gardening’ recently suggested by Matthew Appleby, deputy editor of Horticulture Week, who has deemed bird feeders and killing slugs beyond the pale. I’m the longest serving chairmen of one of the longest running programmes in the world and it couldn't get better than that.The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Robson says that is an accusation so familiar it has become clichéd, and was first levelled at the programme when he took over in 1994. I remember the weekend of the ascent of the Old Man of Hoy, and here we find out just how it was brought to the screen. In 1939 he sought no easy job; he served with the West African Regiment, reached the rank of Major, and after arduous campaigns - Abyssinia, and later in Burma - he became the historian of his regiment. The former Gardeners’ Question Time presenter was appointed to the honorary role in 2019 following a long-standing association with Cumbria Tourism, including a number of years as chairman.