Getting fit at work by walking 33 miles a day on Lakeland roads

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THESE days many office workers join gyms or sit on exercise machines to keep in trim - but there was no need for the West Cumbrian postie who walked more than a marathon every day.

The long-distance wanderings of Postman Whitten featured on the pages of the Barrow Post on May 6 in 1876.

It noted: "A foot postman named Whitten leaves Drigg every morning with the mail for Gosforth, on to Wasdale and Wasdale Head, and back again to Holmrook, a distance of 33 miles per day, or upwards of 10,000 miles in 12 months.

"The distance is covered according to time.


It noted: "A foot postman named Whitten leaves Drigg every morning with the mail for Gosforth, on to Wasdale and Wasdale Head, and back again to Holmrook, a distance of 33 miles per day, or upwards of 10,000 miles in 12 months.

"Of late he has felt that he will be unable to keep this wonderful feat up year after year and some steps are being taken to purchase a pony to aid him in the work."

We know what a West Cumbrian postman would have looked like from a photograph of around 1895 which was displayed at a Kendal meeting held by members of the Cumbrian Postal History Society.

It shows Mr H. Russell in about 1895.

He had been the Holmrook postman for many years and his long service stripes can be seen on his chest.

Mr Russell was born at Drigg in 1842 and died on July 26 in 1909.