The Secret Life of Cumbria is a book written by the people of Cumbria. A collection of stories about escape, love, grief, and favourite T-shirts!

Anyone who lived, worked in or visited Cumbria in 2008 could write their own pages by sending a text message or visiting this web site. The pages of the book are all collected here.

Cumbria is a big place, both in the world and in our imaginations, with as many paths through it as there are people who live in or visit it. You can read Cumbria's Secret Life by finding your own way through this site, moving from place to place.

Carlisle Museum and Art Gallery featuring collections of: Human History, Archaeology, Wildlife, Geology and Fine And Decorative Art

Messages

What year meant most to you and why?

2008 Met the sexiest man of my life - bald, arthritic, middle -aged & devastatingly desirable!
17th Jun 2008

2006 best year of my life i met Peter! 2008 worst year of my life i still know him.
11th Jun 2008

Tullie House stole my youth.
11th Jun 2008

2006 was best and worst year of my life.bad cause husband went off with my best friend,best cause met new partner who is so much better than ex husband.
31st May 2008

1996 is most important.my brother died.i would die for the chance for him to live again.
30th May 2008

2008 has been great, its been the best, and its only May - it gets my vote. Every single day.
17th May 2008

2001. At long last, met the right man
17th May 2008

What was your favourite ever piece of clothing and why?

my favourite piece of clothing was a blue-grey pinafore dress in soft cordouroy, with big pockets on the skirt. I wore it with a lovely white blouse with leg of mutton sleeves and woolen tights and clogs. It was the nineteen seventies, so I didn't l
13th May 2008

my favourite clothing is a navy blue karrimor fleece jumper. It was bought 4 me when i was a peniless postgrad student in 1998 and seemed an extremely extravogant gift at the time. Since then its been on every caving, climbing, walking and camping tr
19th Apr 2008

i wore my beautiful bluesky butterfly dress to school on a non uniform day, but was forlorn at the early age of 7! as another little girl had the same special dress as me!
11th Apr 2008