Family pay tribute to Lancaster writer and poet whose passion lay in the mountains

Tom Bowker’s family have paid tribute to a “wonderful, caring and loving” husband and dad, and a “brilliant and funny” grandad who passed his passion for the hills and mountains on to many many people.

He was born at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on February 14 1934, and lived in Lancaster all his life, apart from a brief spell in Workington, as a police officer with Cumbria Constabulary.

He attended Dallas Road Junior and Senior Schools and went on to become an apprentice painter and decorator at Williamsons linoleum factory.

His passion for climbing followed a trip to the Langdale Pikes, and from then on his spare time was filled with climbing, walking, photography, writing and encouraging others to enjoy the hills as he did.

He joined a local Youth Hostel Association group whose members regularly boarded the 555 bus to Keswick.

During those years he met and instantly fell in love with Joyce Atkinson from Lancaster and together they spent many happy years walking the fells and mountains, in the UK and abroad.

Aged 21, Tom did his National Service with the King’s Own Royal Regiment before returning to Lancaster.

He worked for several local firms whilst pursuing his walking and then married Joyce in 1956.

They had two daughters, Julie and Helen who both have grown to love the hills too.

Tom enrolled as a mature student to study History at Lancaster University and continued to write poetry and short stories, submitting them far and wide.

He led a night school class with Lancaster and Morecambe College where he introduced his students to the Lancashire and Lake District fells.

He covered map reading, local knowledge and some of his favourite walks.

His first book Mountain Lakeland was published in 1984 by Robert Hale and he went on to write 74 articles for “Cumbria” and “Dalesman” magazines between December 1996 and September 2013.

He also wrote 12 guide books for Dalesman Publishing which outlined walks of different lengths and accessibility in all areas of the Lake District.

He became an accomplished photographer, joining Lancaster and Lunesdale Camera Clubs and was also a member of the Yorkshire Ramblers.

A number of Tom’s poems have been published and he was delighted to be asked to do a poetry reading for St Johns College York.

As well as completing the ascent of all 55 Lake District Marilyns (hills of any height with a drop of 150m or more on all sides), he also completed 263 of the 282 Munros (mountains over 3,000ft in Scotland).

Tom died on November 11, and leaves behind his wife Joyce, his daughters Julie and Helen, and grandchildren Matthew and Rachel.