Checkout
Millican Bags are inspired by adventure
If you’ve ever considered jumping on a train with a one-way ticket and a rucksack of essentials, then be warned that the following blog may just inspire you even further…
Who is Millican Dalton?
In the early 1900s, Cumbrian born Millican Dalton was working the 9-5 life as an insurance clerk in the
capital. But the city life, with all of its walls and confined spaces was never to suit this intrepid outdoorsman. Full of wanderlust and the desire to live a natural lifestyle, Dalton decided to abandon his life in London to go off in search of “romance and freedom”.
Before the death of his father, Dalton’s family had lived in the exciting wild open of Cumberland before moving south when Dalton was just seven. Dalton and his brother never forgot their time in Cumbria, and would spend public holidays exploring the county, as well as the beautiful Lake District and Scottish highlands. While he and his brother would spend their summers camping in the more conventional sense, when Dalton gave up his life in city, he found a much more permanent shelter in a cave in the Borrowdale Valley. Visitors to the valley can still find an example of his outlook on life still etched on the walls:
“Don’t waste words, jump to conclusions.”
Far before it was a buzz word, a fashion trend, or a necessity, Dalton maintained a sustainable lifestyle; he was a vegetarian, teetotaller, pacifist and socialist. Eager to be at one with nature, he made organic clothes, took fellow explorers and holiday makers on expeditions around the Lake District, and most importantly, found a shelter within nature. His ‘cave-hotel’ was never filled with valuables or even many possessions, just a few simple essentials and a sewing machine. After quickly becoming a guiding light to those wishing to explore the district, Dalton went on to design tents, rucksacks and sleeping bags from tightly woven Egyptian cotton for visitors. These innovative designs were years ahead of their time, and selling them to visitors meant Dalton was able to afford a little luxury- a strong coffee from a shop in Keswick!
Millican, The Keswick Bag Co. is born
Over half a century later, a couple of former travellers experienced the same constraints of British metropolitan life as Dalton. So, Nicky and Jorrit packed up their lives in the city and relocated to the Lake District to live amongst nature and breathe in the fresh air. Inspired by the legendary story of Millican Dalton, Nicky and Jorrit co-founded Millican, The Keswick Bag Co. and haven’t looked back. Their range of eco-friendly, sustainably sourced rucksacks, messenger bags and travel companions provide adventurers with the tools to explore to their hearts content and experience a little of Millican Dalton’s enviable ‘why wait?’ attitude.