At the age of 12 in 1932, Canon David Dixon moved with his family from north London to a cottage in Hallthwaites, not far from Millom where his father was originally from. He ran the Millom Scout group for many years, and worked as a curate in Barrow and Workington, and then was warden of Rydal Hall from 1968 to 1984. He used to take the scouts on long walks and camping weekends on the Fells, where the paths were not always easy to follow.