Book Review: "Lake District Woodland Walks"

It takes a lot to persuade me away from lakes and mountains when I am walking in the Lake District. It is such a beautiful place that I am always after extensive views so have never really explored the spectacular woodlands in the area. I have recently put that right with the help of Northern Eye’s “Lake District Woodland Walks”, written by Vivienne Crow.

I have to say the front cover, which features striking green trees and a carpet of bluebells would make most people want to venture forth and explore so it captured me immediately. The book is pocket-size and has a selection of ten woodland walks to choose from. Each walk has a small Ordnance Survey map of the route and then a detailed step-by-step guide to follow, highlighting points of interest along the way and where to look out for particular wildlife. There is also a summary at the beginning of the distance and terrain you will encounter as well as some context to the area each walk is based within.

The ten walks span the whole of the Lake District from Backbarrow in the south to Bassenthwaite in the north and from Ravenglass in the west to Staveley in the east. The distances range from just over two miles to eight miles so there is something for everyone. At face value it is a comprehensive guide with everything you could need. But – what are the walks like to follow in reality? I tried one of them to find out.

The Grasmere Woods walk was my choice. I battled torrential rain on this walk and I have to say the trees provided at least some welcome shelter at various points! I am delighted to say the directions were very easy to follow, even when the path wasn’t always clear (there are useful tips on paths not to take when there is doubt). I didn't need to refer to my OS map once (but make sure you have one with you just in case). In spite of the weather it was a lovely walk that went through rugged oak woods, across the shore of Grasmere and along the slopes of Loughrigg on the terrace, which has views extensive enough to even satisfy me (albeit not on that day!) 

The 10 walks

The book rightly highlights the changing nature of woodlands throughout the year. On my Grasmere walk, the colourful golds, reds and yellows of autumn were still clinging to the trees but I am going to try it again in the spring as Vivenne Crow mentions in this chapter that the woods leading away from Loughrigg Terrace are “awash with bluebells” come May. It is a walking book for all seasons.

With stunning photos peppered throughout the book and with each walk being so well written, easy to follow and really capturing the magic of the variety of woodlands in the Lake District, this is an excellent addition to anyone’s walking library and at £4.99 is very good value.

It is part of a series of top ten walks by Northern Eye books, all of which look tempting.....

Lake District Woodland Walks is available in most Lake District bookshops or via www.northerneyebooks.co.uk

 

Published by Northern Eye Books

Written by Vivienne Crow

Price £4.99

Book Review: Lakeland Fellranger - The Far Eastern Fells

When I was asked by Cicerone to review the eighth and final Lakeland Fellranger guide by Mark Richards, I jumped at the chance. Over the last four years, since I first discovered this series, I have devoured each one with delight and had high hopes (and therefore expectations) of this one.

“Lakeland Fellranger - The Far Eastern Fells” is described as “The complete guide for walkers and explorers of the Lakeland fells”. A bold statement, but is it true?

The Far Eastern Fells

In short, yes. The author seems to have thought of everything anyone could possibly need. This volume covers the area to the east of Ullswater and each fell has a separate chapter (there are 33 fells covered from Angletarn Pikes to Yoke) with a colour Harvey map highlighting a selection of starting points and routes. The routes are depicted in red so are easy to follow on the map. Each starting point and route is then covered in detail in the text. There are line-drawn maps in 3D to give a sense of the elevation, descriptions of the summits, recommended ridge routes and advice on the safest descents.

The author’s energy and passion come through in the text along with his knowledge of the fells and their history, with interesting insights. Perhaps most strikingly however, there are a series of four hand drawn panoramas of the views from the summit of each fell covered in the book, showing the shape and names of all the surrounding fells. This must have been a painstaking task but it adds real value, especially for those less familiar with the fells.

There are colour photos throughout that really capture the beauty of the Lakeland fells in every season (although the author seems to have been fortunate to avoid too much grey cloud!) and at the beginning, a useful list of grid references for each starting point and information on safety on the fells. 

So with all that in mind, I would say that “The Far Eastern Fells” can lay claim to being a “complete guide”. This does of course mean that at over 330 pages, it is quite a weighty volume so is more for planning and reference than adding to your rucksack (although I have also done that with previous volumes). 

With the completion of volume eight of Lakeland Fellranger, Mark Richards has, in my view, provided a comprehensive series of guides to the Lakeland fells not seen since Wainwright. The whole series covers 227 fells (Wainwright covered 214). Mark Richards demotes five Wainwright fells (I will not spoil the books by saying which ones, but for those who feel the same way about Mungrisdale Common as I do, you will enjoy reading them all the more) and added new ones that Wainwright did not cover. 

I am a fan of the Wainwright guides and probably always will be but the time was and is right for another set of guides that are fresher and can appeal to a whole new audience. This Fellranger set, culminating with the Far Eastern Fells, in my view is just that and could easily last us the next fifty years. Will 227 become the new 214? Will we talk in future about climbing the “Richard’s” rather than the “Wainwright’s”? I think the answer to that rests with Cicerone and how they manage to keep them relevant and fresh over the coming years....

“Lakeland Fellranger – The Far Eastern Fells” is published by Cicerone. There is more information on www.markrichards.info including additional photos and the summit panoramas

RRP £14.95