Short Walks in the Lake District: Windermere Ambleside and Grasmere

Jonathan and
Lesley Williams

AS the days grow longer and lighter, thoughts turn to the great outdoors and mapping out some invigorating walks in the stunning scenery of the Lake District’s most popular beauty spots.

But when you dig out your boots or trainers, make sure you don’t leave home without this brilliant new guide from Cicerone Press which steers you through fifteen of the best short walks around Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere.

Cicerone – an enthusiastic publisher based in Kendal specialising in outdoor activities guidebooks –has a range of nearly 400 books for walking, trekking, climbing, mountaineering and cycling, covering the UK, Europe and other regions of the world.

And like the other books in their super pocket-sized guide series, Short Walks in the Lake District contains crystal-clear OS mapping and directions, and has been written by authors who are among the leading experts in their areas. In fact, this new publication is the work of Jonathan Williams, who has been Cicerone’s publisher and managing director for over 20 years, and his wife Lesley (pictured below) who has been marketing director, leading the company’s sales efforts, and now concentrates on the overall marketing strategy.

The walks they have chosen help readers discover the best of the area with a selection of easy or moderate walks (except for one) that take under three hours and are suitable for almost everyone, including casual walkers and families with children.

Each route has been carefully chosen to allow walkers to explore the area and its attractions and you won’t need any special equipment to enjoy the walks. Most of the routes are circular, although some linear walks may be included that use public transport to get back to the start.

Each walk has a clear route description and there are lots of illustration photographs, plus information on local beauty spots and tasty refreshment stops. And as none include challenging terrain or complicated navigation, the walks can be enjoyed by all generations of walkers. So whether you’re new to walking or are looking for something you can enjoy with the whole family, simply grab your waterproofs, pack this brilliant book and head for the hills! And if you want to follow up your Lakes rambles with another popular area for North-West walking, look out for Cicerone’s Short Walks in Arnside and Silverdale which is published on March 15.
(Cicerone Press, paperback, £9.95)