New Book. Published June 2007
This 93 mile circular route starting at Windermere is ideal for a relaxed week's holiday. It is also the only long distance path completely contained within the Lake District National Park. Offering a flavour of each of the main Lakeland valleys, and time to stop and wonder at their charms (a hidden waterfall in Eskdale, the morning mist over Buttermere), the tour described in this book leads quickly away from the busy tourist centres to the quiet pleasures of the fell country. Designed as a scenic tour of the Lake District, the route is primarily one of valleys and passes rather than a tick list of peaks attained. The shepherds and drovers chose their paths well, logical links from one valley to the next, and many of these ancient ways have been chosen for this walk. The route is divided into 12 stages, allowing you to create your own itinerary. There are also high-level alternatives and day walks described. Detailed route directions are supported by OS Landranger mapping with the route highlighted, making navigation very easy. The guide is well researched and provides all the factual and practical information you could require including information on accommodation options and facilities along the route. An informative introduction and plenty of excellent colour photographs completes an impressive package.
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New Book. Published May 2007
Another great title in Paul Hannon's Walking Country series, this is bound to be popular with his enthusiastic readers and anyone planning to walk in this area. The cathedral city of Ripon sits in the rolling countryside of Lower Wensleydale near the eastern edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This 'Walking Country' guide includes 22 great walks, all well illustrated and concisely described; which lead you from heather moorland to lush riverbank in this popular walking area. Discover the abbeys of Fountains and Jervaulx, Studley Royal parkland, delightful Masham and the beautiful River Ure. Explore the natural wonders of Dallowgill and Colsterdale; the lovely villages of West Tanfield, Sawley, Finghall and Snape. Practical information for the walks is provided together with notes on points of interest, printed in italic to easily distinguish it from route directions. Distances are mainly between 5 and 8 miles. The walk locations are: Myton-on-Swale; Roecliffe and the River Ure; Copgrove; Ripon Canal; Ripon's rivers; Markenfield Hall; Fountains Abbey; Aldfield Spa; Eavestone Lake; Dallowgill; Thrope Edge; Ilton Moor; Masham and the River Burn; Hackfall Woods; West Tanfield; Kirkby Malzeard; Colsterdale; Slipstone Crags; Braithwaite Moor; Jervaulx Abbey; Constable Burton; Snape Park and Well.
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Lea
Valley Walk
New Edition. Published May 2007
This
new edition of the Lea Valley Walk is proving to be very popular. The
previous editon has been out of print for too long and we have had endless
enquiries asking when a new edition will be available. Well here it is,
so now is your opportunity to explore this popular walk.
The Lea Valley Walk
is one of the finest and most varied walking routes around the capital,
and an excellent way to get out of (and into) London. It offers 50 miles
of traffic-free walking, tracing the route of the River Lea from its source
at Leagrave near Luton to where it meets the Thames in east London. As
it follows the river it undergoes a fascinating metamorphosis from urban
trail to rural pathway. So whether you choose to walk for health, fresh
air or views of wildlife and countryside, to visit friends, to explore
heritage attractions, to escape or simply to explore your surroundings,
the Lea Valley Walk offers it all. The route is equally suitable for long
distance walking and short family walks and is easily accessible by rail
at all points en route. This new edition of the guide breaks the route
down into seventeen short sections, devoting a chapter to each, giving
route directions and Ordnance Survey Landranger mapping with the route
highlighted.
You will find this
title in the bookshop under Long Distance Paths L
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New Book. Published May 2007
Here is another guide of reliable and enjoyable walks devised by Birmingham Ramblers Association Group. In this collection, members of the group offer some of their favourite walks in Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire and Staffordshire. They are not too difficult and many have longer and shorter versions, the longer walks ranging from about 5 miles to 9.5 miles and the shorter walks from about 3 miles to 8 miles. All are accessible by public transport and provide opportunities for refreshments at some good pubs, either en route or at the end of the walk. All the walks have full route descriptions, sketch maps and practical information. In addition an outline is included of an ambitious long distance walk from Weston-super-Mare via Birmingham to Skegness that the Group undertook as a Millennium project. Ideal if you fancy a 400 mile walk! The 19 walk locations are: The National Forest, Barton under Needwood; Tamworth Castle and Alvecote Priory; Coleshill; Sandwell Valley; Staffordshire Railway Walk, Himley; Turner's Hill, Warren's Hall and the Saltwells; Kenilworth Castle; Leasowes Country Park, St Mary's Abbey and Illey; Lutley and Wychbury Hill; Stourbridge; Berkswell; Kidderminster to Stourbridge; Droitwich; Bromsgrove; Alvechurch; Colwall and Oyster Hill; Ribbesford Woods and the River Severn; Lapworth and Packwood house; Bidford-on-Avon.
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Pocket Pub Walks in Derbyshire
New Book. Published April 2007
This
handy series of guides is expanding rapidly with a number of new titles
launched this spring. The Derbyshire guide offers you walks of between
2 and 7 miles in the superb countryside of Derbyshire topped off by some
good pub food. Its handy size fits neatly into a pocket and it includes
all the details you need. Contents include an introduction to each walk,
details of distance and terrain, how to get to the start, recommended
pub, food served and telephone number, numbered route directions, matching
numbered route maps and details of places of interest nearby. There are
also photographs to illustrate the pubs and some scenic views to be enjoyed.
The 15 walk locations are: Whaley Bridge; Castleton; Robin Hood, near
Baslow; Holmesfield; Monsal Head; Over Haddon; Matlock Bath; Hardwick
Hall; Carsington; Ambergate; Thorpe; Mappleton; Milton; Swarkestone; Thulston.
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Other titles in this series published this year cover Bristol and Bath, Devon, Essex, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, New Forest, Northumberland, Surrey, Sussex, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and the Malverns, South Yorkshire. You will find these titles in the appropriate county sections of the bookshop.
New Book. Published May 2007
On a fine day there is nothing quite like a drive to the country, followed by a leisurely walk and a hearty meal in a good local pub or cafe. With its glorious countryside and plentiful reminders of its historic past, Cambridgeshire provides a rich and diverse landscape to explore. In this volume of 20 circular routes there are walks to such places as the village of Castor, originally an important Roman settlement; magnificent Wimpole Hall with its lush parkland; and the beautifully restored Hinxton Mill on the River Cam. There is also the chance to stroll beside rivers and reservoirs; visit nature reserves, which are a haven for wildlife; all the while enjoying the wonderful fenland scenery. The 20 walk locations are: Maxey; Parson Drove; Castor; Yaxley; Whittlesey; Benwick; Ouse Washes Nature Reserve; Abbots Ripton; Prickwillow; Catworth; Grafham Water; Fen Drayton; Aldreth; Wicken Fen; Abbotsley; Great Eversden; Lode; Abington Pigotts; Hinxton; Horseheath.
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The highly popular Drive and Stroll series goes from strength to strength. There are now fifteen county based titles in this range, all available from the appropriate county pages of the bookshop.
Lakeland
Hikes off the Beaten Track
New Book. Published April 2007
Here
are over 30 walks in Lakeland, one of the most beautiful regions of Great
Britain, renowned for its fell walking and landscape of lakes, tarns,
waterfalls, rivers, valleys, cliffs, ridges and mountain peaks. These
walks let you explore the hidden Lakeland by discovering remoter areas
and less used routes up the main peaks or visiting out of the way gills
and crags. Scramble up gullies and rocky crags, go off-path over open
moorland and along untracked valleys and ridges, or tackle a long distance
challenge walk of up to 30 miles. The guide also lets you test your navigational
skills in locating aircraft wrecks, old memorials, hill forts, a stone
circle, classic rock climbs, caves, mines and remnants of an industrial
past. There are also cultural references; visit sites that inspired Wordsworth,
see the setting for a chapter in a Booker-prize winning novel, and an
area associated with a cult film. All the walks have detailed directions
including plenty of grid references and sketch maps. This is a great buy
for all you fell walkers who like a challenge and want to get away from
the crowds.
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New Book. Published April 2007
The lively and informative walks in this guide take you past sites of vast hill forts, medieval castles, smugglers' coves, and bloody battles whose outcome altered the course of England's history. They are all circular, varying in length between 3 and 7.5 miles, and can be undertaken by everyone including the young, the not-so-young and the not-so-fit. Information such as how to get to the start, where to park and where to stop for refreshments is given. The sketch maps include numbers which correspond with the numbered paragraphs in the text, so that walkers can see at a glance where they are. One of the routes visits the Cerne Abbas giant, a 180ft tall Celtic chalk hill figure. Another leads to Maiden Castle, where a last valiant stand was made against the might of the Roman XX Legion. There is impressive Corfe Castle, the scene of murder, siege and conquest; the East Fleet and Chesil Beach which were frequented by smugglers during the 17th and 18th centuries; and Lyme Bay which is internationally famous for the fossils to be found there. The 16 walk locations are: Knowlton Rings; Cerne Abbas; Maiden Castle; Wareham; Melplash and Parnham House; Fiddleford; Milton Abbey; Sherborne Castle; Corfe Castle; Lyme Regis; East Fleet; Portesham and the Hardy Monument; Tolpuddle; Clouds Hill; Studland Bay; Kimmeridge Bay.
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New Book. Published February 2007
The Cumbria Coastal Way links two of England's great estuaries; Morecombe Bay and the Solway Firth; and provides 298km of coastal walking. Leading north from Lancashire around the edge of the Lake District and towards the Scottish border, the route reveals the frequent gems of landscape, wildlife, archaeology and history to be found along this little-known coastline. The walk can be completed in its entirety, or walked in sections, by people of all ages and abilities, and it is well supported by public transport. The entire route can easily be walked within two weeks and provides a good introduction to long-distance walking. The Cumbria Coastal Way was officially opened in the early 1990's, but this new comprehensive guide is the perfect companion to exploring Cumbria's coastline with its wonderful views and many points of interest. It contains everything you need to plan and execute the walk including OS 1:50,000 mapping. The guide breaks the route down into 15 day sections, although several could be combined to complete the walk in 10 days. The section starting locations are: Silverdale, Grange over Sands, Ulverston; Barrow-in-Furness; Broughton-in-Furness; Silecroft; Ravenglass; Seascale; St Bees; Whitehaven; Workington; Maryport; Siloth; Kirkbride; Carlisle. The walk ends at Gretna.
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Freedom to Roam Walking Guides
Recent series published in association with the Ramblers'
Association
This new series of 'Freedom to Roam' walking guides has been published
by Frances Lincoln in partnership with the Ramblers' Association. These
guides celebrate the arrival of our new legal rights to walk at will on
mountain top, moorland and heath in England and Wales. At first thought
you may wonder why you need a guide book to roam at will, but without
a focus you will be wandering aimlessly and probably miss many of the
most interesting sites to be seen. These guides are less prescriptive
than is typical of walking guides in that they will not give you a precise
route from start to finish, but they are designed to help you discover
areas of the countryside which you haven't legally walked on before, advising
you on routes you might want to take and telling you about places of interest
along the way. In areas where it can be tricky to find routes or track
down landmarks more detailed instructions are offered. Elsewhere directions
are deliberately less precise, allowing you to choose your own path or
line to follow. For each walk, however, there is a recommended core route.
It follows that these guides assume competence with map and compass and
some experience of hill walking and the guides offer plenty of basic good
advice.
The initial launch included five titles as listed below. All of these
are available from our bookshop. A further five will follow next spring
when other areas have operned up.
Forest
of Bowland - Lancashire Section
South
Pennines and the Bronte Moors - Yorkshire Section
Peak
District - Eastern Moors and the South - Peak District National Park
Section
Peak
District - Northern and Western Moors - Peak District National Park
Section
The
Pennine Divide - Regional Section, Northern England
Walk
East Midlands edited by
Chris Thompson
Recent recommended book published by Sigma in co-operation
with the Ramblers' Association. April 2005
Walk East Midlands is the first book of walks for the entire East Midlands
area: Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Rutland,
and Northamptonshire. There's a huge variety of scenery: from upland limestone
plateaux to low-lying fenland; ancient granite outcrops to fertile river
valleys; undulating rolling hills to woodlands of infinite variety. Each
section has a detailed and informative introduction to the county, with
the opportunity to explore not only the popular areas but also the lesser-used
routes away from the crowds. The 50 walks are from 8 to 15 miles, though
many have shorter alternatives. At-a-glance information tells you distances
and durations, maps required, how to get to the start (including grid
references) and where to go for refreshments. Detailed instructions take
you round each route, describing points of interest you'll see along the
way. The walks have been compiled by members of East Midlands Ramblers'
Association Groups, and reflect their vast local knowledge of the area.
If you live and walk in the East Midlands this new guide is an absolute
must for your bookshelf and its great value since the price works out
at 18p per walk!
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