| A. Wainwright's Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells | |
| Although the seven books were published between 1955 and 1966 they remain the most comprehensive guides to the Lakeland Fells. The fells themselves have changed little though access to them sometimes has. Users should consult more recent maps or guides to check for changes for their own peace of mind. Handwritten and drawn by the author their style has drawn many admirers. I cannot recommend them too highly. Note that these books are now published by Frances Lincoln and once again printed in Kendal. | |
| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 1: The Eastern Fells. ISBN: 0711222274 includes Fairfield, and the fells to it from Ambleside and Patterdale; and the Helvellyn ridge from Dollywagon Pike to Clough Head. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 2: The Far Eastern Fells ISBN: 0711222282 includes the Kentmere and Longsleddale Horseshoes, the High Street range to Loadpot Hill in the north; and lower favourites, Place Fell and Wansfell. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 3: The Central Fells. ISBN: 0711222290 includes the Langdale Pikes, Sergeant Man, Ullscarf and Bleaberry Fell, the Easedale fells and lower favourite, Loughrigg. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 4: The Southern Fells. ISBN: 0711222304 includes the Coniston Fells, Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, the Scafells and Glaramara. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 5: The Northern Fells. ISBN: 0711222312 includes Blencathra, Skiddaw and the fells to the back o' Skiddaw; Carrock Fell, Great Calva etc. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 6: The North-western Fells. ISBN: 0711222320 includes Grasmoor, Eel Crag, Whiteside, Grisedale Pike, Robinson and Dale Head, Lord's Seat and lower favourites, Causey Pike and Catbells. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 7: The Western Fells. ISBN: 0711222339 includes Great Gable, Pillar, Steeple, the High Stile range, Haystacks and fleetwith Pike. |
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| The Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells Book 8: The Outlying Fells of Lakeland. ISBN: 0711222347. This is the book that at the end of Book 7 Wainwright said he wouldn't write. It may be dedicated to the Old-Timers on the fells, but some of these are demanding, and all are interesting. |
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 Walk the Lakes. ISBN: 0004487052
For many visitors to Lakeland the walks described on this web site are too demanding either for themselves or other members of their families. This is a convenient book for them. It comprises 40 circular walks of varying difficulty, ranging from about two to seven miles. The descriptions are clear and are accompanied by 1" to the mile maps with the routes indicated. It is ring bound so the book can be folded open to the walk in progress. |
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The Lakeland Fells, June Parker, Tim Pickles, Sir Chris Bonnington ISBN: 0850280397
Published by the Fell And Rock Climbing Club this gives photographs and detailed descriptions of the Fells |
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 Lakeland Rocky Rambles. ISBN: 185058396X
This is a book to appeal to anyone with even the slightest interest in the geology of Lakeland. Routes are chosen to illustrate the various geological features of the area. |
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The Lakeland Peaks, W.A. Poucher ISBN: 0094775109
The first edition of this was published in 1960 but as with the Wainwright guides the routes stand the test of time, if not the equipment descriptions. Poucher illustrates the book with his own (B&W) photographs and marks the routes on them in white lines. This was the first guide to Lakeland walking I bought when, as an impecunious student I could not afford more. It comes as a hard-wearing guidebook with a vinyl-covered back. |
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I'm often asked for my recommendations of books and maps for visitors to Lakeland. On the basis of my own walking experience, and that of my experience as a bookseller, I offer my recommendations below. All these can be purchased from amazon.co.uk within days. There are direct links to amazon.co.uk from this page - just click on the 
A Coast to Coast Walk. ISBN: 0718140729. This is Wainwright's guidebook to the Coast to Coast walk, produced in the same style as the Pictorial Guides to the Lake District. In the original version parts of the route lay over private property. This revised version avoids such problems. This is the definitive guide to the route - the one most likely to be taken on the trip. The OS maps for the walk can be found below.
William Wordsworth. ISBN: 0750914823. A popular biography by Hunter Davies
The Maid of Buttermere. ISBN: 0340423730. By Melvyn Bragg. Novelisation of a true story of the fraudster who wooed and won the legendary Lakeland beauty, Mary Robinson. Full of the atmosphere of 19th century Lakeland. Contains some explicit language.
