From soaring fells to secret shores, a new Ordnance Survey book by Vivienne Crow captures Cumbria's most inspiring walks and reveals countless hidden gems in the Lake District
Renowned for its stunning beauty, the Lake District is a key destination for those who love the outdoors.
Yet with the National Park alone boasting more than 3,000km of public footpaths, it can be difficult to choose where to go for a day out or a short break.
There are so many walks to choose from that even frequent visitors may be unaware of some of the area's less well-known beauty spots.
Fortunately help is at hand in the shape of a new book published by map makers Ordnance Survey which is aimed at inspiring both firsttime visitors and those who already know the area fairly well.
Put together by writer and photographer Vivienne Crow, it is an illustrated guide not just to walks in the Lake District National Park but many others in Cumbria, as the county is blessed with a beautiful coastline as well as other areas of natural beauty.
The publication is part of a series of coffee table books and is intended as an inspiration for exploring Cumbria rather than a detailed guide.
Illustrated by Vivienne's own stunning photographs, sixty walks are covered within the pages, with details about the wildlife that might be spotted and interesting information on local history.
A huge variety of terrain is covered, ranging from short walks along accessible paths suitable for wheelchairs and buggies, to the high fells of Helvellyn and Scafell Pike, the
highest mountain in England at 978m.
In the book, Vivienne describes beautiful views the walks offer, such as Aira Force which, in her opinion, is the most stunning waterfall in England.
One of the wonderful aspects of the Lake District is that it is not necessary to climb the highest fells in order to access the best views.
Vivienne points out that the mid-level fells afford spectacular views, are fairly easy to climb and make a fantastic introduction to hillwalking for the reasonably fit.
"You can go somewhere like Castlerigg, for example, and enjoy an atmospheric walk to one of Europe's oldest stone circles and then climb easily to low moorland that provides breathtaking views of some of the highest Lake District fells," she said. "The book also covers easy-to-reach viewpoints such as Orrest Head, Castle Crag and Cat Bells."
Vivienne Crow
In the book she has aimed to cover classic walks like Skiddaw, Scafell Pike and Helvellyn while also introducing people to areas they might not know such as Caldbeck, a small village on the northern edge of the Lakes.
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"Caldbeck is very picturesque and a lovely place to wander round," said Vivienne. "It's got a couple of cafes and in some ways it is a very traditional English village but it also has
this amazing backdrop of the Northern Fells.
"Then there are places out on the Solway coast like Campfield Marsh, an RSBP nature reserve, which is known to local people but maybe not to visitors.
"The wildlife out there is fantastic and the team have done a lot of work in the last few years to encourage various species back to the area, including marsh harriers."
Asked which is her favourite walk, Vivienne is stumped for an answer as there are so many to choose from.
Autumn mist over Crummock Water. Picture Vivienne Crow
"Every time I'm asked what myfavourite is, I seem to give a different answer," she said. "It depends where I have just been or what time of year it is. When I was selecting
the photographs for the book it made me realise again how many wonderful walks there are."
In the book Vivienne gives advice on the best times to visit different places, as some areas are even more spectacular at certain times of the year.
"For instance, Borrowdale is beautiful in the autumn, particularly in the late autumn when the leaves on the oak trees are changing colour," she said. "Then in the spring,
Rannerdale near Buttermere has an amazing bluebell display."
Vivienne feels the coastline tends to be forgotten about, even though there are some interesting towns and villages such as Whitehaven, Maryport and Ravenglass.
Buttermere Pines
"Ravenglass is one of my favourite little villages," she said. "It's a fascinating spot which started life as a Roman port, serving the far north western part of the Empire."
With quaint villages, lakes, hills and coastline it isn't hard to see why so many people visit the area each year.
"It's very diverse and a special place, especially if you like the landscape and you like walking," said Vivienne.
Outstanding Walks Lake District is published by Ordnance Survey, price £25. See www.os.uk/owld