I have now lived in the Dales for 20 years and have a great affection for walking in the area. What are the reasons that make it such a special and unique area to walk in my humble opinion? I have always thought there were 5 main reasons that make the area stand out, that…

We have a number of gifts/ideas for walkers this Christmas, many of them unique to Where2walk. Not only can you buy books, maps and mugs from us but we also can offer Navigation Days or Weekends including our new Learn a Skill, Climb a Hill course in Mallerstang. If you are not sure what to…

Walking in the Autumn months in the Lake District is as good as it gets. On a crisp clear day the low light and autumnal colours give a special days walking even when the higher fells are covered in cloud. I have listed my 10 favourite Lakeside walks for such an occasion! Not all stick…

The Lake District may be the queen of lakeside walks well but nowhere does pleasant strolls alongside a river better than the Dales . There are very few standing areas of water in the Dales but plenty of fast and slow flowing rivers. The rivers in the main Dales are all very different and display their own character. Encouraged by an…

The phrase may be a little bit corny  but for many learning how to use a map and compass provides a gateway to the higher fells of Britain. If not the higher fells, having the confidence to read and interpret a map (and use a compass when the cloud comes down)  will give anyone the confidence to…

The ‘Dales 30’ are the 30 mountains in the Yorkshire and Cumbrian Dales that top 2,000 foot with a drop of 30 metres or more. They make for an excellent challenge and a great reason to visit the area. Why a Book? The mountains are excellent They are full of interest, each one has its own personality…

Two years ago I wrote a blog describing my favourite 10 short walks in the Lakes, Dales and North York Moors. Ten is not really sufficient so here are another selection of my favourite short, but very satisfying walks. You can find the original 10 on this link 1. Waterfalls above Askrigg (Dales)  A pretty tumbling…

A cracking morning at sunrise in my home village of Long Preston. On the short half hour walk the light was fantastic and I took some photos with my Samsung phone. The result was quite pleasing so I thought I would share them. The  photos have not been touched/doctored at all, it was just one of…

I was on the summit of Blencathra last week, perfect conditions, views and warm weather. A young couple (man with beard, both very well kitted) approached me brandishing the correct (O/S Explorer) map and asked if they were at the top and was this Blencathra. Summit area Blencathra I was a little unsure if they…

I am asked (particularly at this time of the year) what are the best walks to take children on. The glib reply is ‘any’, my next question is what their ages are and then I usually add the following comment. “Don’t make the walk too long (up to the age of 10), make it interesting and  give it…

Maybe ‘Easy’ is not quite the correct term for any climb but there are some that are definitely more straightforward than others. It may simply be that the rewards of getting to the summit of these Easy fells heavily outweigh the effort involved in getting there. The walks I have chosen are single summit climbs…

I am often asked by walkers who have spent their life to date walking In England “How does it compare to walking in Scotland, particularly the mountains (the Highlands)”. The first thing I always reply is that ‘it is bloody hard work’….pause for a while and then add ‘but very rewarding’. It is difficult to describe…