New: 'The Ambleside Literary Walking Tour'

The rich heritage of literature in Ambleside is celebrated in our second new walking guidebook of 2021, available for pre-order from today.

The Ambleside Literary Walking Tour details the town’s long history of literary associations through a half-day walk, accompanied by words from the many celebrated poets and novelists who visited or lived in the town, including the Wordsworths, John Keats, Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens.

A trip to StockGhyll Force – a place of inspiration for over 200 years – is followed by a three-mile circuit to Rydal, passing a diverse mix of homes and locations that inspired authors, from the earliest writers to contemporary crime author Rebecca Tope.

The 44-page pocket-sized guidebook is written by Dr Penny Bradshaw, thematic lead for Cultural Landscapes within the Centre for National Parks and Protected Areas at the University of Cumbria. 

We first met Penny last year when she appeared on our Countrystride podcast talking about the children's literature of Lakeland.

A launch event (yes, a real in-person event!) for the Walking Tour, featuring readings from the book by the author, book-signing, nibbles and a chance to view select items from the Armitt collection, will take place on 13 August, 6.30–8.30pm at The Armitt, Ambleside. You can buy tickets for it here.