A Walk Around the Lakes A Visit to Britain's Lake District

by Hunter Davies

Special as much for its scenic beauty as for the literary and artistic creativity it has inspired, the lake District is one of the best known places in Britain - or is it?

Hunter Davies walked among its mountains and valleys and rediscovered what he thought he knew welll. In A Walk Around the Lakes he retells his long and extraordinary journey, recapturing the varied beauty of the land and the people he met along the way.

Using Wordsworth himself as a second narrative, he offers a complete and alluring appreciation of the Lake District and its great heritage past and present, whether you are walking or not.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Walking, Nature, History

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Edward Hunter Davies OBE is an author, journalist and broadcaster, and a former editor for the Sunday Times of London. He is the author of numerous books, including The Glory Game and the only authorised biography of the Beatles. He was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, to Scottish parents. For four years his family lived in Dumfries until Davies was aged 11.

His family moved to Carlisle in northern England when Davies was 11 and he attended the Creighton School in the city. Davies lived in Carlisle until he moved to study at university. During this time his father, who was a former Royal Air Force pay clerk, developed multiple sclerosis and had to retire on medical grounds from a civil service career.

Davies joined the sixth form at Carlisle Grammar School and was awarded a place at University College, Durham to read for an honours degree in History, but after his first year he switched to a general arts course. He gained his first writing experience as a student, contributing to the university newspaper, Palatinate, where one of his fellow student journalists was the future fashion writer Colin McDowell. After completing his degree course he stayed on at Durham for another year to gain a teaching diploma and avoid National Service.

He lives in London.

Reviews

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so surprised at how well written and entertaining this travel book is. In recent times, non-fiction, and particularly travel books have developed into witty, interesting personal stories in which you feel you get to know the author almost as well as the place they are writing about (think Bill Bryson). But seeing as this book was written in 1979, I had expected it to be much drier. I was pleasantly surprised at how amusing, well structured and easy to read it was. I have been to The Lakes on many occasions but I wish I could have had the chance to visit them again after reading this book. But even if you haven't been there, I'd highly recommend it. And one or two of the photographs in the middle are truly priceless.

[Stu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable reading ...basically alternating descriptions of 1979 Lake District people and places with stories of the romantic poets which I knew barely anything about before. Interesting chapter on his chat with Joss Naylor.

[scarlettraces]

This won't stay on my shelves as it's a trip to a decade I don't usually visit - the 70s - and I was reminded that I don't really care for the Lake poets - I get it in the abstract but there's too much Great Men-ing in there for me. I hasten to add it's a perfectly fine, informative and entertaining book about Lakeland and you will learn much about Wordsworth, Southey, and the rather creepy Ruskin.

Will track down Davies' book on the wall; it will I assume at least be Wordsworth-free.