The Tubular Fells Map of the Lake District - 214 Wainwright Summits

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As I grew older, I took up fellrunning for fun, first starting on the hills around Clitheroe like Pendle. Things have developed from there. I love being out on the fells, whatever the weather, and enjoy nothing better than scrambling. I’ve also recently started canoeing. You just can’t beat being out on the tops after a month or two down in the city of London.” Going on regular hiking trips can be expensive (particularly travelling costs and accommodation). How do you manage this? How do you justify the expense to yourself? This challenging walk of 184 miles (296 km) crosses the north of England from St Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin Hood's Bay on the North Sea. Devised by the legendary Wainwright, the Coast to Coast is England's most popular walk. The map will also be on sale at points throughout the Lake District including YHA hostels and the new National Trust shop in Grasmere. It will also be available at Stanfords in Longacre, London.

Let’s talk about Tubular Fells which is the perfect mixture of London and the Lake District (and a brilliant name by the way)! It seems to have been really successful as I keep seeing it everywhere. How did you come up with the idea and how long did it take to complete? How do you travel? When in the week do you go, what time of day? How long does it take, and what’s the usual cost? I started walking from an early age. My first visit to Lakeland was at eight weeks old, not that I can remember, but my first real Lakeland summit had to be Loughrigg on a trip from primary school at about eight years of age. As a child I lived and grew up in the Ribble Valley of Lancashire (Tolkien’s “Shire”), one of the most rural and least densely populated areas of the UK. In matter of fact, I’m not a northerner as the geographical centre of the United Kingdom is just north of Dunsop Bridge a few miles from where I lived. I attended secondary school in the small market town of Clitheroe. I read for my Geography degree in the lovely city of Lancaster and spent one year completing my PGCE training in Liverpool. After these two places, which already seemed large to me, it was logical to move for work to the biggest place in the country beginning with ‘L’. In all honesty I wanted to broaden my horizons and experience. He said: “Growing up in the Ribble Valley I was blessed with an immediate environment that was very beautiful. I really appreciated it as a kid, but when we started going to the Lakes on many weekend trips I just fell in love with the place.I have lived and worked in London for 20 years. I live in East Ham in the London Borough of Newham, host borough of the Olympic Games.

I already managed a New Year’s Day ascent of Helvellyn, but I plan to visit Snowdonia, Lakeland and Scotland this year. At the start of April I anticipate launching the map somewhere in Snowdonia and so I’m sure there’ll be a few ascents there. I’ve done quite a bit of walking but never been on the likes of Cadair Idris which of course features on my new map. Do you feel you’ve been able to create a good balance of city life and hiking, or ideally would you want to spend more time in the countryside? I get the impression you particularly love the Lake District. Is it fair to say that’s your favourite hiking location? What is so special about it?After 20 years of hard work, I feel like it’s about time to move away from the city. As much as I love London with all it has to offer both in terms of leisure and the cultural opportunities I couldn’t imagine living where I do in 20 years time. I feel my area is for young people as it’s now so transient in terms of its migrant population and that does bring related problems. A big issue on my street is the increase in rented properties where absentee landlords often break the law with illegal conversions and an increase in multi-occupancy. Sadly, the turnover of population moving in and out means it’s very difficult to maintain a status quo such as explaining how to use the recycle bins and simple things like the look of properties through well maintained gardens. Money seeking private landlords have a lot to answer for in my eyes. If nothing else, my map projects are giving me the excuse to visit the hills and walk in places I’d perhaps never consider. People are also suggesting maps for me to create such as Dartmoor, the Yorkshire Dales, Ireland and one which includes the walking areas of the UK – lots of projects to be getting on with there then. To be honest, I also want to map the Himalaya. I have always walked in the outdoors for as long as I can remember. I lived in a village as a child and we used to walk a lot in the local area. The greatest memories from childhood are the snowy days when I would go sledging. It would be 1978 and 1982 when I remember walking over 10 foot high snow drifts and I thought it was magic. I always preferred to go out in the snow than in the hot sun. How I hated the summer of 1976!