Wainwright

Wainwright

The Man Who Loved the Lakes

Summary

Wainwright: The Man Who Loved the Lakes is a celebration of the British landscape, and it tells the remarkable story of Alfred Wainwright who in 1952 decided to hand draw a series of guides to the fells of Lakeland. For the next 13 years he spent every weekend walking, and every weekday evening drawing and writing - completing one page per night. The result was Wainwright's Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells. Although initially self published they have now sold over a million copies and are still popular and much loved today.

He went on to present a series of TV shows on the BBC about walking in the Lake District that made him even better known. He was an unlikely celebrity, he preferred his own company and thought walking in the countryside should be a solitary rather than group pursuit. Wainwright: The Man Who Loved the Lakes introduces him to a new generation of lovers of the countryside, features some of Wainwright's favourite walks and is lavishly illustrated, including stunning aerial shots of the Lake District.

Reviews

  • Praise for Wainwright: The Man who Loved the Lakes:

    This charming and unexpectedly moving film traced the life of a remarkable Lancastrian writer and artist who devoted 13 years of his life to creating the ultimate guide to the Lake District. This, on the face of it, may not sound like fecund material for a documentary. But Wainwright was such a curious cove and his work so startling, I was utterly absorbed.
    The Scotsman

About the author

Martin Wainwright

Learn More

Sign up to the Penguin Newsletter

For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more