'Lakeland Church Walks and Northumbria Church Walks'

'Lakeland Church Walks' by Peter Donaghy and John Laidler, published by Sigma Press 2001, with a foreward by Simon Jenkins (author of England's Thousand Best Churches. Lakeland Church Walks “…an exciting and practical way to combine the exploration of some of England’s most beautiful landscapes with the opportunity to visit a variety of churches” - Sir Simon Jenkins.

See also 'Northumbria Church Walks' by Peter Donaghy and John Laidler, published by Sigma Press 2002, with a foreward by international rock star Sting. Northumbria Church Walks “…How exhilarating it is to be walking in natural beauty or to come across a country church. Such places have an irresistible attraction. Peter Donaghy and John Laidler have done well to encourage us to walk here” - Sting.

These two titles each contain 30 circular walks from 3 to 10 miles set in the magnificent variety of landscapes offered by the Lake District and the counties of Northumberland and Durham. There are easy-to-follow instructions and cross-referenced maps, making these walks ideal both for those who wish to complete the full circuits or take one of the short alternatives that are presented. The armchair walker will thoroughly enjoy picturing the walks and studying the churches.

They both feature over 50 churches illustrated by black and white photographs with information about their history and structure. The rich cultural and artistic heritage of these regions is revealed through fine examples of stained-glass windows, medieval fonts, wood carvings and sculptures old and new. There are references to famous people associated with these area: distinguished individuals such as Wordsworth and Ruskin; families such as the Percys and the Nevilles; celebrities such as Donald Campbell; even Tarzan gets a mention.

Lakeland is defined as the area covered by the four Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure Maps: The English Lakes and the walks are equally distributed under headings corresponding to these maps, i.e. North Western area, North Eastern area, South Western area and South Eastern area. The Northumbria volume embracing the geographical limits of Northumberland and Durham includes walks along the Tweed, the Tyne and the Tees.

Peter Donaghy and John Laidler are both retired university lecturers from the north of England. They are also the co-authors of Metro Walks, six booklets of walk beginning and ending at Metro Stations on the Tyne and Wear Metro network. The booklets are available free of charge from Metro Station outlets, Tourist Information Centres and Public Libraries.