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I have taken the route below from a delightful pamphlet, one of three, produced by the Dry Stone Walling Association, Cumbria Branch. Parts of the route will be known by many walkers; all of it is charming but muddy in parts so be prepared. The leaflets are on sale in most bookshops and are priced very reasonably. They contain the route and also a wealth of detail, illustrated as well, of the wonderful stone work to be enjoyed in this part of the county. I have not added a lot of the detail they give in my walk because the leaflets tell it all. All the examples of the stone work are a joy to look at and finding them is fun.

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On track around Goatland with the added bonus of the steam railway

6:10pm Friday 27th January 2012

In January I planned a really nostalgic walk.

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Superb views on Elterwater walk

8:50am Friday 20th January 2012

THIS walk takes you from Elterwater almost to the head of Great Langdale. The views are superb in both directions. As it is rather long and hard going in short stretches you might prefer to make it into two walks, parking first at Elterwater and returning when you reach the New Hotel and then on your second walk parking opposite the hotel and continuing on up the valley.

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A fine stroll around Buttermere

9:40am Friday 13th January 2012

Two of those who have influenced my love of strolling in and around Cumbria have been Bert Whalley and Wainwright. It was Bert who first got me interested in photography and his view over Buttermere and Haystacks is spectacular. I once interviewed Wainwright for television and he told me that his favourite mountain was Haystacks.

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Around Cockermouth - one of my favourite towns

9:10am Friday 30th December 2011

Cockermouth has always been one of my favourite towns, and like everybody, I was sad to see how it was devastated by the floods. What is good to see is how the Cumbrian spirit has risen above the waves. The more visitors which come, the quicker the town will recover, so go and follow this walk but don’t forget to bring your wallet and spend some brass in the town.

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Black Crag and a walk to blow away the 'cobwebs'

6:00pm Tuesday 20th December 2011

This is a lovely walk to blow away the ‘cobwebs’ and relieve the pressure of writing all those cards, buying and wrapping presents, and worrying if you’ve bought enough food. Much of the walk is dry underfoot and the views are superb. At first I missed the trees, but once becoming accustomed, I enjoyed the open fell slopes. Nature will soon hide the ‘litter’ on parts of the old plantation floor.

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Around St Bees

8:40am Friday 16th December 2011

For more than 50 years St Bees has been one of my favourite walks because it is so full of history plus wonderful coastal scenery. It was also the first place that I turned to study the natural history of seabirds. I still cherish a photograph taken in the 1950s of cliffs during the days of black and white photography. I still get a sense of nostalgia each time I look at old black and white prints. The 300-feet high cliffs, however, look a treat in the autumn as the sunlight strikes the red sandstone rocks. In the spring and summer the cliffs are full of seabirds including puffins, guillemots, gulls and other species. In the summer and autumn the area is a paradise for botanists.

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For Mary's 500th walk - a lovely ramble from Elterwater

8:40am Friday 9th December 2011

This is my 500th walk for the Westmorland Gazette; a short and lovely one. This gentle ramble, starts from Elterwater, soon to stroll quiet, almost untrodden, paths over glorious low countryside. Some of the paths are new to me, which is a great pleasure in that the Lake District can still surprise and enchant.

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'Abbey ramble' around Byland

8:20am Friday 2nd December 2011

Finding walks around old abbeys has always fascinated me as I feel I am walking through history. In the last year I have walked around Cartmel Priory, Wetheral Priory and Shap Abbey. This week I have ventured a little further afield and have visited Byland Abbey in North Yorkshire. I did this the day that the clocks changed and so I made an early start.

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Magic sight of Ullswater

5:50pm Friday 25th November 2011

The autumn colouring of the beech trees along the shore of Ullswater is unbelievably beautiful. Year after year I try to catch this magic sight on a walk along the water’s edge and generally I am too early or too late. This year I made it – I hope you will too.

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Rydal Water walk is great day out

8:30am Friday 18th November 2011

I was lucky that as October drew to a close I made the most of a pleasant day walking at Rydal following heavy cold rain and had a great day out.

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Take a walk in open countryside and woodland from Furness Abbey

9:00am Friday 28th October 2011

A second walk from Furness Abbey Park in the small car park in Abbey Approach, just north of the Abbey Mill coffee shop, grid ref 220715.

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Spot the fallow deer on a stroll around Dallam

12:40pm Friday 21st October 2011

Whatever has happened to the weather of 2011? I enjoyed this stroll on October 1, one of the hottest days on record. I had been planning this walk for some time because this is the time of the year to study the behaviour of the fallow deer, which is typified by the huge palm-shaped antlers of the stags. There is some argument whether the fallow deer was introduced by the Normans who loved their hunting.

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Stanley Ghyll and the glorious waterfalls

10:00am Friday 14th October 2011

Park at Forge Bridge over the River Esk, grid ref 149995, Eskdale. If approaching from the south-west (over Birker Moor or from the coast road) the fairly large parking area lies on the left of the road. Before starting the walk you might wish to take the steps through the wall to see the Esk hurrying under its bridge and on down the valley – the green sward beside it is a lovely place for a picnic.

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Around Ravenglass

9:40am Friday 7th October 2011

I first visited Ravenglass on my eleventh birthday in 1947. I became fascinated by the village which had been so important to the Romans and also by the riches of the natural history on the shoreline and around the rivers Mite, Irk and especially the Esk.

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Pause to explore the amazing Megger Stones

4:20pm Friday 30th September 2011

Park in the large pleasing pay and display car park at Dent, grid ref 703871. There are toilets here.

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Wordsworth country at its very best

7:40am Friday 26th August 2011

Whatever the time of year, Grasmere is busy, but I always want to stroll in this area during late summer, early autumn. A few years ago, I was given a book which included a walk leading up to Alcock Tarn and which was described as one-and-a-half mile long and easy going. This was an error - it was four-and-a-half miles long and difficult for a stroller, if not for a walker! It was, however, worth the effort because this is Wordsworth country at its very best. It was a wonderful walk.

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A circular walk from Furness Abbey

5:20pm Friday 19th August 2011

This pleasing walk starts from the extensive red sandstone ruins of Furness Abbey in the charming Vale of Nightshade. Footpaths lead to Dalton-in-Furness. Here look for the castle, built in 1330-36, to provide refuge for the monks of the Abbey against Scottish raiders. Close by is the stunning red sandstone church of the St Mary. The walk then takes you over fine, quiet pastures to Newton village and on down to Bow Bridge, over Red Mill Beck, built in the 15th Century, which carried a packhorse route to the nearby Abbey.

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Stroll to Long Meg and get a sense of history

10:20am Friday 12th August 2011

Recently I was reading a book about the English Civil Wars of the 1640s. The followers of Parliament in conflict with King Charles I met in secret in 1637 around the Long Meg stone circle to plan their action. This inspired me to enjoy a stroll around the circle, and the day I chose was St Swithin’s Day. It was a lovely day until the afternoon, when I was caught by a huge shower of rain. Legend has it that if it rains on St Swithin’s Day, the next 40 days will be wet! I only hope this is wrong!

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White Stone walk has fabulous views

5:50pm Friday 5th August 2011

Park in the old road beside the A590, grid ref 384849. Access this from Newby Bridge roundabout, where you take the A592 for Windermere. A very short way along take the first right turn, a narrow lane that leads to Staveley-in-Cartmel. At the first signpost, bear right and then right again at the signpost for the church. Continue down the narrow lane, ignore the turn to rejoin the A-road, and continue ahead for a few yards to park in a wide area of the old road.