ALFRED Wainwright's working methods used to create his iconic Lakeland guide books are to be unveiled to the public.

The legendary fellwalker's original manuscripts and papers can be seen by the public as part of the national Explore Your Archive campaign.

Led by the Archives and Records Association and The National Archives, aims to celebrate rich historical heritage – with Cumbria County Council's archivists shining the spotlight on the lives of four very different Cumbrians through storyboxes.

Archivists say Wainwright's collection shows the workings of an author using methods unlike any other to produce books when no other guides were being produced. The story box tells the story of how an accountant from Blackburn with a love of football and a talent for cartoons, poems and jokes became engrossed with the landscape and beauty of the Lake District.

Cumbria Archive Centre in Kendal will be hosting an open day from 10.30am to 1pm on Saturday, November 16, when visitors can see the story box, the strongroom where it is kept and see a selection of the original manuscripts. People will also be able to see a display on Alfred Wainwright and a selection of his papers from the Saturday, November 9, at the National Park Visitor Centre at Brockhole, near Windermere.

Cumbria County Council's Archive Service has four archive centres, with each creating a storybox on a local hero from their area.

In Barrow, the archive centre will focus on the town's Second World War and underwater warfare hero James Freel; in Carlisle, on the Cumbrian pioneer of women’s rights, Catherine Marshall; and in Whitehaven on renowned local stargazer and scientist John Fletcher Miller.

Coun Beth Furneaux, cabinet member for Cumbria County Council's Archive Service, said: "Visiting an archive can take you on an adventure – and these storyboxes will do just that - you could discover much more than you imagined.

"The campaign provides a unique opportunity for the archive service to remind people of our written heritage on their doorstep. Archives help us discover the stories, facts, places and the people that are at the heart of our communities.

"This campaign in particular shows how interesting archives can be - without them we wouldn’t know if this summer is the hottest or wettest on record, we wouldn’t know about the lives of our significant local writers, or the stories of brave people making a stand for what they believe in or to lay their lives on the line for King and country."