To make up for the cancelled Cicerone Live last week, we're bringing the International Women's Day special to the podcast. Hannah will be joined by Sarah Williams (adventurer and founder of Tough Girl Challenges) and Cressida Allwood (adventurer and round the world cyclist) to chat about their experiences and the barriers they have faced as women accessing the outdoors. Search for @CiceronePress on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and join our Facebook community group, Cicerone Connect. Sign...

Author Carroll Dorgan joins Hannah this week to talk about the entire GR5 trail, from the North Sea all the way down through Benelux, Lorraine, the Vosges, and past Lake Geneva to the South of France. Find out about the history of the route, the variations you can take, and what tips Carroll recommends. Carroll Dorgan has also written 'Walking the Brittany Coast Path, The GR34 from Mont-Saint-Michel to Roscoff', available to pre-order now on the Cicerone website: Https://www.cicerone.co.uk as...

In the highlights from February's Cicerone Live event, our experts answer all your questions about cycle touring. If you've wondered about how to get started with cycle touring, or you need some inspiration for where to go, or perhaps advice on travelling with your bike, then this episode is for you! Some of our favourite cycle touring experts share their knowledge on cycling in the UK, Europe and further afield. There are tons of articles offering advice and inspiration for different...

Authors Nike and Jacint answer all our questions about the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail, the long-distance walking route through France. We discover top tips for trek packing, hear about the walking in France and discuss the pros and cons of trekking with a donkey. Nike and Jacint have also written several articles offering advice and inspiration for different walking and trekking routes and these, as well as their book, can be found on the Cicerone...

Traversing over 300km of mountainous terrain, the Tor de Geants (Giants' Trail) is an epic running race in the Italian Alps. Joe was lucky enough to talk to the legendary Nicky Spinks about her third place finish at the 2021 event. Here we hear Nicky's top tips for the event, and talk about sleeping, gear, strategies, and why she loves the race so much. As a bonus, we got to hear what Nicky thinks about parkrun!   Find out more about the guidebooks to the trail on...

Hannah chats with Janneke Klop about the splendour of walking and trekking in the mountains of Romania. The massive number of mountains means that there is something for everyone in this country - from short and fun walks for children to exposed ridges for the braver hikers. Janneke Klop has been exploring Romania for many years and writes about her Romanian adventures at www.roamaniac.com. Her guidebook to the Mountains of Romania is published by Cicerone and is the definitive guidebook for...

Hannah and Joe have a quick look through some of Cicerone's Spring titles in a bid to stave off the dark and cold of the northwest of England in December! We get excited about the Dolomites and sausage pancakes and see a different side to Joe. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks: https://www.cicerone.co.uk. The new titles discussed in this episode will be publishing in Spring 2022 and will be on the website for pre-order soon: the Cathar Way, the Brittany...

A whistlestop tour of the Vanoise, including where to stay, what to do and when to go. In this episode we talk to Lesley Williams who has many years of experience walking, trekking and cycling in the Alps, and who helped Jonathan with his reworking and rewalking of the Trekking in the Vanoise guidebook. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks: https://www.cicerone.co.uk. There are also plenty of articles offering advice and inspiration for different walking and...

A dose of walking somewhere sunny can break up the cold and wet winter and, whilst we can't actually guarantee the weather, there are a few reliable destinations. Paddy Dillon shares his favourites, thoroughly tested over a lifetime of walking. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks: https://www.cicerone.co.uk. There are also plenty of articles offering advice and inspiration for different walking and trekking routes in the UK and around the world, from day...

Timmy Mallett, of 90s childhood TV fame, chats to us about his epic cycle along the Camino de Santiago in honour of his brother Martin who believed in the power of everyone to reach their potential. Surprisingly moving, inspirational and, of course, funny. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks for cycling: https://www.cicerone.co.uk/cycling. There are also plenty of articles offering advice and inspiration for different cycling routes in the UK and Europe,...

In this episode Hannah chats to Will Renwick, president of Ramblers' Wales, who has just run every mountain in Wales. Originally hoping to do a long-distance walk, Will decided to run all 189 of Wales' mountains in three weeks because he couldn't get any more time off work. He is also raising money for mental health charity, Mountains Over Mind. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks for walking, trekking and running in Wales: https://www.cicerone.co.uk/wales....

In this episode Hannah asks Jonathan, Lesley and Joe Williams about walking and trekking in Europe. We try to give you an overview of 162 guidebooks to outdoor adventures across the continent... In 24 minutes. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks for trekking in Europe: https://www.cicerone.co.uk/europe. There are also plenty of articles offering advice and inspiration for different trekking routes in Europe, from GR routes In France, Spain and the iconic...

Joss Naylor and Mhairi Helme join us for our September Live event and it's a book launch special! Joss chats about his favourite running route, the Lakes, Meres and Waters of the Lake District, and we hear how Mhairi found it on her recent challenge. We also reveal Joss's favourite sheep. Yes, really. Find out more about the guidebook on https://www.cicerone.co.uk/1087, where you can view our full range of guidebooks to outdoor travel in the UK and across the world and find plenty of advice...

Iconic locations in the Swiss Alps, Zermatt and Saas-Fee have plenty of offer walkers of all abilities, from low-level lake walks that are suitable for all the family to more serious outings on steep and rocky mountain trails. In this episode, Jonathan and Lesley Williams tell us all about their new guidebook to walking in Zermatt and Saas-Fee and offer advice on when to go and how to get there, as well as sharing their favourite walks from what could be described as the world's greatest...

Join author and Andalucia-expert Guy Hunter-Watts to find out everything you need to know about walking and trekking in Andalucía. The diverse landscapes of Andalucía offer a huge variety of walks and treks for those wishing to visit one of Spain's most evocative regions. Guy Hunter-Watts has lived and worked (and walked) in Andalucía since the 1980s and is the author of several guidebooks to the area. Who better to introduce this part of Spain and answer your questions? Find out more about...

While most famous for the challenging GR20, renowned as Europe's toughest long-distance trail, Corsica also offers several shorter treks including the Mare a Mare and Mare e Monti that explore the brilliant Mediterranean coastline and vibrant fishing villages. In this episode of highlights from our Cicerone Live event, Cicerone authors Paddy Dillon and Gillian Price join us to explore all the options for trekking on Corsica and offer plenty of information to help you choose the right trek for...

Offering walks that explore gristone moors, wooded valleys, and expansive coastline, Lancashire is a county that showcases some of the most varied walking in the UK. To share his love for this often-overlooked county, Cicerone author Mark Sutcliffe joins us to talk about his new guidebook to walking in Lancashire which features plenty of family-friendly walking alongside higher-level hill routes. Lancashire has great public transport and road links, and the range of fantastic food, wildlife,...

With just a sleeping bag and a bivvybag, bivvying allows you to immerse yourself in the landscape and enjoy sunsets, sunrises and the stars. In this episode of highlights from our Cicerone Live event, we hear all about bivvying on hillsides and hilltops in the UK from Cicerone author and bivvying enthusiast Ronald Turnbull. Ronald has enjoyed many nights sleeping out on hilltops and hillsides in the UK and completed his 100th hilltop bivvy earlier this year. He tells us the history of...

Filmed on location in the Lake District and starring Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, 'Supernova' follows couple Sam and Tusker on a campervan roadtrip as they come to terms with Tusker's early onset dementia. In this special episode of the podcast, we speak to writer and director Harry Macqueen and cinematographer Dick Pope about their experience of developing and filming 'Supernova' in the Lake District. We ask them about their filming locations around Keswick and Crummock Water, why they...

In our second #AskCicerone episode focusing on long-distance walking in the UK, we speak to Cicerone's Business Development Director Joe Williams about navigating on long-distance routes in the UK. From discussing how much navigational ability is needed for long-distance walking in the UK to the pros and cons of print and digital mapping, Joe offers plenty of advice on how to improve your navigational skills and how combining maps, apps, GPX files and route description can give you the best...

From classic scrambles on Striding Edge and Pillar Rock to lesser known routes and ghyll scrambles, the Lake District has plenty to offer scramblers and climbers. In this episode of highlights from our Cicerone Live event, Cicerone author John Fleetwood and special guest Paul Rose join us to share their experiences of scrambling in the Lake District. We discussed equipment and experience needed to tackle some of these routes, as well as how to build your confidence as a beginner. As two...

In our latest #AskCicerone episode, we ask Marketing Director and guidebook author Lesley Williams for her advice on equipment for long-distance walking in the UK. Offering tips for both summer and winter, Lesley covers footwear, waterproofs and walking poles, as well as the importance of duct tape and midge spray. This is a brilliant introduction to the practicalities of long-distance walking in the UK. Explore the Cicerone website and discover our full range of guidebooks to long-distance...

As one of the most travelled pilgrim trails in the world, the Camino Frances route of the Camino de Santiago is an unforgettable experience rich with history, culture and community. In 784km, the Camino Frances journeys from St Jean-Pied-de-Port in southern France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain and visits some of Spain's most important artistic, architectural and religious sites. In this episode of highlights from our Cicerone Live event, Cicerone author Sandy Brown provides an overview...

Travelling the length of Britain from Cornwall and the Somerset Levels to the Cairngorm Mountains and northern Scotland, Land's End to John o' Groats is an iconic route and life-long aspiration for many cyclists. In this episode, Cicerone author Richard Barrett joined us to talk about his new guidebook to cycling LEJOG and spoke about the delights and challenges en route, as well as offering plenty of advice about practicalities from booking trains and accommodation to tailoring the LEJOG...

An ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury in England to Rome in Italy, the Via Francigena explores medieval cities, vineyards, lakes and mountains as it travels through England, France, Switzerland and Italy on its journey to the Vatican City. In this episode of highlights from our Cicerone Live event, we hear from Cicerone author Sandy Brown about his new guidebooks to the Via Francigena along with a panel of special guests. Focusing on the popular Italian section of the walk, we were...