CURRENT PROJECTS
Whatever I’m up to, I’m not too busy to hear from you......
What follows is a brief summary of my programme of work. If I’m working in, or have been to, places in which you may have an interest, or foresee potential for a feature article or photographs, please make contact. I'll be only too happy to assist.
Madeira Islands Walking Festival
I have not yet heard from Madeira about the
Madeira Islands Walking Festival, 2010. The second five-day festival in January 2009 was a great success, and the next, if it happens, will be from 12th-16th January 2010. Check out the website, but for more information call 01772 321243 or email
madeirawalking@googlemail.com. I have no reason to believe that the festival will not take place, but I@m still awaiting confirmation.
Guidebook writing
I have recently completed a walkers' guidebook to 'The West Pennine Moors' for Cicerone ( available in August).
I have also finished a
Practical Guide to Country Walking for Crimson Publishing, for whom I am currently working on four new Pathfinder titles to the Lake District. My book
The Magic of the Scottish Islands originally published by David and Charles as a hardback, has now been reprinted and is available as a paperback.
I have a book of 'Great Mountain Days in Snowdonia' to complete by the end of June for Cicerone Press, who have also asked me to write a walkers' guide to the Isle of Mull, and a 'How to...' book on the new leisure pastime, geocaching.
Book revision work
I have recently been revising the AA Spiral Guide to Madeira, and working on revisions to the Michelin Green Guides to the Auvergne and the French Alps.
On-going magazine work
I will be continuing my regular magazine work for
Dalesman and
Cumbria, and working on a number of features for magazine.
During 2009, I will be visiting Strasbourg, Limousin (Corrèze and Haute-Vienne), and Vendée.
I spent September 2008 in Scotland, working on my
Walker's Guide to the Isle of Skye for a new, fully revised Third Edition, due out in the spring of 2009 for Cicerone.
Non-print media
During 2006 I wrote the script for a DVD on the North York Moors, produced by Chromavision. This is now available from
Yorkshire Video. With the same film producer, I have been working on a new title, called
A Postcard from Yorkshire; a DVD postcard about Yorkshire for Chromavision Media. This, too, is now available. We are also now looking at the feasibility of producing a DVD to the Dales Way.
You can see the piece I wrote for
The Weekend Australian on Strasbourg at
Full of good cheer.
There's another piece, which I wrote about Beatrix Potter, also for
The Weekend Australian at
Potter about.
A piece about the
Malvern Hills and Edward Elgar appeared on 28 April, 2007.
Bits and bobs
I'm back doing occasional radio work, for BBC Radio Lancashire.
And on top of everything else I am taking on postgraduate research at Lancaster University, hopefully leading to a PhD, on the growth of hotels in the Lake District in response to the rise in tourism. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone with information about Lakeland hotels, especially those that existed before 1900.