A whole corner of the shop is dedicated to adventure sports: mostly climbing & mountaineering but also including canoeing, kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, fell running & bushcraft.

We have 70+ climbing guides, signed and scarce first editions, early expedition photographs, skills development, adventure education, rescues and epics, essays, biographies & maps.

LAKE POETS

The rugged, natural beauty of the region has drawn many a poet to these parts, most notably Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey, De Quincey and Lamb. We have a good selection of their poetical and non-poetical works, from paperbacks to fine bindings, as well as biographies and analyses.

RUSKIN

Ruskin left a rich legacy both in and out of print. His influence over William Morris can be seen in the Arts & Crafts movement, of which there are numerable architectural examples in Cumbria, most notably Blackwell at Bowness-on-Windermere. You can also visit Ruskin’s home, Brantwood at Coniston. Either would make a great day trip from Penrith.

ARCHAEOLOGY

We stock a large range of archeology books and a wide span of Transactions of the Cumberland & Westmorland Antiquarian & Archaeologocal Society (CWAAS). Local sites include Papcastle, Birdoswald and Hadrian’s Wall as well as numerous stone circles, which we usually have some books on. More local sites of interest here.