Lake District Guides and Maps

Friday 13th August marks 70 years of the Lake District National Park as it was founded in 1951.

Home to Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England, the Lake District is steeped in history and a popular holiday destination for anyone who enjoys the great outdoors . It is the perfect place to enjoy scenic walks, visit market towns such as Kendal, Ambleside and Keswick, swim in the famous lakes and tarns, go fell-running and Wainwright hill-bagging, to name just a few things this magnificent National Park and World Heritage Site has to offer.

If you love the Lake District or are planning to visit, here are some of our favourite guides and maps:

Continue reading Lake District Guides and Maps

Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathan Drori

In his follow-up to the bestselling Around the World in 80 Trees, Jonathan Drori takes another trip across the globe, bringing to life the science of plants by revealing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. From the seemingly familiar tomato and dandelion to the eerie mandrake and Spanish ‘moss’ of Louisiana, each of these stories is full of surprises. Some have a troubling past, while others have ignited human creativity or enabled whole civilizations to flourish. With a colourful cast of characters all brought to life by illustrator Lucille Clerc, Around the World in 80 Plants is a botanical journey of beauty and brilliance.

Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathan Drori, illustrations by Lucille Clerc

Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathan Drori, illustrations by Lucille Clerc

Here Jonathan Drori gives us an insight into a few of the plants that feature in his book:

Continue reading Around the World in 80 Plants by Jonathan Drori

Stanfords Selects: Quiz Books

Whether you’re planning a Zoom quiz night for friends, looking to while away a cold winter’s day with travel trivia or want to brush up on your geographical knowledge we have lots of great quiz books that will challenge your mind and guarantee you’ll be in great demand to be the geography buff on pub quiz teams (when pubs finally open up again).

Continue reading Stanfords Selects: Quiz Books

Watch the 2021 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

Ordinarily the Stanfords team spend the beginning of the year setting up their map clad stage at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show at Olympia. For obvious reasons the in person show did not happen this year so we took the show online.

Continue reading Watch the 2021 Stanfords Travel Writers Festival

Emily Ketteringham to paint mural at Stanfords Bristol to celebrate Robert Macfarlane’s ‘Underland’


We are excited to announce the commissioning of local artist Emily Ketteringham to paint a large scale mural on our store window at Stanfords Bristol to celebrate the launch of author Robert Macfarlane’s new book Underland.


Underland is the highly anticipated new book from the internationally bestselling, prizewinning author of Landmarks, The Lost Words and The Old Ways. The mural will be based on the cover of the book which is a piece of art by Stanley Donwood, who has previously worked with Glastonbury festival and designed Radiohead’s album cover art.

Continue reading Emily Ketteringham to paint mural at Stanfords Bristol to celebrate Robert Macfarlane’s ‘Underland’

Come and meet Fangs McGraw at Stanfords Bristol

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity, has revealed its sixty-plus sculptures of Academy Award®-winning characters Wallace, Gromit and Feathers McGraw around Bristol and its surrounding area. Continue reading Come and meet Fangs McGraw at Stanfords Bristol

Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2018 Shortlists

The shortlists for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards in association with Hayes & Jarvis was announced last night at the National Liberal Club, London.

You can find out more details about the 43 shortlisted books here.

As well as the book categories we have the Bradt Travel Guides New Travel Writer of the Year and the Lonely Planet Pathfinders Travel Blog of the Year:

You can read the shortlisted entries for New Travel Writer of the Year:

Mabrat Yellem by Joanna Griffin

The Village Sledge Run by Alan Packer

Yes. No. It’s a little difficult. by Chris Walsh

 

You can view the shortlisted entries for Travel Blog of the Year:

The Discoveries Of

Man Vs. Globe

Andy Explores

All the winner will be announced on the evening of 1st February, when the Edward Stanford Award for Outstanding Contribution to Travel Writing will also been announced.

 

Where is Moldova? The family board game demo day

If you are looking for your post-Christmas lunch or Boxing Day board game, come and meet Peter the inventor of ‘Where is Moldova?’ who is hosting a live demonstration day in our London store on Tuesday 19th December. Learn how to play this fabulous family board game and ask Peter why he named his game after a land-locked country in south east Europe. Continue reading Where is Moldova? The family board game demo day