Lakeland Book of the Year

Celebrating writers inspired by the Lake District, Cumbria

Lakeland Book of the Year

Lakeland Book of the Year celebrates top quality writing inspired by the Lake District, Cumbria. Over the past four decades, this prestigious annual competition has seen authors create an incredible catalogue of books covering a range of rich and varied subjects, from landscape and tradition to literature and poetry.

Founded in 1984 by prolific author, journalist and broadcaster Hunter Davies OBE, all entries for Lakeland Book of the Year must be set in – or feature – Cumbria in some way. Grace Dent, Rory Stewart and James Rebanks are among the many talented writers who have previously scooped the overall title of ‘Book of the Year’.

Cumbria Tourism has had the honour of supporting Lakeland Book of the Year for many years and in 2023, we are taking over the full running of the awards. Fresh additions include a new category for children and young adults, along with a new-look judging panel.

This year’s awards will be held at The Inn on the Lake, Glenridding on Tuesday 11th July.

Congratulations to the below titles which have made it on to our final shortlist!

 

The Bill Rollinson Prize for Landscape & Tradition 

Forty Farms, Amy Bateman

Lost in the Lakes, Tom Chesshyre

Westmorland, the Changing Hills, John Dunning

 

The Latitude Press Prize for Illustration & Presentation

Centre Stage, Andy Park

My Lakeland, Jim Watson

Waterbird, Ian Gee

 

The Bookends Prize for People & Business 

Between Before and After, Edita Mujkic

Countess Ossalinsky and the Thirlmere Dam, Ian Hall

Minnie’s Scrapbook, Gary Johnston

 

The Wordsworth Prize for Literature & Poetry 

163 Days, Hannah Hodgson

Jardiniere, Kerry Derbishire

North Country: An Anthology of Landscape & Nature, Karen Lloyd (ed)

 

The Eric Robson Striding Edge Productions Prize for Guides & Places 

Cumbria Rocks, Ian Jackson

Extreme Lakeland, Nadir Khan and Tom McNally

Lakeland Fell Running for Mortals, John Myatt

 

The Gilpin Hotel Prize for Fiction

The Age of Reason, Frances McCrickard

The Bingo Hall Detectives, Jonathan Whitelaw

Till all the Seas, Jane Whiteford

 

 

2022 Winners:

The winners and judges of the Lakeland Book of the Year 2022 - Cumbria Tourism

The Hunter Davies Lakeland Book of the Year 2022:

Panic as Man Burns Crumpets by Roger Lytollis

Panic as man burns crumpets by Roger Lytollis - Lakeland Book of the Year - Cumbria Tourism

The full list of 2022 category winners included:

Panic as man burns crumpets by Roger Lytollis - Lakeland Book of the Year - Cumbria Tourism

The Bookends Prize for People & Business

Panic as Man Burns Crumpets by Roger Lytollis

Peak Bagging: Wainwrights by Karen & Dan Parker

The Striding Edge Prize for Guides & Places

Peak Bagging: Wainwrights by Karen & Dan Parker

The Lucks of Cumbria by Andrew Musgrave

The Bill Rollinson Prize for Landscape & Tradition

The Lucks of Cumbria by Andrew Musgrave

Brockenspectre by Caroline Moir - Lakeland Book of the Year - Cumbria Tourism

The Gilpin Hotel Prize for Fiction

Brockenspectre by Caroline Moir

Cumbria: A Book of Days by Dawn Robertson - Lakeland Book of the Year - Cumbria Tourism

The Wordsworth Grasmere Prize for Literature & Poetry

Cumbria: A Book of Days by Dawn Robertson

Joss Naylor’s Lakes, Meres and Waters of the Lake District by Vivienne Crow with Joss Naylor - Lakeland Book of the Year - Cumbria Tourism

The Latitude Press Prize for Illustration & Presentation

Joss Naylor’s Lakes, Meres and Waters of the Lake District by Vivienne Crow with Joss Naylor

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Get In Touch

For more information about Lakeland Book of the Year, contact Ben Melling on bmelling@cumbriatourism.org