Cicerone Press

Cicerone Press: guidebooks for walkers, trekkers, cyclists and climbers

Cicerone Press is a publisher of outdoor guidebooks based in Kendal, Cumbria. Its catalogue is aimed at walkers, hikers, cyclists, trekkers and mountaineers, and the company states that these users have trusted it for more than fifty years. The range covers destinations across Britain, Europe and further afield, and the site presents the books as a way to plan and follow routes on foot, by bike or on climbing terrain.

Three main areas of activity

The catalogue is organised around three broad disciplines, each with its own subcategories:

• Hiking and trekking: from gentle countryside walks to high-mountain trails, including British day walks, British mountains, long-distance walks, National Trails, international trekking, mountain adventures and pilgrim trails.
• Cycling and bikepacking: road cycling, gravel routes and multi-day tours, alongside mountain biking, cycle touring and ski touring.
• Climbing and mountaineering: scrambles, via ferratas and summit challenges.

Trail and mountain running and outdoor skills also appear as activity categories in the shop structure.

What the guidebooks contain

Cicerone describes its books as pocket-sized and states that there are more than 400 titles. Each is presented as combining detailed route descriptions, clear maps and navigation tips, photographs and advice from outdoor writers and explorers. The site cites examples such as Blencathra's Sharp Edge in the Lake District, the GR10 mountain chain, the Camino Portugués and Italy's Alta Via 1.

Geographic coverage

The shop divides titles by region. For the British Isles it lists Scotland, the Lake District, Northern England, North East England, the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines, North West England, the Peak District, Derbyshire and the Midlands, Wales and the Welsh Borders, Snowdonia and Southern England. European sections cover Ireland, the Alps and cross-border Alpine routes, France, Italy, the Dolomites, Spain, the Pyrenees, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and Cyprus, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Romania, Scandinavia, Iceland and Greenland, and Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. International sections extend to Africa, Asia, Japan, the Himalaya, North America, South America and Australia.

Digital formats and route files

Besides printed books, Cicerone offers ebooks and route files. GPX files are available for many of the titles and can be accessed by signing into an account. The site also mentions a Cicerone app and lists ebook availability through platforms including Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play and Rakuten.

Purchasing, delivery and updates

Orders placed in the UK qualify for free Royal Mail 48 postage, and international shipping is offered. Buyers of an older edition can obtain 50% off the new book through the New for Old scheme. Route changes are published as free guidebook updates, available online or sent by email. The 2026 Cicerone Catalogue can be downloaded free of charge. The shop also includes an outlet section and a pre-order area for forthcoming titles.

Publishing work and editorial content

The company describes a team of authors, editors and designers producing guidebooks, ebooks and routes. Its articles section carries long-form planning material, such as a piece on walking in Madeira, a guide to trekking the GR131 across the Canary Islands, an overview of walking in the Zagori and Konitsa regions of mainland Greece, and a planning guide to 33 graded walks in southern Cyprus ranging from 3 to 20 km and taking between 1 and 7 hours. An interview with author Jonathan Williams accompanies the eighth edition of Trekking Chamonix to Zermatt, the guide to the Walker's Haute Route, described as a 215 km alpine trek.

Promotions and trade

The site displayed a seasonal promotion offering 15% off winter sunshine destinations during October. It also maintains sections for trade customers, media enquiries, submissions, job vacancies and a newsletter.