TV presenter champions Lake District walks and views

The walk was devised by the famous walking guide, Alfred Wainwright, who was born in the Lake District, and begins in St Bees in North Cumbria.

This May, former Countryfile presenter Julia, 45, will appear at the Keswick Mountain Festival to talk about her new eight part series for ITV, ‘Best Walks with a View’ and share her recent adventures and favourite walks, many of which are in the Lake District. Best Walks with a View also includes a walk around the breathtaking scenery in Keswick.

So just what is it that has Julia, one of the best known outdoor enthusiasts in the UK, so enamoured with our quiet corner of the world? She said: "I think what I love most about the Lake District is the variety of landscape and atmospheres that you can find in a relatively small area.

"There is such a vast expanse of rivers and forests and trees that every day is a different walking experience.

"My favourite walks in the Lake District are around Castle Cragg and Borrowdale Valley which comes up again in my new show. It's a gorgeous little fell which has such incredible views to be seen in a relatively short walking time."

Julia hopes that with her continued support for the Coast to Coast walk and the attention she focuses on Cumbrian walks in her new series to help with the Cumbrian Flood Appeal. Julia, is still hoping to raise awareness and encourage more people to visit our beautiful county and support Cumbrian tourism in the process.

We have many beautiful walks to explore, but it is always fantastic to hear from an expert about exactly which places they find most appealing. Julia said: "Obviously Keswick is high up on my list of Lake District favourites but I also love Grasmere. Grasmere is just so picture perfect, like something from a postcard. It's twee, but I adore that about it.

"It is a little further north in Cumbria, but High Cup Nick near Appleby is one of my favourite walks in the world. It's a bit of a hike up, but once you get to the top the views are spectacular and it's easy to see why people call it the 'grand canyon of Britain'.

At the Keswick Mountain Festival Julia will be signing copies of her new book 'Unforgettable Walks' and telling a few personal stories and funny anecdotes about the walks that inspired the book.

Julia also champions the values of outdoor education for children. Even though she lives in London herself, she believes in getting children out in to the fresh air as much as possible and battling the ever-growing culture of screens and social media that dominate our culture today. Julia said: "Time spent outdoors is really valuable for childrens' mental health. Even though I live in a city now, I try to take my children to as many green spaces as possible.

"I'm not saying all parents have to visit the mountains every weekend, it could be the Lake District or it could be your local park. It's surprising how refreshed and nourished you can feel after just one visit, it is vital for development.

"A recent study showed that on average our children now spend less time outdoors every day than prison inmates. Who have an allotted time each day, which just seems outrageous.

"I feel quite strongly that schools should introduce trips to our national beauty spots like the Lake District and Malham Cove as a compulsory thing in the curriculum. It is so important to get children active and enjoying the outdoors."

You can hear Julia talk about her vast experience on Thursday 19 May when she speaks at the Keswick Mountain Festival. Julia really has some fascinating experiences that range from interviewing Sandra Bullock on the red carpet in Hollywood, to skinning her own meals on the hit TV show Kill It, Cook It, Eat It. Speaking on the same day will be TV explorer Monty Halls, who is famous for the shows Dive Mysteries and Lost Worlds.

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