A new guide to the Rutland Round

Celebrating Rutland’s heritage, wildlife and community, a new guidebook by local photographer Ady Kerry, encourages everyone to lace up their walking boots and discover or rediscover England’s smallest county.

The Rutland Round is a 65 mile walk around the county that was devised in 2000 by John Williams and has been enjoyed by hikers for over 25 years. This new guidebook seeks to reignite interest in the walk with updated information, artistic maps and beautiful imagery, encouraging us to step outside and connect with the landscape on our doorsteps.

Ady Kerry, said: “The guidebook has been a year in the making, and I hope it inspires people to get outside and discover the delights of rural Rutland, and is a source of local information for tourists who come to Rutland for their holidays.

“It takes the walker to the edges of the county, very close to Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, while visiting the bustling market towns of Oakham and Uppingham. Along the way there are historical notes and features on some of the birds and animals you may encounter, alongside a few useful recipes for foraged leaves and fruit.”

The route, which starts and finishes in Oakham, is broken down into manageable sections of around 12 miles, and then further sub-divided into six-mile sections to enable readers to plan a walk that suits them. Each section has its own illustrative maps, photography and detailed walk instructions.

Ady continued: “The Rutland Round could be undertaken as continuous walk over a few days staying overnight at convenient locations. It could equally be walked in shorter walks in the order of your choice, which was very much how I went about walking the route for the guide.”

The guide has a personal touch rooted in Ady’s own mission to tell stories through his imagery. It combines local history and conservation in a celebration of all that is great about Rutland, proving once again there is much in little.

The book costs £12 from Walkers bookshops in Oakham and Stamford or online at www.rutlandround.com.