THE man credited with establishing fell walking in the Lake District through his guide books is to help people find their way safely on the Cumbrian fells this winter - with "Alfred Wainwright," leading the way.

The new Sat Nav for walkersor Flat Cap Nav!... is being pioneered by Cumbria Tourism to help visitors walking one of the writer's favourite hills.

The podcast gives the impression that the pipe-smoking fell wanderer himself is giving the directions and has been created for use with Ipods. It is available free from www.golakes.co.uk/wainwrightpodcast Between 1952 and 1966, Wainwright or AW, combed 214 Lake District summits to devise seven hand-written and hand-drawn Pictorial Guides.

The books, published by Frances Lincoln, are still used to this day and gives ardent Wainwright fans the chance to get a glimpse of what it must have been like taking a walk with the man himself accompanying them. Wainwright died in 1991 but never recorded one of his walks for people to enjoy.

Now Cumbria Tourism arranged for Nik Wood-Jones, the official Wainwright voiceover from the highly successful BBC2 series Wainwright Walks to walk what the author himself speculated was the "best known hill in the country" - Helm Crag, Grasmere, better known as the Lion and the Lamb to aficionados.

Wearing full Wainwright garb, Mr Wood-Jones then recorded the famous writer's observations in his trademark craggy voice, exactly as they appear in the 1958 guide Book 3: A Pictorial Guide To The Central Fells.

Walkers download the instructions onto their Ipods or MP3 players from www.golakes.co.uk/wainwrightpodcast; plug in their ear-phones and set off, with "Wainwright" giving directions and modern-day reference points.

Eric Robson, chairman of the Wainwright Society and Cumbria Tourism, said: "Many people go walking in the Lake District with a Wainwright guide book in their pocket but this is the nearest anyone will ever come to experiencing what it must be like taking a walk with Wainwright by their side."

"The idea that this priest and poet of the Lakeland fells is telling you which way to go and reading his love letter to the fells directly to you is a novel approach to 21st century hill walking."

Cumbria Tourism linked up with the Wainwright Society and guide book publishers Frances Lincoln to create the podcast with the blessing of the Wainwright estate.

John Nicoll, of Frances Lincoln, said: "Wainwright is rightly regarded as the master fellwanderer and even in these days of GPS technology and Ipods, his hand-written and hand-drawn books remain as popular as ever. To bring both generations together and create the effect that Wainwright himself is leading the way seems a great way to enjoy his guide books."

Voiceover Mr Wood-Jones, an actor based in London, said: "To have the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Wainwright, as the man himself, was a wonderful experience and I hope it introduces more people to his superb guide books and the stunning Lake District which inspired him."

It is hoped that as well as keeping Wainwright's work and memory alive, the podcast will also encourage people who are unsure about map reading or how to interpret the Wainwright Guides to find the confidence to do so with the help of "the master."