Cicerone Press
Cicerone Press is a UK specialist publisher of 400+ outdoor adventure guidebooks for walkers, trekkers, climbers, and cyclists, sold in print, eBook, and mobile app formats across its own e-commerce site, major digital marketplaces, and EU stockists. Founded in 1973, it serves consumer outdoor enthusiasts across British Isles, European, and international destinations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersKendal, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Cicerone Press does
Cicerone Press is a privately held UK specialist publisher founded in 1973 and headquartered in Kendal, operating for over 50 years as a dedicated source of outdoor adventure guidebooks. The company publishes 400+ pocket-sized guidebooks (428 current titles) covering walking, trekking, mountaineering, climbing, and cycling across British Isles (234 titles), European (169 titles), and international destinations (26 titles), supported by 490 free planning articles on its website. Its core product is the printed guidebook, priced between £9.95 and £30.00, featuring detailed route descriptions, hand-drawn fellscape diagrams, and proprietary Harvey Superwalker 1:40,000 scale mapping.
The company has built a multi-format digital ecosystem around its print catalog. eBooks are distributed across Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, Google Play, and Rakuten Kobo; the Cicerone mobile app (iOS and Android) provides GPS-enabled route navigation, local highlights, and mapped facilities; and registered guidebook owners can download free GPX files for use on GPS devices and mapping applications. Complementary OS 1:25,000 scale trail map booklets extend the product line beyond traditional guidebooks. The catalog is enriched by a stable of expert authors, most notably Mark Richards, who walked with Alfred Wainwright and has been a Cicerone author since the company's founding.
Cicerone operates a product-led, direct-to-consumer go-to-market model, selling primarily through its own e-commerce storefront (cicerone.co.uk) and secondary digital marketplaces, with regional EU stockist partnerships for physical book distribution. Revenue is generated through one-time purchases of print books and eBooks, app access fees, and a "New for Old" 50% trade-in scheme that drives repeat purchases. The company has no disclosed funding, no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no M&A activity, operating as an independent niche publisher with 11-50 employees.
Cicerone Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cicerone Press
- Legal name
- Cicerone Press
- Website
- https://cicerone.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cicerone Press is a UK specialist publisher of 400+ outdoor adventure guidebooks for walkers, trekkers, climbers, and cyclists, sold in print, eBook, and mobile app formats across its own e-commerce site, major digital marketplaces, and EU stockists. Founded in 1973, it serves consumer outdoor enthusiasts across British Isles, European, and international destinations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Cicerone Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kendal
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cicerone Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Physical Guidebook Sales: One-time sale of printed guidebooks through direct e-commerce and third-party retail channels. Prices range from approximately £9.95 to £30.00 depending on guidebook type and format.
- eBook Sales: Digital versions of guidebooks sold through multiple platforms including Apple Books, Google Play, Amazon Kindle, and Rakuten Kobo. Typically priced at same or lower price point than printed versions.
- App Access: Mobile app-based access to guidebook content with GPS navigation features. Separate product from both printed books and eBooks.
- GPX File Downloads: GPS route files available as free downloads for registered guidebook owners, enhancing the digital product ecosystem.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Printed Book Only |
| Hybrid | Pay-as-you-go | Printed + eBook Bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eBook Only |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | App Access |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | New For Old Scheme |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cicerone Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cicerone Press is a specialist publisher of outdoor recreation guidebooks covering walking, trekking, mountaineering, climbing, and cycling. The catalog of more than 400 titles provides detailed route descriptions, maps, and practical information for individual outdoor enthusiasts, available in print, eBook, and dedicated mobile app formats.
Product overview
Cicerone Press publishes over 400 pocket-sized guidebooks for walkers, hikers, cyclists, and trekkers, covering destinations worldwide. The core offering consists of printed guidebooks containing detailed route descriptions, clear maps, and expert advice. These are supplemented by eBook versions distributed across major platforms (Apple Books, Google Play, Amazon Kindle, Rakuten Kobo), downloadable GPX files for GPS navigation, OS 1:25K trail map booklets for specific routes, and a mobile Cicerone App. The company also provides free online articles and planning guides as resources for outdoor enthusiasts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Walking Guidebooks Print and digital guidebooks providing detailed route descriptions, maps, and practical walking information for self-guided walkers, from short walks to multi-day hikes. Targeted at individual walking enthusiasts planning their own trips.
- Trekking Guidebooks Print and digital guidebooks covering multi-day and high-altitude treks, including routes in regions such as the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, and other global trekking destinations. Targeted at serious trekkers planning self-guided expeditions.
- Mountaineering Guides Print and digital guidebooks providing route descriptions, technical advice, and safety information for mountaineering and alpine climbing. Targeted at alpinists and climbers undertaking self-guided ascents.
- Climbing Guidebooks Print and digital guidebooks documenting climbing routes, crags, and bouldering areas with topos, grades, and approach information. Targeted at rock climbers planning their own climbing trips.
- Cycling Route Guides Print and digital guidebooks covering cycling routes for road, touring, and mountain biking, with route descriptions, maps, and practical travel information. Targeted at self-guided cycling travelers and tourers.
- Cicerone Mobile App Mobile application that delivers Cicerone's guidebook content in digital form, allowing users to access outdoor route information via smartphones. Targeted at individual outdoor enthusiasts who prefer digital reference over print.
- eBook Editions Digital eBook versions of Cicerone guidebook titles distributed via online retailers, offering searchable, portable guidebook content. Targeted at outdoor enthusiasts who prefer digital reading formats.
- Cicerone Kendal Bookshop Company-operated physical bookshop in Kendal, UK, providing direct retail access to Cicerone's full range of outdoor guidebooks and serving as a brand showcase for the publishing house.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50 years of continuous operation as a specialist outdoor publisher
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Cicerone Press
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Cicerone Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration10 records
Feature3 records
Cicerone Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cicerone Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Falcon Guides: Falcon Guides (formerly Falcon Press) is a US-based publisher specializing in hiking, climbing, and outdoor recreation guidebooks. Comparable to Cicerone in format (pocket-sized guides with route descriptions and maps) and target customer (hikers and outdoor adventurers), with primarily US/trail coverage.
- Rough Guides: Rough Guides is a UK-based travel guidebook publisher with a broad destination coverage and similar print + eBook distribution model. Like Cicerone, Rough Guides targets independent travellers seeking curated destination content, though Rough Guides skews more general-cities-and-culture vs Cicerone's outdoor-active focus.
- Bradt Travel Guides: Bradt is an independent UK travel guidebook publisher with strong wildlife, trekking, and adventure-travelling titles. Compares closely to Cicerone as a similarly sized, independent, UK-based specialist travel/outdoor publisher distributed through bookshops and online retailers.
- Rucksack Readers: Rucksack Readers specialises in Scotland-focused long-distance trail guides (West Highland Way, Great Glen Way, etc.). A direct UK peer and competitor for Cicerone in the British trail-guide market with overlapping product format.
- Trailblazer Publications: Trailblazer publishes long-distance hiking and trekking guides including the renowned "Walking" series. Closely comparable niche publisher focused on outdoor active travel with similar guide format and customer base to Cicerone's trekking titles.
Emerging players
- AllTrails: AllTrails is a digital outdoor navigation app with a large user-generated trail database used by walkers and hikers globally. An emerging digital competitor to Cicerone's GPS-guided route discovery, presenting a free/UGC alternative to paid guidebook content.
- Komoot: Komoot is a European hiking and cycling route-planning app with tour recommendations and GPX-based navigation. Closely comparable to the Cicerone App's GPS mapping + curated route positioning, serving the same end user with a digital-first subscription model.
Broad incumbents
- Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a global travel guidebook publisher covering hundreds of destinations worldwide with print, eBook, and digital formats. It is the broadest incumbent in the travel/outdoor guidebook category; Cicerone competes at the specialist outdoor/active-adventure end of Lonely Planet's generalist travel scope.
Others
- Ordnance Survey: Ordnance Survey is the UK's national mapping agency providing authoritative outdoor maps via OS Maps app. Functions as both a supplier (Cicerone OS 1:25,000 trail map booklets) and an adjacent alternative route-planning platform for British outdoor enthusiasts.
- Harvey Maps: Harvey Maps is a UK-based map publisher whose 1:40,000 Superwalker mapping is integrated into Cicerone guides. Functions as both an embedded supplier (content included in Cicerone products) and an adjacent competitor for standalone outdoor maps.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cicerone Press social profiles
Digital presenceCicerone Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cicerone Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cicerone Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cicerone Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cicerone Press
What does Cicerone Press do?
Cicerone Press is a specialist publisher of outdoor recreation guidebooks covering walking, trekking, mountaineering, climbing, and cycling. The catalog of more than 400 titles provides detailed route descriptions, maps, and practical information for individual outdoor enthusiasts, available in print, eBook, and dedicated mobile app formats.
Is Cicerone Press a public or private company?
Cicerone Press is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cicerone Press founded?
Cicerone Press was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cicerone Press based?
Cicerone Press is headquartered in Kendal, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Cicerone Press make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Physical Guidebook Sales are the primary driver. The others are eBook Sales, app Access and GPX File Downloads.
Who are Cicerone Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Falcon Guides, Rough Guides, Bradt Travel Guides, Rucksack Readers and Trailblazer Publications. Emerging players are AllTrails and Komoot. Lonely Planet is listed as a broad incumbent. Others are Ordnance Survey and Harvey Maps.
Does Cicerone Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cicerone Press.