A LANDMARK South Lakeland outdoor shop is closing its doors after more than two decades of service to adventurers.

Lakeland Great Outdoors, located off the A591 at Plantation Bridge, just outside Kendal, will shut later this year after operating for 25 years.

Owner Colin Hartley said: "I'll be 70 this year, so it's time for me to retire. My manager, who was going to continue running the shop for a few more years, has given notice that he will no longer be doing so due to health reasons, so we have decided to close down. Twenty-five years has been a good run.

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"We have over a million pounds' worth of stock. We have no official closing date. It will be once we have sold everything, which may take a few weeks, or a few months. There are a lot of things to sell."

Lakeland Great Outdoors, which sells walking boots, clothing and other outdoor equipment, has established a devoted clientele, some of whom make a point of visiting the shop from other parts of the country as they visit the Lake District.

"A lot of people have told us how sorry they are to see the shop go," Mr Hartley said. "We appreciate the goodwill and the massive amount of support we have received from our customers."

Mr Hartley set up his shop, which now employs six people, when he moved to Windermere from Yorkshire a quarter of a century ago.

"It will be sad not to have the business to run anymore," he said. "But I will have more time for my hobbies, such as gardening, and spending time with my grandchildren."

The building which the business has been occupying, by the filling station on the side of A591 between Kendal and Staveley, has been put up for sale.

"Hopefully in the next few months, when we close, we will have a buyer for the building. We are just throwing it completely open on the market for anyone."

A sale, which started at the Lakeland Great Outdoors this week, will see stock sold up to 70 per cent off until everything has been sold.