Where have you toured because of a book?
Have you ever toured anywhere because of a book you loved?
It's World Book Day next week. My three year old son was contemplating going to pre-school as a Duck-Billed Platypus from the 'Oi frog and friends' book series. He's settled on Spiderman at the moment (currently his favourite bedtime story). That may well change by next week!
I love how in Britain we celebrate World Book Day and our love of reading, from comic books, picture books to great works of literature. We even have our Book Club Discussion on Club Together. But have you ever toured anywhere because of a book? What are your top recommendations for places to stay that have inspired authors in the UK or overseas?
For some inspiration of places to stay on World Book Day have a look at this blog post: Literary Camping
We would love to hear your recommendations too and will look to share some of these on the Club's blog to be published on Thursday, World Book Day. 
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Although it's doubtful whether we will, I have thought about following in the footsteps of Inspector Montalbano in Sicily from the books by Andrea Camilleri, although my route has been via the TV programmes.
David
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Two years ago I got intrigued about Samuel Pepys and his diaries. I've got copies of them but had never read the whole lot or taken on board where he came from etc. Then I read Claire Tomalin's "The Unequalled Self" which was a really good read about Pepys's life and as we were heading off to East Anglia I decided to take a look where Pepys was brought up because his descriptions of walking with his father in the countryside where quite memorable. We stopped at a CL on the edge of Brampton where he lived in his early years and we were just a few minutes walk from his old home. Over the road was Hinchinbrooke House which he wrote a lot about and the walks over one of England's largest meadows, Portholme Meadow, still there for all to see, but no milkmaids milking cows any more.
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We stayed in Scarborough last summer and went to Whitby Abbey due to my gothic teenage daughters love of all things Dracula!
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The Welsh Marches, Ludlow, The Malvern and Hereford area to visit the places mentioned in the Merrily Watkins books by Phil Rickman. Lincoln Cathedral because of Anya Seaton's Catherine.
We tend more to visit places/filming locations associated with films/tv series, many of which have originated as books, e.g. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. In fact have just been to Long Melford which was used for Lovejoy, another tv series based on novels by Jonathan Gash (the pen name of John Grant).
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I've never visited a place first and foremost because of a book but we have often visited places that have resonated with us through reading or has inspired us to pick up a book that discusses or is set in that place, if that makes sense
For example, when we first visited a region in the south of France we visited the windmills that the French novelist Daudet wrote about in Daudets Windmills but we didn't know about them before we went there. We also visited some of the places where the resistance fought their guerilla war in mid France after reading a book about the Resistance when we were in the area.
I also like to visit some of the places Pevensey has written about and will read a few travelogues for future reference and visiting.
I'm normally not too bothered about fictional books and places unless they are set quite some time ago and there is some social history attached to it.
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Although not really relevant, I was inspired to visit Kefalonia, after watching ‘Captain Correli’s Mandolin’ ( the book is a best seller, I believe?). We went on a guided tour whilst there. The tour guide was brilliant. She recounted lots of the history, and after being prompted by me, especially the things that occurred during the occupation by firstly the Italians and Germans (jointly) and then the Germans after the Italian surrender. ‘Captain Correli’s Mandolin’ is of course a work of fiction, but a lot of what was portrayed is based on fact. My visit to Kefalonia was very memorable.
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I am often inspired by books and read a great deal but it is an unfortunate fact that they often romanticise places. Films and TV do that as well. Inspector Montalbano is a good example - look closely and visit the country and there is much to enjoy but not always in the way it may seem. Ditto for travel journalists “ what to see in xxxxx” sometimes should be “what to avoid in xxx”!
“A year in Provence” has probably inspired many and we are frequent visitors but the Mistral and the intense heat in summer are not to everybody’s taste.
Books are great for escapism and part of that is often to paint a rosy picture. Long may it continue.
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The Ripening Sun: One Woman and the Creation of a Vineyard
In summer of 2004 in my very first Motorhome we spent a lovely afternoon visiting this ladies vineyard of Clos d’Yvigne, excellent summer read and I think Channel 4 made a documentary about her life as a former banker who gave up her job to buy a vineyard in the Bordeaux region with no knowledge what so ever.
Have read this at least three times.
Phil
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A foreign field - Ben Macintyre
A 1 WW true story where a number of soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines. One of the soldiers Sgt Thomas Digby, who is taken in by a family. He marries one of the daughters of the host family, but it is believed another jealous woman betrayed him to the Germans, he is capture and shot.
We visited the village Le Catelet and visited the place of execution and the grave.
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We’ve been to Pembrokeshire, Hereford, Chepstow, Tintern Abbey due to connections with William Marshal (1st Earl of Pembroke), and also to Ludlow, after reading the novels based on true medieval history by Elizabeth Chadwick.
Also been to Hardwick Hall, when staying in Derbyshire, after reading Philippa Gregory novels featuring Bess of Hardwick and Mary Queen of Scots.
Not touring, but holidaying in hotels and cottages, we visited Granada to see the Alhambra Palace, one time childhood home of Katherine of Aragon, after reading Philippa Gregory’s novel The Constant Princess. Also to Carcassonne and Beziers in the Languedoc region of France after reading Labyrinth by Kate Mosse.
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We have both recently finished reading the DCI Ryan series of crime thrillers written by LJ Ross - all 15 books! - set in Northumberland and the first one is centred around Holy Island which has inspired us to go and have a look there - especially as we don't know that county very well.
Booked into Low Hedgeley Farm in May which others on here have stayed at and recommended - and looking forward to it
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Many years ago, when we were still tenting, we visited Bonnieux, Menerbes and Lacoste, amongst others in the Provence, after reading Peter Mayles a Year in Provence. It was September so we visited the Cooperative Winery in Bonnieux and watched, exactly as described in the book, the anticipation on the faces of the farmers as the potential alcohol gauge ticked above 13 and then 13.5, triggering a bigger payment. Plus many other things mentioned in the book. We have been back to the Provence many times since but not revisited that part. Although we did consider taking our MH to the good basic Municipal in Bonnieux, last year.
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As a child/teenager, I loved The Greek Myths, including the Iliad and the Odyssey. (Obviously translations for a younger readership) But it was one of the first places I thought of when holidaying, and as I was into sport, included the Olympic Games as well. Mycaene, Epidauros, and the Ancient Olympic Stadium.....as well as lots of other Greek places associated with the Myths.
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As a child I read a booked called 'The Haunted Mountain' by Mollie Hunter, which inspired a long held desire to climb Ben Macdui. It was finally accomplished last June when we travelled up to the Cairngorms: we loved it so much, we're going back this year too😊
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It's a bit of a trek from Low Hedgeley but if you do decide to visit all of the sites in the books then at some point you'll get to Penshaw Monument. In which case I'd recommend Penshaw tea rooms (which also has an attached bakery and butchers). The food there is all home made and delicious, in fact I've just had lunch there today. It was to wet and windy to climb up to the top of the monument but it's well worth the effort in good weather😊
For High Force I'd recommend The Crown cl at Mickleton. It's in a very good location and the pub serves gorgeous food, but they've put the price up to a very expensive £25 per night this year so it's not the cheapest....
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In UK, we enjoyed a lot of the Poldark connections, and some of the filming locations, from both series. Like other posters, I am fascinated by Katherine Swynford, William Marshall, John of Gaunt, who all have fiction and biographies referencing them. We have done tours around Wars of the Roses, and Shakespearean locations as well.
Tours on our bucket list.......Montalbano, Patrick O Brian, anything to do with Eleanor of Aquitaine. If my innards could cope with ferry, I’d like to do GOT filming locations in Northern Ireland as well.
Edit: if anyone likes Daphne Du Maurier locations, the beach and house she used for Rebecca’s death is there to be discovered. It’s called Polridmouth Cove, just West of Fowey, with Menabilly House (Manderley), where she wrote the novel, just a mile or so inland.😁
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We have previously visited many of the places mentioned in the L R Ross books but did deliberately go to see the monument at Penshaw. Hope you enjoy your stay at Lower Hegderley.
This trip we went to see The Doom wallhanging at Wenheston Church after OH had read about it in Michelle Paver's Wakenhyrst.
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If you bother to read any of the DUNCTON Series about Moles and their trials & tribulations You could do worse than hunt out all the Sites that the author William Horwood used for different parts of " Moledom ". Some won't bother I know 'cos they never colonised Over There
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Duncton Wood.......I haven’t read that in years.......😁
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For a small fee (😉lunch date) I can be persuaded to take those interested on a Black Diamonds Tour. My Grandfather worked for the Earl, and I lived in “the big house” when I was at College. We used to ride out around the Estate and monuments. Nearly got married in village church, but decided elsewhere better.😁
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Been there, done that, including the lunch, but could do it again sometime! 😂
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There’s lots more to go at yet!😁 you haven’t seen the Wedding Cake yet!
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OH has just recalled that we went to see Ightham Mote and Cowdray Park as they were mentioned in Anya Seaton's Green Darkness.
Also Hever Castle after her having read The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillips Gregory
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Can't wait, although might have to because of the flooding.
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OH has just reminded me we have done Dorothy L Sayers Five Red Herrings Tour! Dumfries and Galloway. And Ellis Peters Cadfael novels, Shrewsbury Abbey, Titterstone Clee, Etc.... in Shropshire.
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