When The Story of Holly and Ivy was first published, it was set in the Buckinghamshire market town of Aylesbury. In later editions the location was switched to somewhere called Appleton. (There is a village of Appleton in Oxfordshire, but the descriptions in the book don’t fit it.) Has the book lost something as a result? “And where does your grandmother… Continue reading
Browsing Category Travel
Never mind the weather: Patrick Leigh Fermor takes meteorological liberties in A Time of Gifts
Did one of the finest British travel writers of the 20th century start his epic adventure across Europe on a meteorological fib? Patrick Leigh Fermor – “a thousand glistening umbrellas tilted over a thousand bowler hats in Piccadilly”. The Sunday Times – “At Kew it was 33° (1°C). Light falls of snow again occurred locally.” But does it… Continue reading →
Shedding light on Turkey’s quieter classical remains
Most tourists in Turkey know of Ephasus and Troy. Yet there is a multitude of Greek and Roman sites around its south and west coast, many of them little visited with scarcely an explaining noticeboard. But this rich, unreported history is under threat, as the country’s tourist boom continues. One archaeologist wants to develop a… Continue reading →
Strolling the mountains around Lake Uri, with super-helpful signposts
This is an update of a piece of mine originally published in The Times. In a gloomy recess in Ingenbohl Forest above Lake Uri, a buttercup yellow arrow beamed cheerfully out of a monochrome background. “Trust me,” it seemed to say. “I’m a Swiss signpost.” Think of a cartographical St Bernard, proffering reassurance, guidance and,… Continue reading →
In the climate crisis, could Lumo be the ticket to ride to a net zero future?
The worst day of the year for the railways in the UK isn’t when storms, floods or snow do their worst to cripple the network. It’s on that one day in August when the ritual above-inflation rise in fares is announced for the next New Year. By the same token, the best day for motorists… Continue reading →
Young trail on the banks of an ancient river: The Thames Path at 25
“At one end of the Thames you may picnic over the river on ancient farm bridges garlanded with stonecrop, and watch aerial warfare between monstrous dragonflies; at the other end is the Thames Barrier, reposing in the departing flow like a shining line of walnut shells.” – A Walk Along the Thames Path (Michael Joseph,… Continue reading →