Hi everyone, in this week’s post I’m taking you to Britain where the road trip books I found are bound to give you an adventure like no other. If you’re an avid Anglophile like me, then I hope these might entice you further…
You could say that travelling around the British Isles is something of a ‘bucket list’ item for me. At some point, I’d love to just travel and read my way through the literary landscapes that illustrated much of my reading life! The books below were selected from the handful of titles I had read.
My first book, Move Along, Please: Land’s End to John O’Groats by local bus by Mark Mason (Random House, 2013) was the first time I encountered the concept of LEJOG — the south to north journey from Land’s End in Cornwall to John O’Groats in Scotland. In this fascinating read, however, Mason takes the local bus to traverse its entirety. Boarding the number 1A bus from Land’s End, Mason takes another 46 buses over 11 days until finally disembarking after a gruelling 1,100 mile journey in John O’Groats. Along the way he visits everywhere from Porthcurno, the village where the internet enters Britain, to the urban sprawl of Birmingham (inspiration for The Two Towers in The Lord of the Rings), samples staples of the British diet from curry to deep-fried Mars bar, and uncovers countless fascinating facts about his native land. Set against the backdrop of 2,000 years of history and with a full supporting cast drawn from the most unusual of species, the Great British Public, this is the unmissable story of a man rediscovering his nation in all its idiosyncratic glory.
My review: As an avid Anglophile who absolutely loves everything British, this armchair travelogue was a gem waiting to be discovered. Mason’s witty style of writing kept me entertained from the beginning to the end. I loved the interesting and eccentric people he met on this journey and the conversations he’d overhear. For me, it felt almost interactive in this sense! Descriptions of the varying scenery as the bus journey took him northwards were exquisitely depicted and did more than satiate my own travel lust!! If you’re looking to travel Britain, why not start with this lovely read for inspiration!!
In The Great North Road by Steve Silk (Summersdale Publishers Ltd, 2021) readers are invited on a similar journey: along the Great North Road, Britain’s most illustrious highway. Stretching from London to Edinburgh, the Great North Road ceased to exist from 1921 — on paper at least. The old road was replaced mostly by the A1 as people embarked into the era of the motorcar. A hundred years later, journalist and cyclist Steve Silk embraces the anniversary as the perfect excuse to set off on an adventure across 11 days and 400 miles. Heading north at a stately 14 miles per hour on his bike, Silk spends his journey searching out milestones and memorials, coaching inns and coffee shops. Seen from a saddle instead of a car seat, the towns and countryside of England and Scotland reveal traces of Britain’s remarkable past and glimpses of its future. Enriched with history, humour and insight, this read is a tribute to Britain and the endless appeal of the open road.
My review: What an awesome travel read this was!! Silk had us trailing along with him as he trekked northwards on his trusty bicycle towards Edinburgh in this sedate travelogue. I had sort of heard about the Great North Road (GNR) in England but this amazing book really brought it to life. I loved the interesting facts he’d dug up about the various coaching inns and historical landmarks and events that many of his destinations were infamous for. I found myself constantly checking up the many nuggets of information, even writing them down for future use! (I’m not sure where I’ll use them, but you never know!) I loved the way Silk brought the English landscape to life in his pages with his simple use of language! Despite not having ridden a bicycle in over thirty years, I found myself enjoying the way Silk describes his mishaps during this journey. I’m pretty sure if you’re a cycling enthusiast, this would be better suited for you!!
I hope these books have given you a bit of the travel bug that still runs through my dreams!
Stay safe and keep reading
Miss Mahee
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 