Where have you toured because of a book?

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.  

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.

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

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.

Not only celebrated in Britain, Dubai also.

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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.

 

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😊

 

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....

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.😁