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Post by Claire on Jul 10, 2013 13:33:03 GMT 1
Hi all, Rosie's recent visit to Punchbowl Farm area and mine to the locations of a Malcolm Saville story I read, made me wonder if anyone else has visited locations from books they have read, pony or otherwise. Did you make a special visit? Was it what you expected? Or are you lucky enough to actually live somewhere you've read a book about? Feel free to post any pics too. If anyone is interested the book I read was The Secret of Buzzard Scar by Malcolm Saville which is actually set in my home town of Richmond and further up the valley. You can see some pics of the locations on my blog post: themadbooklover.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/the-secret-of-buzzard-scar-by-malcolm.html |
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Post by kunuma on Jul 10, 2013 15:02:24 GMT 1
Well I can only really claim to have seen the Warhorse places -but that's from the film so doesn't count!! I could claim loads of places if I was allowed to count Daphne Du Maurier!!
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Post by susanb on Jul 10, 2013 16:08:57 GMT 1
The only one that leaps to mind for me is Little Women. I've been to Orchard House and The Wayside in Concord and to Fruitlands, in Harvard (all in Massachusetts). 3 of the 27 places Louisa May Alcott lived during her childhood!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 10, 2013 17:51:16 GMT 1
Last year I had a holiday in Kent and walked around the Romney Marsh area not realising that was the setting for Monica Edwards other series!  I've been to Exmoor and seen where some of Eleanor Helmes books were based. And Follyfoot farm locations.... Claire those locations in your blog look wonderful places to visit, I'd enjoy that without even reading the books  |
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Post by Claire on Jul 10, 2013 18:42:27 GMT 1
I could claim loads of places if I was allowed to count Daphne Du Maurier!! Why shouldn't you be allowed to count them? We're not just talking about pony books here. I've also seen some of her book locations including the real life Jamaica Inn. I've visited quite a few places in Northumbria from Lorna Hill's books, also the Roman Wall which featured in Little Grey Pony by Hilda Boden. Apart from Dartmoor, Exmoor and the New Forest (all of which I've been to) not that many pony books seem to have real life locations, Lorna Hill and Monica Edwards were the exceptions, possibly because both of them based a lot of their writing on real life happenings, people, etc. Whitby is probably the most famous book location I have been to, with the Dracula connection, also more recently the Whitby Witches childrens fantasy series by Robin Jarvis (pretty good) was set there. Are there any book locations you would really love to visit if you could. For me definitely the Punchbowl and Romney areas, also I'd love to see the Wiltshire white horse featured in The Moon Stallion book and TV series. |
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Post by haffyfan on Jul 10, 2013 18:58:26 GMT 1
Not purposely but by default i've visited most of the locations in 'Kes' (Barry Hines was my Mum's teacher), where i use to live before here we use to hack past the 'Old Hall' where the scenes where he climbs to the kestrals nest are set. Probably been to other places, like Bronte country, but again just by default and not for any literay purpose.
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allyk
Pony Clubber
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Post by allyk on Jul 12, 2013 16:37:23 GMT 1
Some companies operate tours specifically based on a book like this Swallows and Amazons tour. (Unfortunately that one doesn't seem to actually get off at the island, but there is a 'secret harbor' almost exactly as described in the book) |
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Post by Claire on Jul 12, 2013 20:14:11 GMT 1
I always think its a bit of a cheat going on an organised tour, not so much specialist societies dedicated to the author, but commercial operations doing it to make money. Actually I have visited Lake Coniston where Swallows is set and seen the island (not been on it tho) also sailed past the island which they used in the film which is actually on Lake Windermere!
Actually I'm sure I have a book somewhere called a Literary Tour of Britain or something similar - I'll have to see if I can find it.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 13, 2013 6:48:19 GMT 1
I agree, much more fun researching and finding the places yourself |
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Post by garej on Jul 13, 2013 17:12:03 GMT 1
Well I have been past (but not into) the real life Pinewoods which appear in Jackie and the Pony Trekkers. Similarly I have been to Fairy Glen (again mentioned in Jackie and the Pony Trekkers).
Bangor on Dee's racecourse (mentioned in Against the Odds by Susan Millard) is 8 miles away from me though I have been past it quite a few times I actually havent been into the racecourse. Similarly Chester (which is mentioned in Against the Odds) I have been too many times than I remember, but not onto the racecourse itself.
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Post by foxglove on Jul 18, 2013 13:28:08 GMT 1
I grew up near the New Forest and went on riding holidays on Exmoor as a teen, so have seen a lot of the generic settings for classic pony books. My hometown is Poole, where classic smuggling novel Moonfleet was set (on Chesil Beach).
Will have to have a think about specific locations. I've been to the Oxford Botanical Gardens, but couldn't remember if the bench described at the end of The Amber Spyglass is specifically described.
When I first visited New Zealand I saw lots of filming locations for Lord of the Rings, including Hobbiton. Some are more obvious than others- I can post some pics if people like. I also saw the beautiful beach where The Piano was filmed. Some of them were on organised tours, which was the only way to get to locations without a private car. There is now a Platform 9 3/4 sign at Kings Cross for Potter geeks, which I thought was good-humoured of the station!
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Post by foxglove on Jul 18, 2013 13:32:05 GMT 1
Claire- I can't seem to see Rosie's post about visiting Punchbowl Farm, please could you link to it?
cheers!
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Post by Claire on Jul 18, 2013 13:36:05 GMT 1
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Post by Charlotte on Dec 22, 2013 12:54:16 GMT 1
I have been to the Punchbowl (on a primary school trip) and the Romney Marsh area (on a scout camp). Though all I remember is Camber Sands near Rye, the beach that was Monica's Dunsmere, wish I could visit properly. Also Dartmoor (unfortunately not Exmoor, perhaps sounds more impressive scenery). Do have one or two pony books set in Devon, not sure if ever been read. Did once read such books set in Scotland, I've been to various areas there in the past. Some probably similar, mainly the highlands, probably not exact locations. The main place I'd like to visit is not pony book related, the Chalet School Austrian Tirol locations. Also I suppose Guernsey and the Welsh borders/south-west coast, the other ones for that series.
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Post by Claire on Dec 22, 2013 22:04:38 GMT 1
I'm not into the chalet school books in a big way but I have been to Austria. It is really lovely. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes mountain scenery and the people are very friendly. (Food is great too).
I'd say the scenery is actually more wild in Dartmoor than Exmoor, though maybe its got more touristy than Exmoor lately.
I still haven't been to any of the Monica Edwards locations yet - maybe one day!
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Post by cally on Jan 9, 2014 3:32:43 GMT 1
A bit off topic, but I was wondering about where some british TV shows were filmed and you guys might have more of an idea I REALLY want to see where 'Last of the Summer Wine' was filmed, for instance. Actually, I can't think of the other places at present- oh 'Midsomer Murders' as well. When/if I get to the UK I don't plan on doing too many touristy places: I'd prefer to stay 2 nights here and there to get a feel of the place- Yorkshire particularly, and my friend in Dublin wants to do a bit of touring around Scotland- I want to visit the Orkneys and Sark.: NO CARS!!!
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Post by susanb on Jan 9, 2014 5:15:57 GMT 1
If you're into the Morse/Lewis/Endeavour series, I can recommend Oxford as a great place to visit....it really is lovely. Hopefully the Eagle and Child (aka the Bird and the Baby) is still operating as usual (under new management since I last visited)....non-touristy and with good pub food, so you can eat where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien and the rest of the Inklings used to hang out!
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Post by Claire on Jan 9, 2014 21:53:29 GMT 1
Yes Oxford is lovely. I visited it when I was staying in Stratford (another great place to visit if extremely touristy) and when I went back to the hotel on the night there was an Inspector Morse episode on TV and it was really fun spotting the places we'd just seen. Last of the Summer Wine was filmed in Holmfirth, which is South West Yorkshire. I haven't been but I have heard its also got quite touristy. Here's a link with some info: www.yorkshire.com/places/huddersfield/holmfirthIf anyone is interested in the old British TV series All Creatures Great and Small about James Herriot (or indeed the books themselves) loads of that show was filmed round where I live, including my home town of Richmond, also up Swaledale and Wensleydale. |
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Post by Claire on Jan 12, 2014 21:42:51 GMT 1
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Post by leftymane on Jul 21, 2014 17:24:28 GMT 1
The Lake district because of Swallows and Amazons. I have only just got back. On Coniston there is a Swallows and Amazons cruise which points out original locations to you. Wild Cat Island is there as is Holly Howe. However Arthur Ransome rearranged the countryside in his novels so parts are actually in Windermere. If you're interested I reccommend the book 'In Search Of Swallows and Amazons' by Roger Wardale.
The five Walker children were based on real children. Taqui Altounyan changed names and genders to become John and all the others kept their names although Brigit became Bridget and Suzie became Susan.
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Post by Charlotte on Sept 11, 2014 21:00:33 GMT 1
Of course you can also look at book locations on Google Earth, perhaps best use the phone/tablet app because you can zoom/rotate on the touchscreen.
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