111 Places in Birmingham That You Shouldn't Miss
Get inside the mind of Birmingham and its industrial, creative and international legacies through the exploration of places, spaces, people and buildings that many visitors and residents may miss. Welcome to Birmingham, a super-diverse city with an ever-shifting identity. This is the quiet medieval market town that overnight became the center of the industrial revolution, over the centuries rolling out leather wares, jewelry, steam engines, motor cars, fountain pens, gun smithery, toys, chocolate, heavy metal music and nanotechnology. The city's drive to successively reinvent itself as motor city, conference capital and shopping destination reflects that initial burst of energy. The result is a city of many layers, bold planning experiments, overlapping fragments and pockets of creative endeavor which can be tough to navigate without a guide. However, its many treasures coruscate more brilliantly for being lost. This book tells the story many would miss through the art, places, buildings, people and the dynamic mix of cultures that reveal the Birmingham identity, from the smallest architectural details to epic civic structures. Only here can you chill on a bench with local heroes Black Sabbath, will you be greeted at the museum by the fallen angel Lucifer, chance upon a golden Burmese peace pagoda, time travel in the Shakespeare Library and find the world's oldest surviving instance of railway architecture.
111 Places in Lancaster and Morecambe That You Shouldn't Miss
Lancaster and Morecambe are like chalk and Lancashire cheese. So near, yet so far apart in what they offer. Morecambe, the traditional seaside resort, its 'Bring me Sunshine' favorite son Eric Morecambe and Victoria Wood's 'two soups' cafe. Plus, its awesome 1930's Art Deco Midland Hotel, haunt of Coco Chanel and Laurence Olivier. Lancaster, with its Roman remains, its impregnable 'John O'Gaunt' castle and characterful Georgian buildings, built in part from slave-trade profits. Notorious Lancaster, known as the 'Hanging Town' for its use of the noose, with its fearsome castle cells that held Quaker maker George Fox. Leave the crowds behind and embrace the true character of this story-filled region, one special place at a time.
Quest for Lancelot’s Arthur
King Arthur-historical person or fictional myth? Don't decide until you read Quest for Lancelot's Arthur.Whilst researching his novel, Lancelot's Grail, author Richard Gartee traveled to the UK to experience for himself the land of his characters. Since Sir Lancelot had an inextricable connection to King Arthur, it seemed logical to start with historic ruins associated with Arthur.With camera and journal in hand, the author set out to visit every site in southwest Britain where King Arthur might have set foot (and a few extra places to boot). Stops ranged from Arthur's birthplace to the Iron Age hill-fort believed to have been Camelot. He also took side trips to Stonehenge and other Neolithic sites, and experienced a mystical waterfall.The journey resulted in two novels and this fascinating travel memoir recalling the many interesting people and far-fetched theories he encountered there. Illustrated with over 90 pages of color photos, the book provides examples of how the author worked details from the trip into his novels, and also discusses whether King Arthur was a myth or a historical leader whose feats became exaggerated over millennia.
North Coast 500
Experience Scotland's greatest road trip with North Coast 500, published in association with (c) North Coast 500 Ltd. Driving the North Coast 500? Good choice. Winding through Scotland's northern Highlands, this unforgettable route is one of the UK's greatest road trips. But driving it isn't about racing from one stop to the next - it's about slowing down, looking beyond the obvious and experiencing the place as it really is. North Coast 500 helps you do just that. Written by Scotland expert Rachel Laidler, this refreshingly honest guide takes you beyond the road and into the heart of the Highlands. It's packed with local insights, lesser-known detours and must-do experiences that support the communities you'll pass through, like hiking through the cinematic mountains of Assynt and Torridon; sipping on whiskey at the centuries-old Balblair distillery; and taking a sustainable fishing trip with Ian and his plucky dog Dubh. Inside North Coast 500 you'll find: 100+ handpicked highlights, mixing icons like the hairpin bends of the Bealach na B? with quieter, local favouritesthe best places to eat, drink, shop and stay, including an independent smokehouse near Applecross and a woodland cabin close to Ullapooloff-the-beaten-track detours, so you can explore even more of the Scottish Highlandspractical tips to plan your trip, travel safely and explore responsiblywhat3words for every stop - so you'll never get lostSo what are you waiting for? Whether you're driving the full loop or dipping into a section, this is the only guide you need for a North Coast 500 road trip that goes deeper, treads lighter and stays with you long after the road ends.
