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Good travel books are not just about a physical journey or a place. They are also about the emotional side of travel and the feelings we experience along the way.

In this interview with Mark Probert, we discuss his motorcycle journey through Britain following the path of writer John Hillaby 50 years after the original book — and how the passing of time impacts our choices around travel, especially at a time when we cannot take it for granted as we did pre-pandemic.

Mark Probert is the author of Another Journey Through Britain about a motorcycle road trip through the back lanes of Great Britain.

Show notes

Riding the length of Britain on a motorbike
The pros and cons of motorbike travel
Changes to parts of Britain over decades
Enjoying food specific to local areas (like cheddar in Cheddar)
Does reporting on travel change your experience of it? And does that matter?
Reflections on the passing of time
Recommended travel books

You can find Mark Probert at MGProbert.com

Wanderland. A Search For Magic In The Landscape With Jini Reddy

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There are places where the ‘veil is thin,’ where we can connect with the Other in the landscape — if only we learn how to listen. In this interview, Jini Reddy talks about how to find magic in the natural world.

Jini Reddy is an award-winning author and journalist. Her latest book is Wanderland: A Search for Magic in the Landscape.

Show notes

How can we connect with the ‘Other’ in the landscape?
The attraction of islands
Aspects of pilgrimage
The archetypal attraction of labyrinths
Seeing our local area with new eyes
Can a traveler ever find home?
Travel book recommendations

You can find Jini Reddy at JiniReddy.co.uk

Cycling Oxford To Bath Through The Cotswolds, England

Places

In May 2021, we cycled Oxford to Bath through the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the southwest of England. In this article, I’ll share some thoughts and practical tips as well as photos from the route.

Practical info

We booked our self-guided cycle trip through Headwater who set us up with a local operator, Hikes and Bikes. We were given route information beforehand and Headwater has an app for navigation. However, we really love the Komoot app, so we plotted the routes into Komoot and used that on the way. The 24-gear bikes were provided with a side pannier and two locks and were fine for the route, which is mostly quiet roads and trails.

Bike with pannier Photo by JFPenn — Bike with side pannier for Costwold cycling. Photo by JFPenn

My husband, Jonathan, is an experienced cyclist and very comfortable on a bike. I haven’t been on a bike for several years and am definitely not bike fit, so it was a little challenging in parts, even though it’s not a very hilly route. Headwater rated it 1+, generally relaxing with some hills.

Walk The Kennet And Avon Canal Between Devizes And Bradford-On-Avon, England

Walking

You can walk (or cycle) this section of the Kennet and Avon canal in either direction. There’s a train station at Bradford-on-Avon and plenty of buses to Devizes. I’ve detailed the route from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon in this article.

In April 2021, I took the bus from Bath to Devizes (#272) and walked all the way back (around 37km). Definitely possible on a summer day when there is more light, with a lunch stop at Bradford-on-Avon (around 20km).

Devizes is a small town with plenty of places to get coffee and food. There are well-kept public toilets (20p in cash) sign-posted from the main square and on the way to the canalside where the Devizes Wharf has more amenities.

Exploring Darkness And Accepting Our Animal Nature With Tiffany Francis-Baker

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Experiencing the dark of night can help connect us with nature and perhaps we need to tap into that animal side more often in order to respect the cycle of the seasons, renew our energy and our mental health, and help wildlife that need it to survive.

In this interview, we also talk about the attraction of pagan fire festivals and the Northern Lights, the power of light in the darkness, and how it connects to something primal deep within.

Tiffany Francis-Baker is a nature writer and illustrator. Her latest book is Dark Skies: A Journey Into the Wild Night.

Show notes

The attraction of exploring the natural world at night and why we need dark skies
Reconnection with our wilder selves and the importance of seasons in nature and our lives
Pagan fire festivals and the Northern Lights
How local exploration has increased during the pandemic
The relationship between writing and illustration
Recommended books on travel and nature

You can find Tiffany Francis at TiffanyFrancisBaker.com

Cross Bones Graveyard, Southwark, London

Dark Travel

Southwark is a diverse area, with the upmarket foodie destination of Borough Market, the historic grandeur of Southwark Cathedral, the towering wealth of The Shard, and the memorial garden for the Outcast Dead, Cross Bones.

Crossbones garden London Photo by JFPenn — Crossbones Garden within sight of The Shard, London. Photo by JFPenn

In medieval times, the Bishops of Winchester licensed sex work in Southwark, known then as The Liberty of the Clink. The women were known as Winchester Geese, and even though the church took funds from the sex trade, they didn’t allow the women and their illegitimate children to be buried in consecrated ground.

Instead, they were buried in Cross Bones Graveyard.

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Practical info

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