See Britain by the book!
CELEBRATE the 120th anniversary of Enid Blyton’s birth with a trip to her favourite haunts in Dorset, or snoop around Agatha Christie’s home in Devon during a literary-inspired break, says KATIE ROWE.
ENID BLYTON’S DORSET
BREAK out the ginger beer – it’s 75 years since the publication of the first Famous Five book and what would have been Enid Blyton’s 120th birthday – two great excuses to escape to Dorset for a spiffing adventure of your own.
Blyton was a frequent visitor to the Isle of Purbeck, and the dramatic ruins of Corfe Castle are believed to be the inspiration for Kirrin Castle in her Famous Five series. From the top of the castle, you can gaze across to Brownsea Island, the inspiration for the author’s Whispering Island.
Further west is the Jurassic Coast which inspired Jane Austen, who set her last novel, Persuasion, in Lyme Regis. Dogfriendly Golden Acre makes a great base for exploring Dorset’s coastline and is just a short stroll from West Bay, where Broadchurch is filmed.
JANE AUSTEN’S HAMPSHIRE
JULY marks 200 years since the death of Jane Austen and there will be numerous events across her home county throughout the year. Winchester, her final resting place, is hosting a plethora of special events to celebrate the leading literary lady.
The Mysterious Miss Austen exhibition at the Winchester Discovery Centre (May 13 to July 24) will showcase precious Jane Austen pieces, including loans from the National Portrait Gallery and British Library. Winchester Cathedral, where Austen was buried in 1817, will be running a ‘Tour and Tea’ guide revealing an intimate and amusing insight into her life and connections with the cathedral.
AGATHA CHRISTIE’S DEVON
PEEK inside Greenway, Agatha Christie’s holiday retreat near Brixham, and admire elegant rooms and lush gardens perched beside the River Dart. In nearby Torquay, follow the Agatha Christie Trail around prominent landmarks such as The Grand Hotel on the seafront where Christie spent her honeymoon. Elsewhere along North Devon’s rugged coastline, more literary connections can be found in the quaint village of Westward Ho! named after Charles Kingsley’s 19th Century swashbuckling novel. Drop off your bags at Rock Haven in nearby Braunton, an elegant Georgian holiday house that’s a short journey from some of the area’s most beautiful beaches.
DAPHNE DU MAURIER’S CORNWALL
VISIT the idyllic coastal sites of Fowey that inspired Daphne du Maurier. The celebrated author lived in the town and wrote about this beautiful part of Cornwall in her novels Jamaica Inn and Rebecca. There’s no better way to see Cornwall through her eyes than by strolling along the South West Coast Path towards Gribbin Head, passing Polridmouth cove where du Maurier once lived.
HARRY POTTER’S ENGLAND
FANS might find it hard to believe that this year marks 20 years since the publication of J.K. Rowling’s first novel, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone. The anniversary brings a variety of events with it. A series of live screenings of the film version of the book, accompanied by a live orchestra, will take place in Liverpool Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and London’s Royal Albert Hall in May, while a major Potter exhibition opens at the British Library in October.