Usually my birthday gift from André is a road-trip to a place of my choice. This almost always involves literary locations, mostly connected to Austen. We did Winchester, Steventon and Chawton one year, Bath in another and this year I dragged him to Lyme Regis to see the famous steps.
PS: Dear American readers, I know you’re going through a heat-wave so feel free to send some our way. Several countries in Easter and Northern Europe are having a terrible summer. Today in lovely Brussels: 14C/57F.
I jumped, but alas, just like Louisa Musgrove, there was no Captain Wentworth to catch me.
Inside The Booklovers B&B in Lyme Regis. We had a lovely time there. It stands in the same place as the Hiscott’s Boarding House, where Austen stayed when she visited in 1804. Afterwards the Three Cups Hotel replaced it and welcomed Tennyson, Longfellow, Belloc, G.K. Chesterton and Tolkien before it burned down in 1844.
Family photos on the piano at Greenway, Agatha Christie’s beautiful holiday home.
Plaque at Exeter’s Cathedral: “To the memory of Sarah Price Clarke (…). Her mind possessed an energy which does not often mark the female character.” Priceless!
Lovely St. Ives.
… and finally, the ruins of Tintagel Castle, the mythical birthplace of the mythical Arthur Pendragon.
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July 26, 2011 at 12:14 pm
nymeth
Love the photos! I really need to make it to the south of England one of these days.
July 26, 2011 at 2:05 pm
Falaise
We used to go to Dorset and Cornwall when I was a boy. I’d go fossil hunting with my Dad at Lyme Regis and i remember going to Tintagel too. I’m glad you had a lovely time, even if the legendary British summer appears to have lasted for a fortnight in June this year!
I liked the picture of Greenway – I am going to be writing about Agatha Christie soon!
July 26, 2011 at 7:19 pm
Ti
I’ve never been to England. I’ve never left the US! Once the kids are grown I am hoping to visit. Love the photos!
July 26, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Melissa (Avid Reader)
This is just wonderful! I love taking literary road trip, but in the US we have no Austen. When I was living in London I tried to visit as many places as I could (Bath, Stratford-Upon-Avon, etc.) but I didn’t make it to these. I’m so glad you shared them so I can add them to my list of places to go.
p.s. I love that you jumped off the step Persuasion style!
July 27, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Rikki
What a lovely trip! I am so envious!
July 27, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Frances
How perfect! And your photos are beautiful. I especially like the bookcases. Is that up a stairwell?
July 28, 2011 at 11:02 am
Mrs.B.
The pictures are beautiful. Devon and Cornwall are one of my dream vacations. Maybe one day… I’d love to stay in that B&B!
July 28, 2011 at 11:15 am
Joanna
Great photos – I want to do that trip sometime too. I love the one of you jumping – though I don’t know the reference. Who jumped and why??
August 4, 2011 at 2:16 pm
anna cowan
how are you balancing on such a squinty angle? cool pic 🙂
August 6, 2011 at 9:53 pm
readingwithtea
I love the idea of a road-trip as birthday present! I remember the name Tintagel so I was probably dragged near/around it as a 9-year-old. Looks like you had a fabulous time. (and I’m very impressed by the balancing or the photographic skills to catch you mid-leap!)
August 24, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Kari
Beautiful! When I studied abroad in London, we had weekend trips to cities/towns outside of London. There was one to Cornwall, but unfortunately it was reserved for the science/pre-med kids to visit the Eden Project. I am still sad I didn’t get to go, because their pictures were all so GREEN for it being February!
The weather is the main reason I am hesitant to ever live across the pond. I love the heat, and a 57 degree summer day is my WORST NIGHTMARE!
Roadtrip birthday presents is such a good idea!!
September 13, 2011 at 8:11 pm
Alex
@nymeth: And I need to explore the North more. I’m curious about Manchester!
@Falaise: I didn’t go fossil hunting, but did get a small one on a string to wear around my neck 🙂 Seemed like a suitable souvenir!
@Ti: I hope you’re taking down notes fro when that time comes 😉
@Melissa: In the US I’ve only visited the Margaret Mitchell House in Atlanta, but it was worth it!
@Rikki: It was indeed lovely, I only hoped the weather was tinny-bit better…
@Frances: Yes, the staircases (and most of our room’s walls) in the B&B were all lined up with books you can actually buy.
@Mrs. B: I’d like to explore Cornwall a bit more… go all the way to Land’s End!
@Joanna: The reference is from Austen’s Persuasion, which you, young lady, need to read sooner rather than later!
@anna cowen: amazingly good camera + talented boyfriend 😉
@readingwithtea: The first time I heard the name Tintagel, and the reason why I always wanted to visit was in The Mists of Avalon.
@Kari: Apparently, the Eden Project is the most visited site in Cornwall, but I must admit i wasn’t very curious…
September 14, 2011 at 2:30 am
Arti
LOL… as I looked back to some of the posts I’ve missed, this one just stands out , for me. What an ingenius photo! Yes, I remember the scene well, even those from the movies adaptations of Persuasion. And the bookstore is character itself… while all the other points of interests are just wonderful too. Good choice to go for literature on locations for a birthday gift!
August 20, 2017 at 11:57 pm
Ged Headwind
lyme regis isn’t devon or cornwall!