The inspiration for your next family getaway is as close as your bookshelf. All around England there are locations associated with our literary greats that make exciting holidays and days out for families and will pique interest from bookworms young and old. From Oxfordshire’s Alice in Wonderland connections, to The Famous Five’s Dorset to Jane Austen’s Hampshire and the many locations which doubled as Harry Potter’s Hogwarts — every reader can find a perfect holiday.
At the #BookEngland Twitter chat, sponsored by VisitEngland, you shared your stories of literary locations and told us the places that just might inspire you to write your own novel.
VisitEngland is celebrating a Year of Literary Heroes with a new interactive map that makes it easier than ever to discover the attractions, sights and destinations that have inspired our favourite books! Visit www.visitengland.com/literaryheroes to find the Literary England that your family will love, from literary-inspired places to stay, England’s best literary events of 2017 and literary hotspots (interactive map).
Tearooms and family hols in East Anglia
1. Broads family hols Arthur Ransome style @VisitNorfolk
2. Favourite day out – to Norfolk location spot for @ellygriffiths books- beautiful dramatic coastand country @SarahBullimore
3. How about Cambridge? Apparently preferred tearooms of EM Forster and Virginia Woolf @lovepenguins126
4. Children’s classic ‘Black Beauty’ was written by Anna Sewell in #Norwich @moreNorwich
5. We have TONS of Beatrix Potter related events at Melford Hall in Long Melford, Suffolk @mariajknight
Authors galore in London
6. Posh London reminds me of Wilde, Woolf & the Mitfords, then seek out Dickens’ and Moll Flander’s London @tots2travel
7. As a Holmes, every time we went to London, my Dad made us visit Baker Street @kateonthinice
8. Every time we visit London, son2 insists on going to Kings Cross to see platform 9 & ¾ @x2mum
9. Lots of Paddington Bear places in London to visit. We loved the trail there a few years back @missielizzieb
Shakespeare, Robin Hood & castles in the Midlands
10. We are re going Warwick Castle can’t wait @vicki_85
11. I’d love to go camp in Sherwood forest how much fun @RebeccaNDaisy
12. Bring your family to @TheRSC in Stratford-upon-Avon and inspire budding little actors with a holiday in @ShakespearesEng https://t.co/gp6MyxraoG @ShakespeareEng
13. Go in August for the Robin Hood festival it’s amazing https://t.co/iMWda7Tlko https://t.co/RKmHN7wPWN @CharlotteMoos
14. DYK that you can stay in a literary hotel @ShakespearesEng pretty apt for the town famous for connections to Shakespeare https://t.co/rgepvm9LSP @ShakespeareEng
The North East and the North West
15. We can’t talk about #BookEngland without mentioning the wonderful @7Stories [National Centre for Children’s Books] in #Newcastle crammed full of inspiration for families @cheshiremuseums
16. Celebrate 20yrs of Pottermania with ‘Illustrating Harry Potter’ exhibition @bailiffgatemuse #BookEngland #OMGB http://ow.ly/SFhy309TfWJ @VisitNorthumberland
17. I should definitely visit Jarrow as my Mum was obsessed with Catherine Cookson books @kateonthinice
18. Alnwick Castle where some of the of Harry Potter film was filmed & they have a collection of film props @LemLush3
19. Manchester is the perfect destination for book lovers. Take a look at our ultimate Literary Itinerary: https://t.co/kocqSJsSaN #BookEngland https://t.co/VxZ6yoFNPR @VisitManchester
20. We loved the Lake District for the Beatrix Potter connection Hill Top & Hawkshead inspiring! @laura_twinmum
Austen, Dahl and Thomas the Tank Engine in South East
21. Journey through the life of JaneAusten in #Hampshire with this trail https://t.co/wu3QPD6igt https://t.co/TlsHPVdf4b @King_Alf
22. My son is mega obsessed with Roald Dahl so we are planning a surprise visit to the museum in the Easter holidays! @lialouise_x
23. My grandson loves Roald Dahl. We often go to Ronald Dahl museum in Aylesbury and it’s great to get the children interested https://t.co/X2a1ycNPdo @josea66
24. DYK Kent has inspired many literary heroes. Here are some of our favourites https://t.co/J9vraV2XFx https://t.co/d71kn3tUPP @VisitKent
25. The White Company by Arthur Conan Doyle was set during the Hundred Years’ War and partly based on Palace House at @Beaulieu_Hants https://t.co/47pXWjbrit
26. Fans of Nancy Mitford should visit Asthall and Swinbrook in the #Cotswolds https://t.co/rNgJ5giUL9 https://t.co/Eu73lydkVo
27. Fun fact – Rev Awdry (author of Thomas the Tank Engine) grew up in this house in Wiltshire you can stay here too @LorneHouse https://t.co/8287Cmzkng @VisitWiltshire
28. Did you know that Charles Dickens’ birth place is in Hampshire? Find out which city here – https://t.co/kYeRtO89Oz. https://t.co/CBuYyBCnuS @VisitHampshire
29. We are lucky to live down the road from @BatemansNT home to Rudyard Kipling & great for exploring! https://t.co/MsAs6hpXJp @jugglingskates
South West
30. Agatha Christie, have visited the area lots and her house beautiful spot and part of the country! @SaraBullimore
31. We love Lyme Regis – Dorest home of the Famous Five @annawarner5
32. Cornwall is stunning – see the beach below. I can imagine writing furiously, overlooking the sea. https://t.co/AVE6t611jm @wallart_kids
33. Fans will love a visit to Stourhead – used in the filming of Pride and Prejudice https://t.co/qErTwH9ZOw https://t.co/hMvtQ3WsiX
34. Mousehole when the children were younger. Inspired their imagination https://t.co/ljv1KAd6o5 @CherylintheUK
35. Durnford Street in @visitplymouth once home to Arthur Conan Doyle is lined with quotes from Sherlock Holmes @HillsBalfour
Spooky and atmospheric in Yorkshire and Humberside
36. We loved our trip to Dalby Forest https://t.co/Q2FN2shKud @KEccles
37. We visited Whitby (and searched for Dracula) last half term! #BookEngland https://t.co/odyQPwAWHy @FoxVillageFox
38. So many choices but I do love Howarth and the hills by Wuthering Heights location and Norfolk too @SaraBullimore
The last words
39. It would be great to download this map for display in classrooms for literacy and geography topics! @kirkinspace
40. We can’t pass a rural bridge without having a go at Pooh Sticks! Great fun! @InABitOfAPickle
What’s your favourite literary-inspired getaway or one you’d like to visit?
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Liz
Wednesday 29th of March 2017
We love all your ideas. Come down south too to relive the Binky Bear books in London (Binky Goes To London) and Hampshire (Binky in Trouble-Winchester) and Binky's Big Adventure (a village called Alresford). All books have take out activity maps.