The Little Book of Birmingham is a funny, fast-paced, fact-packed compendium of the sort of frivolous, fantastic or simply strange information which no-one will want to be without. Here we find out about the city's most unusual crimes and punishments, eccentric inhabitants, famous sons and daughters and literally hundreds of wacky facts. Norman Bartlam's new book gathers together a myriad of data on Brum. There are lots of factual chapters but also plenty of frivo...

One of the great thing about cycling from Lands End to John O'Groats is that it is a big, bold and ambitious challenge that everybody can understand (which helps if for your trying to raise sponsorship for charity) and that most people can achieve if they spend the right amount of time on the ride for their level of riding ability. The concept of cycling from Land's End to John O'Groats is quite simple, get on your bike at one end of the country and ride to the other end. That is why it is...

The Sunday Times BestsellerA glorious insight into Britain over the last 150 years – its history, landscape and people – from the window of Britain’s many and magnificent railway journeys.Inspired by George Bradshaw, a 19th-century cartographer who mapped Britain’s railways as they sprung up around him, Charlie Bunce and Michael Portillo take a journey along nine classic British railway routes and surround themselves with the history, the charm and the people at the heart o...

Scholar, churchman, diplomat and theologian, Gerald of Wales was one of the most fascinating figures of the Middle Ages and The Journey Through Wales describes his eventful tour of the country as a missionary in 1188. In a style reminiscent of a diary, Gerald records the day-to-day events of the mission, alongside lively accounts of local miracles, folklore and religious relics such as Saint Patrick's Horn, and eloquent descriptions of natural scenery that includes the rugged promontory of...

Our illustrated travel guide will take you to Mykonos the popular tourist destination in the Greek islands. Situated in the middle of the Aegean Sea, Mykonos is located south of Tinos, east of Syros and north of Paros and Naxos. Mykonos is famed as a cosmopolitan destination amongst the Greek islands and widely recognised as one of the great travel meccas. It is one of the most touristed islands in the Aegean. Mykonos, along with Santorini, is more expensive than other Greek ...

For Anna, a cycling enthusiast, the decision to ride 4,000 miles solo around the coast of the UK wasn’t that hard. Following the river from London until it became the sea, then following the sea until it reached the mouth of the Thames again was a beautifully simple idea. But after epic highs, incredible lows, unforgettable scenery and unpronounceable place names – as well as a hearty battle with some good old British weather – her simple idea turns into a compelling journey of self-discov...

Portrait of Orkney is a personal account of a people, their history and their way of life, and of a landscape that has shaped them, and been shaped by them.

A wonderful meditation on the English landscape in wet weather by the acclaimed novelist and nature writer, Melissa Harrison.Whenever rain falls, our countryside changes. Fields, farms, hills and hedgerows appear altered, the wildlife behaves differently, and over time the terrain itself is transformed.In Rain, Melissa Harrison explores our relationship with the weather as she follows the course of four rain showers, in four seasons, across Wicken Fen, Shropshire, ...

2012 Edition. With insider recommendations and full-color neighborhood maps that pinpoint landmarks, museums, entertainment, pubs, clubs, and hotels, this fab Little Black Book of London walks you through the best of the Royal Capital, with excursions outside London as well. Color-coded, numbered entries in the text are keyed to chapter indexes and full-color area maps. ''Top Picks'' direct you to not-to-be-missed attractions. Spot illustrations throughout liven the text. Author Vesna Neskow ...

A glorious insight into the history, landscape and people of Britain, from The Sunday Times bestseller.The line between Great Yarmouth to London brought holidaymakers flocking to the coast and transported herrings, fresh vegetables and milk into London. Starting in Great Yarmouth, Michael Portillo’s journey takes him through the coastal resorts of Southwold and Southend via innovative swing bridges at Reedham and Yare, and towards the capital itself, the scene of frenzied construct...

2010 Edition. With insider recommendations and neighborhood maps that pinpoint landmarks, museums, entertainment, pubs, clubs, and hotels, this fab "Little Black Book of London" walks you through the best of the Royal Capital, with excursions outside London as well. Numbered entries in city guide text are keyed to area maps in each chapter. ''Top Picks'' direct you to not-to-be-missed attractions. Spot illustrations throughout liven the text.

As the lead writer for BBC Anglophenia, Fraser McAlpine (a man assembled from almost every region of the UK*) spends his life explaining Brits to foreigners. Now he lifts the lid on our Marmite pot of nations and takes you on a journey from the Isle of Wight to Inverness, Belfast to Bangor, exploring the joyful enthusiasms (and pet hates) of an endlessly multifarious Britain. Stuff Brits Like celebrates why we like puns and pedantry, decorum and drawing willies on things, Trainspotting and...