Kent (Slow Travel)


Book Description

Folkestone resident and globe-trotting travel writer Simon Richmond turns the spotlight on his home county in this brand new title, part of Bradt's award-winning series of Slow travel guides to UK regions. Walkers, cyclists, families, food and art lovers, and wildlife enthusiasts are all catered for, with coverage of a wide range of attractions, as well as all the practical information you could need to plan and enjoy time spent in this delightful corner of England. The diversity of Kent is striking, from Canterbury Cathedral, part of a Unesco-listed World Heritage Site, to Dungeness, Kent's southernmost point, Britain's only officially recognised desert and home to artist and film-maker Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage. The village of Pluckley was once named England's most haunted by the Guinness World Records, while St Leonard's Church in Hythe has the largest and best-preserved collection of ancient human skulls and bones in Britain.This in-depth guide covers all the most popular places as well as many of the lesser-known ones, dividing the county into five easy-to-follow chapters. Explore Dover and spend time at its iconic White Cliffs, saunter through Vita Sackville-West's gorgeous gardens at the National Trust's Sissinghurst estate, visit the grave of Pocahontas in Gravesend, and contemplate the delightful and thought-provoking public art of the revitalised seaside town of Folkestone. History has been made in Kent, at Hever Castle, where Anne Boleyn spent her childhood and which was later restored by William Waldorf Astor, and at Chartwell, the family home and garden of Sir Winston Churchill. Kent's food and drink offering is increasingly celebrated, with a growing reputation for high quality restaurants and boutique wineries, not to mention the world's oldest brewer and largest collection of fruit trees at Faversham.From flora and fauna to castles, watersports, beaches and wildlife, discover Kent with Bradt's unique Slow guide.




Sussex (Slow Travel)


Book Description

This new, thoroughly updated third edition of Sussex (Slow Travel), Bradt’s much-praised guide, features the South Downs, High Weald and coast, and offers a greater, more personal selection of places to explore than any other guide. Author Tim Locke and updater Emma Gregg, both expert residents, take a leisurely, detailed approach that teases out Sussex’s special qualities. The result is highly personal and honest, encouraging you to slow down and gain a deep understanding of what makes this stunning region tick and why it deserves repeat visits. Sussex may be less than 50 km from the fringes of London (and easily accessed from the capital), and only minutes from Gatwick’s international airport, but is a very different world thanks to its irresistible blend of history, archaeology, seaside towns, thatched villages, centuries-old buildings, world-class gardens, literary connections and quintessentially English scenery. Sussex offers much scope for ‘Slow travel’ with or without a car, including ten meticulously described walks, pottering around on bikes, steam trains, volunteer-run buses, or on small boats (including a solar-powered craft in Chichester harbour). The writing team directs expert eyes on places and experiences that deserve savouring to the full – the very best (if sometimes delightfully obscure) sights. Their choices take in the heights of the South Downs, encounter the primeval landscapes of the High Weald and pick out the best of Sussex’s long coastline. Their selection includes easily-to-miss gems, from a full-size replica of the Sistine Chapel ceiling in an obscure modern church to a unique Hastings factory providing cloth flowers for movies and theatres. New or expanded coverage in this edition includes the Tolkein-like ancient yew forest of Kingley Vale, stoolball (a Sussex-special alternative to cricket), Sussex viniculture (particularly champagnes), Roman baths and mosaics, the world-class gardens of Leonardslee, the painstakingly restored saloon in Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, the WWII Wings Museum, renovations on East Brighton beach, and Knepp’s groundbreaking rewilding project. From beaches to castles, cathedrals to modern art, restored mansions to vernacular architecture, Bradt’s Sussex (Slow Travel) is the essential guide for discovering this popular region.




Suffolk (Slow Travel)


Book Description

This new, expanded and thoroughly updated third edition of Suffolk (Slow Travel), part of Bradt’s award-winning series of Slow travel guides to UK regions, remains the only full-blown standalone guide to this gentle but beguiling county. Expert local author Laurence Mitchell helps visitors discover what makes Suffolk tick, combining personal insights, enjoyable anecdotes and up-to-date information on the best places to visit, stay and eat. Covering both popular sights and places beyond the usual tourist trail, he caters for walkers, cyclists, families, foodies, culture vultures and wildlife lovers alike. Helped by its proximity to London and Cambridge, Suffolk is a popular holiday destination. Events such as the Latitude festival and the Aldeburgh Music Festival at Britten’s Snape Maltings keep the county’s profile buoyant. Despite being comparatively low-lying, Suffolk boasts varied landscapes, from undulating farmland and sandy heaths to extensive forests, important nature reserves (including Minsmere, for three years the base of BBC Springwatch) and soft, dreamy coastal landscapes comprising river estuaries, remote marshes, reed-beds, shingle beaches (notably Shingle Street, with its myth of World War II invasions) and dunes. Suffolk’s coastal towns and villages – Southwold with its old-fashioned pier and colourful beach huts, but also Aldeburgh, Orford, Walberswick and Dunwich – are steeped in art heritage, with links to artists including Maggi Hambling, John Piper, Philip Wilson Steer and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Venturing inland, you can make for Constable Country and the Stour valley, Bury St Edmunds, Framlingham, Bungay, Beccles or Halesworth. Alternatively, you can visit some of Suffolk’s wealth of medieval churches, learn of Rendlesham’s UFOs or revere Suffolk’s Anglo-Saxon heritage, notably the medieval ceremonial burial site at Sutton Hoo (whose discovery stars in the 2021 film The Dig) and the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village at West Stow. This guide makes a virtue of being selective, pointing readers to the cream of the area. It is organised into locales to encourage ‘stay put’ tourism and thorough exploration. It suggests options for car-free travel: walking, cycling, river boats, buses and trains. Written in an entertaining yet authoritative style, Bradt’s Suffolk (Slow Travel) is the ideal companion with which to discover this county.




Norfolk (Slow Travel)


Book Description

Slow Norfolk, although selective, includes the whole of Norfolk from Great Yarmouth and the Broads to the east to the Fens of the far west, from the iconic North Norfolk coast to the Breckland region to the south. The Norfolk landscape is far more variable than many imagine and not quite as flat as it is usually reputed to be. The North Norfolk coast, considered to be one of the most beautiful stretches in England, is also a hugely important habitat for wildlife especially migrating birds. The interior of the county tends to be more overlooked yet also much to offer, especially in terms of landscape, historic monuments and characterful market towns. The county has a rich mix of architectural variety, with numerous country houses, medieval churches, Roman forts and Norman castles. The county capital Norwich is an important centre for art and culture, with its acclaimed Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and the annual, highly rated Norwich and Norfolk Festival.




Yorkshire Dales (Slow Travel)


Book Description

This new, thoroughly updated third edition of Yorkshire Dales (Slow Travel), part of Bradt’s series of distinctive ‘Slow’ travel guides to local UK regions, remains the most comprehensive guide to the area and covers the whole of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty plus nearby ‘Slow’ and historic towns and villages. The Yorkshire Dales could have been invented for modern travel. The region’s cinematic caves, valleys, waterfalls and limestone geology are famous round the world. Within a short walk are filmset-perfect traditional pubs and cafés where you are as likely to chat to shepherds as celebrities. The Dales have never been places to hurry. In the new travel world where ‘Slow’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘local’ are many people’s watchwords, this remarkable English region offers much to savour at leisure – like one of its renowned artisan cheeses or beers. Written and updated by two Yorkshire residents and outdoors enthusiasts, Bradt’s Yorkshire Dales complements well-known honeypots (Aysgarth Falls, Malham, Grassington) with off-piste gems that you’ll have to yourself, whether wild swimming spots, hidden caves, Dark Skies sites or traditional stone villages. With hundreds of square kilometres of open-access land to explore, the Dales are one of the UK’s premier hillwalking destinations, hosting much-loved routes such as the Pennine Way, Three Peaks, Dales Way and the recently upgraded Coast to Coast. The Dales have also become known as one of England’s finest places for cycling, whether for family trips, e-bikers or hardcore road racers, prompting hopes that the Tour de Yorkshire will return. Drop in to the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest pub, where sheep regularly warm themselves by the roaring fire; journey into the depths of Gaping Gill, one of Britain’s largest underground chambers; visit book-loving Sedbergh, where even the bus stops have bookshelves; or take a scenic rail trip on the famous Settle–Carlisle line, crossing the country’s longest railway viaduct. History buffs will love medieval castles including Skipton and Richmond, while wildlife-watchers will enjoy the birds of sparkling rivers and limestone-pavement flora. Bradt’s Yorkshire Dales (Slow Travel) is the perfect companion for a successful trip.




New Forest (Slow Travel)


Book Description

This new, thoroughly updated and expanded second edition of Bradt’s New Forest – part of the award-winning Slow Travel series of guides to UK regions – focuses on this peaceful, enchanting area in Hampshire. Walkers, cyclists, wildlife lovers, families and foodies are all catered for, with coverage of a wide range of attractions. The only comprehensive travel guidebook to this compact, increasingly popular national park barely 90 minutes from London, it contains all the practical information you need to enjoy time here, including accommodation options ranging from fine hotels to campsites where grazing ponies may nose at your tent flap. Such free-roaming animals are integral to both the New Forest’s charm and its suitability for a Slow guide. Here ponies and cows routinely halt traffic, while donkeys peer into shop windows. In a region named one of the world’s top 10 destinations for outdoors enthusiasts in the 2022 TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards, truly wild creatures abound too. Sites of Special Scientific Interest cover over half the national park. All the UK’s six native reptile species occur, alongside its largest population of Dartford warblers. Given the region’s name, the landscape varies surprisingly. Wander through ancient, broad-leaved woodlands originally established as hunting grounds for King William I (William the Conqueror), or marvel at towering conifers at Rhinefield Arboretum. Explore miles of heathland, the yachting town of Lymington or the great coastal spit leading to Hurst Castle (where the ghost of King Charles I is said to wander by night). Alternatively, visit distinctive villages from 13th-century Beaulieu, with its abbey, palace and National Motor Museum, to Burley, infamous for witchcraft. Alongside providing practical information with a personal touch, experienced travel writer and local resident Emily Laurence Baker leads visitors behind the scenes to explain the ‘working Forest’, outlining how various organisations manage the land, how grazing animals have shaped it for centuries, and how the ‘commons’ system functions. She further brings the New Forest to life through interviews with local people, from butchers to conservationists, and agisters to verderers, making Bradt’s New Forest the must-have guide for all visitors to this beguiling region.




Rough Guide to Kent, Sussex & Surrey (Travel Guide eBook)


Book Description

The Rough Guide to Kent, Sussex and Surrey Make the most of your time on Earth with the ultimate travel guides. World-renowned 'tell it like it is' travel guide. Discover Kent, Sussex and Surrey with this comprehensive and entertaining travel guide, packed with practical information and honest recommendations by our independent experts. Whether you plan to shop in medieval Rye, laze on the dune-backed beach of West Wittering or marvel at the soaring interior of Canterbury Cathedral, The Rough Guide to Kent, Sussex and Surrey will help you discover the best places to explore, eat, drink, shop and sleep along the way. Features of this travel guide to Kent, Sussex and Surrey: - Detailed regional coverage: provides practical information for every kind of trip, from off-the-beaten-track adventures to chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas - Honest and independent reviews: written with Rough Guides' trademark blend of humour, honesty and expertise, our writers will help you make the most from your trip to Kent, Sussex and Surrey - Meticulous mapping: practical full-colour maps, with clearly numbered, colour-coded keys. Find your way around Hastings, Brighton and many more locations without needing to get online - Fabulous full-colour photography: features inspirational colour photography, including the sweeping green hills and country lanes of the South Downs Way and the distinctive, unmissable conical 'hats' of typical Kent oast houses of Sissinghurst. - Time-saving itineraries: carefully planned routes will help inspire and inform your on-the-road experiences - Things not to miss: Rough Guides' rundown of Canterbury, Chichester, Broadstairs, and Alfriston's best sights and top experiences - Travel tips and info: packed with essential pre-departure information including getting around, accommodation, food and drink, health, the media, festivals, sports and outdoor activities, culture and etiquette, shopping and more - Background information: comprehensive 'Contexts' chapter provides fascinating insights Kent, Sussex and Surrey, with coverage of history, religion, ethnic groups, environment, wildlife and books, plus a handy language section and glossary - Covers: Canterbury and around; North Kent; East Kent; The Kent Weald; The Sussex High Weald; East Sussex Downs; Brighton; West Sussex; Surrey You may also be interested in: The Rough Guide to Norfolk and Suffolk, The Rough Guide to The Cotswolds, The Rough Guide to Bath, Bristol and Somerset About Rough Guides: Rough Guides have been inspiring travellers for over 35 years, with over 30 million copies sold globally. Synonymous with practical travel tips, quality writing and a trustworthy 'tell it like it is' ethos, the Rough Guides list includes more than 260 travel guides to 120+ destinations, gift-books and phrasebooks.




Slow Travel and Tourism


Book Description

It is widely recognized that travel and tourism can have a high environmental impact and make a major contribution to climate change. It is therefore vital that ways to reduce these impacts are developed and implemented. 'Slow travel' provides such a concept, drawing on ideas from the 'slow food' movement with a concern for locality, ecology and quality of life. The aim of this book is to define slow travel and to discuss how some underlining values are likely to pervade new forms of sustainable development. It also aims to provide insights into the travel experience; these are explored in several chapters which bring new knowledge about sustainable transport tourism from across the world. In order to do this the book explores the concept of slow travel and sets out its core ingredients, comparing it with related frameworks such as low-carbon tourism and sustainable tourism development. The authors explain slow travel as holiday travel where air and car transport is rejected in favour of more environmentally benign forms of overland transport, which generally take much longer and become incorporated as part of the holiday experience. The book critically examines the key trends in tourism transport and recent climate change debates, setting out the main issues facing tourism planners. It reviews the potential for new consumption patterns, as well as current business models that facilitate hyper-mobility. This provides a cutting edge critique of the 'upstream' drivers to unsustainable tourism. Finally, the authors illustrate their approach through a series of case studies from around the world, featuring travel by train, bus, cycling and walking. Examples are drawn from Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas. Cases include the Eurostar train (as an alternative to air travel), walking in the Appalachian Trail (US), the Euro-Velo network of long-distance cycling routes, canoe tours on the Gudena River in Denmark, sea kayaking in British Columbia (Canada) and the Oz Bus Europe to Australia.




Slow Travel: The Chilterns & the Thames Valley


Book Description

This new title from Bradt forms part of its distinctive 'Slow Travel' series and is the only title available to cover the Chilterns and Thames Valley in depth. The Chilterns and the Thames Valley do not correspond to the specific boundaries of one county or region, old or new. Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire all have a share. Divided into six easily manageable sections, Bradt's The Chilterns and Thames Valley lifts the lid on what makes this area so distinctive. Chalk grasslands, beech woods, streams and wooded valleys provide a perfect landscape for walking and are easily accessible from London. About half of the area has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the closest such area to London. Rare plants such as fleawort and numerous orchid varieties, and birds including red kites, lapwings and skylark flourish. The Thames Valley follows the route of one of the world's most famous rivers. You can find key sites of monarchical and parliamentary power such as Windsor Castle and Chequers, the location of Magna Carta's sealing at Runnymede and the birthplaces of men and women who have led dissent down the ages. A host of well-loved authors has lived and written here, depicting Paradise, defining our childhoods and painting timeless images of England and its people. Eminent chefs own restaurants with national and sometimes international reputations. In short, the Chilterns and the Thames Valley together represent a wonderfully paradoxical mixture of world-famous tourist sites and lesser-known attractions full of quirkiness and character, which will repay the visitor's interest and attention many times over. From Windsor Castle to Whipsnade Zoo, Britain's oldest road - The Ridgeway - to National Trust properties such as Cliveden and Waddesdon Manor, the Henley Regatta to the Grand Union Canal, Bradt's The Chilterns and Thames Valley is the perfect companion.




Slow Travels-Virginia


Book Description

This guide explores Virginia and its history on U.S. Highways 11, 15, 17, 50, and 60, as well as the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Historical text for each site and landmark along the highways are derived from the American Guides of the 1930's and 40's. Reference maps and GPS Coordinates for all listed sites are included.