Short Escapes In Britain, 2nd Edition: 25 Country Getaways for People Who Love to Walk (Fodor's Short Escapes in Britain) [Paperback]

Bruce Bolger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 1996 | Series: Fodor's Short Escapes in Britain

Fodor's Short escapes in Britain25 Country Getaways for People who Love to Walk. All over England, Scotland and Wales

Discover the Undiscovered
Follow in the footsteps of Shakespeare, Rob Roy, the Brontë Sisters and Dylan Thomas.  Discover breathtaking sea views, picturesque harbors, beautiful gardens, and bucolic pastures crisscrossed by stone walls.

Escape for a Day or More

Every walk can be completed in a few hours.  Or you can linger for a few days in one of the recommended B&Bs or inns.

All the information you need
Walking directions and maps, nearby inns, pubs & restaurants, picnic spots, and how to get there by public transportation

"How we decide whether a guide claiming to discover special places tourists never see really does is to ask: Has it found our own personal favorite spots?  In this case the answer is 'Yes'.  Curse those perceptive authors." -- New York Daily News

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Fodor's Short escapes in Britain25 Country Getaways for People who Love to Walk. All over England, Scotland and Wales

Discover the Undiscovered
Follow in the footsteps of Shakespeare, Rob Roy, the Brontë Sisters and Dylan Thomas.  Discover breathtaking sea views, picturesque harbors, beautiful gardens, and bucolic pastures crisscrossed by stone walls.

Escape for a Day or More

Every walk can be completed in a few hours.  Or you can linger for a few days in one of the recommended B&Bs or inns.

All the information you need
Walking directions and maps, nearby inns, pubs & restaurants, picnic spots, and how to get there by public transportation

"How we decide whether a guide claiming to discover special places tourists never see really does is to ask: Has it found our own personal favorite spots?  In this case the answer is 'Yes'.  Curse those perceptive authors." -- New York Daily News

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Fodor's Short escapes in BritainINTRODUCTION

This guide is for everyone who would like to escape to the peace of the British countryside and soak up a more complete sense of the way life once was, and is today.  It will take you away from the tourist crowds to unique places with spectacular vistas and remarkable histories.  You can stroll alone through an ancient forest, walk along the towpath of a centries-old canal, or picnic without neighbors on the grassy banks of a peaceful river.  You can continue the mood at a recommended restaurant in a picturesque setting and then complete the experience at a charming country inn or a bed and breakfast.

Short Escapes brings you to special places little known even to the British.  According to your tastes, you can tramp around historic landmarks, plunge deep into farmland and forest, or just sit undisturbed for hours looking down at gentle waves lapping against a shore.  Through the quiet, you will be able to feel what it might have been like when Shakespeare roamed through the Forest of Arden, when the when Henry VIII courted Anne Boleyn, or when Britain braced for an impending German invasion during WWII.  Many of the book's suggested walking tours cover country roads and footpaths used for hundreds or even thousands of years.

The 25 experiences in this book are all within a day's journey of Britain's major tourist spots, and some are accessible by train.  Each experience is centered around a walking tour, which can be anything from a short stroll to a four-hour walk.  The text that accompanies each experience takes an in-depth look at something special about that place, its past or present.

Short Escapes is more than a travel guide: It's designed to awaken the traveler's senses to the moods and flavors of a place and its people, and to help evoke a real sense of the past and present. We hope that the 25 experiences will have the same uplifting effect on you as they had on us.

Product Details

• Paperback: 238 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's; 2 edition (April 30, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679030727
• ISBN-13: 978-0679030720
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,786,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book that delivers exactly what it claims., February 1, 2005

By 

Dave Howell (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Short Escapes In Britain, 2nd Edition: 25 Country Getaways for People Who Love to Walk (Fodor's Short Escapes in Britain) (Paperback)

I'm not big on walking, and this book only has four hikes for Scotland, so why would I bother buying it when I took a trip to Scotland about ten years ago? Because leafing through it, the hike to Dunnottar Castle (and the castle itself) sounded so intriguing, and so cool, that I decided I had to go. My "regular" travel guide just mentioned the castle in part of one paragraph, but that hike was the highlight of my entire trip. I ended up doing 3 of the 4 Scottish walks instead of just the one. Many of the expeditions are really easy: you don't need hiking boots, stamina, or experience, and they take you to specific interesting destinations. It's fun to read even if you don't actually go on the walks, but you'll sure want to once you've read the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great alternative to typical guidebook, July 22, 2006

By 

Toby (New Jersey, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Short Escapes In Britain, 2nd Edition: 25 Country Getaways for People Who Love to Walk (Fodor's Short Escapes in Britain) (Paperback)

I traveled regularly to the UK for a few months and this book provided us with plans for our 15 most memorable weekends. Most walks take you to locations that you probably wouldn't encounter if you stuck to a typical guidebook. We particularly liked the walks in the western and southern part of the country. We used recommendations for B&Bs in Wales and the Southwest. One of the paths for the walk was overgrown and we got lost for 30 minutes or so...no big deal.

You won't need hiking shoes/gear for these walks, but bring a backpack with water and a snack and if you are traveling in the springtime, paths can get a little muddy and you will almost certainly need a change of shoes (and possibly a change of pants).

Even if you are only going to be in the UK for a couple of weeks, I would recommend mixing 2 or 3 of these walks into your trip.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Discover Special Places Tourists Never See", February 1, 2005

By 

John Hancock (Denver, Colorado) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Short Escapes In Britain: 25 Trips to the Villages, Landscapes, and Historic Places Tourists Never See By Bruce Bolger & Gary Stoller (1st ed) (Paperback)

This valuable little book really aided our trip and gave us lots of ideas for planning other trips as well.

Very readable and thankfully for all budgets!

Highly recommended! (Especially good on the plane, bus or train, too!)