There are many different ways to get between Lands End and John O’Groats. The absolute shortest route is 871 miles – but practicalities (e.g. motorways, overnight stops, finding food) mean that the typical route is 900-1000 miles. For my ride I shall be going via Bangor (for graduation ceremonies) and York (where my mother lives), … More Route
In the last 3 and a half months, I’ve had 8 separate texts from virgin informing me that our home phone/broadband will be fixed within 5 working days. As I type this on the 25th of April we are still awaiting a solution to our problem. Normally, I would be content to go through Virgin … More The end of a beautiful relationship (with my phone company)
As July 7th gets closer and closer, I thought I’d get a bit more info about all the little things I’m working on and thinking about before my 1000 mile bike ride. First up – a few concerns I’ve had about safety and cycling (after reading this article about why cyclists don’t always hug the … More The dangers of cycling
So, with exactly 3 months to go until I power myself around the UK everything is starting to get a bit real. Training has started (and stopped, and started, and stopped), fundraising has begun in earnest, and logistics… Well, they exist. Let’s start with the fundraising. Since my first blog post I’ve raised nearly £2000 … More 3 months to go!
Max Hastings, Lost Voices of the Royal Navy, 2005 This book is all about people. It is a story of the Royal Navy told by the people who were there. It isn’t an academic study, or a critical analysis, or even a narrative description. This is a history of what it was like to be … More Lost Voices of the Royal Navy
The Complete James Herriot: All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot (Various Years)* If you’ll permit me to quote the overbearing mother figure from Miranda, reading through nigh on 5 inches of James Herriot has been “such fun”. The prose, romantic and lyrical, flows freely from page to page, and it is easy to get … More The Complete James Herriot
Trigger warning – this is an intensely personal and frank account of how MS has affected my life. Sometimes, it hits me like a freight train in the night. I started writing these words whilst I sat watching dance groups from across the UK in Edinburgh. As they were performing some phenomenal dances the thought … More MS and me
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert M. Pirsig (1999) I’m starting to write this review before I’ve finished the book. Not because I know what’s going to happen, but because I’m so desperate to start a new book. This book attempts to combine the tale of a motorcycle trip during which father and … More Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
As soon as you get through the gates to the Yorkshire Air Museum, you get the feeling that you are somewhere special. The museum, like many provincial museums, presents a vision of faded glory. The lines in the car parks are worn down by the troupes of visitors, the planes stored outside of hangers need … More Elvington – Yorkshire Air Museum
Widely regarded as a classic in its field, this pioneering book explores the rich industrial heritage of the Tamar valley, utilising geographical studies, primary sources, media stories, and archeological remains to paint a vivid picture of life in this flourishing corner of the world. Nestling between Devon and Cornwall, the Tamar valley today presents little … More The Industrial Archaeology of the Tamar Valley
antonyjcbutcher 