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About Britain: A Journey of Seventy Years and 1,345 Miles
A charming new travelogue retracing the thirteen original routes of the 1951 Festival of Britain guides "About Britain"
About Britain is an entirely fresh approach to travel writing. In 1951, the Festival of Britain published a series of thirteen short guides that they dubbed 'handbooks for the explorer'. Their aim was to get people on 'the roads and the by-roads' to see Britain as a 'living country'. Armed with these guidebooks, Tim Cole takes to the roads again to find out what looks the same and what looks different from that moment when Britain's growing car-owning population set out in 1951. The result is a book that combines travelogue and reflections on our changing relationship with the car with a broader social, cultural and landscape history of post-war Britain.
The book is structured around the thirteen original itineraries, taking in all corners of the UK: from Oban to Caernarvon to Canterbury. Revisiting these places a lifetime (70 years) after the original 'sensible explorers' provides a chance to ask what has changed and what remains the same – what now grows in the hedgerows along our British roads and which industries dominate the towns along the way? Which places have fared better during the last century, and which have fared worse?
Sustainability, industry, travel, nature, motoring – all of these things are considered as we follow the Festival of Britain's original routes. The book also contains a Prologue, 'About Britain 1951-2021' and Epilogue, 'Heading Home', providing a delightfully written and wonderfully retro look at our own culture and heritage, packaged to recall the guides as they first appeared.
About Britain is an entirely fresh approach to travel writing. In 1951, the Festival of Britain published a series of thirteen short guides that they dubbed 'handbooks for the explorer'. Their aim was to get people on 'the roads and the by-roads' to see Britain as a 'living country'. Armed with these guidebooks, Tim Cole takes to the roads again to find out what looks the same and what looks different from that moment when Britain's growing car-owning population set out in 1951. The result is a book that combines travelogue and reflections on our changing relationship with the car with a broader social, cultural and landscape history of post-war Britain.
The book is structured around the thirteen original itineraries, taking in all corners of the UK: from Oban to Caernarvon to Canterbury. Revisiting these places a lifetime (70 years) after the original 'sensible explorers' provides a chance to ask what has changed and what remains the same – what now grows in the hedgerows along our British roads and which industries dominate the towns along the way? Which places have fared better during the last century, and which have fared worse?
Sustainability, industry, travel, nature, motoring – all of these things are considered as we follow the Festival of Britain's original routes. The book also contains a Prologue, 'About Britain 1951-2021' and Epilogue, 'Heading Home', providing a delightfully written and wonderfully retro look at our own culture and heritage, packaged to recall the guides as they first appeared.
- GenresTravelNonfiction
384 pages, Hardcover
Published August 10, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 26, 2021
With travel still looking decidedly dubious, I felt it was time to see, and discover, more of the beautiful country I live in. As such, this book turned up at exactly the right time.
Author Tim Cole first came across, “About Britain No. 1 – West Country,” published in 1951 in a charity shop. Before long, he came across more and had gathered a full of set of volumes. The guides were produced to coincide with the 1951 Festival of Britain, designed to showcase a country rebuilding after WWII. After an attempt to organise bus tours, which failed, the guidebooks were aimed at motorists, in a time when a drive in the country was considered a day out. Each volume included a written portrait of an area and some suggested driving tours.
Cole decided to follow one route, randomly chosen, from each of the volumes and then takes us on a journey separated by seventy years and compares what he finds to the original book. From the West Country, through Wessex the Home Counties, East Anglia, the Chilterns, Wales, the Midlands, and Scotland, this is a charming read. The author both discovers, and re-discovers, the countryside, towns, villages, industries, tourist sites and infrastructure of the country. From National Parks, University’s, mills, Cathedrals, canals, markets, orchards and more. He discusses English vineyards, the invention of the hovercraft, the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, aviation, castles, cricket, Vikings, and Roman roads.
This volume has made me more eager than ever to head out and discover a country which – despite its modestly small size, is shadowed by history and has so much to explore. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, to review.
Author Tim Cole first came across, “About Britain No. 1 – West Country,” published in 1951 in a charity shop. Before long, he came across more and had gathered a full of set of volumes. The guides were produced to coincide with the 1951 Festival of Britain, designed to showcase a country rebuilding after WWII. After an attempt to organise bus tours, which failed, the guidebooks were aimed at motorists, in a time when a drive in the country was considered a day out. Each volume included a written portrait of an area and some suggested driving tours.
Cole decided to follow one route, randomly chosen, from each of the volumes and then takes us on a journey separated by seventy years and compares what he finds to the original book. From the West Country, through Wessex the Home Counties, East Anglia, the Chilterns, Wales, the Midlands, and Scotland, this is a charming read. The author both discovers, and re-discovers, the countryside, towns, villages, industries, tourist sites and infrastructure of the country. From National Parks, University’s, mills, Cathedrals, canals, markets, orchards and more. He discusses English vineyards, the invention of the hovercraft, the National Trust, the Forestry Commission, aviation, castles, cricket, Vikings, and Roman roads.
This volume has made me more eager than ever to head out and discover a country which – despite its modestly small size, is shadowed by history and has so much to explore. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, to review.
June 13, 2021
The idea for About Britain came to fruition while Tim Cole was browsing in an Oxfam charity shop book section when he came upon a rather sorry looking copy of About Britain No. 1. West Country. A New Guide Book with a portrait by Geoffrey Grigson while the black-and-white Festival of Britain logo in the bottom right-hand corner revealed it was published in 1951. After purchasing the book, he came across many more discarded copies of the series. Before long he had a complete set of all thirteen volumes and his thoughts turned to what he might do with these guides, all short (under 100 pages), mass-market guides.
Tim Cole’s objective in About Britain is to replicate the journeys featured in these thirteen guide books to reflect the change in Britain’s landscape, industry and infrastructure since they were initially printed seventy years ago. Exploring social, cultural, landscape and environmental change and continuity, this is a fascinating, richly described and compelling read with some well-placed humour interspersed throughout. If you enjoy reading about how our country has evolved over the last seven decades then this is a brilliant and eminently readable book. Highly recommended.
Tim Cole’s objective in About Britain is to replicate the journeys featured in these thirteen guide books to reflect the change in Britain’s landscape, industry and infrastructure since they were initially printed seventy years ago. Exploring social, cultural, landscape and environmental change and continuity, this is a fascinating, richly described and compelling read with some well-placed humour interspersed throughout. If you enjoy reading about how our country has evolved over the last seven decades then this is a brilliant and eminently readable book. Highly recommended.
August 4, 2021
I usually love books like this but for some reason I could not get into this one at all.
The author has driven the roads that were featured in the 1951 Festival of Britain guides. It's a book you can dip in and out of but I had opted to start at the beginning. It was not an area I was too familiar with and felt a little at odds with finding a connection with the writing.
Thinking I might do better with an area I knew well I opted for the East Midlands section. Unfortunately that too left me cold. The book is obviously well researched and goes into a lot of depth, at times reading more like a book suited to an academic rather than someone with a passing interest.
Maybe it is because the book is really about the view from the car rather than interacting with the places themselves that it wasn't really for me.
The author has driven the roads that were featured in the 1951 Festival of Britain guides. It's a book you can dip in and out of but I had opted to start at the beginning. It was not an area I was too familiar with and felt a little at odds with finding a connection with the writing.
Thinking I might do better with an area I knew well I opted for the East Midlands section. Unfortunately that too left me cold. The book is obviously well researched and goes into a lot of depth, at times reading more like a book suited to an academic rather than someone with a passing interest.
Maybe it is because the book is really about the view from the car rather than interacting with the places themselves that it wasn't really for me.
September 2, 2021
After discovering guidebooks written to coincide with the Festival of Britain in 1951, Tim Cole revisits some of the recommended routes 70 years later. Choosing just one journey from each guide, there were thirteen books in all, he sets off to discover what has changed and what has stayed the same.
Quite early on I realised that reading About Britain on a kindle was not ideal; I plan to buy a paperback when they are published in 2022. This is the sort of book you can dip into, perhaps when planning a trip of your own, as each chapter deals with a different part of the country, and not necessarily read all the way through in one go. I found the chapters dealing with East Anglia, and the Lowlands and Highlands of Scotland to be the most interesting as I knew the area and could visualise the routes taken. It would, however, be a good introduction when planning a visit to an area you do not know.
My only criticism is the use of Google Maps Street View for the tour of the lowlands of Scotland. I realise that lockdown prevented all but local travel at this point, but do not think this was quite as effective.
These guides were originally designed to encourage the growing number of motorists in 1951 to explore parts of this country not always easily reached by train, with an emphasis on post-war industry and manufacturing. About Britain is not really a travel book, but more a fascinating, well-researched history of the areas visited, detailing the decline of British industry and manufacturing, and what has sprung up in its place.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Continuum and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
Quite early on I realised that reading About Britain on a kindle was not ideal; I plan to buy a paperback when they are published in 2022. This is the sort of book you can dip into, perhaps when planning a trip of your own, as each chapter deals with a different part of the country, and not necessarily read all the way through in one go. I found the chapters dealing with East Anglia, and the Lowlands and Highlands of Scotland to be the most interesting as I knew the area and could visualise the routes taken. It would, however, be a good introduction when planning a visit to an area you do not know.
My only criticism is the use of Google Maps Street View for the tour of the lowlands of Scotland. I realise that lockdown prevented all but local travel at this point, but do not think this was quite as effective.
These guides were originally designed to encourage the growing number of motorists in 1951 to explore parts of this country not always easily reached by train, with an emphasis on post-war industry and manufacturing. About Britain is not really a travel book, but more a fascinating, well-researched history of the areas visited, detailing the decline of British industry and manufacturing, and what has sprung up in its place.
Thanks to Bloomsbury Continuum and NetGalley for a digital copy to review.
April 3, 2023
How very interesting! I like the routes explored in this book, one of them being 'Chilterns to Black Country: Stafford-Coventry-Oxford (104 miles). Each chapter really goes in depth - which may not be some people's cup of tea. It was informative and quite nice to read at a slow-ish pace, in my view.
Page count: 384
Author: Tim Cole
Themes: Travel, non-fiction, Britain, journey, Seventy Years & 1,345 Miles
Page count: 384
Author: Tim Cole
Themes: Travel, non-fiction, Britain, journey, Seventy Years & 1,345 Miles
August 3, 2024
Like a really tedious Bill Bryson
May 16, 2021
Those of us with access to British TV will be more than aware of the Michael Portillo programmes, where he carouses round the world with a Victorian-era traveller's help guidebook, and allegedly compares and contrasts the world of then with the world of now, to social history ends, but more often than not gets forced by the producers to waste our time and his by making cheese, or learning how to Morris dance. This is a book along very similar lines, but happily without the hands-on filler. There were a full set of guides to self-directed routes across the UK made for the 1951 Festival of Britain, and our author has plucked one route from each, got himself to the start and used it and his car to get to its end, seeing what has changed in the interim seventy years – and what tells those original guide writers left about themselves on the page.
That is not at all to say that there are no asides or diversions. Indeed the book comes happily constructed from the incongruous topic. The very first chapter discusses forestry efforts, speed limits on country roads and the history of British vineyards in much more (lightly-given) detail than I would ever have expected. I knew nothing of the grand old National Trust estate carved in two by the M5 – a road built since the guides and so never driven on. Whether we're in Hampshire or Wessex next, more modern road schemes are to the fore, as is that well-known delight of southern England past, the watercress industry.
What the book does superbly is ruminate, given first-hand current eye-witnessing of relevant things, on the likes of the end of Coventry's carmaking industries. As a book easily shelved under 'travel' it might raise an eyebrow or two however – it seems to leave out how very different the person of today is from the person of the 1950s who was directed around a mahoosive 147-mile loop from Hereford into South Wales and back. I don't think it quite covers the nature of these days out as well as it does the differences seen through the windshield. There are copious instances of our author getting himself lost courtesy of the wrong turn, but little of what he felt doing the self-imposed missions, and if they even felt like the Reithian tourism they were designed to be.
No, where this takes us places is via its timeline, and it's fascinating to see North Wales turn its slate pit remains into sports venues, and to learn about the birth of Conservation Orders – and those words are not ones I expected to type. I see the book as the result not just of the driving and observing but copious diligent historical researches afterwards, piecing together numerous instances of what 1950s Britain was thinking and what has been happening over the past seventy years. The volume closes with the author thinking aloud about a repeat exercise, done a further seventy years after his recce. While our culture will still be churning out the likes of "Michael, you've got ten minutes and those bagpipes – Action!", I would also relish a look at a sequel if done as well as this.
That is not at all to say that there are no asides or diversions. Indeed the book comes happily constructed from the incongruous topic. The very first chapter discusses forestry efforts, speed limits on country roads and the history of British vineyards in much more (lightly-given) detail than I would ever have expected. I knew nothing of the grand old National Trust estate carved in two by the M5 – a road built since the guides and so never driven on. Whether we're in Hampshire or Wessex next, more modern road schemes are to the fore, as is that well-known delight of southern England past, the watercress industry.
What the book does superbly is ruminate, given first-hand current eye-witnessing of relevant things, on the likes of the end of Coventry's carmaking industries. As a book easily shelved under 'travel' it might raise an eyebrow or two however – it seems to leave out how very different the person of today is from the person of the 1950s who was directed around a mahoosive 147-mile loop from Hereford into South Wales and back. I don't think it quite covers the nature of these days out as well as it does the differences seen through the windshield. There are copious instances of our author getting himself lost courtesy of the wrong turn, but little of what he felt doing the self-imposed missions, and if they even felt like the Reithian tourism they were designed to be.
No, where this takes us places is via its timeline, and it's fascinating to see North Wales turn its slate pit remains into sports venues, and to learn about the birth of Conservation Orders – and those words are not ones I expected to type. I see the book as the result not just of the driving and observing but copious diligent historical researches afterwards, piecing together numerous instances of what 1950s Britain was thinking and what has been happening over the past seventy years. The volume closes with the author thinking aloud about a repeat exercise, done a further seventy years after his recce. While our culture will still be churning out the likes of "Michael, you've got ten minutes and those bagpipes – Action!", I would also relish a look at a sequel if done as well as this.
February 9, 2025
I finished the book but it really rather left me after only a few pages. When I found out the author was not walking, trekking or even cycling the 1300 miles but driving a car, any sense of achievement disappeared. This meant he wouldn't, over the course of 300 pages have much time to describe stopping, enjoying ormarvelling at the many many sites along the way. So it proved as almost nothing is allotted more Than a page to elaborate upon. To be fair he is following a series of motoring guides leaving little scope for a measured trip around Britain. COVID intrudes when the author has to travel to Lowland Scotland and rather innovatively he continues that route by virtual means maintaining his general project of contrasting the views motorists would have seen in 1951 with 2020 by pointing out route planning through Google wouldn't even have been dreamt off 70 years earlier.
I do wonder if the same means would have been used if COVID had interrupted a drive closer to the author. To be fair he does later follow the guide to the Highlands. During which he sees “Invereagles” hydro scheme. Can I excuse my nitpicking by saying “Inveruglas” hydro scheme which I think he means to write is on my clan territory, with the Loch Sloy reservoir the site of where past Macfarlanes hid their stolen bovine booty, and our battle cry according to the all too fake stories of the Scottish clans. It would have been nice for him to have got the name correct
I do wonder if the same means would have been used if COVID had interrupted a drive closer to the author. To be fair he does later follow the guide to the Highlands. During which he sees “Invereagles” hydro scheme. Can I excuse my nitpicking by saying “Inveruglas” hydro scheme which I think he means to write is on my clan territory, with the Loch Sloy reservoir the site of where past Macfarlanes hid their stolen bovine booty, and our battle cry according to the all too fake stories of the Scottish clans. It would have been nice for him to have got the name correct
July 18, 2026
I felt compelled to write a review of this book which is rare for me and speaks to the feeling I was left with after reading as what I can only describe as “odd”.
While the author clearly knows his history and his sidetracks onto historical discussions about certain features he encounters along his journey are undoubtedly the best part of this book, I was left feeling cold. I found a lot of the road trips he took to be quite lazy when it came to any kind of pre planning. Not knowing when certain events are happening (Tour de Yorkshire) could have been researched quite easily beforehand. The Google Streetview chapter was a very tough chapter to get through. There isn’t a great deal
Of humour or sense of personality that comes through, the text is very dry.
Essentially I felt like the author didn’t really put much effort into the trips themselves and just expected the book to write itself. Glad I read it as it’s made me want to look into some other things that were discussed, but overall I feel like someone else could have done a better job.
While the author clearly knows his history and his sidetracks onto historical discussions about certain features he encounters along his journey are undoubtedly the best part of this book, I was left feeling cold. I found a lot of the road trips he took to be quite lazy when it came to any kind of pre planning. Not knowing when certain events are happening (Tour de Yorkshire) could have been researched quite easily beforehand. The Google Streetview chapter was a very tough chapter to get through. There isn’t a great deal
Of humour or sense of personality that comes through, the text is very dry.
Essentially I felt like the author didn’t really put much effort into the trips themselves and just expected the book to write itself. Glad I read it as it’s made me want to look into some other things that were discussed, but overall I feel like someone else could have done a better job.
June 11, 2021
One of my favourite genres of travel writing is the one where someone feels compelled to set off on a madcap trip after stumbling upon an obscure book in a secondhand shop. About Britain is a perfect example of this genre. Tim Cole amasses a collection of 1951 travel guides that were originally published as part of the Festival of Britain. He sets off on a road trip around Britain to see how much has changed since they were originally published.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fascinating to see the contrast between Britain then and now. I found it fascinating to see how the publishers of the original guide were trying to portray post-war Britain. This is a fun, enjoyable read but it is also detailed and thought-provoking. The author has divided the book up into the different routes/areas of Britain so it means you can also dip into this book whenever you are planning a trip.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was fascinating to see the contrast between Britain then and now. I found it fascinating to see how the publishers of the original guide were trying to portray post-war Britain. This is a fun, enjoyable read but it is also detailed and thought-provoking. The author has divided the book up into the different routes/areas of Britain so it means you can also dip into this book whenever you are planning a trip.
April 18, 2021
A well-written book comparing car journeys taken in the 1950's and now. I like that the book is separated into different journeys, so it's easy to dip in and read when you are visiting that area yourself.
It's an enjoyable and interesting read, and I learned quite a few things about local areas that I didn't know or realise. It started slow by introducing the concept and the reasons for writing, but once onto the journeys it became an easy and fascinating read.
If you enjoy travel writing, you will enjoy this book.
It's an enjoyable and interesting read, and I learned quite a few things about local areas that I didn't know or realise. It started slow by introducing the concept and the reasons for writing, but once onto the journeys it became an easy and fascinating read.
If you enjoy travel writing, you will enjoy this book.
April 20, 2021
It's been year since I read a book that made me create itinerary and check for places to visit.
I loved this book: it made me travel to new to me places, learn about historical facts and how things changes with time.
I would be curious to read the original guides but I thoroughly loved this travelogue that made me mentally design a new travel.
It's been a long time, I hope I will be able to travel using this book as a guide soon.
PS: it's well written and researched, compelling and highly entertaining.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I loved this book: it made me travel to new to me places, learn about historical facts and how things changes with time.
I would be curious to read the original guides but I thoroughly loved this travelogue that made me mentally design a new travel.
It's been a long time, I hope I will be able to travel using this book as a guide soon.
PS: it's well written and researched, compelling and highly entertaining.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 16, 2021
This was a very interesting and engaging read. It's not the type of book that I would necessarily read from cover to cover on one go. I prefer to dip in and out of it.
I am always interested in finding out little pieces of the past, am old shop sign, old signal boxes where there is no longer a railway, old converted buildings etc. This book is great for seeing how much an area has changed over the years.
I love reading about places that I am familiar with. This book is also good for giving me ideas of places to visit by car. I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
I am always interested in finding out little pieces of the past, am old shop sign, old signal boxes where there is no longer a railway, old converted buildings etc. This book is great for seeing how much an area has changed over the years.
I love reading about places that I am familiar with. This book is also good for giving me ideas of places to visit by car. I enjoyed reading this book and I would recommend it.
April 16, 2021
Enjoyable mini tour of UK following the path of a previous book suggesting days out in the car, when taking the car for a run on a sunday was a family outing. Made comparisons with todays view of those same roads and landmarks. Dipping into social history on how life has evolved, if you live near one of the routes you may also learn something you had always taken for granted. Thank you #NetGalley for the copy.
November 22, 2025
Maybe 3.5 stars? I loved the concept – retracing a set of driving tours from the Festival of Britain in 1951 – but as a piece of travel writing, I feel like I struggled to follow geographically where we were going, even in parts of Britain I know quite well. Perhaps some maps would have been in order?
June 3, 2021
I love reading about the country I live in, especially when it involves places I am familiar with. I found this amusing, informative and overall very interesting. A lovely read.
November 9, 2021
Interesting.
February 22, 2022
An informative and at times amusing tour around Britian, using a tour guide published in the year of the Coronation of the present Queen.
Cole writes extremely well, with his descriptions making me feel as if I were in the car next to him. It was always interesting to learn about the history of areas of the country I perhaps hadn't been familiar with before.
Cole writes extremely well, with his descriptions making me feel as if I were in the car next to him. It was always interesting to learn about the history of areas of the country I perhaps hadn't been familiar with before.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews