If you’re a big bookworm, you will know that often writers are inspired by real life landscapes and locations and use these places to bring their work alive. Across the UK, there are many towns, cities, and rural areas which have been used as settings in works of fiction. Here are three destinations with big literary connections. These places are all beautiful and interesting in their own right, but they are made that bit more fascinating by featuring in famous books.
Whitby, Yorkshire (Dracula)
This charming harbor town on the north-eastern coast of the UK has a fascinating history. There is a ruined abbey on the clifftop above the town, from which you can gain some stunning views of the wild coastline which stretches out below. There is also a beautiful church, a huge whale’s jawbone (from the town’s whaling days) and pretty cobbled streets with plenty of shops of cafes to rest in and explore. In bright sunlight, it’s hard to imagine that this town serves as the setting in one of the most famous works of Gothic literature, but on wild, wind-swept nights the presence of a terrible nocturnal monster suddenly seems more plausible.
Lyme Regis, Dorset (The French Lieutenant’s Woman)
The writer John Fowles lived in the pretty seaside town of Lyme Regis most of his life, and used its formidable harbor wall (known as the Cob) as the romantic meeting point for his two main characters in his most famous novel, The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Now, tourists flock to the town to walk across the Cob, swim in the sea, and taste local delicacies such as a Dorset cream tea. You can view the stunning mansion that Fowles lived in, and visit the local museum for information about the writer and his life.
Dartmoor, Devon (The Hound of the Baskervilles)
Conan-Doyle’s most famous detective story is set on the wild, desolate uplands of Dartmoor. Although such a landscape may not initially seem appealing for a vacation, if you visit in the spring or summer you can enjoy azure skies, clean, fresh air, and some of the best hiking country in the UK. Visit the Dartmoor prison museum in Princetown, to see one of the most famous locations within the novel, and stride to the edge of Fox Tor Mire for a real life version of Conan-Doyle’s infamous Grimpen Mire.