He drank from a different fountain
Shepherd Market, W1, has many ghosts, some of whom are literary. In the shadow of Patrick Leigh Fermor’s former digs – the scene of ‘wild and continuous’ parties in the summer of 1933 – Heywood Hill has just celebrated 90 years of bookselling. In today’s Republic of Letters, we have a true book-loving Queen and [ ]
Almost the very first article I posted back in 2010 when I started this blog was not about Paddy at all, although he does get a mention. It was the obituary of SOE officer Ralph Stockbridge which you can read here. A fellow blogger, Kyle Glover, spent some time in the National Library of Scotland [ ]
I recently came across an article published a couple of years ago by our friend Nick Hunt, he who walked in Patrick Leigh Fermor s footsteps in 2011 and 2012. His book, Walking the Woods and the Water (Nicholas Brealey, 2014), tells the story of that 2,500-mile walk from the Hook of Holland to Istanbul. If [ ]
I returned from my river Elbe charity walk three weeks ago since when I have been recovering and catching up with some work, the ever present To-Do list. Thank you to all those donated. I beat my fundraising target for Combat Stress, but it s not too late to contribute! In the end I walked 310 [ ]
Many of you have asked about further events related to Harry Bucknall s new book A Road for All Seasons. There is good news if you live in or near Dorset. If you wish to shake hands with Blandford Forum s greatest living travel writer, this is the one for you! Event Details Saturday 11th July 2026. [ ]
You may be interested to know that following a meticulous two-year restoration under new ownership, Dumbleton Hall, Joan s familial home, has re-opened its doors. The historic Grade II listed building has been restored to its former glory as an elegant country manor hotel. Hotel magazine describes it as having interiors shaped by its storied past, [ ]
A reader, Jamie McCallum, has made a request and perhaps someone can help? Some years back I mentioned a book called: Sons of Odysseus by Alan Ogden, regarding SOE in Greece. Jamie is very keen to get hold of a copy but all the obvious places (Amazon etc.) have no copies as it is out [ ]
It doesn t seem like four years have passed since I commenced my objective of walking the entire length of the River Elbe in eastern Germany. Time really does fly! You can read a little about the first part of that journey here. I m back at it again and I start on Sunday 31 May. I [ ]
A major exhibition dedicated to the photographic work of Joan Leigh Fermor is now on display in Hydra, offering a rare glimpse into her artistic vision and travels across Greece and beyond. The exhibition features a curated selection from approximately 5,000 photographs, slides and prints preserved at the National Library of Scotland. Taken mainly during [ ]
Apologies for the very late notice message but just in case anyone was planning to make the trip, I have been informed that the Road for All Seasons event on 13th May in Ebbesbourne Wake has had to be postponed. A new date will be announced in due course.
Many of you requested access to the video of Professer Charles Lock s talk about the life and work of Patrick Leigh Fermor held on 30 March 2026 at King’s College London. It is now available on You Tube here.
It s always good to have messages and emails from readers, and I do receive quite a few. This most recent one was from James Hamilton who helps to manage the village hall in Ebbesbourne Wake, in the beautiful Chalke Valley in Wiltshire, which is noted for its very successful annual History Festival. James informs me [ ]
Good news for us walkers! Greece s Peloponnese is having a moment, thanks to the summer release of Christopher Nolan s upcoming film, The Odyssey, which features scenes filmed in the mountainous destination. Beyond the latest screen adaptation of Homer s epic poem, due out in July, there s another reason to plan a trip to the Greek mainland s [ ]
The self-made woman remained obstinately masculine; the admirer of imperialism was a passionate Welsh nationalist; and the travel writer could be both superficial and profound. Artemis Cooper reviews Jan Morris: A Life, written by Sara Wheeler and published on 7 April 2026 by Faber. By Artemis Cooper First published in The Spectator Jan Morris was [ ]
The launch of Harry Bucknall’s latest book, A Road for all Seasons, was recently held in the Officers’ Mess at Wellington Barracks, and was pure Bucknall. A wonderfully eclectic mix of Harry’s old friends and acquaintances including Chelsea Pensioner, Warrant Officer Class 2 Colin Thackery a British Korean War veteran and singer who won the [ ]