Destination: U.K

Travel Literature

There's nothing like a decent travelogue to set the mood for your own trip. The choice of books about travel in Britain can be daunting, so here's a list of our favourites to inspire you, add an extra dimension to your planning, or help you dig under the British skin a little when you're on the road.

Notes from a Small Island, by Bill Bryson, is incisive and perceptive. This American author really captures the spirit of Britain. When he pokes fun, he's spot on, so the locals don't mind.

The Kingdom by the Sea, by Paul Theroux, provides more keen observations from another cousin across the pond, although without Bryson's sense of fondness. It was published 20 years ago, but still worth a read.

Lights Out for the Territory, by Iain Sinclair, is a darkly humorous, entertaining and acerbic exploration of 1990s London, taking in - among other things - Jeffrey Archer's penthouse and an East End gangster funeral.

Park and Ride, by Miranda Sawyer, is a wry and minutely observed 2001 sojourn through British suburbia, the land of never-ending home improvements and keeping up appearances.

Two Degrees West, by Nicholas Crane, describes a walk from the northeastern tip of England to the Dorset coast in a perfectly straight line (two degrees west of the Greenwich meridian), wading rivers, cutting through towns, sleeping in fields, and meeting an astounding selection of real people along the way.

Native Stranger, by Alistair Scott, describes the author's journey through Scotland, a homeland he hardly knew after decades of globe-trotting journalism. Slightly dated, but it remains incisive and deep.

On Borrow's Trail, by Hugh Oliff, retraces the journeys through Wales made by 19th-century writer George Borrow, combining a rich synopsis of the original observations with modern photos and colour illustrations.

Crap Towns, edited by Sam Jordison, and Dan Kieran catalogues the 50 worst places to live in Britain - as voted by their own long-suffering residents. This book is vitriolic, and darkly funny. There are some surprising nominations too - Brighton, Winchester and Liverpool, for example - but presumably that's because some towns that are unpleasant for locals are still great for visitors. Maybe it's best read after your trip.