Since 1991 I’ve been writing and updating guidebooks, mainly for Bradt Travel Guides and the Rough Guides, and spending my summers leading hikers in the Alps for a rather upmarket American company. I’ve always jotted down notes and corrections in the margins of my guidebooks (and now digitally too), and this blog is largely about capturing and passing on those little nuggets of information that have caught my attention but that don’t fit into a guidebook, or background material that takes my fancy. I’ll also add updates about museums reopening after refurbishment, new metro lines and so on that I’ve heard about since visiting.
You won’t be getting long descriptive passages of cool places from me; I tend to be pretty concise, and in any case I don’t aim to say much or anything at all about things that are already covered by guidebooks.
Yes, I lead hiking trips, but I also love cities and culture (sorry, I’m unashamedly highbrow), and there’ll be more on that in this blog than on the mountains. Still, I promise to post photos of gorgeous scenery from time to time.
If you really want to know more, see here.
There are a few posts in this colour, which are by Katy who is no longer involved with the blog, alas.
Tim Burford
Tim, Thank you for a wonderful guide.
As being an American and Pole I would welcome you to both countries, as they seem underrepresented in your guide. As Poland is closer, and affords a visit by train (7 hours from Germany) I would be happy to get you in touch with places and people. Poland needs travel guides to rediscover its history that has been disrupted and re-written first by wave of nationalism about 100 years ago, then by ‘commies’ and lately by commercialization and some resurgence of nationalism. What is interesting is that its history is so intricately connected with other countries and cultures. There is a vibrant culture under the surface. Not only culinary. Also the country is large with interesting nature and artifacts.
Hi Paul, thank you. I know both countries well, in fact my second book (back in the early ’90s) was a hiking guide to Poland and Ukraine. My cycling buddy Rob, often mentioned in my blog posts, is a great fan of Poland and goes there a lot, but it’s true I haven’t been recently. Maybe next time I go to Bratislava?
Sign me up for your updates please! Especially looking forward to your comments of the Cote d’Azur!
Hi – the sign-up is at the bottom right of the welcome page. Yes, we need to move it up!