I travelled across Britain without a map and with very little money. As you can expect, I was entirely dependent on the goodwill of strangers!
To all those people I’ve met, thank you so much for the conversations, beers, food, and shelter. I’ve now returned home, but as I travelled this page was spread far and wide, with many good people getting in touch by email, through social media, and in the comments below. To preserve those offers of help and to give an insight into how I promoted my journey, I’ve kept this old page as it looked.
For those I’ve yet to meet, there are number of ways you can get involved with this project.
- If you have any kind of inhabitable floor space or a garden that might fit a tent, and are happy to put me up for a night, I would be immensely grateful. I’m happy to cook and clean, and you’ll be thanked well.
- If you have any stories about local myths, legends or histories of the places I’m passing, please do email them to me: jdt@riseup.net. I’m largely doing my research through conversations and wandering round towns, and I’m sure there’ll be things I’ll miss.
- If you have any ‘locals only’ tips about great places to see along my route, from little bothies to sleep in to best boozers in Manchester or Bristol, I’d love to hear them.
- If you have any thoughts about my project, positive or negative, please don’t be shy about sending them to me. I’m keen to incorporate and collage every kind of view and outlook I encounter. They’ll have little use stewing in your head, so do share them.
- I’m open to meeting up with people in conversation in towns too, so even if you can’t put me up, send me a message and we can go for a beer. Thanks everyone, and peace to you all.
Searching for Albion 
Heya Dan, we have a ‘camp bed’ in Cambridge for you cs669@cam.ac.uk – with notice of a few days can organise a dinner in Hall where you can speak to people/gown. Coral & Steve
Hi Dan. Found this through a mutual friend on facebook. I’m really impressed with your case for this journey and full of admiration for your authenticity, I’m sure that you will win you many friends along the way. I think you have people you already know in Leicester (?), but you’d be welcome to stay. Also, I have family in Suffolk and Devon who could put you up. Are you walking any of the old pilgrim routes in the South? Drop me a message anytime. 🙂
Hi Frances, thanks for the kind message! I’ve now passed Leicester and am heading north towards Yorkshire, but I will be passing through Devon in a few months time on the return leg of my anti-clockwise trip. If you have any family who might be able to help offer any kind of floorspace, I would be very grateful! I’ve not heard of the pilgrim routes, could you send me more info? I’m very curious and wanting to chronicle this kind of thing! My email is jdt@riseup.net.
Hi Dan,
It also occurred to me that you are cycling through Scotland at a pivotal moment – less than 100 before the referendum on Independence. The “yes” campaign is very organised at grass roots level and there are community meeting throughout the country from the Shetlands to the western isles to the Borders – with the whole political spectrum (even a few tories – but not many of them!) with events in village halls, miner wellfares, churches etc packed out, community groups, LGBT groups, women for independence, trade unionists, etc etc – you should link into that – you will be able to talk to people in all communities you go to and be able to talk to them about what “being Scottish” and also what “not being British” means to them. Their main web site is at: http://www.yesscotland.net/ – there are again specific groups at: http://yesscotland.net/interest-groups and events at: http://yesscotland.nationbuilder.com/events where you’ll be able to check if there are any events going on in the areas you are going through. But I’d suggest connecting with the “yes” campaign, as you be able to find out what is happening at this pivotal moment, talk to ordinary folk about what it all means to them and also it will all be interconnected – so hopefully connecting will give you contacts from one area to the other. The yes campaign is a very grass roots movement – ordinary people in their communities who want a change – not politicians dictating from parliaments!
There is also the “yestival” – the yes festival for – organised by artists and creatives for an independent Scotland – the yes festival that will be touring through the country in July – don’t know if you are still here then – the website for the yestival is at:
http://nationalcollective.com/2014/04/27/national-collective-announces-yestival-tour/
The national collective – artists and creatives for an independent Scotland’s main website is at: http://nationalcollective.com/
And contrary to the opinion that the state and the unionist media try and present – they “yes” campaign is not anti-English – it is anti-English cultural imperialism and colonialism. It is anti-the establishment that destroys our identity, culture, future. It is anti they system that constantly is not chosen by the people of Scotland but is constantly imposed on us and their policies against all the wishes and inclinations of the Scottish people. The vast majority of people in Scotland in the yes campaign have solidarity with the ordinary working class English, who are being trampled on and marginalised by the system. You will no doubt get the occasional anti-English nutter -but they will be few and far between and won’t be appreciated by the rest if they expressed it. It is also no about Alex Salmond or voting for him or the SNP – a very common misconception
You can not tour through Scotland at this time and not get in contact with the yes campaign. It is the most significant political event in Scotland for the last 300 years, it is about identity, imperialism and colonialism (which is how most people here feel about the “union” with England – and why the song “Jerusalem”, its lyrics and its message is so hated here) and it is grass roots – it involves people at all levels of society – but a lot of it at the “bottom end” – ordinary folk with ordinary lives, an it involves sections from all levels of society!
For balance (not something we see from the establishment up here – esp pronounced in the coverage by the BBC!) contacting the “no” campaign – well not sure how you’d do that – as they hold few events..and what events they do hold are poorly attended…they seem of late to mostly have spent their time making false accusations against the yes campaign! Trying to find a laughable incident that happened recently that the police investigated and found no evidence for it – i.e made up accusations – but can’t find the web reference to it at the moment.
Just an idea – but an important one – you just can’t cycle through Scotland at this time and not find out what is going on!
Turas math (good trip!)
Crìsdean
Hi Dan
Stumbled across this and am greatly impressed by what you’re doing. If you’ve not yet passed through my neck of the woods – an hour commute into New Cross – let me know. Bed & board is yours.
Thanks Ariel! I’m not quite sure if I’ll be passing by Horsham but I’ll be going through the South Downs on the way back, and it’d be nice to come up and see you. I’ll be in touch again nearer the time if so, and otherwise, it’d be great to grab a coffee towards the end of the summer. Thank you for the tip on Coryat’s Crudities, which looks superb. Best wishes, Dan.
Hi
I notice you are passing through my beautiful home town of Morecambe and I would be pleased to offer you a bed for the night or simply show you round. I’ve lived here all my life and have lots of local knowledge to share and I believe it’s one of the loveliest places to be. Anyway feel free to contact me nearer the time and good luck on your journey it sounds brilliant and I’m a bit jealous.
Hi, thanks for the generous offer. I think I may take you up on this! I’m planning to pass through Morecambe in mid-August I think, but it’s hard to predict dates at the moment. I’ll get in touch nearer the time, and would really appreciate spending time with a local person who can tell me more about the place. Apparently Morecambe is the place where lettered rock and bingo originates, is this true? Either way, I do hope to meet you around August, and I’ll be in touch nearer the time. All the best, Dan.
Warwickshire – not far from Stratford – a large walled garden for tent or if its pouring with rain i guess we would let you in. Can put a meal together for you too
Thank you for this kind offer! I’ve now passed through Stratford and Warwickshire, and had mixed opinions of the place. Tourist hell, beautiful landscapes. It would’ve been nice to meet, but thanks for getting in touch all the same, and best wishes!
haha yes somewhat over-run with tourists at this time of year. enjoy your travels 🙂
I’ve a floor space in Sheffield.
Ho[e you heard this.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2014/24/no-destination
No Destination – what a good tip! I’ve never come across this before, but I’ll find time to listen and enjoy this. I’ve now passed through Sheffield but thank you for the kind offer Claire, and best wishes!
Hi. When you find your way back through Hampshire you would be welcome at the old brewing town of Alton. There is a lot of history around hear, the tale of Sweet Fanny Adams who was murdered here, GIlbert White’s museum with an Oates / Scott expedition exhibition, Jane Austen links (although often a little exaggerated. But lots of lovely people, and if the date doesn’t work for us then there will be lots of others who would give you bed and food – we are a lovely lot !! Good luck – my friends son did the same trip some years ago. I might be able to put you in touch if you were interested? Are you heading through Durham? I have relative there – not locals -but they will know people who are. Gill
Hey JD if you coming through Aberdeenshire at all we would happily put you up mate. We stay in a tiny little village called strathdon which is the home of the Lonach Highlanders, epically if you are in the area near the 3rd weekend in August that our local game The Lonach Gathering where you wold get to see roughly 200 highlanders marching, lots of beer and lots of banter!!!! Cheers mate
Hi Dan really glad to see you made it to Ayr and Patna. I was out a cycle today to Stewarton and passed the road sign with the graffiti on it from your photos, made me laugh to think I had just seen it on your website page. It was a pleasure to meet you and I am pleased that my fellow firefighters in Patna took care of you. All the best and look forward to reading your. Posts.
Grant and Antony
Hi Dan. Sorry about the hiatus. Just to repeat that it was nice to talk to you, even if it had to be outside Tesco’s in Dumfries! Good to see you’re still going strong and coping with the tribulations of travelling in England. Lots of interesting detail in your blog. If I’d known you were going to mention me, I’d have said something more controversial, tried to sound cooler or even spoken in Gaelic! On which note, tìoraidh an-drĂ sta.