Over the Hills and Far Away

First published in 1947, Over the Hills and Far Away takes the reader back to the holidays of olden times and then in the footsteps of the first holiday-makers on the European Continent in the 17th century. We watch the slow opening up of holiday facilities in the British Isles, first along roads which were mere tracks, then along improved roads until the opening of the railway era and the first holiday excursions. We make the Grand Tour in the 18th century, we return to the ever-improving roads, we look in at representative Spas at home and abroad, we discover the British seaside; we bathe with George III at Weymouth and peep at a Blackpool jealously guarded as a select bathing resort. At home and abroad, we encounter gamblers, highwaymen, Alpine climbers, budding politicians, bathers, explorers. And in the last chapter we look back to the holiday world as it was in the summer of 1914 before the lights went out. This book will be a fascinating read for anyone interested in knowing about three centuries of holidays.