A Literary Tour de Force
Ten Things So Lit from England, Scotland, and Iceland!
A mere twelve days ago, Gregor and I landed in London and took “the tube” (subway) to King’s Cross, where we ran to our daughter Cope who has been studying at University of Cambridge for a year - what joy, what bliss!
And where exactly did this grand reunion take place? Right in front of Platform 9 3/4, where Harry Potter embarked on his great adventure to Hogwarts (platform 9 3/4 is fictional, but is now a tourist site in the subway station). King’s Cross was J.K. Rowling’s inspiration, and you know how we love when real life informs fantastic fiction!
Besides a stellar graduation, this was a serendipitous beginning to a literary tour de force through three countries...1
Here are TEN THINGS SO LIT(erary) from across the pond!
Cambridge University, England. Cope graduated with a Master’s Degree in Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic (British history from around 410–1066 AD and yes, mumsie is so proud!) from Cambridge, one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in the year 1209. This is where King Henry VI would later found King’s College. Across from King’s College is the little church, Great Saint Mary’s, which has a first edition King James Bible (1611) on display.
By foot, Cope gleefully toured us through castles, cathedrals, churches, and the oldest bookstore in the world. Cope is the girl who’s had her heart set on Cambridge University since the age of eight, when she discovered the history lectures of Henry VIII and his six wives. The rest, as they say… “is history.”
dreams come true for girls who love stories...and academics Cambridge Library, England. Cambridge University Library began as a collection of manuscripts stored in chests, but it’s now become one of the world's great research libraries, holding more than 6,000,000 books, 135,000 manuscripts and 1,000,000 maps. Also on display, is the Murder by the Book: A Celebration of 20th Century British Crime Fiction.
The Great Court at Trinity College was the race that inspired the great Chariots of Fire court run. As you may have guessed (or not), Chariots of Fire is one of my all-time favorite movies. If you don’t know the story of the Scottish Christian, Eric Liddell (who ran 100 years ago this Olympic games…), the time has come. “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.”
The astounding architecture and feeling of Ely Cathedral in England where the Am I My Brother’s Keeper exhibit by sculptor Sean Henry was on display - WOW, the stories behind these faces…
Cope tells the history, Ely Cathedral, and an amazing sculpture After having tea and scones in The Elephant House Cafe in Edinburgh, England (where J.K. Rowling famously penned Harry Potter), have a stroll down Victoria Street (the inspiration for Diagon Alley), find Thomas Riddle’s grave in the Kirkyard cemetery, and peer through the wrought iron gates to view the castle-like school founded in 1628 for the "puir faitherless bairns", (Scots: poor, fatherless children or orphans) which inspired Hogwarts.
Diagon, Thomas Riddle, and The Elephant House Cafe in Edinburgh. England Also of GREAT INTEREST…the Kirkyard cemetery was where the body snatchers would steal bodies to take to Edinburgh College - and why they were the foremost pioneers in medicine (I want to write that book!)
Ah, ye lads and lassies, let us gallivant to Inverness, Scotland in the Scottish highlands to find our Scottish clans and see where The Battle of Culloden occurred. The battlefield was inspiration for Diana Galbadon’s Outlander series. There really was a Fraser clan (“Jamie’s” Fraser gravestone had fresh flowers by it, hee hee).
Stirling Castle, Scotland is old and incredible and near the William Wallace monument of Braveheart fame. Cope maintains that “Outlaw King is much more historically accurate than Braveheart!”
The Lakes District National Park, England. Let us drive over the stunning hills of Scotland (on the terrifying left side of the road) and down through the Lakes District National Park. SO GORGEOUS! I was SO EXCITED to arrive at the World of Beatrix Potter and Bronte Parsonage museum. Alas, adversity struck. Instead of historical museums, we sat on the side of the road awaiting help2 after sustaining two flat tires (darn that narrow, rocky road!). No matter, we wandered the actual hills that Beatrix surely wandered and later bought to put into conservation land. The Lakes District was also where the Bronte sisters lived and wrote. It was so astoundingly beautiful that those five hours on the side of the road weren’t a waste. Rather, I felt quite akin to my literary sisters. How’s that for a positive pivot?
The Lakes District and painting like Beatrix on the side of the road (no service or WiFi!) Next let us fly to Iceland’s capital city of Reykjavík via Icelandicair where one can layover for days and feel you’re in the Netflix Icelandic show Trapped. Experience the incredible waterfalls, geysers, volcanic rock, purebred wild horses, and the invisible elves and Huldufólk (supernatural creatures that live in nature and who can make themselves invisible at will…I’m obsessed).
And lastly, for everyone’s literary-cinema enjoyment, recreate Daniel Day Lewis’s “I WILL FIND YOU!” Last of the Mohicans waterfall scene at the Seljalandsfoss waterfall in Iceland. Prepare to be AMAZED, get SOAKED and feel invigorated, all while laughing your head off at your Academy-Award acting dramatics.
Iceland waterfalls and...elves watching?
And that’s a wrap. The world is amazing. There are stories everywhere. What a thrill.
Amy ❤️
p.s. find any stories of your own this week?
The paperback of The McNifficents launches one week from today! Want to host a giveaway or help get the word out? Please and thank you.
I hope you’ll get a copy now so you can laugh all the day long with all your little friends.
bless our son-in-law who shared extremely close quarters with his in-laws for ten exciting/exhausting days…
Help came by way of a stranger-turned-life-long friend, Sue. “What the heck, I’ll drive you.” She drove us an hour away to a car rental place at what shall be known as the most terrifying break-neck-speed ride of my life. We made it two minutes before closing. Hallelujah SUE!
I want you to write that book, too!
Loved your post—timing is perfect as we leave for England on Monday. Sounds like a glorious trip!