Wish We Were – Stanfords Blog

Three Enchanting Islands to visit in the Mediterranean

Travel with Laura Coffey through Greek Myth with Enchanted Islands, a magical story of love, loss and the real-life islands that inspired the oldest travel story of all time…

A lyrical odyssey about love, loss and Greek myth, Enchanted Islands is a new book that weaves together Laura’s experience navigating heartbreak and grief with her quest to map the real-life islands that inspired the wanderings of Homer’s epic hero, Odysseus. Stephen Fry called it “magical and captivating – hugely recommended” It’s not remotely academic, and you don’t need to know anything about Greek myth to enjoy it.

“If you love memoir and Greek mythology this is a delight. Coffey escapes a grim and lonely pandemic for volcanos and orange-blossom brioche, kingfishers and tales of Circe. But life lies ready to sting, like the Medusa jellyfish she encounters on her evening swims. A spellbinding book about growing up, grieving and the Gods” ― Clare Pollard, author of Delphi

Stanfords fans will love this book because it blends together travel and maps, two of our favourite things. And interestingly none of the islands Laura visited were in modern-day Greece. You’ll need to read the book to find out where she went…

Map of the Month: Faroe Islands Solberg-F&B Road Map

Our Map of the Month for March 2022 is the Faroe Islands Solberg-F&B Road Map

18 jagged volcanic islands make up the Faroe Islands. A unique and inimitable destination at the edge of the world. A place truly unspoiled, unexplored and unbelievable.

Our wanderlust levels have recently been heightened by this brand new edition of the Faroe Islands map published by Freytag & Berndt in cooperation with the locally based Henrik Solberg. It includes the newly opened 11km underwater tunnel network that connects the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy. At it’s deepest the tunnel is 613ft below sea level and it features the world’s first underwater roundabout.

Hidden Beaches Spain

Do you dream of taking adventurous hikes to wild and unspoiled beaches? Lola Culsán & John Weller spent a year campervanning, walking, swimming and exploring Spain’s secret coast to bring you their new guide book, Hidden Beaches Spain. Join them on the slow road, with diversions along paths less travelled to remote shores, pristine coves and secluded swimming spots. Immerse yourself in Spain.

Lola and John get off the beaten track to share some of their favourite beaches:

Scotland From The Rails

To celebrate the launch of Scotland From The Rails, author Benedict le Vay takes us on a wee journey to explain exactly what makes seeing Scotland from the rails such a special experience.

Scotland is, truth be told, a land of railway superlatives. As well as the most scenic line in the world, it offers the most romantic rail journeys in Britain. The highest main-line summits. The longest bridge. The highest railway viaduct. The longest and boldest spans. The greatest manmade wonder, some would add. The most famous railway bridge in the world. The two grandest British main lines (one end of each, that is). The most northernly station in Britain, and the most westerly too. The most successful standard-gauge timetabled steam service. The best railway reopenings and electrification projects. The most complex sleeper operations. Some of the friendliest staff, and the loveliest – and sometimes downright quirky – station buildings. And for icing on the cake, or rather cream on the cranachan, some utterly charming preserved lines, steam centres and luxury excursion trains, which cruise through this magnificent land.

Bradt New Travel Writer of the Year Shortlist

Every year we get so excited to hear the Bradt Guides New Travel Writer of the Year shortlist because we know one day we’ll be seeing these names when putting books on our shelves. This year the entrants were invited to submit an original piece of writing of between 600-800 words on the theme ‘I’d love to go back’ focusing on the destination they most want to return to when travel opens up again, and what it is about that place that draws them back.

The Pull of the River by Matt Gaw

In The Pull of the River two foolhardy explorers do what we would all love to do: they turn their world upside down and seek adventure on their very own doorstep. Showing that it is still possible to get lost while knowing exactly where you are, This book tells tales of escape and adventure on Britain’s waterways. It is a beautifully written exploration of nature, place and friendship, and an ode to the great art – and joy – of adventure. Here, the author Matt Gaw takes us out on the water.

Happy Birthday to the Old Wye Bridge

Opened on 24th July 1816, the Old Wye bridge in Chepstow joins Monmouthshire in Wales to Gloucestershire in England, over the River Wye. Designed by John Rastrick, it has been described as “the finest Georgian Regency arch bridge in Britain and the world.” Continue reading Happy Birthday to the Old Wye Bridge

5 mind-blowing places in Wales that you’ve probably never heard of

Wild Guide Wales is Daniel Start’s new compendium of adventures, from the best-selling Wild Guide series. The guide contains over 1000 hidden places to explore. Here he highlights five reasons to explore Wales this summer, and five iconic adventures that few people know about. Continue reading 5 mind-blowing places in Wales that you’ve probably never heard of

Our five favourite Moon products for Moon Day

“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

On this day in 1969, Neil Armstrong uttered those words as he and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the moon following the landing of Apollo 11. Here are our top 5 moon products: Continue reading Our five favourite Moon products for Moon Day

We wish we were home for Christmas

We’ve wished we were all over the world this year, but as Christmas draws near, there really is no place like home. Continue reading We wish we were home for Christmas