Unseen Britain

By Alan Russell

This is a collection of essays and stories based on visits to parts of Britain that are off of the tourist trails both for British holiday makers and for those from overseas.  It is a collection of essays that I hope will show that there is another Britain going on behind and almost out of sight from most of us as we hurry about our busy lives.

  • 1422 reads

Stevenage in Hertfordshire

By Alan Russell on Sun, 13 Mar 2016

I had to travel to Stevenage in early 2015 where I made some rough notes about what I saw during my three hours there on a very cold day. It is only now that I have been able to revisit these notes some twelve months later and put together this essay about what I saw and felt that day. I have been fortunate enough to have travelled to a few off the beaten track for tourists and hope this will be the first of many such essays.
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U

Somewhere in the suburbs of Coventry

By Alan Russell on Mon, 21 Mar 2016

When you have been travelling and working with the same people away from home for a few days you begin to crave some space to yourself but not...
Travel
Biography
Certificate U
Cherry

Unseen Britain - Whitechapel, Wolf Mankowitz, George Bernard Shaw

By Alan Russell on Thu, 24 Mar 2016

We surfaced from Whitechapel underground station blinking in the bright spring sunshine that was reflecting off of the white walls of The Royal...
Journal
Biography
Certificate U

Melanie's in Tewkesbury

By Alan Russell on Fri, 29 Apr 2016

We had just driven for over two hours on a cold morning into Tewkesbury. We checked in at the hotel, The Tudor Hotel, where we were too late for...
Reviews
Other
Certificate U

The Tudor House Hotel in Tewkesbury

By Alan Russell on Sat, 30 Apr 2016

Tudor House Hotel 51 High Street Tewkesbury GL20 5BH Date of visit: Night of 28 th and 29 th April 2016 INTRODUCTION I used to work in the...
Travel
Other
Certificate U

The Obscura Cafe Bournemouth & a kiosk in the park

By Alan Russell on Sat, 07 May 2016

We had arranged to meet friends at The Obscura for a late morning coffee and loading of carbos prior to going to The Gin Festival in The Pavillion...
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U

Horizon by Tim Harrison

By Alan Russell on Tue, 10 May 2016

This is an installation in the gardens of the Russell-Cotes Museum in Bournemouth created by the artist Tim Harrison. “An experience of landscape for...
Travel
Other
Certificate U

Tewkesbury - Speedboats and abject poverty

By Alan Russell on Sun, 22 May 2016

The first part of my walk around Tewkesbury started from the car park at the rear of the Tudor House Hotel and down to a narrow road named Back of...
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U

Honeybees at an oceanography centre

By Alan Russell on Sun, 22 May 2016

Yesterday, 21 st May 2016, we made a visit to the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in Southampton where there was an open day for members of the...
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U

A Winter Beach Walk in Swanage

By Alan Russell on Sat, 02 Jul 2016

Strong winds always make me restless and fuel a visceral desire to go and feel them blasting around me. Combine that with being close to the ocean...
Other
Certificate U

Isaac watts and a Hot Summer's afternoon in Southampton

By Alan Russell on Sun, 24 Jul 2016

Away from the main streets of brash consumerism and commercialism of Southampton City there are strongly woven webs of parks and green spaces that...
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - John Maine's 'Passage'

By Alan Russell on Mon, 25 Jul 2016

This installation by John Maine (RA) is located at the western end of Watts park approximately one hundred metres from the statue of Isaac Watts...
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U
Cherry

Architectural Folly prevents Navigation Folly

By Alan Russell on Wed, 27 Jul 2016

A couple of years ago I was on a yachting experience out of Lymington across to the Isle of Wight. On the return sector I took the helm under power...
Travel
Other
Certificate U

One of the oldest professions in the world - for want of a shoe a horse was lost......

By Alan Russell on Thu, 28 Jul 2016

Well, probably not one of the oldest professions in the world as The Worshipful Company of Farriers based in London only dates back to 1356 when it...
Miscellaneous
Non-fiction
Certificate U

The Passford House Hotel - Leave Left Retrieve Right

By Alan Russell on Mon, 01 Aug 2016

The Passford House Hotel for eating at is one of those rare gems of hospitality that is worth mining for in the lanes and byways of The New Forest...
Reviews
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Kings Cross to York

By Alan Russell on Fri, 19 Aug 2016

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SEAT MR DILLON GILBERT The automatic ticket machine in the small lobby just started to print out my tickets to get to Scarborough...
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Alma Square in Scarborough

By Alan Russell on Fri, 19 Aug 2016

I discovered Alma Square on a very hot August afternoon after I had tried to find the motivation to have a drink in the Lord Roseberry. Alma Square...
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Grand Hotel in Scarborough

By Alan Russell on Sat, 20 Aug 2016

Anyone living in Jersey should be aware that they could soon be experiencing, if they haven’t already, some earth tremors. No, they will not be the...
Travel
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - The Smugglers Apprentice, Scarborough

By Alan Russell on Sun, 21 Aug 2016

The ‘Smugglers Apprentice’ was installed in Merchants Row in Scarborough in September 2012 and is the work of the artist, Ray Lonsdale. The...
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Northallerton to York

By Alan Russell on Wed, 24 Aug 2016

The big racing festivals held at courses like Ascot, Aintree and Epsom always attract big crowds and amongst the crowds there will always be ‘...
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Where to stay and eat in Scarborough

By Alan Russell on Thu, 25 Aug 2016

Travelodge, St Nicholas Cliff, Scarborough We handed in the keys to Room 306 at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough, declared ourselves as refugees and...
Reviews
Journal
Story
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Bettys Tea Rooms North Allerton

By Alan Russell on Fri, 26 Aug 2016

The first time my wife returned from a visit to Northallerton she waxed more than lyrical about ‘ Bettys Tea Rooms ’ and brought back some of their...
Reviews
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - The Golden Lion Hotel Northallerton, Yorkshire

By Alan Russell on Sun, 28 Aug 2016

The Golden Lion Hotel in the High Street of Northallerton is an old coaching inn and still has the archway at its front that is tall enough to allow...
Reviews
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Not Much to do in Northallerton

By Alan Russell on Sun, 28 Aug 2016

After checking in at The Golden Lion Hotel in the High Street I began my exploration of Northallerton just as the rain began to fall. Having failed...
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Scarborough from Smugglers Apprentice to North Sands and back

By Alan Russell on Wed, 31 Aug 2016

Scarborough has two beaches which are ‘spread out along either side of its headland, which is thrust out like a clenched hand into the sea with its...
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - The Bull Hotel, Downton, Wiltshire

By Alan Russell on Sat, 03 Sep 2016

VENUE:The Bull Hotel Downton Salisbury Date of Visit: 3 rd September 2016 Time: 1730 Reason: Evening meal on way to Salisbury Covers: 3 HISTORY The...
Reviews
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Clouds Hill

By Alan Russell on Tue, 13 Sep 2016

Clouds Hill as it is known today was built in 1808 surrounded by the woodlands near Bovingdon Camp as a forester’s cottage. If it wasn’t for one...
Reviews
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - A Brief Encounter in Tewkesbury Library

By Alan Russell on Thu, 06 Oct 2016

Too often in life we lock ourselves away in self-imposed bubbles that contain our worlds with all of their worries and cares. These worries and cares...
Travel
Unclassified
Other
Certificate U

Unseen Britain - Well Alley in Tewkwsbury

By Alan Russell on Thu, 06 Oct 2016

Well Alley is just one of the several alleys that nowadays form shortcuts to and from the main streets of Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire and I...
Travel
Unclassified
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Checking In

By Alan Russell on Fri, 02 Feb 2018

This is the first in a series of short pieces that I have been thinking about doing about various walks I have taken in London and around different...
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U

I Didn't Need a Pencil - Welbeck Street and Oxford Circus

By Alan Russell on Sun, 04 Feb 2018

Virginia Woolf went ‘street haunting’ in London on the pretext of leaving her home in Tavistock Square to venture out to buy a pencil. ‘ No one has...
Travel
Other Non-fiction
Journal
Non-fiction
Certificate U
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Breakfast in the West End

By Alan Russell on Sun, 04 Feb 2018

Once we had checked in the previous evening we had, as a described in my piece ‘Checking In’, become ‘anonymous’ in this West End hotel built to hold...
Travel
Journal
Other
Certificate U
1 likes

Tavistock - the grey squirrel who might have literary connections

By Alan Russell on Wed, 14 Feb 2018

I walked around the square twice trying to find a blue plaque on a wall that marked where Leonard and Virginia Woolf once lived for fifteen years. At...
Travel
Unclassified
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Britain's Gas Supplies and Energy Security

By Alan Russell on Thu, 01 Mar 2018

I first wrote this piece in September 2017 which was self published on another site. The reason for resurrecting it is that on the BBC News website...
Unclassified
Other Non-fiction
Non-fiction
Certificate U

The Best Chocolate Dessert Ever

By Alan Russell on Mon, 02 Apr 2018

After our last experience of lunching out on a Bank Holiday we did have some trepidation about booking for the three course Easter Sunday Lunch at...
Reviews
Travel
Miscellaneous
Non-fiction
Certificate U

Street Life - Union Square Aberdeen

By Alan Russell on Wed, 30 May 2018

There but for the grace of etc...........................I am not wearing their shoes In the shadows of the dignified monument to the fallen of...
Travel
Unclassified
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Time to Reflect Over The Cruets

By Alan Russell on Sun, 22 Jul 2018

It was one of those seemingly elongated evenings in late autumn when the sun was reluctant to sink below the horizon on its never- ending travels...
Travel
Unclassified
Journal
Other
Certificate U

Hockey's Farm, North Gorley, Hampshire

By Alan Russell on Sat, 04 Aug 2018

What A Shame Hockey’s Farm is in an idyllic location in terms of its rural ambience and attractiveness. It is not so good for access unless you are...
Reviews
Travel
Non-fiction
Certificate U

The Northern Scot 17th August 2018

By Alan Russell on Sun, 26 Aug 2018

This isn’t so much about a particular place that is off the beaten track, rarely visited and even more rarely ever visited. No, it is about a few of...
Reviews
Travel
Unclassified
Journal
Other
Certificate U

The Flat Earth in Inverness

By Alan Russell on Mon, 27 Aug 2018

In Greig Street, less than a stone’s throw from the River Ness, in Inverness is a double fronted shop. The front is painted black and along the tops...
Travel
Unclassified
Journal
Other
Certificate U