Have you ever read a book and wished you could visit the places described? I know when I first read Narnia I peeked in the back of closets hoping for a glimpse of a winter wonderland. Some authors possess an undeniable ability at describing beautiful landscapes, from majestic forests to stunning castles, all the way to lively cities. I just wish I could visit them all.
What if I told you that wish could be granted. I have compiled a list of five places that inspired famous literary pieces. I’m positive you will recognize a few of them. These places inspired our favorite authors to set amazing stories in the middle of them. So buckle up, we’re going on a road trip!
Moseley Bog in Lord of the Rings
It was not called the Old Forest without reason, for it was indeed ancient, a survivor of vast forgotten woods; and in it there lived yet, ageing no quicker than the hills, the fathers of the fathers of trees, remembering times when they were lords.
Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkien
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First we are journeying to the old forest of the great author J.R.R Tolkien. Tolkien grew up in the area of Moseley Bog, Birmingham. Beautifully described in his Lord of the Rings, Moseley Bog possesses a wide range of plants and flowers. Even more popular, the gnarled trees fill the grounds. You can still go explore this nature reserve and experience the wonder Tolkien used to build the setting of one of the worlds favorite fantasies.
Ashdown Forest in Winnie the Pooh
At first as they stumped along the path which edged the Hundred Acre Wood, they didn’t say much to each other; but when they came to the stream, and had helped each other across the stepping stones, and were able to walk side by side again over the heather, they began to talk in a friendly way…”
Winnie the Pooh, A.A Milne
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Moving forward, we will be taking a stop at the Hundred Acre Woods, also known as Ashdown Forest. The Hundred Acre Woods is the famous home to A.A Milne’s story, Winnie the Pooh. Many fantastical adventures take place in this small forest, but it was actually created after the Ashdown Forest, East Sussex. Milne grew up near this forest and took inspiration from the adventures he experienced there.
Robinson Crusoe Island in Peter Pan
Of all the delectable islands the Neverland is the snuggest and most compact, not large and sprawly, you know, with tedious distances between one adventure and another, but nicely crammed. When you play at it day by day with the chairs and tablecloth, it is not in the least alarming, but in the two minutes before you go to sleep it becomes very nearly real. That is why there are night-lights.
Peter Pan, J.M Barrie
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If I’m being honest, the idea of visiting Peter Pan’s Neverland always gave me the spooks. J.M Barrie describes it with both a heart of adventure and filled with dangers. However, looking at Robinson Crusoe Island, I find it somewhat less scary and more thrilling. Robinson Crusoe Island is part of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago. The island is full of thick jungles and you can even spot the inspiration of Mermaid Lagoon and other famous landmarks of Neverland.
Whitby Abbey in Dracula
The castle is on the very edge of a terrible precipice. A stone falling from the window would fall a thousand feet without touching anything! As far as the eye can reach is a sea of green tree tops, with occasionally a deep rift where there is a chasm.
Dracula, Bram Stoker
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There is no doubt Dracula by Bram Stoker is dark and dreary. This makes sense when you take into account the location of his inspiration. Whitby Abbey is set above a small fishing village in North Yorkshire. This ruin of the castle marks the home of the world’s most famous vampire, Dracula. Visit here and you’ll be able to count the 199 steps noted in the novel. Be careful to avoid the swooping bats and the dense fog as it rolls in. This location will really bring a chill.
Sands Point, NY in The Great Gatsby
Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water, and the history of summer really begins on the evening I drove over there to have dinner with the Tom Buchanans.
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
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We end our trip back in the United States. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells a story about the American dream, and the not so great things hidden in the dreams shadows. The East Egg takes inspiration off Sands Point, NY. This place is supposed to represent class and society, home to the more notable people in society. It becomes a real focal point in the novel. Sands Point is also a place of wealth, which is why F. Scott Fitzgerald chose this location to be a place in which Great Gatsby yearned for. Perhaps you can visit and see if you find a flashing green light from the other side of the river.
There are many other places authors have taken inspiration off of, these are some of the more notable. Did we miss any you want to travel to? Let us know in the comments. You can be expecting another Umbra Ex Libris roadtrip in the future, so make sure your passports are ready!
As always, happy reading!