The Great British Bucket List: Utterly Unmissable Britain

by Richard Madden

Discover white sandy beaches, fly a Spitfire and tuck in to the perfect fish & chips.
If you want to skydive or swim with sharks, stop reading now. This book is all about achievable adventures that celebrate the very best of Britain. Travel writer Richard Madden has compiled the ultimate bucket list of unique experiences that can be enjoyed in the UK from cheese rolling in Gloucestershire and stargazing in Northumberland, to a cliff- top theatre in Cornwall or an opera with a champagne picnic and magnificent views of the South Downs.
The adventures to be ticked off the list also include glamping, exploring ancient castles and foraging for wild food. And of course (this being Britain) there are plenty of ideas for rainy days.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Nature

208 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2019

Reviews

[Jo (The Book Geek) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this beautiful book as a Xmas present, so naturally, I couldn't resist getting stuck into it. This is a useful book for learning about places in the UK that I haven't visited, or some, I didn't even know existed. There are, of course, a couple of places I have visited, including Stratford upon Avon (which is a favourite of mine) The tower of London, and walking in the Lake District. I'd quite happily move to Cumbria in a heartbeat.

Afternoon tea at The Ritz is included in here, and quite rightly so, as I've heard it's an unforgettable experience, and at £65 a head, I doubt your wallet would forget, either.

Forest bathing is the most poignant activity for me, as it is one that I partake in as often as time allows me to. Being surrounded by the tranquility of trees and nature has been beneficial to my mental health over the years, and there is simply nothing better than a gentle stroll through the woods with a flask of coffee.

I wish there was more information in here about some of these places, and I'm sure there could have been more added in, but for me, this is the perfect book to dip in to and discover new locations in the UK.

[Jayne Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and informative book.

[Honey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit starter for ten, but definitely made me realise that I still have heaps to explore in the UK despite being an expat of nearly two decades. Lots of places have been bookmarked. One for tourists and natives alike.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Looks like I can die a well satisfied woman, blessed (and slightly surprised) to have ticked off the vast majority of the list items chosen here by Richard Madden, with the exceptions largely the specific calendar events such as cheese rolling, Lewes bonfires and Helston Furry Dance.... and tea at the Ritz and going up in a Spitfire (I've seen them, that's enough for me).

I was rather less satisfied as a reader - the book was certainly OK and the approach to selection not at all a bad one with sections devoted to nature, to heritage, to experience (although surely if you are going to have a Rainy Days section in a book for tourists in Britain it needs to be a large one?) This isn't a book which sets out to be deliberately quirky across the board but it is aiming not to be uniformly obvious and well known. I've read much more pedestrian books with similar focus and although the writing didn't really reveal the reasons for individual selections are important to include in a lifetimes experience (I suspect that few of the dates we are given matter for that purpose), there were one or two interesting snippets. (Along with one or two clangers - Bakewell tart? No, no, no) Despite being a National Trust book, it also covers Scotland and non-National Trust places to visit.

[Bruce Harpham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across this book while visiting the UK earlier this year and wanted to read it. I ended up reading it over the Christmas holiday, starting on Christmas Eve and finishing on Boxing Day. It is a very well illustrated book - each place or experience has one or more photos. The selection of places spans the gamut from history, to nature, to architecture and experiences. For example, there is a "go for a flight in a Spitfire aircraft" experience mentioned - that is definitely on my British Bucket List!

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the vast majority of the entries in "The Great British Bucket List" are places I haven't been to. Even if you have visited Britain several times, you'll probably find something fun to explore in here.

[Anne Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'The Great British Bucket List' by Richard Madden. This is a lovely book filled with inspiration for things to do and places to see in Britain. Sixty places/activities have made it onto the list and Madden has written a couple of pages on each. Places include some of the usual suspects like the Lake District and the Tower of London, but also less well-known ones like Wistman's Wood in Devon. Activities include afternoon tea at the Ritz (done), cheese-rolling in the Cotswolds (on my list), and flying in a Spitfire (never thought about doing this but now I want to). I've done maybe half of the list already and from that half can confidently say that this is a really good list! I borrowed the book from the library, but now I want to own my own copy.

[Sara Thompson Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book; lovely to dip in and out of. I have a Big Birthday next year and after the pandemic limitations of the past couple of years, I am keen to enjoy a year of living more experientially to celebrate this.
This book provided me with ideas and opportunities I had not considered, as well as being one of those books that is perfect for gifting to others.
Some stunning photography.
Not a big read, as such, but will certainly broaden horizons.

[Al Ogilvy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful guide for tourists

Contains many of the usual suspects. A few i didn't know about in here as well, and a handful I knew of but haven't yet visited.
Would-be very useful to tourists visiting UK for first time, and equally useful for many citizens who want to explore too I suppose. Well written, a touch of humour, but if you're looking for "Off the beaten track" there are better.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was enjoyable to learn a lot of places I have not visited in the UK. It would have been nice to have a map to help non residents figure out how to get to these places. I did go through this book in spurts, and cannot remember when I started it. It was interesting, but did not go deep enough in details on any of the places.

[Jan Duthie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book for ideas for short breaks and activities. It might have got just 4 stars if it hadn’t had such a lovely piece about my beloved Arran - and there’s a lot more to do there than is mentioned.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Illustration and photography is beautiful. Will definitely be making an effort to see more of the places I haven't been to. Wonderful ideas and introduction to Britain. Would need other guides for more substance.

[Robin Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book. Very interesting and I look forward to ticking off more spots on there. Maybe could do with being a bit more varied and spread out. Did seem very Cornwall centric as beautiful as this county is in parts. Still worth a read mind.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick read about some important UK attractions ! Plenty in my home county of Dorset and a lot I have been to around the country and a few I am now inspired to visit ! A good guide ! But too short tho and missing a fair bit

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice, simple outline and beautifully produced book on some of the highlihgts in Britain.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas present to me I was surprised how many I’ve done already but some great ideas in here for my sixty things to do at sixty

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book...the photos were exquisite. So why not 5 stars, because the book is so confusing. There is no map and I found it really difficult to locate the recommended sites.

[Jeff Moffatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice overview of sites in the UK, gathered by the National Trust.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok. Not bad but if you have read a bit about different sites in Britain, then you probably won’t learn much new. Well-written though.

[Amanda Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of the popular and common places, with colour photos of some

[jack morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very enjoyable to browse through and helped us picking places to visit

[Piyush Laad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have seen almost all places ✌🏼

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely book lots of lovely ideas in it

[Jennifer Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read and handy reference book

[Sarah Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me want to travel round my beautiful country. Thought I had seen a lot of it but there is still so much to see.

[Yuya · Rating 2 out of 5]

Illustrious descriptions of nature

[Sibby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book and I think the variety of activities is good. My one big complaint is that South West England is way overrepresented. I would have liked more bucket list activities from other parts of Great Britain that aren't four plus hours away from me in the East Midlands!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent book with a thorough overview of many terrific sites to visit in Britain.