Some time in early 2004 I was sitting on a sofa with a road atlas on my lap. Perhaps I was planning a route to visit my family. I can't remember.
What I do remember is looking at the index, a vast list of place names printed in a tiny font. Have you ever done this? Hidden amongst the multitude of normal, sensible place names are weird and wonderful little gems: Pratt's Bottom, Stiffkey, Mousehole...
It reminded me of how I used to sit in the back of my Mum and Dad's car on long trips, finding us on a map and marvelling at unfamiliar names and coastlines.
I dreamed of a road trip; a journey across the UK to visit these silly place names. To see what's there. To have an adventure.
Excited by my finds, I fetched a highlighter pen and began marking them.
A few years later, the adventure began. Returning from a day trip to a chocolate factory, I made a detour to Bell End with my friends Lucy and Vicky.
We couldn't find Bell End. It was late, it was dark, and our blood sugar levels were dangerously high. But we found traces of another silly place name nearby...
Over the past 6 years I have visited 56 places with unusual names. I have travelled from the farthest nook on the Cornish coast to the lush green spaces of Ireland to the northernmost isles of Scotland.
It has been the most fun and difficult project of my life so far. Because I have done it with friends and I have done it without Sat Nav.
And it's not over yet...
My aim is to visit a total of 101 places with unusual names. Some well-meaning friends suggested that I stop at 50. No way! I can't move the goalposts now. My heart is set. Less than 101 places and some favourites get cut. More than 101 and the journey might never end!
So, this month I will plan the road trips I need to do to complete the journey. By my rough calculations that's 9 trips to visit the 45 remaining places.
What do you wish you could do? Have a go this month. I dare you.
So, this month I will plan the road trips I need to do to complete the journey. By my rough calculations that's 9 trips to visit the 45 remaining places.
What do you wish you could do? Have a go this month. I dare you.
