Posted by Roger Wardale on November 27, 2013 at 01:34:20 user RogerW.
In Reply to: Re: The REAL location of Swallowdale posted by Mike Dennis on November 27, 2013 at 00:35:26:
Mike — When AR's East Anglia came out, the publisher arranged a TV interview sailing down the Bure on board a wherry yacht. The first question I was asked was the one you have just posed. I hadn't a clue! I don't think I have met it since!
In SA AR gave himself the perfect childhood holiday in an idyllic and so fictional setting.
In CC AR wanted to bring to the page all the Broadland craft and wildlife he had met on holiday, which is why the plot gave him so much trouble while SA 'almost wrote itself".
Peter R — Yes I have heard the 'blown down in the storm' story, but when WG Collingwood drew a picture of Peel Island for Thorstein he did not show a pine tree.
You were Ransome hunting some time ago, do you remember Blake Holme in the 1950s? In my memory, Blake Holme had several pine trees that I don't believe are there now. Was this what AR was thinking about when he mentioned the island?
Peter R — Pauline's story is very interesting. What I believe she found was the inspiration for Golden Gulch, that at least one other enthusiast has found, but not me. Squashy Hat had to take AR up to High Topps, and it sounds as if AR did not know the area very well.