TV locations for the Famous Five series

[jommarjohn]

The Famous Five 1978 television series was produced by Southern Television for the ITV network in the UK.



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[Dick Kirrin]

I'd love to take one of those old VW camper vans one day and go and tour all the Blytonian locations, a sort of Blyton odyssey.

Sounds like a good start for an adventure. Suggested title for chapter 1: LS makes a holiday plan?
Stick to a bike, though. More Blyton-like.
I somehow feel tempted to join you, however, I'd rather not bring my old VW Lt van over to Britain. Afer 30 years of loyal service, it would be a pity to have to part with it on some British country road. So I'd better stay within a distance my insurance covers and provides free towing for.
There is always the car and a tent or a hostel/B&B bed. Who knows, I might get lost looking for - say - Blue Pond Farm, and who's to say how the story ends.
If you are after a piece of advice from someone who has had an old VW camper for quite a while, then better buy a good handbook and some tools with it.
The old ones are quite easy to fix, but they drive like very old cars, too. Not to mention the fact that they won't outrun a bicycle, but you'll feel like being in a formula-1 car. Apart from that, they are fine indeed.

I suppose that Gary will provide some information about the location in his book, which then could serve as a road book.

Cheers

Dick Kirrin

[Katharine]

I love the sound of a Blyton location tour in a VW camper van - who is going to organise it?

[peppermint peppy]

Gary and Petermax. Both guys are the cream of tourist guidance for -Famous Five Land-
...............................and in front Anita with a pink umbrella that you can't never lose the gang.

[Moonraker]

Let's hope Peppermint Peppy never writes a book!

[peppermint peppy]

Why ............................................... ??? lol

[Dick Kirrin]

Gary could do it as a promotion tour for his book, but I somehow doubt that he'd get that much paid holiday. There are people who want their usual dose of/from the Doctor... . He can't let them down, can he? They might need another doctor if he did.
As for Petermax, wouldn't he rather do it in a proper Blyton fashion, i.e. by train?

The thought of a covoy of 20 or more caravans touring places like Exbury led by Anita with a pink umbrella doesn't really appeal to me. Too organized. Camping is something for individuals or small groups.
A small group of forumites tracing the locations and making a photographic roadbook of their trip would be cool though. Might come in handy for the next Eb day in 2011, too.

Cheers

Dick Kirrin

[Katharine]

The idea of travelling by train sounds very appealing, even better if someone could charter a steam train, but I think I'm getting into the realms of fantasy here

The proper way would really be on bicycle sleeping under the stars or in straw filled barns, being fed by farmers wives on mountains of home cooked food.

Back in the real world though, I prefer my creature comforts so doubt I'll try the camping idea. I'd be very interested to hear if anyone else attempts it though.

Can anyone enlighten me to the significence of the convoy being led by Anita with a pink umbrella

[Dick Kirrin]

Can anyone enlighten me to the significence of the convoy being led by Anita with a pink umbrella

Well, I don't know what made PeppermintPeppy choose Anita, but I think I can shed light into the guide-with-a-pink-umbrella-thing.
As you know, Germans are mad about order, and so one very popular way of hoildaymaking is a so-called "Studienreise", i.e. a guided tour. If you embark on such a trip you normally have a guide who organized everything for you, to make sure that you'll see as much as possible. These people normally carry an umbrella in a flashy colour to shepherd their crowd.
They rise their umbrella and cry: "Follow me, please to ...(whatever there's next on the list)."
On the pro side of such a trip is that you'll really see a lot and you sometimes get the chance to see things normally out of bounds to ordinary tourists.
There's a downside, too. You are with a crowd all day, with hardly any room for your individual needs. Five minutes for taking photos means exactly that. After that, you'll be asked to get back into the bus, more or less politely.
I hope that my explanation was enlightening enough. Maybe you'll see why that idea is not to old Dick's tastes.
As for the farmer's wives with heaps of home-made food just waiting for hungry trippers, are they still around? Something makes me doubt it. Anyway, by car and with sleeping in hostels and small B&Bs, I might feel tempted... .
Cheers

Dick Kirrin

[peppermint peppy]

Yes I think you hit the crux of the matter. Thanks mate for your explanation. I owe you one.
Thought Anita has got a good grip on us as a wild gang of little rascals. Right Nigel?

[Anita Bensoussane]

Can anyone enlighten me to the significence of the convoy being led by Anita with a pink umbrella

Well, I don't know what made PeppermintPeppy choose Anita, but I think I can shed light into the guide-with-a-pink-umbrella-thing.
As you know, Germans are mad about order, and so one very popular way of hoildaymaking is a so-called "Studienreise", i.e. a guided tour. If you embark on such a trip you normally have a guide who organized everything for you, to make sure that you'll see as much as possible. These people normally carry an umbrella in a flashy colour to shepherd their crowd.
They rise their umbrella and cry: "Follow me, please to ...(whatever there's next on the list)."

Actually my umbrella is quite noticeable, but only when it's up. It's fairly large and covered with scenes from Renoir's 'The Umbrellas'!

Thought Anita has got a good grip on us as a wild gang of little rascals.

Hmm - didn't Enid Blyton write a short story called 'The Spanking Umbrella'?

Anita

[peppermint peppy]

[Timmy254]

A small group of forumites tracing the locations and making a photographic roadbook of their trip would be cool though. Might come in handy for the next Eb day in 2011, too.

Anyway, by car and with sleeping in hostels and small B&Bs, I might feel tempted... .
Cheers

Dick Kirrin

Me too! I'm not really good at organising things like that but if somebody would organise such a trip good ol' Timmy and I would love to join in

[Katharine]

Dick, thanks for the umbrella explanation. The only pink umbrella I could think of was the one Hagrid keeps his snapped wand in. Although I did wonder if it was a story hidden in the Cave of Books.

Sounds like a good idea, but I think if I went on a trip that well organised I'd probably need a holiday to recover from it

I believe some farms also run B & Bs so presumably provide good home cooked meals. The only time I've ever eaten on a farm was over 30 years ago. It's the only time I've eaten rabbit - presumably shot by the farmer. We also ate blackberries we'd picked from the hedgerows earlier in the day. Not quite up to Famous Five standards, but it seemed quite adventurous for a 'townie' like me at the time.

As I still don't know if I'll be able to make it to the EB day in May yet, I can't see me being able to organise anything on a grander scale. The holiday I'd hoped to take last year which would have included Old Thatch and Beconskote never materialised, and I don't think my hopes of a visit to Corfe Castle this year is very likely either. I'll just add them to the list of things I want to do in my retirement

[sayantani]

I hope Tony finds the time to tell us any thing else about the Tv locations of the 1990s series.I have been re-watching it and find that the shots of Kirrin Castle and Bay arenot always uniform.
Indian summer playing tricks on my imagination ?!
Ness, thanks a ton for that wonderful list.
Sayantani