Unusual Places Archives - Books And Travel

English Vineyards, Biodynamics, And Blood Vintage: J.F. Penn With Natalie Maclean On The Unreserved Wine Talk Podcast

What is biodynamic viticulture and why is it sometimes associated with dark magic or the occult? What’s behind the rise of English wines and how did two specific vineyards inspire a dark wine-drenched novel?

Over glasses of Pinot Noir and Rosé, wine writer Natalie Maclean talks to author J.F. Penn on the Unreserved Wine Talk Podcast about her folk horror novel, Blood Vintage, set in an English vineyard.

You can watch above or here on YouTube, listen to it on your favourite podcast app, or read the transcript below. We discuss:

The rise of English wine, and how Woodchester Valley Vineyard in the Cotswolds, England, inspired the idea of a folk horror novel
Biodynamic viticulture and how it plays such a huge part in terroir, and why Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard in Chew Magna, England inspired more the story
Folklore and sensual writing, evoking a sense of place
Exploring folk horror, and how far people will go for that special taste
Wine and architecture
Kickstarter, special editions, and the importance of beautiful packaging for what lies within — both for wine and books

You can find Blood Vintage at JFPenn.com/bloodvintage, and you can find Natalie at NatalieMaclean.com with articles, wine pairings and the Unreserved Wine Talk Podcast.

Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard. Chew Magna. England.

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“Authentic, terroir-based, joyful wine … that expresses a true sense of place and could only come from this land.” Limeburn Hill Biodynamic Vineyard

English wine is having a renaissance, and after a visit to a vineyard in the Cotswolds last summer, I became interested once more in how vineyards used biodynamic agriculture. I also love folk horror novels and had an idea for a story so I wanted to learn more. [Update, I wrote the story, Blood Vintage.]

I first discussed the stranger aspects of biodynamics with Caro Feely back in 2020 in a podcast episode around The Taste of Place. More recently I read Voodoo Vintners: Oregon’s Astonishing Biodynamic Winegrowers by Katherine Cole, but Oregon is a long way from Bath, where I live in the south-west of the UK, so it wasn’t practical to visit.

Then I discovered a vineyard near me that uses biodynamic practices, so on a beautiful hot day in early June, 2024, I visited Limeburn Hill in Chew Magna, near Bristol.

Limeburn Hill coffee in the courtyard, Photo by J.F. Penn

Viking And Christian Art. Urnes Stave Church, Norway

Religious, Unusual Places

I love visiting unusual churches, so I was excited to visit Urnes stave church, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in September 2023.

You can drive there or cross the beautiful Sogn fjord from Solvorn on the ferry and walk up the hill to the church.

When Do Human Remains Become Art? Visiting The Paris Catacombs

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When do human remains become art? I considered this question as I walked through the Paris Catacombs recently. It was the second time I had visited, so I knew what to expect, but the impact of so many bones, so many lives, was still strong.

Skulls in the Paris catacombs, Photo by JFPenn

The Paris Catacombs hold the remains of more than six million people, moved there to free up the overcrowded cemeteries above. Each section is labeled with the name of the cemetery that the bones were moved from.

Visiting Places That Other People Try To Leave. Weird Travel With Adam Fletcher

Podcast, Unusual Places

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Weird travel is visiting places that other people try to leave or places that are not usually thought of as tourist destinations. Adam Fletcher talks about North Korea, the unexpected beauty of Chernobyl, a tuk-tuk race across India, and the death rituals of Sulawesi, as well as the peculiarities of being British, and how to notice the unique weirdness of your own country, wherever that is.

Adam Fletcher is the best-selling author of Weird Travel books and humorous memoirs, including Don’t Go There, Don’t Come Back, and Tuk-Tuk for Two. You can find all his books on Amazon.

Show notes

What is weird travel — and why is it a different way to approach the world?
How travel can help us notice strange things about our own culture — and a discussion on being British
Travel in North Korea
Questioning the morality of travel to places where the money goes to a regime you might not want to support
Weighing the danger of a trip against the desire for something unique
Respecting a culture’s rules, even if you don’t agree with them
Learning to tune into the weird and unusual in every place
Driving 1000km in India in a tuk-tuk race
Recommended travel books

You can find Adam Fletcher at Adam-Fletcher.co.uk and his books on Amazon.

Life On The River. The Mississippi River Valley With Dean Klinkenberg

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“The face of the water, in time, became a wonderful book … it was not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it had a new story to tell every day.” Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

The Mississippi River runs through ten states and has brought life to countless generations, from the first Native Americans, through to the settlers, and into the modern, industrial age. There are great cities along the river, as well as remote wilderness, and a huge variation in landscape, ecology, and culture along the way.

In this interview, Dean Klinkenberg shares his passion for the Mississippi River Valley and gives his tips on where to go, what to see, and why the river continues to be a source of endless fascination and inspiration.

Dean Klinkenberg writes mysteries and travel-guide books about life along the Mississippi River in the USA.

Geography along the path of the Mississippi River
The changeable nature of rivers
Different spiritual meanings of the river
Cities and towns of interest along the Mississippi south to New Orleans
Areas of historical interest
Options for activities like hiking, canoeing, and kayaking on the river
Local specialties for food and drink
Recommended books about Mississippi

You can find Dean Klinkenberg at MississippiValleyTraveler.com

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