Martin Symington
Over more than three decades as a professional travel journalist, I have written hundreds of articles for national newspapers and leading magazines in the UK and elsewhere in the English-speaking world. I am the author of several travel guide books including, most recently, Sacred Britain: A Guide to Places that Stir the Soul.
Beyond writing, I have contributed to BBC Radio 4’s Breakaway and Excess Baggage programmes and, on Television, to the Travel Channel. My teaching experience includes two years as the Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at the University of Reading.
As an Associate of the RLF’s Writing Project I develop and deliver writing workshops, typically for small businesses, charities and local government. I have also tutored adult-education courses in the art and craft of travel writing at the University of Bath.
Career Highlights
My work has won numerous awards including British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year; The Press Awards’ Travel Feature of the Year; and African Travel & Tourism Association’s Journalist of the Year.
Inspirations
Travelling and writing are twin passions; I cover all climes in search of inspiration for my stories.
Having been born and brought up in northern Portugal, I am particularly captivated by the Portuguese-influenced world. Searching for redolences of my homeland has taken me from Macau to Mozambique, and East Timor to São Tomé off the coast of equatorial Africa.
Other favourites? Arctic regions – I think everybody should see icebergs before they die if they possibly can. Then there is the seductive lure of India, whether watching sunrise over the Ganges or trekking in the Himalaya.
I believe that nobody knows a land like the walker does. Some people favour horses, bikes, boats or cars to get about; I am happiest in my boots.
Other Interests
An incorrigible general knowledge junkie, I have taken part in National Geographic Channel TV’s National Geo-Genius and BBC Radio 4’s Brain of Britain.
Beyond writing, I have contributed to BBC Radio 4’s Breakaway and Excess Baggage programmes and, on Television, to the Travel Channel. My teaching experience includes two years as the Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at the University of Reading.
As an Associate of the RLF’s Writing Project I develop and deliver writing workshops, typically for small businesses, charities and local government. I have also tutored adult-education courses in the art and craft of travel writing at the University of Bath.
Career Highlights
My work has won numerous awards including British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year; The Press Awards’ Travel Feature of the Year; and African Travel & Tourism Association’s Journalist of the Year.
Inspirations
Travelling and writing are twin passions; I cover all climes in search of inspiration for my stories.
Having been born and brought up in northern Portugal, I am particularly captivated by the Portuguese-influenced world. Searching for redolences of my homeland has taken me from Macau to Mozambique, and East Timor to São Tomé off the coast of equatorial Africa.
Other favourites? Arctic regions – I think everybody should see icebergs before they die if they possibly can. Then there is the seductive lure of India, whether watching sunrise over the Ganges or trekking in the Himalaya.
I believe that nobody knows a land like the walker does. Some people favour horses, bikes, boats or cars to get about; I am happiest in my boots.
Other Interests
An incorrigible general knowledge junkie, I have taken part in National Geographic Channel TV’s National Geo-Genius and BBC Radio 4’s Brain of Britain.