If you know me well enough or have spent enough time around here, you know that I did old books about bicycles and camping. Here’s a book I got earlier this year called “Camp and Trek” written by Jack Cox and published by Lutterworth Press, London UK, 1956. This book was intended as a guide for British youngsters to explore the countryside. It’s chock-full of information on hiking, camping, canoeing, orienteering, and yep, cycling! There are some black-and-white photos that are cool, but even cooler is the line art! (Unfortunately all art/photos are uncredited.) As a bonus, there is a section of advertising in the back. Brooks saddles, Phillips bicycles, and Lucas Prince of Darkness King of the Road dynamo lighting are a few of the ads.
I love seeing stuff like this. While some things change (there’s a pretty extensive section about tents, and the “lightweight” category would give any modern ultralight person hives), the basics stay the same. Solid fuel stoves? Check. (Dig the gravity feed alcohol stove too.) Panniers? Check. Adventure? Of course.
Urban Adventure League 
Reblogged this on Society Of Three Speeds.
Excellent stuff!
Tally Ho!
Very neat stuff. I have an extensive collection of British cycletouring books, but do not as yet have Camp and Trek. Now definitely on my acquisition list, so thanks!
Here’s a link to the original dust jacket…
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/114265240543404413992/albums/6096040170781714993
As for that gravity-fed methylated spirits [alcohol] stove (don’t the Brits have more picturesque names for things than we do?), there are several examples of that stove — named the Turm Sport — on the web, including on the story of a guy who restored one.
http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/14990/
My problems with modern soda can or even production alcohol stoves in general have been a) the low fuel capacity (typically 1 or 2 oz. max.) and the lack of adjustability of the flame. The Turm Sport solves both of those limitations, albeit with the tradeoff of more weight and moving parts.
http://www.spiritburner.com/fusion/showtopic.php?tid/14990/
Happy Cyclecamping!
Cheerio,
Wrongway Pete
Thanks for the cover pic, Pete! Is it okay for me to add the image to the post? Incidentally the cover image is also used in the frontspiece sans lettering.
Regarding gravity-fed meths stove, I did find out about the Turm sport stove after getting the book. I did a quick search on eBay and there were a few up, one that was reasonably priced, but probably “needed some work” so I didn’t get it. As much as the small fuel capacity and lack of adjustability is annoying in the Trangia typed stoves, the lack of moving parts and fiddly bits more than make up for the shortcomings, at least to me!