In 1936 he won the first ever Carnegie Medal for the sixth book in the Swallows & Amazons series, Pigeon Post. He used many of these holiday settings for his children's stories, notably the much-loved Swallows and Amazons, a book that sits comfortably in the category of ‘timeless classic’. As a child he enjoyed active, outdoor holidays: sailing, camping and exploring the countryside. Born in Leeds in 1884, it was his father, a nature-loving history professor, who inspired his love of the outdoors and nurtured a passion for fishing. Swallows and Amazons, the book that started it all in 1930, introduces the Walker family, the camp on Wild Cat Island, the able-bodied catboat Swallow, and the two intrepid Amazons, plucky Nancy and Peggy Blackett.Īrthur Ransome was a prolific writer of children's books.

Such longevity is not only due to Ransome’s unparalleled gift of storytelling, but also his championing of qualities such as independence and initiative virtues that appeal to every generation, whether young or old.

Originally published over a half-century ago, the twelve books are still eagerly read by children and adults alike – by all those captivated by the world of adventure and imagination. It makes for a charmingly old-fashioned family adventure – one that you can imagine several generations of a family gathering to watch on a rainy grey Sunday afternoon.For anyone who loves sailing and adventure, Arthur Ransome's classic Swallows and Amazons series stands alone. The film’s pleasures are simple – soaring landscapes, old-school DIY adventure and some sweet performances by the child actors. The kids also become involved in the mysterious goings-on between a boat dweller who claims to be a travel journalist (Rafe Spall) and a sharp-suited mystery man (Andrew Scott), who speaks Russian and comes with his own moustachioed ruffian sidekick.

They persuade their mum (Kelly Macdonald) to let them sail to the island on a nearby lake and camp out for the night, clashing with the elusive ‘Amazons’ – two local sisters playing at pirates. With Virginia McKenna, Ronald Fraser, Simon West, Sophie Neville. The five Walker children are on holiday in the Lake District when they find a dinghy, the Swallow. Swallows and Amazons: Directed by Claude Whatham. This new film version of Arthur Ransome’s much-loved children’s novel offers a cosy fantasy of England in 1935: all steam trains and wholesome outdoorsy kids dashing the plans of dastardly foreign spies.

Amazons and swallows