Mike Parker (writer)
Encyclopedia
Mike Parker is a British travel writer, currently living in Esgairgeiliog
near Machynlleth
in Wales
.
He is the co-author of all five editions of the bestselling Rough Guide to Wales
, and has also written books on four UK cities, and on the gay
scenes of Scotland
, Ireland
, and northern England. In addition, Parker has worked as a stand-up comedian.
After moving to Wales in spring
2000, he became involved in television
, writing and presenting a one-off Saint David's Day
special for ITV Wales in 2002. This led to him being commissioned to write and present two series of Coast to Coast, where Mike took twelve journeys in different boats around the Welsh coast. He has since returned to dry land to make three series of the popular Great Welsh Roads for HTV Wales, which sees Mike and his dog
Patsy tour the country in his camper van.
He has written two books; the first, published in February 2006, is Neighbours from Hell? English Attitudes to the Welsh, and looks at the English perception of their nearest neighbours. His most recent book, published in April 2009, is Map Addict, and looks at the history of British maps, especially those of the Ordnance Survey
.
He lives in rural Powys
, with his partner, Peredur.
Esgairgeiliog
Esgairgeiliog is a village in the valley of the Afon Dulas in Powys, Wales. From 1536 until 1974 the village lay in the historic county of Montgomeryshire ....
near Machynlleth
Machynlleth
Machynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
He is the co-author of all five editions of the bestselling Rough Guide to Wales
Rough Guides
Rough Guides Ltd is a travel guidebook and reference publisher, owned by Pearson PLC. Their travel titles cover more than 200 destinations, and are distributed worldwide through the Penguin Group...
, and has also written books on four UK cities, and on the gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
scenes of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and northern England. In addition, Parker has worked as a stand-up comedian.
After moving to Wales in spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
2000, he became involved in television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, writing and presenting a one-off Saint David's Day
Saint David's Day
Saint David's Day is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March each year. The date of 1 March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 589...
special for ITV Wales in 2002. This led to him being commissioned to write and present two series of Coast to Coast, where Mike took twelve journeys in different boats around the Welsh coast. He has since returned to dry land to make three series of the popular Great Welsh Roads for HTV Wales, which sees Mike and his dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
Patsy tour the country in his camper van.
He has written two books; the first, published in February 2006, is Neighbours from Hell? English Attitudes to the Welsh, and looks at the English perception of their nearest neighbours. His most recent book, published in April 2009, is Map Addict, and looks at the history of British maps, especially those of the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
.
He lives in rural Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, with his partner, Peredur.