Wednesday 14 March 2018

'Pytheas the Greek', the first sailor to circumnavigate Britain some 2,400 years ago. Coast (BBC). Also, William Daniell and Richard Ayton.


The Explorers' Coast: Coast, Series 9, Episode 3

BBC iPlayer, 10 days only

"Nick tells the tale of the first sailor to circumnavigate Britain some 2,400 years ago, the fabled explorer dubbed 'Pytheas the Greek', who first mapped our isles" - from 18.30 point.

Also of interest, from 31.50 point, the story of the artist William Daniell and the writer Richard Ayton, and their conflicting views on the depiction of the coastal landscape. As Nick explains, Daniell needed to create beautiful views to satisfy the wealthy buyers of the expensive volumes of "A Voyage Round Great Britain". while Ayton wanted to write about some of the grim aspects and the poor people he encountered, but which the artist chose to ignore. "Sketcher and scribe"split up.

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