SHITTY BREAKS WITH BEN AITKEN

Author Ben Aitken discusses his latest book Shitty Breaks, a travel guide and a tribute to the UK's most underrated cities

Author Ben Aitken discusses his latest book Shitty Breaks, a travel guide and a tribute to the UK's most underrated cities.

After trading in a chic Paris trip for a wonder-filled weekend in Wolverhampton, travel writer Ben Aitken decided to visit more of the UK and Ireland's unsung cities, the places that tourist boards tend to ignore. His aim, apart from having a nice time discovering hidden joys and gems, was to promote a less expensive, more sustainable type of travel. Celebrating the joys of skiing in Sunderland, kissing alpacas in Bradford and feeling a bit sick in Limerick, Aitken's book Shitty Breaks is a wry and warm-hearted hymn to the route less taken, showing that anywhere can be enjoyable if given half the chance.

Ben Aitken is the author of five books: Dear Bill Bryson, A Chip Shop in Poznan, The Gran Tour and The Marmalade Diaries. He'll be discussing the fifth one - that is, Shitty Breaks - in conversation with local artist, activist and appreciator of the unappreciated, Dan Thompson.