Music, Literature Buffs Get U.K. Maps

The British Tourist Authority is offering two new maps for visitors interested in sites linked to popular music and literature.

The Rock and Pop Map gives a guided tour of the cities, towns and other places that chart the history of the British pop industry in the 20th century. The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix are included, as are newer names on the scene such as Oasis and the Spice Girls.

London is broken down into geographical sections as well as listings of recording studios, clubs, Beatles landmarks and suggested walks. The Liverpool entry includes the birthplaces of all the Beatles as well as other landmarks such as Penny Lane and the Cavern Club.

The Rock and Pop Map is produced jointly with London’s Rock Circus, at Piccadilly Circus, an attraction devoted to rock and pop music, a good starting place for picking up further information on organized walks and tours with pop music themes.

The map of Literary Britain, featuring 82 authors including Jane Austen and William Wordsworth, guides visitors through James Herriot’s Yorkshire or Daphne du Maurier’s Cornwall. Shakespeare, Dickens and other literary giants get detailed treatment. There is also a listing of major literary festivals and a section discussing interesting bookshops.

Both maps are free from the British Tourist Authority, 551 Fifth Avenue, Suite 701, New York, NY 10176; (800) 462-2748. Rock Circus is at the London Pavilion, 1 Piccadilly Circus, London W1V 9LA; telephone (44-171) 734-7203.