The Swallows crew are on their summer holidays as usual in the Lake District at High Topps. They have come straight from school--Roger & Titty both had a long day's journey from the south; John and Susan's schools are not so far from the Lake. On arrival they turn their energies to mining for gold, aided by pigeon messengers.

Arthur Ransome was born in 1884, in Leeds. His father, a professor of History, gave the young Arthur a love of nature by taking him sailing, camping and fishing in the Lake District. Every summer holiday was spent in at Swainson's Farm on the edge of Coniston Water, a place that Arthur was to return to again and again and became the location for Swallows and Amazons.

His father died just before he started his education Educated at Rugby. He had always wanted to become a writer from a very early age, being particularly fascinated by fairy stories. In 1929, he wrote the first of many stories revolving around the adventures of four children, based on four real-life children, including himself. The book was slow to sell at first but within three or four years of its publication it was universally accepted as a classic of children's literature. The sequel, Swallowdale, and another 10 books followed in quick succession and he won many awards.

Ransome died in 1967 and is buried at Rusland church, between the two lakes, Coniston and Windermere, which flowed together to create the water on which Captain John and his crew sailed Swallow.