The Man Behind Bond

100 years of Ian Fleming

The below map can be enlarged so that you can explore Ian Fleming's South East

Visit South East England is celebrating its connections with Ian Fleming with two itinerary's - Follow Fleming and The Best of Bond. Taking a closer look at the famous author and his most loved character, find out more about how you can live the spy life...

Follow Fleming (Red)

1) Bletchley Park - It was here that Lieutenant Commander Ian Fleming, as he was then known, first began his love affair with the world of espionage. Ian fleming masterminded 'Operation Ruthless' in a bid to crack the German Naval Enigma Machine.

2) Oxfordshire - Ian Fleming's father, Valentine Fleming, was elected MP for South Oxfordshire.

3) Eton College - Fleming spent his early years being educated at the world famous Eton College, which of course became James Bond's school in his novels.

4) Shepperton Studios - 'The Secret Life of Ian Fleming' was filmed at Shepperton Studios in Surrey in 1990.

5) Sandhurst Military Academy - Is the British Army officer training centre, which Ian Fleming briefly attended.

6) Littlehampton - Ian Fleming lived at the Marine Hotel in Littlehampton during the war.

7) St Margaret's Bay - Ian Fleming loved Kent. He was greatly inspired by the county and lived for a while in St Margaret's Bay. Dover Museum documents his life in the area.

8) Sandwich Bay - From the 1930's Ian Fleming spent many weeks playing at the Royal St George golf club and staying at the Guildford Hotel in Sandwich.

The Best of Bond (Blue)

1) Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre - Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay for the 1967 Bond Film 'You Only Live Twice' based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name.

2) Black Park - This location has been used for a number of Bond films including Goldfinger, Octopussy and 'The World is Not Enough'.

3) Stoke Park Club - Stoke Park hosted the most memorable game of golf in the history of cinema when 007 challenged Auric Goldfinger to a round at the club's course. The ballroom was also used as Bond's hotel room in 'Tomorrow Never Dies'.

4) Beaulieu National Motor Museum - Beaulieu has an extensive collection of authentic Bond vehicles; from the Jaguar XKR Roadster used in the 2002 film 'Die Another Day' to the world's first jet ski used in the 1977 film 'The Spy Who Loved Me'.

5) Portsmouth Historic Dockyard - A deal was struck with the Royal Navy to film much of 'Tomorrow Never Dies' aboard HMS Westminster at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 1997.

6) Dover - The National Express Coach from London to Dover is 007 and is meant to be the inspiration for Bond's code name.

7+8) East Kent - Nowhere are you closer to James Bond and his creator Ian Fleming than in East Kent. The two famous car journeys to East Kent from London, one in the 4½ litre supercharged Bentley in 'Moonraker' 7) the other in the Aston Martin DB III in Goldfinger 8) form a circular tour converging on St. Margaret's Bay.