Richard Franks is a freelance travel journalist and guidebook writer based in Birmingham, UK, who specializes in writing about adventure travel, the great outdoors and music-based tourism across Scotland, the West Midlands and USA. Published in BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveller, The Telegraph, The Times & Sunday Times, The Independent, Metro, The i, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and others, he enjoys photography, hiking and wild camping, and is an Aston Villa season ticket holder.