What’s New
Visit the Isles of Scilly – England’s Islands in the Stream
A visit to the Isles of Scilly is a step back to simpler times. These islands in the stream (with apologies to Ernest Hemingway and Dolly Parton) are a dreamlike Atlantic archipelago afloat in the mediating warmth of the Gulf Stream.
Reims – The Capital of Champagne
Looking forward to travelling again but planning to start small? Reims, the unofficial capital of Champagne is less than an hour from Paris by train. Why not celebrate the end of lockdown with a short trip and a few glasses of bubbly?
Back to the pub after lockdown
We visit a London pub for the first time after lockdown. What was it like and will we be back?
Explore Cornwall’s World Heritage Tin Coast
They’ve been mining minerals in Cornwall for thousands of years. Discover how the diaspora of Cornishmen from this coast influenced mining all over the world. And, even earlier, may have kick-started the European Bronze Age.
My first taste of…
The memory of taste can have surprising power to bring the past to life. If you doubt that, consider Marcel Proust for whom the taste of a madeleine unleashed a tidal wave of words. These are some of the defining moments in my life as a foodie. What are some of yours?
Destinations
Saratoga Springs – A Weekend Escape to the Queen of Spas
The bathwater smelled like rust. It looked like it too. Alone in my private room at the Roosevelt Bathhouse in Saratoga Spa State Park, I hesitated, my naked toes suspended over lightly bubbling, blood-warm mineral soup. Then, like thousands before me, I took the plunge.
Seven great reasons to choose Pas de Calais for le Weekend
Just across the English Channel yet so often overlooked. Discover the pleasures Northern France in Pas de Calais
Dog-friendly short break in Tewkesbury
Lulu the Westie and I, along with some canine and human pals, head for Tewkesbury, where we find everything we need for the perfect dog-friendly break.
Cauterets: a kingdom of water
The sound of rushing water is everywhere, spring and summer in this historic ski resort in the French Pyrénées.
Climbing Snowdon to the top of Wales
The views from the top of Snowdon are among the most spectacular in Europe and you don’t have to be a mountaineer to enjoy them.
A word about COVID 19
As we all shelter in place, worried about the pandemic and wondering when it will end, thoughts of travel go right out the window. How can you think about traveling miles from home when you may not even be able to walk the dog around the corner. I think reading about travel still has a morale building role and I will continue to write travel pieces in hopes they will inspire you to dream. Read my editorial Why write about travel? here.
Travel Tips & Itineraries
Editorial: Why Write about Travel Now
As we all hunker down to sit out the COVID 19 pandemic what is the point of writing about travel? I look at the role travel writing has played in the past and can play in our future.
Where to stay and where to eat in St Ives, Cornwall
Fresh seafood and old fashioned hospitality – with sea views for good measure. Find out where to rest your head in busy St Ives.
25 Perfect Hotel Room Essentials
Tried and tested tips from experienced travellers.
How to fight travel boredom and sightseeing fatigue
Can’t look at one more pile of rocks that someone calls a castle? One more ancestor portrait? One more stick of old furniture? Help is at hand.
Food & Drink
Miss Virginia’s Shrimp ‘n’ Grits
A classic Southern recipe from a Charleston,S.C, cook that you can make at home.
Pudding, pie or tart – So what’s a Bakewell?
The one thing you can’t get in Bakewell, Derbyshire, is a Bakewell Tart. On the other hand, Bakewell Puddings may be the real deal.
Visit an ancient Roman winery in the South of France
On the Provence/Languedoc border, a family winery produces 2000-year-old vintages for today’s wine drinkers
Ugly vegetables the French way
Maybe France is off your travel agenda this summer but you can still bring a taste of France to your table with easy recipes that every thrifty French home cook knows.
Features & Special Places
Strawberry Hill: London’s Little Suburban Castle
An 18th century dandy’s house is a masterpiece of eccentricity – a mini-castle amid the suburban semis.
The indescribable Snape Maltings slowly comes back to life
How can I begin to describe Snape Maltings? From its strange sounding name to its creative miscellany of art, music, retail and the great outdoors, it defies categorization. You simply have to go to Snape Maltings to experience this destination for yourself.
Tower Bridge’s glass walkways – Part of (not so) hidden London
An almost secret attraction that has been hiding in plain sight
Notre Dame de Reims: Gothic survivor and cathedral of kings
Reims Cathedral, Notre Dame de Reims, is one of the world’s great masterpieces of Gothic architecture. It’s also the centrepiece of a UNESCO World Heritage site and a battle-scarred survivor with more facelifts to its name than Dolly Parton.
