What’s New
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.
Oh to be an arty beach bum in St Ives
Artists and art lovers, tourists and Poldark fans flock to St Ives, a seaside town in England’s West Cornwall. Is it the magical light that draws them? The Cornish pasties? Or is it really those magnificent beaches..
London’s 10 best cake and coffee shops – tasted and rated
Where to find London’s best spots to linger over nice – and sometimes great- cake and coffee. Some choices on this list of personal favorites may surprise you but they won’t disappoint.
Eyam – The heroic story of the Derbyshire plague village
In Eyam, a village in the Peak District National Park, almost the entire population demonstrated the better angels of their nature and, through a communal act of courage, probably saved the North of England from the last great wave of plague.
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.
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
Downton Abbey – The right things to do in the wrong Downton
You’ve watched every single episode of Downton Abbey on television. You’ve stood in line to be the first to see the Downton Abbey movie released in 2019. Now, visiting England, you’ve found Downton on Google maps and your SatNav or GPS device has led you there. But…oops…Where’s Downton Abbey?
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
Delicious dishes from Santorini you can make at home
Santorini’s indigenous dishes are different and delicious. And so easy to make yourself.
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.
Bachelors and Spendthrifts – The History of Attingham Park
An entertaining visit to the beautiful house of a family so dysfunctional that generations of them could have populated a 19th century saga.
Tower Bridge’s glass walkways – Part of (not so) hidden London
An almost secret attraction that has been hiding in plain sight
The Elephant that seduced a Shah and other holiday delights at Waddesdon
Every year during the holiday season, Waddesdon Manor transforms for Christmas. For me, the star of the show is always the mechanical elephant that jollied a Persian potentate out of the sulks.
