Home in Time for Tea

What better way to experience quaint English charm, than in the ancient stone market town of Stamford, in Lincolnshire, just 80 miles North of London. Stamford's reputation as a fine and fascinating town to visit is certainly added to by its Elizabethan Burghley House and Gardens, and the infamous George Hotel. My various experiences of these exciting and beautiful places all lead back to the same themes: quality, and class. The classic gardens with their unique features, and the relaxed yet refined atmosphere of the Garden Room Restaurant at The George Hotel are simply why I always come back for more - bringing friends, family, and even a school trip, to share in Stamford's delights. Burghley Sculpture Gardens and the Gardens of Surprise Walking around the spacious and varied sculpture gardens is a delight no matter what the weather; this summer I particularly enjoyed taking my two-year-old daughter for picnics in the sun by the lak...

Harrogate Spa Town, Yorkshire  English spa towns are often good-looking, affluent places; and Harrogate in the heart of Yorkshire is no exception. The grand Georgian buildings, huge selection of designer shops, and variety of wonderfully distinctive and quality restaurants make this quaint and historic town a delight to visit, not to mention the friendliness of the locals.  The evening we arrived, we ate at the lovely French restaurant  Le Bistrot Pierre . With their traditional French menu there is a great selection of fine authentic cuisine including the delicious tarte flambee - an Alasatian type of thin crust pizza often with creme fraiche, onions, shallots, and lardons. The service was excellent and everyone was so friendly and accepting of our new little bundle of joy. Although she was very good and didn't make a sound. She was oblivious to all the attention she was getting!  After a good breakfast buffet at the Yorkshire Hotel and some shopping...

Visiting Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival is a great experience, but an even greater time to make the most of other fantastic attractions in the city, such as the fantastic Edinburgh Zoo and of course the famous pandas! After squeezing up through the narrow stone staircases of the atmospheric Scott Monument on Princes Street for stunning views of the city (no queue, just £4, and free for kids), we made our way to the Zoo which celebrated its centenary in 2013! The Scott Monument and Princes Gardens On arrival, my 5 year old nephew Dylan was immediately enticed by the lovely (and very reasonably priced) gift shop, but settled on the agreement that we would have a look at the end. We headed out with our little maps but the rain started, so to make sure the experience was not dampened we bought plastic ponchos from the gift shop. With our little poncho-wearing blue ghost companion, and our own bat-like outfits, my sister and I headed straight off to the penguins. I was ama...

Free Attraction in London - Garden in the Sky! The best thing about the Sky Garden at Number 20 Fenchurch Street is not just the fact that it is free, it is the views over the river and the city, and the beautifully maintained indoor garden. There is an excellent cafe / restaurant with a fantastic array of healthy and tasty choices (and the biggest cookies)!  The area at the top of this new and futuristic building is spacious and enjoyable to walk around to appreciate the garden as well as the views over London from all angles - indoors and outdoors. The Tower Bridge, The Shard and other South Bank landmarks are clearly seen from the outdoors viewing platform and the views over other parts of London are equally stunning from other indoors areas in the large space which is helpfully made almost entirely of glass.  To visit the Sky Garden and get your free tickets you need to register online in advance at the website . The nearest tube stations to 20 Fe...

Stunning Scenery and Scrambling in Snowdonia A hike up the Tryfan mountain had us gasping with surprise at the stunning views of the Welsh mountains and valleys as we scrambled up the varied terrain, climbed steep rock faces, and crossed babbling brooks...  It was a lovely weekend, based solely upon the idea of going for a good walk in the mountains, and my friends and I were pleasantly surprised by the stunning views of the countryside and how unspoilt it all was.  The Tryfan mountain is around half an hour South-West from the lovely town of Llandudno. The car park is just off the A5 beside Lake Ogwen and there are rocky trails leading upwards from the car park and toilets.  We stayed in Llandudno at the lovely hospitable Westbourne Hotel Guesthouse. The owners are so friendly, rooms are spotless and tastefully decorated, and the full-English breakfast is delicious. On the way home back into England we stopped at quaint little Welsh town Langollen, and a...

Reindeer, Whisky Tours, and Snowy Mountains! A short break in Aviemore gave me a great insight into the snowy, windswept and unspoiled Scottish Highlands, and I certainly would have stayed longer, if not just to see it in summer too...! Following a brief stopover in atmospheric Edinburgh, Richard and I drove up to Aviemore and passed some absolutely stunning scenery on the way. I couldn't believe how naturally beautiful the sparse landscape was, and how much it resembled parts of Iceland. With swathes of snow gathered on the mountains, and gleaming lochs reflecting the wintry light of day , I wanted to stop to admire the view for most of the way, so we just had to carry on or we would never get there... Cairngorms National Park Home to an enormous range of wildlife including rare wildcat, red squirrells and eagles, this national park is both diverse and vast. There are endless walks and hikes available and the scenery is spectacular. The weath...

With my sights so frequently set on wonders further afield than the UK, I often overlook the opportunities right here in my home country. I last visited Cornwall as a very small person, and even smaller perspectives - I loved it. Now, I have learned to re-appreciate the unique and unspoiled beauty of England as a travel destination once more upon returning to Cornwall.  Following visits to dramatic landscapes such as the Patagonian ice-fields, I can't help but find even more beauty in comparing them to my quaint and understated country of origin, than less. The  unspoiled luscious green hills and quaint historic towns and villages of Cornwall are so far removed from the teeming streets of London, and so easy to fall in love with in such a different way. English tradition and culture has never felt so potent to me than in the countryside , and what a beautifully quaint corner of British countryside Cornwall is. One thing is clear - a weekend in Cornwal...

Weekend on the English East Coast of Norfolk and Suffolk: Southwold and Gorleston in the Surprise September Sun. Clean and Sandy Beaches, Colourful Beach Chalets, and Boutique Art Galleries The East Coast of England often comes with a complimentary chilly wind whatever the time of year but with the right clothes it is a delightful, often sunny place. This sunny weekend in September however, saw hundreds of British holidaymakers out in force to enjoy a particularly hot and sunny few days on the wide, sandy beaches of the East Coast. Southwold-On-Sea, Suffolk: Lively, Upmarket Seaside Resort on the English East Coast Southwold is a quaint, historic (and upmarket) town in Suffolk. Property is sky high, but why wouldn't it be? The long sandy beach has a blue flag status , making it one of the cleanest in the area, the streets are lined with upmarket shops and boutiques, and there are so many many varied attractions...

T he Edinburgh Fringe Festival can only be described as a frenzy of drama, display and interactive performance, all mixed in with some colourful weirdness and social imagination... Some may find all this performance and obscenity just a little too awkward or just plain weird. However you can't knock it until you've tried it and the atmosphere is just something you can't miss. One particular 'site-specific performance'  I saw this year offered a fantastic and entertaining insight into the interpretation of the  all-too-common employment let-downs and job interview failures . 'Would Be Nice Though' (link below) was expertly written and performed by Odd Comic (Holly Bodmer and Dot Howard), and features an unusal start to the performance events, in an unusal setting. The almost  abstract montage of scenarios and interpretations of the harsh world of employment are played out with a very small, intim...

Typically Quaint and Historic British Places to Enchant, and Beguile The following places epitomise 'Britishness' for me. Whether they are tiny towns, much-loved cities, or seaside resorts, they really are great places to visit for culture, shopping, sights, atmosphere and more! They have wonderful things to do, interesting histories, beautiful architecture, and beautiful hotels can be found in all sorts of historic and stylish buildings. So, in no particular order... Chester Chester, Cheshire Olde Worlde charm, stunning Roman history, great shopping and an excellent zoo! As a buzzing university town, Chester is home to a great amount and choice of places to eat, drink and socialise aswell. The shops are varied and if you like one-off and slightly more alternative shops there are plenty of those also. The zoo is fantastic and has a great range of animals including tigers, spider monkeys, and a huge walk-through bat cave!...