The length of Hadrian’s wall makes for an interesting, if lengthy hike. Recently RAF Airman Charlie Hammerton set off to tackle the 84 mile walk but his was no ordinary journey. He was looking to raise funds for charity and to get over the loss of his mother by breaking the record for the fastest hike of the wall by a human-animal duo! Continue reading
May 2015 saw the opening of a new attraction in London that will appeal to art lovers and ramblers alike. The Line is a series of three connected walks in East London beginning in North Greenwich. Sculptures have been placed along the route, many by household-name artists. The Line sounds like a decent idea but there are some issues with the walk not the least of which is signage! Continue reading
Caravans are the Marmite of the holiday world. You either love them or hate them and passions run high on either side of the debate. Whilst motorhomes are undeniably cool caravans have garnered a rather less fortunate image, at least in the UK. Continue reading
Travelling can yield many delights and the most fabulous memories but sadly things don’t always go to plan and you can end up taking a trip that you would rather forget. It always pays to research your destination well in the hope that you can avoid most of the potential pitfalls. If you set off in blissful ignorance or do not heed the warnings then you could easily run into trouble no matter how seasoned a traveller you are. Continue reading
I have never been a great fan of hotels, preferring instead to rent a holiday home when I travel. I enjoy the additional space and freedom of a home from home and have learnt that choosing the right one can truly be the making of a great holiday. It might sound crazy but I would even go so far as to allow my choice of destination to be dictated by the available property. That is because a great house in a brilliant location can be such a delight and will totally transform my evenings after my adventures during the day. Continue reading
It isn’t often that I choose a holiday destination on the recommendation of a vet but in the case of Croatia I had to make an exception. My vet is Serbian but has a Slovenian grandmother and so he was interested to hear that I had enjoyed several trips to Slovenia. I expressed the desire to see more of the former Yugoslav republics and he informed me that I should put Plitvice Lakes in Croatia at the top of my hit list. I nodded sagely and said that I would certainly do that but privately I had never heard of the place! Continue reading
If you enjoy a bit of peace and tranquillity and would rather not travel too far from home then the Aran Island could be a great place for you to visit. Situated in the Galway Bay off the west coast of Ireland, the Arans are a group of three islands with a population of just 1200. Although small, the community is famous across the world as the home of the Aran Jumper, those distinctive fisherman’s knits which became really popular in the 20th century. Continue reading
If you love West End theatre but struggle to afford the ever increasing prices or if you are in a quandary over what to go to see then West End Live Could be the solution. The event is held annually in London to showcase the great musicals running in the capital and provides two days of fabulous entertainment for people of all ages. The best new is that the entire event is free. Continue reading
There is nothing that is calculated to make mere mortals feel inferior more than a wine expert. Their seemingly incredible ability to discern a multitude of flavours and aromas from a single bottle of plonk is quite intimidating and matched only by the flowery language they use to describe what they have experienced. Listening to some of their proclamations would lead you to believe that certain vintages represent an orgasm in a bottle but I have privately suspected for years that this overblown hyperbole might not be all that it seems. Continue reading
I recently read an article about what hotel guests love and hate about the establishments they stay in. It started me thinking about the hotels I have visited and I realised that it generally wasn’t the most expensive or prestigious properties that had impressed me the most. I understand that the higher prices of the more expensive hotels may have raised my expectations and caused me to be more critical but even considering this fact my best memories are largely of some cheaper stays. Continue reading