Take the Great West Way this Summer
Stretching 125 miles from London and Bristol, the Great West Way, is a touring route devised to enable travellers to visit some of Britain’s great iconic sites and many lesser-known…
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Stretching 125 miles from London and Bristol, the Great West Way, is a touring route devised to enable travellers to visit some of Britain’s great iconic sites and many lesser-known…
The South East of England offers a wide range of food, beer and wine festivals throughout the summer, from chilli to cheese, garlic to ice cream and seafood to sweetcorn…
On a cricket-inspired trip to Hampshire and the docks of Portsmouth, Mark Bibby Jackson reminisces at the Hilton at The Ageas Bowl on cricketing feats past. I have to confess…
Cottage Lodge Hotel in Brockenhurst, in the heart of the New Forest, has teamed up with local company Sophie’s Pet Care, to provide a pet minding service for guests that…
The harbour side town of Penzance in the most westerly corner of Cornwall is rich in literary history, with famous literary figures including the Brontë sisters, Alfred, Lord Tennyson and…
VisitGuernsey has announced the launch of a new Eat Drink & Be Local summer festival series focusing on the island’s food, drink and artisanal crafts. Starting on 2 June as part…
The Dorset town of Lyme Regis, immortalised in John Fowles’ novel The French Lieutenant’s Woman, will once more be the setting for the seventh Food Rocks this September…
Now a veteran of the UK food festival circuit, the first Ludlow Food Festival was held in 1995 when members of the local Chamber of Trade and Commerce decided a food festival would be a…
On 14 May, the world-famous Blackpool Tower celebrated its 125th anniversary, having opened for business way back in 1894. This celebration will in turn draw attention to one of the…
Meat lovers should head to London’s Tobacco Dock from 29 August to 1 September for Meatopia, the celebration of sustainable, quality meat. Founded by Josh Ozersky in the States, Meatopia…
This September will see the Abergavenny Food Festival with more than 190 exhibitors and producers lined up to attend, in addition to chef demonstrations and food talks. Created in 1999…
The Balham Comedy Festival will once more douse the streets of south London with a liberal sprinkling of mirth this July at The Bedford Balham. Hosted by the Banana Cabaret…
Mark Bibby Jackson travels to Hampshire where he learns of cricketing tales of yore, seafaring adventures and discovers a most poignant reminder of man’s follies in the D-Day Story. Although…
Swinton Bivouac in North Yorkshire is introducing a fresh antidote to the demands of busy modern life with a series of mindful digital detox breaks set within tranquil woodland on…
Roger Hermiston and Eileen Wise spend a night in London taking in Covent Garden and the West End before dining at Simpson’s in the Strand. Despite living the life of…
One of the most eagerly anticipated live shows this summer has to be a one-off performance by Africa 70, the group led by the late Nigerian musician and activist Fela…
Held in Walpole Park, the Ealing Beer Festival each July is a highlight of the London borough’s series of summer events. This year marks the 33rd anniversary of what is the UK capital’s…
Cinemagoers may have to wait until September 2019 to see the eagerly-awaited movie version of the TV smash hit, but Hampshire’s iconic Highclere Castle, the real Downton…
Unleash your inner foodie and try Rabbie’s tasting menu of trips around the UK and Ireland. The tours showcase the craftsmanship and history behind many…
Hull’s flagship cultural event, Freedom Festival, celebrates one of the city’s most famous sons, anti-slavery campaigner William Wilberforce, and 2019…
The Chelsea Fringe, an alternative garden festival that has become a staple of the horticultural calendar, will return for a 12th year in 2023 with nine days of celebrations scheduled…
The New Forest National Park in Hampshire is the perfect place for a family Whitsun break and is just two hours from London. It is also easily accessible from both…
Situated close to the highly desirable market town of Moreton-in-Marsh, One Hope Cottage (sleeps two plus one dog) oozes flair and is styled throughout in calming…
2019 marks 200 years since the death of James Watt, who’s often considered the true inventor of the steam engine. After attempting to repair a Newcomen steam train engine, Watt…
The UK has so much to offer with its rich history, galleries, theatres and concert halls, its commercial and scientific enterprise and its varied and undeniably scenic countryside.
UK National Parks
There are 15 National Parks in the UK, ranging from coastal areas to mountainous regions in England, Wales and Scotland. There are currently none in Northern Ireland. Unlike National Parks in other countries, in the UK parts of the designated, protected areas can be owned by private landlords. Such areas as the Lake District, Yorkshire Moors, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, Snowdonia and the Cairngorms draw hikers and naturalists to them like a magnet.
UK Weather
The British never tire of the weather as a talking point. Broadly speaking it is a temperate climate, although winters are becoming wetter and summers warmer, probably from climate change. Warmer in the South, wetter in the West and colder in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the UK climate can be subject to diurnal change on a sudden basis, although, with the advent of satellites, the weather forecasts are more accurate. It is wise to take a waterproof with you on an extended trip.
Northern Ireland
Since the Good Friday Agreement brought greater stability to this previously troubled land, visitors are on an increase. The Titanic Museum displaying memorabilia regarding that renowned disaster and Ulster Museum looking at 3,000 years of Irish culture and history, are well worth a visit. Outside of Belfast, the Mountains of Mourne in County Down and the Giant Causeway, 60 miles outside Belfast, are not to be missed.