London Shopfronts : a Review
Mark Bibby Jackson reviews London Shopfronts with illustrations by Joel Holland and words by Rosie Hewitson, as well as a foreword by Asma Khan published by Prestel. London Shopfronts I…
Travel Topics
Mark Bibby Jackson reviews London Shopfronts with illustrations by Joel Holland and words by Rosie Hewitson, as well as a foreword by Asma Khan published by Prestel. London Shopfronts I…
From two of the most important festivals in the Indian calendar, to sausage festivals in Lincoln and Weimar, October is a month full of fun. Here is our selection of…
Judith Schrut reviews Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, currently on its 65th Anniversary Tour, at Sadlers Wells Theatre, London and 12 venues across the UK, through 28 October. Alvin Ailey…
The holidays are almost here. As a culture, we have learned a lot in the past few years. We have learned, we never know what tomorrow holds. Most of us…
So many of London’s hotels tend to be big, showy, and audacious, with an extra helping of elitism added on for good measure, but where do you rest your head…
Mark Bibby Jackson reviews A Mirror by Sam Holcroft at the Almeida Theatre. I must admit to having something of a pathological aversion to weddings. So, when I am invited…
The UK’s new, free museum for children, families and the young at heart has opened in London’s East End. Judith Schrut has a first look at the Young V&A. You…
To music on a Holy Island to Derby’s biggest street festival, read Travel Begins at 40’s round-up of the best UK festivals in September 2023. UK Music Festivals in September…
Mark Bibby Jackson tries out cocktails in London at the 40 Elephants, in the Great Scotland Yard Hotel Westminster, one of the best cocktail bars in London. In my early…
Travel Begins at 40 looks at Unique hideaways a company that provides eco glamping escapes in the UK, from staying in a treehouse to a converted wagon or yurt. The…
So many of London’s hotels tend to be big, showy, and audacious, with an extra helping of elitism added on for good measure, but where do you rest your head…
Marion Ainge steams across Ullswater and savours a sumptuous afternoon tea while staying in Askham in the Lake District. The sunlight sparkles on the water as the historic Western Belle…
Roger Hermiston takes a cookery course from Linda Duffin of Mrs Portly’s Kitchen in Brockford, Suffolk. It seems that there’s a word for it – but I’ll wager you’ve never…
Mark Bibby Jackson tries out cocktails in London at the 40 Elephants, in the Great Scotland Yard Hotel Westminster, one of the best cocktail bars in London. In my early…
From Peru to Ghana, intermingling the UK’s multicultural beat, this year’s world music festival certainly lived up to its billing. Read Robert Spellman’s WOMAD 2023 review. “What acts are you…
Skinny Lister, Track Dogs and Bonfire Radicals headline the Deepdale Festival in Norfolk this September. More than 40 acts will perform over the four days of the festival held at the…
The VW Festival returns to Harewood House in August. The festival involves live music, food and entertainment as well as the best in vintage – and modified – VW automobiles. It attracts in excess…
Salman Rushdie, Rachel Weisz, William Boyd, Ian McEwan, Tom Holland and Emily Maitlis are among the authors who will be appearing at the Cliveden Literary Festival from 21-22 September 2024…
Travel Begins at 40 has produced its own brief round-up of the best festivals in August around the world from Colombia to Nevada and Utah to Notting Hill. Cultural Festivals…
Mark Bibby Jackson checks into The Wesley Camden Town hotel and discovers it to be a most welcome addition to the capital’s hospitality scene. When The Wesley Camden Town opened…
Grand Designs Live returns to Birmingham’s NEC this October. The premier home design and innovation exhibition will take place from 4 to 8 October, 2023…
If you’re a book lover, then you won’t want to miss out on this fantastic festival. Held annually in the charming city of Derby, this event is a must-attend for anyone who loves literature…
The Chiswick Book Festival is an event that celebrates literature in all its forms. The festival takes place every year in Chiswick, a beautiful suburb of west London, and is a must-see for all book lovers…
This article compares the United States and Great Britain, examining ten areas in which the United States demonstrates unique characteristics. This is not a competition for supremacy, but an exploration…
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.