Visiting the Thyme Estate in Southrop: Guest post by Susan Grossman The little Bichon puppy, the newest addition to the Hibbert family, tore across the water meadow, scattering Welsh Black Mountain sheep and French ducks in its path. The 150-acre Thyme estate in Southrop, on the border of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, described by the owner […]
Cheddar Cheese and the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company:
Traditional West Country Cheesemaking in Cheddar Gorge: My mother’s side of the family is from Somerset farming stock. The youngest of thirteen children and the only boy, my Grandfather’s destiny should have been as a Quantocks hill farmer. He, however, had a fascination with electricity and left school to become an apprentice electrical engineer. Mum […]
Chapel House – Boutique Hotel Penzance West Cornwall
Review of Chapel House, Penzance, West Cornwall I grew up in Cornwall and fondly remember visiting Penzance as a child, as well as taking my girls there for day trips when they were younger. But I hadn’t ventured to West Cornwall for a few years so welcomed an invitation to check out the charming Chapel […]
Mayflower Heritage in Dartmouth
The Mayflower and Speedwell in Dartmouth Although the annual Thanksgiving Dinner marks the survival of the early European settlers in New England, the less remarked upon, but nonetheless remarkable story, is of the initial obstacles they encountered even before setting sail across the perilous Atlantic Ocean. This is set to change with a series of […]
Discovering Dartmouth
Dartmouth – Heaven on Earth in Devon “Ruby’s going to Heaven for her holiday” announced my young daughter, not registering my look of shocked concern. Further probing clarified that rather than departing to a celestial paradise, Ruby (our trusty motor) was hitting the highway and heading to Devon, a destination which, as I recently discovered […]
The Roman Baths at Bath Spa
New Discoveries in Bath Spa – a Day Trip from London: Strange though it may see to those visiting England from abroad, I’ve been to Bath Spa on several occasions and never actually been into the Roman Baths. I actually used to go shopping in Bath when I lived in Wiltshire – it’s one of […]
Northcote Manor Devon
In Tarka Land with not an Otter in Sight: Do you remember the film ‘A Ring of Bright Water’? I do – and as a child, watching otters in the wild in Somerset when I was walking with my Grandfather. These days I suspect otter spotting is a rarer occurrence, but the Tarka Line still […]
A Day Trip West – Must-Visit Destinations from London
Stonehenge, Bath and More – A Day Trip to the West Country: I’ve lived in London for most of my adult life. Brief excursions to the country, with an idea of making some attempt at rural living failed dismally. Yet, I love the countryside, in particular, the West Country around Cheddar in Somerset where my […]
Bishopstrow Hotel and Spa, Wiltshire
Twin Bath Luxury in the Sunset at Bishopstrow Park: There’s no denying that all of us who contribute to Fiona’s blog love food, wine, theatre, exhibitions, and music; everything that London has in abundance. But sometimes, it’s nice to escape the noise, pace of life, and frankly poor air quality and head out of the […]
Clevedon Hall Wedding and Private Hire Venue
A Victorian Gothic Venue for the Romantics – Clevedon Hall: I have to admit that one of my guilty pleasures is watching ‘Don’t Tell the Bride’; although as the series have progressed the grooms have been getting more and more extreme in their choice of theme, venue, and outfits. Ask almost any of the brides, […]