Bombay Sapphire Distillery and the De Vere Wokefield: I finished my WSET Spirits Level 1 course (passed with 100% – sorry, just had to brag!) just 2 weeks before Deborah and I were due to visit the DeVere Wokefield Estate for a night away and a trip to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Lavenham. I was […]
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 […]
Hotels and restaurants in Winchester, Hampshire UK
Where to stay and eat in Winchester, Hampshire The historic city of Winchester in Hampshire is just an hour from London by train; a great place to visit it’s right in the heart of the English Countryside. While it has the usual chain restaurants found in most city centres these days, there are also plenty […]
Hotel Indigo London – Kensington and Theo’s Simple Italian – Review
A Perfect London Staycation in Kensington with an Italian Twist Convenience, comfort, style and location are the four things I want from a city centre hotel. Hotel Indigo a boutique hotel in Kensington scores highly in terms of its location – it’s on the Kensington/Earl’s Court border just a two-minute walk from Earl’s Court underground […]
Things to do on a short visit to Winchester
Top places to visit in historic Winchester An introduction to Winchester: Winchester is a beautiful, historic, city in Hampshire known today for the Cathedral, connections to Jane Austen and a famous Public School, Winchester College. It was also the ancient capital of Wessex and some say of England! In 827, Egbert, the first king of […]
Essex Escape in Dedham and Colchester
Alternative Essex – short break at The Sun Inn exploring Constable Country: Dedham, Essex: Anyone visiting Essex for the first time expecting scenes from the well-known reality TV show ‘The Only Way Is Essex’ is in for a wonderful surprise… Dedham is a complete contrast; a beautiful, picture-book village, steeped in history and charm. You […]
Soar Mill Cove Hotel, South Devon – Review
An idyllic hotel and isolated beach in South Devon – Soar Mill Cove: The West Country is an area I grew up in and still love to visit. I know Cornwall particularly well, it makes it easy for me to explore and suggest places that shouldn’t be missed. I’ve recently stayed at the Beach Hotel […]
The State Suite at Tylney Hall Hotel & Gardens
Tylney Hall Hotel and Gardens – Butler Service and More: There’s very little that’s more exciting in life than going to stay at a grand country house hotel – but if you’re a Londoner like me it always seems to mean travelling for hours out of town to get that essential combination of luxury, top-notch food […]
Gliffaes – idyllic country house hotel in the Usk Valley
Trees, trout and a tandem make for the perfect short stay: Once called the ‘’glittering jewel of the Vale‘’, Crickhowell is indeed a lovely little place. But the real gem of the Usk Valley is Gliffaes Country House Hotel, a few miles north of the town, set just above the river in acres of beautiful […]
Penzance, Cornwall – Things to Do
Things to do in Penzance, West Cornwall: The historic town of Penzance is an ideal base from which to explore West Cornwall, an area of outstanding beauty, with fishing ports, sandy coves, gardens, old tin mines and the Minack Theatre. Here are a few of the things you shouldn’t miss on a visit to Penzance […]