The Winchester Hotel, Winchester Review – for a weekend break
The picturesque Hampshire town of Winchester is the ideal place for a weekend of shopping, sightseeing and walking. I met up with my sister at The …
England
Walking the South Downs Way near Winchester
The South Downs Way offers white chalk cliffs at one end and leafy lanes at the other. The long distance trail meanders through Southern England, …
Meeting Mona Lisa – Boll-art in Winchester
I was heading for my dinner at The Old Vine in Winchester when I glanced up and saw her standing there. The first time we met …
On the Jane Austen trail – in Chawton and Winchester
If you’re a fan of Jane Austen’s novels, many of which have been adapted for TV or film, you’ll be fascinated to discover the connections …
Historic thrills and natural features in Blackpool
Blackpool – for many the name of the UK’s most famous seaside resort conjures up the historic Pleasure Beach. It’s one of Britain’s oldest amusement …
Your guide to the vintage markets of London
London ‘vintage’ is a whole scene that extends to music, fashion, and furniture. Originally the term ‘vintage’ applied in France, to scavengers who went through …
An autumn break in Cornwall – visiting Talland Bay and Antony
It was supposed to be a summer break, but my friend couldn’t make it and so we re-booked for October. In August I’d planned a …
Ettington Park Hotel – gothic grandeur near Stratford-upon-Avon
There’s something mysterious, perhaps even a little spooky about Ettington Park Hotel, near Stratford-upon-Avon. From the outside it’s a cross between a French chateau with …
Hidcote Manor Gardens – for glorious autumn colour
We visited Hidcote Manor Gardens in aurtumn, just as August turned to September. On the weekend we visited, warm sunshine was tempered by a slight …
Visit the Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury
I might describe the Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury as a gorgeous Cotswold garden that typifies the English country style, but the name doesn’t always …
Afternoon tea in Stratford upon Avon at the Arden Hotel
When I was last at the Arden Hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon I fell in love with the old fashioned rose patterned tea service from the V …