United Kingdom
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Christmas in Edinburgh: A festive city break
Visiting Edinburgh at Christmastime is one of my favourite places to be. Twinkling lights, historic streets, superb shopping and a wonderful Christmas market make Scotland’s capital the perfect winter city break. Arriving in Edinburgh by Train: Waverley Station There’s something special about arriving in Edinburgh by train, as walking up the steps out of Waverley…
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Review: Doubletree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent
Hotel Review Location: The Doubletree by Hilton Stoke-on-Trent is situated close to the M6 motorway enabling easy access from the North West and Midlands. The hotel is located on the edge of Festival Park to the west of Hanley and with Waterworld on its doorstep and the Alton Towers theme park being only a 35…
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Review: The Malvern Hills Hotel, Worcestershire
Location: The Malvern Hills Hotel is situated on the A449 midway between Malvern and Ledbury and commands a spectacular location next to the Malvern Hills British Camp hillside. A hostelry has occupied the same spot for over 500 years and this charming old building holds a special place within the landscape and local heritage. Arrival…
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Review: Stanbrook Abbey Hotel, Malvern
Dating back to the early 16th century, Stanbrook Abbey Hotel was the former home of a closed order of Benedictine Nuns from 1838-2009. With dwindling numbers, the 26 acre estate became too difficult for the nuns to manage so they moved to a new, purpose built convent in North Yorkshire which retains the same name.…
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Eurostar Plus Review: Is the premium upgrade worth it?
Travelling between London and Brussels by Eurostar is a quick and convenient way to cross the English Channel as the train takes passengers seamlessly from one capital city centre to another. I’ve travelled on board Eurostar several times both in Standard and Eurostar Plus so decided to review the upgraded experience to see how it…
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A foodie weekend in The Malverns Part 2: All Day Fine Dining
Nestled at the foot of the Malvern Hills, the Victorian spa town of Great Malvern has long been a popular tourist destination with visitors travelling from far and wide to take the Malvern spring water for medicinal purposes. In more recent times the town has become a foodie hotspot with numerous high quality bakeries, cafes,…
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Foodie weekend in The Malverns Part 1: Breweries and Bakeries
Nestled at the foot of the Malvern Hills, the Victorian spa town of Great Malvern has long been a popular tourist destination with visitors travelling from far and wide to take the Malvern spring water for medicinal purposes. In more recent times the town has become a foodie hotspot with numerous high quality bakeries, cafes,…
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Why you should visit Stoke-on-Trent as it celebrates its centenary
Stoke-on-Trent might not spring to mind as a top choice for a short break but the city has much to offer as I was soon to discover on my recent weekend stay. Stoke celebrated its 100th anniversary as a city in June so there was no better time to visit with a full calendar of…
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Cruising the Llangollen Canal: Part Two
Part Two: Llangollen to Wrenbury Mill Day 5 Llangollen to Ellesmere After a leisurely breakfast we set off on our return journey at 8.50 a.m and by 11.15 a.m. we had reached Trevor which was even busier with boats than on our arrival two days earlier. We had considered taking a look in the Visitor…
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Cruising the Llangollen Canal: Part One
Wrenbury Mill to Llangollen This post details the first part of our seven night return cruise from the pretty village of Wrenbury in Cheshire along the Llangollen Canal into Wales. Our adventure would take us over the famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct known as the stream in the sky and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Day…
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Sand Lark narrowboat on the Llangollen Canal
This was to be our fourth U.K. canal boat holiday as we’d really caught the bug. Narrow-boating is the perfect way to slow down, unwind and connect with nature whilst chugging along canals at no more than walking speed. This time around we’d opted to take a seven night cruise from the pretty village of…
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The Great Yorkshire Show 2025
One of my favourite summer activities is to attend the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The four day event celebrates agricultural excellence and attracts a sell out audience who snap up all the tickets during the weeks prior to the show’s opening. This year’s show which took place between 8th – 11th July…
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Love Travelling Blog Turns 10: A Decade of Travel Adventures
I’m not usually one for writing annual reviews but I couldn’t let the 10th anniversary of the Love Travelling Blog slip by without a mention. It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed as the time has just flown by and what a journey it’s been. Starting my blogging journey It was on one…
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Holiday Extras: Park, Stay & Fly – Sofitel London Gatwick
We’d arranged morning flights from Gatwick airport and rather than making an early start from home we opted to book a package with Holiday Extras offering parking and overnight accommodation. It was easy to locate the Cophall Parking which was just six miles from the airport. As instructed, we parked in the reception area, unloaded…
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Kynren, Bishop Auckland: A Must-See UK Live Show – Full Review
I was delighted to be invited to attend the press preview of Kynren which is an outdoor theatre spectacle located in Bishop Auckland and now into its 10th year. What is Kynren? Kynren – An Epic Tale of England is a live action show that takes audiences on a journey through 2,000 years of history…
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Denbies Wine Estate: The Perfect Day Out in Surrey
Set amongst the rolling chalk hills of the North Downs, Denbies is one of the largest privately owned vineyards in Europe. The estate is independently owned and comprises 380 acres of which 265 acres are covered in vines. Getting there: Denbies Wine Estate is located in Dorking, Surrey and is easily accessible from Junction 9…
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Exploring the Watercress Line – A Classic Steam Railway Experience
Located close to the historic city of Winchester, the Watercress Line runs through ten miles of scenic countryside between the towns of Alresford and Alton in Hampshire. As fares include all day travel, passengers are able to start their nostalgic journey at either end of the line and stop off to visit the other charming…
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A Day Out in Falkirk: Discover The Kelpies and The Falkirk Wheel
The Falkirk Wheel The Falkirk Wheel is the world’s first and only rotating boat lift, designed and built to connect the Forth & Clyde Canal and the Union Canal, which allows coast to coast navigation across central Scotland. Getting to the Falkirk Wheel By car: From Edinburgh – take the M9 west for Stirling. Exit…
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Review: Loch Tay Highland Lodges, Scotland
Location: The award winning Loch Tay Highland Lodges are located four miles from Killin in Perthshire, occupying an enviable position on the edge of Scotland’s sixth largest loch. Getting there: By car: From Glasgow, there are two routes to reach Killin. Follow the A82 north for 56 miles, by way of Loch Lomond and Crianlarich then…
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Review: Hotel Indigo Dundee
Hotel Review Hotel Indigo Dundee is a four star boutique hotel set on the site of a former textile mill built in 1822, which still retains its Italianate bell tower. Location: Dundee is Scotland’s fourth largest city and is situated on the north coast of the mouth of the Tay Estuary. Edinburgh lies 60 miles…
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Where Was All Creatures Great and Small Filmed? Part 2 of Iconic Locations
Ripon After a fun filled day exploring Thirsk and Newby Hall followed by an evening at Ripon Races, we decided to start the next day with a walk into the centre of Ripon. It’s Yorkshire’s smallest city but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in beauty. The centre is easily walkable with…
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Where was All Creatures Great & Small filmed. Part 1 – Thirsk & Ripon
I’ve long been a huge fan of All Creatures Great and Small which documents the life and work of the vet James Herriot. The original BBC television series aired between 1978 and 1990 based on the semi-autobiographical books written by vet Alf Wight. Moving forward to 2020, Channel 5 produced a new adaptation of Wight’s…
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Review: The William de Percy Inn, Northumberland
Location: The William de Percy is a luxury boutique hotel located in the pretty village of Otterburn, on the edge of the scenic Northumberland National Park. The hotel lies 30 miles north west of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and about 16 miles from the Scottish border. Arrival and check-in: The smart grey and white former 17th century coaching…
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Exploring Stockport: Top Places to Visit and Things to Experience
In this, the first of an occasional series on Days out in Manchester, I’m shining the spotlight on Stockport. Read on to discover 15 splendid reasons for visiting the town. Getting there: Stockport is located eight miles south east of Manchester and is easily reached by train taking only ten minutes from the city centre…
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