United Kingdom
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Top Things to Do in Chester: Visit Chester Cathedral and Chester Zoo
We’d arranged to take a tour of Chester Cathedral but as this wasn’t scheduled to begin until 11.00 a.m. there was time for a short walk after breakfast. Just along Pepper Street from the Leonardo hotel lies the Roman Gardens which we’d viewed from the city walls but not yet explored. The gardens were established…
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Experience Chester with a Walking Tour and Scenic River Cruise
We drew back the curtains to another bright and sunny spring morning and after enjoying a delicious breakfast in the Leonardo Hotel’s restaurant we were soon ready for a day of sightseeing. We’d arranged to take a city walking tour with Chester Tours (£10), which run at 10.30 a.m. and 2.00 p.m. each day from outside the…
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A Weekend in Chester: Top Things to See and Do
After enjoying weekends in the historic centres of York and Lincoln we decided to turn our attention to Chester. Located in the north west of England the M53 motorway links the city to the main road network with a frequent rail service connecting to major cities. We opted to travel by train and leaving home…
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The Cavendish Hotel, Baslow Review
Hotel Review Location: The Cavendish Hotel is located on the scenic Chatsworth Estate owned by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, in the picturesque village of Baslow, Derbyshire. The hotel is easily accessible by car being just 16 miles from the M1 motorway and a 40 minute drive from Sheffield. The nearest rail station is…
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Exploring Spitalfields Market and Shoreditch: London’s Trendy Hotspots
Our day started with a visit to Spitalfields Market and on the way there we stopped to take a look at one of the 13 cast iron statues marking the boundaries of the City of London. The dragon symbol is thought to have been derived from the legend of St. George. Moving on we soon…
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A Guide to Visiting Churchill War Rooms and HMS Belfast in London
We began the day with a visit to the Churchill War Rooms hidden behind the streets of Westminster just a stone’s throw from 10 Downing Street. The War Rooms are now part of the Imperial War Museum with standard admission £25. (Nearest underground stations, St. James’ Park and Westminster). This was the underground headquarters where the…
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One Day in London: St. Paul’s Cathedral, Tower of London & The Shard
What fun, a weekend in London spending time being tourists in our own capital city and having an opportunity to visit some of the world’s most iconic sights. We arrived into London Waterloo the previous evening giving us three full days to explore. After tucking into a hearty breakfast in the opulent Hamilton Hall, the…
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Belmore Court and Motel, Enniskillen Review
Hotel Review Location: Located in the island town of Enniskillen in Northern Ireland’s Fermanagh Lakelands, Belmore Court is well positioned just a 10 minute walk from the town centre. The scenic town is nestled between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne and dominated by its castle. Enniskillen is conveniently accessible from both Northern…
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Exploring Surrey: Highlights of Guildford and Shere
After another blissful night’s sleep we tucked into hearty breakfasts downstairs in the Percy Arm’s cosy restaurant. As the inn has South African owners included on the menu are some interesting dishes. My husband was tempted to sample the S.A. breakfast which comprised two fried eggs, bacon, Boerewors farmers sausage, polenta, chakalaka spicy bean relish…
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Exploring Godalming and Greyfriars Vineyard: A Surrey Day Out
We’d both slept like logs in our cosy room at The Percy Arms in Chilworth and after enjoying a delicious cooked breakfast sat in the bay window of the charming country inn we drove into nearby Godalming. The small town benefits from several town centre car parks and we easily found a space in the Crown…
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How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in the Surrey Hills
Along with 10 National Parks, England is home to 34 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The Surrey Hills is one of them with its hills stretching across a quarter of the county from the chalk North Downs running from Farnham in the west to Oxted in the East. The region is approximately 35 miles…
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Experience Derbyshire’s Heritage: White Peak Distillery & Cromford Mills
After starting the day with delicious plates of Egg Benedict we collected our belongings together and checked out of The Cow at Dalbury Lees. This charming country inn had been a delightful place to stay for a mid-winter break with its roaring fires and cosy, well appointed rooms. Our first stop of the day was to…
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Discover the Wonders of Treak Cliff Cavern and The Monsal Trail, Peak District
After starting the day with plates of smashed avocado and eggs cooked to perfection in The Cow’s attractive bar we set off to Treak Cliff Cavern just outside Castleton. Our approach took us through the dramatic limestone gorge of Winnats Pass with its stunning views as we drove along. The Castleton area is a designated…
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Experience the Best of Bakewell and Buxton in the Peak District
The Peak District was the first national park to be created in the United Kingdom back in 1951 and spans 555 square miles of the southern end of the Pennines, mostly in Derbyshire. The park receives more than 10 million visitors each year as it is within an hour’s drive of both Manchester and Sheffield…
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The Causeway Hotel, Giant’s Causeway Review
Hotel Review Location: The Causeway Hotel is located in a breathtaking location next to the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO World Heritage Site on the north Antrim coast of Northern Ireland. This historic hotel dating from 1836 was the first accommodation provided for travellers to stay close to the famous stones. Remaining in private ownership until 2001 it…
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Discovering Hidden Chatsworth: Secrets of the Estate Uncovered
Chatsworth House is one of England’s finest stately homes, located on the east bank of the River Derwent in rural Derbyshire. The vast estate is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire and has been home to the Cavendish family since 1549. After Chatsworth closes its doors following a busy Christmas period one might be…
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A Festive City Break in Derby: Christmas Markets, Museums, Pantomime & Local Charm
A surprise invitation dropped into my inbox inviting me to enjoy a festive break in Derby on the weekend before Christmas. It’s always fun to visit somewhere new and with the prospect of some sightseeing, shopping, eating, drinking and a night at the panto it took me less than a minute to decide to say…
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Manchester Christmas Market and Pantomime: The Perfect Festive Combo
It wouldn’t be a proper Christmas for me without a visit to Manchester as it’s a city that knows exactly how to put on the Yuletide cheer. Christmas markets are to be found all over the centre and when darkness falls the charming little wooden huts take on even more of a magical charm with…
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Getting festive at the Jet2 City Breaks Christmas Event
A few weeks ago I was excited to receive an email from the lovely people at Jet2 inviting me to attend their bloggers Christmas party and before I knew it the day had arrived. All glammed up with party dress on, I caught a train into Leeds and found my way to Headrow House located…
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Visit Lough Erne & Castle Coole: Hidden Gems of Enniskillen, Northern Ireland
The final day of our road trip had come around much too quickly, a sure sign that we’d been enjoying every minute. Going down for breakfast at Belmore Court & Motel was one of the best as we started with cereals, fresh fruit, cheese, pastries and yoghurt. If this wasn’t enough we then moved onto…
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Northern Ireland Outdoors: Marble Arch Caves and Hydro Biking in the Fermanagh Lakelands
Staying overnight at the Yeats Country Hotel had been a good option for exploring the Sligo section of the Wild Atlantic Way. Breakfast was served in the restaurant and seated at a window table we were able to take in the sea views whilst setting ourselves up for the day. After bidding our farewell to the…
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Giant’s Causeway and Ballycastle Boat Tour: Must-See Attractions in Northern Ireland
After staying overnight at The Causeway Hotel we started the day with a hearty breakfast in the hotel’s elegant dining room to ready ourselves for an action packed day exploring the Giant’s Causeway and surrounding coastline. After returning to our room and checking out we didn’t have far to go as The Causeway Hotel is…
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From Mountain Views to Handmade Chocolates: Binevenagh and Chocolate Manor
We awoke refreshed at The Willows after sleeping on such comfortable mattresses in our delightful Aspen bedroom. Drawing back the curtains we were dismayed to discover it was raining heavily, not a good sign for a planned hiking trip! To lift our spirits we wandered down to the dining room to be greeted by the cheerful…
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Exploring Derry Guildhall and the Historic Bogside, Northern Ireland
We started the day with a leisurely breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express Derry~Londonderry. After checking out of the hotel and leaving our bags to collect later in the day we walked across the Peace Bridge as we had only viewed it after dark the previous evening. Since it’s opening in 2011 the bridge has…
