Travel
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Your Ultimate Guide to Exploring Manchester
MANCHESTER – WHAT TO SEE AND DO Manchester Town Hall Located in Albert Square and one of the most iconic landmarks in the city. It’s a fine example of Neo-Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom. Constructed in 1877 at a cost of £1m and containing more than 14m bricks it’s a joy to behold. The…
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Top Free Things to See and Do in Helsinki
In addition to a large selection of world renowned museums, galleries and attractions for which an entrance ticket is required, there are many inexpensive ways to enjoy a short break in Helsinki. Listed below are my suggestions for some really lovely free things to see and do. Helsinki City Museum – located on the corner of…
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Where to Find the Best Seaside Cafes in Helsinki
Finn’s love their coffee, consuming the most per capita in the world. As you might expect, there’s a vibrant coffee culture and to experience the best that Finland has to offer you really need to try an authentic cinnamon bun (korvapuusti). Versions of these buns have been around since the 18th century and it has…
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Making the Most of the Helsinki Card: Attractions, Transport & Savings
A three day Helsinki Card might at first glance seem expensive as it costs €74 but as it covers a wide range of attractions and scenic boat trips that can cost at least €20 each then it’s possible to make substantial savings whilst using the card. It is also valid on public transport including trams,…
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Helsinki Weekend Break: The Ultimate Guide to Explore the City
Visiting Helsinki, Finland’s beautiful capital city is a delight at any time of year. Located on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, the Helsinki archipelago consists of over 300 picturesque islands and wherever you are in the city, it is never far from the sea. Getting there: Helsinki International Airport is located in the…
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A Leisurely Walk from Bournemouth to Westbourne: What to See Along the Way
Continuing my series of walks in and around Bournemouth, we recently took a 3.5 mile looped walk along the promenade, through Alum Chine to Westbourne and then returning through the Central and Lower Gardens. The scenery is varied and there are some lovely cafes along the way to stop off for a bite to eat…
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A walk around Christchurch, Dorset
The picturesque riverside town of Christchurch lies a short distance from its larger neighbour Bournemouth on the south coast of England in beautiful Dorset. The town is easily accessible as it is on the main rail line between London Waterloo and Weymouth and is well connected to nearby larger towns by regular bus services. It…
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Newbury Canal Walk to Speen Moors: A Scenic Nature Trail
We decided to spend the day in the attractive market town of Newbury which lies in the heart of West Berkshire. The town is approximately 30 minutes drive from Oxford and around an hour by train from London. We left the car in the Newbury Goldwell car park beside the leisure centre on Northcroft Lane…
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Regent’s Canal Walk: From King’s Cross to Paddington – A Scenic Urban Stroll
This 5 mile walk along the Regent’s Canal passes through some of London’s best kept secrets including Regent’s Park and Little Venice whilst avoiding the congestion and crowds of life in the capital. Our walk started outside King’s Cross station from where we wandered around the corner to Granary Square and the vibrant Coal Drops…
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A Day Out in The Wirral: Port Sunlight and The Ness Gardens
After starting the day with a brisk walk along the seafront at Hoylake, we popped back into the car and headed to Ness Botanic Gardens located in Neston, Cheshire. The gardens are open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. with standard admission £8.25. The gardens were founded in 1898 by Arthur Kilpin Bulley, a Liverpool…
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A Day at The National Waterways Museum: Exploring The Wirral’s Maritime Heritage
After recently spending an enjoyable weekend in nearby Liverpool, we decided to turn our attention to the Wirral Peninsula. This stretch of land is bordered by the River Mersey to the east, the Irish Sea and River Dee to the west and the Shropshire Union Canal to the south providing us with 25 miles of…
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Bournemouth Air Show 2021
The Bournemouth Air Show takes place at the end of August/ early September each year featuring air displays over four days against a backdrop of the beautiful sweeping bay. There is no admittance charge to the festival and thousands of plane lovers flock to the Dorset resort on the south coast of England to watch…
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The Gibbon Bridge Hotel, Chipping, Lancashire Review
Location: The Gibbon Bridge Hotel & Restaurant is located on the edge of the charming village of Chipping in the picturesque Forest of Bowland, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty within the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. The hotel is set in 23 acres of beautiful gardens in a secluded position yet is easily accessible to the…
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A Day in Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley: What to See and Do
Our stay at the gorgeous Gibbon Bridge Hotel in Chipping had been lovely and after packing up the car we didn’t hurry off but instead relaxed awhile on its sun drenched terrace. Overlooking the beautiful landscaped gardens and rolling hills beyond, the setting is idyllic and the perfect place to unwind. Although we could have lazed there…
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Discover the Ribble Valley: Browsholme Hall, Charming Chipping & Gibbon Bridge Hotel
It was the perfect way to start our day, sitting in the conservatory of the Gibbon Bridge Hotel enjoying a cooked breakfast with views across the delightful landscaped gardens. Our first activity of the day was then just down the road at Leagrams Organic Dairy just outside the picturesque village of Chipping. The entrance to…
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Outdoor Fun: E-Biking the Trough of Bowland and Wild Boar Park Experience
The scenic Ribble Valley is one of northern England’s best kept secrets being an area of outstanding natural beauty noted for its rural landscape and welcoming hospitality. How do we find this hidden gem, you may well ask? Well, it’s quite easy actually as the Ribble Valley is located in Lancashire and accessible from the…
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Explore the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Scotland’s Premier Botanical Attraction
All good things have to come to an end and before we knew it, we had reached the final day of our Scottish holiday. Our train home wasn’t until 6.30 p.m. though so we had the entire day to explore Edinburgh. After checking out of the lovely Altido Vita aparthotel and leaving our luggage to…
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How to Spend a Perfect Day in North Berwick: Top Things to Do and See
Edinburgh is undoubtedly a beautiful city with so many interesting things to see and do but it’s also the perfect base from which to explore more of Scotland. After days out by train earlier in the week to both Stirling and Glasgow we then decided to visit the picturesque seaside town of North Berwick which…
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How to Spend a Day in Glasgow from Edinburgh: A Perfect Day Trip Itinerary
After enjoying a day in Stirling the previous day, we turned our attention to Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city sitting on the banks of the River Clyde. We bought off peak day returns at £13.70 each and the journey from Edinburgh Waverley Station to Glasgow Queen Street took just 1 hour and 20 minutes. The station…
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How to Spend a Day in Stirling from Edinburgh: Best Day Trip Itinerary
We decided to spend the day in Stirling and booked anytime day return tickets from Edinburgh Waverley at £16.90 per person. Stirling lies 37 miles north west of Edinburgh and is often referred to as the gateway to the Scottish Highlands. The journey time was only 45 minutes and it seemed no time at all…
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How to Spend a Day in St. Andrews from Edinburgh: A Scenic Day Trip Guide
From our base at the Altido Vita aparthotel in the Fountainbridge district of Edinburgh it was just a ten minute walk downhill to Haymarket station for our train to St. Andrews (Leuchars station). We’d pre-booked our tickets (£18.50 standard off peak day return) for the one hour journey and as we were sitting on the right…
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How to Spend a Day in Leith and Cramond: Hidden Gems Near Edinburgh
We began the day with a walk around some of the buildings of the University of Edinburgh starting at the Old College quad located on South Bridge. It was an overcast morning but the sight of the historic buildings housing the School of Law and the Talbot Rice Gallery surrounding the quad lifted our spirits.…
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How to Explore Edinburgh Old Town on Foot: History, Sights & Tips
It had been more than a year since my last visit to Edinburgh and I couldn’t wait to return to one of my favourite cities. We travelled north on board an LNER train which whisks passengers from London in just four and a quarter hours. If you plan to travel by train try to book…
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Altido at Vita, Edinburgh Review
Location: Located in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh overlooking the Union Canal is the modern and well appointed Altido Vita aparthotel. Just a 10 minute walk from Princes Street and a short walk from Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile it’s in a perfect location to explore the city. Both Haymarket and Waverley railway stations are accessible on…
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