Travel
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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 Review
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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Martin’s Dream Hotel, Mons, Belgium Review
Hotel Review Martin’s Dream Hotel is located in a 19th century Neo-Gothic building that was the home of the Sisters of the Belgian Abbey before being converted into a church. Now a four star hotel, it retains many of the building’s original features which add to its charm. Location: The hotel is located in the…
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The Great Yorkshire Show 2025 Review
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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Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Day 7 & 8
Day 7 Our week on board MS Riviera Rose was drawing to a close with just one full day left to enjoy the luxurious facilities on board. After another delicious breakfast served in the ship’s main restaurant we wandered up to the sun deck where we found some comfortable chairs shaded by a large parasol…
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Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Day 5 & 6
Riviera Rose – Day 5: The ship set sail whilst we were having breakfast enabling us to take in the spectacular views from the restaurant windows. The engines on Riviera Rose are very quiet and if it wasn’t for the ever changing views one may not even realise that the boat was moving. Riviera Rose…
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Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Days 3 & 4
Riviera Rose: Day 3: We enjoyed a leisurely start to the day, starting off with a delicious breakfast whilst taking in the breathtaking views of the Douro Valley as we sailed along the river. We passed through two more deep locks as well as sailing under a very low bridge so we watched with interest…
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Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Day 2
We woke refreshed after a good night’s sleep on board the Riviera Rose and started off the day with a relaxing breakfast in the ship’s restaurant. It was just like staying in a luxurious, boutique hotel – barista made cappuccinos, a selection of fresh fruit, yoghurt and pastries, followed by our favourite Eggs Benedict. After…
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Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise: Day One
Day One We were so excited to be setting off on our first ever river cruise and after enjoying a relaxing overnight stay at the Gatwick Airport Sofitel we woke refreshed and then boarded the shuttle across to the south terminal to check in for our TAP flight over to Porto. Whilst waiting in the…
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MS Riviera Rose Review
MS Riviera Rose is a luxurious ship that has been specifically designed to sail along the Douro River in Portugal. Newly launched in April 2025, the ship is 80 metres in length and can accommodate up to 114 guests in 57 cabins, including 4 balcony suites with a total of 38 crew. I was excited…
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Holiday Extras: Park, Stay & Fly – Sofitel London Gatwick Review
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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Loch Tay Highland Lodges, Scotland Review
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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Hotel Indigo Dundee Review
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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A guide to spending an evening at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong
Horse racing is popular worldwide but few places take it to heart like Hong Kong. I don’t make a habit of going to the races but whenever I visit Hong Kong I find it to be an irresistible evening out. The Happy Valley Racecourse was built in 1845 just four years after British troops landed…
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Travel Guide: Visiting Macau from Hong Kong
Whilst based in Hong Kong it’s a good idea to spend a day over in Macau. Getting there is very easy as you can take the MTR to Sheung Wan where the ferry terminal is located. We boarded the fast Turbojet ferry which has departures at up to 30 minute intervals with a journey time…
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How to Visit Hong Kong’s outlying islands using the Star Ferry
Whilst visiting Hong Kong a boat trip to one or more of its outlying islands provides for an enjoyable break from the hustle and bustle of city life. Many of the islands are easily accessible by ferry and the three I have documented below are all within an hour’s distance of Hong Kong Island. Cheung…
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