Travel
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Exploring The Luberon, Provence
The Luberon is a natural park in Provence, with the Luberon mountain running its length and separating the north and south of the region. After reading ‘A Year in Provence’ by Peter Mayle many years ago I’d long wanted to explore this idyllic part of the south of France and in April this year I…
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The William de Percy Inn, Northumberland Review
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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The Perfect Weekend in South Derbyshire: Top Attractions & Tips
We’ve enjoyed numerous lovely weekends away in Derbyshire’s Peak District so for a change we decided to explore South Derbyshire which is noted for its gently rolling countryside and characterful villages. Follow my suggested itinerary for the perfect short break. Day 1: Getting to South Derbyshire We planned to base our trip in the historic…
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Wotton House Hotel, Dorking, Surrey Review
Hotel Review Nestled in the heart of the picturesque Surrey Hills countryside, Wotton House Hotel is a historic 17th century country house hotel set within 13 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. The hotel was originally the centre of the Wotton Estate and the birthplace of the diarist and landscape gardener John Evelyn, who constructed the first Italian garden in England…
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The Crown Hotel, Harrogate Review
Hotel Review Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire noted for its beautiful parks, gardens, elegant buildings, Turkish baths, high class shops and tearooms. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the town and staying at the beautiful The Crown Hotel. Location: The Crown Hotel sits in the heart of the beautiful town of…
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How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in the Durham Dales
Our short break in the north east of England was centred around the southern border of County Durham. This part of the county is noted for its stunning scenery, splendid cultural attractions and attractive small towns. It was our first visit to the area and I looked forward to our short break. Day 1 –…
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Visiting The Blue Lagoon Near Reykjavik: Tips, Tickets & What to Expect
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa located on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland. Bathing there is considered to have regenerative qualities because the water is rich in silica and sulphur. The lagoon is surrounded by a stunning volcanic landscape offering beautiful views while soaking in the milky blue waters. The beneficial powers of…
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Weekend in Reykjavik Part Two: More Must-See Attractions and Experiences
On waking we decided to take a walk through the city after enjoying the hotel’s delicious continental breakfast. We were visiting in January when it doesn’t come light until around 10.30 a.m. but with numerous buildings illuminated, our twilight stroll actually turned out to be rather nice. Reykjavik City Hall The first building we came…
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A Weekend in Reykjavik: The Perfect Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
Day One We had booked an early morning BA flight from London Heathrow over to Reykjavik taking just under three hours. With Iceland being in the same time zone as the U.K. it was still only 10.30 a.m. when we touched down into a snowy Keflavik airport. Getting into Reykjavik from the airport The airport…
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The Milner Hotel, York Review
Hotel Review The Milner Hotel started life in 1853 during the early days of the the British railway era under the ownership of the North Eastern Railway Company. This grand old station hotel was sold off from the railways in 1982 and after varied ownership its latest rebrand as The Milner took place in October…
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Hewn Yorkshire, Luxury Glamping Review
Accommodation Review Hewn Yorkshire is an adults only escape from hectic daily life. Sheltered from the wind in a historic quarry are 12 luxurious cabins offering wood fired wellness and authentic Finnish sauna bathing. It sounded just my sort of place so off I went to experience it for myself. Location: Hewn Yorkshire sits at…
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Weetwood Hall Estate, Leeds Review
Hotel Review Location: Weetwood Hall Estate is a luxurious four star country house hotel set within nine acres of parkland on the outskirts of Leeds, West Yorkshire. The estate has been built around a 17th century Jacobean Manor House and is steeped in history, with parts of the property dating back as far as 1540.…
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Weekend in Warsaw – the perfect itinerary
With Warsaw being just over a two hour flight from the U.K. it makes for a perfect short break whatever the time of year. We opted to take an early morning flight from London Heathrow, arriving into Warsaw Chopin airport at 11.15 a.m. local time. Read on to find out the best things to see…
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voco Winchester Hotel and Spa Review
Hotel Review The former Holiday Inn Winchester was rebranded to voco Winchester Hotel & Spa in October 2024 following a complete refurbishment programme which took 8 months and a cost of £2 million. Voco Hotels is IHG’s fastest-growing premium brand and as we hadn’t stayed in one previously we looked forward to the opportunity of being invited to review a stay.…
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Travel Guide: The Atherton Tablelands, North Queensland
The Atherton Tablelands The Atherton Tablelands is a picturesque plateau in tropical North Queensland within an hour’s drive of Cairns. From beautiful waterfalls to crater lakes, rainforests and attractive small country towns, the region has much to offer for a two or three night stay. The Waterfalls Circuit Millaa Millaa Falls Located on Theresa Creek…
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Your Ultimate Guide to Hot Air Balloon Flights in the Atherton Tablelands
Taking a flight in a hot air balloon has long been on my ‘must do’ wish list and during our recent holiday in tropical North Queensland, my dream finally came true. We’d arranged this once in a life time experience with Hot Air Balloon Cairns and were extremely excited at the prospect of soaring high…
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A day on the Outer Barrier Reef with Quicksilver Cruises
One of the main reasons for planning a trip to Far North Queensland is to visit the Great Barrier Reef. Spanning over 2,300 km down Australia’s eastern coastline it offers an abundance of coastal experiences unlike anywhere else in the world. Quicksilver Cruises are the largest operator out of Port Douglas taking up to 440…
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Exploring Mossman Gorge and Port Douglas
After a leisurely breakfast on our Port Douglas balcony we jumped into the car for the short drive to Mossman Gorge. This is one of the most easily accessible parts of the Daintree Rainforest to reach, being just over 20 minutes from our base in Port Douglas and a little over an hour’s drive from…
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A day out on the Kuranda Skyrail and Scenic Railway
Kuranda is a mountain village nestled within the lush rainforests of Tropical North Queensland. Although it is possible to travel there by car from Port Douglas we preferred the more exciting option of taking the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and returning on the Kuranda Scenic Railway. With return tickets passengers can choose to travel on the…
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Top Things to Do in Port Douglas and the Daintree River Region
Part One: Travelling from Sydney to Cairns The previous evening we’d driven to the seaside resort of Cronulla so that we could be fairly close to Sydney airport for our late morning flight. Our final night in New South Wales couldn’t have been better as our accommodation there had a balcony overlooking Cronulla beach. We’d…
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Top Things to Do in the Blue Mountains, NSW: A Complete Visitor’s Guide
Located just 100 km’s from Sydney but world’s apart from city life, the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains is noted for its stunning mountain views, vibrant forests, thundering waterfalls, charming small towns and quaint villages. If you are planning a holiday to Sydney I strongly recommend including a side trip to this beautiful part of…
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A guide to visiting Scenic World in the Blue Mountains
Scenic World is a nature themed attraction that really lives up to its name as it is located amid a lush rainforest within the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains in New South Wales. Established in 1945 when a local entrepreneur called Harry Hammond had the vision to transform a former coal mine into one of…
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Exploring the Central Coast and Hawkesbury River, NSW
The Entrance We opted to spend the night at The Entrance, an oddly named seaside resort tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the tranquil waters of Tuggerah Lake. The town lies a 95 minute drive north of Sydney. Why is it called The Entrance you may very well ask? Well, the answer is that the…
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