Travel
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Day Trip from Dublin: Exploring Howth and Kilmainham Gaol
After a hearty full Irish breakfast we took a bus out to Howth, a small fishing village on the northern edge of Dublin Bay. It was a bright, sunny morning as we strolled along the West Harbour pier. Along the waters edge fishermen were landing their morning catch and brightly coloured fishing boats bobbed about…
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A Visit to Dublin’s Phoenix Park and Grafton Street
After breakfast in the hotel we took a bus out to Phoenix Park which is located north of the river, 3 km west of the city centre. It’s the largest enclosed park in Europe and was 350 years old in 2012. We enjoyed a walk along the main avenues and left the park by a…
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Riding the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway: A Heritage Experience
Continue reading A Steam Train to Haworth
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A week in Palma, Mallorca
We decided to exchange the chilly Easter weather of northern England for a week on the Mediterranean, staying on the largest of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca. My husband hasn’t visited Mallorca since he was 13 and following a weekend visit to the island last year with my younger son, I’m hoping to convince him that…
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Visiting Port D’Andratx, Mallorca: Top Things to See and Do
We woke to bright sunshine and there was no sign of the previous day’s late afternoon rain showers. Although some tables had been set out on the terrace for breakfast everyone seemed to think it a little chilly and guests were all dining indoors. Breakfast consisted of a large buffet along with show cooking…
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Exploring Castell de Bellver in Palma, Mallorca
From our hotel room we could see Bellver Castle on the hilltop so after breakfast we decided to walk up and take a look. It’s quite a steep climb, first along a road and then up very many stone steps to the castle entrance. It was another sunny morning but the cooler days of April…
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Riding the Historic Vintage Train to Sóller in Mallorca
After watching a BBC television series entitled ‘Great Continental Railway Journeys’ which featured a delightful old wooden train that runs between Palma and Soller we wanted to take a ride on it ourselves. The train line was established in 1929 to link Palma with the north west coast of the island. Trains depart from its…
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Palma to Alcudia Day Trip: Top Sights and Things to Do in Mallorca
Whilst eating breakfast we watched two large cruise liners come into port but it was a rainy start to the day so the passengers wouldn’t being seeing Palma at its best. Our plan for today was to visit Alcudia situated in the north east of the island. We travelled by TIB bus who operate longer distance bus services…
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Exploring Valldemossa & Palma, Mallorca
A lovely sunny morning for a visit to the village of Valldemossa in the Tramuntana Mountains, 17 km north west of Palma. We travelled there by TIB bus from Palma’s central bus station at Playa D’Espanya, the journey taking only 30 minutes and the bus stopping just once at the island’s university UIB. The campus is located in…
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Guide to Visiting Santa Ponsa Bay, Mallorca
Another warm, sunny morning so our plan was to take a walk along the waterfront at Santa Ponca. Buses run from the Paseo Maritim (seafront) in Palma just outside our hotel and there are two options, a direct service by motorway taking around 20 minutes or the coastal route which takes one hour. We opted…
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A walk through Palma, Mallorca
As our return flight to the UK wasn’t scheduled to depart until 4.00 pm we had plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast overlooking the harbour. It was a dull, cloudy morning and for the first time during the week I felt a bit chilly going outdoors in just a lightweight dress and…
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Exploring Skipton, the Gateway to the Dales
For a family day out, we decided to visit Skipton in North Yorkshire. Skipton is a market town located 27 miles north west of Leeds, and is on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park with some of the country’s most dramatic scenery on its doorstep. Along the high street, a market takes place four…
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A short break in Hamburg – Day 1
After taking a connecting flight to Heathrow from Leeds/Bradford Airport we had a second short BA flight into Hamburg. I had not visited Germany for many years and it was to be my first visit to this northern city. Transferring into the city centre was very easy as trains connect the airport with Hamburg Hof…
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Exploring Hamburg
Breakfast in our hotel was excellent, as well as the usual cooked dishes, fruit and pastries, a chef was on hand to prepare waffles for us topped with fruit and whipped cream. I couldn’t resist the temptation of returning for more as they tasted delicious, so a brisk walk was necessary to walk off these…
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A walk along the Alster in Hamburg
After being tempted to eating rather too many waffles for breakfast, a long walk seemed to be the answer so we headed to the lake front in the centre of town. This is the Alster, the central point alongside the harbour pier and main shopping centre. We had walked along there the previous day so…
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Harrogate and its Turkish Baths
For my friend’s birthday treat, I arranged a day out to Harrogate, North Yorkshire and a visit to its Turkish Baths. The town is located 10 miles from Leeds/Bradford Airport and is easily accessible by train or car from York, Leeds or Skipton. Harrogate features elegant architecture, large Georgian hotels and beautiful parks. It is…
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A weekend in London
Although I live in the north of England I’ve been fortunate to spend countless weekends in London over the years. There’s always something happening and I never tire of a visit to the capital. Hopefully on this four day visit I can introduce some lesser known attractions in addition to the city’s famous sights.…
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Sky Garden, London
A bright sunny morning, so we started the day with a tube ride to London Bridge, walking across the bridge to Monument and a stroll along the north bank of the Thames. Our reason for starting the day there was to take a ride to the top of the ‘Walkie Talkie’ building, Officially known as ’20…
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Walking along the Thames at Richmond
We decided to try breakfast in the hotel and were pleasantly surprised to find the Travelodge offerings to be much better than we were expecting. So, feeling nourished, we boarded a main line train from Vauxhall to Richmond, approximately 20 minutes away. As mentioned previously, it’s possible to use Oyster cards on shorter main line…
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Little Venice and Chinatown, London
Breakfast in our hotel again this morning then a tube journey northbound to Camden Town. A popular market is held there at weekends but to be honest, I’m not a fan of this one as it’s mostly a collection of touristy stalls and shops along the road. The reason for our visit was to take…
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A short break in Dorset
On a cold but bright February morning we packed up the car and left our home in northern England at 9.00 am for a half term break on the south coast of England. Our destination was Bournemouth in Dorset, 290 miles away. We stopped for lunch at Bicester Village, an outlet shopping centre in Oxfordshire…
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Christchurch and Lymington Travel Guide: Top Things to See & Do
Another bright sunny morning so we started the day with a walk along the seafront to Boscombe. Walking along to the end of the pier we had far reaching views to the Isle of Wight and along the coast. Boscombe Pier first opened in 1889, but the boomerang shaped Art Deco entrance wasn’t added until…
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Wimborne and Dorchester Travel Guide: Dorset
It was back to sunshine so we decided to drive inland to the small market town of Wimborne Minster named after its church. It’s a delightful little place with its main square (Corn Market) bordered with fine examples of Anglo Saxon architecture. Both in the square and along its adjacent high street are many small independent…
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Exploring Salisbury and Hengistbury Head, Dorset
We decided to drive to Salisbury, the journey taking approximately one hour. We noticed signs for Park and Ride but carried on and found car parking in the town centre without problem even though it was a Saturday. The city is located in south east Wiltshire on the edge of Salisbury Plain and 8 miles…
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