Southerndown and Ogmore-by-Sea are two of my favourite places to go on the south Wales coast. But despite being less than half an hour's walk away from each other, for some inexplicable reason, I've never walked the Wales Coast Path between the two. So I decided the Easter bank holiday weekend would be the perfect... Continue Reading →
Bronllys Castle
On Monday, the Brecon Beacons National Park announced it will only go by it's Welsh name, Bannau Brycheiniog, from now on. So it seems timely to introduce you to the second of the castles I visited in the park over the Easter bank holiday weekend: Bronllys Castle. Bronllys Castle was founded in the late 11th... Continue Reading →
Tretower Court and Castle
Work has been insanely busy the last few months, so the last thing I wanted to do over the Easter bank holiday weekend was sit in front of a screen. So on Good Friday, I set off on a drive to the Welsh county of Powys to visit a couple of castles: Tretower and Bronllys.... Continue Reading →
Hay Castle
When I heard Hay Castle was opening its doors to the public for the first time in its history last May, it went straight to the top of my 'must visit' list. So while planning my annual new year's pilgrimmage to Hay-on-Wye to stock up on books, I made sure to add a private tour... Continue Reading →
London: The Wallace Collection
I first heard about The Wallace Collection years ago when I was writing a secret guide to Marylebone for a magazine I was working on at the time. As part of the feature, I was interviewing locals to find out their favourite spots in the area and one woman I talked to mentioned The Wallace... Continue Reading →
London walks: Belsize Park, Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park
When I lived in London, I used to try to get out for a long walk most weekends. One of my favourite walks was from Belsize Park to Marylebone or Regent's Street in central London, via Primrose Hill and Regent's Park. If I was feeling particularly energetic and had the time, I'd sometimes start the... Continue Reading →
London: Westminster, St James’s Park and Hieroglyphs at the British Museum
On my second day in London, I headed into town bright and early to start the day with a little touristing. My destination? Westminster. Situated on the banks of the River Thames in the heart of London, the historic district is home to a slew of the capital and the country's most iconic landmarks, including... Continue Reading →
London: St Paul’s Cathedral
I didn't have much of a plan when I went to London, I had lots of vague ideas about different places I'd like to visit, but nothing set in stone and I found myself changing my plans on a whim during the trip. One of the places I'd thought about visiting was St Paul's Cathedral.... Continue Reading →
London: Cezanne at the Tate Modern
At the end of November I had a week off work and decided to head to London for an impromptu day trip that, thanks to various family and friends, turned into a three-day stay. It wasn't my first trip to the capital of 2022 as earlier in the year, I'd circumnavigated the M25 on a... Continue Reading →
Llanerchaeron
Nestled at the bottom of a secluded part of the Aeron Valley in Ceredigion, west Wales, you'll find Llanerchaeron, a charming country estate that's home to a little known gem – an early Palladian villa by the renowned Regency architect John Nash. In 1789, Colonal William Lewes inherited Llanerchaeron, then a small country estate made... Continue Reading →