I loved Bible stories as a child, so when I left school I took myself off to Jerusalem to find where its main characters had once walked. Decades later, I still return several times a year and always find something to inspire me. The golden stone, the landscape, the intoxicating smell of herbs in the markets … Read more
There was a lump in my throat as I hauled my suitcase out of the front door. I had just left my cat in the hands of a total stranger and was about to head off for a weekend break in the snowy hills of Switzerland. The stranger was called Angela, and I had found … Read more
An Inspector Calls… Dormy House in the Cotswolds has everything from a champagne nail bar to cream teas – but it feels ‘cramped’ and ‘corporate’ Dormy House is located near Broadway in the northern reaches of the Cotswolds There are 38 rooms, two restaurants, a spa and a Delamotte champagne nail bar The Inspector said … Read more
The lounge at Southend Airport has been ranked the worst out of 21 pay-as-you-go airport lounges in the UK for the second consecutive year. Inspectors from consumer group Which? say they found barely-there facilities at the Skylife Lounge with no runway view, no hot food and no sparkling wine – earning it just one star … Read more
It’s the Ritz of the UK motorway service station world. Cobham services between junctions nine and 10 on the M25 has been ranked as the No1 service station in Britain, thanks to its impressive array of facilities, which includes a Nando’s and a launderette. Coming bottom of the ranking are two Todhills at the far … Read more
A stunning private island on the Norwegian coast has hit the market for £1.7million. The island, called Tjaereholmen, is set on 1.1 acres of land and is covered in lush green trees. And potential buyers don’t just get the land for the asking price but also a stunning four-bedroom property, too, which can sleep up … Read more
Boasting royal palaces, ancient monuments and beautiful countryside – visitors to the UK are spoiled for choice for sights to see. But it appears some tourists find the local rubbish bins equally mesmerising. That’s according to an online thread that is now chock-a-block with tales of visitors to the UK doing things that, in the … Read more
Holiday makers may soon be flying abroad on jets powered by scraps of wood, according to new research. A green fuel that converts plant waste from farm and timber harvests into aviation fuel has been developed by scientists. They say it could help combat climate change by reducing CO² emissions from aircraft and rockets. The … Read more
What do grizzly bears, galloping water buffalo and an Icelandic mountain have in common? They’re all subject matters in the Cewe annual ‘Photo Award’ competition. The photo book and online retailer has invited amateur and professional photographers from around the world to enter its contest and more than 175,000 entries have poured in so far. And some of … Read more
There can be few better holiday moments than the sight of one’s children screaming in terror as explosions light the air all around, followed by an evacuation sequence that brings to mind Saving Private Ryan. It had started tamely enough. While spending a week at the Vilanova Park campsite, about 30 miles south of Barcelona, … Read more