It's December. The air temperature is 6°C and the water is about 10°C. I'm swimming in the sea under a clear blue sky, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face. Although the cold water stings my legs and arms, being in the sea is bliss. It's invigorating and...
Earlier this year I started swimming with a local group of cold water swimmers known as the Bluetits. I’m hooked! But what are the benefits (and risks) of cold water swimming?
As I pass one picturesque wooden chalet after another, each one overflowing with red geraniums, I feel as if I’ve been transported into the pages of a fairy-tale picture book. Alpbach is said to be the prettiest village in Austria but, as I discovered on a recent trip...
Dramatic coastal walks, never-ending sandy beaches, fabulous food and wine, friendly locals, historic towns and villages, not to mention reasonable prices, it's small wonder that Portugal, and in particular the Algarve, is a favourite holiday destination with us...
Exploring Ispica, Sicily, one of the stunning late Baroque towns in the Val di Noto and home to the beautiful frescos of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.
Famous department stores decorated in festive bling, twinkling lights draped above the streets as bright red double-decker buses pass by and sparkling Christmas trees of every size are plentiful. Wine is mulling, chestnuts are roasting and a rosy-cheeked, white-bearded Santa seems to be everywhere at once — how does he do that? — there really is no place like London at Christmas.
This wonderful West African country is a fascinating place to explore with golden sandy beaches, year-round hot weather, colourful culture and friendly English speaking locals. Here’s my guide of the best things to do, plus my tips for how to get around, what to pack and more.
As a small herd of donkeys cross the road in front of us we stop the car. I wind down my window and as the group wanders by, one sticks it head in to say hello. We’re nose-to-nose. He’s completely unfazed by our giggling and cooing but soon moves on when he realises...
From translating Japanese menus to using public transport, never blowing your nose in public to navigating your way around a high-tech toilet, here are 37 top tips that I’m sure will be invaluable to anyone travelling to Japan for the first time.
From artisan gelato to fresh homemade pasta, Italian cuisine is renowned the world over, but beyond the pizza, pasta, and ice cream, there’s a never-ending gastronomic journey to discover including superb cheeses, succulent roasts and legendary desserts. Here’s my top ten favourite things to eat in Italy.
Travel from grey London to the villages of the quintessentially English countryside on The Cotswolds Mystery Tour, and prepare to be enchanted.
Seaweed, green tea and treacle bread; chocolate, cider and gin – what more could you want? I tasted all of these and more on a glorious Belfast Food Tour.
The food in Aruba caught me a little by surprise. It wasn't simply good, it was superb, with a wide range of cultural influences. I was lucky enough to be there in October when the island celebrates 'Eat Local Aruba Restaurant Month' and many places had additional...
From its stunning Victorian pier and art deco bandstand to the cosmopolitan marina complex, an award winning contemporary art gallery or fabulous cliff top walks, there’s no end of things to see and do in Eastbourne.
From the magnificent Titanic Experience to fabulous traditional live music and some seriously good food, beer, whiskey and of course Guinness, there are plenty of reasons to visit Belfast, one of my favourite European cities.
Christmas markets a plenty, department stores dripping in festive bling and avenues of trees sparkling with fairy lights – these images and more swam in my head as I boarded the Eurostar train at St Pancras Station in London. A little more than two hours later I was in Paris. Why? To photograph the City of Lights at Christmas.
For many years I had dreamed of going to Santorini, from what I had seen it seemed like the most photogenic island in the world. I too wanted to capture iconic 'picture postcard' images of Santorini, the kind that would look at home in a travel magazine or the glossy...
Sitting on a log in the dappled sunshine I catch a glimpse of rust dashing passed out the corner of my eye. The next moment he’s right there beside me, just a foot or so away. It’s such a joy to finally see one of the many red squirrels that Brownsea Island is famous for.
Glamping by Lake Bled at the foot of the Julian Alps, in cosy wooden huts, each with their own hot tub. The perfect setting for a romantic break for two and my favourite place to stay in Slovenia.
Giant waffles, served with bacon, berries and lashings of maple syrup. Just the thought of it now has me nearly dribbling over my laptop (sorry). Sadly I had food envy as my eggs faded in comparison to the delight on a plate that my fellow blogger was devouring. A week of eating like this though would really flummox my fight against the pounds. The food in Canada, however, was so very good throughout that the battle was lost before it had begun. And I indulged… a lot.
