Adventures, road trips, music & gigs.
BBQ night @ Martyn and Julie’s We’ve had a few abortive attempts to get together with these wonderful people, so nothing was going to get in the way of this weekend’s get-together. Not even a near-20-degree drop in the daytime temperature from last weekend, and ….read more
Surprisingly, I have never been to Cambridge so, when we were invited to a wedding in the nearby village of Longstowe, we thought we’d make a full weekend of it. And what a weekend it turned out to be! MADINGLEY HALL AND GARDENS As we ….read more
The travel hack we stumbled across a few years ago has brought us to Albania for £0 (flights and baggage). There is no mystery to this hack. If you’ve read any of our previous blogs, you’ll know exactly how we do it…. and if you haven’t, ….read more
Looking over towards Greenwich from our vantage point on the Isle of Dogs, we decided to head there for the evening after spending a day on the Wharf with Lofty, one of Emma’s good friends from Lancaster University. It was perfect weather for catching up ….read more
A short five-day trip to the southwest region of France. A beautiful corner of the country. I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to come to these places at the drop of a hat. However, I’ve got to be honest, the £17.99 flight made ….read more
Given I only had one empty page left in my passport (for entry and exit stamps) and it was fast approaching it’s expiry date, I thought it wise to get the thing changed before I fell foul of an airport official… So off to London’s ….read more
Turn right from our front door and, within ten minutes, we’re smack bang in the middle of phone-snatch central, or Croydon, as it’s also known locally. Stab vests optional! Ten minutes in the opposite direction and we’re wandering the green fields and wide-open spaces of ….read more
It’s my first time exploring this region with Emma. We shall be back! Four days is nowhere near enough time to do anything other than scratch the surface! DAIRY COTTAGE – BOYNTON HALL (NEAR BRIDLINGTON) Perched on the edge of the Boynton Hall estate is ….read more
We keep finding our way back here, the southernmost tip of mainland Portugal. There’s something reassuring about returning to a place you know like the back of your hand. Familiar, yes, but never dull. And when flights come in at a modest £27.50 each way ….read more
Great snow, quiet runs, and a few unexpected adventures along the way. Travel Snapshot Where: Les Arcs 1800 & La Plagne, French Alps Ski Area: Paradiski (one of the largest ski areas in Europe) Duration: 4 days Flights: Lyon – £30 each way (including baggage) ….read more
WOW, WOW, WOW. This trip was booked on a bit of a whim and without any firm plans, other than to arrive, explore and return. And why not? At under £21 per flight, it would have been rude not to… it turned out to be ….read more
This is the BIG 6-0 year for many in my school year – including Mark James! His wife, Jo, had arranged a surprise gathering for friends and family in the Pen and Pencil, a bar in the Northern Quarter. So Emma and I travelled up ….read more
January, and this corner of North Africa is bathed in warm sunshine, a far cry from the sub-zero temperatures of the Alps last weekend, or the grey dreariness back home. But that doesn’t stop the locals from wrapping up for winter. In contrast, we saunter ….read more
As long weekends on the slopes go – this was just about perfect. We booked a budget flight to Lyon for £35 per person per flight, hired a car and drove the 2.5 hours to the huge ski resort on Italian/French border known as ….read more
This was our first visit to this central region of the Austrian Alps, just a 90 minute drive south of Salzburg. Being so early in the season, a ski holiday was always going to be a bit of a gamble, but on balance it proved ….read more
We were both looking forward to this trip into Germany and its world renowned Christmas markets. The first place we found was a charming little village along the River Rhein, whilst the second was in the heart of Bavaria. We spent two days and two ….read more
Even at this time of year, when many coastal towns have shut up shop for the winter, it’s easy to see why Mallorca is so popular. It was my first visit here, so my expectations were shaped a little by social media: a mix of ….read more
I’ve been meaning to come here for a while, ever since Anne-Pierre, an ex-colleague, put this historical city on my radar. So when I saw a £16.99 flight on offer (each way), I just couldn’t resist. I booked my ticket, packed a travel bag, and ….read more
I’ve always wanted to visit this city but hadn’t got around to it… Why did I leave it so long? It’s an extraordinarily vibrant and bustling city, spanning both sides of the Bosphorus Strait. Unique in many ways: continental Europe on one side, Asia on ….read more
A lovely evening out with Emma, spending a voucher we’d bought for ourselves last year. When we first saw the offer, it looked far too good to be true, a five-course menu with a cocktail starter for just £22 each, rather than the usual £55. Yes, you read ….read more
We’ve just returned from an eight-day trip of two halves, offering two very different experiences. The first was a destination that’s become something of a regular bolt-hole for us, the quaint old town of Faro. Here we took time to relax during the day on ….read more
With my 60th birthday looming large, and the English summer fast disappearing, we decided to squeeze in a weekend doing what we love best – a spot of camping. Our destination, a corner of a small field in Dorset. Well, specifically, a field in Myncen ….read more
Despite it being September, the heat still hit us like a blast furnace the moment the aircraft doors opened. It was Emma’s first time in this region of Türkiye, and I was eager to show her the sights, sounds, and flavours of the Dalyan region ….read more
With Hannah moving from her temporary digs in Withington to my sister’s place in nearby Stockport, we headed north to Manchester to lend a hand. For various reasons, both our cars had ended up in Southampton at the start of the trip, and both needed ….read more
A road trip spent with old and new friends Eight nights away, six different locations, visiting five counties in southern England. Gorgeous sunsets, wonderful catch-ups, and far too much wine! The initial catalyst for the trip was simple: pick up some house keys for one ….read more
The main reason for this post isn’t to gush about what was an absolutely fabulous night out with my cousin Eve and her husband Graham, though it really was. It’s to say that they live in one of the most gorgeous corners of Essex, just ….read more
A lovely short trip to Barton on Sea to visit my parents at their home on the south coast. We arrived without much notice, but as ever, were warmly welcomed and spent the afternoon in the garden catching up. Before sunset we headed up the ….read more
Strike while the iron’s hot, or in this case – the weather! We noticed that the recent UK heatwave was heading steadily northward, which meant that my favourite wild-camping spot (overlooking the Inner Hebridean “Small Isles” of Eigg, Rum and Muck ) was going to ….read more
With temperatures well into the upper 20s we headed for one of my favourite English towns – Rye. This is a very special place – England at its very best. So much history here, with this small coastal town forming part of the original confederation ….read more
OMG. This has been the most spectacular and unexpected find. A last minute cheap flight, and ridiculously great value accommodation brought me to the gorgeous riverside village of Dalyan for a few days. It was a reconnaissance mission to establish if this is worth coming ….read more
On the way back from Wales we stopped over at a small campsite on the outskirts of Bath. We headed to the city centre via the park and ride for a few hours before driving cross country for to visit my eldest daughter Lauren. Being ….read more
A trip with my parents. The last time I visited South Wales with my parents was back in the late 1970s, when I was just a child. On that occasion, we stayed in a caravan, and it rained solidly for an entire week. Not this ….read more
The second half of our Menorca excursion — and the main reason for the trip — took us to the eastern side of the island to meet up with Emma’s old university friends, the Lancaster Crew. The eight of us who came last year returned ….read more
The tiny city of Ciutadella is located on the western edge of the island of Menorca, it oozes old school charm. This was our first port of call during an eight day trip to the island. I came to Menorca for the first time last ….read more
It makes a pleasant change to spend some quality time back home, especially with the weather improving. I had planned a few camping trips, but with my car conking out on the way back from Anglesey, it meant that was completely out of the question. So ….read more
Menai straights and Beaumaris . This trip to Anglesey (Ynys Môn), in North Wales (Cymru), brought us to an isolated Manor House called Henllys, a few miles from the Menai Bridge, tucked away in the hills above the quaint little village of Beaumaris We checked ….read more
A supersaver, “two together” railcard ticket took us to Stockport/Manchester for £30. When we got there, we were collected and hosted by my sister, Sandra, and her husband, Paul, who looked after us for the weekend. Wall to wall sunshine and relatively warm temperatures meant ….read more
I really wasn’t sure what to expect when we booked this trip to Kraków; on the one hand it has all of the wonderful sights stunning architecture and vibrant night life I expected whilst, on the other, it is alarmingly close to the epicentre of ….read more
A few months ago an old friend, Tony, got in touch to say he’s coming back to the UK for a few weeks and fancied a wee trip ‘up north’, possibly encompassing Scotland and the English Lakes. So Cumbria, The Trossachs, Glencoe, Isle of Skye ….read more
A short trip designed to introduce Natty to the culture, sights, sounds and tastes of Morocco. Outside of skiing, it was the first with just the two of us for a few years. We visited two famous cities on this trip, with my favourite, ‘Essaouira’ ….read more
Sunrises on an empty beach, sunsets at our favourite bar and lazy days in between. This little stretch of the North African coast is ideal for a short break. This was a great escape from the January cold back home. It was also a great counter ….read more
Four days into the New Year and a fantastic ski trip involving most of our kids, my sister, their partners and friends. Thirteen in total. We arrived just about in time to catch the Christmas market in the village before it closed on 12th night. It ….read more
At the end of the 433 bus route, and only a few hundred yards from ‘Riff Raffs’, is a shopping precinct which sums up this corner of Croydon. For well over a decade, town planners and property developers have seriously screwed things up. Brexit and ….read more
Final journey of the year and a four night budget trip to Morocco. Taghazout We spent the first day acclimatising, wandering the beaches and enjoying the winter sun. We traveled here via WizzAir again, on a flight sold at silly prices (details in hints and ….read more
With Emma being busy on back to back weekends, I grabbed the chance to head back to the beautiful North African country of Morocco for ten days. What’s not to love about this place? The people, food, weather, beaches, waves, blue skies, temperatures, value and ….read more
I’m not normally one for returning to the same place time and time again, but I’m happy to make an exception for this little corner of the planet, especially for a weekend. This is our third visit here in relatively short succession. We’ve always come ….read more
The old coast road between Arisaig and Mallaig is one of my favourite ‘go-to’ places to relax and enjoy nature at its very best. It’s a really special place. I found it a few years ago on the recommendation of some bikers I got chatting ….read more
The last time I attempted Helvellyn it was two years ago, I was with Emma, and we were unable to reach the peak given the appalling conditions (ice, snow, gale force winds). We did the sensible thing and turned back about 400m from the summit. It’s ….read more
We thought we’d add this to our travel-blog, although strictly speaking this wasn’t a destination we’d chosen to travel per-se, as the main purpose for the trip here was to celebrate the wedding of a couple of Emma’s long standing friends. However, the surrounding area ….read more
Being only 150 miles south of Cornwall this place is so incredibly close, yet surprisingly, given how often I travel to France, this is my first time here. We stayed in the south west region of Brittany, a village called Plogastel-Saint-Germain, in the historic region ….read more
Our second camping trip of the year found us back at a place we’d visited in the Spring of ‘22 near Battle in East Sussex. The campsite is really quaint, stuck in the middle of nowhere, but close enough to Crowhurst mainline train station to avoid ….read more
Our first proper camping trip of the year coincided with this little corner of southern England experiencing some hot sunny days and warm sticky nights. We arrived at “Fleets Paddock” our campsite for the weekend with plenty of time to set up the bell tent ….read more
As soon as Fabrice told me he was heading over from Vietnam in order to spend some time in Brussels & Europe, that was my cue to book a Eurotunnel crossing and arrange to meet up to do something, somewhere. No idea what or where! ….read more
How on earth do you start to describe a place like this? Words and pictures hardly do it justice. I had wanted to show Emma the wonders of Montenegro ever since my cycling trip here two years ago. So I booked a quiet lakeside apartment ….read more
Now I don’t know what the correct collective noun is…. but Imagine an elegance of Marks and Spencer shoppers had ambled onto an aircraft… well that’s what an Airbus to Mahón, Menorca looks like. A collection of well dressed, well spoken individuals from middle England (‘twas a ….read more
We really REALLY love it here, it ticks all the boxes! On the islands of the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa we walked for hours along the golden sands without seeing a single soul… it felt like we had stumbled onto our own little corner ….read more
A trip full of contrasts, hidden treasures and surprises. We top and tailed a hiking trip to the High Atlas Mountains with visits either side to Marrakech and since we needed clothes for all seasons (+36° and -8°) we took hold baggage for the first ….read more
A weekend away in a country house at Sibton Park, Kent. This HPB location is tucked away in the countryside and ideally located to explore the many historic castles and villages of the area. We booked it a while ago in order to give Doreen, ….read more
I didn’t believe for a split second that somewhere else could compete against my last trip so soon…. but then I didn’t reckon on Prague. Stunning! OK, I got lucky with the weather which was as picture-perfect as it could be when I arrived with ….read more
Wow. Just Wow. Now if I’m being completely honest, Vienna wasn’t on my list of cities to visit, but now I’ve been here I can’t quite fathom out why… and mores the point, why Vienna isn’t raved about by more people and more often. It ….read more
Several years have passed since my last trip here, an island I had spent so much time visiting in a previous life.Returning to a place that holds so many memories was a little daunting at first, but I needn’t have worried, it turned out to ….read more
We are back in Gargellen, a picture postcard Austrian village, the jewel in the crown of the Montafon valley and just a stones throw away from the Swiss border. This place is almost always above the snow line and this year being no exception, and as ….read more
—- Introduction to Anza —- I really didn’t know what to expect about this place, so I came here with a completely open mind… …it blew me away! Anza, is about 30km from Agadir in the southern half of Morocco. It’s one of those ….read more
With the temperature range between -1°C and -17°C the snow that had settled on the day of our arrival stayed around all week, creating near perfect conditions for the rest of our stay, especially when the sun came out after the second day. We stayed at ….read more
With summer well and truly over and Christmas fast approaching, we saved a date in the diary for a gathering of our six kids and their partners, in an AirBnB, in the city centre of Salisbury. With no particular plans other than to meet up, ….read more
We don’t often get to spend time exploring the local area, so during October we thought we’d not travel too far, but explore some of the local villages and towns close to my Southampton home. Hampshire is a beautiful county of England, and much overlooked. ….read more
A last minute trip to visit an old friend in Scotland ended up taking me on a detour via the Lake District, Northumberland and Scottish Borders. The weather played a big part in most decisions which is why I ended up zig zagging across northern ….read more
We spent the week exploring the remote and unspoilt eastern corners of Andalusia and its neighbouring region, Murcia. This part of Spain has much to offer, from its Moorish influence and Roman ruins to its mountains ranges and beautiful beaches, which rival any in the ….read more
A few weeks ago I found myself travelling along the B2139 through England’s newest National Park for work. The scenery was so stunning that I took note of the location and made a promise to myself to come back and explore. Well, with the weather ….read more
With no plans or fixed agenda, we took our time exploring the hidden corners of Venice (including Lido-Pellestrina, the beaches of Punta Sabbioni, and the islands of Burano and Murano). Our base for the week was a small one bedroom apartment in the centre of ….read more
This short four day trip saw us head for Paris via the stunning town of Arras, where we stopped a couple of hours for a late morning coffee and brunch. Arras is only an hour south of Calais and so was ideal for a leisurely ….read more
After a fabulous trip to the Mekong, I left Fabrice behind in his home in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and headed north for the final phase of my Vietnam trip. I was travelling on a standard 1 month tourist visa entering Vietnam via HCMC ….read more
When Fabrice told me he was heading out to work in Vietnam I knew it was only a matter of time before I ended up over here. Sure enough, after consuming a few pints of Belgium beer with him last year I promised to pop over. ….read more
A short off-season break to New England and the historic city of Boston, Massachusetts. It’s my first visit here and wow, somewhere I’d definitely recommend for a short break! We were joined by Hannah who flew in from Minneapolis along with Ben, who came by ….read more
Of all the Alpine villages of this region, this has to be one of my favourites. At the top of a valley half way up the Montafon you’ll find Gargellen. This tiny picture-post-card village sits above the snow line at this time of the year ….read more
I love this place! Every neighbourhood of the city has a completely different vibe; from the calmness of the parks, to the buzz of Broadway and Times Square, or the bohemian nature of Hells Kitchen and Greenwich Village, and that’s just a handful of locations ….read more
What better way to spend Hogmanay than with a ceilidh in a Gothic/Baronial style castle by the side of a Loch, in the Highlands of Scotland? It was bitterly cold with snow still on the ground when we arrived at Tigh Mor, the log fire ….read more
Another budget flight took us to the twin city of Budapest where some of our best finds came about by complete accident, like walking into a bar on the Buda side of the Danube river and finding a group of locals singing Hungarian revolutionary folk ….read more
Within minutes of arriving in Montenegro I just knew this would be an experience I wouldn’t forget. My landlady at my accommodation explained that she came here from Lichtenstein back in the 1980s when Montenegro was part of the Soviet Union’s Yugoslavia. She married a ….read more
A last minute birthday weekend in the Algarve, courtesy of a crazily low priced (hand luggage only) flight to Faro! The first morning took us across the Ria Formosa lagoon to the empty beaches and turquoise waters of the Península do Ancão. The final stop ….read more
The final leg – Appalachian mountains to New York. Summary: For the last week of our trip we swapped the peace & tranquility of the Great Lakes and wilderness of the north for the noise and vibrancy of New York City. We travelled across four ….read more
Second leg – Road trip around the Great Lakes of Northern USA and Canada. Breathtaking views, unspoilt wilderness, endless expanse of forests, wide open roads, crystal clear waters, huge freshwater “seas”, long sandy beaches, deep blue skies and crazy temperatures. We headed for the remote ….read more
Minneapolis is a destination that wasn’t on my radar of places to visit, smack bang in the middle of nowhere! So had it not been for Hannah (Emma’s daughter) completing her degree at the University of Minnesota, I doubt I’d have ever visited this city ….read more
A busy few days, starting at an idyllic sandy beach in Cornwall, a few miles south of the popular beach of Bude. The sea, tide and weather conditions were just perfect for a morning and evening kayak along the coast from our base with some ….read more
We’ve just spent a few days exploring a little slice of Belgium and the Netherlands from our base in Bruges. What a fantastic part of the world! The beaches just across the border in Cadzand were pristine with some great beach bars and restaurants hidden ….read more
Spent the week exploring the East Sussex coastline from our base at a campsite hidden away in the rolling hills and forests near the village of Crowhurst. Over the five days we visited Battle, Bodiam, Hastings, Rye and Eastbourne, explored castles and historic buildings, walked ….read more
A few days away with some spectacular scenery in and around Ullswater in the Lake District. The trekking started on Sunday when we broke off from our cycle ride from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding and headed up to Gowbarrow Fell via the waterfalls at Aira ….read more
Undeterred by our aborted Ski trip to Austria (on account of Covid entry rules for youths) Natty and I decided to travel by car to Italy where the entry rules are a lot less restrictive. Our accommodation was quirky to say the least, an old ….read more
Step 1 London Bridge to Tower of London. Walk along the river past HMS Belfast and walk across tower bridge. Once at the other side of the river wander the Tower of London site for photos. If you have time there is a footpath along ….read more
I woke to witness the most astonishing display of stars at 03:30, just ahead of a three hour ascent to the summit of mount Toubkal, north Africa’s highest peak. Only a handful of others were on the mountain at this time, all with the same ….read more
Just the two of us, on a near empty beach, exploring the many ancient shipwrecks exposed by this week’s spring tide at Sandwich bay. This part of Kent is a beautiful part of the world and a nice way to extend the holiday feeling earlier ….read more
We have just spent the last two weeks exploring southwest France 🇫🇷.Our destination, a roomy Gîte (HPB site) just north of the Dordogne river, near the village of St-Felix-de-Villadeix, was closer both in time and distance than the area I visited in the highlands of ….read more
…a cracking weekend with the kids (I include myself in that description) exploring the Wye Valley during the daytime and playing games back at the campsite well into the night.Hardly a phone signal here, let alone 4g, so a great place to check out and ….read more
Hiking, biking, kayaking and camping in the Highlands and Islands of west Scotland. No Emma this trip 😞 just me.I had to pinch myself at times to remind myself that this is only a car journey away and not a long haul flight to some ….read more
After the wonderful family weekend just passed, and with great weather forecast, Emma and I continued the fun from our base in the Southwest. We fitted in some cycling in Exmoor, kayaking in Salcombe and hill walking above Porlock Weir. We found breathtaking scenery, discovered ….read more
Some weekends stand out, and this has been one! No real plans going into it, and nothing but great memories coming out. Started off by watching the sunrise at Stonehenge, which meant a 4am start – it was magical! Then a cycle around the Wiltshire ….read more
After the weekend of rain, a short mid-week break in the sun. We headed west! A stop over in the cottage in Somerset followed by a jaunt to my favourite coastline. Lucked out with the weather, and the sea conditions. They almost mirrored the time ….read more
As long weekends go, this was just about perfect! Emma and I headed off to explore the area around Faversham Creek, Sandwich and its nearby Bay. Camping of course. Lots of outdoor exercise and al fresco eating. The local Kent scenery is simply jaw dropping ….read more
We decided to take advantage of the amazing weather and head off to the cottage in Somerset for a quiet but active weekend. I know I’m so lucky to have this on my doorstep, but I still pinch myself on occasions as this region is ….read more
Taking advantage of the empty streets, we took a few lockdown walks and cycles. Starting off at Blackheath Common (where you can park the car for free nearby), cycle to Isle of Dogs via Greenwich pedestrian tunnel, then onto tower bridge and into tourist central. ….read more
We checked into a delightful Tuscan vineyard for two nights on our route back to northern Italy.Sited midway between Sienna and Florence adjacent to the local hill top village of Radda in Chianti, this charming place is steeped in history, beauty and scenery! Point the ….read more
We found the unspoilt Mediterranean beaches we were seeking. The first near Conca dei Marini. It invited us in for a welcome swim after a hot and lengthy trek down the coastal path. ‘Twas sheer bliss and for most of the time we were the ….read more
So the second leg of our socially distanced mystery tour of Europe (well at least of those countries with a lower rate than the U.K.) brought us to Rome.Yes Rome! And no… I can’t find another British car anywhere. No one mad enough I hear ….read more
With COVID-19, neither of us wanted to fly anywhere for our summer break, especially with the quarantine rules on return and the chances of being left stranded. But with the weather back home looking bleak we decided on a last minute tour of countries with ….read more
With our choice of holiday destination somewhat limited this year (Covid), Natty and I decided to explore the English coast instead of our usual trip to Europe, and we are so glad we did. We headed for Porthcurno and the nearby coastline. We found a ….read more
Lockdown diary #1 – MARCH 29th 2020 A weekend for taking stock and preparing for the months ahead. Like many of us, I spent time in the garden doing the things that needed to be done after a long, dark and wet winter… And of ….read more
It’s been another amazing blast with Natty in the Montafon region of Austria. This year we were joined by Emma, her first time skiing for 23 years! Conditions could not have been better with two fantastic fresh powder days and lots of sunshine in between. ….read more
I paid a fleeting visit here in August with Natty and Django on our annual tour de Europe. It was no where near long enough! I made a promise to return. So here I am again, this time with Emma, soaking up the last of ….read more
I really don’t know where to start to describe what is almost certainly one of the best holiday we’ve both had in our lives. Swimming with a huge pod of wild dolphins with Emma in the middle of the Indian ocean with no other people ….read more
It’s about this time of year that Natty and I head off on our European tour. Last year was magical. We had no idea where we were going then, much the same as now. This year has started off even better. The rough plan “was” ….read more