High Cup Nick is a famous and dramatic geological formation in the Pennines of the Eden Valley, Cumbria. A classic, virtually perfect deep U-shaped chasm that cuts into the Whin Sill at High Cup Gill.... | Continue reading
The Crown Prince squash has to be one of the most special looking squash available especially in Autumn! It’s ghostly pastel green skin looks so unusual compared to it’s own bolder squash cousins, yes the... | Continue reading
Lancashire is packed with many lowland walks that are great for dog lovers. This 8 mile circular walk is one of them and it follows 3 stretches of waterway. The Glasson Spur of the Lancaster... | Continue reading
Air fryer roast potatoes are a quick and easy addition to a dinner, they turn out perfectly cooked and crispy. Using an air fryer is a much more energy efficient way of cooking than a... | Continue reading
This crustless spinach and cheese pie is a delicious and satisfying go-to meal. It’s especially nice when coming home from a cold, but good long walk in the outdoors. Warm, cheesy goodness mixed with spinach and the flavours of onion and garlic make for a gorgeous warm pie dish w … | Continue reading
The Marquess of Exeter is a Grade II listed building which dates to the early 17th century. This thatched roof beauty sits in the historic village of Lyddington in Rutland. Krishnapal Negi and his business partner recently took ownership of this pretty country pub and introduced … | Continue reading
Taking dogs on holiday can be amazing. It can enhance your adventure and help make even more memories. I absolutely love bringing my dogs with me when I am away teaching. They get to see, sniff and run in different places across the UK. Plus I get a companion to share the memori … | Continue reading
Kolmanskop is a ghost town in Namibia, inundated by rolling banks of sand, in the middle of a region known as “The forbidden zone”. Within a timeline of 40 years, this town was created, flourished and was left deserted – perhaps diamonds are not forever? This little town in the d … | Continue reading
My love affair with hollandaise sauce began the first time I had Eggs Benedict as a child. The ingredients of the dish aren’t complicated, but the rich golden sauce that topped them? Now that seemed fancy. Turns out hollandaise sauce is actually very easy to make. Hollandaise sau … | Continue reading
Pumpkins often fill our shops in Halloween but this simple soup recipe is great all year round. Pumpkins are low calorie, filled with vitamins and antioxidants, that can boost your immune system and promote good heart and skin health. You can substitute half of the pumpkin with a … | Continue reading
We hadn’t been to Mount Ephraim in Kent for a few years and I was reminded just how beautiful the gardens were by Julie Wassmer when she was researching her new book in the Whitstable Pearl Mystery series called “Murder at Mount Ephraim”. It was a beautifully sunny day so we hea … | Continue reading
Overlooking the Solway Coast, Balcary Cliffs look spectacular in every season. A walk along these clifftops is exhilarating and provides incredible views that are not easily forgotten. Beginning and ending at Balcary Bay, near Auchencairn Village, you can enjoy the variety that t … | Continue reading
Cabrillo National Monument is located In California, at the southern end of a peninsula that wraps around the San Diego Bay’s entrance. From this stunning location on Point Loma, sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, the city of San Diego, Coronado Island, and the South Coronado … | Continue reading
Castle Creavie Farm is one of the most special places I have ever stayed. The Galloway area is too often overlooked as a destination but I can honestly say that for me it is one of the most beautiful parts of Scotland. Remote and away from it all, yet with so much to see and... | Continue reading
A few years ago, I came across a list of the Top 500 peaks in the British Isles, it not only listed the top 500 summits but also included the “non-qualifying” Munros (A Munro is a peak higher than 3000 feet). To qualify as a standalone peak, the drop between the peaks must be gre … | Continue reading
One of the most wonderful aspects of travel is the opportunity to experience the variety of people and places we encounter along our journeys. For me, that absolutely includes the accommodations we stay in. Rustic, contemporary, historic, or eclectic, each offers something unique … | Continue reading
The Brimstone Luxury Hotel and Spa is nestled in the Langdale Valley of the Lake District. I have often passed it on my way to the glorious walks in the area and had heard many great things about it. When the opportunity to stay there came up of course I jumped at the chance. I.. … | Continue reading
If you are in the mood for some island hopping adventures, with soft white sand, deserted beaches, scenery to blow your socks off and miles of smiles guaranteed, you really can’t do much better than head to the Isles of Scilly. With 5 inhabited islands to choose from; St Mary’s, … | Continue reading
Helm Crag in the Lake District, Cumbria, is one of the most prominent and recognisable peaks yet is actually quite small in stature when compared to other summits in the Central Fells. If you have driven north to Grasmere on the A591 then you may well have noticed Helm Crag. It r … | Continue reading
Anyone who knows me knows how much I adore the Lake District. I fell in love with Grasmere after my first trip to the village on a whirlwind day trip that included a hike up The Old Man of Coniston and ended with a touristic stop by Wordsworth’s grave and the Grasmere Gingerbread … | Continue reading
This is a simple recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds, it is a tasty treat with a wide variety of flavour choices. They can be spicy and hot or kept simple, it is a matter of personal taste. Making this pumpkin seed recipe is quick and easy and if you are already heating up the oven. … | Continue reading
Pulling into the car park for Storrs Hall on the beautiful shores of Lake Windermere I knew I was in for something special. I hadn’t quite expected what I found in the building or on the 17-acre grounds, however. Here was a genius combination of historic elegance along with moder … | Continue reading
Autumn is my favourite time of year to visit two of Berlin’s most popular lakes: Schlachtensee and Krumme Lanke. The other seasons have their charms of course, but by early October the days are still warm, the foliage is changing into vibrant hues of amber and gold, and there is … | Continue reading
The colour-changing ability of chameleons has always intrigued me – how cool would life be if I could blend into my surroundings, camouflage myself just like a chameleon can. It would certainly help to escape from awkward situations or boring (read *meetings*) more easily! Contra … | Continue reading
The RUGD Power Brick has become one of the first things I pack into my rucksack as I head into the great outdoors. Even more so when I am away camping. Being away from a charging point when you need to use your smartphone or smartwatch can be a worry, especially if using apps for … | Continue reading
We’d been to the Aisled Barn in Littlebourne, Canterbury, Kent, lots of times for summer and Christmas fayres and also art shows, but I’d never really looked around the empty barn to see how it was built and to discover the history of this magnificent barn. I met up with Irene Ta … | Continue reading
Chicken breast stuffed with mozzarella and wrapped into a parcel with bacon. This makes a juicy, cheesy and flavoursome main to go with your side of choice. My own favourite side dish for this chicken delight is to go even more cheesy with Keto Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese. Bu … | Continue reading
Where does trekking end and mountaineering begin? I don’t know if there is definitive answer to this question, but I would suggest that it can be found somewhere on the way to the top of Mera Peak in Nepal. Roped together and kitted up on the 6476 metre (21,247 feet) summit of M … | Continue reading
When autumn strikes, so too does my craving for all things pumpkin. Truth be told, however, this recipe is delicious the whole year through. With its rusty pumpkin hue, warm blend of spices, and – my personal favourite – topping of cream cheese icing, these keto pumpkin chaffles … | Continue reading
Whitstable Harbour Gin was launched In July 2021, by the landlord Darren Wilton and Justine Setterfield from The Old Neptune pub in Whitstable. I’d heard how good it was and I love to shop local to help support our local businesses, so I wanted to find out for myself what it was … | Continue reading
The Library of Congress, the National Library of the United States, is situated in the Thomas Jefferson Building on Capitol Hill. I had spent the morning doing a tour of the US Capitol itself so with the library being just across the road it was perfect timing for me to head over … | Continue reading
Eating well is an important part of our daily lives, but especially when participating in a sport, such as hiking. If you’re going on a short walk and have no special dietary concerns, you can eat just about anything–within reason of course–and still fare well. If you’re heading … | Continue reading
The Old Man of Coniston, standing at 803 metres (2,635 feet), is a mountain that has given me so many wonderful memories over the years. Firstly it is where it all began for me. My dad had me, my mum and brother going up many a hill or on long hikes as kids, but as... | Continue reading
This lovely hot dish tastes just like its namesake but without all the work. It’s a delicious main course and great for family dinners. Just don’t be surprised if you want to keep it all for yourself! Chicken Cordon Bleu gets its name from the French term, meaning ‘blue ribbon,’ … | Continue reading
A delicious recipe for beetroot and surprisingly easy to make, and who doesn’t like a simple recipe for delicious food. This beetroot chutney is great for pairing with roast vegetables and tastes equally delicious with pork pie, cheeses, including grilled halloumi and cold cut me … | Continue reading
I’ve long been a fan of Coolmax socks for everyday wear with my trainers. They’re one of the only things I’ve found that consistently keep my feet dry and comfortable in warm, humid conditions. Coolmax is a pretty fantastic fabric made of polyester fibres. This gives Coolmax fab … | Continue reading
I would call myself a hiker. I am most at home in the mountains; I feel totally comfortable in myself when I put on my boots and head out. But if there’s one thing that living a stone’s throw from Snowdonia National Park has taught me, it’s that kids can absolutely be hikers too! … | Continue reading
Don’t know about you, but when I’m planning the perfect Cornish getaway, gingerly drawing up a wishlist, there are certain boxes that just have to be ticked. Sun, sea and sand, obviously. Cream teas and pasties, naturally. Stunning scenery, views to set your pulse racing and, ine … | Continue reading
It’s something of a never ending quest of mine to create healthy, high protein, delicious low carb and keto recipes using ingredients I’ve got around the house. With this in mind, I’ve developed this Turkey Mince Taco Bowl. This recipe is one of my favourites for a few reasons. F … | Continue reading
Anyone who has spent time in Africa is familiar with the striking silhouette of the Baobab tree. It is easily recognisable by its enormous trunk and strangely thin stems, looking like it has been planted upside down with its root-like appearance. They can live up to 5000 years ol … | Continue reading
The walk around Langsett Reservoir, South Yorkshire, is a great walk for all standards. It has the variety in a walk that many seek, from woodland to open moors. And the views up onto the higher moors are fantastic. There is a chance to explore quirky history too, for example wal … | Continue reading
I’d seen the promotional photos for this afternoon tea and I absolutely loved the idea of having it all served in a wooden boat. I do love novelty things and all things nautical so this really appealed to me. I asked my Mother in Law, Irene, if she would like to come with me as.. … | Continue reading
This quick and easy Low Carb Mediterranean Egg Scramble is something I created when I was looking for a way to get more protein, healthy fats, and veggies into my diet. It’s a tasty, one dish meal that I never tire of and uses a few staple ingredients I always have in my kitchen. … | Continue reading
There is so much to see and do in the New Forest that those visiting for the first time might not know where to start. There are free roaming animals including ponies, donkeys, cattle and pigs; there are wild deer in the woodlands, there are amazingly tall trees and there are ha … | Continue reading
There are some birds that really know how to stand out from the crowd and for me, there is one seabird that frequents our British coastline that takes the crown, the gannet. I have wanted to see a gannet for some time, so I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see some at RSPB Bempto … | Continue reading
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC, is surely one of the most recognisable buildings in the world. It is not just a monument to Democracy but also a place of work where the government’s legislative branch sits and makes important decision that not only affect America but … | Continue reading
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a form of depression most commonly brought on by a change in seasons, usually as we transition from autumn to winter. It’s especially prolific in parts of the world that are generally cloudy, or located farther north or south of the equator. A … | Continue reading
I have spent a number of years up in East Africa, specifically Kenya and Tanzania which is where I am currently working and travelling around. As Tanzania’s national animal is the Giraffe – Twiga in swahili – I thought I would share some of the interesting things about our talles … | Continue reading