A return to Farol, Culatra and Faro (Oct 24)

A return to Farol, Culatra and Faro (Oct 24)

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

Scottish Highlands and Islands (Sept 24)

Scottish Highlands and Islands (Sept 24)

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

Helvellyn & Ullswater (Sept 24)

Helvellyn & Ullswater (Sept 24)

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

Isle of Purbeck (Sept 24)

Isle of Purbeck (Sept 24)

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

Cornouaille – Bretagne (Sept 24)

Cornouaille – Bretagne (Sept 24)

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

1066 county (Aug 24)

1066 county (Aug 24)

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

The Crab and Winkle way, Kent (July 24)

The Crab and Winkle way, Kent (July 24)

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

Tour des Pérics, Catalan Pyrénées – France (July 24)

Tour des Pérics, Catalan Pyrénées – France (July 24)

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

Virpazar – Montenegro (June 24)

Virpazar – Montenegro (June 24)

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

Es Castell, Menorca (May 24)

Es Castell, Menorca (May 24)

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

Parque Natural da Ria Formosa and Faro – Portugal (Apr 24)

Parque Natural da Ria Formosa and Faro – Portugal (Apr 24)

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

Morocco (Apr 24)

Morocco (Apr 24)

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

Kent, England (Mar 24)

Kent, England (Mar 24)

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

Prague, Czech Republic. (Mar 24)

Prague, Czech Republic. (Mar 24)

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

Vienna (March 24)

Vienna (March 24)

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

San Jose De Los Llanos – Tenerife (Mar 24)

San Jose De Los Llanos – Tenerife (Mar 24)

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

Gargellen (Feb 24)

Gargellen (Feb 24)

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

Anza (Jan 24)

Anza (Jan 24)

—- 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

The Dolomites – Italy (Jan 24)

The Dolomites – Italy (Jan 24)

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

Salisbury, Wiltshire, England (Nov 23)

Salisbury, Wiltshire, England (Nov 23)

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

Autumn in Hampshire, England (Oct 23)

Autumn in Hampshire, England (Oct 23)

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

Blue skies and hurricanes. Camping trip to Scotland and the North of England.  (Sept 23)

Blue skies and hurricanes. Camping trip to Scotland and the North of England.  (Sept 23)

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

Almería and Murcia Spain (Sept 23)

Almería and Murcia Spain (Sept 23)

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

South Downs National Park (Aug 23)

South Downs National Park (Aug 23)

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

Venice (Jun 23)

Venice (Jun 23)

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

Paris and northern France (June 23)

Paris and northern France (June 23)

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

Vietnam – travelling solo (May 23)

Vietnam – travelling solo (May 23)

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

Vietnam, meeting Fabrice.  Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon & Mekong river (Apr 23)

Vietnam, meeting Fabrice. Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon & Mekong river (Apr 23)

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

Boston, Massachusetts (Apr 23)

Boston, Massachusetts (Apr 23)

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

Austrian Getaway  (Feb 23)

Austrian Getaway (Feb 23)

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

A long weekend in NYC (Jan 23)

A long weekend in NYC (Jan 23)

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

Highland Hogmanay (Dec 22)

Highland Hogmanay (Dec 22)

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

Budapest, Hungary. (Nov 22)

Budapest, Hungary. (Nov 22)

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

Montenegro. (Oct 22)

Montenegro. (Oct 22)

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

Faro, Portugal. (Oct 22)

Faro, Portugal. (Oct 22)

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

Appalachia to New York City. (Sep 22)

Appalachia to New York City. (Sep 22)

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

The Great Lakes, USA and Canada. (Sep 22)

The Great Lakes, USA and Canada. (Sep 22)

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, Minnesota. (Sep 22)

Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Sep 22)

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

Bude, Cornwall, UK. (Aug 22)

Bude, Cornwall, UK. (Aug 22)

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

Bruges, Belguim. (Jun 22)

Bruges, Belguim. (Jun 22)

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

East Sussex, UK. (May 22)

East Sussex, UK. (May 22)

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

Lake District, England (Mar 22)

Lake District, England (Mar 22)

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

Ski, Aosta Valley, Italy. (Feb 22)

Ski, Aosta Valley, Italy. (Feb 22)

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

Morocco, Marrakech and Atlas Mountains. (Oct 21)

Morocco, Marrakech and Atlas Mountains. (Oct 21)

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

Sandwich, Kent. (Sep 21)

Sandwich, Kent. (Sep 21)

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

Dordogne and Burgundy regions France. (Sep 21)

Dordogne and Burgundy regions France. (Sep 21)

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

Wye Valley, Wales, UK. (Aug 21)

Wye Valley, Wales, UK. (Aug 21)

…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

Highlands and Islands of West Scotland. (Jul 21)

Highlands and Islands of West Scotland. (Jul 21)

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

Devon and Somerset UK. (Jul 21)

Devon and Somerset UK. (Jul 21)

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

The West Country, UK. (Jul 21)

The West Country, UK. (Jul 21)

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

Cornwall, UK. (Jul 21)

Cornwall, UK. (Jul 21)

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

Faversham, Kent. (May 21)

Faversham, Kent. (May 21)

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

Somerset, UK. (Apr 21)

Somerset, UK. (Apr 21)

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

Post Lockdown London, UK. (Apr 21)

Post Lockdown London, UK. (Apr 21)

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

Road trip Tuscany, Italy. (Sep 20)

Road trip Tuscany, Italy. (Sep 20)

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

Road trip, Amalfi Coast, Italy. (Sep 20)

Road trip, Amalfi Coast, Italy. (Sep 20)

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

Road Trip Rome, Italy. (Aug 20)

Road Trip Rome, Italy. (Aug 20)

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

Road Trip, Germany and Italian Lakes, Italy. (Aug 20)

Road Trip, Germany and Italian Lakes, Italy. (Aug 20)

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

Cornwall, England, UK (Jul 20)

Cornwall, England, UK (Jul 20)

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 Diaries (Mar – Jun 20)

Lockdown Diaries (Mar – Jun 20)

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

Montafon Ski (Feb 20)

Montafon Ski (Feb 20)

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

Cassis France (Oct 19)

Cassis France (Oct 19)

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

Mauritius (Sept 19)

Mauritius (Sept 19)

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

Europe Road Trip – France (Aug 19)

Europe Road Trip – France (Aug 19)

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

Pembroke Wales, UK (May 19)

Pembroke Wales, UK (May 19)

A lovely weekend in Pembrokeshire, Wales at Valley View Cottages with Clare and Chris. It’s everything I imagined it to be. Spent the day walking the coastal paths between various points starting a Mwnt, finishing at Ynys Lochtyn. Breathtaking scenery. Drank a few too many ….read more

Jersey (Mar 19)

Jersey (Mar 19)

A wonderful weekend in Jersey! Out of season, this British Isle is amazing. It is only a short 30 minute flight from Southampton and cheaper than a return train ticket to London. Amazing weather, superb restaurants, £1 notes, great local ales, daffodils everywhere and only ….read more

Ski Montafon (Feb 19)

Ski Montafon (Feb 19)

This little corner of Austria is not to be found in most British ski tour guides – so I am thankful to my Godmother for marrying a “local” and moving here back in the 1970’s, else I’d have probably never found it. What has made ….read more