“On a dark night, the ghosts emerge to fright”. That’s what people say about Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, dubbed England’s “most haunted”. The notorious reputation of the castle has grown over the years with sightings of ghosts, unexplained apparitions and paranormal activity. Earlier this year, I embarked on […]
Sometimes you stumble upon something bizarre, beautiful and baffling on your travels, close to your own home. On a recent walk through Northumberland Park in North Shields, I was surprised to discover a historic pet cemetery tucked away in a quiet corner of the Victorian park. Struck by […]
Sailing on a Tall Ship on the high seas is right up there with the greatest travel adventures in the world. When I was offered the chance to join a historic ship, I leapt at the opportunity. My journey would be on the Williams II, an impressive vessel […]
Discover 10 reasons why Beamish open air museum is one of the best tourist day trips in Britain.
Staithes is a perfect ‘picture postcard’ village with its higgledy-piggledy streets and alleyways which plunge dramatically down a steep bank to its harbour and the wind-battered Yorkshire coast. The village has changed little since the 1800s when it was home to a fleet of fishing boats known as […]
Five huge billboards have popped up around Killhope in Weardale, rather like the three billboards made famous in the Oscar nominated movie. But these aren’t protests or advertisements, they’re part of an art project reflecting the landscape and history of this former mining area. In the 18th and […]
Nothing is quite what it seems at Cheeseburn… from the moment you stroll into the gardens of this beautiful Northumberland country house. There’s a surprise around every corner. Expect the unexpected wherever you venture – from the lush manicured lawns to the potting shed, and even the old […]
North Shields is the town where I started my first job 30 years ago… it seems like the Stone Age when I look back. Back then, much of North Shields’ waterfront was derelict or rotting away and the town was looking grim. Since then, there has been a […]
Fancy a trip around the islands of Venice on your own boat? What could be better than messing around in a motor boat, acting like George and Amal Clooney on their Italian holiday? Just one snag… how to drive the boat. I’m sure that the Clooneys had a private […]
When I told friends that I was going to Skye for a week’s holiday, they warned me that rain, hail or thick fog would descend and ruin the trip. “It always rains in Scotland” was their warning cry. But they were wrong – when I arrived, it didn’t […]