A Sweet Day Out
A few days ago, the husband and I got up early and headed off for Sherborne, Oxfordshire, an estate owned by the National Trust. It’s popular with walkers, but generally isn’t very busy, and it seemed like a good time to visit when most other people were heading for the coast. Another reason for our […]
An Evening’s Entertainment in Bath? Step This Way
Because I miss being able to visit Bath I thought I’d write a bit more about another of its attractions, Sydney Gardens. Situated at one end of Great Pulteney Street, this is the oldest park in Bath and one of the few remaining eighteenth-century pleasure gardens in the UK. Designed in 1795 by the architect […]
A Stroll into the Past Along Great Pulteney Street
If you follow my blog, you’ll know I enjoy visiting Bath. Rightly designated a Unesco world heritage site, it is one of the most architecturally beautiful cities in England. Bath’s popularity isn’t a modern phenomenon; the Romans quite liked it too, using it’s natural hot springs to create a fabulous bath complex. Today, however, I’m […]
Fiction from Fact
My upcoming book A Bachelor’s Pledge is a work of fiction but there are many elements of the story that actually occurred. I try to fit them in seamlessly, so that it is not too much like a history lesson for the reader. It is late 1810, and my hero, Phil Cullen, is instructed by […]
Want your spirits uplifting? Come on a walk to Minster Lovell
I’ve been venturing further afield on my walks as the weather has improved. Last week the husband and I visited Minster Lovell, a picturesque historic village on the banks of the River Windrush. This village has three parts, Old Minster, Little Minster, and New Minster. You might guess that Old Minster was our destination Even […]
A Lockdown Day Out
Although I enjoy my daily lockdown walks, seeing the same scenery day after day gets more than a little tedious. After nearly three months I was itching to walk somewhere different. So when the rules were relaxed recently, I decided to see if there was anywhere not too far away from where I live that […]
Fancy a Ride Round Britain?
Then let’s accompany Colonel John Byng, Viscount Torrington (1743-1813) on one of his tours. I’ve written about this chap before, but I thought now — when we are unable to travel — would be a good time to have another look at his diaries detailing his trips round the country. On Saturday 2nd July 1785 […]
Who was Caleb Hillier Parry?
Bath in its heyday was renowned as the place to go if you were in poor health. Since Roman times its hot spring had been famed for its curative powers, and the same waters were used by the Georgians in an attempt to cure their ills. Bath, a magnet for the sick, also became a […]
How to Spend 3 Days in Bath
Last week I was on my travels again, this time to Bath. Yes, I know I have written about this place before, but I can honestly say there always seems to be something new to discover. This visit didn’t disappoint. Arriving just before midday, husband and I enjoyed lunch and then paid a visit to […]