On a recent trip to Portsmouth, we were absorbed into the lives of the great ships there, and their rich histories. The Mary Rose Museum shone out for us with its immersive experience and its astonishing recovery of details of the sailors’ lives back in 1545. But HMS Warrior and HMS Victory also enthralled usContinue reading “A Visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard: HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose, a perfect time capsule that transports us into another world”
Category Archives: travel
A Poignant Story from Charlestown, St Austell Cornwall
We recently visited Charlestown, a beautiful little Cornish seaport, which opened up several stories for me. Not only did we explore the moving and compelling tales of numerous historical shipwrecks and recovered artefacts in the Shipwreck Treasure Museum: but also I learned the poignant story of the man who created, designed and built Charlestown: CharlesContinue reading “A Poignant Story from Charlestown, St Austell Cornwall”
A Walk Around Port Isaac on the Cornish Coast, from One Headland to Another
Out and About Collecting Photos for ‘Illustrated Tales of Warwickshire’ due out from Amberley Publishing 2022
A view of the River Avon at Bidford.
Rescued Maori Meeting House in the Grounds of an English Stately Home
I was fascinated to see this Maori meeting house in the grounds of Clandon Park, Surrey. It immediately attracted me as I loved learning about the Maori culture in New Zealand during my November 2019 visit. I discovered that the original meeting house, Hinemihi, had been sited in an area of New Zealand’s North IslandContinue reading “Rescued Maori Meeting House in the Grounds of an English Stately Home”
Perfect Cottage Retreat in the Surrey Hills
Hello – I write on the first day of the relaxation of the lockdown here in the UK and we have travelled from Warwick in the Midlands to the lovely Surrey Hills, close to Leith Hill Tower with its wonderful views. This early 18th century cottage was originally a gamekeeper’s cottage and is hiddenContinue reading “Perfect Cottage Retreat in the Surrey Hills”
Book Review: ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell
I waited quite a long time for Waterstones to send me this book; and having received it, I spent the next few hours devouring this story of William Shakespeare’s family and the tragic death of his 11 year old son Hamnet. Living as I do near Stratford-upon-Avon I have visited all the Shakespeare properties aContinue reading “Book Review: ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell”
Book Review: The 99th Koala by Kailas Wild
This account of the koala-rescue campaign in bushfire-ravaged Kangaroo Island is gripping and very emotional. Accompanied by superb photos, arborist Kailas Wild tells a story sometimes dramatic and inspiring, and at other times sad and heartrending, packed with tense and harrowing descriptions of koala rescues. As one of the few professional tree-climbers/ experienced koala handlersContinue reading “Book Review: The 99th Koala by Kailas Wild”
Snow in Warwickshire
Many of us love the arrival of snow – as long as it doesn’t last too long or lie too heavy or cause too much disruption… When snow falls it creates an immediate transformation. We see the familar scenes in a different light. And many also associate it with fun – snowmen, toboggans, slides andContinue reading “Snow in Warwickshire”
Magical light trail at Warwick Castle
On Wednesday 30th December at the end of the Covid year 2020, we visited the Light Trail at Warwick Castle. As a local resident I have long been a frequent visitor to Warwick Castle, and of course it features in my latest book Paranormal Warwickshire. Tonight the castle was especially magical. Merlin Entertainments really hadContinue reading “Magical light trail at Warwick Castle”
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