Have you ever cheered for a fish? Every autumn Atlantic Salmon make the epic journey up river to spawn, returning to the place they were born. This would probably go unnoticed by most people if it wasn’t for the waterfalls and weirs that stand...
That Time I Saw The Northern Lights in Yorkshire! Whenever I’ve imagined seeing the Northern Lights I can’t honestly say I would see them in Yorkshire! Norway, Iceland, Finland, even Scotland, but never in my dreams Yorkshire! Imagine my surprise then, when having a final...
I thought I’d create a new little section on this blog for little posts, the stuff that doesn’t quite fill a full post. Welcome to Sunday Musings! The first of these posts goes with a bang! A photo essay of pretty fireworks from yesterday’s Firework...
Castlerigg Stone Circle This ring of stones has stood in their spectacular location for the past 5000 years. A monument remaining from the Neolithic people that inhabited our islands: one of around a thousand that are scattered throughout Britain and Ireland. Castlerigg is particularly special, not...
Adventure Overland Show 2015 There were so many amazing trucks: trucks that looked virtually indestructible and ready to take on the world! The sun was beating down temptingly, what a day to set off on an overland adventure across Europe, over to Morocco or head...
Shipston Beer Festival, Stratford Food Festival and Shipston Food Festival. Oh my, I’ve eaten and drunk my way through this last weekend! South Warwickshire welcomed us with plentiful food and fine ale to wash it all down. Shipston Beer Festival It all began on Friday...
Birdfair 2015 Last weekend I mingled with the birding world at the UK’s annual Birdfair. Marketed as the Glastonbury for birders I was curious to see what it was all about: I’ve donned my wellies many a time for Glasto and I’m passionate about the...
Birmingham. I grew up near Birmingham, it is a beautiful city! I know, it doesn’t have the glamorous reputation of some other British cities but it filled my heart in my teens. When I return, as I often do – my brother still lives in...
The Poppies at the Tower of London Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red 888,246 ceramic poppies, one for every British military fatality in World War I. When you first see the sea of red blooms you are overwhelmed by the vivid beauty, the extraordinary sight....
Kew Gardens in Autumn The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are a blissful, verdant escape from hectic London. The majestic trees and stunning Victorian hot houses are a heavenly experience as the year turns to vibrant Autumn. The gardens are a celebration of plant life and...
I’ve always been fascinated by birds of prey, the predators of the avian world. The thrill of seeing a sparrowhawk dart across the garden or a kestrel hovering over the fields when I was younger left me dreaming of one day seeing an eagle or...
Sometimes you have to step out of your comfort zone to experience new, exciting things. I received a tweet a fortnight ago asking if I would like to do a baking demonstration at one of the agricultural shows up in North Yorkshire. I was staying...
Lincoln is an attractive Cathedral city in the eastern midlands of England. We found ourselves over there at the weekend on our drive back up north. Always wanting to visit new places, this turned out to be a perfect destination. Mr VB had been here...
Batsford Arboretum is hidden up a lane off the ancient {yet still a main road} roman Fosse Way near Moreton in Marsh. This pretty Cotswold market town is not far from Stratford upon Avon and Oxford making it an easy day trip. Tuesdays are the...
So we went to York for the day, last week it was! The primary reason was to visit the Mallard 75 train exhibition at the National Railway Museum however the sun was shining and the beautiful streets of this historic city were calling us… We...
The blue engine in the photo above is the Mallard, 75 years ago this month that sleek machine broke the world speed record for a steam engine, reaching 126 miles per hour. It has never been beaten. To celebrate this the National Railway Museum in...
