Category: Journalism

How to spend a weekend in the French city of Carcassonne on a budget

I spent a weekend in the southerwestern city of Carcassonne [pictured above] earlier this year.

I was researching a guide to the city for budget travellers, exploring the attractions of the city split between its Unesco-listed citadel and medieval lower town.

Here’s a sample of the text:

Storm the ramparts

Make the citadel your starting point, the ancient fortifications reflecting the city’s long history from the Romans to the medieval heyday and 19th-century renaissance as overseen by the architect, Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.

Join a 75-minute walking tour from the tourist office, where a short VR film first explains historical context.

Otherwise, simply take a one-hour, self-guided stroll around the ramparts to soak up the medieval ambiance with views of The Pyrenees beyond.

The 12th-century Port d’Aude gate makes for the ultimate selfie spot.

Read the full story in Daily Mail Travel: Carcassonne for £100 per night.

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How to spend a spooky Halloween weekend in haunted Nottingham

Nottingham is home to some of Britain’s most haunted buildings.

I spent an autumnal weekend in the East Midlands city to get a feel for its dark-tourism heritage on a Halloween assignment for the Daily Mail travel section.

My feature was published at the weekend and here’s a taster:

The whole city, first founded by the Anglo-Saxons, is built on a sandstone bedrock, leaving a labyrinthine system of 800 man-made caves deep under the modern cityscape.

Folk tales of use as makeshift prisons and torture chambers lurk in the darkest corners.

“Rebellious Nottingham has lots of dark stories,” says tourist guide Keri Usherwood.

“From Robin Hood to the Lace Market Luddites of the 19thcentury textile trade, these stories help us make sense of our place in the world today.”

But the spookiest place in Nottingham is an ancient pub with a dark history.

Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem dates from 1189 and is said to be the oldest pub in England. It was a staging point for medieval pilgrims seeking refreshment and built into the castle cliff face.

Taking a seat in the upstairs Rock Lounge with pint of Olde Trip best bitter, I’m joined by landlord Karl Gibson, who has experienced regular paranormal activity since taking over in 2012.

“I’ve come to respect the history of both the pub and the city,” says Karl. “When I’m here alone, I feel these walls are telling me something.”

Read the full story via Daily Mail travel, Discovering the haunted joys of Nottingham.

More information Visit Nottinghamshire www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk.

How to explore the traditional seaside town of Criccieth in Wales

A trip to Criccieth, the old-school seaside town in North Wales, earlier in the summer.

The assignment for the i Newspaper formed part of a summer series about classic British resorts.

The story was published last weekend and outlines ideas for a weekend away by the seaside, including a visit to Criccieth’s historic castle [pictured above] and dining at Dylan’s restaurant.

Plus, I popped into nearby Portmeirion, the fairytale village that will celebrate its centenary in 2026.

Read the full story via the i Newspaper Criccieth: the North Wales seaside town with a craggy castle

How to explore the newest part of the King Charles III England Coast Path near Liverpool

While the focus was on Eurovision this week, a little bit of history was made on another part of Merseyside.

The opening of the Merseyside section of the King Charles III England Coast Path follows the recent renaming of the path for the Coronation.

It leads from Southport [Southport prom pictured above via i Newspaper] via Crosby and Formby to the Liverpool waterfront.

It also adds to plans throughout the year to celebrate the Year of the Coast as designated by the National Coastal Tourism Academy.

The highlight of the new section follows the lesser-known coast to the north of Liverpool, an undiscovered landscape of beaches, dunes and heathland supporting many wildlife habitats.

Several sections are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest with rare examples of flora and fauna.

John Corbett, a Liverpool Blue Badge Tourist Guide, based in Crosby, said:

“This is an area of big sky and statement sunsets.”

“I regularly walk this section of coast and love the long-distance views, looking as far as the Lake District and back towards Snowdonia on clear days, plus watching the ships coming in.”

Read the full story via the i Newspaper: Merseyside’s new King Charles III England Coast Path opens up.