A preview of my Dark Chester tours for Halloween with the travel blog Go Eat Do
October 9, 2022An interview with the travel blogger Stuart Forster for his blog, Go Eat Do. The feature is about ideas for a weekend visit to Chester but, with Halloween approaching, previews my new Dark Chester tours [pictured above]. The tours run Saturdays at 6pm and delve into the dark-tourism heritage of… Read more
How to celebrate 125 years of Bram Stoker’s Gothic novel, Dracula, at Whitby Abbey
October 9, 2022A trip to Whitby to get into the Halloween spirit. My visit was part of a wider itinerary to explore the Yorkshire Coast Route, a new route intended to showcase the off-season charms of the Yorkshire seaside. The route spans 240 miles, taking in the North Yorks Moors National Park and… Read more
Dark Chester: a walk through the shadows of our dark-tourism history
June 21, 2022We took a walk on the dark side a few days ago. It was the inaugural outing for my new Dark Chester tour [pictured above], a walking tour through the shadows of Chester’s 2000-year-old history. Think Horrible Histories meets Inside Number Nine with a dash of the Uncanny podcast. In… Read more
How to step behind the scenes at Jodrell Bank science centre, Cheshire
June 11, 2022Sir Bernard Lovell became the father of modern cosmology long before Professor Brian Cox started pondering the wonders of the universe. I went to walk in Lovell’s footsteps recently at the Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre [pictured above], the observatory and science park in rural Cheshire. Last weekend saw the opening… Read more
Why you should raise a glass to English Wine Week in Herefordshire
June 7, 2022I’m inspecting neat, newly flowering rows on a sun-dappled day in the English countryside. But I’m not strolling in the gardens of a stately home. Instead, I’ve come to a vineyard in the rural heartland of Herefordshire to witness an unlikely trend: the rise of quality English wines. No, really.… Read more
How to spend a Roman-heritage weekend in Hadrian’s Wall country
May 2, 2022My latest assignment took me to the wide-open spaces of Northumberland. I was there researching a feature for Discover Britain magazine about events to celebrate the 1900 years since the Romans started building Hadrian’s Wall [pictured above]. The Wall, built over seven years from 122AD, comprised a series of a gates… Read more
Why the hidden-treasure town of Nantwich should be your next staycation
April 19, 2022Spring finds me driving the rural backroads of south Cheshire. I’m here on assignment for Telegraph Travel, writing a postcard from Cheshire as part of a series of articles by writers around the UK. Each one is about an under-the-radar destinations for UK staycations with a sprinkle of celebratory stardust.… Read more
How to mark St David’s Day in Wales for food lovers and walking fans
March 2, 2022St. David’s Day in Wales this week and I’ve got two articles out to mark Wales’ patron-saint day. The first is a piece about foodie breaks for spring and my contribution focused on the local flavours and fairytale architecture at Portmeirion [pictured above], North Wales, one of my favourite places… Read more
How to discover hidden Manchester on an alternative city tour
February 13, 2022I’m always on the look out for an alternative city walking tour. It’s a great way to see a city in a new light and gives me with inspiration to help design my own themed tours of my home city of Chester. I was introduced recently to Hayley Flynn, whose Skyliner… Read more