Why next year is the perfect time to rediscover Ruskin’s Cumbria
November 18, 2018I started the year with an assignment in the Lake District and I was back this weekend for probably my last freelance job of 2018 — a feature for Discover Britain magazine. This time it was Coniston water [pictured above] and a visit to Brantwood for a preview of events… Read more
Making The Most Of The Amazing Light Festival In Lyon
November 9, 2018We live in dark times. As if the political climate wasn’t bad enough, changing the clocks to winter mode casts an even longer shadow. But not so in Lyon, a city I hadn’t visited in over ten years. The city hosts the world’s biggest light festival each December and I was… Read more
The best hotels in Liverpool to see the Giants
September 17, 2018Image: istock My latest article for Independent Travel is a guide to the best hotels in Liverpool. It’s a timely piece to plan a visit to the area for the forthcoming Liverpool Dreams event, the street performance by French giant-puppet troupe Royal de Luxe over the weekend of October 4-7.… Read more
How a nostalgic return to Paris made my summer special
August 24, 2018It looks like an innocuous apartment building. It is in many ways but, to me, that faded-green front door represents far more. Welcome to 60 Rue Letellier [pictured above], located near Place Cambronne in Paris. This was my home from September 1992 for one year as part of my study-abroad… Read more
How To Spend A Family Day Out At Tatton Park Cheshire
August 16, 2018Stuck for a family day out this summer holiday? Here’s a suggestion based on my latest article for The Guardian and centred around my home patch of Cheshire — well, East Cheshire but it’s near enough. It centred on a new attraction for the summer holidays at Tatton Park. The… Read more
The amazing story of the Normandy artist behind the Water-Lilies
August 14, 2018Just back home. I spent last week on the Monet trail In Normandy, exploring sites associated with the father of the Impressionist art movement. It was scorching hot and peak-season chaos but I could still get a sense of the delicious tranquility of Monet’s garden at Giverny [pictured above]. And, by… Read more
Get a sneak preview of the new V&A in Dundee, Scotland
July 29, 2018To Dundee, then, for the a preview of the opening of the new V&A museum on September 15. V&A Dundee will be the first ever dedicated design museum in Scotland. The museum [pictured above] will feature permanent Scottish design galleries, including objects from Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Oak Tea Room. The opening exhibition,… Read more
Robin Hood: how to follow the legend around Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire
June 27, 2018Robin Hood is making a comeback. The latest take on the folk tale hits cinema screens this winter (November 23). It’s a darker, more adventure-based retelling of the traditional story, starring The Kingsman‘s Taron Egerton in the lead role and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. The film comes off the back… Read more
How to a spend a perfect weekend in Nimes — my ultimate guide
June 17, 2018My first assignment for a few months — long story. But it was a good one: a trip to the Occitanie region of France for the opening of the new Museum of Roman Civilisation. It was a Roman-heritage-themed trip, visiting the Pont gu Gard, the Unesco-listed aqueduct, and the city… Read more