How to explore the traditional seaside town of Criccieth in Wales
September 20, 2023A 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… Read more
How to explore the newest part of the King Charles III England Coast Path near Liverpool
May 12, 2023While 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… Read more
How to spend a weekend in football-loving Wrexham like a true A-list Hollywood star
May 5, 2023Image: Telegraph Travel Amazing scenes in Wrexham this week. They inspired this feature about the Hollywood glamour of the formerly workaday town in Northeast Wales for Telegraph Travel. Here’s a taster of the article. The streets of the former industrial town in Northeast Wales were packed last night with fans… Read more
Why Shropshire is the place to be this spring for foodies and poetry lovers
April 26, 2023A recent trip to Shropshire for Telegraph Travel reminded me how this lesser-visited region is a little gem for country walks and fine food. Read my guide to the region taking in Ludlow [pictured above, right] for its slow-food producers and Bishop Castle for a consultation at the Poetry Pharmacy… Read more
How to spend St Davids Day in St Davids, Pembrokeshire, Britain’s smallest city
March 5, 2023Something is stirring in Britain’s smallest city. Green stemmed and canary-yellow-hued, the daffodils are emerging in the grounds of St Davids Cathedral, the holy site founded by St David [see images above], known locally as Dewi Sant, as a sixth-century monastery. The daffodils herald the arrival of spring, releasing the… Read more
Why the Chester Mystery Plays should be on your cultural radar this summer
February 3, 2023The Chester Mystery Plays return to Chester Cathedral this summer, the season coinciding with the Chester Heritage Festival. The production comprises a huge cast of professional and non-professional performers (pictured above), many volunteering for roles on stage, in the choir, or behind the scenes. I wrote a preview of the… Read more
Why boutique Shrewsbury should be on your UK-staycation radar this year
February 2, 2023A winter weekend in Shrewsbury? No, really. My first assignment of the new year took me to the Shropshire market town for a UK staycation. The town is closely associated with the story of the naturalist Charles Darwen, Shrewsbury’s most famous son [pictured above]. It hosts an annual festival of natural… Read more
How to visit Pontcanna, Cardiff’s coolest district for a Welsh weekend like a local
December 14, 2022My last story of the year is part of a round-up feature for Telegraph Travel. I explored the Cardiff suburb of Pontcanna, the en-vogue neighbourhood for shopping, dining and drinking. Here’s a taster of the text: The Welsh capital packs heritage attractions and sporting heroes into the compact city centre.… Read more
How ghost stories reveal the dark reality of life for Yorkshire’s ancient monks
December 11, 2022A Halloween trip to the North Yorkshire Moors this autumn. I took a trip back through time to Rievaulx Abbey [pictured above] to try a new ghost-story-inspired tour of English Heritage properties. Revenants and Remains is a 90-minute walking tour of five monastic sites across the North of England, ranging… Read more