Following a week in Norfolk, we spent five night by the River Humber in the Lincolnshire town of Barton. The estuary is spanned here by the mighty Humber Bridge, completed in 1981. Across the water lies Hull - a major maritime city in Yorkshire. We had booked a caravan stay by a lake, within the grounds of a private property on the fringes of Waters' Edge Country Park - a wildlife oasis featuring wetlands, woodlands, and wildflower meadows on land formerly dominated by indust

Around 12 years ago, Nicole and I travelled to Suffolk to stay with friends. To break up the long journey, we booked a hostel room in the large Yorkshire village of Haworth. We didn't know much about the place but the photos looked nice. After checking in to our digs, we headed out to explore the central area and the toot of a stream locomotive rang out. I knew instantly what I would be doing that afternoon! The heritage operation to Keighley was in full swing and I purchased

My fifth consecutive summer trip to the UK capital was destined to be a hot one. All the temperature records were being broken and I had a full programme of walks planned. I decided to approach with a degree of caution and rework the plan if necessary. Getting down there has become something of a well-oiled machine. I opted for the West Coast Main Line both ways and had to use the side entrance at Glasgow Central as the main gateway was still cordoned off following a serious

Nicole's birthday and a local public holiday fell across the same weekend. We decided to get away for a couple of nights down in Northumberland. Familiar territory for us. We booked two nights in a wigwam on a campsite just outside Seahouses - a small coastal town just a short drive from Bamburgh. Leaving early on a Saturday Morning, we headed down a quiet A1, making our usual pit-stop at the retail park near Dunbar. Suitably refreshed, the journey to Seahouses proceeded pain

My annual Thursday/Friday half-term break in February is the ideal opportunity for a trip to northern England. Combined with my regular weekend free time, it allows us to enjoy two full days exploring a location, bookended by additional space on the schedule. This year we booked accommodation in Cockermouth, a market town on the edge of the Lake District. Dolly Duster whisked us down the M74 to Carlisle, where we branched right and covered the remaining 40 miles to our destin

Just a short walk from Falkirk town centre lies the 170-acre green oasis of Callendar Park. The centrepiece is Callendar House - a mansion fashioned in the style of a French Renaissance chateau, fused with elements of Scottish Baronial architecture, while a far older tower structure sits at the core. The opulent building has a varied 600-year history and is now in the care of Falkirk Council - functioning as a museum and art gallery. Entry is free and the splendid tea room of

Most people probably associate the National Trust with grand country mansions, surrounded by extensive grounds. Or perhaps a historic castle with sweeping views across the landscape. There's plenty of that in the portfolio, but the organisation also maintain properties in the heart of our biggest cities. The Georgian House is the Trust's prize asset in Edinburgh's New Town. The wide boulevards and terraced stone villas were constructed for the professional classes between 17

I read about a British Museum Spotlight Loan coming to the Smith Museum and Art Gallery in the City of Stirling. The travelling exhibition explores the Kushi Kingdom - a civilisation that flourished in Sudan nearly 3000 years ago. It had been a few years since I had visited the Stirling cultural institution and I took the bus from Dunfermline on a Sunday morning. Just a short walk from the main shopping precinct, the museum was founded in 1874 and funded by the estate of loca

A wildlife-themed exhibition at the Carnegie Galleries in Dunfermline? Let me think about that for a minute. Yes, I'm going. Nicole accompanied me and the event had just a few days left to run. Upon arrival, Nicole realised the source material was based on a book of illustrated poetry (in the form of spells) she had immensely enjoyed. Published in 2017, The Lost Words was created as a response to the belief that children are losing touch with the natural world around them. A

It's always nice to be out and about between Christmas and New Year. A chance to walk off some of the prandial excess. A few days of winter sunshine brought many people into Dunfermline town centre and the place was buzzing over the festive period. It's easy to neglect treasures on your own doorstep and one way of appreciating your local assets is to show visitors around your town. Which is exactly what we did. Friends of Nicole's father were holidaying in Edinburgh and they

Much fanfare surrounded the return of passenger services to Leven last year. The Fife coastal town lost its railway station in 1969, although the seafront power station received freight deliveries until the turn of the century. The double-track line then rusted away for years before being slated for reopening. But train whistles could occasionally be heard in Kirkton Yard, an old marshalling facility next to the inactive route. Fife Heritage Railway - then known as the Kingdo

The birth of the modern passenger railway can be traced back to 1825, with the opening of the Stockton & Darlington line in County Durham. Many events have been organised this year to commemorate the bi-centenary and I was determined to catch Inspiration - an exhibition train currently touring the UK (until March 2026). Curated in conjunction with the National Railway Museum, entry tickets are free although a timeslot must be booked in advance. The aim is to showcase ground-

One year on from our last foray to the Fatherland, we were on a plane to Berlin, en route to the Uckermark region where my mother-in-law B ärbel lives. As our flight wasn't due to land until early evening, we arranged to stay the night at Nicole's cousin's place on the outskirts of the capital city. The flight ran to schedule and we left our car at a large parking facility just off the M8. A shuttle bus took us to the terminal building. Two hours later, Madeleine picked us

Unsurprisingly, Scotland's most popular paid visitor attraction is Edinburgh Castle. In second place is the Stirling counterpart - a...

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway - the world's first steam passenger line to...

Summertime always brings a new exhibition to the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The current offering is Monkeys: Our Primate...

Southwest Scotland receives little tourist traffic in comparison to the Highlands and Islands. The rural Galloway region (west of...

Summer has been very warm this year and my annual London walking project was sure to be thirsty work. I travelled south on the Lumo...

A brand new museum opened in Perth last year. Based within the old City Hall, the facility showcases local history and also houses the...

This year (2025) marks the 200th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, widely regarded as the world's first working steam...