Tag: Travel

Dorset – Day 4 & 5 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Day 4 saw us trying again for Shaftesbury, and we’re so glad we swapped the day because.. no bins or cars!! Meaning Momma got her first photos of Gold Hill with nothing in the way.. not even any other people! In hindsight, we should have got Santa a loaf and a bike to properly recreate the iconic advert.

There also plenty of other things to do in Shaftesbury – we had a wander around the free museum, explored the remains of the abbey, browsed a few charity shops, and of course stopped for the all-important coffee and cake.

As it’s bluebell season, and Dorset is known to have some fabulous displays, we decided to track one down. Luckily, Duncliffe Wood is just a short drive away, and it didn’t disappoint. There were carpets of bluebells everywhere, and we hardly saw anyone else whilst we were there. It’s an ancient woodland, with gentle trails leading you through some of the best patches. Is there anything more magical than a bluebell wood 💙

We couldn’t visit Dorset without driving through somewhere with an unusual name.. what do you think to our choice 😉

One of Dorset’s more popular attractions that we’d never visited before is The Blue Pool. Famous for its ever-changing colours, the water shifts between shades of blue and green depending on the light. It’s such a calm, quiet spot that’s perfect for slowing things down for an hour or two. It also has the UK’s longest rope bridge, which adds a playful touch to an otherwise tranquil setting. The entrance fee is slightly on the pricier side at £9.75pp, but we thought it was worth the money.

As it was a beautiful evening, we headed back to Knoll Beach to enjoy it rain-free. We could see over to the Isle of Wight, with a really clear view of Old Harry too. There’s something about being on the beach in the evening—walking along the sand, listening to the waves—that makes it the perfect way to (almost) end the day.

We rounded things off with a lovely meal at The Fox Inn, where Santa enjoyed a giant scotch egg and a few bevs.

The final morning saw us packing up and leaving our lovely Airbnb behind. We would love to return again and explore more of the immediate surrounding areas! After grabbing a coffee for the road, we headed over to Kimmeridge Bay to start out final coastal circular of the trip.

/The original plan was to explore Kimmeridge and then drive to Tyneham Village, but after realising we could walk there along the coastal path, we quickly changed plans—and we’re so glad we did. The views the entire way were stunning. The route passes through a MOD firing range, so it’s essential to check it’s open before setting off, and to stick to the marked yellow routes at all times.

Tyneham is an abandoned village from WWII that you can wander around, with old cottages, a church, and even a school still standing. Walking around the empty buildings and reading the stories of the families who once lived there makes it feel both peaceful and quite moving. There’s also a small food van—perfect timing for a halfway treat (the tiffin was especially good!).

The final stretch before the walk back to the car was to Worbarrow Bay and it’s easily one of the most beautiful beaches we visited. Surrounded by dramatic cliffs, it feels much more remote and untouched than some of the busier spots along the coast.

After a quick wander along Kimmeridge beach, it was back to the car for the long drive home—which, thankfully, was completely uneventful (a rarity!).Dorset really is a beautiful place to visit, and we’d highly recommend making Corfe Castle your base for exploring the Jurassic Coast.

Dorset – Day 3 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Day 3 saw us spending the morning exploring Corfe Castle itself, and trying out some of their delicious coffee shops. Perched high on a natural grassy mound, we walked the ruins of this impressive castle that was largely destroyed in 1646. From up there, we also got a different perspective of the steam train crossing the viaduct below. A lot of the castle is undergoing a £2 million conservation project to stabilise the ruins, which unfortunately means scaffolding and red plastic fencing.. but that doesn’t take away the experience of exploring one of England’s most iconic castle ruins.

We chose ‘By the Castle’ for a coffee and cake stop after admiring the treats every time we walked past. Luckily, it wasn’t just style over substance—the cake was genuinely delicious. And of course, it had to be paired with a flat white.

You can’t visit Dorset without stopping at Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove—and that’s exactly how we spent the next few hours. We started at Durdle Door and arrived at the same time as a huge coach load of German tourists. We quickly hurried past them (as they would definitely ruin Momma’s photos), only to discover that access to the beach is currently closed due to storm damage to the steps. So, it was cliff-top views only—but it did mean photos with nobody on the beach. Every cloud!

We headed over to Man O’ War Beach on the opposite side of the headland, as access there is still open. Obviously, everyone else had the same idea, so what’s usually a quieter neighbour to Durdle Door was a little busier than normal. That said, it was still a great spot to watch the waves roll over the pebbles and crash into the rocks.

A word of warning—the walk back up to the car park is a seriously sweaty one. It’s a deceptively steep climb and much harder work than it looks!

After a slight overpayment (by £7.50 😭) at the car park because I read it wrong, we headed over to Lulworth Cove, which for a weekday was surprisingly busy (bloody tourists!) We walked up the hill for a panoramic view of the cove, before heading to the pub for Santa to enjoy another Butcombe, and sharing bowl of patatas bravas.

We decided to finish the day at the beach, but after putting the wrong car park into Maps, we ended up at Ringstead Bay instead of Ringstead Beach. Luckily, it turned out to be a happy accident, as this ended up being one of our favourite walks of the trip.

The walk down to the beach was about a mile, with gorgeous coastal views the whole way—and when we arrived, we had the beach completely to ourselves.

On the way back, we passed St Catherine by the Sea Church, a small, picturesque chapel perched on the clifftops overlooking the bay. It has a tiny graveyard for local residents and those lost at sea – which we thought was interesting criteria!

The final stretch took us past some of the cutest sheep, just as the weather started to close in.

Santa’s Sesh 🎅🏻 Origin IPA – 4.3% from the DBC Brewery – The Greyhound Inn, Corfe Castle

Dorset – Day 2 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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The original plan for today was to head over to Shaftesbury to see Gold Hill (aka Hovis Hill). However, a quick Google revealed it was bin day… which would have completely ruined Momma’s photos! So, with a swift change of plan from the side of the road, we headed instead to Studland Bay for a walk out to Old Harry Rocks.

This is a great walk to do as it’s pretty flat, but you’re rewarded with some seriously spectacular coastal views. Think iconic chalk formations—cliffs, stacks, stumps, and arches. You also get panoramic views over Studland Bay and Bournemouth. We did a 4-mile circular, which also gave us views over Swanage, and of course, the all-important trig bagging!

And what else is important at the end of a hike.. a snack! Joe’s Cafe is a very short detour down onto South Beach, and we sat here enjoying the sound of the waves, with a delicious flat white, sandwich, and a homemade brownie.

We jumped in the car and headed over to Knoll Beach, but unfortunately this is where our weather luck ended. The heavens opened and it absolutely poured with rain. We tried to stick it out as long as possible, but being battered by the wind and rain really isn’t fun.. so we sadly gave up, got back in the car, and drove to a highly rated CAMRA pub. The Square and Compass in Worth Matravers is definitely one of the more quirkier pubs we’ve been to. It’s got that proper old-pub feel, with no fancy bar in sight, just a serving hatch, stone floors, and a charm that makes it feel like it hasn’t changed in decades. Everyone was sat around large tables, or a selection of chairs by the fire. Santa thoroughly enjoyed his pint of Butcombe.

The rain had finally stopped and, with a few hours of the day left, we squeezed in a bit of a whistle-stop tour of Swanage. We started with a wander along the remains of the old pier—restored to keep its heritage charm, it’s perfect for a gentle stroll and a dose of seaside nostalgia.

We headed over to the heritage train station, and although we had just missed the train, we were still able to admire the vintage details, similar to those at Corfe Castle.

I dragged Momma to the 2p machines, where we lost our money in record time, before taking a walk along the beach. We rounded things off with a classic chippy tea and headed back to the Airbnb. Note to self – much more time is needed in Swanage!

Santa’s Sesh 🎅🏻 Square Logic (Eight Arch Brewing Company) a 4.2% Pale Ale in The Fox Inn – Corfe Castle

Dorset – Day 1 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Although Dorset is well explored by myself and Momma Wood, it remains largely uncharted territory for Santa. This week we’re based at Corfe Castle, and our plan is to revisit some of Dorset’s iconic spots whilst also uncovering a few hidden gems along the way.

We travelled via Somerset, and with the weather (unsurprisingly) awful, our planned coastal walk was quickly scrapped. Instead, we stopped in Ilminster for a wander around the charity and antique shops. A special shoutout has to go to Cafe No57 — a treasure trove of cosy rooms filled with antiques and vintage clothing at reasonable prices, not to mention some genuinely delicious coffee and cake.

As none of us had been to Dorchester before, we swung by to kill some time before check-in. It didn’t quite win us over however, so we didn’t stay long.

Luckily, our host let us check in early, and we’ve chosen well — a gorgeous cottage with a stunning interior and a basket full of treats waiting for us.

We spent our first afternoon and evening getting our bearings in Corfe Castle, watching the steam train roll in and out and chatting with a very enthusiastic volunteer about the heritage railway.

Santa’s Sesh 🎅🏻 Palmers 200 – a 5% premium ale in The Bankes Arms. This will no doubt be one of many real ales over the course of the week.

Day 2 – Milan 🇮🇹

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This morning we headed down for our included breakfast, and was delighted by the enormous croissants waiting for us! Santa ordered a coffee, the waiter said “espresso?” which he agreed to (because he has no idea what it is) and I thought I’d keep quiet until the thimble sized cup arrived. Following his initial confusion, he decided that actually, he rather enjoyed his espresso.

We decided to walk through the cobbled streets to the lower
town rather than the bus or funicular. This is where we got the train and settled in for the journey to Milan.

In just under an hour, we’d arrived and immediately set about navigating our way to the Duomo via the metro. After battling some baffling signage, we eventually found the right platform and hopped on the M3 line, ready for our first glimpse of the iconic cathedral. When we emerged out of the statuon, it was busy—like, properly packed—but despite the crowds, it’s one of those moments where you can’t help but stop and go, “oooh… look at that.”

As we still had a bit of time before our slot in the Duomo, we headed through the Vittorio Emanuele – Perfect for a bit of window shopping; where you admire everything, touch nothing, and quietly accept that you’re a lottery win short of buying anything.

We then grabbed a delicious coffee at the Lavazza flagship store (no pastry as that also required remortgaging the house) but it did come with a complimentary chocolate (thankfully as Santa was snackish)

We joined the bag search queue for the Duomo, where the security man decided to accuse Momma of carrying a knife.. and spent an incredibly long time meticulously searching her bag. Once he was satisfied that she wasn’t a potential criminal (it was actually the huge metal keyring attached to the apartment key.. and all fairness could be used as a weapon) he let us go up to the terraces of the Duomo.

Obviously a large section was covered in scaffolding, but as we were lucky with a clear day, we had a great view of the city and the bustling piazza below. It was also a great place for watching Instagramers in the wild.

The trip then continues down into the Cathedral itself. It’s the largest Gothic building in the world, has 52 towering marble pillars and huge stained glass windows.

Another church was next on the agenda, but this time a bone chapel! The walls are lined with the skeletal remains of thousands, arranged in surprisingly artistic patterns. Santa was confused yet fascinated at the same time.

We spent the rest of the day wandering about, taking in sights such as the Castello, the Brera district and another street full of high end shops, high end cars and high end people. After a last look at the Cathedral, we settled for drinks in a bar, where Santa enjoyed a black Imperial 9%

We enjoyed Milan, but underestimated how big the place is – although they have a very good metro system, some of the stations took an absolute age to get to. We were definitely under-planned, and that meant we missed the Navigli district.

Bergamo Day 1 🇮🇹

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How to extend the birthday week… check out the cheap flights from BHX and book a few days away in Italy!

We had a surprisingly painless drive to Birmingham, considering it was at 8am, and hopped on the shuttle bus to the airport. Thanks to Santa’s sunflower lanyard (the one benefit of being visually impaired!) We skipped the huge security queue and were in Spoons enjoying a pre-flight breakfast in no time.

The flight was basically full of a school trip, and obviously none of them knew where they were sitting… that meant we missed our take off slot. But have no fear.. Ryanair always gets you to the destination on time 😉
Travelling with hand luggage only (and benefiting from impressively speedy passport control), we were out of the airport in record time and promptly squashed ourselves onto a bus bound for Città Alta, Bergamo.

We got the keys to our apartment, which was up about 1000 flights of stairs, dumped our bags, and headed out to explore.

Right in the heart of Città Alta is Piazza Vecchia—a big, beautiful square wrapped in historic buildings (and home to the impressive Campanone). Just around the corner, you’ve got Piazza Duomo, where you’ll find the Cathedral alongside the stunning. Colleoni Chapel and the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

We spent our time wandering the cobbled streets, admiring all the gorgeous architecture, and basically just soaking up Bergamo’s laid-back, quiet charm.

We finished the exploring with a walk along the Venetian Walls. These UNESCO-listed fortifications wrap around the city and offer panoramic vistas over the surrounding countryside. We even managed to grab a bit of a sunset!

All the walking made Santa a thirsty boy… so we found a pub that sold his favourite – Tennants Super. A delicious 9% treat, which he enjoyed with the complimentary nuts and crisps.. although he did say Gracias to the waiter…

We wrapped up the evening the best way possible—with a pizza, a quick look at the square at night, and a quick stop at the local Carrefour to stock up on more Tennents. Back at the apartment, we were all set to relax… when suddenly the bells started ringing. And ringing. And ringing…

Turns out every night at 10pm, the bells go off 100 times! It’s a tradition from way back, when it signalled the old city gates were closing. Definitely not the most peaceful surprise, but pretty cool once you know the story 😄

London 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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What do you do when GWR drops a sale, you snag bargain tickets to London, and you’ve already ticked off all the usual tourist hotspots? You head to TikTok and YouTube, of course, hunting for obscure and quirky hidden gems. We built a huge list of places to explore (expertly plotted on a map by Momma) but unfortunately, time wasn’t on our side, and we barely made it through half of them. This can only mean one thing: another trip is officially required to finish the job.

V&A cafe – I love a coffee shop with something a little different or quirky about it, and since we’d already visited Attendant (the disused Victorian lavatory in Fitzrovia), this felt like the perfect way to start the day in London. Said to be the oldest museum café in the world, it’s an absolute feast for the eyes. Enormous lights hang from the ceiling, sunlight pours through vast stained-glass windows, and grand arches frame walls covered in colourful ceramic tiles. Even better, the coffee and cake were delicious—and surprisingly reasonably priced.

WW2 battle scars – Outside the V&A, take a close look at the facade and you will notice various pockmarks – these are the remnants of the Blitz.

Vincent Street Fireplace – Here sits the remains of a fireplace from the Second World War. Although the surrounding terraced house was destroyed during the bombing, this small fireplace survived. More than 80 years on, it still stands as a reminder of the devastation of that time.

Ghost signs – London is full of these, and you could easily spend a whole day hunting them. Also known as ‘fading ads’, they often reveal past services or businesses. Here are a couple we found today.

Westminster Cathedral – Not to be confused with Westminster Abbey… Santa has been searching for this place for years, so he was thrilled to finally get a look inside. It’s absolutely stunning, with multiple chapels adorned with intricate, colourful mosaics.

Paxton & Whitfield – One of the oldest cheesemonger in England and Proud Royal Warrant Holders since Queen Victoria in 1850. This insanely smelly shop is perfect for cheese lovers. We tried some samples and got a BOGOF sausage roll – delicious.

Police coat hook – Blink, and you’ll miss this tiny relic of hiatorical London. It’s said that during the hot summer months, police officers tasked with directing traffic at this busy intersection would hang their heavy capes on this hook while they worked.

The noses of Soho – The first nose appeared in 1997, without notice or any apparent meaning. Over the course of that year, more than 30 noses were quietly fixed to landmarks and public buildings across the city. Whilst most were removed almost immediately, a few have survived—and are still out there waiting to be hunted down.

Police box – These were very common in the 1920s and it’s thought there was around 685 around the city. They enabled members of the public to contact the police in an emergency, and then a light on top would flash to signal an officer to call in. With the arrival of portable radios, the need for these declined by the 1970s.

Postman’s Park – The park earned its name from its popularity as a lunchtime garden for workers at the nearby old General Post Office. It also features a poignant memorial with 54 plaques, each honoring an “ordinary” person who did something extraordinary—they gave their life trying to save someone else.

Rising Sun – One of London’s pubs with a gruesome past; this was once notorious for body-snatching. Gangs are said to have drugged unsuspecting patrons and murdered them, selling the bodies to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. Staff have often reported objects moving and mysterious noises.

Golden Boy of Pye Corner – We all know where the Great Fire of London started, but do you know where it was stopped? At this seedy corner of medieval London – the corner of Cock Lane and Giltspur Street. The ‘golden fat boy’ is said to have been a warning to Londoners that their gluttonous vices had been the cause of the fire.

Lovat Lane – This street offers a classic, picture-perfect view of The Shard, where the towering modern skyscraper is perfectly framed by the narrow, historic, and charming alleyway of the City of London.

If you’ve made it to the end.. well done! Hopefully you will spot some of these treats on your next trip to London.

Ljubljana 🇸🇮

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A super early flight landed us in our fifth new country of the year, descending through thick fog that didn’t lift even as we boarded the bus into Ljubljana. The city stayed wrapped in mist when we arrived at the hotel, where an extremely enthusiastic receptionist welcomed us with a map, a full city explanation, and—most importantly—a much needed coffee and a croissant.

Once in the room, we discovered the shower was housed in a giant glass box right in the middle, which we thought was an interesting choice! Luckily the toilet was behind a door. 

After settling in, we headed out to explore. We strolled along the river, crossing several of Ljubljana’s many bridges before reaching the iconic Dragon Bridge, its statues looming out of the fog. The castle remained almost hidden from view, swallowed by the mist.

Ljubljana is often described as a fairytale city, and at first we were a little confused by this. To us, “fairytale” looks more like Tallinn from our February trip. Ljubljana initially felt a bit run-down, with what seemed like every building covered in graffiti. By the end of the trip, though, its character and charm had won us over, and we found ourselves genuinely loving the city despite those first impressions.

We always like to seek out a local brewery, so a visit to Loo-Blah-Nah felt essential. It did smell unmistakably like a toilet at first, but we quickly became nose-blind. Unfortunately, a group of lads lads lads soon arrived, and before long one of them vomited on the floor. What followed was a spectacular outburst from a very unhappy bar lady—five solid minutes of shouting, table-kicking, door-slamming, and even throwing the culprit’s scarf in it! Honestly, I felt so sorry for her. Nobody deserves to end their shift cleaning up someone else’s puke. Due to the location and size of the bar, the toilet was in a shared space under one of the bridges. As I sat down to empty my bladder, I noticed a poo in the bin…

We recovered from the recent chaos with a Christmas market sausage by the tree, its lights glowing faintly through the fog—a much calmer and more fitting end to the evening.

The second day dawned just as foggy as the first, the city once again wrapped in a soft grey haze. We started the morning with a peaceful walk through Tivoli Park, the trees fading into the mist and the paths quiet and calm. This would definitely be the place to be in the summer.

From there, we headed towards Metelkova. The area was bursting with colour—vibrant street art, alternative sculptures, and works made from recycled materials everywhere you looked. It was very obvious what deals and activities occur.. We even witnessed it. The vibe was undeniably sketchy, but never threatening. We just let people get on with whatever they were doing, and as long as you don’t bother or photograph them, they don’t bother you. Although Mark did capture the moment I realised man had dropped his trousers and injected his groin.. It reminded us a lot of Christiania in Copenhagen.

We took the funicular up to the castle hoping for views over the city, but the fog had other plans. With nothing to see beyond a wall of white, we opted for mulled wine instead, which felt like the correct decision. After heading back down, we wandered more of the streets, stopping frequently for Christmas market food. There are also 100s of vintage shops, which I dragged Mark around, and they were actually very reasonable. 

As always when we travel, Newcastle happened to have a game on, and with it being against Sunderland, Mark absolutely couldn’t miss it—although by the end, he probably wished he had. I endured the first half, but while there was still some daylight left, I left Mark with his pint and headed off to explore more of Ljubljana on my own. I headed the opposite way down the river, and it was this way that led me to the ‘cute’ streets we had read about.

I managed to sniff out a craft beer bar serving burgers, where we had a delicious meal. A special shout-out also goes to Skrbovin’ca, a lovely shop where every item is handmade by individuals with intellectual disabilities and other challenges. Naturally, I couldn’t leave without treating myself to a few more tree decorations.

Kent Day 5 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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For our last day, we enjoyed a lovely birthday breakfast for Mum before packing up the car and heading home via Chartwell and Hever Castle. Unfortunately, our visit to Chartwell was brief (definitely not just to collect a National Trust stamp for the passport), so we couldn’t explore the inside of Winston Churchill’s family home. However, the gardens were stunning and truly reflected his love of landscape and nature. It’s definitely a place we would love to return to when we have more time.

We arrived at Hever Castle, as always, just a the heavens opened. Luckily it was just a quick downpour, and we were treated to glorious sunshine for the rest of our visit. The childhood home of Anne Boleyn is somewhere I have wanted to visit for a long time, and it didn’t disappoint. Although it was smaller than I had imagined, it was beautifully crafted in Tudor architecture and covered in ivy.

I recommend grabbing an audio guide to explore the castle. You can step into the room where it is believed Anne decided to marry King Henry VIII, as well as the room where he slept during his visits to Hever Castle. Due to his fear of being assassinated, he even brought his personal locksmith to install a special lock for his bedchamber.

The gardens are beautifully designed and well-maintained. We saw many dedicated gardeners throughout the area, meticulously tending to the plants to ensure everything looks its best. William Waldorf Astor designed the garden between 1904 and 1908, and it is now recognized as one of the world’s great gardens. The landscaped grounds include a formal Italian garden, a historic Tudor garden, and a large lake, as well as mazes to explore. Spanning 125 acres, the estate also showcases a herbaceous border and a rose garden, offering visitors a diverse and enriching experience in nature.

The drive home was long ,thanks to multiple crashes and diversions, but we really have had a fantastic week exploring Kent, and hopefully these blogs have given some inspiration for your own trip there.

Kent Day 4 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

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Day 4 was all about Chatham, but we decided to have an en route stop at Aylesford, because Mum read they had a cute bridge. This tiny village is indeed picturesque and is said to be one of the oldest in England. The free car park, which offers views of the Grade I listed bridge, is an added bonus! As usual, it was raining, so we walked up the road to The Friars Café at Aylesford Priory for some shelter and a flat white. Fortunately, after our quick stop, the blue sky returned, which made for a much nicer backdrop for our bridge photos.

Part of Mum’s birthday present was a the Call the Midwife Tour at Chatham Docks, but before we joined that, we were able to explore some of HMS Cavalier – a CA-class destroyer. Launched in 1944, she saw service in the Arctic, Western Approaches and British Pacific Fleet before finally paying off at Chatham in 1972. 

As Santa has absolutely no interest in CTM, he went off on another tour of HM submarine Ocelot, where he learnt that water was rationed, particularly if they were going on a a spying operation, as they never knew how long they would be gone. The crew had only a small bowlful of water per week for washing and shaving, and each man had just two pairs of pants. You can only imagine the smell with 70 men living in such close quarters!

We met with our group and Irene, who was our guide for the CTM tour. The tour focuses on the exterior locations of the series, specifically the streets and buildings that make up the tenements of Poplar. Some locations were instantly recognizable, while others required photos to show how they were transformed for the scenes. Irene was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic, referencing specific episodes that were filmed in those exact places and providing insights from the production process.

The tour concluded with a secret location, accessible only to tour participants. We entered through a locked door, behind which was an exclusive exhibition featuring many original artifacts and props from the show.

We finished off the day with a quick swing by Rochester, because who doesn’t love a whip round Cathedral and a Castle, especially when they’re both free (Cathedral to everyone.. Castle to EH members) After that, we headed back to Whitstable for another sunset and an absolutely delicious Thai meal.