Travel Topics
If you’ve ever wanted to learn Spanish but found traditional language classes uninspiring, a unique retreat in Buckinghamshire this September could provide the perfect alternative. Combining Spanish food, wine, music…
Mark Bibby Jackson spends 24 hours in Bristol visiting the galleries, Clifton Suspension Bridge and the local microbreweries. I often say that serendipity is at the essence of rewarding travelling…
The Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway turns Welshpool Raven Square Station into a beer-and-cider weekend in July. The Beer & Cider Festival runs on 10–11 July 2026, combining heritage steam…
Totnes Beer and Cider Festival is a relaxed South Devon date, held at Totnes Civic Hall for three days in July. The 2026 festival runs from 2–4 July 2026 at…
Wild swimming York searches often lead travellers to a surprising conclusion: while York itself is not a major wild swimming destination, some of the best river, waterfall and coastal swimming…
There is no nude beach in Brighton in the way some European destinations have designated zones, but there is a long-established stretch of Brighton seafront where naturist sunbathing is generally…
Stockport Beer & Cider Festival returns for three days of tastings in the central Masonic Guildhall. The 2026 festival runs from 18–20 June 2026 at the Masonic Guildhall, Wellington Road…
Wild swimming Peak District adventures have become increasingly popular with walkers, campers and outdoor travellers looking to cool off in some of England’s most scenic landscapes. Unlike destinations known for…
Currie Beer, Curry & Wine Festival returns to Edinburgh’s west on 5–6 June 2026. Hosted at Currie Community Centre, this local favourite blends drinks with food in a sociable neighbourhood…
My favourite film about food is Babette’s Feast. A chef wins the lottery and creates the most magnificent meal for all the villagers in the community she lives. It consumes…
This CAMRA Real Ale & Cider Festival adds a distinctive twist: pints with a heritage railway backdrop at Tenterden Town Station. You can also go on a steam train ride…
Swansea Craft Brew Festival brings an afternoon of tastings and music to the Patti Pavilion in Victoria Park. Held on Saturday 30 May 2026, the festival runs for five hours…
FyneFest is Fyne Ales’ annual beer festival, returning to Cairndow for 28 May to 1 June 2026. Hosted at the brewery estate at the head of Loch Fyne, it’s a…
Skipton Beer Festival is a classic market-town event hosted in Skipton Town Hall, right on the High Street. The 2026 festival runs from 21–23 May 2026 at Skipton Town Hall…
Lincoln Beer Festival runs from 21 to 23 May 2026. Entry is £6, with CAMRA members admitted free. A commemorative glass costs £4, refundable if returned. The Lincoln Beer Festival…
Cambridge Beer Festival 2026 takes place in Cambridge on 18–23 May 2026. Cambridge Beer Festival 2026 Theme Each year, the leading British Beer Festival takes on a fresh theme, and…
Ales From Wales brings together heritage rail travel and Welsh brewing on the scenic Dee Valley line. Running on selected Saturdays between 25 April and 10 October 2026, this ticketed…
There are times when travelling puts your faith back into humanity. At a moment when wars are been waged for good publicity, and parties campaign on hatred and otherness, the…
It isn’t often I start an article with breakfast. After all despite many people thinking it’s the best meal of the day, it does tend to come at the end…
Newcastle Beer & Cider Festival 2026 takes place in Newcastle upon Tyne on 15–18 April 2026. It is hosted at Northumbria Students’ Union and is organised/listed by Tyneside & Northumberland…
Northern Lights Beer Festival lands at Aberdeen’s Music Hall on 11 April 2026 for a full day of tastings. Led by Fierce Beer, it’s one of the north-east’s headline craft…
Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) was one of the 20th century’s most innovative and successful fashion designers. In 1934, she became the first female designer to blaze the cover of Time Magazine…
The Larbert Real Ale & Cider Festival is set for 3–4 April 2026 at Dobbie Hall in Larbert. Organised by Forth Valley CAMRA, it’s a classic community-hall festival focused on…
Coventry Beer Festival 2026 takes place in Coventry on 27–28 March 2026. It is hosted at Butts Park Arena (Coventry Rugby Football Ground) and is organised/listed by Coventry & District…
The UK has so much to offer with its rich history, galleries, theatres and concert halls, its commercial and scientific enterprise and its varied and undeniably scenic countryside.
UK National Parks
There are 15 National Parks in the UK, ranging from coastal areas to mountainous regions in England, Wales and Scotland. There are currently none in Northern Ireland. Unlike National Parks in other countries, in the UK parts of the designated, protected areas can be owned by private landlords. Such areas as the Lake District, Yorkshire Moors, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, Snowdonia and the Cairngorms draw hikers and naturalists to them like a magnet.
UK Weather
The British never tire of the weather as a talking point. Broadly speaking it is a temperate climate, although winters are becoming wetter and summers warmer, probably from climate change. Warmer in the South, wetter in the West and colder in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the UK climate can be subject to diurnal change on a sudden basis, although, with the advent of satellites, the weather forecasts are more accurate. It is wise to take a waterproof with you on an extended trip.
Northern Ireland
Since the Good Friday Agreement brought greater stability to this previously troubled land, visitors are on an increase. The Titanic Museum displaying memorabilia regarding that renowned disaster and Ulster Museum looking at 3,000 years of Irish culture and history, are well worth a visit. Outside of Belfast, the Mountains of Mourne in County Down and the Giant Causeway, 60 miles outside Belfast, are not to be missed.
