There was a reason why Egyptian pharaohs, Roman emperors, Indian moguls and many others down the gold-leafed annals of the great-and-good insisted on having facilities in their palaces dedicated to the pampering of royal flesh and bones. Such human pampering was - and is - relaxing, pleasurable, and it does you good. Fast forward many centuries and we British, in particular, became curiously shy of having our well-wrapped-and-safely-covered limbs manipulated, massaged and gen

Dulverton "Hunting, hunting, hunting," said a local councillor once when I asked him what I could write about Dulverton. Back in Lordy Holcombe's day the answer could have been: "Poaching, poaching, poaching." But you get the underlying message - Dulverton is surrounded by deer, deer, deer.  Exmoor is home to England's last large herd of wild red deer and Dulverton is capital of the hills. As such, deer - and the killing of deer, legal or otherwise - has been the town's centr

Some places have a special corner in the nation’s collective heart. It might be that they will forever be linked to some glorious historic event, or maybe they’re known through sporting fame or they’re just so plain gorgeous and good looking that people love to visit. Penzance is one such place. It is mainly famous for being at the end of the line, but it is a truly wonderful terminus. It is the town famous for being situated where Britain ends and the great wild ocean begins

Imagine a small coastal town where you can have one of the best dinners in the entire region and know for a fact that you could carry on dining extremely well during a week-long stay if you were to visit other venues dotted around the local harbour. I was fortunate enough not to have to imagine such a thing. I knew I had found a genuine foodie-hot-spot as I looked out of a restaurant window while dining out in Porthleven. For those who don’t know it, the old fishing village o

In this weekend's newspapers, my Hesp Out West feature is all about the wondrous food you’ll find in the little harbour town of Porthleven, down there on the Lizard’s north-western shoreline. I first went there to write about the place nearly 25 years ago in an article for an old newspaper series called Hesp’s Harbours, in which I visited over 50 West Country ports. So here’s the article I wrote all those many long years ago… There's a famous photo of the Bickford-Smith Inst

The majority of tourists heading west in pursuit of seaside adventures tend to aim for Devon, Cornwall or Dorset. Somerset’s Bristol Channel coast often gets overlooked. However, there is a corner of the county’s littoral which, in terms of scenic beauty alone, could compete with any shoreline in the world.  The wild and untamed sweep of Porlock Bay, punctuated only by the tiny picturesque harbour at Porlock Weir, is surely one of the most exquisite jewels in all of England’s

A grand afternoon tea is a wonderful thing - there are people in this world who’d survive on it and nothing else if they could - but most of us like to ring the changes. And when we’re somewhere as maritime as Cornwall, we like to eat as much seafood as we can. Cornwall’s seafood capital, Newlyn, sits snug in the most sheltered corner of Mount’s Bay just a mile or two west of Greg’s high tea. It is one of the largest and most important fishing ports in England, and I love the

Strange how trends come around. The classic afternoon tea has had its ups and downs over the years - there were times when it seemed to have passed almost completely out of fashion, holding on in just a few upmarket traditional haunts like The Ritz. When I was a boy, a posh afternoon tea was the ultimate dream for people like my mother and her Westcountry friends but, decades later working as a food writer, I somehow managed to ignore the existence of these very British and g

I began the last Hesp Out West article by saying that sometimes it’s a good idea to climb a mountain or hill in order to get a better view of the world that surrounds you. Being up high can literally lift your spirits and somehow help to put the complexities of life into perspective.  The South West region has a variety of summits which will do the job, but some are better than others when it comes to supplying the drama of that all-round 360-degree panorama… Five West Countr

Discovering the Quantock Hills 🌳 There are times when it’s a good idea to climb a mountain in order to get a better view of the world that surrounds you. The right kind of hill will do. Or a ridge, escarpment or, indeed, any eminence that is capable of giving you an overview of the world in which you live. The point is that being up high can literally lift your spirits and somehow help to put the complexities of life into perspective.  The South West region has a variety of

We had all endured weeks of dark skies leaking copious amounts of rain - but in our case the weather, and indeed the season, seemed to change in one startling, blinding, beautiful moment. I was lying on a large, comfortable bed, about to have a snooze after a long day out in Cornwall, and suddenly the hotel room was filled with the brightest sunlight we’d seen since last summer. So bright that my wife was forced to put on her sunglasses. It was that bright, even indoors! But

<p class="">Easter walks offer a healthy, enjoyable alternative to intense fitness regimes. With longer days and warmer weather, walking in the UK's beautiful landscapes is a perfect way to increase fitness. It's a popular, simple, and social activity, suitable for all ages and abilities, with no special equipment required. This article highlights three easy, scenic springtime walks in the West Country, each under three miles, ideal for beginners and showcasing spectacular vi

<p class="">Quick look at a remote and little visited South Devon beach</p>

<p class=""><strong><em>This article nostalgically contrasts traditional West Country Christmas customs with modern celebrations. It reminisces about unique practices like ashen faggot burning, where participants drink and toast to banish spirits; the Mummers’ Play, featuring characters like Father Christmas; and 'guise-dancing' in St Ives, where people wore disguises and danced. It also mentions the belief of master bullocks kneeling at midnight on Christmas Eve and tradesme

<p class="">Winter walk to Pinkery Pond on Exmoor</p>

<p class="">A walk up the West Lyn River on Exmoor</p>

<p class="">Here’s a superb Exmoor walk for winter</p>

<p class=""><strong><em>Discover the eerie lore of West Penwith and the haunting celebrations of Punky Night, the Somerset term for Halloween, where the rural traditions of the West Country come alive. This intriguing article delves into the spectral figures that roam the moors, like the notorious Spriggans, the Black Dogs, and other phantoms that are part of the region's spooky folklore. Once marked by the simple carving of mangel-wurzels into lanterns, Halloween in Somerset

<p class="">This is an article I wrote about Watchet in the year 2000. <strong><em>Watchet, a town boasting a history as rich as its sea-shanty heritage. Perched on Somerset's cliffs, it seems like a northern town displaced to the West Country coast. Known for its eccentricities, from its official swine-herd to the ancient Court Leet that convenes over rum punch, Watchet is a community of paradoxes. Home to Yankee Jack, a mariner who enriched maritime culture with iconic shan

<p class=""><strong><em>Discover the natural beauty of Lundy Island with our enticing seven-mile walking adventure. This basic circumnavigation offers an easy-going trek suitable for all levels of hikers. While a map isn't essential, the Ordnance Survey's Explorer 139 can be a helpful companion for those who like to stay on track.</em></strong></p><p class=""><strong><em>Lundy Island provides an idyllic backdrop for your journey, boasting breathtaking vistas and diverse lands