Luxury Winter Escape: Discover The Samling Hotel in the Lake District After a recent newspaper column about words ending in “-ist,” I received several messages from readers haranguing me for admitting I was an “area-ist” . People can get snooty about where they live, and I have long been guilty of writing things like: “Why bother visiting any other national park when we have glorious Dartmoor and Exmoor on our doorstep?” “You must be mad!” retorted one reader. “Dartmoor and

Funny how things you conceptualised as a kid can linger for the rest of your life. That’s the way feelings about the county of Dorset have developed and remained for me, thanks to my father and the works of Enid Blyton . Enid Blyton, Dorset, and Childhood Impressions My neighbouring county has always felt vaguely like a distant land to me. Why? Because my dad, in his literary way, detested the works of Ms Blyton (who loved and wrote about Dorset ) and, most unlike him, he b

Few of us ever put the places we visit into categories, but if we did they’d probably come under headings covering the locations we have to visit, like local supermarkets, shops, dentists, hospitals, whatever, and destinations we really like visiting, such as favourite holiday spots, theatres, cinemas, hiking locations etc. There’d be another category for me entitled, “Places I cannot resist visiting when I’m on my way somewhere else”. The Irresistible Charm of Appledore, Dev

There will be many people reading this newspaper who love their own patch; the place where they were born and bred or the location where they’ve chosen to spend their lives. The problem is that you can become a bit snooty about other areas, like I did as a youngster when I had difficulty in understanding how anyone could feel any kind of affinity for any other part of Somerset. Childhood Memories and Early Misconceptions About the Somerset Levels I lived - and still live - in

Experiencing the Contrast: Historic Homes Versus Modern Natural Light There’ll be plenty of people reading this newspaper who live in older houses - which, in the mainly rural South West, might well mean homes with thick walls, smaller windows, and so on. Before modern wonders like double glazing and thermal insulation came along, dwelling spaces had to keep folk warm and dry any way they could, which basically meant shutting out the great outdoors. What the builders of yeste

If there is one good friend capable of doing a great deal of the heavy-lifting for the home-cook over the festivities, it is cheese. Wonderful, versatile, delicious, easy-to-serve cheese. Or, “preserved sunshine”, which is the way I’ve heard several cheesemakers describe this amazing dairy product down the years. From Sunshine to Cheese: Nature’s Alchemy Sunshine makes the grass grow, we can’t eat it but cows can and so we take their milk. Alas, it will not last long unless w

Some of the best ideas are simple and straightforward. Take the selling of freshly prepared food… There is a temptation to offer a wide and extensive menu with the idea that it’s going to both impress and offer a selection which can’t be seen or tasted anywhere else. But is that always a good thing? Not according to one young Westcountry woman. How MasterChef Finalist Kate Attlee Created a Salad Empire . Kate Attlee, a former MasterChef finalist, was thinking about dishes tha

The antidote I needed to a few hot and busy days in Ho Chi Minh City was supplied by Les Rives, a company that provides thrilling speedboat journeys down the Saigon River to the Mekong Delta. This unique experience offers travellers a glimpse into a different side of Vietnam - one that is as fascinating as it is sobering. From the water, you can witness a stark contrast to the modernity of the city centre as the boat speeds its way past canals lined with sprawling slums. The

Many years ago (more than a quarter of a century, for certain) I was up at Simonsbath in the heart of Exmoor on a bitterly cold day to meet local man and Exmoor expert, the late Stan Curtis. Here’s the video we shot with Exmoor ranger Mike Leach all that time ago. Listen out for Stan’s wonderful Exmoor accent - you won’t hear one like it often nowadays.

Embracing Long-John Weather on Exmoor It’s been long-john weather of late. That’s the best way to describe the biting chill that cuts through even the sturdiest mole-skin trousers from country clothing shops. Winter has firmly settled over Exmoor, and nowhere is it more evident than on the slopes of Dunkery Beacon. A Frosty Encounter on Dunkery Beacon Yesterday’s attempt to enjoy a brisk walk atop Dunkery Beacon quickly turned into a retreat. The late afternoon promised panor

A Journey Across the Remote and Empty Chains This hike was originally the idea of Dr. Nigel Stone, who at the time was Chief Executive of the Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA). He invited me to join him to explore some of the work done to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Two Moors Way. Britain’s Hidden Long-Distance Gem If there were a competition for Britain’s most beautiful but least known long-distance trails, the Two Moors Way would likely win. A new logo promise

Introduction: A Tale Rooted in Tradition The Deer Park is a modern reinterpretation of the traditional European fairytale, drawing inspiration from the Brothers Grimm and other notable folklorists. By incorporating timeless motifs from classical folklore, this narrative follows a brother and sister as they navigate adversity, courage, and hope during a harsh winter in their ancient village. The Setting: A Village Steeped in History 🏰 The story unfolds in a medieval village

Many years ago we went to live in a rambling old manor house situated in the Brendon Hills. It belonged to my old friend, Sir Edward Malet, and I had lived there before in one of the apartments at the rear of the house. Befriending Sir Edward Malet in a Servant’s Flat That is when I’d befriended the old Knight of the Realm. And I lived there quite happily—in what was a rather small and dingy little flat—which had once been occupied by the servants. It was during my tenure the

A Truly Varied & Scenic Walk 🚶‍♂‍ I've had the pleasure of doing this hike half a dozen times myself, including once with a TV crew and all the heavy equipment. Recently, I've heard from many others who have enjoyed every scenic inch of this wonderful circular walk. You could probably write a book about what makes a truly classic walk. And if you did, you might want to include a chapter titled: "Great Hikes that are as Varied as They are Beautiful." The Fowey, Bodinnick, Ha

Who doesn’t love a good Christmas market? 🎄🎇 I’ve been to the one in Bristol this week, and very jolly it was too! Give me a good quality German sausage and a large glass filled and frothing with a proper Pilsner, and I am a happy festive chap, despite the rain and the chill. You might prefer a warming hot chocolate or mulled wine - whatever your tipple, European-style Christmas markets are one of the great seasonal success stories of recent years. Not surprising... They of

Discovering the Wild Delights of Cornwall Whatever floats your boat… There are folk who prefer spending a November day in a crowded shopping mall , but I am not one of them. Give me a clean, remote, rocky, Cornish beach and a couple of top chefs to go foraging with, and I am one happy old newspaper hack - one who happens to love the idea of cooking with wild ingredients . 🐚 The Joy of Cooking with Wild Ingredients One of the joys about being a keen home-cook is that there’s

Exploring the countryside is one of the greatest joys of walking. You can revisit a place you know intimately and yet find a footpath that leads you into a part of it you've never experienced before — suddenly revealing breathtaking views you never knew existed. Another enchanting aspect of walking is discovering unexpected connections: a familiar town or village approached from a completely new direction, allowing you to see it with fresh eyes. 🌲🏙 A Magical Walk Around Min

Travel is a concept imbued with boundless ambition. With so many places and experiences available on our amazing planet, creating a bucket list becomes an essential exercise in capturing the most remarkable moments life has to offer. One such experience is driving Highway One along the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles to San Francisco—a journey I had wanted to enjoy since reading Steinbeck's Cannery Row as a young boy. Now that I have completed this iconic route, I can say it

I have recently been beach-foraging with a couple of well-known Cornish chefs and I will be writing about that adventure in the coming weekend’s newspapers - in the meantime I recall writing another piece about beach foraging a few years ago… Here it is… There are few human pursuits more primeval than scavenging for food on a beach. Our early ancestors spent thousands of years practicing this skill as Homo sapiens began their slow migration out of Africa. In fact, it's reckon

There are times when you come across an idea so good, you wonder why no one has done it before. That was exactly what I thought while standing in a Somerset field recently, listening to an eloquent young man talk about bees and honey. The concept he outlined was simple yet brilliant: There's a lot of honey on supermarket shelves, but much of it isn't as natural as you'd think. Many cheap brands have added sugars, and experts even claim there's more honey sold than bees could