Jolly Japes at Seaton Delaval
Seaton Delaval Hall has an unusually attractive location, close to the North Sea coast and commanding beautiful vistas in every direction. Just a short drive from Tynemouth where I was […]
Category Archives: England
The Northumberland Castle Trail
There are castles strewn across the British countryside, but for my money those in Northumberland cannot be beaten for sheer beauty and romance. I recently spent a full day exploring […]
William Morris – Retro by Design
Looking for somewhere interesting to take my parents last week during one of their increasingly infrequent visits, I discovered a real gem just twenty minutes by car from here. I […]
Mehitabel and Warty Bliggins on the Roman Wall
They say that as you grow older you start hankering after your home region, and in fact many of my friends have relocated back to the North East of England. […]
Faded grandeur and clattering teacups in Folkestone
I travelled for a change through south London’s Wandsworth and other dismal districts to reach Folkestone, which is only three hours by coach from Victoria Station. This was Wednesday, and […]
Guardian of the house
This is my very own Green Man, who protects my garden against evil spirits and malignant fairies. The spate of burglaries we experienced in this street also abruptly came to […]
A touch of magic at Seaton Sluice
These fresh, colourful figures seem to embody the spirit of the sea up here in the wild, rugged and beautiful north of England. I don’t know why I bothered to […]
Overacting in a Jam Jar
I have to put a plug in here for a charming little cinema that recently opened in Whitley Bay, which for those of you unfamiliar with the UK layout is […]
Eros strikes again in London
Piccadilly Circus is at the throbbing heart of London and for years visitors have crowded under the statue of Eros, which was originally designed as an angel of mercy but […]
Armstrong’s Cragside – almost parallel lives
William Armstrong is my favourite eminent Victorian inventor, maybe because he was a Geordie like myself, born in Newcastle in 1810. His house at Cragside – the house where modern […]
