Tag Archives: Britain

Weekender: Edinburgh

Edinburgh, capital of Scotland, is almost unrivalled amongst the great cities of the world for history, culture, architecture and beauty. It really is the city that has it all (apart from the weather!). I was lucky enough to do my Masters degree at Edinburgh University, and then lived and worked in Edinburgh for 5 years. I know the city like the back of my hand and even though I moved away 7 years ago, I still miss it sometimes – there’s nothing like feeling inspired every time you walk around your home city. I still visit family and friends there frequently, and never tire of the blast of bagpipes from the piper on the corner of Princes Street and Waverley every time I exit the train station.

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Princes Street

Edinburgh’s tourist attractions are world-renowned – the Royal Mile, an ancient cobbled street leading from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace (the Queen’s residence in Edinburgh – you can tell she’s home when the Royal Standard flag is flying); Prince’s Street; and the Edinburgh Festival to name a few. So I thought I’d take you off the beaten track for a behind-the-scenes look at Edinburgh’s better kept secrets.

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Bridge above Calton Street, below the Royal Mile

Continue reading Weekender: Edinburgh

Things I found in the attic… Vintage Books for Girls

On a recent trip back to my parents farmhouse, I finally decided (after being assured that it was now probably a rat-free zone) to brave the attic – an activity I had been both looking forward to and dreading for years. What treasures would I find? And would they all have been eaten by rats?

The answer is – some treasures (depending on your definition of treasures), and some rat damage. I managed to salvage a fair amount with the help of one brave sister and our mum shouting instructions from below. Amongst the salvage were these beautiful vintage books for girls – had they belonged to my mum? My grandmother? Continue reading Things I found in the attic… Vintage Books for Girls

Weekender: Norfolk, England

I grew up in Norfolk, so I am more than slightly biased, but there’s no denying that it’s an amazing weekend destination. It’s a land of flat and gently rolling barley fields and poppies, home to the Bowie-name-checked Norfolk Broads, endless miles of golden sandy beaches, flint houses, thatched cottages, windmills, ancient churches, village greens and country pubs.

Poppyland

Norfolk is a county that has no motorways, gets the best of the British summer sun, and has produced national treasures as diverse as Admiral Lord Nelson, Stephen Fry and Alan Partridge. The pace of life is slow and gentle, and it sometimes feels like not much has changed since the 1950’s. Continue reading Weekender: Norfolk, England