Do you know why over six million of the world’s population visit Munich during Oktoberfest?
Do you even know why Oktoberfest exists?
Read on to discover exactly why Oktoberfest is celebrated, the history behind this popular festival and why it’s still a world-famous festival a whopping 200 years after it first originated!
Continue reading “Why Oktoberfest is celebrated (200 years after its history!)”
From ages 11 to 15, I went on a family holiday to Argeles-sur-Mer in the south of France each year. I went five times in total and have many memories from these holidays, not least because each trip ended up in some sort of disaster, yet we kept going back each year!
Continue reading “Fun things to do in Argeles-sur-Mer, south France”
We recently spent two nights in an Airbnb in Devon to visit Woolacombe at my husband’s request for his birthday. Being a late booking, I couldn’t find accommodation left in Woolacombe, so we stayed in nearby Ilfracombe instead. With just two days to our visit in north Devon, we spent the first day at Woolacombe and the second whole day at Ilfracombe. Read on to see what we thought of Ilfracombe and our family travel photos.
Continue reading “Family day out in Ilfracombe, north Devon”
Ooh, I’ve found another favourite beach in Cornwall – Crantock Beach!
A beautiful vast beach along the River Gannel and its estuary out to sea. It’s a huge sandy beach which is ginormous when it’s low tide. At high tide the beach separates into two with tall, steep sand dunes taking over and looking so impressive.
We spent a day exploring Crantock Beach with the children and also viewing it from Pentire Headland in the late afternoon.
Crantock beach is managed by National Trust and we were surprised to find a parking space at 10am in the summer holidays and even more surprised at how quiet the beach was.
If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the central Newquay beaches then Crantock is a must.
Here are my photos for the day exploring Crantock Beach and Pentire Headland.
Continue reading “Exploring Crantock Beach and Pentire Headland in Newquay, Cornwall”
I love walking the Cornish coastal paths. You get to see the beaches from a different view and whenever we’re in Cornwall, I’m always stunned by how clear, blue and turquoise the seas actually are.
From the beach, you simply can’t always tell how incredible the water truly is. Definitely take a walk up the coastal paths when you see them to appreciate the full beauty of the Cornish sea and the stunning coastal views.
Today I walked a short coastal path from Daymer Beach to Brea Beach in Cornwall. Including walking across Daymer beach from their car park, the walk there and back was around 3km. If you don’t have a lot of things to carry then it was much quieter at Brea Beach and not far at all.
Continue reading “Daymer Beach to Brea Beach: coastal path walk with stunning views!”
Having family in Germany is quite a blessing as we always have an excuse to visit this amazing country. Soltau, in the north of Germany might not be a well known holiday destination but this small German town is surrounded by some amazing gems for the whole family to enjoy.
Continue reading “5 of the best things to do in Soltau Germany”
Christmas this year is going to be very different for us in England. There are talks of Christmas bubbles and travel permitted on certain dates, but with stricter tiers being enforced across pretty much the entire country, who knows what will actually happen over the festive period.
For the past two years we went away near to Christmas on short breaks. It was the first two years we ever went away over Christmas and we really enjoyed it. Last year we went to London on a budget and also Bluestone for a few days. The year before we went to Bluestone Holiday Resort too.
It gave us something extra to look forward to at Christmas and meant we could spend some real quality time together as a family. Not that we don’t enjoy seeing family and friends, but the years before this, Ben was always working full time and only had a few days off work – a week max some years. We’d spend his time off going here and there, travelling to different friends and family houses every day he was off and never feeling like he got to relax or we spent much time just to ourselves enjoying family time.
That’s why I really wanted to go away at Christmas, and although we haven’t been away for the day itself yet, it’s something I am tempted to do! I’d love a beach holiday and real break away at Christmas! Bah-humbug perhaps, but I’m not one for the cold and get SAD each year, so a week or two in the sun would really be amazing!
We’re not religious so we could celebrate Christmas a weekend before, or after!
Anyway, not going away at Christmas at all this year is such a shame. Whilst we weren’t planning on going abroad for a beach holiday, I was planning on a UK staycation to Cornwall or Devon. A little cottage or holiday home for a few days and some coastal walks.
I haven’t bothered to book anything as everything is so up in the air. The only weekend away we did have to Wales has already been rebooked three times and now delayed until next year, so I couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of booking something just to keep cancelling it or rearranging it again, especially for a Christmas break.
Nonetheless, it hasn’t stopped me thinking about travel plans for next year and the amazing Christmas destinations we could visit.
Surely things will be back to normal next Christmas, yes? Lockdowns done and dusted and a sense of normality once again? Travel back to normal?
I really hope so!
Whilst a sunny break is a dream for me at Christmas, I’m not sure if the kids and Ben would agree! Instead, they may want something a little more festive full of Christmas cheer!
With that in mind, here are some of the cities in Europe that look great to visit for a Christmas adventure:
Continue reading “European city inspiration for a Christmas break”
I’ve always lived in Gloucestershire, living in Cheltenham until I was 26 years old and then moving to Gloucester. Now I live in Brockworth right on the edge of Gloucester, bordering both Cheltenham and Stroud.
No matter whether I lived in Cheltenham, or now Brockworth, we always take the same route to Stroud passing through the picturesque Cotswold village of Painswick.
As a child I’d occasionally go to Stratford Park in Stroud. That was pretty much my Stroud experience as a child and every time we went, I’d remember my mum pointing out the 99 trees in Painswick as we drove past them.
We were always slightly fascinated by them and the story of how there came to be only 99…
Continue reading “Painswick church 99 trees”
On Sunday we went to a beach for the first time in six months, since February! We did the Brean Down coastal walk and visited Brean Down Fort. Read on to learn more about Brean down and see our travel photos.
Continue reading “Brean Down Fort + coastal walk”
On Sunday we did the iconic four waterfalls walk in Ystradfellte, Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales. It was the farthest I’d been from my home since the whole coronavirus pandemic began in March!
The drive was two hours from our house and it was my birthday day out!
9 years ago, just before we had children, Ben had surprised me with a night away in the Brecon Beacons and we did the this very same Ystradfellte waterfalls walk.
It was great to return with the kids and show them this amazing place, make some memories and capture them too in the below photos. Continue reading “Ystradfellte waterfalls: Brecon Beacons National Park four waterfalls walk”
According to the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey, there were 40.9 million visits to the UK in 2019. In both 2018 and 2019 the UK was ranked as the world’s 10th biggest tourist destination!
From the rolling hills of the English Cotswolds and rugged Welsh Mountains to the hustle and bustle of city life in London, Edinburgh, Belfast and beyond, the UK has a lot to offer tourists and couples looking for a romantic break or kid-free adventure.
It may appear to be a small island, but it’s packed with a diverse range of scenery, architecture, museums, history and culture.
With the coronavirus lockdown severely impacting and restricting everyone’s travel plans, I am now keener than ever to have a weekend away with my husband. I’m dying to see something other than my local neighbourhood and begin to scratch that travel itch!
Not from the UK? If you are travelling from abroad then make sure you check the UK visa requirements and the latest travel advice to ensure a smooth journey.
If you’re in the UK then a staycation is a great idea. The UK has so much to offer for couples and families alike.
See some of my favourite recommendations below.
Continue reading “9 AMAZING places to visit in the UK for couples”
