Cotswolds villages

Costwolds has always been popular for its very beautiful villages. I find the best time to visit the villages is in Autumn as the autumn colours are simply stunning against the natural limestone colours of the villages. Each village is quite unique which I will detail. However, beware that some of these villages are becoming  extremely busy with tourists. Parking can be very hard. Please respect the local residents!

 

Here are the villages I visited so far:

-            Moreton-in-Marsh - Moreton-in-Marsh is widely regarded as the inspiration for the fictional town of Bree, which features in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. The Bell Inn is often cited as the inspiration for the Prancing Pony, the inn at Bree and you can grab a beer or more! It is one of the quieter villages of the Costwolds. There’s quite a few attractions including Batsford Arboretum and Cotswold Falconry Centre: Home to a large collection of birds of prey with daily flying displays, situated next to the arboretum. However, a very unique attraction is Sezincote House and Garden which on the exterior looks like a Indian Palace from the Mughal era. The Garden also is very unique with a Surya Temple, Grotto and water features. You can visit the house by booking  a  tour. I booked a tour online to make sure I don’t wait! I loved seeing the interior which is not like its exterior! It is still inhabited and felt so jealous of the beautiful grounds they own. Visiting the house took more than half a day to thoroughly enjoy the house and gardens!

-            Cirencester is a town and another quiet part of the Costwolds. It used to be a Roman town and to learn its Roman History, you can visit the Corinium Museum which some of the most beautiful Roman mosaic tiles I have ever seen! It is so well layed out with a comprehensive history of the town and nearby villages. There’s a small entry fee but totally worth it! The cathedral is also very nice. Next to the chapel, if you see the walls you can see some old paintings coming through the walls! You can also see the original Boleyn cup which was given to the town as gratitude! I also enjoyed walking through the park with its lake and beautiful view of the cathedral.

-            Bibury – this village was so busy even on a weekday during a work week! I went by bus but the roads were full with cars with no parking spaces! Bibury is famous for many things. Arlington Row was a bit disappointing. I thought it will be more the cottages so this was a just a very quick walk around. However, the Trout Farm is well worth your time and money! You can fish and BBQ your own fish on site at an extra cost. As part of the entry fee, you will also be given fish food which I was so excited about so I can see the trouts. They were different types of trouts too. There’s lots of information boards so you can learn more about the trouts and the farm! There’s also a small park to keep the kids entertained and plenty of picnic tables! I cannot recommend this attraction enough! I also enjoyed the riverside views!

 

I will keep exploring the rest of the Cotswold villages soon!

Castleton

 Castleton is a little village in the Peak District outside Sheffield and it is famous for its caverns and its Blue John stone which is a  semi-precious ornamental fluorite. Castleton is also popular it’s walking trails so you will never be bored! It’s also famous for the iconic limestone gorge of Winnats Pass.

So here was day trip itinerary:

-            Treak Cliff Cavern – I booked tickets online as it was cheaper and wanted to make sure I was guaranteed entry. This cave is where the Blue John Stone is located. You go through the cave through a self-guided tour and you will also be instructed to download the audio guide to get the full history of the cave! The gems were so stunning. The cave was moderate size however it also had a small museum. The highlight for me though was the unique experience of stone polishing which comes with an extra cot but you can take the Blue John stone as a souvenir! I really enjoyed the polishing and it was beautiful to see the veins! Treak Cliff Cavern is also the starting point for the walk to Mam Tor which is a famous hill!

-            I then walked to the viewpoint of Winnats Pass which is  right opposite Speedwell Cavern and a short walk from the car park. You are guaranteed beautiful pictures!

-            I then booked a tour at the Speedwell Cavern which is an old lead mine but the highlight of this cavern had an underground waterway where you are able to go by boat. Best to book online to make  sure you get tickets! It as quite an experience and a very long boat journey. Our guide was amazing with great stories that happened in the mine. The waterway stops in a cavern which a high roof and once upon a time had a waterfall. I really enjoyed the boat ride! Bear in mind you will need to climb down and come back up the many flights of stairs which are uneven and quite slippery so take extra caution! It also is cold no matter what the weather is outside so take a sweater or cardigan.

-            I then did a small walk to see the Peak Cavern aka the Devil’s arse to see the largest natural cave entrance. The cave also hosts many events and you can visit it. Guides will walk you through the system, telling the history of the Peak Cavern rope makers.

-            On top of the Peak Cavern is the ruins of Peveril Castle which is quite an uphill walk but with beautiful views of Castleton. It was here that William the Conqueror’s trusted knight William Peverell built one of the first stone castles in England.

 

There were also plenty of places to eat with some unique shops too! You will thoroughly enjoy this gem of a village. Some of these caves also offer extra activities so do visit the websites to explore all events and book tours!

Abbotsbury

 There's a small  village in Dorset which has some unique attractions! Abbotsbury is set close to Weymouth amongst beautiful views of the sea on the Jurassic Coast! I did a day trip from London and fitted the below:

1) Abbotsbury Swannery- Abbotsbury Swannery is home to a colony of over 600 Mute Swans, located on the dramatic Dorset Coast. The Swannery is now home to the only remaining managed colony of Mute Swans in the world. Beware that swans are walking freely and you will need to be respectful of them! This is a large swannery and with nice walks to do around the swannery. During half-term, there are also some children's activities to do! It is quite beautiful to see so many swans in one place and being looked after so well. You can buy tickets at the door if you don't like to book ahead.

2) St Catherine' Chapel - the setting of this chapel is gorgeously eery! It is a small chapel and offers beautiful views of the sea.

3) Abbotsbury Subtropical gardens -  Subtropical Gardens are home to over 6000 species from across the world. It also has a rope Tibetan bridge. I loved walking around with beautiful flowers and scents!

 

These are all within walking distance of each other and thoroughly enjoyed some unique attractions!

Catalonia

 

There’s more to Catalonia than Barcelona and my latest trip to Spain was exactly to discover what else in Catalonia. I spent 5 days in Catalonia and used buses and trains to travel around. One thing about travelling is the fact that nothing runs on time and when you are seeking help, nobody helps which definitely impacted my trip! I was wondering why the tickets were so cheap! The food was average and that is because everything was targeted for tourists! I found it very hard to find authentic Catalonian cuisine that wasn’t tapas or paella. Because I went in the summer, I tried to visit places either early in the morning or after 6pm. However, since I tried to maximise my time, I picked coastal towns to go to during the day so I could swim! I also booked tickets to all the attractions in advance and online as the attractions are booked off very early on!

 

Here’s the itinerary:

-        - Exploring the city centre – I did my own walking tour to discover the city. This is what I included: La Boqueria Market, Gothic Quarter: Plaça Reial, Roman walls, Palau de la Música Catalana, Casa Milà, Casa Battlo. I didn’t do any guided tours so didn’t go visit inside of these Gaudi house or the Music Palace. However, what I did visit is Park Guell which was so much fun to visit withso many different architecture and designs to see in one place. I visited at 9am which I was very glad since no one was there! I really enjoyed it especially the views over Barcelona. A short walk down from Park Guell was Casa Vincens which was the 1^st house designed by Gaudi and I was blown away! I’m so glad I visited it since it was less busy and there were so many elements to experience. As part of the ticket, I also had a free ice cream which was much needed. I then took a long walk to Sagrada Familia and wow!!! To think that this was built in 1920 and it was so modern is beautiful! The exterior and interior are 2 different things! Take your time and admire because this is an architectural marvel! You can also visit the towers if you wish to do so but the queues were very long!

-        Montserrat- now I bought an all include round trip ticket with buffet and trains to Montserrat for less than £70 and had a blast with the furniculars and museums and the all inclusive buffet! I thought I was well worth the money! I visited the Cathedral and the gorgeous Black Madonna. Take your time walking around the cathedral as it was gorgeous!!! My mind was blown with the design of it! I will also recommend a hike especially to Sant Juan which offered beautiful views of the area! Do wear appropriate footwear! I spent a whole day exploring and really enjoyed exploring all the corners of this mountainous sanctuary!

 

-        Tarragona – A Roman town on the coast which is just an hour away from Barcelona. If you are on a tight budget then this beautiful town is for you because every monument was free;  Praetorium and Roman Circus ;Tarragona Mapping Tarraco; amphitheatre; balcony del Meditteani; Plaça del Rei. This was an easy half day trip which ended with a swim at the sandy Miracle beach.

 

-        Girona – I stayed in Girona overnight to explore Costa Brava. I explored Girona Old Town, The Cathedral, The Arab baths , Place de Sant Feliu, Plaça de la Independencia at 7am in the morning so couldn’t go visit inside some of these visits but I liked that there were no people around!

 

-         L’Estartit – I took Fadri boat tour to Medes Islands with swimming. Medes Islands are a group of seven small, rocky islets off the coast of Catalonia, Spain, near the town of L'Estartit. Spanning 53 acres, this protected nature reserve is one of the top spots in the Mediterranean for scuba diving and marine life. We were swimming with some beautiful fishes and also going through caves!

 

-        Olot – This is a town inside a volcano! Yes inside an extinct volcano!!!! O learn about the history and geology of the town, I visited Volcanic centre  which costs£12.50 and really learned some amazing things about the area. It also had a lot of interactive stations so perfect for the whole family. Other unique things to do are:, Museu dels Sants, Casa Solà-Morales and hiking a volcano!

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-        Besalut -  This is a cute medieval town and if you are doing anything there make sure it is walking across the iconic 12th-century Pont Vell bridge. Other things you can explore are the ancient Jewish Quarter and its historic Mikveh bathhouse, circusland,  and admiring the Romanesque architecture of the Monestir de Sant Pere and Micromundi.

 

-        Tossa de mar – I think this is the best town on the Catalan coast with its beautiful waters and a backdrop of an old fortress and wall. You have to visit Vila Vella which a  beautiful ruin of a roman villa with the original mosaic tiled floors, lighthouse, church of Sant Vicents and swim in any of the beaches in the area.

 

-        Figueres  - this is Salvador Dali’s birth town so plenty of quirky sculptures and art work around the museum including the weirdest museum I have visited far which is the Dali Museum. If you have time, Sans Ferran Castle on  the outside of the town!

 

So a lot was packed! I had fun but the people has really dampened by experience of  this part of Spain.

Isle of Portland

 

Did you know that just 3hours from London, still within the UK, you end up on an isle which feels you are somewhere that looks like a Mediterranean?? I didn't know either until I saw what Portland Isle had to offer. I was reminded multiple times during my day trip around the island of Malta and Croatia and I am not saying that lightly! I took a train from London to Weymouth followed by a bus to he Isle. The bus ticket was £7 for a day pass and made good use of it. It is also easy to walkaround the island as the buses are not as frequent. The coastal paths are sunning!

Here's what I fitted on my day trip, bearing in mind that I did unique attractions:

- Tout Quarry Nature Reserve and Sculpture Park. This is an active quarry of the famous Portland stone which is used in building quite a few iconic monuments such as St Paul’s Cathedral. It is one of 2 quarries in the world to get his special stone. The other quarry is also in Portland so a very resourceful island. The speciality with this quarry is that it also doubles as a sculpture park where you can find lots of sculpture dotted around the park. It was very fun and a good innovative way to explore the park! It is totally free to visit!

 

- Pirate graveyard, Rufus Castle and Church Ope cove – If you are doing one thing on the island, do this especially if the weather is gorgeous!! Church Ope Cove is a little secluded beach with crystal clear water that reminded me so much of swimming in the beautiful waters of Malta! In order to get to the beach, you will come across the ruins of Rufus Castle, which you can’t visit but can view from the viewpoint. Then, you will need to go down the stairs. If you are interested, half down the stairs, on the left, there’s some stairs that will lead you to the pirate’s graveyard but there are no pirates buried there! You can see the ruins of the church which the graveyard belongs to. It is a very small graveyard but if you are curious about who is buried there, like I am, then it’s a nice little stop before you resume you walk down the stairs to the beach! I loved swimming in the water. I have never seen such clear waters in the UK like this! There’s a couple of walking trails you can do around the area! This beach was not crowded at all and it had toilets too! It will be a beach that I will keep coming back in the summer month! It was stunning!

- Portland Bill Lighthouse and Pulpit Rock – The main attraction of the isle if the Lighthouse which is set amidst unreal views of the sea. You can go on a guided tour up the lighthouse and it also a small museum by the entrance which explored the maritime history of the area. Beside the lighthouse is the Pulpit Rock which is a unique rock formation.

Other attractions are the Portland Castle, D-day museum and the Prison museum.

 It has been one of the most stunning places I have visited in the UK and still can’t believe such unreal places are in this country!  A little gem that nobody knows about and it reminded me why I love expanding my travels to places in corners and nooks of any countries.

Andorra

 Have you ever thought of fitting a whole country in 2days? Andorra, nestled in the Pyrenees, Spain and France is this tiny landlocked country which is full of surprise. Apart from being nature haven for hikers and bikers, Andorra is home to; tax-free shopping; the longest Alpine coaster as part of  the outdoor park Naturland; the largest thermal spa complex in Europe, Caldea; the second largest Tibetan bridge in the world, Pont Tibeta. Andorra is popular in winter due to its key stations.

To get to Andorra, I took a coach from Barcelona. There are no public transport except from buses. The currency is euros. They speak Catalan, Spanish and French so a right mix! Andorra la Vella is the capital city which has a charming old town and can be easily explored in half a day with its shopping streets, Pont de Paris and the Dali sculpture, La Noblesse. There's also he big Central Park by the river.

So what have I done while I was in Andorra? I obviously had to go to the Tibetan bridge. I booked tickets through their main website https://www.ponttibetacanillo.com/en/. There are a number of combination tickets but I just wanted to visit the Bridge. I took a bus (L3 but you can also take L4) from the capital city, Andorra la Vella where the bus ticket was just under 2euros. Bear in mind that only cash payment is allowed on the buses. the ride is 20mins.You will bee dropped in the town of Canillo where you will need to the free shuttle bus to the entrance closest to the bridge. It is a 10-15minutes walk to the bridge. The bridge is looooooooooooooooooong but the views are so nice. The entrance and exit are the same so you will need to walk across the bridge  twice. It was a big scary because of the height and it as slightly swinging but I loved the experience! I really enjoyed it and I wouldn't miss it at all! 

I then wanted to do a walk and picked Vall d'Incles as it is known as the most beautiful valley in the country and god, it was stunning! It had a number of hiking trails and so you can have so much fun! There's also plenty of waterfalls and I went to see Cascada de Moles which is by the road. I picked this as I was short on time!

Andorra is such a beautiful country and so green which I needed as well as the fresh air! It is a country that you can easily visit during your French or Spanish travels. A tiny country but so fill of heart!

Eynsford

 A very short day trip from London is this cute little village in Kent called Eynsford. This is a village but it had very many attractions. A 15minutes walk from the station is my first stop called Lullingstone Roman Villa. This site is managed by English Heritage and is free entry even for non-members. The old ruins cannot be viewed closely due to maintenance work but you can view it from the upstairs gallery. The site is a typical Roman villa and did farming! You can watch a short video relating to the history of the site and upstairs you get to see some artefacts of  what has been excavated from the site. This was a quick visit but perfect for any history geeks as the mosaic tiles were well preserved.

10minutes walk from the Roman Villa is Lullingstone Castle and Gardens. It has an try price of  £10 for the gardens and the grounds. The actual mansion is lived in so you can only visit on events days. The grounds are beautiful with a lake, with the River Darent flowing through the it. The walk around the grounds takes 15minutes. The gardens is called the World Garden and features plants and flowers from around the world. It was a nice garden to explore with an Orchid garden, a cacti garden and other unique features! The Lullingstone Castle and Gardens was a nice and restful stop!

I then walked to Eynsford village centre which took me directly to the iconic bridge with the river flowing through it. The best thing was to walk through the river.  The walk was very picturesque too taking you through some beautiful fields! 

On the other side of the village, is Eynsford castle ruins which is free to visit. It is well documented as to what used to stand in each corner of the castle!

The whole trip took me half a day and really enjoyed it!