British Travel Journal | Summer 2019
Hooray it’s the summer! – and all we want to do is travel - to see as much of the British Isles in this glistening sunshine as we possibly can, and with tourism in the UK rising rapidly from previous years, it seems we are not alone.... Inside this issue we tour the new South West Coast 300 driving route in Scotland, Nathan Outlaw takes our food columnist, Chantal Borciani on a gourmand’s tour of the spectacular Cornish coastline, we visit the wonderful new Machrie Hotel on the Isle of Islay, ‘In search of Scotch Whisky’, we go behind-the-scenes at Wimbledon, learn to ride the waves at surfer’s paradise, Fistral Beach, Newquay, we join a cookery class to improve the culinary skills, find adventure after-dark with our 10 unique experiences - and not to mention all of our regulars too - with the latest Travel News, What's On Cultural Agenda, and featured destinations and travel itineraries we hope will inspire you to book that holiday you have been dreaming of too!
Hooray it’s the summer! – and all we want to do is travel - to see as much of the British Isles in this glistening sunshine as we possibly can, and with tourism in the UK rising rapidly from previous years, it seems we are not alone.... Inside this issue we tour the new South West Coast 300 driving route in Scotland, Nathan Outlaw takes our food columnist, Chantal Borciani on a gourmand’s tour of the spectacular Cornish coastline, we visit the wonderful new Machrie Hotel on the Isle of Islay, ‘In search of Scotch Whisky’, we go behind-the-scenes at Wimbledon, learn to ride the waves at surfer’s paradise, Fistral Beach, Newquay, we join a cookery class to improve the culinary skills, find adventure after-dark with our 10 unique experiences - and not to mention all of our regulars too - with the latest Travel News, What's On Cultural Agenda, and featured destinations and travel itineraries we hope will inspire you to book that holiday you have been dreaming of too!
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WHAT COULD<br />
BE MORE<br />
enchanting<br />
than witnessing<br />
live theatre set within one of<br />
the country’s most beautiful<br />
backdrops? Rugged cliff tops,<br />
sandy beaches, lidos, palace<br />
lawns, ancient abbey ruins and<br />
grand country houses – all play<br />
host to critically acclaimed,<br />
award-winning theatre over the<br />
summer. Ideal for all the family,<br />
simply bring a picnic and blanket,<br />
then relax in comfort with a<br />
glass of wine, while the troupe<br />
entertain you as the sun sets.<br />
Outdoor theatre brings you<br />
much closer to the action –<br />
crashing waves and occasional<br />
downpours only add to the<br />
drama, as the actors respond to<br />
heckles from seagulls or sheep.<br />
Countless productions pop<br />
up at jaw-dropping locations<br />
across the UK, offering<br />
everything from Shakespeare<br />
to slapstick, sometimes both at<br />
once. Perhaps unsurprisingly,<br />
A Midsummer Night’s Dream<br />
is a popular choice, with an<br />
array of interpretations to be<br />
experienced.<br />
What’s more, the admission<br />
price will often include pre-show<br />
entry to the garden or country<br />
house hosting the event. We<br />
challenge you to find a better way<br />
to spend a summer’s evening. So<br />
unpack your hamper, get comfy<br />
and let the show begin! à<br />
THE MINACK THEATRE<br />
PORTHCURNO, CORNWALL<br />
Arguably the Holy Grail of <strong>British</strong><br />
outdoor theatre, you’ll be hard pushed<br />
to find a more dramatic setting to stage<br />
a performance. Literally perched on a<br />
cliff edge above the Atlantic in far west<br />
Cornwall, the Minack resembles the<br />
ruin of an ancient Greek amphitheatre.<br />
Though an entirely modern creation<br />
fashioned largely out of concrete, its<br />
story is no less fascinating. A gloriously<br />
eccentric lady, Rowena Cade, bought<br />
the remote headland for a mere £100<br />
in the 1920s, and swiftly organised a<br />
production of (yes) A Midsummer Night’s<br />
Dream. Following its success, Rowena<br />
sought a more permanent stage, and<br />
so in the early 1930s began to build<br />
the amphitheatre herself, enlisting the<br />
help of two gardeners. The Minack<br />
staged its first official performance, The<br />
Tempest, to glowing national reviews in<br />
1932. Rowena continued adding to the<br />
theatre throughout her life and could<br />
often be seen hand mixing concrete well<br />
into her 80s. Now, almost 90 years on<br />
from its first performance, the theatre<br />
continues to thrive, with a varied summer<br />
programme including Romeo & Juliet and<br />
Great Expectations.<br />
Box office: 01736 810181<br />
minack.com
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