British Travel Journal | Summer 2020

BRITISH TRAVEL 

JOURNAL 

BritishTravelJournal.com 

SUMMER 2020 | ISSUE 06 

CITY | COAST | COUNTRY 

small island 

big heart 

CORONAVIRUS: WE LOOK AT 

HOW THIS INCREDIBLE NATION 

HAS RESPONDED TO ONE OF 

ITS TOUGHEST CHALLENGES 

the rise 

of the 

staycation 

FROM IDYLLIC SECRET ISLANDS 

TO EXPLORING ENGLAND'S NEW 

COASTAL ROUTE AND FINDING 

YOUR PERFECT HOLIDAY HOME 

WIN 

a two-night 

stay in Padstow, 

Cornwall with 

Rick Stein 

£6.75 

beautiful destinations • michelin star restaurants • hotels & SPAS • experiences • adventures • travel news

Escape with Confidence 

Re-Opening 4th July 2020 

The Lygon Arms, High Street, Broadway WR12 7DU 

01386 852255 I www.lygonarmshotel.co.uk

THE NEW TR ADITI O N 

RESEIGH FOOKS BRAND AND PACKAGING DESIGN CLIENT: NOBLE ISLE STAGE 3 29th June 2011 

C O N T R I B U T I O N S 


JOURNAL 


WELCOME 

editors 

Editor-in-chief Jessica Way 

FEATURES EDITOR Samantha Rutherford 

CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Angela Harding 

expert contributors 

Melanie Abrams 

Chantal Borciani 

Helen Holmes 

Emma Johnson 

Adrian Mourby 

Emma O’Reilly 

Lydia Paleschi 

Adrienne Wyper 

FRONT COVER IMAGE 

St Ives, Cornwall 

©VisitBritain/Tomo Brejc 

FEATURE CHOICE 

Small Island, Big Heart p20 

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AS WE WENT TO PRINT with 

our last issue never could we have 

imagined a world in which travel 

would be completely stopped in 

its tracks. Never again will we take for granted 

our freedom to visit our magnificent cityscapes, 

captivating coastlines and peaceful countryside. 

It has been a difficult year for the hospitality 

and travel sector, but as this issue of British Travel 

Journal shows many are beginning to reopen, 

delighted to welcome back visitors and guests once more. 

We speak to these resilient hoteliers, destination managers, and others in 

the UK tourism industry about how they have responded to COVID-19, Small 

Island, Big Heart (p20). Our Cultural Agenda (p11) takes on a new direction, 

exchanging theatre performances for outdoor art, sculptures and natural 

wonders. And, in a time when remote locations are being sought after, all 

you need to know about wild (and nearly wild) camping is covered in our 

Sustainable Travel series (p34). If camping isn’t for you, help is at hand to find 

the perfect holiday home in our 10 of the Best Self-Catering Properties (p40). 

If you’re dreaming of strolls along the shore, fresh sea air and gently 

lapping waves, then you will love our coastal specials; Revival of the Beach Hut 

(p46), England’s Coast (p54), Wild Swimming (p80) and Secret Islands (p58). 

Enjoy a taste of Cornwall in our Interview with Rick Stein (p76) before 

heading to the beach workshop of wooden bellyboards in our Meet the 

Maker: Wave Rider article with Dick Pearce (p70). 

Finally, thank you to all our subscribers for your support, keeping 

our spirits high with words of encouragement and understanding the 

unusual delay in receiving this issue. Together we continued to dream of 

the extraordinary places we can explore, staying inspired with online and 

digital features, and hopefully by the time of reading this issue our next great 

adventures will have become reality. 

Travel safely, and together we will continue to support our wonderful 

tourism industry. u 

Jessica x 

Jessica Way 

Editor-In-Chief 

Contista Media Ltd cannot accept responsibility for 

unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. 

While every care is taken prices and details are subject to 

change and Contista Media Ltd take no responsibility for 

omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish 

and edit any letters. All rights reserved. 

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CONTENTS 


34 

20 

11 

C O M P E T I T I O N 

79 

WIN A LUXURY 

TWO NIGHT 

STAY IN PADSTOW... 

Courtesy of Rick Stein we are 

offering one lucky winner, 

and their guest, two nights’ 

accommodation at St Petroc’s, 

a three-course dinner at 

The Seafood Restaurant and 

a one-day course at Rick 

Stein’s award-winning Cookery 

School in Padstow. 

IMAGE (P34) ©VISITBRITAIN/ANDREW PICKETT 

JOTTINGS 

09 

11 

TRAVEL NEWS 

A look at what’s new and travel 

noteworthy in the British Isles 

CULTURAL AGENDA 

Outdoor art, monuments, exhibitions and 

museums to visit after lockdown 

39 HEALTH 

Keep your mind and body feeling well 

with our unmissable selection of healthy travel 

destinations and gadgets 

10 OF THE BEST SELF- 

40 CATERING PROPERTIES 

Find your perfect holiday home from our 

selection of some of the UK's finest properties, 

available from self-catering travel specialists 

FEATURES 

20 

SMALL ISLAND, BIG HEART 

Discover how this incredible nation has 

responded to one of its toughest challenges 

STILL WINES RUN DEEP 

28 English still wine used to be the poor 

relation but it’s fast catching up its sparkling sister 

SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL 

34 In this issue we cover wild (and nearly 

wild) camping. Discover remote camping places 

doing their utmost to tread lightly on the planet 

REVIVAL OF THE BEACH HUT 

46 As much part of the great British 

seaside as piers and Punch & Judy – we look at 

how a simple seaside storage shed became a 

covetable coastal property 

à 


£6.75 







FROM IDYLLIC SECRET ISLANDS AUTUMN 2019 | ISSUE 03 



CITY | COAST | YOUR COUNTRY PERFECT HOLIDAY HOME 

EDINBURGH TO THE 

CALEDONIAN FOREST 

£5.00 



AUTUMN FORAGING 

HOLIDAYS 

CELEBRATES TWO BIG 

MILESTONES THIS YEAR 

beautiful destinations • michelin star restaurants • hotels & sPas • exPeriences • adventures • travel news 

EVENTS ■ IDYLLIC DESTINATIONS ■ MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS ■ LUXURY HOTELS ■ NEW EXPERIENCES 

54 

E D I T O R 

L O V E S 

The Triumph Trekker GT - the first 

E-bicycle to be launched by iconic 

British brand, Triumph Motorcycles, 

world-famous for making motorcycles. 

Priced £2,950 

triumphmotorcycles.co.uk 

LIFESTYLE 

70 

MEET THE MAKER: 

WAVE RIDER 

Beautiful, hand-crafted wooden bellyboards are 

being produced at a seaside workshop. We head 

for the beach to meet the man behind the board… 

INTERVIEW WITH: 

76 RICK STEIN 

Award-winning chef Rick Stein talks Cornish 

beaches, cooking inspiration and becoming 

Padstow’s biggest attraction 

WILD SWIMMING 

80 As your senses heighten and your mind 

calms, feel the benefits of connecting to nature by 

immersing yourself in the outdoors and soaking up 

its awe-inspiring beauty 

84 

STEPPING ON SET 

Discover historic houses and wild 

landscapes that have inspired directors and 

cinematic moments in the UK 

70 

COASTAL 

54 

ENGLAND'S COAST 

Soon we will be able to lace up 

our boots and amble or ramble absolutely 

anywhere along the English coastline 

SECRET ISLANDS 

58 The British Isles has some 6,000 

islands to explore – some fully fledged tourist 

hotspots, others mere dots in the ocean. 

All have a story to tell 

VIEW OF THE SEA 

94 Multi-award winning Landal Gwel 

an Mor resort offers the ultimate in luxury 

coastal breaks, providing five star lodges in a 

spectacular Cornish location 

S U B S C R I B E 

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JOURNAL 

small island 

big heart 


the rise JOURNAL 

of the 

staycation 

take a 

journey 

WIN 

a two-night 


Cornwa l with 

Rick Stein 

taste a 

destination 

Interview 

raymond blanc 

WIN 

a luxury 

short break 

for two in 

Exeter! 

6 BritishTravelJournal.com

Coach House, Hampshire 

Find your special place 

From quintessential cottages and country houses 

to quirky windmills and lighthouses. 

A portfolio of over 

550 luxury, self-catering 

holiday properties 

in the UK and Ireland. 

View the properties 

ruralretreats.co.uk 

Call for our 2020 brochure 

01386 897 959

THE GREAT BRITISH ESCAPE! 

STOKE PARK 

Stoke Park is a luxury 5 AA Red Star Hotel, Spa and Country Club set within 300 acres 

of beautiful parkland and offers world-class sporting and leisure facilities. 

FACILITIES INCLUDE: 

• 49 Bedrooms and Suites 

• Award winning Spa 

• 27 hole Championship Golf 

Course 

• David Leadbetter Golf Academy 

• 3 Restaurants and Bars, including 

Humphry’s (3 AA Rosettes) 

• 13 Tennis Courts (indoor, grass 

and artificial clay) 

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• Indoor Pool 

• State-of-the-art Gym with Fitness, 

Hot Yoga and Spinning Studios 

hosting up to 50 classes per week 

• Tinies Kids Club and Crèche 

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Only 30 minutes from London, and a short drive from both Windsor and Heathrow Airport. 

For Hotel Reservations please call 01753 717171 or email reservations@stokepark.com 

Stoke Park, Park Road, Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire SL2 4PG | www.stokepark.com

TRAVEL NEWS 

W H A T ' S N E W 

Destinations | Renovations | Launches | Celebrations 

GOOD NEWS FOR ENGLISH 

SPARKLING WINE 

Nyetimber has a new vineyard in Kent. 

195,000 vines have been planted, said to 

increase production by 220,000 bottles! 

A NEW ISLAND JEWEL IN PLYMOUTH SOUND 

The historic Drake’s Island located just 600m from the Plymouth shoreline is set to be 

brought back to life by the new owner, Plymouth-based businessman, Morgan Phillips, who 

is developing the island into a luxury (25 bedroom) hotel and spa resort. The six-acre island, 

named after Sir Francis Drake, who set sail from the island in 1577 to circumnavigate the globe, will 

offer locals and tourists the opportunity for their own island adventures, staying in the Grade 

II listed former Governor’s Island House, exploring hidden tunnels and forgotten buildings. 

drakes-island.com 

THE HEART OF EDINBURGH 

Originally built in the 16th century, Abbey 

Strand, located at the foot of Edinburgh’s historic 

Royal Mile, on the doorstep of the Palace of 

Holyroodhouse, has re-opened its doors, five 

hundred years on! Prices from £199 per night. 

lateralcity.com 

BRITISH 

TRAVEL 

JOURNAL 

L O V E S 

2 0 2 0 

NEW L A U N C H 

CUMBRIA’S HIDDEN COAST 

Work is underway on a new 40-mile coastal 

challenge recreational route, stretching along the 

Cumbrian coast from Whitehaven to Millom with 

adrenalin activities, cycling and art installations. 

visitlakedistrict.com 

BEACH HOLIDAY IN SUSSEX 

For magnificent sea views look no further than a 

stay at Skyfall, with its elevated position on the cliffs 

of St Leonards-on-Sea, private terrace and hot tub. 

Prices start from £1,428 for a three-night stay. 

oliverstravels.com 

HEARTS & CRAFTS 

Cotswolds Hearts & 

Crafts Sauternes Cask 

Single Malt Whisky is 

the distillery’s first ever 

European Oak Cask 

expression. £74.95 

cotswolds 

distillery.com 


5 JULY 2020 TO 

3 JANUARY 2021 

GP_MARCH_HALF—1.indd 1 19/02/2020 11:20 

COLORADO HIGH 

CBD GIN 

Taking gin to new heights 

A deliciously refreshing citrusy gin, suffused 

with 200mg of CBD to deliver a deep sense 

of calm and wellbeing. 

www.silentpooldistillers.com

CULTURAL AGENDA 

Outdoor Art | Sculptures | Natural Wonders 

Words | Melanie Abrams 

WE LOVE 

IMAGE CREDITS: © ENGLISH HERITAGE TRUST; VISITSCOTLAND/KENNY LAM; NORTHERN IRELAND TOURIST BOARD; HISTORIC ENGLAND; VISIT BRITAIN; 

NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES; SHUTTERSTOCK; THE SINGING RINGING TREE, VISITLANCASHIRE; VISITWILTSHIRE; WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES UK 

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge 

Built by fishermen in 1755, this 20 metre rope 

bridge links Northern Ireland’s mainland in 

Ballintoy to the tiny ancient volcanic island 

of Carrick-a-Rede (from the Scottish Gaelic 

Carraig-a-Rade meaning The Rock in the Road). 

Dolphins, porpoise and even large sharks can be 

spotting swimming off the coast, whilst nearby 

Rathlin Island has one of Britain’s largest 

seabird colonies including puffins. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/carrick-a-rede 

à 

For safety during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, please check Government guidelines and relevant websites before visiting

W H A T W E ’ R E 

D I S C O V E R I N G 

Gallos Statue 

High on the Cornish cliffs at Tintagel Castle 

stands the regal bronze Gallos statue by Rubin 

Eynon. (Gallos meaning power in Cornish.) 

The tall hooded figure holding a sword is 

inspired by the royals associated with this 

medieval castle – notably King Arthur, one of 

Britain’s most famous figures, who, according 

to a 12th century writer, was conceived there. 

english-heritage.org.uk 

The Kelpies 

The Scottish lowland town of Falkirk is the 

home of The Kelpies, two ginormous horse 

head statues. Looming above the Forth 

and Clyde canal in The Helix parkland, the 

30 metre high Kelpies, which during a paid 

tour you can go inside, have become the 

world’s largest equine statues. Made by 

Scottish sculptor, Andy Scott from 36,000 

steel pieces, the horses were inspired by the 

Clydesdale draught horses used for haulage 

along the canal or on land. 

thehelix.co.uk 

Stonehenge 

With its 4,500 year old stone circle, 

Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain is one 

of world’s most famous prehistoric 

monuments. On 21 June (the longest day) 

the sun rises on the isolated Heel Stone 

and sets on the shortest day, linking the 

iconic landmark to the stars or to a temple 

to sun and moon gods. See how the circle’s 

creators lived at the reconstructed Neolithic 

thatched huts nearby. 


Giant’s Causeway 

Volcanic activity many millennia ago 

created the hexagonal black basalt 

columns at Giant’s Causeway on the 

Northern Irish north coast of County 

Antrim, although legend has it that an Irish 

giant, Finn McCool built it as a bridge to 

Scotland. Over the years, the columns 

have taken on unusual shapes like chimney 

stacks or even a giant’s boot. Also worth 

spotting at this UNESCO World Heritage 

Site are the seabirds, crab and rare plants 

which live here too. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/giants-causeway 


IMAGES LEFT AND ABOVE CLOCKWISE: GALLOS STATUE; GIANT'S CAUSEWAY; 

THE BOX PLYMOUTH; GIANT'S CAUSEWAY; STONEHENGE; AND THE KELPIES. 

IMAGES BELOW CLOCKWISE: SMEATON'S TOWER; ST LUKE'S INTERIOR AT THE BOX; 

FIGUREHEADS AT THE BOX; ELIZABETHAN HOUSE, PLYMOUTH 

S P O T L I G H T O N : 

P L Y M O U T H 

The Box 

Plymouth’s history merges at The Box. 

Redeveloped from the Plymouth Museum 

and Art Gallery and Central Library, the 

£40 million glass panelled space will 

house the city’s collections from natural to 

maritime history and the region’s archive. 

Across a new square, St Luke’s Church will 

display contemporary art. 

theboxplymouth.com 

Smeaton’s Tower 

Best known as the legendary place where 

Sir Francis Drake played bowls before 

sailing to defeat the Spanish Armada in 

1588, Plymouth Hoe is also home to the 

Grade I listed red and white landmark, 

Smeaton’s Tower. Walk up its 93 steps for 

views over Plymouth Sound and the city. 

Originally situated on Eddystone Rocks, 

off Cornwall, the lighthouse has been on 

the Hoe since 1884. Modelled on the 

shape of an oak tree that bent with the 

wind, John Smeaton’s 1759 tower was a 

radical lighthouse design of its day. 

plymhearts.org/smeatons-tower 


IMAGES FROM ABOVE CLOCKWISE: HOTEL PORTMEIRION; ST NECTAN’S GLEN; 

THE SINGING RINGING TREE; WILTSHIRE’S WHITE HORSES; WHARRAM PERCY 

MEDIEVAL VILLAGE; QUARRY AT JUPITER ARTLAND; MAUNSELL SEA FORTS; DARK 

HEDGES IN BALLYMONEY; PORTMEIRION VILLAGE; CASTELL DEUDRAETH, A 4-STAR 

HOTEL IN PORTMEIRION VILLAGE. 

St Nectan’s Glen 

Don wellies to visit St Nectan’s Glen in 

the Cornish hamlet of Trethevy, with its 

three waterfalls, shallow pool to wade in 

and river bank woodland walk. Named 

after the eponymous sixth century saint, 

the waters at St Nectan’s Kieve that 

gush through a hole in the rocks are 

thought to be healing too. Head to the 

wooden café for a light bite or chill out 

in a forest retreat. 

st-nectansglen.co.uk 

Portmeirion Village 

Once a backdrop for a cult 1960s 

sci-fi television series, The Prisoner, and 

the subject of this year’s ITV documentary 

series, The Village, colourful Portmeirion 

Village in North Wales is unique; it 

combines a man-made Italianate village, 

subtropical forest and sandy Welsh 

beaches. Top tips include staying at the 

Great Gatsby-style hotel and sampling 

local mussels in the neo-Gothic castle’s 

brasserie. 

portmeirion.wales 

Wiltshire’s White Horses 

Explore Wiltshire through its eight 

white horses carved into the South 

West county’s hillsides. Take the oldest 

horse designed in 1778. Its Westbury 

setting includes an iron age hill fort and 

14th century church. Two other horses 

overlook the Vale of Pewsey with its 

quaint thatched roof cottages, canal and 

trout fishery. 

visitwiltshire.com 

Wharram Percy Medieval Village 

Of the 3000 deserted medieval villages 

in Britain, Wharram Percy in North 

Yorkshire is one of the largest and best 

preserved. With remains including 

watermills, a pond, church, barn as well 

as houses, the site evokes 600 years of 

life to 1517. 

Based near Malton, the historic 

market town is also worth checking out 

with its popular monthly food market 

and horse racing stables, which have an 

open day on 13 September. 



The Singing Ringing Tree 

Overlooking Burnley in Lancashire is this 

three metre tall wind powered, sound 

sculpture. Shaped into a windswept tree 

by 21 layers of galvanised steel pipes, the 

eerie discordant sound is created by the 

wind blowing through them. Designed by 

architects, Mike Tonkin and Anna Liu, the 

eco- artwork won the National Award for 

architectural excellence in 2007. 

visitlancashire.com 

Jupiter Artland 

For vibrant, thought-provoking art, 

wander through the 120 acre sculpture 

park outside Edinburgh. Anish Kapoor’s 

caged bottomless vortex and Marc 

Quinn’s tall vibrant orchid, known as 

Love Bomb, are among the stellar works. 

New for this year are reconstructions 

of works by performance art pioneer, 

Allan Kaprow including his melting ice 

sculpture; as well as the chance to stay 

overnight - in the house where artists live 

when working on projects. 

jupiterartland.org 

Maunsell Sea Forts 

Take a boat trip from Herne Bay into 

the Thames Estuary to see the Second 

World War memorial, the Maunsell sea 

forts, named after the civil engineer who 

designed them, Guy Maunsell. Built 

in 1942 to help protect London from 

German airstrikes and sea raids, each steel 

fort housed weapons and 265 soldiers. 

Abandoned in 1958, a few survive. 

maunsellseaforts.com 

The Dark Hedges 

If you are suffering withdrawal symptoms 

from cult television hit, Game of 

Thrones, head to the fabled Dark 

Hedges in Ballymoney, Northern Ireland 

- one of the most photographed natural 

phenomena and a popular attraction for 

tourists from across the world. 

For this avenue of gnarled trees was the 

setting for Westeros’s Kingsroad. 

Planted in the 18th century, this avenue 

was dubbed one of the world’s most 

beautiful streets by Architectural Digest. 

ccght.org/darkhedges/ 

Step on set: 

The Dark 

Hedges' 

appearance as 

the 'Kingsroad' 

in Game 

of Thrones 

brought 

international 

fame - for 

more cinematic 

inspiration 

you might 

also enjoy our 

'Stepping on 

Set' article p88 


IMAGES FROM ABOVE CLOCKWISE: FAIRY POOLS ON THE ISLE OF SKYE; HADRIAN’S 

WALL; CERNE GIANT CHALK OUTLINE; THE HARDY MONUMENT; ANGEL OF THE 

NORTH; SOUND II AT AT WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL; THE MUSEUM OF THE HOME; 

FINGAL’S CAVE ON THE UNINHABITED HEBRIDEAN ISLAND OF STAFFA. 

Fingal’s Cave 

Known for its natural acoustics, thanks to its 

arched roof and moving waves, the fabled sea cave 

retains its ethereal experience. Located on the 

uninhabited Hebridean island of Staffa, the 227 

foot tall cave with its volcanic-formed columns is 

only accessible by boat – either from the mainland 

or surrounding islands. Puffins with their colourful 

beaks add charm from May to August. 

nts.org.uk/visit/places/staffa 

Fairy Pools 

Visit the clear blue Fairy Pools on the Isle 

of Skye, just off the north-west Scottish 

coast in the inner Hebrides. The gushing 

waterfalls and swirling pools lie in a large 

glen at the foot of Scotland’s rocky Black 

Cullins mountains. Nearby is the rural 

village of Carbost, known for its 19th 

century Talisker single malt whisky distillery. 

visitscotland.com 

Hadrian’s Wall 

Spanning England from east to west from 

South Shields near Newcastle to Cumbria’s 

Maryport is Hadrian’s Wall. Built by the 

Romans around 122 AD, the wall marked 

the northernmost point of its empire. Walk 

alongside it to discover ancient forts, turrets 

and more, with picturesque views including 

Northumberland National Park. 

english-heritage.co.uk; 

nationaltrust.org.uk 

Cerne Giant 

Often associated with fertility, the Cerne 

Giant is an ancient chalk outline of a naked 

man wielding a club carved on Trendle Hill 

above Dorset’s historic village of Cerne 

Abbas. Dating back to early England, the 

olde worlde village developed around a 987 AD 

Benedictine Abbey whose remains can still be 

found near the medieval Church of Saint Mary. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/cerne-giant 

Hardy Monument 

The Hardy Monument commemorates Vice 

Admiral Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy, 

renowned as the captain of HMS Victory, 

Nelson’s flagship at the 1805 Battle of 

Trafalgar where they defeated Napoleon. 

Standing on the summit of the Black Down 

in Dorset since 1844, this 22 metre high 

monument was also built as a shipping 

landmark. Now the climb of 120 interior steps 

to the top serves as a spectacular viewing 

point across the Dorset countryside and coast 

-and The Isle of Wight Needles on a clear day. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/hardymonument 


Angel of the North 

20 metres high with a 54 metre wing 

span, Antony Gormley’s Angel of the 

North in Gateshead has become one 

of Britain’s most iconic public artworks. 

Located along a main road in and out of 

the city, the statue has become a symbol 

of the city’s identity too. Unveiled in 1998 

on the site of former coal pithead baths, 

the steel sculpture has remained “a focus 

of hope,” as the artist said at the time. 

newcastlegateshead.com 

Dorset County Museum 

Dorset’s treasures re-emerge following 

a museum facelift. Highlights 

include its Thomas Hardy collection, 

archaeological finds relating to the 

county since prehistory and the fearsome 

long jaw of a pliosaur, an extinct marine 

reptile, dating back 155 million years, 

found on the shores near Weymouth. 

Nearby visit ruins of a 4th century 

Roman Town House – the only fully 

exposed one in Britain. 

dorsetcountymuseum.org 

Sound II at at Winchester Cathedral 

Modern and medieval British art collide 

as Antony Gormley’s contemporary 

man, cast out of lead from the artist’s 

body, stands in contemplation in the 

11th century crypt. Best way to see 

the sculpture is via a viewing platform 

during the rainy season when the crypt 

floods – as a tube mechanism through 

the body fills the cupped hands with the 

rising water. 

winchester-cathedral.org.uk 

Dove Cottage & Wordsworth Museum 

Step back to the 1800s at William 

Wordsworth’s home in the Lake 

District. The cosy homestead, where 

the Romantic poet lived with his family 

from 1799 to 1808 has had a makeover 

for the 250th anniversary of his birth. 

Get a taste of how he lived from the 

kitchen, open fire living room, and study. 

Head next door to the newly expanded 

museum – for manuscripts, artworks and 

other artefacts. 

wordsworth.org.uk 

The Museum of the Home 

The row of 18th century almshouses has long 

been a Shoreditch landmark. Now after a two 

year transformation, the Museum of the Home 

(formerly the Geffrye Museum) will re-open, 

adding a roof garden and café to new galleries. 

A 16th century fireplace to Philippe Starck 

homeware feature in its collection. 

museumofthehome.org.uk 



W A T C H I N G ? 

The King’s Man 

16 SEPTEMBER 2020 

The sharp-suited Kingsman 

intelligence agents return to the 

big screen from 18 September. 

This time we find out the agency’s early 

20th century origins as they combat 

the world’s worst tyrants and criminals. 

Directed again by Matthew Vaughn, 

the comedy action caper has a new 

starry cast including Ralph Fiennes 

and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. 

20thcenturystudios.com/ 

movies/the-kings-man 


L I S T E N I N G T O ? 

Women in Music Part III 

by Haim 

We’ve been waiting three 

years for new pop rock sounds from 

the multi-talented Haim sisters, Este, 

Danielle and Alana. Now, there are 16 

tracks to gorge on in one of the most 

anticipated albums of this year. Sassy 

song, Summer Girl is timely whilst 

Hallelujah’s soulful guitar helps us chill 

through those long nights. Shot by 

multiple Oscar nominee, Paul Thomas 

Anderson, the album cover is an extra bonus. 

haimtheband.com 

W H A T W E ’ R E R E A D I N G ? 

Foodie Breaks: England, Scotland, 

Northern Ireland and Wales 

8 SEPTEMBER 2020 

Discover a fresh side to Britain and its 

food with a new fact-filled guide to 

the country’s eateries, Foodie Breaks: 

England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and 

Wales by Richard Mellor, published by 

Dog ‘n’ Bone Books on 8 September. 

Whether on a budget or date, the 

extensive culinary choices take you from 

big cities to a remote fishing hamlet in 

Wales. Other hot tips include regional 

favourites and best for local produce. 

rylandpeters.com 

ABOVE: FOODIE BREAKS: ENGLAND, 

SCOTLAND, NORTHERN IRELAND AND WALES 

IMAGES ABOVE: SCENES FROM 

THE KING’S MAN MOVIE AND THE 

HAIM SISTERS, ESTE, DANIELLE 

AND ALANA. IMAGE BELOW: 

WOMEN IN MUSIC PART III BY HAIM 

ALBUM COVER SHOT BY MULTIPLE 

OSCAR NOMINEE, PAUL THOMAS 

ANDERSON 


SMALL 

ISLAND 

IMAGES: COUPLE ENJOY THE HEADLAND OVERLOOKING 

THE WINDSWEPT 20 BritishTravelJournal.com 

LANDSCAPE AND THE PORT AND OLD 

TOWN OF ST IVES ON THE NORTH CORNISH COASTLINE. 

©VISITBRITAIN/TOMO BREJC

As Britain prepares to 

cautiously open its doors, to 

explore new places from a 

distance and to think about 

a summer holiday at home, 

we look at how this incredible 

nation has responded to one 

of its toughest challenges 

Words | Emma Johnson 

BIG 

HEART 

à 


THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS is predicted to cost 

the UK tourism industry at least £22bn in lost 

revenue. Domestic tourism has always been 

a booming industry for a nation that loves to 

explore its beaches, forests, lakes, moors and mountains. 

But in the face of a global pandemic, stories about 

closures and empty beauty spots make for grim reading. 

Tourism is one of the UK’s most successful economic 

sectors, employing 3.1 million people and supporting 

200,000 small businesses and entrepreneurs right 

across the country, as well as being the main employer 

in many coastal towns and rural communities. For two 

months, most of those staff have been furloughed and 

the businesses shut. Many businesses with shorter spring 

or summer seasons have seen that timeframe radically 

reduced, while also considering how to offer their services 

or experiences in the light of social distancing and 

government safety measures. It has been a lot to consider. 

And yet, in the midst of uncertainty came ingenuity, 

creativity and a deep and renewed sense of community. 

For the British tourism and hospitality industry, this is a 

challenge, but not an unassailable one. David Adams, 

general manager at the Cary Arms Hotel & Spa in Devon, 

explains that uncertainty, on some level, is something 

they’ve always been prepared for. “We get thrown 

curveballs all the time in this industry. Yes, this was a 

particularly big one, but being a success in hospitality 

gives you a lot of practice at being caught off guard and 

adjusting to the situation.” 

BRAND NEW BEACH HUTS AT CARY ARMS & SPA, DEVON 


SUPPORTING EACH OTHER 

Across the nation, pubs, bars, hotels, parks, estates and tourist 

boards worked to consider the best way to cope through 

lockdown, and to support those around them in difficult times. 

Across Britain, The National Trust opened all of its carparks 

and estate land for free, while the IHG hotel group provided 

temporary accommodation for three months for rough sleepers. 

In the heart of London, Strand Palace remained open to 

house key workers, as well as providing free meals to the NHS. 

During the Second World War, Strand Palace’s doors remained 

open for servicemen who protected this country, “we were 

equally humbled to support key workers during the COVID-19 

crisis” says Jamie Childs, Marketing Manager at the hotel. 

Also in London, the iconic Claridge’s hotel offered over 40 

free hotel rooms for staff from the nearby St Mary’s Hospital in 

Paddington, while also delivering daily packed meals to over 

500 NHS workers and community support teams. Close by, 

The Connaught donated over 200 meals a day to St Patrick’s 

Church to help feed the homeless and vulnerable. Healthcare 

professionals working on the frontline were also offered free food 

and accommodation from large hotel brands including Four 

Seasons, Hilton and OYO Hotels. 

Many hotels chose to recognise the sacrifices of so many with 

giveaways and weekend breaks reserved for key workers. Small 

Luxury Hotels of the World chose to recognise 500 NHS workers 

by giving away two-night stays for use at any of their properties. 

Iconic Luxury Hotels, the privately-owned collection of four 

classic British hotels - Cliveden House, Chewton Glen, The 

Lygon Arms and 11 Cadogan Gardens – recently joined a Mr 

& Mrs Smith Crowdfunder campaign to reward NHS and care 

home staff with a night away at some of the UK’s best boutique 

properties, which also includes Dormy House in the Cotswolds, 

The Rose in Kent and Limewood in Hampshire, for just £50 each. 

Working to help both restaurants and the NHS, Fuel 

the Fight is a fantastic not-for-profit grassroots campaign, 

which simultaneously feeds NHS workers while supporting 

the hospitality industry during COVID-19. Acting as a broker 

between restaurants and hospitals, Fuel the Fight uses every 

penny raised to buy meals at full retail price from restaurants and 

deliver them to local hospitals. “In terms of the restaurants, two 

have said they could not have survived without us,” says founder 

Evelyn Booth-Clibborn. “They had been on the brink of closing. 

And, for all the restaurants we have partnered with, Fuel the 

Fight has truly been a lifeline enabling them to keep their cash 

flow afloat and core staff going.” Jackson Boxer, chef at Orasay 

who is part of the initiative added: “We are so thrilled to be able 

to cook for the local hospital staff at this time. To be able to have 

Fuel The Fight help with the cost of this is incredible. We're so 

grateful for the donations which have allowed us to do this.” 

Turning their expertise to something different, gin distilleries 

such as Silent Pool, Portobello Road, Harrogate Tipple, Isle of 

Harris, Dyfi and Nelsons all turned their expertise to making à 


hand sanitisers and gave them out to key workers and the local 

community. Silent Pool, who branded their sanitiser ‘The Silent 

Treatment’, has given away 50 bottles of hand sanitiser a day at 

its distillery shop, focusing on the elderly and NHS staff including 

nurses, doctors and surgeons, paramedics, a charity for the 

homeless and GP surgeries. 

Similar creativity could be found on Alderney, where one 

business found that they had all the materials and bottles to make 

hand sanitiser, while a volunteer support programme, called 

Alderney Spirit, worked to provide help and support across the 

community where needed, from support at the care home or 

hospital to dog walking or meals on wheels for vulnerable or selfisolating 

residents. 

From big gestures to smaller ones, from landmark hotels 

to country pubs, the message from hospitality seemed clear 

throughout the country – that despite hard times and uncertainty, 

their priority was giving back what they could and helping in some 

small way. In Cornwall, catering company Fees Food created 

the Cornwall Community Kitchen, fundraising themselves and 

donating meals to local food banks and working with small 

charities helping those most in need. “Food banks and charities 

in Cornwall are seeing unprecedented demand, so we started 

Cornwall Community Kitchen to help in any way we can,”, said 

founder Fee Turner. While in the Cotswolds, village pub The Bell 

at Sapperton set up a click and collect service, using their suppliers 

to get access to much-needed bread, flour, vegetables, eggs and 

milk, and used any excess of food and drink to create emergency 

‘Survival Bags’ of essentials, which they delivered to local 

neighbours and the vulnerable elderly community. 

LOOKING FORWARD 

Now, as the focus turns to reopening and what the rest of the 

summer season will look like, it’s clear that this characteristic 

pragmatism remains. Hope remains that the late summer season 

will also push forward into autumn, and discussion about an 

additional bank holiday in October have been met with positivity 

by the industry. “We are working across the industry and with the 

UK Government to save as much of the valuable summer season 

as we can and to extend the tourism season into October and 

beyond,” explains Patricia Yates, CEO of Visit Britain. “And we 

have also been talking to destination management organisations 

in England about how they coordinate their destinations, coming 

out of lockdown.” 

Working together has been a key feature for organisations that 

might previously have worked more on their own agenda. Mark 

Hooper, project lead for Visit Shropshire, explained to British Travel 

Journal that Covid-19 has changed the way they work, creating closer 

ties to other organisations. “During lockdown we became all about 

supporting our businesses, and forming closer relationships with our 

neighbouring counties and local authority to work together to ensure 

Shropshire recovers in the strongest way possible. We have created 

partnerships which we will take into the future.” 

NESSCLIFFE VILLAGE IN SHROPSHIRE, LOCATED NORTH OF THE RIVER SEVERN 

DISCOVERING BEAUTY SPOTS 

Mark Hooper also explains how a big focus for Visit Shropshire 

has been on promoting hidden gems or off-the-beaten track 

locations, over the usual tourist hotspots, to try and spread 

tourism across the UK and avoid busier areas. “We are aware 

that social distancing will need to be in place for a little while 

longer once we start to reopen. We are encouraging visitors to 

explore Shropshire off the beaten track." It’s a great opportunity 

for those areas in Britain that are less busy to make a difference 

in terms of social distancing and visitor numbers. 

In the Cotswolds, the theme across social media has been 

one to showcase the beauty of the area, but at the same time, 

to reiterate the message that says: “For now, please stay away.” 

It’s a brave message for any business to share, but speaks 

volumes about its commitment to safety. Mette Poynton, founder 

of tourist guide and membership organisation Cotswolds 

Concierge, explains how they have tried to tread the delicate 

line between promotion and social responsibility: “We have 

made it clear, through our promotion of the Cotswolds during 

lockdown, that we will promote the area by encouraging people 

to #PlanAVisit. We want people to plan to visit when it is safe 

and advised to do so. It is of great importance that the tourism 

industry recover, so we see it as our responsibility to do whatever 

we can to make this happen, and that includes continuing to 

promote all the wonderful things in the Cotswolds.” 

On the island of Alderney, director of tourism Helene Turner 

explains that how promoting the positives while encouraging 

people not to visit is a challenge they have risen to. “We are 

committed to singing from the rooftops about our lovely little 

island and want to keep sharing the Alderney love with everyone 

through social media and our website during this difficult time, 

when visiting is not advised. Be assured our island community will 

be ready and waiting to welcome you with open arms once we 

are all able to return to a healthy safe state of normality.” 


HOLIDAYS AT HOME 

It is clear that the UK will be a main destination for anyone 

taking a holiday this year. “This will be the year of domestic 

tourism,” said Patricia Yates, something that is a really positive 

sign for many in the hospitality industry. 

At the Cary Arms in Devon, which responded to lockdown 

by reassuring guests that refunds and date moves would be met 

with no quibbles, the mood is positive. “The next 12 months will 

be very different but also very successful,” says David Adams. 

“The reduction in availability of overseas travel, and particularly 

cheap package holidays, will allow guests to really look at 

what UK tourism has to offer. There are so many genuine and 

amazing businesses in the UK already offering everything a guest 

could want from their holiday, now is our chance to shine. The 

tricky part is doing that without losing sight of why guests are 

coming to stay, to relax and enjoy themselves!” 

Rural or seaside areas are seeing particular interest, as Julie 

Hastings, marketing director at Hastings Hotels in Northern 

Ireland explains. “We have properties in the cities, countryside 

and also close to the beach in Northern Ireland and we have 

seen an increase in enquiries for bookings at our coastal and 

spa properties which are all in very beautiful natural locations.” 

September and October are looking to be popular and busy 

months for many in the industry, while longer stays are also looking 

more common. Luxury Cotswold Rentals say they have seen a 

sustained rise in enquiries for much longer-term rentals, up to two 

and three months, which the company is now calling ‘holi-stays’ 

– and properties with swimming pools and tennis courts the most 

popular. “Many of our guests have cancelled European trips and 

are looking for somewhere to settle into for the summer months,” 

says founder Nigel Stengard-Green. à 


POST-LOCKDOWN LUXURY 

It’s clear too though, that plenty of changes will need to be 

made, and hotels and restaurants have a lot to consider 

when looking at how they offer the same levels of quality 

and service amidst social distancing measures. Andrew 

Stembridge, executive director of Iconic Luxury Hotels, voices 

the concerns of many, saying; “There is no doubt that the 

reopening of hotels will not be easy. We are developing and 

adjusting our comeback plans and re-opening models daily 

for all our hotels in order to get through the numerous hurdles 

in place.” 

Patricia Yates suggests that we might start to see the 

introduction of a common industry quality mark that 

would provide a ‘ring of confidence’ for tourism businesses, 

attractions and destinations as well as reassurance to visitors 

that businesses have clear processes in place when restrictions 

are lifted. “We can holiday at home again to give reassurance 

to the public that it is socially responsible to travel.” 

At luxury hotel Cliveden House post-pandemic measures 

include new cleaning training programmes, changes to their 

dining room layout – including a one way system through 

the restaurant, as well as extra use of their wonderful Astor 

Grill. Previously the stables, the Astor Grill design lends itself 

naturally to social distancing with individual booths which 

organically limit the space and number of settings. In the spa 

there will be an increase in personal training and one-on-one 

yoga sessions, while all guest rooms will have in-room tablets 

which eliminate many touch points and allow for remote 

access. 

In Sussex, Goodwood Hospitality Managing Director, 

Andrew Coggings explains "With such a high demand for 

the temporary Goodwood Farm Shop (a switch from our 

wholesale business to a fully-fledged farm shop offering our 

home-reared organic meat, cheeses, milk and beer directly 

to customers) we are considering making the shop a more 

permanent fixture on the estate and offering tours of our 

organic farm." 

At the Headland Hotel in Cornwall, owners John and 

Carolyn Armstrong took advantage of lockdown to refurbish 

the indoor pool and changing rooms, and undertake various 

maintenance tasks, as well as preparing the hotel for opening 

post-Covid by finishing the build of their new Aqua Club, 

with six swimming pools and a restaurant, which will provide 

takeaway flatbreads from its new pizza oven together with 

freshly cooked lobsters and crabs from Newquay Harbour. 

The hotel also has 40 self-catering cottages which will allow 

people a safe and easy place to holiday. “We have a huge 

amount of space within the hotel and ten acres of grounds, 

with thirty sunny little dug-outs perfect for social distancing 

while safely enjoying Cornish cream teas and watching the 

waves,” says Carolyn Amstrong. The perfect vision of a 

socially-distanced way to holiday. 


DIGITAL FOOTPRINTS 

While work is being undertaken to make tourist spots and destinations 

safe for visitors, it is likely that many galleries, landmarks, theatres 

and museums will have to find new ways to be creative. Luckily, our 

increasingly digital world means that some of the most intriguing 

places and dramatic performances are all available to us online. 

In Alderney, they have set up ‘Puffin Cams’ which shows the puffins 

in their natural habitat on the neighbouring islet of Burhou – a lovely 

way to connect with nature, even if you can’t get there; while many 

gardens across the UK are offering virtual tours around their beautiful 

grounds. At Waddesdon Manor, the grand house and gardens are 

renowned for their calm beauty and expansive Victorian horticulture 

including formal gardens, trees and walks, and you can also explore 

all of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Wisley garden online, as well 

as the gardens of the private residence of Prince Charles and Camilla, 

Duchess of Cornwall at Highgrove. The Royal Botanic Gardens at 

Kew have created a tour of the top ten sights to see, with guided 

commentary from Kew experts along the way - we love the Victorian 

glasshouses and Alpine rock garden. And don’t miss garden tours 

from Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire, Great Comp in Kent and 

Chiswick House in West London. 

In Shropshire they’ve been using the campaign 'Shropshire 

from your sofa' - all built around seeing Shropshire virtually; while 

in Cornwall you can enjoy a video tour of the beach at St Ives. 

Stonehenge, York Minster, Edinburgh Castle and Loch Ness are all 

also offering virtual tours, while in London you can soak up such 

landmarks as Buckingham Palace, St Paul’s Cathedral and even 

Abbey Road. 

For even more cultural exploits, many theatres across Britain have 

started to share their shows online for free, including the Bristol Old 

Vic, which is currently featuring its hit musical The Grinning Man 

which went on to transfer to the West End. In London, The Globe 

recently announced that it will release 40 free titles, including six 

mainstage shows and its 2020 one-act version of Macbeth. The 

National Theatre is offering Tom Hiddleston's Coriolanus and This 

House, and other theatres going online include The Old Vic, The Gate 

Theatre and the Southwark Playhouse. In addition, the Chichester 

Festival Theatre and Manchester International Theatre have both 

moved their planned 2020 festivals online, putting on full shows, 

musical performances, talks and Q&As, all for free, while The Royal 

Opera House is sharing a selection of past operas and ballets on its 

YouTube channel. 

Art galleries are getting creative too, with Tate Modern moving 

its highly anticipated Andy Warhol retrospective online, where you 

can see over 100 of the artist’s most iconic works, including his Green 

Coca-Cola bottles and his equivocal Ladies and Gentlemen series. 

At Tate Britain you can walk through their 12 gallery rooms with work 

from the likes of Francis Bacon and John Constable; at The British 

Museum you can virtually tour the Great Court and discover the 

ancient Egyptian mummies; and at The Natural History Museum, 

children can discover the worlds of dinosaurs and dodos, as well as 

amazing plants and colourful butterflies. u 


STILL 

WINES 

RUN 

DEEP 

English still wine used to be the poor relation 

but it’s fast catching up its sparkling sister 

Words | Adrian Mourby 

IN RECENT YEARS British sparkling 

wine has taken off so impressively that 

French vineyards are now investing in 

the productive Sussex countryside. Yet 

English still wines have remained at the 

Cinderella end of the market, dowdy and 

overlooked. 

In all fairness the quality of English 

still wine has until recently been variable. 

In the early, pioneer years (our first 

modern vineyards were only planted in 

the late 60s and early 70s) there was an 

over-reliance on hardy Muller Thurgau 

and Bacchus, German grapes which 

grew well in English soils and could cope 

with the English climate, but produced 

still wines with a rather sour taste. 

Over the last ten years, however, the 

quality of English wines has generally 

improved, with French sparkling wine 

grapes like Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and 

Pinot Meunier proving that they can 

thrive in southern England. 

Still wines have followed where their 

sparkling siblings led with blended wine a 

particular success. 

Climate change allied with the 

work of Plumpton College’s new Wine 

Research Facility in Sussex has meant 

that southern England is beginning to 

challenge even its French neighbours for 

both still and sparkling wines. 

Currently there are over 500 

vineyards in England but the output 

is still not huge. Many vineyards and 

wineries sell by internet and many have 

their own restaurants and hotels to 

supply so English wines do not have 

a major supermarket presence as yet. 

But that’s a very good reason to go and 

visit the vineyards. Here are six still wine 

producers who will make you welcome. à 



1RATHFINNY 

WINE ESTATE 

ALFRISTON, SUSSEX 

In 2010 Mark and Sarah Driver 

bought Rathfinny Farm with the 

specific intention of growing 

grapes for sparkling wine. 

Currently the couple have 380,000 

vines growing on 227 acres of land 

and by 2025 they are aiming for 350 

acres. If all goes to plan, Rathfinny 

will soon be producing 80,000 cases 

of sparkling wine a year, making it 

one of England’s most significant 

wine producers. Mark’s ambition is 

that “In twenty years’ time you will 

walk into a bar or restaurant in New 

York or Beijing and you’ll be asked, 

‘would you like a glass of Champagne 

or a delicious glass of Sussex? I can 

recommend the Rathfinny, sir.’” 

However Rathfinny also produces 

still wines, using the same three 

grapes: Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and 

Chardonnay. These are marketed 

under the Cradle Valley label. There 

is a blended Cradle Valley White and 

a Cradle Valley Rosé which is made 

solely from Pinot Noir grapes. Both 

still wines are made to the same high 

standard. The soil at Rathfinny 

helps. The vineyard lies on a 

band of well-drained chalk that 

forms the Paris Basin, running 

up through northern France, 

crossing through the Champagne 

region and into southern England, 

forming the South Downs. 

According to Cameron Roucher, 

estate manager at Rathfinny (who 

moved from New Zealand to be 

part of the project), “You couldn’t 

really ask for a better location than 

this for growing grapes.” 

rathfinnyestate.com 

Where to stay 

Ockenden Manor 

Ockenden Manor is very much a 

wine-lovers hotel. It was built in several 

stages from Tudor times to the present 

day. The hotel offers a number of 

Wine Safari packages. Visits to six 

local vineyards can be arranged by 

the concierge, including to nearby 

Rathfinny and Bolney. 

hshotels.co.uk/ockenden-manor 

WE LOVE 

THE CRADLE 

VALLEY 

The Cradle Valley White is a light 

and crispy blend of Pinot Gris and 

Pinot Blanc (and just occasionally 

Chardonnay) and sells for £21. 

YOU MIGHT ALSO 

ENJOY...The Bolney Estate 

just four miles west of Ockenden 

Manor produces a Pinot Noir 

that is currently the best-selling 

English red. Its Pinot Gris is also 

excellent. In 2020 the vineyard is 

opening a new restaurant in its 

south-facing vineyard. 

bolneywineestate.com 


2THREE 

CHOIRS 

NEWENT, 

GLOUCESTERSHIRE 

First planted in 1973, the 

Three Choirs vineyard 

is one of the oldest in England. This 

venture was begun by a Gloucestershire 

wine merchant who bought a few acres 

known as Fairfield Fruit Farm. Record 

summer temperatures in 1976 provided 

a boost to the fledgling vineyard and 

in 1984 it was sold as a going concern 

to the Oldacre family. They expanded 

the vineyard to 75 acres and renamed 

it Three Choirs after England’s oldest 

choral festival that visits Gloucester 

Cathedral every three years. In 2014 

the Oldacre family expanded into 

Hampshire, purchasing a picturesque 

40 acre vineyard in Wickham whose 

outbuildings are so attractive it also 

doubles as a popular wedding venue. 

Current vintages under chief wine maker 

Martin Fowke include a whole series 

with local geographical names: May 

Hill, a medium sweet wine, Ravens Hill, 

a deep ruby-coloured red and two dry 

whites, Willowbrook and Coleridge Hill. 

There is also a blended English Rosé 

plus the single varietals, Siegerrebe and 

Bacchus. Three Choirs also produces 

one sparkling white wine. 

Where to stay 

Luxury Vineyard Lodges 

Since 2000 the vineyard has its own 

hotel and restaurant. Guests can also 

stay in glass-walled, wooden-framed, 

lodges with floor to ceiling windows 

overlooking ponds surrounded by vines. 

three-choirs-vineyards.co.uk 

WE LOVE 

THREE 

CHOIRS 

SIEGERREBE 

2017 

Three Choirs Siegerrebe 

2017 is a vegan-friendly white 

wine retailing at £14.95 

with subtle hints lychee and 

grapefruit on the palate. 

3NEW HALL 

BOXTED, ESSEX 

The CM3 postcode in 

Essex has more vineyards 

than any other postcode 

in Britain. Indeed 80% of 

all grapes grown in Essex are sourced 

here in the Crouch Valley. With southfacing 

slopes, low rainfall and coastal 

breezes, the area is protected from frost 

and produces some of the best wines in 

England. Wine has been cultivated on 

the rolling hillsides of Essex since soon 

after the Norman Conquest. Indeed it 

is believed that wicked King John had 

his wine supplied from a site in the 

Crouch Valley. In 1969 Bill and Sheila 

Greenwood planted Crouch Valley’s 

first modern vines at New Hall Farm. 

Mr Greenwood was a farmer and 

realised that the valley’s microclimate 

offered great potential for viticulture. 

850 Reichensteiner vines were 

purchased at auction for just 23p each 

and hundreds of old railway sleepers 

were cut up to create the trellises. In 

1971 Mrs Greenwood made the first 

wines in her kitchen from German 

Reichensteiner, Huxelrebe and Muller 

Thurgau grapes. Today under winemaker 

Piers Greenwood, New Hall 

produces a number of single varietal 

wines, Bacchus, Ortega, Huxelrebe, 

Muller Thurgau and Chardonnay, as 

well as an English rosé blended from 

Pinot Noir and two minor grapes. 

We love White Hart 2017 

Created for their 50th anniversary, 

this post-ferment blend of Schonburg 

and Chardonnay results in a dry wine with 

flavours of pineapple and a soft citrus finish. 

newhallwines.co.uk 

Where to stay 

Wivenhoe House 

Stately Wivenhoe House is 20 miles 

east of New Hall Wines. In 1816, owner 

Major-General Francis Slater Rebow 

commissioned John Constable to 

commemorate the house on a canvas 

that is now displayed at the National 

Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. 

The hotel is surrounded by the campus 

of Essex University 

wivenhoehouse.co.uk 


4LOVELLS 

WELLAND, 

WORCESTERSHIRE 

Cathie and John Rolinson 

moved to the village 

of Welland below the 

Malvern Hills in 2008 having made the 

bold decision to establish a vineyard 

from scratch. Their first 900 vines were 

planted in 2010 and since then they 

have added thousands more and taken 

management of Tiltridge Vineyard in 

Upton on Severn. Now working four 

vineyards over 15 acres – all sheltered 

by the Malvern Hills, Lovells produces 

Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes 

which are marketed in a series of 

wines named after local composer, Sir 

Edward Elgar. 

“Ours is a story of a hobby that 

became more serious,” says Cathie. 

“It started with an ambition to prove 

to friends and family that we could 

produce a decent English wine. We 

were ably helped along the way by 

the expertise of the well-established 

Three Choirs Vineyard as well as 

several other knowledgeable and kind 

souls” Operating out of a delightful 

farmhouse and visitor centre, Lovells 

now grows Orion, Pinot Noir, Siegerebbe, 

Madeleine Angevine and Seyval Blanc 

as well as red Rondo grapes. Today 

this charming vineyard produces over 

12,000 bottles of wine a year, from 

sparkling whites and rosés to dry 

whites and single varietals. The Elgar 

range includes an Elgar Medium Dry, 

Sonatina Rosé and two sparklings - 

Ysobel Rosé and Elgar Sparkling White. 

We love Elgar Medium Dry made 

from a blend of Huxelrebe and 

Schonburger from the vineyard’s 

oldest vines. It retails for around £12.50 

lovellsvineyard.co.uk 

Where to stay 

The Cottage in The Woods 

The Cottage in The Woods is on the 

Malvern Hills just above Lovells and 

serves the Elgar wines. It was originally 

the dower house for a massive 

Victorian estate, Blackmore Park in the 

Severn Valley that burned down in 1921. 

cottageinthewood.co.uk 

32 BritishTravelJournal.com 

5DENBIES 

WINE 

ESTATE 

DORKING, SURREY 

The hugely productive 

Denbies operation almost 

didn’t happen. In 1984 Adrian White 

bought this Surrey estate as his home 

but was unsure what to do with the land 

so he asked a friend, Professor Richard 

Selly (who normally advised on drilling 

for oil) to survey the site. Selly worked 

out that its chalk soil and well-protected 

location were ideal for wine production. 

Thirteen varietals were planted as an 

experiment in 1986 to see which would 

take, and 34 years later, in 2010 Denbies 

medium dry Surrey Gold became the 

best-selling English white wine. 

These days the vineyard produces 10% of 

all English wines. Other Denbies’ blends 

are geographically named: Flint Valley, 

Ranmore Hill and Redlands. Single 

varietals include Bacchus and Pinot Gris. 

Despite a lot of success with its sparkling 

wines, 40% of Denbies’ output remains 

still and it also makes wine for other 

companies, like the Albury Vineyard 

near Guildford. 

Good entry-level wines under £10 

helped establish the brand, but the 

new Denbies’ Vineyard Select range is 

exciting critical attention. The visitor 

centre with its great central tower and 

Disneyfied wine train attracts 350,000 

visitors a year. The site is very accessible 

and friendly, with locals walking their 

dogs. There is also a modern 18 bed 

hotel created out of an old farmhouse on 

the estate. 

Where to stay 

Denbies Vineyard Hotel 

Denbies Vineyard Hotel has a very 

attractive view of the vines from its 

dining room. This building was 

originally a farmhouse on the original 

estate but has been completely 

repurposed for visitors. 

denbies.co.uk 

WE LOVE 

RANMORE 

HILL 2017 

Ranmore Hill 2017 is a 

white wine that was a Gold 

award-winner at WineGB 

2019 in the category of ‘Best 

Blended Wine’. At £14.95 it is 

also very good value.

6CHAPEL 

DOWN 

TENTERDEN, KENT 

England's largest 

winemaker operates 

out of Tenterden in 

Kent, making use of the 

same chalk landscape that created 

the white cliffs of Dover. Pinot Noir, 

Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Bacchus 

thrive in this gentle climate, but 

Chapel Down augment their own 

grapes with fruit grown by 13 suppliers 

from Essex to Hampshire. This wide 

range of locations minimises the risks 

of crop failure due to frost. 

The company was established in 1992 

and moved to Tenterden three years 

later taking over Rock Lodge Vineyard. 

Today winemaker Josh Donaghay- 

Spire supplies pillars of the British 

establishment like 10 Downing Street, 

the Royal Opera House, Covent 

Garden, the Barbican and the Royal 

Crescent Hotel Bath. The Chapel 

Down bottles with their simple black 

red and gold labelling are attractive 

and easily recognised. The company 

is known for its championing of 

the Bacchus grape, which they 

describe as England’s answer 

to Sauvignon Blanc. They also 

produce an English Rosé as well 

as a single varietal Pinot Blanc 

and a Chardonnay. There is an 

attractive modern visitor centre 

at Tenterden built to resemble 

a clapboard Kentish barn. The 

field next door is planted with 

all the major grape varieties so 

visitors can see them in situ. The 

centre currently attracts over 50,000 

visitors a year. 

chapeldown.com 

Where to stay 

Chilston Park Hotel 

Chilston Park Hotel is 16 miles north 

of Chapel Down. The hotel still has 

the feel of a friend’s country house at 

which you’re staying for the weekend. 

It also has the world’s smallest bar 

tucked under the old oak staircase. 

handpickedhotels.co.uk 

WE LOVE 

2018 BACCHUS 

The 2018 Bacchus is currently 

available for as little as at £10 a bottle. 

It’s a crisp, refreshing highly aromatic 

white wine characterised by hints of 

melon and peach 


Nearly Wild Camping 

SUSTAINABLE 

TRAVEL 

What could be more 

restorative in challenging 

times than sustainable 

camping in a beautiful 

environment? 

Words | Helen Holmes 

TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS AT PEGS AND PITCHES CAMPSITE, SUSSEX 

WE’VE ALL BEEN confined to 

our homes this spring, in what 

must be one of the strangest 

experiences most of us have ever 

had. And if there’s one thing about being told 

to stay inside – it’s that it makes you want to 

go outside like never before. The city dwellers 

amongst us, in particular, have been craving 

countryside, wilderness, open space. 

We’re also seeing some of the immediate 

environmental benefits of reduced travel and 

industrial activity – the skies are clearer, the air is 

cleaner, and wildlife is thriving. It’s unclear right 

now what kind of travel plans we’re going to be 

able to make this summer, but if we are able to 

get away, one highly appealing option is to find a 

remote spot and pitch a tent. 

Actual wild camping – away from campsites 

– is technically illegal in most of the UK, unless 

you have permission from the landowner. But 

there are some amazing campsites which provide 

the experience of being immersed in nature, 

alongside off-grid facilities, and the security of 

knowing that you’re allowed to be there. 

The remote camping places we’ve discovered 

do their utmost to tread lightly on the planet 

– working actively to conserve the local 

environment and wildlife whilst also giving 

people the opportunity to sleep under the stars at 

night and wander through forests, or take to the 

water, by day. 


LIVING-ROOM 

TREEHOUSES, 

MACHYNLLETH, 

WALES 

As if seeping under canvas wasn’t enticing 

enough, how about sleeping in a tree? 

These are real treehouses, built high in the 

forest canopy, on the edge of the Snowdonia 

National Park – remote from each other, and 

from the outside world. The location is close 

to the Centre for Alternative Technology 

– one of the world’s foremost centres for 

research into environmental issues, and 

the team who set up the treehouses used 

to work there – so their envornmental 

credentials are impeccable. 

The treehouses themselves are created 

by local artisans and designers, from 

local, sustainable wood. They have solarpowered 

facilities, including fridges and 

hot showers, as well as running water 

from purified local springs. The site is in 

an ancient woodland which is a haven for 

flora and fauna, and it’s actively managed 

by the treehouse team, who have added 10 

acres of wildflower meadows to the area. 

“We aim to offer guests the opportunity 

to live deep in the heart of the natural 

environment, high in the trees, in a space 

that is both inspiring and far from the 

norm,” says Mark Bond, one of the team 

who set up the site. 

living-room.co 

à 


ALDERFEN 

MARSHES, 

NORFOLK 

Alderfen Marshes consists of just 

four pitches in the Norfolk Broads. 

Located in a Site of Special Scientific 

Interest, the place is first and foremost 

managed as a conservation area – with 

the camping provision being very much 

secondary to that. 

Each pitch is on its own marsh, away 

from others, surrounded by reeds, 

willows, waterways and wildlife, and 

the four pitches are never all occupied 

simultaneously – which allows them 

to recover between visitors. Campers 

can book a canoe alongside their pitch 

and use it to explore the remote, tidal 

waterways of the marshes. 

Campers are also supplied with a 

fire bowl, a supply of drinking water, a 

wood-fired stove and a clean, off-grid, 

private toilet. Stephen Ferrey, who runs 

the site, says, “Our goal has been to 

manage Alderfen Marshes as an area 

of wilderness in which paths disappear 

enticingly into the marshes, creating 

the feeling that around every corner is 

a surprise.” 

go-moco.co.uk 

RUBERSLAW, 

HAWICK 

In the centre of the Teviotdale Special 

Landscape Area in the Scottish 

Borders, Ruberslaw offers remote 

pitches in pine woods, far from 

civilisation. They also have woodlandsited 

two-bedroom safari tents –for 

campers wanting peace and quiet, but 

with a few more comforts. The business 

has been designed using sustainable 

principles, with measures in place to 

minimise the use of electricity and 

water, compost waste, and minimise 

the site’s impact on the beautiful local 

environment. They also grow their own 

plants and vegetables, so campers can 

buy home-grown produce. 

ruberslaw.co.uk 

BLUEBELL MEADOW AT PEGS AND PITCHES CAMPSITE, SUSSEX 

ABOVE: HIDDEN SPRINGS CAMPSITE, EAST SUSSEX ©VISITBRITAIN/ JOANNA HENDERSON. BELOW: RUBERSLAW CAMPSITE, HAWICK 


CYNEFIN, 

CARMARTHENSHIRE 

Cynefin is a Welsh word that means 

'habitat' or 'wild place' – and these 10 

pitches set amongst woodland glades 

and wild meadows certainly fit the bill. 

As well as conventional pitches, the 

site includes two bell tents, a tipi, and a 

shepherd’s hut made from sustainable, 

locally sourced and recycled timber. 

“Probably the most special thing 

about our location,” says owner Kay 

Griffiths, “is the abundant wildlife, and 

our natural wildlife habitats. With no 

campers at the moment, the wildlife is 

taking over.” Regular visitors to the site 

include hares, buzzards, pied wagtails 

and red kites, and Kay and Judith work 

hard to encourage the wildlife and improve 

biodiversity at Cynefin, with bird 

boxes, dormouse boxes, insect homes, 

and a hedgehog house in the woods. 

cynefinecocamping.com 

HOW TO CAMP 

SUSTAINABLY 

Leave no trace: Take everything 

with you when you go – it should look 

as though you’ve never been there. 

Stay close to home: You don’t 

need to travel a long way to immerse 

yourself in nature. Choose a location 

that’s not too far from where you live – 

without a long journey to contend with 

your trip will be more relaxing too. 

Ditch the car: If you choose a site in 

an amazing natural location, make the 

most of it – explore your immediate 

environment on foot (or by canoe) 

rather than driving to attractions 

further afield. 

Borrow a tent: If you’re not already 

a seasoned camper, borrow a tent and 

equipment from a friend rather than 

buying new. Or book into a glamping 

site, where the tent and everything else 

you need will be provided. 

BELL TENT IN THE WOODS OF PEGS AND PITCHES, SUSSEX BEECH ESTATE 

PEGS AND PITCHES, 

SUSSEX 

Pegs and Pitches run two ecologicallyfocused, 

off-grid campsites in Sussex. 

Beech Estate consists of eight ‘wild 

glamping’ bell tents and 22 pitches, near 

Battle; and Wild Boar Wood is a site 

with just nine bell tents, near Haywards 

Heath. Both campsites are in woodland 

settings, in Areas of Outstanding Natural 

Beauty. Beech Estate is located on a 

2,100 acre private estate, where grass 

tracks crisscross the woodland, and 

bluebells cover the campsite in spring. 

Wild Boar Wood, meanwhile, is host to 

22 different species of tree, 26 different 

types of birds and a huge variety of 

animal and plant life. 

“We place the environment at the heart 

of our campsites,” says Hugh Sandie, of 

Pegs and Pitches. “Our campsites are 

based on a philosophy of living lightly 

on the land, in harmony with nature. We 

believe the conservation of trees offers 

overwhelming benefits to our landscape 

and lives.” Both campsites are off-grid 

and use minimal, low-level lighting for 

facilities, to minimise the impact on the 

woodland wildlife and insects. 

pegsandpitches.co.uk 


HEALTH 

W H A T ' S N E W 

Wellbeing | Health | Fitness | Mindfulness 

SUPERIOR SEA VIEW SUITE 

Cornwall’s Talland Bay Hotel has extended part 

of the 16th century building to create additional 

ocean-fronting rooms, to include a spacious 

premier suite with private balcony overlooking 

the sub-tropical gardens and out over the bay. 

tallandbayhotel.co.uk 

TRAVEL DESTINATION FOR TOTAL SECLUSION AND PRIVACY 

Enjoy the beauty of Northern Ireland from the comfort of a bespoke Stargazing Forest Dome at 

Finn Lough Resort, Enniskillen, a two hour drive from Belfast. The unique back-to-nature domes 

resembling giant bubbles offer a complete post-lockdown digital detox with no wifi or TV, allowing 

you to escape the noise of the outside world. Relax and dream while watching the water and 

wildlife passing by. The cabins are beautifully chic, with a luxurious four-poster bed, waterfall 

shower, vintage record player, underfloor heating and telescope - each overlooking the stunning 

Lough Erne. Prices from £265 per night including breakfast and complimentary bike hire. 

finnlough.com 

TOUGH DAY TRIPPER 

The Trailhead Pack is super comfy, durable, 

and lightweight - perfect for a day hike and 

useful beyond the beaten track – doubling as 

your trusty everyday bag. £59.99 

kathmandu.co.uk 

W E L O V E 

LIFE'S A BEACH 

Situated on a seven mile coastal footpath in West 

Sussex, these stylish and cosy Beachcroft Beach 

Hut suites make the ideal bolthole with room service 

available. Prices from £237 B&B per night. 

beachcroftbeachhuts.co.uk 

REMOTE ADVENTURES 

Experiential travel specialists, Pelorus, and 

glamping pioneers, Camp Kerala, have joined 

together to offer luxury mobile tented camp 

experiences in remote destinations across Britain. 

pelorusx.com /campkerala.com 

WILDERNESS CHEF 

The Ultimate Guide to Cooking Outdoors 

The first cookbook from the outdoors legend, 

Ray Mears, shows you how to make delicious, 

flavoursome food in the open air for a 

summer where it is more important than ever. 

Published by Bloomsbury, £20 

bloomsbury.com 


10of the best 

SELF CATERING 

PROPERTIES 

Words | Emma O'Reilly 


Why risk going on a 

plane when there are 

amazing self-catering 

options on our doorstep? 

We bring you some 

of the very best… 

As a nation, we are blessed 

with such a wealth and variety 

of scenery, history and culture 

that a home turf holiday is 

always a delight… and it’s 

kinder to the environment too. 

The sun may not always shine, 

it’s true, but if you have one of 

these dashingly good-looking 

holiday homes to hole up in, we 

reckon you will feel like you’re in 

the sweetest place on earth! 

D E V O N 

THE BOTHY, DARTMOOR 

1 

This decadently romantic bijoux bolthole has 

been really thought out by its interior designer 

owner. The main living space has a sofa, woodburner 

and king size bed – just the place for breakfast with 

dreamy moorland views. For a close-up, search for wild 

Dartmoor ponies on any number of exhilarating walks. 

The holiday let has a private garden with fire pit and 

access to the owner’s tennis court – handy if you have a 

Devonshire cream tea to work off. 

* The Bothy can be booked through Boutique Retreats, 

who try to bridge the gap between boutique hotels and 

traditional holiday cottages. They have properties all over 

the UK and can organise catering and food deliveries. 

boutique-retreats.co.uk 


N O R T H U M B E R L A N D 

THE BRIDGE BARN 

Overlooking the ruins of medieval Warkworth 

2 Castle is The Bridge Barn, a small and stylish 

property suitable for two adults and two children up to 

the age of 12. We love its simple character and charm 

and the village location, with walks and rowing boats on 

the Coquet River almost from the doorstep, a fabulous 

sandy beach an easy walk away, plus all the attractions 

and wild beauty of Northumberland accessible by car. 

* The Bridge Barn can be booked through Coquet 

Cottages - a small team who specialise in luxury, dogfriendly, 

cottages in Northumbria and know the area 

and the cottages well. 

coquetcottages.co.uk 

C O T S W O L D S 

JASMINE COTTAGE 

Cute cottage in the Cotswolds? Yes please! 

3 Jasmine Cottage is as quintessential as they get, 

with wisteria around the door and a pretty country 

style with a French twist. It sleeps three, in one double, 

and one adorable single, bedroom. The cottage is in 

the sleepy village of Windrush, less of a honeypot than 

many others in the Cotswolds, with lovely walks around 

the Windrush Valley – it’s a two mile ramble to the 

National Trust village of Sherbourne. 

* Jasmine Cottage can be booked through Cotswold 

Hideaways who are a relatively new company 

specialising in this appealing patch of England. 

cotswoldhideaways.co.uk 


N O R F O L K 

SWANTON COTTAGE 

The north coast of Norfolk attracts the wellheeled, 

drawn by its beautiful beaches and 

5 

great accommodation. Swanton Cottage is near the 

gorgeous Georgian town of Holt as well as some of 

the area’s best swathes of sand. The house sleeps 12 

so is ideal for extended families or a gaggle of friends. 

Highlights include the big, sociable kitchen/diner 

and, outside, an old glasshouse with table for dining 

on summer evenings. A tennis court, five acres of 

woodland and a play room will keep kids occupied. 

* Swanton Cottage can be booked through Barefoot 

Retreats, who specialise in laidback luxury in the north 

of Norfolk. Their concierge service supplies not just 

the usual restaurant bookings and babysitting but also 

cool things like hiring a luxury bell tent for kids in the 

garden, a hot tub for the weekend, or in-house cocktail 

making classes. 

barefootretreats.co.uk 

C O R N W A L L 

THE CHALET 

This county is not short on stellar 

4 beaches and The Chalet has dazzling 

views over one of the best – Carbis Bay. The 

architect designed pad is uber modern, with 

two ensuite bedrooms (two king size beds, 

one an optional twin), a snazzy kitchen and an 

upside-down layout with living area upstairs, 

for maximum vista drooling time. Lovely St Ives 

is just a one mile stroll along the coast. 

* The Chalet can be booked through Cornish 

Gems who have over 180 special places to stay 

across Cornwall and pride themselves on their 

customer service. 

cornishgems.com 


D E N B I G H S H I R E 

EIRIANFA 

You can be sure of a warm welcome in the Welsh 

6 hillsides at this divine old farmhouse near Ruthin. 

It has a proper country kitchen, with Aga to cook and 

warm socks on and cosy living room with wood burner. 

Rather unusually, although Eirianfa sleeps just four 

people, it has the facilities of many much larger houses, 

including a wonderful games barn with hot tub and bar. 

Oh, and did we mention that the private garden is 17 

acres, complete with lake and rowing boat? 

* Eirianfa can be booked through Unique Homestays 

who offer magical homes in jaw dropping locations 

throughout the UK. They are incredibly fussy about 

the homes they market (and inspect every one), 

meaning that loyal fans trust them implicitly . 

uniquehomestays.com 

A B E R D E E N S H I R E 

GARDEN ROOMS AT FASQUE CASTLE 

Calling all fairytale princesses…. the Garden Rooms at 

8 Fasque Castle await you. This tiny turreted pile is cosy 

inside, with roaring fires both in the living room and the suitably 

grand and girlie bedroom. The estate has acres to roam, with 

woodland, resident red deer and a small chapel. Down the 

road are beautiful walks beside the River Esk and further afield 

the more challenging Cairngorms and Angus Glens, plus 

fantastically unspoilt sandy beaches. This part of Scotland gets 

its fair share of chilly days – just the excuse to warm up with a 

wee dram or two of whisky at the nearby Fettercairn Distillery. 

* The Garden Rooms at Fasque Castle can be booked through 

Cottages and Castles who have been in business for over 35 

years and have 600+ quality Scottish properties on their books 

to suit every pocket. 

cottages-and-castles.co.uk 

C O T S W O L D S 

THE BARNHOUSE 

This one of a kind barn boasts interiors designed 

7 by Kate Moss and is secreted away in the woods. 

The design is eclectic and luxurious, with raw silk carpeting, 

priceless pieces of art and dramatic furniture statements. 

The open plan living and dining spaces look out through a 

spectacular wall of glass, with views extending across the 

adjacent Bowmoor Lake. 

* The Barnhouse is a property on the luxury Lakes by 

Yoo estate, bookable directly (thelakesbyyoo.com) or 

through Orion Holidays, specialists in self-catering 

holiday homes in the heart of the Cotswold Water Park. 

The area is beautiful with over 150 lakes spread over 40 

square miles covering 14 different Cotswold villages and 

a wide range of leisure activities. 

orionholidays.com 


D O R S E T 

LULWORTH COVE HOUSE 

This is self catering with knobs on! 

9 Such hedonism doesn’t come cheap 

but you could spend your whole time 

here without budging. Facilities include 

a stunning indoor pool, terrace with sea 

views, bar, cinema room, games room 

and 10 ensuite bedrooms. The house is 

essentially a giant thatched cottage, with 

a sleek, modern interior. Pretty Lulworth 

Cove is minutes away on foot.* Lulworth 

Cove House can be booked through The 

Wow House Company. They offer large, 

extra special houses and can help clients 

with catering, entertainment and activities. 

thewowhousecompany.com 

WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU BOOK… 

T H E L A K E D I S T R I C T 

ROSE CASTLE COTTAGE 

If remote beauty is the new luxury, then Rose 

10 Castle Cottage, once owned by Beatrix Potter, is 

one opulent place. It sits just above tinkling Tarn Hows, 

with not a neighbour in view. This is a low-tech pad for four 

people – off grid electricity, no TV, dishwasher, microwave, 

or even WiFi, so it’s definitely the place to bring teenagers 

to cold turkey! But who needs screens when the whole 

Lake District is on your doorstep? Tramp in the fells or to 

the jetty where you can climb aboard the old Steam Yacht 

Gondola for a cruise on Coniston Water. 

* Rose Castle Cottage can be booked through National 

Trust Holidays.The National Trust restore historic 

properties throughout the UK, keeping their unique 

character. Money from bookings helps protect them for 

future generations. 

nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays 

• How the company ensure properties are COVID-19 

safe. This should at the least involve thorough antibacterial 

cleaning but might also include a key safe so that guests don’t 

have to meet owners or, even better, contactless entry. 

• If there is a possibility for an early check-in or late check-out. 

• When the low, mid and high seasons are for your property. 

• What extras you’ll have to pay for. 

Ask also whether an end of stay clean is included. 

• Compare like with like. 

Bear in mind you are likely getting more indoor and outdoor 

space for your money and saving money by having a kitchen 

to cook in. Also factor in things like parking, extras provided etc. 

• The cancellation policy. 

Some let you cancel up to the day before your trip, others 

might charge a percentage or all costs, depending upon 

when you cancel. Check the COVID-19 policy, too. Would 

you be refunded if you had to cancel because of it? 


REVIVAL 

OF 

Colourful 46 BritishTravelJournal.com 

beach huts at 

Southwold on the Suffolk coast

Jaunty, jolly bathing huts line the shore at many 

of our favourite seaside resorts, as much part of 

the great British seaside as piers and Punch & 

Judy – we look at how a simple seaside storage 

shed became a covetable coastal property 

Words | Adrienne Wyper 

THE 

BEACH 

HUT 

à 


LOOKING AT A ROW OF BEACH HUTS, if you 

imagine them with wheels, you can see their 

past iteration as bathing machines. These were 

wheeled contraptions, pulled by horses, or 

occasionally humans, designed to convey bathers into the 

sea out of sight of those on the shore. 

Sea-bathing (and drinking seawater) took off in the 

late 18th century for its health benefits. King George III 

was instrumental in popularising it and at Weymouth, 

Dorset there’s a replica of the bathing machine built for 

his 1789 visit. The original remained in use until 1916. 

The terms ‘bathing’ and ‘dipping’ were used rather than 

‘swimming’, as people simply submerged themselves, then 

clambered back into the machine. 

Into the 1800s, beaches were gender-segregated, with 

many men going naked. Later in the century the advent of 

the railway and the introduction of paid holidays brought 

seaside day trips within everyone’s reach. 

Mixed-sex bathing began to spread as the 20th 

century dawned, influenced in part by European 

attitudes. 

To maintain standards of public decency, people still 

needed somewhere to change, so tents were set up. An 

echo of these are Weymouth’s hybrid ‘wooden tents’, first 

erected in the 1920s, with wooden frames and canvas 

panels. 

PICTURED CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: WOODEN TENTS AT WEYMOUTH BEACH, 

DORSET; REPLICA OF KING GEORGE III’S BATHING MACHINE, WEYMOUTH, 

DORSET; PASTEL-COLOURED BEACH HUTS, LYME REGIS, DORSET 

(ALL © ADRIENNE WYPER); BOURNEMOUTH BEACH LODGES, BOURNEMOUTH, 

DORSET (© BOURNEMOUTH, CHRISTCHURCH & POOLE TOURISM); COLOURFUL 

BEACH HUTS AT WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA. PREVIOUS PAGE © HELEN HOTSON/ 

SHUTTERSTOCK 


Pictured above: Bathing machines in the early 

20th century, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 

The earliest purpose-built beach huts were built in Bournemouth, 

Dorset in 1909 for annual renting. Today the town has over 

1,900, 500 council-owned, a tenth of the UK total. 

In the 1930s the focus moved to sun worshipping. More 

beach huts and lidos were built, as beachgoers bared more of 

their bodies. After the Second World War, during which British 

beaches were closed, beach holidays became more popular: 

boom time for the beach hut. 

Cheap package holidays in the 1970s drew holidaymakers 

abroad, and the humble beach hut fell out of favour. However, 

nostalgia for childhood bucket-and-spade holidays, and the 

appeal of a pared-back, outdoorsy lifestyle, have attracted a 

new generation of beach hutters. 

The basic design has remained constant: a wooden box, 

often with a verandah and canopy and steps, but terraces of 

concrete huts have also been built. 

Within this basic uniformity there’s plenty of scope for owners 

to express themselves, with the name, interior decor and exterior 

colour scheme. 

All huts are numbered, but many boast names too, with puns 

particularly prevalent: Jabba, Vitamin Sea, Salty Groyne, Shore 

Thing, Life’s a Beach, while others summon up the laidback feel 

of life by the sea: Happy Days, Love Shack, Flip Flops… 

Some interiors are purely functional, while others are 

decorated as lovingly as the owners’ homes, often with a retro, 

vintage feel or shabby chic look. The seaside theme abounds, 

with driftwood accessories, anchor motifs and fishy fabrics. 

Such playfulness also extends to the exterior, with most 

owners favouring cheerful stripes and bright colours. 

Council-owned huts can have a pleasingly coherent palette, 

as at Lyme Regis in Dorset, while privately owned huts are a riot 

of clashing colours. 

Some see their huts as simply a shed to stash kayaks, 

paddleboards, fishing rods, wetsuits or swimming kit, while for 

others it’s a contemplative space for wave-watching, a haven 

from the outside world. à 


Perhaps the reason that beach huts are so sought after 

now is that demand outstrips supply. They’re found all 

around the British coast, with most along the south coast. 

Local authorities rent theirs out by the year, month, week 

or even day. There are often residents-only restrictions 

and a waiting list. In some areas, such as Swansea, draws 

are run to select the next lucky renter. 

According to a 2019 survey, the average rent at 

sought-after beauty-spot Mudeford Spit, Christchurch, 

Dorset, is £3,816 a month, whereas one in 

Whitstable, Kent, will set you back £1,184 a month. 

If you’d like to buy one, be aware that sky-high asking 

prices have hit the headlines; last summer, five huts went 

on sale at Mudeford Spit for £250,000 each. They have 

no water or electricity, but – unusually – you are allowed 

to sleep overnight, so they’re more of a holiday home. 

At the other end of the scale, there’s currently one for 

sale in Felixstowe, Suffolk for £8,000. In addition to the 

purchase price, hutters need to budget for insurance, 

council tax, licensing fees and maintenance. 

Another thing to bear in mind is that beach huts are 

difficult to secure, and empty for long periods, leaving 

them vulnerable to damage by vandalism (or storms and 

high tides), theft, graffiti or arson. Earlier this year, huts at 

Weston-super-Mare, Somerset were swept away by high 

tides. The Queen’s beach hut at Holkham in Norfolk was 

burnt down in an arson attack in 2003. 

PICTURED ABOVE: BEACH HUTS AT HERNE BAY, KENT © VISIT CANTERBURY BEACH HUTS, 

DECKCHAIRS AND WINDBREAK, SOUTHWOLD, SUFFOLK © VISIT BRITAIN 


However, huts can earn their keep; if you own one, it can 

usually be rented out for up to £60 a day in spring/summer. 

Tempted by a temporary stay? Find huts to hire by the day 

at Beach-Huts.com (beach-huts.com) or contact local 

authorities. Sleeping in a traditional hut is a rare treat due to 

local authority legislation, but lots of coastal accommodation 

has the same vibe. Shaldon Beach Hut in south Devon is the 

real deal, with high-end finishes and stunning views, from 

£130 a night. (quirkyaccom.com/shaldon-beach-hut-1) 

There’s a trend for hotels and restaurants to open their 

own beach huts. In Whitstable, the Hotel Continental 

has converted fishermen’s huts, from £85 a night 

(whitstablefishermanshuts.com). In Devon, spa hotel Cary 

Arms offers beach huts on Babbacombe beach, from £269 

a night. The luxuriously designed Beach Hut Suites at 

The Beachcroft Hotel, Felpham, West Sussex, are right by 

the sea, and breakfast is delivered, all from £250 a night. 

(beachcroftbeachhuts.co.uk) 

PICTURED ABOVE: INTERIOR AND 

EXTERIOR OF BEACHCROFT BEACH 

HUTS, WEST SUSSEX; ALL OTHER IMAGES 

BOURNEMOUTH BEACH HUT 

(© BOURNEMOUTH,CHRISTCHURCH & 

POOLE TOURISM). MAIN IMAGE: FAMILIES 

ENJOYING THE BEACH AT WHITLEY BAY, TYNE 

AND WEAR (© SOLSTOCK) 

Some enterprising local authorities, such as Bournemouth, 

have created a new beach hut/beach house hybrid, 

Bournemouth Beach Lodges (bournemouthbeachlodges. 

co.uk), one of which is wheelchair-accessible, from £325 for 

four nights, and Beach Pods at Boscombe, designed by Wayne 

and Gerardine Hemingway. 

These modern beachside bases, housed in the Overstrand 

building, which is also home to showers, a restaurant, surf 

shop and school, cost from £145 a week. You can’t stay 

overnight, but the pods have electricity, kitchenette and 

original artwork. 

Whether you buy, rent, hire or borrow, the beach hut is a 

stalwart of the great British seaside with no signs of waning in 

popularity, enabling us to enjoy being by the sea, whatever the 

weather, for generations to come. u 


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ENGLAND'S 

COAST 

Soon we will be able to lace 

up our boots and amble or 

ramble absolutely anywhere 

along the English coastline 



IMAGE: DORSET COAST © BRUCE CUTTS

ENGLAND’S BEACHES ARE perfect for long, lazy 

summertime sunning, swimming… and strolling! 

Soon, the latter will be made even easier, thanks to 

the England Coast Path. When completed it will be, at 

2,795 miles, the longest coastal walking route on the planet, 

wiggling its way around the country’s entire coastline. 

As a nation, we are already blessed with many rights-ofway. 

A huge network of public footpaths plus some 15 longdistance 

UK National Trails existed well before this initiative. 

The current coastal trails are essentially being improved, 

adapted and extended to form one very long continuous 

route. Of course, you don’t have to do it all (but wow, wouldn’t 

that be amazing?). Dip in and out, starting and finishing 

where you please and getting some seriously healthy sea air 

into your lungs in between. Walk for an afternoon, a day, a 

weekend or more. 

The England Coast Path is a beautiful, ambitious venture. 

The idea is to open up the entire coastline to the public, to 

boost our health and our connection with nature. It’s also 

about connecting communities and energising coastal 

businesses. It’s a monumental task, and hasn’t been without 

its headaches – having to gain agreements from landowners 

and users, highway authorities and others to allow free access 

is not easy, not to mention the red tape involved in such a huge 

project… It was originally slated to finish this year - delays 

have meant that hasn’t happened but areas of the path are 

underway everywhere and coming to a coast near you! 

The signposted (look out for the acorn waymarkers) route 

hugs the coastline as much as possible, but in sections has to 

snake slightly inland to avoid obstructions, both natural and 

manmade. Walkers can enjoy vast sandy beaches, pebbly 

coves, soaring clifftops, woodland, moorland, saltmarshes 

and mud flats. Seaside villages will provide welcome rest stops 

for food and overnight stays. More industrial landscapes and 

towns and cities are not excluded either. 

It’s not just a footpath, however. New rights of way will 

mean walkers can access land between the path and the sea 

in many places. The England Coast Path is designed to outlast 

all of us – if any areas of the path are affected by coastal 

erosion in the future, then the path will be permitted to move 

further inland. 

Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England who are overseeing 

and implementing the project says ‘“England’s wonderful 

coastline is a national treasure. Our flagship England Coast 

Path is taking people through some of the finest and most 

important landscapes in England, opening up access to 

historic landmarks, natural wonders and breath-taking 

scenery, enabling more visitors to experience, recognise and 

value the benefits of our environment.” 

à 


A VERY ENGLISH ADVENTURE 

Open right now and ready to explore, 

here are some of England's Coast Path 

trails worth walking for… 

Portland to Lulworth 

This was the first section of the England Coast Path to 

open, in time for our 2012 Olympics so that spectators 

could have great viewing areas to watch the sailing 

events. The 20 mile trail starts on the isle of Portland. It 

then passes the ‘barrier’ beach of Chesil Beach – with 

its unique geology it’s a popular spot for twitchers, with 

nearly 300 bird species, as well as many types of butterfly 

and moth. Weymouth Beach is a good stop for sandcastle 

building before coming to Nothe Fort, with its dazzling 

views over the Jurassic Coast. The trail passes the natural 

rock sea arch of Durdle Door, the star of many a postcard, 

before finishing up in the perfect cove at Lulworth – treat 

yourself to a cream tea at the Boat Shed Café, right on 

the beach. 

Pictured clockwise from above: 

Portland Bill Lighthouse; Pedn Vounder Beach, 

Cornwall; and Walking in Cornwall. 


Filey Brigg to Middlesborough 

The longest section of the England Coast Path to open so far. At 68 

miles long, it skirts the edge of the North York Moors National Park 

(look out for minke and humpback whales and dolphins). Carry on 

to the jolly seaside resort of Scarborough and the old smuggling 

village of Robin Hood’s Bay, its labyrinthine streets full of cosy 

cottages, pubs and shops. Whitby is next, where the ruined Gothic 

abbey provided inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Staithes is 

another gorgeous fishing village on the Path and the route travels up 

to clifftops nearby for sublime views over the little red roofed houses 

and 18th century harbour. The walk finishes at the starkly beautiful 

Tees Transporter Bridge in Middlesbrough. 

Skegness to Mablethorpe 

The big open skies and vast beaches of the Lincolnshire coastline 

have always been a draw for walkers and artists. Now there’s 

improved access along this 16 mile stretch, particularly with the new 

boardwalks near the North Sea Observatory with its natural history 

displays, art space and café. 

Anderby Creek Cloud Bar (no, you can’t buy booze there) is the 

world’s first dedicated cloud observation platform where you can 

lie back and sort our your cirrus from your cumulus. A submarine 

forest dating from the Neolithic period is sometimes on view near 

Mablethorpe! The remains of this ancient woodland, which once 

stretched all the way from Lincolnshire to the mainland of Europe, 

can be seen poking up near the shoreline, especially in winter. 

Folkestone to Ramsgate 

Kent’s coast is one of the most varied and historic in the UK, so this 

37 mile stretch is a great addition to the England Coast Path. It kicks 

off in artsy Folkestone (worth a browse around the creative corner 

especially). The rest of the route combines sweeping beaches, 

Martello towers and castles, gentrified Deal, with its interesting 

historic quarter, ancient Sandwich, and the iconic White Cliffs of 

Dover (views right over to France on a clear day). Those wanting to 

stretch their legs further could start their walk at Camber, just over 

the border in East Sussex and walk the whole 66 miles now open 

between there and Ramsgate. Plus an extension from Ramsgate to 

Whitstable is coming soon. 

South Bents & Amble 

A 44 mile tramp through Tyneside and Northumberland gives a 

good variety of coastline views, from the riverside area where the 

Tyne meets the sea to wild beaches and dunes and seaside resorts. 

Fans of the TV series, Vera, will recognise Whitley Bay, Cresswell 

and St Mary’s Island as regular filming locations. Also along the 

route are the Arbeia Roman Fort, which once guarded the main sea 

route to Hadrian’s Wall, at South Shields, Tynemouth Castle and 

Priory and Souter Lighthouse – the world’s first to run on electricity. 

Blyth Beach is big and sandy and recognisable for its brightly 

painted beach huts. u 


SECRET 

ISLAN 


DS 

The British Isles has 

some 6,000 islands 

to explore – some 

fully fledged tourist 

hotspots, others mere 

dots in the ocean. 

All have a story to tell 


THERE’S SOMETHING SO special about 

small islands. Maybe it’s that feeling of 

escape, of going on an adventure. Perhaps 

it’s about being enveloped by the sight, 

sounds and smells of the sea, which soothe mind, 

body and soul. 

Islands create close knit communities – something 

many of us crave in the modern world. Locals have a 

fierce sense of their own identity and are desperate to 

protect their land, their way of life and their age old 

traditions. 

For visitors, life away from the mainland can be 

fascinating, quirky and a little old-fashioned, like 

stepping back into a more innocent time. The peace 

and quiet and lack of cars and big industry means that 

wildlife can proliferate and plant life can flourish, often 

creating unique biodiversities. Little light pollution 

means a nightly star show in the sky. Everything seems 

to slow down - which means we can slow down…surely 

one of the main benefits of a holiday? 

Seafood is always on the menu – and often plucked 

from the sea that very morning. A combination of 

healthy food, brisk walks and salty swims can definitely 

put colour in the cheeks and a smile on your face. 

There’s no need to jet away to far-flung climes. We 

are lucky to have so many special places within the 

British Isles, all just a boat or ferry, plane or even a 

canoe ride away, just waiting to be explored and easy to 

experience in a day, a weekend or longer. 

Here are some of our favourites – places where you 

can pretty much guarantee some beautiful solitude… 

Pictured left and above: Aerial view 

of Tresco; View from Eileen Shona 

à 

à 


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BURGH ISLAND 

Devon 

Could there be a more glamorous island? 

The tiny and privately owned Burgh Island 

is famous for its connections with Agatha 

Christie, who wrote Evil Under the Sun 

and And Then There Were None whilst 

staying in the hotel. It still has a vibe that 

is pure 1920s Art Deco and every night 

is black tie night in the hotel’s Grand 

Ballroom. Non-residents are not allowed in 

unless they have booked lunch, afternoon 

tea or dinner. Anyone can, however visit 

the 14th centry Pilchard Inn, and take a 

walk with a view. 

Getting to the island is…. interesting. 

When the tide is low, walk across the sand 

from Bigbury-on-Sea – it’s around 250 

metres. Hotel guests get transported in a 

hotel Land Rover or, if the sea has closed 

in, on the extraordinary ‘sea tractor’. 

Bigbury-on-Sea is a glorious beach, with 

a great little eatery – the Venus Beach 

Café - and a water sports centre. Paddle 

boarding, water surfing and kite surfing 

are all on offer,or it’s a great place to just 

pootle around rock pools. 

Where to stay 

In the Burgh Island Hotel, of course. Best 

room is Agatha’s Beach House. If your 

pockets aren’t deep enough to stay, an 

excellent alternative is the Burgh Island 

Causeway apartments on the other side 

of the water. That way you can sit on your 

balcony and admire views of the island 

and hotel…and even sneak across for 

dinner! 

à 


THE FARNE 

ISLANDS 

Northumberland 

Many of us have heard of Holy Island 

(aka Lindisfarne) but less well known 

are the Farne Islands, 7.5 miles away as 

the boat sails and scattered a couple of 

miles off shore near Seahouses. They 

are one of the best places in the UK to 

see wildlife – Sir David Attenborough’s 

favourite, in fact! Hop on a boat from 

Seahouses harbour to pootle around 

them (up to 28 depending on the 

height of the tide) whilst seals bob in 

the sea and bask on rocks. If you are 

lucky you may spot wild dolphins, too. 

There are a couple of stops where 

you can get off to get up close to 

thousands of breeding sea birds in the 

late spring and summer, including cute 

Puffins, Arctic Terns and Eider Ducks. 

On Inner Farne there’s a chapel, built 

in the 14th century and dedicated to 

St Cuthbert, who lived as a hermit and 

died here in the 7th century. 

Golden Gate Farne Island Tours 

also takes visitors to Longstone Island. 

It was once home to Grace Darling, 

whose father ran the lighthouse, which 

visitors can tour. She became a local 

heroine in 1838 at the age of 22 when 

she rescued passengers from a sinking 

paddle steamer. 

Where to stay 

Coquet Cottages have self catering 

accommodation in this area, including 

the quirky Gin Gan, sleeping six, near 

Seahouses. Interesting fact – a Gin 

Gan is another name for structures 

once built to house a horse engine – 

basically an engine powered by horses 

in order to operate machinery (it’s 

where the term ‘horse power’ comes 

from!). Or there’s cosy Curlew cottage 

for two in nearby Bamburgh, with its 

atmospheric castle and huge sandy 

beach. 

HERM 

Channel Islands 

By day, this pocket-sized paradise bustles 

when the ferry arrives from Guernsey (they 

call it the ‘mainland’!) and day trippers 

descend to eat, shop and explore. 

Those in the know, however, spend their 

entire holiday here – and have the place to 

themselves once the ferry departs. 

Activities tend to be of the spontaneous 

variety - crabbing and rock pooling, 

kayaking (with ‘puffin patrols’ from April 

until July) and Stand up Paddleboarding. 

The whole island is walkable in two hours, 

taking in hulking cliffs, rolling fields, wild 

flowers, dreamy beaches and a tiny chapel. 

The very best thing to do here, however, 

is to be inactive. What a pleasure not to feel 

the need to visit a castle or a museum, to 

be able to stretch out on a perfect stretch of 

sand and totally unwind. We love the long 

sweep of Shell beach (it really is made up of 

millions of tiny shells) and Belvoir Bay’s cove 

of ice-cream coloured sand – like something 

from an Enid Blyton novel. 

Where to stay 

There are cottages, and a campsite 

with views. The White House Hotel is 

delightfully old fashioned (croquet, tennis, 

no clocks or televisions), there’s a pool 

for warm days and the food is excellent – 

don’t miss the oysters, grown just offshore. 



JURA 

Argyll & Bute 

Come to this Inner Hebridean island for 

untamed Scottish scenery. George Orwell 

lived here on and off for years and it’s 

where he finished writing his novel, 1984. 

The island is best known for its whisky, 

though. Take a distillery tour, then enjoy a 

dram or two of single malt in the local pub, 

next door…which is also the only hotel on 

the island. 

It’s possible to bring a car on the ferry 

but, with just one main road along the 30 

mile length, most places are accessible only 

on foot. This is a walkers’ paradise. You 

are sure to spot red deer, which outnumber 

locals by around 30 to 1. There are large 

birds too, including golden eagles. The 

west coast has incredible beaches, seals 

aplenty and, if you’re lucky, otters. 

Dotted around the island are iron age 

forts and ancient standing stones. The 

three ‘Paps’ mountains are a good climb 

(Paps is an old Norse word for breasts and 

they were named so due to their conical 

shape!). From the summits are incredible 

view over neighbouring islands and the 

Mull of Kintyre. 

Where to stay 

The Jura Hotel is cosy and welcoming, with 

breathtaking harbour views. As well as the 

aforementioned pub it has a restaurant 

specialising in fish, seafood and venison. 

It’s in Craighouse, the only proper village. 

Most of the local population live here and 

it’s where you will find Jura’s only shop, 

school and church. 


FLAT HOLM 

Wales 

Strategically, Flat Holm, five miles from 

Cardiff and Barry, has always held an 

enviable position – in the Bristol Channel 

with views to the coasts of both Wales and 

England. It has led to a varied past as a 

smuggler’s haunt, isolation hospital for 

victims of cholera and the bubonic plague 

(the ruins of the building still visible today), 

and a fortress in Victorian times as well as the 

Second World War. It also received the first 

ever radio message across water by Italian 

inventor Marconi in 1897. Guided tours tell 

more and, on a day trip here, there’s also time 

to have a drink at Wales’ most southerly pub 

– The Gull and Leek. The name gives a clue 

to the island’s most prolific residents – wild 

leeks and lesser black-backed gulls. There’s 

also a lighthouse dating back to 1737. The 

light here, once coal powered, is now solar 

powered – very eco-friendly! 

Where to stay 

Most people visit for the day from Mermaid 

Quay at Cardiff harbour (50 minute journey), 

but dormitory style or camping is available in 

the Grade II listed Fog Horn Cottage. 

A successful wellness retreat, Sanctuary in 

the Sea, was organised by Cardiff Harbour 

Authority last summer and is to be repeated 

this year. It includes yoga, meditation, Reiki 

and vegan food. 

à 


TRESCO 

Cornwall 

Those who visit the Isles of Scilly, 28 miles 

off the coast of Cornwall, are usually 

seduced into coming back time and again. 

You can get there by ferry or small 

plane, the Isles of Scilly Skybus, and the 

new direct helicopters from Penzance. 

Once there it feels a million miles away 

from the rest of England. 

Tresco is a great choice – with a relaxed, 

sophisticated vibe, and plenty to see and 

do. Pick of the bunch is the Abbey Garden 

with its tropical vegetation and Valhalla 

Museum displaying the eerily beautiful 

painted figureheads from local shipwrecks. 

You’ll want to get onto and into the 

water. As well as swimming and island 

hopping, visitors can sail, hire motor boats 

or snorkel with seals. 

Where to stay 

Tresco Sea Garden Cottages stylishly 

sleep between 2 and 10 people, with jolly 

interiors and facilities including access to 

a swimming pool, tennis court and spa. 

Breakfast and dinner is offered for those 

in the smaller cottages, served at the Ruin 

Beach Café (converted from old gig boat 

sheds) nearby. Larger accommodation 

is restricted to weekly bookings, with self 

catering only. 


EILEAN SHONA 

Scotland 

Step from the little boat on to Eilean 

Shona and you feel as if you are in a 

storybook. It’s fitting, as this speck 

floating in Loch Moidart on Scotland’s 

west coast was where JM Barrie spent 

Summer 1920, writing the script for Peter 

Pan. He was accompanied by Michael, 

his foster son and inspiration for the boy 

who never grew old (tragically Michael 

drowned in the Thames a year later so his 

vision came true). 

It’s easy to explore this car-free, ecofriendly, 

Neverland-in-miniature. Tramp 

through woods filled with pine trees, 

encountering Red Squirrels, Red Deer, Pine 

Martens and Otters. A circumnavigation 

of around 10 miles can easily while away 

a morning or longer. Then, picnic on a 

white sand beach and swim in turquoise 

seas (which could be in the Caribbean but 

for the Arctic temperatures) watching out 

for Minke Whales, Dolphins and Basking 

Sharks. 

Celebs love the away-from-it-all feeling 

on Eilean Shona. So does Sir Richard 

Branson – his sister Vanessa is guardian of 

the whole island! 

Where to stay 

Eilean Shona House is very boho chic, and 

it’s where the Branson family hole up when 

here (JM Barrie stayed, too). When they’re 

not, it’s rented out for up to 20 lucky 

people. Elsewhere are 8 cottages sleeping 

between 2 and 8 people. Our pick of the 

bunch is The Old Schoolhouse. 

à 


CONEY ISLAND 

County Armagh 

The National Trust owns this bijou and 

beautiful island in Lough Neagh, largest 

lake in the British Isles. Its seven acres are 

a nature reserve and an Area of Specific 

Scientific Interest, due to its breeding 

ducks and wet woodland. It has a rich 

history and evidence of humans living 

there as early as 8000 BC. St Patrick is 

thought to have stayed here, as did the 

future King Edward VII with his mistress 

Lillie Langry. It was the summer retreat 

of both a Viscount and a Baron. Irish 

chieftain, Shane O’Neill used the 16th 

century round tower as a lookout post and 

a place to store his treasures. You can still 

see it today, a romantic ruin surrounded 

by bluebells in the spring. There’s also an 

Anglo-Norman motte and a holy well. It’s 

a fascinating place, totally wild and with 

a real ‘lost in time’ feeling and a little path 

cut through the woodland so that you 

can explore. Abháinn Cruises are the only 

company taking people there – a minimum 

of six, so take some friends. Don’t forget 

your picnic! 

Where to stay 

It’s an easy 35 minute or so drive from 

Belfast city centre to the Lockkeeper’s 

Cottage on the Toome Canal, where the 

boat trips leave for Coney Island. 

Or why not combine a city and nature 

trip? The Fitzwilliam Hotel is five star 

fabulous with lovely staff and a popular 

bar and it’s a short walk from all the city 

sights. u 


CHANNEL ISLANDS 

Just a stone's throw from the 

south coast of England lies the 

beautiful island of Alderney. With 

no crowds, no queues and no 

traffic jams our small island is 

looking forward to welcoming you 

with open arms once we are all 

able to return to a healthy and 

safe state of normality.

Meet the Maker 

W A V E 

RIDER 

Dick Pearce have been producing 

beautiful, hand-crafted wooden 

bellyboards at their seaside 

workshop in Cornwall for over a 

decade. We head for the beach to 

meet the man behind the board… 

Words | Emma Johnson 

The Cornish coastline is renowned the 

world over for its expansive white 

beaches, aquamarine sea, rugged cliffs, 

small coves and quaint harbours. It has 

been a surfing destination for decades, but at the 

same time retains a quirky, independent vibe that 

epitomises slow living, the beauty of the natural 

world and taking things easy. If it feels idyllic to 

visitors, that’s because it is. 

In Newquay, on Cornwall’s wild Atlantic 

coast, Jamie Johnstone is busy in his oceanside 

workshop cutting, shaping and bending plywood 

to a precise technique that is nearly 100 years 

old, and a closely guarded secret. Jamie is 

making bellyboards - simple wooden boards, cut 

in a narrow shape, with rounded ends and gently 

curved tips. The boards are stamped with his 

company’s playful logo, and painted in bright, 

sunny colours. Everything about them speaks 

to a passion for surfing, but also a commitment 

to timeless quality, heritage, fun and the 

unadulterated thrill of being in the ocean and 

riding its waves. à 




“Fun. Connection to the ocean. 

Simplicity,” says Jamie. ““These boards 

are made to get people in the sea, to 

get them surfing, to get them smiling. 

What we love about bellyboarding is 

the pure and simple fun that you can 

have on a piece of plywood. And this is 

ultimately what drives the business.” 

SURF CULTURE 

Jamie has been at the helm of Dick 

Pearce Bellyboards for a decade, after 

he and his business partner Andy 

bought the company in 2010 - although 

bellyboarding itself has been around for 

nearly 100 years. 

Bellyboarding – which originated 

in Hawaii – arrived in England in the 

early twentieth-century. Influenced by 

what their Commonwealth comrades 

had told them about, British soldiers 

returning from the trenches of the 

First World War brought back ideas 

about the narrow wooden boards we 

know today, and they soon became an 

intrinsic and much-loved part of British 

beach culture. 

Charles Pearce, who initially ran 

a manufacturing business from a 

small workshop in South Molton, was 

inspired by the ‘surf-riders’ he saw on the 

local beaches and began to experiment 

with making the boards himself. He was 

so good at it that, in the years after the 

Second World War, Charles Pearce and 

Sons’ wooden boards became a fixture on 

the beaches of the south west. 

After Charles died, he passed the 

business onto his son Dick, who, born 

and raised in Devon, immersed himself 

in the surfing culture, and became a 

true champion of British bellyboarding. 

For fifty years, he stuck to the family’s 

time-honoured production methods and 

materials and he refused to compromise 

on quality. 

When Dick died, Dick’s widow asked 

Andy, a long-time friend and surf shop 

owner, if we wanted to take over the 

business, along with his business partner 

Jamie. “There was one catch,” explains 

Jamie. “The original manufacturing 

methods used by Dick’s father were a 

safely-guarded family secret. Andy had to 

commit to buying the business before he 

was allowed to see anything of it.” 

Andy agreed, and the business, along 

with the original workshop and beautiful 

old wood-working equipment, passed into 

Andy and Jamie’s careful hands. 

WOOD IS GOOD 

Dick’s commitment to only making wooden 

boards, even in the face of competition 

from disposable, imported, polystyrene 

bodyboards, is something Andy and 

Jamie have taken forward with passion. 

Beach lovers themselves, the company 

is determined to resurrect this wonderful 

piece of British heritage, not only for 

posterity reasons, but also because of the 

environmental impact of disposable boards. 

“Since the introduction of cheap foam 

boogie boards in the 1980s, there are now 

huge problems with these 'disposable' 

boards – which break quite easily - getting 

dumped at the beach in the summer 

holidays and polluting the seas,” says Jamie. 

“We want to bring the bellyboard back to 

its former glory. And it’s so satisfying to 

see more people taking up riding plywood 

again.” 

Sourcing their wood from sustainablymanaged 

forests in Europe, the plywood 

the company uses is carbon neutral in its 

growth and produces very little wastage. 

“It’s also incredibly strong, meaning our 

boards will last a lifetime,” says Jamie. 

“Sustainability is incredibly important to 

us. Outside of the bellyboards, we try to 

outsource all our accessories locally. Our 

board bags are made by the sailmakers in 

Padstow, and we are working this year on 

bags made from old sail cloth.” 

Continuing to make the boards in the 

same way they have always been produced 

is central to the brand’s success, but 

also clearly something Jamie and Andy 

are personally passionate about. Their 

workshop is now based in Newquay, à 


where all the boards are cut, boiled, 

bent, sanded, sprayed and screenprinted, 

using an original template 

that’s been used for over 70 years. The 

team also use a lot of hand tools and 

original equipment from the Pearce 

family, which Andy inherited when he 

bought the business. “It’s a very dusty 

process in the workshop, but we love it,” 

says Jamie. 

The company also uses the 

traditional bending racks that have 

been used in board-making for 

generations, and have created around 

10,000 boards in their time. “They’re 

rough and ready and all the boards 

come out with different bends, but 

we like that because it makes them all 

individual and gives them their own 

character,” says Jamie. 

BUILT TO LAST 

It’s clear that for both men, Dick Pearce 

& Friends is as much a passion project 

as it is a business. Jamie and Andy are 

fiercely protective of both the heritage 

that has come before them, and 

their commitment to promoting and 

continuing the culture of bellyboarding 

for generations to come. 

“The design of boards has remained 

the same over 60 years – and we are 

stoked to be continuing the tradition 


and re-introducing people to this form 

of wave riding.” Passionate surfers 

themselves, who learnt to surf using 

bellyboards, Jamie explains how the life in 

Newquay - both personal and professional 

- is tied to the sea. Their workshop is right 

in the heart of Newquay, between Fistral 

and Towan beaches, and both Jamie and 

Andy often nip to the beach for a surf at 

lunch or after work to wash off the dust. 

“I’ve got very happy memories of 

learning to surf on my grandparents’ 

bellyboards from the sixties,” remembers 

Jamie. “The boards are still in the shed to 

this day, with the original (faded) logos 

on them. Bellyboarding was, for both of 

us, where our love for the ocean began. 

Our boards are lovingly produced to last 

a lifetime, and we hope you’ll pass your 

board on to the next generation, just like 

ours were passed down to us.” 

Jamie, who lives a few steps away from 

Fistral Beach, and surfs nearly every day, 

says that for him part of the magic of the 

business is being part of a community of 

makers and creators who are passionate 

about what they do. 

“I do find Cornwall an inspirational 

place to be. Bellyboarding is the earliest 

form of waveriding in Cornwall – it’s 

great to continue the tradition of making 

and riding boards here on our beautiful 

beaches.”u 

BEGINNERS GUIDE TO 

BELLYBOARDING 

— 

“What’s good about bellyboarding 

is how simple it is. It’s just a bent bit 

of plywood but it is so fun to use, 

and anyone can do it. Whether it’s a 

little kid or your grandmother.” Jamie 

Johnstone 

— 

How to Start: “Just give it a go,” says 

Jamie. Walk out to waist deep water 

and look for clean breaking waves. 

Hold Tight: Position your board 

facing away from the waves, with 

the curve facing upwards, and make 

sure you hold your board tightly 

against your body as you take-off. 

Be Bold: And then, just kick off into 

waves, resting your belly on the 

board and allowing the wave to 

guide you towards the shore. 

Timing is Everything: You want to 

take-off just as a wave is breaking 

behind you. 

Keep Practising: “The good thing 

about bellyboarding, if someone’s 

never tried it before, it’s fun and easy. 

It’s a really good alternative to bodyboarding,” 

says Jamie. The more you 

practise the more you’ll improve your 

timing and technique. 

Adding Extras: “You can take flippers 

out to make it a bit more exhilarating,” 

says Jamie. And, when you 

get more confident, you can catch 

bigger waves and tubes.

STAYCATION ON DARTMOOR 

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explore nature trails, river walks and activities for families; 

make Bovey your holiday destination this summer. 

BOVEY CASTLE | DEVON, TQ13 8RE 

WWW.BOVEYCASTLE.COM

I N T E R V I E W W I T H 

RICK 

STEIN 

Award-winning chef Rick Stein talks Cornish beaches, 

cooking inspo and becoming Padstow’s biggest attraction 

Words | Chantal Borciani 

RICK STEIN’S LOVE AFFAIR with 

Cornwall began in his childhood 

and has helped define his prestigious 

culinary career. “My parents had a 

house at Trevose Head from the late 1930’s so 

my memories go back to when I was extremely 

tiny in the early 50s; swimming at the beach 

below our house which is now where the 

lifeboat house is, buckets and spades, blue 

and very uncomfortable woollen swimming 

costumes,” explains Rick. 

In 1975, the chef set up a small fish 

restaurant on the harbourside in Padstow 

with his wife Jill and over the ensuing decades 

The Seafood Restaurant won international 

acclaim for its boat-fresh fish menu and put 

the picturesque Cornish haven on the map like 

never before. 

The Stein empire in Padstow has certainly 

blossomed – a café, deli and gift shop followed 

the restaurant, along with a cookery school, 

and a hotel and bistro up the lanes at St 

Petroc’s. Rick’s love and skill for cooking fresh 

seafood simply yet exquisitely secured book 

deals and ever popular TV series. Rick’s travel 

diaries from around the world have brought 

the flavours of the world into UK living rooms 

for decades and accompanying cookery books 

were – and continue to be – best sellers. 

THE CALL OF CORNWALL 

Rick and Jill are now divorced but continue to 

run the businesses together. They expanded 

the Rick Stein dining concept with a small 

chain of eponymous restaurants bringing the 

fish-focused menus to other parts of the UK, 

but Cornwall remains closest to Rick’s heart. 

“I didn’t choose Padstow, Padstow chose 

me, it’s like when people say, ‘things happen 

for a reason’. In a weird way I think I couldn’t 

have ended up anywhere else,” Rick says. “I 

think the net result of lots of travel is actually to 

accentuate the unique qualities of somewhere 

like Cornwall rather than to diminish them, 

simply because when you’ve seen it all you start 

looking at our own sandy beaches, seafood 

and even the smell of seaweed on the rocks at 

Harlyn, with greater love.” 

“I love Padstow for its strong sense of 

identity. There are Cornish coastal towns that 

seem to exist almost solely for the summer 

season, and all but die at the end of October, 

but Padstow is very different. There’s a yearround 

community here, which makes the town 

feel very much alive, even in the depths of 

winter.” 

Forty five years after first opening its 

doors, The Seafood Restaurant is still one 

of Cornwall’s top dining spots, overlooking 


The 

Seafood 

Restaurant, 

Padstow 

Rick Stein, 

Porthleven 

Rick Stein 

Padstow harbour where Cornish fishing boats 

haul in their catch daily. “There are families 

that have been fishing out of Padstow for more 

generations than they can remember, and it’s 

a joy to watch the boats come in – it’s such 

an important part of our heritage,” the chef 

explains. 

“I originally got the idea for a fish 

restaurant in Padstow from a long departed 

hole in the wall restaurant near the quay in 

Falmouth called Mark’s Seafood Bar, it was 

somewhere where you could go in for mussels 

and fish pie but also grilled lobster and Dover 

sole and they didn’t worry if you wore your 

yachting wellies and Cornish smock.” 

Rick’s cookery school, which also overlooks 

the Camel Estuary and is mere footsteps from 

The Seafood Restaurant, celebrates its 20th 

anniversary this year. “The architect who 

designed the whole building on South Quay, 

which contains the cookery school, pointed out 

that there was a rather spectacular space on 

the first floor with lovely views over the estuary 

to Rock. Jill suggested a cookery school and 

my original thought was turn it into a space 

to teach our chefs fish cookery away from à 


Padstow, 

Cornwall 

Salt and 

pepper prawns 

Rick Stein, 

Porthleven 

Rick Stein, 

Sandbanks 

the heat and hurry of the restaurant kitchen. It soon became apparent 

though that many of our customers wanted to cook the same dishes as 

we did in the restaurant and so it grew.” 

All the dishes showcased at the school hail from Rick’s travels 

around the world including an Indian seafood course, courses from his 

TV series Secret France, and of course fish and shellfish sessions. Other 

day courses include one-dish workshops, children’s cookery classes and 

tasting evenings. 

“I love the cookery school because everyone seems to leave very 

happy indeed. I think they have a far greater understanding of what 

truly fresh seafood is like plus because we run it in a very relaxed and 

informal way they are not intimidated and soon realise they can cook 

the dishes as well as us. We also make sure that there’s plenty of nice 

cold white wine when they are sitting down to eat what they’ve cooked, 

which seems to be rather popular.” 

THE STEIN EFFECT 

Over the past few decades, Cornwall has produced some of Britain’s 

most revered chefs and many – including Nathan Outlaw, whose Port 

Isaac restaurants boast three Michelin stars between them – started out 

at The Seafood Restaurant, honing their craft with Rick. 

From the use of British produce and seasonal cooking to the 

celebration of regionality and Cornwall’s place on the gastronomic 

map, Rick has paved the way for peers and the popularity of Cornwall 

for many. As with many top chefs, dining out is a savoured but rare 

treat. 

“I’m slightly ashamed to say I don’t get out much mainly because 

when I’m in Cornwall I have critical meals in any one of our nine places 

we have in Cornwall. But I love going to Nathan Outlaw’s and Paul 

Ainsworth’s and I know our staff enjoy eating at places including the 

Gurnards Head and St Kew Inn.” 


COMPETITION 

WIN A LUXURY STAY 

Carbis Bay 

Beach Lodges 

St Petroc’s, 

Padstow 

A keen walker, Rick will also be found 

enjoying the staggering scenery 

near his Cornish home. His favourite 

beaches along the north Cornish 

Coast include Harlyn, Trevone, and 

St George’s Well in the estuary, while 

his favourite walking trails begin just 

footsteps from his beloved Padstow. 

“The Camel Trail is very scenic, 

easy walking, both from Padstow to 

Wadebridge and then onto Bodmin 

with a sneaky stop off at Camel Valley 

Winery. Or catch the ferry over to 

Rock and walk along Daymer Bay to 

Bray Hill and around the back to get 

to St Enedoc Church, where Sir John 

Betjeman is buried.” 

From childhood memories on sandy 

beaches to his seafood restaurant 

that all but revolutionised the dining 

scene in the 90s and continues to be 

a Cornish calling card, this sunniest 

corner of England remains Rick’s heart 

and soul for good reason. 

WHERE TO STAY 

Carbis Bay Beach Lodges 

A self-catering staycation to rival 

long-haul luxury 

With mesmeric views of St Ives Bay 

and direct access onto the awardwinning 

Carbis Bay beach, Carbis Bay 

Beach Lodges offer the ultimate in 

laid-back luxury. Each Beach Lodge 

offers three or four en-suite bedrooms, 

a large open-plan living space and 

dining room, kitchenette and a private 

garden, plus a hot tub overlooking 

the soft sands of Carbis Bay. Lodge 

guests are afforded a personal guest 

host available around the clock to take 

care of all requirements before and 

during their visit. Guests can also enjoy 

the award-winning C Bay Spa, which 

boasts a couples treatment room on 

stilts above the sands as well as an 

outdoor sauna pod, heated outdoor 

swimming pool and hydrotherapy pool. 

A personal chef, housekeeper 

and golf buggy will also be available 

seven days a week to ensure a flawless 

hospitality experience. 

Stay at Steins 

The full foodie experience 

Guests can stay at one of Rick Stein’s 

rooms around Padstow, which blend 

coastal design with luxury living. From 

the elegance of St Edmunds House, 

where six rooms enjoy a private garden 

with views across the Camel Estuary, to 

the contemporary boutique hotel rooms 

above The Seafood Restaurant itself or 

the self-catering sanctuary of romantic 

Bryn Cottage, the accommodation is 

some of the finest found in and around 

Padstow. Rick’s charming bistro in 

Padstow, St Petroc’s, features low 

wooden beams and cosy fireplaces and 

its ten rooms offer more stunning coastal 

accommodation with some rooms 

enjoying picturesque sea views. u 

THE PRIZE 

British Travel Journal is offering one lucky 

winner a one-day course for two at Rick 

Stein’s award-winning Cookery School in 

Padstow, plus two nights’ accommodation 

at St Petroc’s and a three-course dinner at 

The Seafood Restaurant. 

HOW TO ENTER 

Enter online at britishtraveljournal.com/ 

competitions. Last entries 30 September 

2020. Terms and Conditions apply - please 

see website for further details. 

— 

The Cookery School 

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, 

Rick Stein’s award winning Cookery School 

is perfect for anyone looking to improve 

their culinary skills, learn something new or 

simply have fun with friends while cooking 

and eating amazing food. On each course 

guests will enjoy demonstrations from 

Rick’s friendly team of expert chefs, hands 

on cooking demonstrations and of course, 

lots of delicious tasters! Throughout the 

day, students sit down and enjoy the fruits 

of their labour, enjoying all of the dishes 

they make accompanied by a glass or two 

of good wine. In the afternoon there will 

be a further demonstration to learn more 

recipes and kitchen techniques. 

There are plenty of exciting course 

options to choose from including classic 

fish and shellfish courses; Indian seafood; 

Vegetarian; Italian cooking, ‘Secret France’ 

and a special 20th Anniversary course. u 


The Lowdown 

WILD 

SWIMMING 

As your senses heighten and 

your mind calms, feel the 

benefits of connecting to nature, 

by immersing yourself in the 

outdoors and soaking up its 

awe-inspiring beauty 

Words | Lydia Paleschi 

As an island nation with close affinities to the 

water there has long been a tradition of wild 

swimming in Britain. Wild swimmers take to 

nature’s open water spaces for an alfresco dip 

in all weathers and seasons, freeing themselves 

from the confines of indoor exercise spaces and 

chlorinated pools. In England and Wales, a ‘right 

to roam’ law means that we are permitted to swim 

in most rivers and lakes, whereas in Scotland all 

waters are accessible as long as swimmers uphold 

the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. In essence, as 

long as we respect the environment, each other 

and don’t trespass, Britain’s waterways are an 

easily accessible place to experience a fun form of 

exercise and a sense of adventure. 

It is unsurprising that there has been a surge in 

the popularity of wild swimming in recent years, as 

people take to the water to reconnect with nature. 

I caught up with Lauren Biddulph, who runs 

swimming retreats as part of the Salt Sisterhood 

based in Cornwall, to learn more about wild 

swimming and the benefits of immersing oneself in 

the open water. 

Lauren starts by clarifying to me that wild 

swimming can be in the sea, rivers or any open 


Pictured: Lauren Biddulph, 

The Salt Sisterhood 

expanse of water, and includes a 

range of experiences, from relaxed 

river paddles to more adventurous 

sea swims, each with their own 

benefits. “We like to showcase 

the diversity of wild swimming, 

so each day of the retreat has a 

different theme, reflected in the wild 

swimming activity we have planned. 

For example, on self-compassion 

day we may take a trip to the quiet 

Helford River, which is beautiful and 

calm, whereas on bravery day we 

go rock jumping.” Whilst originally 

offering wetsuits as part of her 

retreats, Lauren tells me that it is 

more beneficial to swim without 

them. She says she can’t encourage 

me enough to enter the water in 

just a bathing costume. “I initially 

hired wetsuits and some people 

wore them but they weren’t getting 

the full experience or benefit. By the 

end of the week everyone was out 

of the wetsuits and they felt a real 

sense of achievement; they said they 

got more from the experience when 

they were out of their wetsuits and a 

greater sense of freedom.” 

When I asked Lauren why she 

began offering wild swimming 

retreats, she explained that being in 

or near water has immense health 

benefits, both mental and physical. 

“I used to struggle a lot with anxiety 

and depression. I noticed that going 

into the sea gave me a sensation of 

connectedness and grounding, it 

got me out of my head, reminding 

me of the bigger picture of what 

is and isn’t important. When 

combined with yoga it helped me to 

build a better relationship with my 

mind and body and helped me to 

overcome my generalised anxiety.” 

It is this sense of empowerment and 

freedom that inspired Lauren to 

share the wild swimming experience 

with other women. à 



“There is a physiological response 

in the body when we’re near water 

because life evolved from the water. 

You are in something much bigger than 

yourself and it can be dangerous, calm, 

frightening or relaxing. It’s a massive 

natural force that leaves you in awe 

and puts everything in perspective, 

resetting your mind and boosting your 

confidence.” Lauren reveals that as 

well as the benefits of wild swimming 

for wellbeing and mental health, there 

are also large swathes of research 

on its physical benefits. “Aside from 

being an excellent form of physical 

exercise, increasing overall strength and 

fitness, studies show that it also boosts 

metabolism, immunity, resilience and 

your rate of healing”. 

For those wishing to embark upon 

their own wild swimming experience, 

it’s as simple as doing a little research 

into your local area and heading there 

with a towel. Things to be aware of 

are ensuring that water is clean and 

unpolluted, that there are shallow entry 

points and that you know how you are 

going to get out. Ensure that you don’t 

jump into water without knowing it is 

deep enough and that for areas which 

have a current, you can swim against 

the current faster than it can take you. 

It’s advisable to go with someone else 

to spots you are visiting for the first time, 

but wild swimming is open to people of 

all abilities. This means there should be 

nothing holding you back from enjoying 

the relaxing sense of weightlessness and 

invigorating experience of immersing 

yourself in nature. 

With thousands of miles of coastline and 

a vast network of rivers and estuaries we are 

spoilt for choice with waterside locations in 

Britain. We’ve decided to pick out some of 

our favourites for you to explore: 

Cornwall - The Salt Sisterhood, Helford 

Located on the banks of the Helford River, 

the Salt Sisterhood offers five-day wild 

swimming and yoga retreats for women. 

Here, they take a step away from the real 

world, immersing themselves in a bubble 

of self-care, nature and good food. The 

aim is for connection: to nature, other 

women and themselves. Retreats take 

place in June and September each year. 

Scotland - Dores Beach, Loch Ness, 

Inverness 

Sitting on the east side of Loch Ness, one 

of Britain’s largest lakes, Dores Beach is 

a popular spot for wild swimming and a 

great place to start for beginners. With 

shallow entry points and a wild swimming 

group meeting here every Saturday at 

10am you can swim with confidence all 

whilst being encouraged by locals. The 

waters are cold but calm and the scenery is 

second to none. With awe-inspiring views 

of the Scottish Highlands and little signs 

of civilisation, swimming at Dores you find 

yourself in a cocoon of nature. 

Wales - Llyn y Fan Fach, Brecon Beacons 

A high lake in the shadow of the Black 

Mountain, Llyn y Fan Fach sits in a sheltered 

bowl with stony, gently shelving sides. 

Reaching up to 18 meters in depth, it’s the 

perfect spot for diving and practicing your 

underwater swimming technique. Located 

in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Llyn 

y Fan Fach is breathtakingly beautiful and 

according to legend, the home of a lake 

nymph. 

Northern Ireland - Cushendun Beach, 

County Antrim 

Found in the heart of the Glens of Antrim 

and not far from the Red Caves where 

several Game of Thrones scenes were 

filmed, Cushendun is a sandy, rural beach 

with views across to the Mull of Kintyre. The 

beach slopes gently out to sea, with rivers at 

both ends so that you can explore the kelp 

fronds. The water here is crystal clear as 

long as you don’t visit shortly after rainfall 

when peat is carried down from the fields. 

London - Beckenham Place Park, 

Beckenham 

Accessible by tube, Beckenham Place Park’s 

nearest stations are Beckenham Junction 

(tram), Beckenham Hill and Ravensbourne 

(both Thameslink). London’s first 

purpose-built swimming lake is available 

for swimmers 8 years of age and over. 

Surrounded by trees and a grass area to sit 

and watch, the sandy banks make for a safe 

family fun swim. u 


Author Contribution 

STEPPING 

ON SET 

Discover the historic houses 

and wild landscapes that 

have inspired directors and 

cinematic moments in the UK 

Courtesy of | National Trust 

National Trust on 

Screen by Harvey 

Edgington and 

Lauren Taylor 

is Published by 

Pitkin, an imprint 

of Pavilion Books. 

Priced £9.99 

pavilionbooks.com 

Pictured 

right page: 

Ross Poldark 

(Aidan 

Turner) 

and Francis 

Poldark (Kyle 

Soller) at 

Wheal Owles 

EACH MONTH, an average of nine 

shoots for TV dramas or films are 

taking place at National Trust 

properties across the UK, managed by 

the National Trust Filming and Locations team. 

From providing a spectacular ballroom for 

next year’s big costume drama, to a topsecret 

military installation for the next Bond 

film - there’s never a dull moment. 

Occasionally the queries can be a little 

bizarre explains Harvey and Lauren, National 

Trust location managers, whose favourites 

include "from what day will the lambs be 

born? to, do we have a hill they can roll a 

big cheese down? can we suspend a hot-air 

balloon between two huge cranes? and, have 

we any antique wooden legs?". 

These successful productions will often 

lead to a rise in visitors to the properties used. 

In addition to this, being in a film or TV series 

generates much-needed income for the 

location, which can be used for conservation 

work. Great Chalfield Manor for example reroofed 

its stables thanks to The Other Boleyn 

Girl and after Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, 

Antony in Cornwall saw its visitor numbers 

quadruple. Hosting a film can also boost the 

local economy, as cast and crew need to be 

accommodated, transported and catered for. 

We hope you enjoy our selection of film 

locations to visit - you could even download the 

film and take it with you to stand in the exact 

spot where the director placed the camera. 

And, as good as these places look on screen, 

they are much better experienced in real life. à 


à 


LACOCK VILLAGE 

Near Chippenham, Wiltshire 

If you’ve watched any of the most well-loved costume 

dramas made over the last few decades such as 

Downton Abbey, or a Harry Potter film, then you will 

have seen Lacock Village. The village is a firm favourite 

with film and television drama crews and makes an 

appearance in a major production at least once every 

couple of years. Almost entirely owned by the National 

Trust, the village’s pretty streets of timber-framed 

cottages have barely changed in 300 years. 

The fact that modern life has barely crept in, 

outwardly at least, means there’s not much in the way 

of 21st-century life to cover up or remove. Crews don’t 

have to worry about satellite dishes, telegraph poles 

or traffic lights. As a popular tourist spot filming only 

happens outside school holidays and other busy times. 

When it does, it’s never small scale. 

Visit and experience Lacock Abbey where medieval 

rooms and cloister court give a sense of the Abbey's 

monastic past. Like Hogwarts, Lacock Abbey was 

built with a blend of quirky architectural styles. This 

former nunnery is a fascinating site, plus close by is the 

Fox Talbot Museum, that records the achievements of 

former Lacock resident William Henry Fox Talbot, a big 

name in the invention of photography. 

Top tip: Start your trip to Lacock with a pause at the 

window of the old shop at 2 High Street. In the late 

19th-century the building was used as a coffee tavern, 

then after the First World War it became a stationers 

and in 1966, incorporated the Post Office. It remained 

in the same family until it closed in the early 1980’s. 

Miss Butler, the last resident, arranged the shop window 

in the style of early twentieth century displays and 

it has been untouched ever since. 


CLIVEDEN 

Taplow, Maidenhead, Buckinghamshire 

Elegant and striking Cliveden has long attracted the famous 

and infamous. Nancy Astor, the first female MP to take up 

her seat at Parliament and wife of Cliveden’s then owner, 

Waldorf Astor, held lavish house parties here in the 1930s; 

Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw and Charlie Chaplin 

were frequent guests. 

The 1960s brought the house worldwide fame due to its 

part in the Profumo Affair; Christine Keeler first met John 

Profumo here while having a dip in the swimming pool. The 

house is now a hotel but parts of it are open to visitors. 

Set high above the Thames and with far-reaching views, 

Cliveden’s impressive gardens and majestic woodlands 

capture the grandeur of a bygone age. 

Follow in the footsteps of dukes, earls and royalty as 

you explore the series of gardens, each with its own special 

charm. From the formality of the Parterre, with its vibrant 

floral displays, to the quirky statuary and topiary in the Long 

Garden, the gardens will delight you in every season. 

The formal gardens give way to secluded glades, treelined 

avenues and picturesque riverside with miles of 

woodland walks to discover. 

Top tip: Extend your trip with a luxury stay in Cliveden 

House, now a stately home turned five-star hotel. Steeped 

in over 350 years of history, the rooms and suites are 

beautifully decorated in regal style. The hotel offers hot 

tub rooms, Mansion House rooms and a separate Spring 

Cottage sleeping up to six. Looking for a romantic daytime 

activity? Hop into a boat and row serenely across the lake, 

while tucking into a picnic basket or sipping champagne, 

and from there you can join a guided tour. à 

Pictured left: Downton Abbey (2019) Laura 

Carmichael (Lady Edith) Harry Hadden-Paton (Bertie 

Pelham) and Michelle Dockery (Lady Mary) between 

takes; Downton Abbey's Crawley family enjoying the 

livestock market. Pictured above: The French Dining 

Room, Cliveden House; Sherlock Holmes and a pillow; 

Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in character as 

Holmes and Watson. 


HENRHYD FALLS 

Near Coelbren, Brecon Beacons, Powys 

The Falls, nestled in the Brecon Beacons, 

are the highest in south Wales with a drop 

of 27 metres (89 feet). They occur at a 

geological fault on the river Nant Llech and 

are approached through a densely wooded 

valley. 

The Dark Knight Rises, starring Christian 

Bale, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway and 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was filmed at the falls 

in 2012. 

Although the entrance to the ‘bat 

cave’ was at Osterley Park and House, 

the director Christopher Nolan wanted 

the secret exit to be spectacular and 

natural. Henrhyd Falls ticks those boxes but 

obviously how spectacular it looks depends 

on the weather. The film crew couldn’t 

risk it looking anything other than a mini 

Niagara Falls. It was agreed to allow them 

to partially dam the river for several days 

in order to build up a reservoir of water to 

unleash as the camera rolled. The National 

Trust worked with the Environment Agency 

and the Countryside Council for Wales to 

manage any environmental impact. It was 

judged to be no different from having a wet 

spell in the summer, hardly unheard of in 

Wales. There was also a ‘test day’ to see if 

the desired effect was achievable. 

The water was held back by a rig of 

sandbags and a timber gate to control 

water flow. The crew had to walk their kit 

down a steep footpath and construct the 

camera on site. On the day a diversion was 

placed on the footpath. 

Once they were ready and Robin 

(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) was in position, the 

command was given: further up the river, 

the gate was opened and a torrent of water 

cascaded down as if in full spate for about 

ten minutes. Although the waterfall was 

made to look as if it hid a cave entrance 

and exit in the film, there is in fact no cave 

at Henrhyd – just a hollow behind the Falls. 

Usually such small scenes are shot by the 

‘second unit’ (a smaller-sized crew, without 

the main director) and the waterfall 

could anyway have been enhanced with a 

computer, but Christopher Nolan likes to 

do it ‘old school’. 


Pictured left: Michael 

Caine and Christian 

Bale in the bat 

cave, filming for 

The Dark Knight 

Rises. Pictured right: 

Wolf Hall's King 

Henry VIII (Damian 

Lewis) on horseback 

in Montacute's 

parkland; Handheld 

cameras 

gave the drama a 

documentary feel 

MONTACUTE HOUSE 

Montacute, Somerset 

A masterpiece of Elizabethan Renaissance 

architecture and design, with towering walls of glass, 

glowing ham stone and surrounding garden. 

Montacute House was built at the end of the 

sixteenth century for Sir Edward Phelips, lawyer and 

Speaker of the House of Commons. The Long Gallery 

is the longest surviving Elizabethan gallery in England 

at 52 metres (170 feet). 

Montacute House was the inspiration for Wolf 

Hall (2015), an award-winning six-part drama, and 

doubled for Tottington Hall, the setting of an annual 

giant vegetable competition in the Oscar-winning 

Wallace and Gromit film, The Curse of the Were 

Rabbit (2005). 

Top tip: Visit the important collection of sixteenth 

and early seventeenth-century portraits from the National 

Portrait Gallery displayed on the middle floor. à 


STOURHEAD 

Near Mere, Wiltshire 

The world-famous landscape garden at 

Stourhead has been delighting visitors for over 

250 years. At its centre is a magnificent lake 

surrounded by classical temples, mystical grottoes 

and rare and exotic trees. 

In Pride and Prejudice (2005) a rain-soaked 

Darcy makes his first, unsuccessful proposal to 

a rain-soaked Lizzie at Stourhead’s Temple of 

Apollo. Set high above the lake, the dramatic 

setting and beauty of the Temple proved perfect 

for this intense and romantic scene. So perfect 

in fact that the film’s director Joe Wright didn’t 

need Adam Richards, the film’s location manager, 

to go and look for a setting for this scene as Joe 

had always imagined it taking place here. Adam 

explained why the Temple was the director’s 

first and only choice: ‘Joe loved the idea of this 

emotional scene being played out while sheltering 

from the elements. The Temple, with its elevated 

position over the gardens below, was the ideal 

backdrop.’ 

Visit to explore the 1,072 hectare (2,650 acre) 

Stourhead estate where chalk downs, ancient 

woods and farmland are managed for wildlife. 

Top tip: Uncover the fascinating history of 

Stourhead House with an Italian ‘Grand Tour’ 

adventure and enjoy the unique Regency 

library, Chippendale furniture and inspirational 

paintings. The Palladian house is set amid ‘picnic 

perfect’ lawns and extensive parkland. 

Pictured left and above: The world-famous landscape garden at 

Stourhead; Keira Knightley as Lizzie Bennet at the Temple of Apollo. 

Pictured below: Botallack's Wheal Crowns building. Pictured right: 

Luke Evans as Vlad in Dracula Untold; The world-famous basalt columns 

of Giant's Causeway; Matt Smith as Doctor Who at Dyrham Park. 

BOTALLACK 

On the Tin Coast, near St Just, Cornwall 

If there was a National Trust award for the most 

used location for one TV series, Botallack would be 

sure to win. The buildings here stood in for various 

Poldark family mines in all five series of the BBC’s hit 

adaptation of Winston Graham’s novels. 

The Wheal Crowns buildings (shown right), 

perched on jagged rocks right next to the sea, were 

used as Francis Poldark’s failing ‘Wheal Grambler’ 

in series one. Botallack is part of the Cornwall and 

West Devon Mining Landscape UNESCO World 

Heritage Site. The abandoned mines now serve as 

a reminder of the area’s once prosperous past when 

mines stretched out half a mile under the sea bed 

and produced thousands of tons of copper and tin 

every year. 


DYRHAM PARK 

Dyrham, Near Bath, South Gloucestershire 

Dyrham Park, a magnificent seventeenth-century 

Baroque mansion house, was used as the filming set 

for Doctor Who (Series 6, 2011). In the episode ‘Night 

Terrors’, the Doctor, played by Matt Smith, pops in on 

a scared eight-year-old boy who is frightened of his 

bedroom cupboard. His fear is travelling the universe. 

While the Doctor is discussing the case with the boy’s 

dad, his companions Amy and Rory get caught in a 

doll’s house occupied by life-size peg dolls. 

Dyrham was used as the interiors of the doll’s house, 

the checked floors and staircase helping to create the 

illusion. Trust furniture was removed and simpler, more 

worn or ‘played with’ prop furniture substituted. The 

house is heavily Dutch influenced, which was useful as 

peg dolls originated in the Netherlands. This episode 

was watched by seven million people in the UK alone! 

Top tip: The 270-acre (110 hectare) ancient parkland 

is full of magnificent trees and breathtaking views 

and space for young explorers to run free. Keep the 

children on track by ticking off challenges on the 50 

things list picked up on entry. à 

GIANT'S CAUSEWAY 

44 Causeway Road, Bushmills, County Antrim 

The world-famous basalt columns are flanked by the wild 

North Atlantic ocean. Northern Ireland’s only World Heritage 

Site, formed sixty million years ago by volcanic eruptions. 

The iconic Causeway is one of the busiest visitor sites the 

National Trust has. Filming opportunities here are limited 

unless you bring a scaled down crew, as in Cold Feet (TV, 

1997-), Your Highness (2011), Hellboy II: The Golden Army 

(2008) and Dracula Untold (2014). 

You can walk to the stones for free, but the National Trust 

car park is reserved for those buying tickets for the Visitor 

Experience, which includes a guided tour and use of the 

audio guides, available in 11 languages. 

Flanked by the wild North Atlantic Ocean and a 

landscape of dramatic cliffs, for centuries the Giant’s 

Causeway has inspired artists, stirred scientific debate and 

captured the imagination of all who see it. 

Top tip: Climb the Shepherd's Steps and hike along the 

clifftop trail to get a bird's eye view of the beautiful causeway 

coast. Or enjoy the road less travelled capturing the World 

Heritage Site on an active five-mile hike along the stunning 

cliff-top path with the guided Clifftop Experience. 


01665 710700 coquetcottages.co.uk 

V I L L A G E 

On the edge of the beautiful English Lake District only 3 miles from Morecambe Bay. 

On the Cartmel edge is ‘a thimble of the full of jewels’, and can be easily found by road or rail. 

beautiful For English more information please go to 

Lake District cartmelvillage.com 

and 

only 3 miles from 

Follow LA11 6QB for our central visitor car park 

Morecambe Bay, 

Cartmel can easily 

be found by road or 

Cartmel 

rail. 

Follow LA11 6QB for 

our central visitor car 

park. 

WELCOME TO 

THE ROSELAND 

For full details of Cartmel’s charming array of eateries, 

shops and pubs, alongside suggestions of exceptional 

accommodation, please visit: 

PENINSULA 

cartmelvillage.com 

Here you will also find information on upcoming events 

and activities. 

A jewel in the crown of Cornwall 

and a truly 

Designed remarkable 

by Ellie Heaven Designs place 

www.ellieheaven.com 

to take 

your holiday 

Discover Northumberland this Autumn and 

make lasting memories in the finest collection 

of award winning family-friendly & petfriendly 

holiday homes on the coast 

4 Breathtaking views 4 Stunning coastal scenery 4 Safe family beaches 4 A haven for sailing and watersports 

Whether you choose a traditional holiday cottage as 

a rural retreat, a property in the heart of a village or a 

modern property for the height of luxury, one of our 

specially selected holiday properties will be the perfect 

start to a memorable holiday. 

tel: 01326 270900 

email: info@portscathoholidays.co.uk 

www.portscathoholidays.co.uk 

Portscatho Holidays, 3 The Quay, St Mawes, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 5DG

WIMPOLE ESTATE 

Arrington, Royston, Cambridgeshire 

Wimpole Hall is a large country house with wonderful Georgian interiors. 

The house, begun in 1640, is surrounded by 1,200 hectares (2,965 acres) 

of parkland including a working farm specialising in rare breeds. There are 

beautiful pleasure grounds, a walled garden and a folly. 

A large imposing estate is exactly what the director ordered for Easy 

Virtue (2008) starring Jessica Biel, and Colin Firth. Based on one of 

Noël Coward’s earlier and less-well-known plays, this is a British-made 

romantic comedy set in the thirties. The storyline is about a glamorous 

American widow, Larita, who marries a young Englishman, John 

Whittaker, on holiday. On their return to England, his mother, played by 

Kristin Scott Thomas in fine icy-snob form, takes a dislike to her daughterin-law. 

His father, however, takes a shine to her. 

Top tip: Visit the mansion at the heart of this estate. Intimate rooms 

contrast with beautiful and unexpected Georgian interiors, including 

Soane's breathtaking Yellow Drawing Room and wonderful plunge bath. 

The fascinating basement corridor offers a glimpse into life below stairs. 

Stroll around the colourful parterre garden and wander through the 

Pleasure Grounds to the Walled Garden, abundant with fruit, vegetables 

and beautiful herbaceous borders. Stride out across the landscape park, 

among the rare-breed cattle, through grand avenues, before entering 

shaded woodland and emeging into an arable landscape. 

PACKWOOD HOUSE 

Packwood Lane, Lapworth, Warwickshire 

‘Richard II’ was the first episode in The Hollow 

Crown, a seven-part series of Shakespeare’s history 

plays that transmitted in 2012 and 2016 filmed at 

this sixteenth-century manor house. 

The series was part of the 2012 Cultural 

Olympiad, a programme of cultural events 

that accompanied the London Olympic and 

Paralympic Games. The cast was stellar, the 

opening scene alone featuring Patrick Stewart. 

Visit the much-restored Tudor house, park 

and gardens and see the culmination by Graham 

Baron Ash: salvaged objects and exotic pieces 

come together in a Jacobean meets Edwardian 

style. Beautiful, homely, warm and welcoming. A 

house to dream of, a garden to dream in. u 

Pictured left: Larita (Jessica Biel) at the Gothic 

Tower set in the Wimpole Estate. Pictured above: 

Ben Whishaw as Richard II in The Hollow Crown. 


Review Stay 

VIEW OF 

THE SEA 

Multi-award winning Landal 

Gwel an Mor resort offers the 

ultimate in luxury coastal breaks, 

providing five star lodges in a 

spectacular Cornish location 

Words | Jessica Way 

THE DEMAND FOR self-catering luxury 

holidays has risen as we go in search of 

extraordinary staycations to make our 

first trip post-lockdown extra special. 

In a time when it is important to keep a safe 

distance from others finding somewhere which 

is still relatively undiscovered can make all the 

difference to the enjoyment of our time away. 

Luxury British resorts in picture-postcard 

destinations, offering stylish self-catering lodges, 

with activities, restaurants, wellbeing spas and 

in-lodge room services seem like a far more 

relaxing and hassle-free option than travelling 

overseas right now. 

Located on the spectacular North Coast 

of Cornwall, within easy walking distance of 

Portreath Beach, 5-star Gwel an Mor has raised 

the bar in this sector, offering home-from-home, 

socially distant holiday experiences. And I am 

guessing for most, if not all of our readers, this 

might even be the first time you have even heard 

of Gwel an Mor? 

You might well have seen it on screen though. 

Set in a historic area of beauty, the resort was 

recently chosen by the principal cast of Poldark à 


as their Cornish home during filming, 

thanks to its exceptional location. 

Gwel an Mor is privately owned by 

Cornish businessman Bill Haslam. In 

2018 Bill formed a partnership with 

Landal GreenParks, adopted their 

name, branding and values. Landal 

GreenParks originated in Holland 

in 1954 and now offers 85 locations 

across nine European countries 

including the Netherlands, Germany, 

Denmark and Austria. In the UK they 

have five other locations: Kielder 

in Northumberland; Ashbourne 

in the Peak District; Dundee in the 

Southern Highlands; Matlock in the 

Peak District; and newest arrival, 

Landal Kenwick Woods, Louth in the 

Lincolnshire Wolds. 

At Gwel an Mor you have the 

luxury of your own secluded private 

lodge, state-of-the-art kitchenlounge 

area with stylish log burner 

and the convenience of the resort's 

other facilities, including an indoor 

swimming pool and 'The Terrace' 

restaurant and bar, on your doorstep. 

You’re surrounded by sensational 

views of the coast, and there’s a 

dedicated concierge team on hand 

to arrange anything from deep 

sea fishing, cycling, kite surfing, 

coasteering, kayaking to surfing. 

The resort is set high on a hill 

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, 

with the luxury holiday lodges set 

comfortably apart, in landscaped 

gardens uniquely designed to blend into 

the area of beautiful countryside. 

As you would expect there is a range 

of accommodation options, from 

contemporary Residences, Lakeside 

retreats to classic wooden style lodges - 

furnished with everything you need. The 

private patio in each retreat offers space 

for dining and relaxing or simply enjoying 

the surrounding countryside, seaviews 

or stargazing from the comfort of the 

private hot-tub. 

Combining the best of a luxury hotel 

with the comforts of home, all guests can 

enjoy full access to the resort facilities 

- and for those that cost extra, prices 

are reasonable. The Famous Nine golf 

course, for example, the only one of its 

kind, is just £13 a round (£10 on Fridays) 

- and guaranteed to offer an afternoon of 

fun, regardless of your level of ability. 

On this 9 hole, Par 3 course you can 

'play' holes that pay homage to some 

of the most famous holes in golfing 

moments, from ‘The Golden Bell’ at 

Augusta to the infamous 17th at St 

Andrews with its intimidating ‘Road Hole 

Bunker’, the 17th at Sawgrass, and the 

nerve-wracking ‘Postage Stamp’ from 

Royal Troon. 

If a peaceful fishing experience is more 

to your taste then the resort’s two-acre 

coarse fishing lake, Clover Lake is stocked 

with carp and tench. Alternatively you 

can find a more active programme of 

challenging and fun sessions for all ages 

including archery, body zorbs, sea scooters 

and snorkelling. 

It is easy to see why Gwel an Mor was 

named Best Holiday Village in the Visit 

England Awards 2018 - there’s even an 

on-site wildlife and conservation centre, 

Feadon Farm - said to be something no 

other holiday resort in the country offers. 

As well as conservation work, this 

not-for-profit project means guests can 

be involved with the resort's wild side, 

from learning the art of falconry flying 

the resident Harris Hawk and Barn Owl, 

stroking resident reindeers, Nadelik and 

Lowen, to hand-feeding the foxes. They 

also offer an amazing night time walk 

using thermal imaging to learn about 

animals out and about in the dark. 

At the time of printing, BaseCamp was 

temporarily closed to help stop the spread 

of coronavirus, but with the hope to reopen 

safely soon. This centre features a 

range of indoor Clip’n’Climb walls along 

with soft play and a Costa café. 

Close by, the clubhouse features a fully 

equipped gym, indoor pool, Jacuzzi, steam 

room and sauna with a children’s play 

area, tennis courts, putting and croquet 

positioned in the resort’s grounds. 

For more grown-up indulgences, The 

Wellbeing Spa presents an extensive 


menu of pampering facial, body and 

cosmetic treatments designed to relax, 

revitalise and rejuvenate using marineinspired 

products. 

For lovers of the great outdoors, as 

well as the organised nature events, 

there are many detailed walks for 

visitors to explore and with Portreath 

being situated on the famous South 

West Coast Path, there are 630 miles 

of superb coastal walks to discover. 

For cyclists, horseriders and 

walkers, the Mineral Tramways 

Heritage trail is a perfect and traffic 

free way to explore the countryside. 

Easily accessed from the resort, 

the restored 19th Century tramway 

route is now a 60KM network of 

multi-activity trails allowing guests 

to explore Cornwall’s rich mining 

heritage, with some superb views of 

the Atlantic coast along the way. 

Landal Gwel an Mor is also the 

perfect base to explore the further 

delights of Cornwall, with the 

county’s main arterial route just a 

short distance from the resort most 

attractions are easy to reach. 

Having gained a great reputation 

amongst visitors and locals, The 

Terrace Restaurant is an informal 

bistro-style venue with a locally 

sourced menu. With an emphasis on 

using the best seasonal ingredients the 

south west has to offer, The Terrace 

produces an ever-changing menu and 

the restaurant even offers a takeaway 

service so food can be ordered and 

enjoyed in the comfort of your lodge. 

Boasting the country’s warmest 

climate and surrounded by the 

stunning scenery of both shoreline 

and countryside in one of the UK’s 

best holiday destinations, you would 

be hard-pressed to find a more special 

place to stay than Landal Gwel an Mor 

luxury resort at Portreath. u 

Prices from £599 for a Residence 3 

bedroom lodge for a short break which is 

either a 3 night weekend stay (Friday to 

Monday) or a 4 night midweek (Monday 

to Friday). gwelanmor.com 


BRITISH TRAVEL JOURNAL CROSSWORD 06 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACROSS 

9 Uncharged particle (7) 

10 Insulting (7) 

11 People installed in office (9) 

12 Body of principles (5) 

13 Running fast (2,1,6) 

15 The --- Oak, Robin Hood's 

legendary Sherwood Forest 

refuge (5) 

16 Castle protects her badly (11) 

20 Basket material (5) 

22 The largest county (9) 

24 Perfectly clear (5) 

25 Covered with small stones (9) 

26 Caucasian rug type also 

called Soumak (7) 

27 Big eater (7) 

DOWN 

1 Keen to fight fighting (4-3) 

2 In the UK, terrain found only in the 

Cairngorms (6) 

3 Chair with sidepieces (8) 

4 The Black Comyn's castle near 

Fort William (10) 

5 Classic late Spring horserace at Epsom (4) 

6 The V&A is one (6) 

7 Nocturnal bird, alias the fern owl (8) 

8 Electronic opener (7) 

14 Fixed ahead of time (10) 

16 Anne, Diana or Margaret, perhaps (8) 

17 Flipped a coin (6,2) 

18 Championship Wirral golf course (7) 

19 Ahead (7) 

21 Radar aerial covering (6) 

23 Small sea-girt spots, like Rockall (6) 

25 Kensington ---, thoroughfare to the 

Royal Albert Hall (4) 

The first correct crossword received will be rewarded with a free gift from 

The Travelling Reader. Simply send your completed crossword (or the answers) 

with your choice of The Original, The London, or Simply British Tastes box, 

(thetravellingreader.com) and your postal address, by post to British Travel 

Journal, Mitchell House, Brook Avenue, Warsash, Southampton, Hampshire, 

SO31 9HP, or email the answers to crossword@britishtraveljournal.com 

Answers will be printed in the Autumn Issue out 4 October 

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD 05 | SPRING 2020 

ACROSS: 1 Acetone 5 Embrace 9 Slower 10 Dunvegan 11 Decipher 12 Icicle 

13 Takes a seat 15 Gush 16 Talc 19 Tetrahedra 22 Hot rod 24 Orangish 

25 Divorcèe 26 Dances 27 Penrhyn 28 Anneals DOWN: 2 Calleva 3 Thwaite 

4 North-east 6 Menai 7 Reeking 8 Charles 10 Derwentcote 14 Tea garden 

17 Agonize 18 Corrour 20 Eugenie 21 Russell 23 Duchy. 

FOR YOUR JOURNEY 

Books, apps, travel gadgets and crossword 

WE LOVE 

COASTAL COMPANION 

This book will guide you to 80 of the most 

interesting, fun and picturesque seaside spots 

our coast has to offer, providing insights into 

the history, culture and key features of each 

place, where to eat - including the best places 

for fish and chips, and where to stay. £11.99. 

amazon.co.uk 

LIFE ON THE WATER 

Getting out on the water is a great way to 

avoid crowds and stay safe while enjoying 

the mental health benefits of being outdoors. 

With this app you can find and book 

boat rentals, paddle boats, kayaks locally 

to you - all in just a few clicks! 

getmyboat.com 

CONSCIOUS MIND 

Synctuition, a mindfulness app, is 

offering their mindfulness and relaxation 

app for FREE to everyone in the 

country until the end of July 2020 due 

to the affect the COVID-19 outbreak 

has had on mental health in the UK. 

synctuition.com 

MATTERHORN METALLIC 

Keep stylishly hydrated on the move with 

this Chardonnay gold stainless-steel bottle, 

new from from on-the-go drinkware brand 

Contigo. Double-wall vacuum insulated 

technology ensures drinks stay cold for up 

to 24 hours or hot for up to 10. £19.95. 

amazon.co.uk 


DESIGNED & MADE IN ORKNEY, SCOTLAND 

NEW 

Bumblebee 

COLLECTION 

Inspired by summer days in 

Sheila’s garden, when flowers 

are in bloom and bumblebees 

are a familiar sound. 

Silver jewellery with 

vibrant enamel, made for you 

in our Orkney workshop. 

Each purchase* comes with a 

free wildflower seed mix, to help 

grow bee-friendly gardens. 

*Only available for UK orders. 

MADE IN THE UK 

ORKNEY | EDINBURGH | GLASGOW 

01856 861 203 | sheilafleet.com

British Travel Journal | Summer 2020

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