British Travel Journal | Spring 2021

Ah, the sweet smell of spring is finally here. Flowers are beginning to bloom, the sun has started to shine and there is hope on the horizon for a great British summer! I’m sure you’ll agree that spending so many months at home has only made our adventurous, curious hearts grow fonder with a passion for travel and exploration. I will appreciate my upcoming travel trips so much more, and it has only made my job as travel Editor, and the content in our latest issue, seem even more special than usual! Lockdown might have put a stop to many things, but it certainly hasn’t stopped the travel industry preparing to ensure a super fun and warm welcome once it is safe for visitors to return. From new hotels and luxury spas, exciting holiday resorts full of adventure and off-grid activities, luxury boutique stays in acres of unspoilt countryside and coastline, brand new attractions to immersive one-of-a-kind experiences – it seems there has perhaps never been a better time to explore the British Isles! With so much ‘British staycation’ wanderlust flying about we couldn’t resist compiling our Ultimate British Bucket List. Deep in the West Dorset countryside we Meet the Makers behind the world’s only vodka made from cows’ milk. We uncover 10 of the most wonderful places to visit in Yorkshire and discover that there’s much more than just Cheddar Cheese and ancient apple orchards to Somerset’s epicurean offering in The Rise of Food and Drink. In search of beautiful destinations where social distancing is made easy, you won’t find better than a remote Sea Garden Cottage on the white sandy shores of Tresco island, a luxury family stay in the heart of Suffolk’s rolling countryside at The Ickworth or a whisky tour around the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, Islay - the Lord of the Isles. Wherever, and whenever, you next plan to take a holiday in the British Isles, we hope British Travel Journal continues to deliver as your indispensable travel magazine, and wish you a safe and seamless journey full of wonderful memories.

OXFORDSHIRE Blenheim

OXFORDSHIRE Blenheim Palace Food Festival For a lively food experience in an august setting, head to Woodstock in Oxfordshire for the Blenheim Palace Food Festival from 29 to 31 May. Whet your culinary skills and tastebuds by watching the demonstrations or listening to talks from top chefs like Jean-Christophe Novelli, a previous participant. Over 100 regional food and drink specialists will attempt to tickle your palate, showcasing their gourmet produce, from burgers to craft beers. You might even bump into your favourite Bake Off contestant. Located by the Pleasure Gardens, take a miniature train to visit the palace too with its paintings, porcelain, tapestries and more. ◆ blenheimpalace.com LINCOLNSHIRE Burghley House When Burghley House in Lincolnshire re-opens on 20 March, the 16th century stately home will be celebrating a milestone: 500 years since the birth of its designer, William Cecil, the first Baron Burghley, Elizabeth I’s Lord High Treasurer and chief adviser. It’s still the family home. To celebrate the birth and lasting legacy of Lord Burghley there will be a series of special events taking place throughout 2021 providing a fascinating insight into the man and his legacy. Burghley is one of the largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan age, Cecil's life as the most powerful man in the court of Elizabeth I was both eventful and effective, and helped to shape the history of the British Isles. His lasting legacy reaches far beyond the building of Burghley House to the magnificent collection of works of art from across the globe gathered by his descendants. Book for exhibitions to live music to 31 October. ◆ burghley.co.uk CORNWALL Charlestown Harbour In Cornwall why not try your hand at traditional sailing? Jump aboard one of Charlestown Harbour’s fleet of traditional wooden boats for a day sailing experience, join a sailing holiday or commission your own private charter. Learn to hoist the sails, trim the rig, take the wheel and set a course along Cornwall’s coastline – or sit back and relax with wind under sail and spot for dolphins! 2-day cruise to Cawsand (sailing on Anny, a 1930’s Topsail Schooner) in April 2021 priced from £210 per person, including all your food aboard ship. ◆ charlestownharbour.com © JAMES PEARCE/LEXISPLACE 42 BritishTravelJournal.com

We're ordering DELIVERED NATIONWIDE Northcote At Home Gourmet Box If you are missing top-notch Michelin-starred cuisine, Northcote in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley has created new dishes using finest seasonal ingredients (£105 for two people), courtesy of creative Executive Chef, Lisa Goodwin-Allen and her team, to enjoy at your own dinner table. northcote.com/at-home/gourmet-boxes WILTSHIRE As seen in Bridgerton Wilton House Easter marks the re-opening of Wilton House, the Palladian Wiltshire home of the Earls of Pembroke, rebuilt by celebrated architects, Inigo Jones and John Webb in 1647. The ornate rooms may seem familiar, often acting as television and film backdrops. Most recently on Netflix, Wilton House was used to create four different residences in the period drama series Bridgerton, and the Double Cube Room with its Old Master paintings and Chippendale mirrors are the Buckingham Palace interiors for Netflix’s The Crown. Other must visits include the Gothic Cloisters where Napoleon I’s dispatch box, a lock of Queen Elizabeth I’s hair and more are displayed. Roam around the 21 acre parkland or head for the Holbein Porch, the house’s original Tudor entrance. ◆ wiltonhouse.co.uk © TIM GOODMAN DAVID HOCKNEY, NO. 299, 29TH APRIL 2020 AND NO. 339, 18TH MAY 2020 IPAD DRAWINGS © DAVID HOCKNEY LONDON David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring, Normandy After two blockbuster shows at the Royal Academy of Arts (a 50 year retrospective in 2012 and portraits in 2016), David Hockney returns with vibrant new work. This time, he reveals his sprawling garden in Normandy through over 100 iPad drawings created between 11 February and 4 July last year, using his Brushes app, upgraded to his own specifications, depicting trees, flower beds, his home and more. ◆ royalacademy.org.uk BritishTravelJournal.com 43