BRITISH
TRAVEL
J O U R N A L SPRING 2019 | ISSUE 01
BritishTravelJournal.com
CITY | COAST | COUNTRY
IN THE STARS
GASTRONOMIC DELIGHTS AND A CONSTELLATION OF MICHELIN STARS JUST WAITING TO BE EXPLORED
DREAM ESCAPE
DISCOVER THE REMARKABLE ISLANDS AND BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES OF ORKNEY AND THE OUTER HEBRIDES
£5.00
EVENTS ■ IDYLLIC DESTINATIONS ■ MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANTS ■ LUXURY HOTELS ■ NEW EXPERIENCES
WHICH IS THE MOST ICONIC HOTEL IN THE UK? #Siblingrivalry
CHEWTON GLEN, HAMPSHIRE
CLIVEDEN HOUSE, BERKSHIRE
THE LYGON ARMS, COTSWOLDS
11 CADOGAN GARDENS, LONDON
ICONICLUXURYHOTELS.COM
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EDITO R ’ S L E T T E R CONTRIBUTIONS
BRITISH
TRAVEL
J O U R N A L
BritishTravelJournal.com EDITORS Jessica Way F E AT U R E S E D I T O R Samantha Rutherford C H I E F S U B - E D I T O R Angela Harding
WELCOME SPRING 2019 | ISSUE 01
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS S H O P P I N G & L I F E S T Y L E Emma Johnson A R T S & C U LT U R E Melanie Abrams F O O D & D R I N K Chantal Borciani T R AV E L & H I S T O R Y Robin Glover EXPERIENCE & ADVENTURE
Adrian Mourby
SPECIAL THANKS TO Robert Nightingale Dream Escape David Brown Automotive FRONT COVER IMAGE The Lodge on Loch Goil, Scotland PUBLISHED BY
CONTISTA MEDIA Mitchell House, Brook Avenue, Warsash, Southampton, SO31 9HP M A I N S W I T C H B O A R D 01489 660680 Ü contistamedia.co.uk
KEEP IN TOUCH
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WELCOME TO THE FIRST edition of British Travel Journal, which we hope will become your indispensable ‘go-to’ for all your upcoming travel plans - inspiring your year ahead, with a dreamy selection of seasonal holiday ideas, unique experiences, and wondrous days out. And while we can’t always guarantee the sunshine, I’m sure you’ll agree, that for a relatively small island, Britain packs a pretty good punch! Whether it is the city, country, or coast you enjoy best, there is simply so much within our beautiful and varied landscape to explore. Join in the fun with annual events, culture, history, shopping - not to mention enjoying some of the world’s finest Michelin star restaurants, hotels and spas. As Editor here at British Travel Journal my bucket list is forever growing, I did however manage to tick one off this season, with a rock-climbing adventure to Jersey, which I hope you enjoy reading (p48). I’ve discovered unique experiences I didn’t even know were possible, such as jumping into a hot tub as you sail down the River Thames (p26), and if, like me, you are an avid foodie, then you will love our holy trinity of gastronomy ‘In The Stars’ (p72). From days out to great long journeys and one-off adventures, please remember while making your new discoveries to snap some photos along the way, as we would love you to enter our British Travel Journal Landscape Photography Competition - for your chance to win a night of London luxury in Mayfair (p14). So, whether you’re reading this from a far-flung airport lounge, a sumptious hotel suite, or with your feet up at home on the sofa, we urge you to stop dreaming and to start treating yourself. u
Jessicxa
PROUD TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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.
Jessica Way, Editor -In-Chief Jessica@britishtraveljournal.com
PICTURED ABOVE: JESSICA VISITS BATH, SOMERSET
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CONTENTS SPRING 2019 | ISSUE 01
32
36 JOTTINGS
STYLE EDITS
11
12
TRAVEL NEWS
A look at what’s new with on-trend destinations, renovations, product launches and celebrations.
14
MOMENTS
Annual Landscape Photography Competition - win a luxur y overnight stay at JW Marriott Grosvenor House London.
17 26
CULTURAL AGENDA
98
Exhibitions, museums, galleries and shows hot this season.
10 UNIQUE EXPERIENCES
11
Feel inspired with our seasonal choice, including an awe-inspiring flying lesson to a six course gourmet dining experience on a luxury double-decker bus!
ITINERARIES
32
IDYLLIC ISLANDS
Discover this dreamy escape with breathtaking landscapes of Orkney and the Outer and Inner Hebrides.
36
INTERVIEW WITH ROBERT NIGHTINGALE
Founder of adventure accessories brand Malle London tells us about his five day Great Malle Rall y journey, 1250 beautiful miles filled with stunning landscapes.
44 48
IN FOCUS: NEWMARKET
Go behind the scenes at the home of British horseracing.
48 HOURS IN JERSEY
Be invigorated with a revitalising adventure in the Channel Islands. à
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EDITOR BUYS
GIFT TO ALL SUBSCRIBERS!
LIFESTYLE
54 Anna Maria Restoring Anti-oxidant Body Oil, £63 clivedenhouse.co.uk Ormer Pendant, £270 catherinebest.com
GINAISSANCE
We take a look at the irresistible rise of gin, artisan brands, and gin distilleries of fering memorable tour and tasting experiences.
58
MINI REMASTERED
63
CRAFTED
Behind the scenes at David Brown Automotive, celebrating the iconic Mini in its 60th year of production. We meet Roger W Smith, Bronze Medallist of the British Horological Institute, recently honoured with an OBE, and the subject of a Netflix film, to discuss the skill of British watchmaking.
80
67
INVESTOR
Investing in books can be lucrative but it is not quite as simple as plain old buying and selling.
Subscribe to British Travel Journal and read your next issue while enjoying an English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Jasmine Blossom or Moroccan Mint loose-blend tea, courtesy of Newby Teas! britishtraveljournal.com /subscribe
CONNOISSEUR
72
IN THE STARS
The snug villages and bottle-green fells of Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire have created a holy trinity of gastronomy and a veritable constellation of Michelin stars just waiting to be explored.
79
VICTUALS
Discover what’s new in the scene of British hospitality, Michelin-star chefs, restaurants, hotels and spas.
80
ESCAPE TO NATURE
Stay in a beautiful log cabin or treehouse, from remote, windswept locations to cosy clusters of cabins with all the latest technology and mod cons.
82
FARMER , BUTCHER , CHEF
Discover a countr yside gem in West Sussex, and get the taste for a per fect Sunday roast.
87
MIDDLETHORPE HALL
With superb surroundings and closeness to central York, Middlethorpe Hall offers the best of rural and city escapes.
D AY T R I P P E R
90
BLETCHLEY PARK
In a sleepy Buckinghamshire town a window opens on this histor y-changing, high-security WW2 operation centre, kept secret for decades.
94
MIGHTY HIKES
Take part in a one-day hiking marathon and experience some of the UK's most breathtaking scener y, while raising much-needed funds for Macmillan.
98
FOR YOUR JOURNEY
Latest books, travel gadgets and our first British travel inspired crossword.
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JOTTINGS Travel News p11 | Moments p14 | Cultural Agenda p17 | Bright Lights, Big City! p24 | 10 of the Best Unique Experiences p26
T R E N D I N G
H E C K F I E L D P L AC E
This charming new hotel has evoked much interest, a lovingly restored Georgian family home, rewoven into 400 acres of secluded Hampshire landscape. heckfieldplace.com
T H E PA I N T E D H A L L
SINGING CABBIE
Ă
The Painted Hall at The Old Royal Professional singer come black-cab driver, Naval College, Greenwich reopens to Aiden Kent, has followed his dreams, offering the public 23 March after a two-year extraordinary performances while zipping conservation project. ornc.org past London’s sights! singingcabbie.com
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Tresco: 28 miles off the Cornish coast. Somewhere else altogether. AWA R D -W I N N I N G A C C O M M O DAT I O N | D I N I N G | W E L L B E I N G
FOR A G LI M P SE OF I SL AN D LI FE , R EQU ES T YOU R COM PLI M ENTARY TR ESCO TI M ES YE AR BOOK :
T R E S C O.C O.U K / B T J
T R AV E L N E W S WHAT 'S NEW
Destinations | Renovations | Launches | Celebrations
HI STO R I C M I L E STO NE This year Leeds Castle, Kent, once home to King Edward I, and then subsequently to six of England's queens, is celebrating its 900th anniversary. leeds-castle.com
BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO THE UK'S ONLY VINEYARD HOTEL! A £4m project is under way at Denbies Wine Estate, Surrey (England’s largest single-estate vineyard, denbies.co.uk) to create the UK’s first ever vineyard hotel. The project will see the current bed and breakfast transformed into a 17-bedroom hotel with bar and orangery restaurant, set on the Denbies estate in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offering panoramic views across the vineyard and North Downs Way. The new hotel will have an Orangery-style garden restaurant, outdoor dining cabanas and even its own ‘Enomatic wine-dispensing machine’ – meaning guests can taste and purchase Denbies wine by the glass. Plus, there’ll be complimentary wine tasting tutorials. Well we're saying cheers to that!
MA KE WAY FO R PR I O RY B AY The Isle of Wight's most luxurious holiday destination, and 60 acre estate, is currently undergoing a magnificent restoration project to its secluded beach, swimming pool, hotel and restaurant. ariaresorts.co.uk/priory-bay
L EI C A SA FA RI C A M E R A
F LOAT IN G LUXURY
BU XTO N ' S R EVI VA L
Luxury floating hotel, Fingal, Edinburgh, is now open, with 23 beautifully styled cabins, an exquisite development which cost £3.5 million.
Buxton Crescent's 80 bedroom 5* Hotel, Spa and Pump Room is due to open in 2019 following a massive £46 million investment!
Ü fingal.co.uk
Ü buxtoncrescent.com
WE LOVE
Limited Edition - £6,900 Ü leicastore-uk.co.uk
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T R AV E L N E WS
B O U T I Q U E
MO R E HOT EL S O P EN I N G ! OT
Cinema has been re-classified by the likes of TIVOLI - whose latest home-from-home studio to open in Bath boasts luxuriously wide sofas, excellent sight and sound, and your food and drink orders served to you at your seat prior to the feature. tivolicinemas.com
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YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT HECKFIELD PLACE, HAMPSHIRE, now travel a little further east and two more beautiful hotels are also opening (pictured above left-right) Monkey Island in Berkshire opens in February and The Langley in Buckinghamshire opens in June 2019 - watch this space! marriott.com / monkeyislandestate.co.uk
STYLE EDITS what we love now Smalls’ natural merino wool base layers, perfect for international flights, they’re super soft and breathable, cool when it's warm and warm when it's cool! smallsmerino.co.uk
FOR HIM C65 Trident Automatic, £695, christopherward.co.uk BRITISH TRAVEL
COAL DROPS YARD AT KINGS CROSS If you are fed up of cookie cutter shopping, discover Coal Drops Yard where there’s a raft of indie shops and eateries. Design rules too including a Tom Dixon emporium and sweeping architecture by hotshot, Thomas Heatherwick. coaldropsyard.com T R AV E L
Ü ondalife.com
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J O U R N A L
Editor wears
Centenary Bowling BagToscana, £1,025 globe-trotter.com
A P P
From London to Los Angeles, New York City to Singapore and hundreds of other cities, ONDA is a new travel app that enables you to discover interesting members' clubs, creative workspaces and health clubs from around the world.
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FOR HER
Silhouette Accent Shades, from £200 pretavoir.co.uk
The Luxury Travel Wrap, £295 willowcashmere.com
Manhabis classic slippers, £69 mahabis.com
www.thewalesway.com
This is Wales.
The Wales Way is a family of three national routes that lead you along the coast, across castle country, and through our mountainous heartland. Our routes are crossed by loops and links so that you can head off-piste and create your own custom-built Welsh road trip. In Welsh we call it going igam ogam – ‘step-to-step’, or ‘zig-zagging’ – discovering your own secret places. Aren’t they always the best ones?
Moments
PICTURE CREDITS: © PETE ROWBOTTOM/ANDREW JONES
Photography competitions, such as the National Trust's annual search for their Handbook front cover, and The Landscape Photographer of the Year exhibition, hosted by Network Rail, have helped to encourage a nation of budding photography enthusiasts - and here at British Travel Journal we are joining the fun with our own search for the most inspiring UK destinations
For further information about Landscape Photographer of the Year Awards visit take-a-view.co.uk
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“ I ’ D V I S I T E D T H I S L O C AT I O N MANY TIMES IN DIFFERING W E AT H E R C O N D I T I O N S . FORSAKING THE WELLK N O W N S H O W AT T H E FA L L S N E A R B Y, I H A D S E T O U T T O SHOOT SUNRISE UPRIVER A N D S AW T H I S U N U S UA L A N D D R A M AT I C F O R M AT I O N OF ICE AROUND THE ROCKS; RIGHT THEN I KNEW I HAD M Y S P OT. T H E P R O B L E M WA S T H AT W H E N S H O O T I N G F R O M ABOVE, THE ICE SPIKES, A LT H O U G H V I S I B L E , W E R E GETTING LOST IN THE SCENE. T H E O N LY S O L U T I O N W A S TO GO VERY LOW; THE SAME L E V E L A S T H E I C E .”
For further information about the 2019 National Trust handbook competition please visit nationaltrust.org.uk
CO M P E T IT IO N
Have you captured an amazing moment? BRITISH TRAVEL JOURNAL | 2019 PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
Share your amazing landscape photography, email photos@britishtraveljournal.com or tag us on Instagram #britishtraveljournal One lucky reader will win... î A N OV E R N I G H T S TAY F O R T W O I N LU X U RY JW MARRIOTT GROSVENOR HOUSE LONDON î A Y E A R ’ S S U P P LY O F N E W B Y T E A S ! îA SUBSCRIPTION (OR GIFT SUBSCRIPTION) TO BRITISH TRAVEL JOURNAL
Find out more: britishtraveljournal.com/competitions
BRITISH TRAVEL
J O U R N A L
Competition!
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C U LT U R A L A G E N D A HOT THIS SEASON
Exhibitions | Museums | Galleries | Shows
PICTURE CREDIT © JOHAN PERSSON
Words | Melanie Abrams
Matthew Bourne updates Romeo and Juliet, see next page for more details...
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WE'RE SEEING
ARTS & THEATRE Man of La Mancha 26 APRIL-8 JUNE It’s time to “dream the impossible dream” as musical, Man of La Mancha, hits the West End after 50 years. At the London Coliseum, this tale of legendary adventurer, Don Quixote stars Kelsey Grammer and Danielle de Niese - pictured right (courtesy of Decca). William Shakespeare’s Richard III 13-31 MARCH Medieval mischief comes to Alexandra Palace. Famed for murdering the princes in the Tower for his crown, the hunchback king is one of Shakespeare’s most dastardly figures (and there are a few). The £27 million theatre is newly restored after 80 years. Just don’t expect bright lights or gleaming metallic finishes. Instead, Ally Pally revels in its Victorian faded glory.
PICTURE CREDIT © JOHAN PERSSON
Ü eno.org
Ü alexandrapalace.com
GLYNDEBOURNE FESTIVAL OPENS 18 MAY WITH A NEW PRODUCTION OF THE DAMNATION OF FAUST BY HECTOR BERLIOZ. ALONGSIDE THIS RARELY STAGED OPERA, THE SCHEDULE IS PACKED WITH FAVOURITES FROM ROSSINI’S BARBER OF SEVILLE TO MOZART’S MAGIC FLUTE. Ü GLYNDEBOURNE.COM
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Romeo and Juliet 13-18 MAY He turned swans male and Cinderella into a wartime siren, now innovative British choreographer, Matthew Bourne updates Romeo and Juliet. Leicester’s Curve Theatre hosts the star crossed lovers’ world premiere in May before a nationwide tour Ü new-adventures.net/romeo-juliet
PICTURE CREDITS: © BILL COOPER
GREGORY PORTER HEADLINES THIS YEAR’S CHELTENHAM JAZZ FESTIVAL FROM 1-6 MAY. GRAB YOUR SPOT EARLY IN MONTPELLIER GARDENS FOR AVANT GARDE TRIO, THE BAD PLUS’S EVENT DEBUT. GET READY TO DANCE TO SERGIO MENDES’ BOSSA NOVA BEATS. Ü CHELTENHAMFESTIVALS. COM/JAZZ
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PICTURE CREDIT © MARSHA ARNOLD
WE'RE GOING
FESTIVALS AND SHOWS The Hay Festival 23 MAY-02 JUNE Rub shoulders with the literati at the Hay Festival on the Welsh River Wye. Hear your favourite author talk about their work or be surprised which celeb is reading an excerpt in Diaries Live! Ü hayfestival.com
All Points East music festival 24 MAY-02 JUNE Indie music is the sound at the All Points East music festival in London’s Victoria Park. This second year sees the eclectic line-up include the Chemical Brothers, Primal Scream and Bon Iver. Ü allpointseastfestival.com
Chelsea Flower Show 21-25 MAY The Royal Hospital Chelsea blooms as the Chelsea Flower Show kicks off the summer season. Take a whistle-stop tour around Britain’s best current and future gardens, discovering local specialities from Yorkshire vegetables to Manchester plants. Ü rhs.org.uk
AUCTIONS Christie's, Books and Manuscripts 05 JUNE Taking place in London this summer, one of the upcoming highlights is this striking map of the world surrounded by allegorical scenes of the four seasons, part of the Beyond The Horizon - The Mopelia Collection Of Fine Atlases And Travel Books collection. (Pictured left) Ü christies.com WE’RE LISTENING
DIDO'S NEW ALBUM Still on My Mind We’ve missed Dido’s lyrical vocals. Now she’s back on 8 March with a first new album in six years, Still on My Mind, including the haunting Hurricanes. Ü didomusic.com
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Pictured left: VALK, Gerard (1652-1726) and Leonard VALK (16751746). Orbis Terrarum Nova et Accurata Tabula. Amsterdam: [c.1700].
Pictured top-left: Lady at The Hay Festival enjoys reading a book, Pictured above: Dido promoting her new album.
8 February — 6 May 2019 Open daily The Holburne Museum Great Pulteney Street Bath BA2 4DB ‘an astonishing body of work’ ★★★★★ The Guardian George Shaw, Ash Wednesday: 8.30 am, 2004–5 © George Shaw / Image courtesy Anthony Wilkinson Gallery, London / Photo: Peter White
Tou rs & E x per iences
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St u nning C ou ntryside
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PICTURE CREDITS: ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST / © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2018
WE'RE VISITING
EXHIBITIONS & GALLERIES Hew Locke: Here’s the Thing 8 MARCH-2 JUNE Caribbean and British cultures fuse at Birmingham’s Ikon Gallery as Hew Locke presents multi-media work. Ü ikon-gallery.org
Painting Childhood and Childhood Now 16 MARCH-16 JUNE Renaissance to royal children are the focus of two art shows at Compton Verney.
PICTURE CREDIT: © VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM LONDON
Ü comptonverney.org
THE SWINGING SIXTIES ARE BACK AS THE V&A SPOTLIGHTS THE ERA’S FASHION DESIGNER, MARY QUANT FROM 6 APRIL 2019-16 FEBRUARY 2020. SEE THE MINIS, HOT PANTS AND PVC RAINCOATS THAT REVOLUTIONISED BRITISH FASHION ALONGSIDE RARE DESIGNS FROM A PUBLIC SHOUT-OUT. Ü VAM.AC.UK
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WAITRESS
ADV E RTORI A L
COME FROM AWAY
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY! No visit to London is complete without seeing a show, check out some of the capital’s world-class theatre venues
F
IND YOUR NEW FAVOURITE West End musical, dramatic play or incredible opera. Enjoy a Shakespeare play at the Globe or treat yourself to a ballet at the Royal Opera House. You can experience a long-running hit or one of the plethora of new London theatres shows such as; A LONDON TRANSFER FOR A WARM AND TOUCHING BROADWAY HIT… The big sleeper hit Broadway musical of the last few years, ‘COME FROM AWAY’tells the unlikely true story of a sleepy Newfoundland town that took in strangers from around the world when their planes were grounded at the local airport in the wake of 9/11. A hit in Canada and the States, ‘Come from Away’ is written by Irene Sankoff and David Hein and is directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine. Expect to be very charmed.
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You’ll also be blown away by another Broadway hit ‘WAITRESS’ a musical brought to life by a ground-breaking all-female creative team. This irresistible new hit features original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy® nominee Sara Bareilles (Brave, Love Song), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus. (Pippin, Finding Neverland). ‘WAITRESS’ tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker who dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life. Don’t miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie..!
PICTURE CREDITS: MAMMA MIA! PHOTOS © BRINKHOFF/MÖGENBURG; WAITRESS PHOTOS OF ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST; COME FROM AWAY PHOTOS © MATT MURPHY; THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA PHOTOS © JOHAN PERSSON
MAMMA MIA!
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
AND THE CLASSICS CONTINUE TO ENTERTAIN… More than just a jukebox musical Judy Craymer's bold idea of turning the insanely catchy songs of ABBA into a musical has paid off splendidly, in every sense – box office figures for 'MAMMA MIA!' are as eyewatering as its outfits. The original production of ‘MAMMA MIA!’ opened in 1999 and since then, this ultimate feel-good musical has been seen by over eight million people in the West End, where it continues to break box office records at the Novello Theatre, its third London home. Set on a Greek island paradise, a story of love, friendship and identity is cleverly told through the timeless songs of ABBA, including "Dancing Queen", "Take A Chance On Me" and "Super Trouper". Sophie’s quest to discover the father she’s never known brings her mother face to face with three men from her distant romantic past on the eve of a wedding they’ll never forget!
A stone's throw from Novello Theatre is Her Majesty’s Theatre home of the original production of ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’. I’m not sure any show deserves to be the most successful entertainment event of all time, but I’ll hand it to the current holder of that title, ‘THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA’ as it still continues to thrill its audience. ‘Phantom…’ remains strong because its high production values haven’t been allowed to sag. The late Maria Björnson’s design is a heady barrage of ravishing costumes and lavish sets that change frequently, working in everything from pastoral jollity to an ancient Carthaginian theme on the way to the Phantom’s stunning underground lair. It’s totally OTT – in one scene the Phantom zaps at his nemesis Raul with a staff that fires actual fireballs, its ridiculousness and campy story are entirely thrilling when realised with the show’s enormous budget. And while Hal Prince’s production may have been hailed as rather gauche back in
the day, in 2019 it all comes across as rather more tasteful than the average jukebox musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber's gothic spectacular ‘THE PHANTOM OF OPERA’ is totally '80s in the best possible way. By Jonathan Mountford Jonathan is a successful entrepreneur and businessman who has worked in the live entertainment industry for over 20 years and also sits on the British Tourism Industry Group at VisitBritain.
D O N ' T WA I T ! B O O K L O N D O N T H E AT R E T I C K E TS O N L I N E A N D YO U C O U L D S AV E U P T O 6 0 % O N U N F O R G E T TA B L E W O R L D CLASS PERFORMANCES. Ü T H E AT R E . L O N D O N
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EDITOR'S PICK
ON THE WATER PADDLEBOARDING
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Paddleboarding, or ‘SUPing’ as it’s now called, (Stand-Up Paddleboarding) is not only a brilliant experience by itself – it’s also a fabulous way to tour a city! This new UK travel trend has seen SUP experiences cropping up across our UK cities, to include seeing the exciting waterways of Bristol Harbourside, gliding along the Backs past historic Cambridge colleges, through the heart of Bath, to a summer's evening trip over to the weir at Stratford-Upon-Avon. There’s also pub-to-pub cruises to awesome offshore adventures in various locations across the UK. Ü supbristol.com
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10 of the best
E XP E R IE N C E S HIDDEN GEM
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You have probably read about Thermae Bath Spa's world-famous rooftop pool, with 35 degree natural thermal springs - but did you know that just across the road is the historical Cross Bath, an intimate hidden gem, on street-level, with open-air thermal bath available for individual bookings or small groups? Ü thermaebathspa.com/the-spa
UNIQUE
EXPERIENCES
Feel inspired by an awe-inspiring flying lesson to a six course gourmet dining experience on a luxury double-decker bus!
ONCE IN A LIFETIME
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The Goodwood Flying School in West Sussex launched an exciting new Stearman Flight Experience in September last year, making the most of their beautifully crafted Boeing Stearman N2S3 biplane and breathtaking Sussex coastline and countryside. The experience costs £449 for a half-hour flight for one, or £549 for a 40 minute flight for one, followed by a champagne lunch for two at the exclusive members-only clubhouse, The Kennels. Ü goodwood.com
IN THE CITY
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Be made to feel like a local and enjoy the experience of being driven around London in a Classic Mini Cooper - local guides show you the capital through their own eyes as a Londoner. Ü smallcarbigcity.com
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Relax in the freshwater hot tub as you sail down London’s River Thames, passing by some of the capital’s most iconic sights! The 90-minute experience sets sail from two different locations; Angel, north London, taking you through the cute and calm waterways of Regent’s Canal and, more recently launched, around Canary Wharf/West India Quay. Book the VIP Experience and receive sailors’ hats, robe and towel and an essential ice bucket to keep drinks cool. Ü hottuguk.com
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Tulip Festival Mid April to early May
Ancient Castle, Stately Home & Gardens for more details, call 01903 882173 or visit www.arundelcastle.org
E XP E R IE N C E S FOODIES
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What a brilliant way to see the iconic sights of London through a 360° panoramic terrace - while enjoying the views from the warmth and comfort of your table, savouring a French inspired six course dinner menu with paired wines, and listening to soft ambient music. This new concept, of fine dining while on the move, has been launched in London following success with the concept in Paris. There’s even audiopens so you can select attractions from the icons on the route map to listen and learn more about their history and learn some of London's best kept secrets. You join the bus at Victoria Embankment and they offer options of lunch, afternoon tea or dinner experiences.
ARCHITECTURE
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Discover the architecture of London with this series of walking tours designed to interrogate the past, present and future of the many areas undergoing massive transformation within London - including Greenwich Peninsula, Modern Camden Housing Tour and Portland Place to Primrose Hill.
Ü architecturefoundation.org.uk
Ü bustronome.com
INSTAGRAMMABLE
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If you are looking for an off grid experience then Secret Adventures is a fantastic option describing their adventures as ‘bringing a sense of exploration and wonder’ - they like water, fire and to explore! Adventures include swimming over to a secret island to wild camp around a fire, kayaking at night under Tower Bridge and Husky sledding in the Arctic Circle. Their daytime (they also offer nighttime) Kayak experiences from Greenwich to Battersea (or vice-versa) offer you a fabulous two hour river view tour of London in stable double kayaks - an ‘oar’ inspiring adventure!
Ü secretadventures.org
ANIMAL LOVERS
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Get ‘hands on’ with magnificent birds of prey, including owls, hawks and eagles for a truly incredible flying experience with Cheshire Falconry, Cheshire. Ü cheshirefalconry.com
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Stay at the new luxurious Lion Lodge, set within the lions’ enclosure at Port Lympne in Kent. A loft-style lodge with floor-to-ceiling windows, open plan living, with cosy fireplace, underfloor heating, monsoon shower and wet room and even a Scandinavian outdoor bath, overlooking the sea and 600-acre wildlife reserve. Ü aspinallfoundation.org/lionlodge
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A superb selection of special self-catering holiday properties in North Norfolk, ranging from romantic hideaways to luxurious barn conversions with coastal views www.blakeneycottagecompany.co.uk - bookings@blakeneycottagecompany.co.uk - 01263 741777
eC lebrate Summer Create your own island story in Alderney... escape the ordinary and fall in love with this special island.
visitalderney.com
itineraries
PICTURE CREDIT: FAIRY POOLS © KENNY LAM VISIT SCOTLAND
Idyllic Islands p32 | Interview with Robert Nightingale p36 In Focus: Newmarket p44 | 48 Hours in Jersey p48
INNER HEBRIDES
Fairy Pools, Isle of Skye These beautifully crystal clear blue pools on the River Brittle entice visitors from all over the world
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SCOTLAND
I DY L L I C I S L A N D S
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OME TO UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES, some older than the Pyramids, traces of Viking legacies, Neolithic sites, haunting wartime remains, and beaches and seascapes to rival the very best in the world, this has to be one of the must-do trips of a lifetime. Dream Escape, a leading luxury destination specialist to England, Scotland and Ireland has masterfully crafted a week-long itinerary to capture the spirit of these islands, journeying through their mysterious lands. The Orkney Islands hold some of the finest examples of Neolithic craftsmanship and earliest stone circles in Britain, dating back to at least 3100BC. Known as the “Big Four”, these riveting displays of an ancient time are treasured at the Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site where our journey begins. Most impressive and striking is the settlement known as Skara Brae, Europe’s most complete Neolithic village, with its eight clustered houses dating back to a time before Stonehenge was built. Thanks to Dream Escape, the trip allows for a very special, private twilight tour of the settlement as well as the rare chance to enter one of the delicate houses, not ordinarily open to the public. A truly enthralling experience, this is a special moment to reflect upon its inhabitants whilst listening to its haunting stories from an expert guide. From an ancient past to more recent history, we visit Scapa Flow, a great natural harbour that was a vital naval base during both World Wars. From here, it’s on to the uninhabited island of Lamb Holm, with its remarkable Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. The chapel was lovingly restored in 1960 by the artist Domenico Chiocchetti, who was responsible for the original design, and it remains a touching token of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. Orkney’s capital – Kirkwall – is another fascinating stop and home to Britain’s most northerly Cathedral, dating from the 12th century. It has a violent Viking past, and still houses some wonderful ancient buildings including the Bishop’s Palace, which was built around the same time as the Cathedral, and the Earl’s Palace, built around 1600 for Earl Robert Stewart, an illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland. à
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Picture Credit: Sunset over the Neist Point Lighthouse, Isle of Skye, Scotland © Istockphoto/Marcello Land
Shrouded in legend and mystery, Orkney and the Outer and Inner Hebrides are remarkable parts of Scotland, with breathtaking landscapes and a rich abundance of history
Creative Creative| Connected | Connected| People | People Exclusive ExclusiveTravel TravelExperiences Experiencesininthe theUK UK&&Ireland Ireland www.dreamescape.co.uk www.dreamescape.co.uk
enquiries@dreamescape.co.uk enquiries@dreamescape.co.uk | 0845 | 0845 260260 1085 1085
“Island hopping in The Outer Hebrides captures the unique spirit of each island and offers an introduction into this unique island life” PICTURE THE MOMENT COORDINATES L AT I T U D E 5 7. 7 5 9 9 N L O N G I T U D E 7. 0 1 9 4 W
The Islands are also famous for their numerous distilleries, from the smallest in the world, Valhalla Brewery, to a string of brand-new haunts. For true whisky aficionados, Dream Escape arranges an exclusive behind the scenes visit to the most northerly of Scotland’s distilleries, visiting parts that are usually off-limits, and that have been opened for a tutored tasting of four spectacular vintages – 1968, 1970, 1971 and 1976 – and the chance to sample from an exclusive single cask bottling in front of a crackling fire. We also loved the option to take a private jet to reach these far-flung stills for private whisky tasting and long lunches in hidden bothies – what could be better! Island hopping in The Outer Hebrides captures the unique spirit of each island and offers an introduction into this unique island life. Lewis is the largest and northernmost island of the archipelago and is home to the awe-inspiring stones at Calanais, another famed prehistoric site dating from around 3000 BC. Blackhouse Museum is also a ‘must’ for those truly wanting to understand the crofting way of life once widespread on these isles. Thankfully Dream Escape guests will rest in a rather more contemporary take on one of these traditional island houses!
Think Scandi-style interiors, complete with floor to ceiling windows and panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Famed for its white beaches, clear waters and coastline, there is nowhere better than the Isle of Harris for a bracing walk along the beach before stopping to pick up some world-famous Harris Tweed, and finally heading off to the most remote part of the British Isles, St Kilda. St Kilda’s islands, with their exceptional cliffs and sea stacks, form the most important seabird breeding station in northwest Europe. The earliest written records of island life here date from the late-Middle Ages and since then, the population has probably never exceeded 180. The remaining population, some 36 residents that were known as St Kildans, were evacuated on 29 August 1930 from Hirta, the only inhabited island, to the Scottish mainland – at their own request. Today, the island is a World Heritage Site and is one of only 24 global locations to be awarded “mixed” World Heritage Status for its natural and cultural significance. Currently, the only year-round residents are military personnel; and a variety of conservation workers, volunteers and scientists spend time there in the summer months. This fascinating look at St Kilda marks the end of our seven-day journey through the Orkney Islands, the Inner and Outer Hebrides; a journey packed with history, inspirational stories of old and new, and raw Scottish beauty all washed down with a little water of life. It is time to step back into the present and leave the past and this bygone era behind. u
ABOVE: ISLE OF SKYE Here you will find some of Scotland’s most iconic landscapes: rugged mountains, sparkling lochs, dramatic sea cliffs and stunning moors. The island is also a treasure trove of history with prehistoric sites, castles and crofting museums, and cosy pubs and superb restaurants. BELOW: ISLE OF LEWIS One of the largest and northernmost of the 200 islands that make up the Outer Hebrides, the Isle of Lewis is steeped in history and culture, home to the awe-inspiring ancient stone circles at Calanais, Dun Caroloway and Arnol Blackhouse.
DREAM ESCAPE HAS E X P E RT K N OW L E D G E O F SCOTLAND, ENGLAND, IRELAND AND LONDON AND SPECIALISES IN C R E AT I N G I N S P I RAT I O N A L AND EXCITING I T I N E RA R I E S TO E AC H O F T H E S E D E S T I N AT I O N S . ÜDREAMESCAPE.CO.UK
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INTERVIEW WITH
ROBERT NIGHTINGALE Malle London founder talks to us about The Great Malle Rally, 5 days, 1250 beautiful miles, stunning landscapes, breaking down, wild cooked hearty breakfasts, Tug of War – and much more!
Photographs | Amy Shore
F
OUNDER OF adventure accessories brand Malle London, Robert Nightingale has been on an epic journey, taking part himself in their annual motorcycle rally for the very first time (usually he’s in the background helping!) The Great Malle Rally is the longest motorcycle rally ever attempted in the UK 1250 beautiful miles from the very northern tip of Scotland to the southern tip of England. Now held over five stages/ days, the 1250 mile rally route carves a unique path across beautiful landscapes, mountains, coasts and valleys in Great Britain, mainly on tiny B-Roads. Pictured LeftRight: Robert Nightingale and Calum PryceTidd of deBolex Engineering and lead engineer of the rally.
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What are you riding in the rally? Against the advice of many, I decided to ride my late father’s 1957 custom Triumph Thunderbird, which I got working earlier this year, and it turned out to be the oldest motorcycle in the 2018 rally! Why is this the first time you’ve entered the rally? Over the last three years I’ve helped the Malle team research the rally route, normally from the back of a support vehicle, but as my first time riding in the rally with a team, it was a completely different experience. Tell us about your rally preparation The day before the rally, like most of the riders I was scrambling to complete the bike in time, finding last minute spare parts that might break or rattle off. On the forecourt of The Classic Car Club in London, bits of the Thunderbird were littered around the bike, more and more custom/classic rally bikes were being dropped off every hour, which only added more pressure to the impending deadline. I managed to fit a new oil-feed pipe, “new” custom California handlebars, bent the mud-guards out a bit to accommodate the larger offroad trials tyres, fitted race plates and gave it a fresh oil change. After a quick lap around the backstreets of Shoreditch past the BikeShed to test the brakes and the oil flow - the bike was pretty much ready to go. First thing the next morning we helped the professionals load the bikes into crates at The Classic Car Club and onto the à
“Against the advice of many, I decided to ride my late father’s 1957 custom Triumph Thunderbird, which I got working earlier this year, and it turned out to be the oldest motorcycle in the 2018 rally!”
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rally trucks. Strapped in tight, for the long and slow journey up to the Castle of Mey, located at the very northern tip of mainland Britain. What happens at the start line? After 24 hours of driving north from London, we finally reached the top of the country in the support vehicles and set up the rally camp at the northern tip. Overlooking the North Sea from the Castle of Mey, with the glow of the refineries on the horizon behind the islands of Stroma and Orkney, seals playing in the bay beneath camp. The team from the Nomadic Kitchen (Tom & Will) arrived riding a pair of borrowed Royal Enfield Himalayans, got out their knives, lit the fires and prepared the first nights wild cooking feast - fire roasted pork loin and mouth watering roasted salads. 70+ riders descended on the Castle of Mey from all over the world (mainly Europe) for the Riders’ Check-In. After all riders had checked in, we rode five miles along the coast up to the lighthouse, perched on a slab of rock 250m above the lashing sea. Seventy completely unique classic/ café/custom motorcycles made up the pack, as we snaked back and forth up the hill to the lighthouse. I turned to see all the bikes behind me meandering up the hill in single file, moving as one continuous machine, the headlamps lighting up the hill in the dusk - it was a beautiful sight. We rode back along the coast and the local villagers had come out of their house to wave the rally past, very sweet. The feeling that the rally was about to begin was building. Back at camp, we had the first and most detailed riders’ briefing, describing the next day’s route, with riders from last year’s rally joining in with local tips on the route and their thoughts on the rally experience and team riding. The briefing was followed by the now customary whisky pairing; local single-malt with locally caught/smoked salmon. There was a toast, a cheer, a gulp of whisky and it was back to the bikes! What happened on the first day in stage 1? I don’t know if Tom and Will from the Nomadic Kitchen made it to bed that night, I woke at 5am and they were slaving away over the fire, knocking out a hearty wild cooked breakfast for everyone. Rally mornings are always the most rushed and the first day was the most chaotic, bikes and 38
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kit everywhere - riders running from tents to bikes, half dressed in leathers, toothbrush in one hand, with a coffee and spanner in the other, trying to find some odd component that they were sure they packed. We had a quick briefing with the rally marshals at 6am, minutes later they tore off on bikes, which in that moment felt like we were about to play the largest game of hide and seek in the land. With a two hour head start, the marshals headed out to set up check-points and report back of any route problems. We threw our rally duffels into the support vehicles and headed to the start-line at the Castle. With all the planning in the world, some things you can’t predict. After I and half of the bikes had reached the start line, with not a soul in sight, the local farmer, not realising
there were another 40 bikes behind us, closed the in-road with a JCB, acting as a blockade for his cows. As we soon learned the “Royal Cows” take priority and the big herd ran boisterously down the castle track. You don’t want to put a motorcycle in the way of that stampede. Minutes later, everyone was assembled in front of the Castle, the first time some of the teams had really met each other. Log books out, stamped, the flag dropped - the rally had begun. Teams departed in five minute intervals. My plan was to ride out as soon as the last team had left and catch up with them. Second hitch of the morning, a modern street-scrambler suddenly wouldn’t start. Calum from deBolex Engineering who heads up the engineering team can fix anything. He
IN T E RV IE W
“I turned to see all the bikes behind me meandering up the hill in single file, moving as one continuous machine, the headlamps lighting up the hill in the dusk - it was a beautiful sight.” got the King-Dick tool chest out, with jump leads, meters...he found a serious charging issue. My team departed an hour or so behind schedule, but it felt so good finally to be out on the road, after the months of planning, logistics and comms we were in it. I was riding with Team-7, two couples on a mix of modern Triumphs and Bobbers. We barely saw another vehicle for the first few hours
of the day, hugging the coastline that rises and twists along the hilly coast, one of the best parts of the North Coast 500 route. The Thunderbird was pulling strong and running like clockwork, we made great time, across the Tongue Bridge, through Checkpoint 2, onto Checkpoint 3 - stage 1 was pretty easy going. We only needed to turn right about twice, the rest the of the day was following one gorgeous yet tiny B-road down the entire western side of the Scottish Highlands, through truly wild countryside. In places the sea was a turquoise blue, if it wasn’t for the fact that you were in Scotland, the white sand beaches could be in the Caribbean By the 4th checkpoint we had caught up with a few more teams and met up with the BMW Motorrad team, lead by Ralf and Lucas with photographer Amy Shore who was documenting the rally. That day Amy was flying along in a vintage Mini with the top down, shooting riders out of the back with her cameras. Faster than we released, the seven hour ride was soon ending and the signs for Torridon started to appear. As we came across the small pass from Kinlochewe, we reached Loch
Torridon and rode along it until we reached the rally camp at the grand Torridon Estate. I kept an eye on the edge of the loch as we rode, the last time we were up here on the research trip we spent an hour watching a family of otters fishing for trout along the bank. Torridon did not disappoint, the estate is run by a wonderful Scottish/German couple that served up ‘Tartan Tapas’ with local scallops and fish from the sealoch. After the rally briefing and the whisky pairing, the instruments were out, Scottish music started and somehow ended up in an impromptu Highland Games. After we were thrashed at a Tug of War... I turned to something I was slightly better at, bike tinkering. The bike seemed to be doing well, it was keeping up with the modern BMW’s and she was in her element on these tiny twisty roads, much lighter than most modern bikes I’ve ridden, it’s quite easy to steer the nimble bike with your knees, keeping the bars straight and pushing the back end around corners. What was the riding like in Scotland? On day two of Scotland we had an early start and after a Scottish breakfast served amongst the trees, the morning rally ritual of oil/coffee/ briefing - with the marshal-dash and then pack and suit up - ready for the day. Suddenly the midges decided to make an appearance, within minutes riders may not have had their jackets on, but most of us had helmets on with visors down - midges are a hellish event - this sped up our departure, log-books stamped, flag down - off we rode. Another gorgeous day of sunshine as we headed straight over to the highest pass in Scotland and the steepest legal road in the UK, for the Applecross Pass. The roads around there are beautifully smooth and seem to have been laid out by a roller-coaster engineer, with a good sense of humour, twisting up and down over endless hills, perfect. First engineering hiccup of the day - Ravi’s Moto Guzzi had arrived at Checkpoint 2 at the start of the pass and then decided to throw up all over the road. A big black pool of fresh oil beneath the bike - a leaky hose or a faulty clip. After 30 minutes of fettling, our new friends in the BMW team arrived. He looked at the hose and said “I’ve got just ze thing”, we thought he was going to come à
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back with a brochure for a modern BWM, but came back with some very smart white plastic gloves, tools and spare hoses. Ten minutes later, both teams were back on the road, and what a road the Applecross Pass is. Getting to the top is one thing, but the view down into the valley with the Isle of Skye in the distance is amazing. The road boasts a dozen hair-pin bends as it progresses down the valley - as soon as I reached the bottom I just wanted to ride back up and do it all again. But there were more mountain passes to come. Stage 2 was definitely a longer day, about eight hours of riding in total. We arrived at Checkpoint 3 at the start of Glencoe - the Great Glen. A breath-taking ride through that monstrous valley, imposing mountains on every side, the stags were grazing up on the heather/granite foothills - you’re riding through a whisky advert! As we came to Checkpoint 4, I parked the bike up and
sunset over the bay. Calum and I had a look over the bike and realised the throttle was misbehaving, sticking slightly...but nothing major it seemed, nothing to explain the smell or the power loss. At this point I should probably have taken that pre-rally advice and maybe given the bike a day’s rest. Tell us about Stage 3 in the Lake District Another early start and the good weather was still on our side. I knew this was going to be a long day, 300+ miles on the route card, I joined the last team to leave who were enjoying a leisurely start, but then it appeared that the old Police issue Moto Guzzi had snapped an alternator belt. After some quick calling around, we located a shop 20 miles down the road where we might get one. Our team headed out on a brief detour to source belts and parts, adding an hour off course. After we crossed the border and left Scotland for the Lake District, we
“With an old bike, there’s no warning light if something’s starting to go wrong, you have to use all of your senses, touch, listen, and in this case smell the motorcycle” something smelled bad. With an old bike, there’s no warning light if something’s starting to go wrong, you have to use all of your senses, touch, listen and in this case smell the motorcycle - normally the bike has a gorgeous hot-oil aroma to it - something didn’t smell right. We carried on the ride through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and down the coast to the extremely bizarre and beautiful Kelburn Castle where our rally camp was based for the night (the castle was painted by a group of Brazilian street artists). As I turned up the drive to the castle, I wasn’t getting as much power as I normally would, or was it just my imagination, when you’ve been riding all day, 280+ miles, you’re tired and your mind can play tricks on you, maybe it’s me not the bike? The Nomadic Kitchen team were already at the fire when we arrived, roasting butterfly lamb. Dinner that night was a well lubricated affair, after a walk around the grounds of the castle, back at camp we were greeted by a fantastic 40
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were happily cruising for a few hours as a team, when I felt power suddenly drop on the Thunderbird. I limped along to the next turning, two minutes down a country lane. I found a safe spot to park up, for some reason the bike was only getting full power when in high or low revs, but nothing in the middle. I searched the electrics, then got word that the support vehicle was only five minutes away. We looked over the bike, stripped the carb, gave it a clean and then the bike seemed to be running fine, strange. I caught up with my team at Checkpoint 3 and we rode as a team down in to the Lake District, across the two highest mountain passes in the Lakes - from Buttermere across the Hardknot Pass. The Thunderbird was back in her element, throwing it from side to side up the mountain roads. The sun was shining, a fantastic afternoon of riding over the passes and along the lakes, dodging stray sheep, cows and tractors. Unbeknown to us, late that afternoon a lorry driver had fallen asleep on the M6, knocking out an
entire motorway bridge, he was completely fine, but it shut down the entire motorway for 24 hours (the local newspaper the next morning called him the most unpopular man in Lancashire). Which meant that all that traffic spilled onto every other nearby route, bumper to bumper traffic for 50 miles in every direction - exactly in the area we were all trying to ride through. Luckily we were on bikes and could filter through the bad patches of traffic. We should have been back at camp by 6pm, we arrived starving at around 9pm, at the very quirky and eccentric Heskin Hall. Our support crew weren’t quite as lucky, the Malle-Rover turned up at the Manor gates just after midnight, with a Commando in the back (the Norton had fallen off its centre stand and snapped a small, yet vital lever). What were the highlights in Wales? By day four you could start to feel the toll of three solid days of riding, 750’ish miles, two countries behind us as we crossed over into Wales. I started that day with the BMW Motorrad team and the thunderstorm clouds kept threatening to break. A couple of times we stopped, threw on wet weather gear, but most patches were just light showers, so we rode as a pack through the winding roads of Snowdonia National Park, down the infamous A470 (voted the most beautiful road in the country) around the back of Mt Snowdon and down through the valley. By Checkpoint 3 we were joined by another team with a very fast Triumph Thruxton leading the pack. To keep up with them all I really had to press my chin on the tank, tuck elbows in and try to get another 10mph or so out of the bike. Somewhere in Snowdonia my key must have rattled out, so I borrowed a small teaspoon from the café which seemed to do the trick of starting the bike. The weather still held but as we left the Brecon Beacons the wind was picking up, bringing with it a new energy that you feel before storms. Riding with three teams now, 12 or so bikes together, we crossed the Severn Bridge at a furious rate. Riding in all three lanes, I’m not sure if we were actually going that fast, or if it was the head on wind that was bashing the bikes about as we rode across the huge suspension bridge - quite a departure from the quiet tracks of the Scottish Highlands, but
IN T E RV IE W riding in a fast pack like that is so much fun. I think the BMW’s were politely humouring my attempt at keeping up the pace, through my wildly vibrating side mirror I could just make out the image of Jochen grinning and riding along side-saddle on his café racer BMW and then occasionally wheeling past me. I didn’t think being overtaken would be a highlight... but it was a great memory of that stage. We were chasing each other down the lanes of the Mendip Hills, when we saw the welcome site of two rally flags up ahead. The guys from Sinroja motorcycles lead the marshal team that day and waved us in smiling. The landscape was completely different around there, the camp was perched on top of the Cheddar Gorge on a large flat plain, with gorges surrounding the area on three sides. Word spread that night that there was a full lunar eclipse, with a blood moon - unfortunately the storm clouds had descended on the dark camp - so instead we hosted a motorcycle race. The boys wheeled out the Mini Malle Moto, a half thrashed monkey bike from The Malle Mile, I pushed the Thunderbird out into the middle of the long grass a hundred metres away, they turned all the support vehicles around with full beams to light up the “track”. One at a time every rider and marshal took a timed lap around the marker-bike and back. 10% didn’t make it across the start-line and then the Belgian rally team proved that it was actually faster to run the route by foot and beat the monkey bike. After the race finished and the winners were awarded a cold beer, I was walking the Thunderbird back across to camp and realised the tank badges must have rattled off somewhere in Wales. Steadily it seemed, I was leaving bits of the Triumph on roadsides up and down the country. How was the final stretch to the finish line? The last day of the rally was supposed to be the shortest day, but the motorcycle gods had other plans....We woke to good news that the storm hadn’t broken yet, but big dark clouds hung menacingly on the horizon, full of water - I guess on the last stage of the rally, you need a little drama - you don’t want everything to be too easy. For the last day we had arranged for the press-marshal Rachel Billings - who was writing about the rally - to ride with our à
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INTE RV I E W team to shoot 35mm film from my bike.... slight problem... the bike wouldn’t start. After 30 minutes of tinkering and some kind words whispered to the bike, she suddenly roared into life. By that time all of the teams were now 30 minutes ahead of us. We jumped on and headed down into the Gorge. Ok it’s not the Grand Canyon, but it’s a great ride. In the rough words of Bill Bryson “England doesn’t have the biggest or the highest or the deepest of anything, but it does a lot with what it’s got” and the country here is unique, varied and very pretty. Tiny postcard villages and castles connect the dots all the way from Wales to Devon and on to Cornwall. En route to Exmoor, it poured with rain, black skies above, the sort of downpour where immediately there are deep pools of water on the lanes, mini rivers at the sides. Somehow water gets into your boots, soaks your socks and you hunch your shoulders and neck to try and close any gaps between helmet and jacket and soldier on. I remember shouting to Rachel “shall we take shelter” as we sped through the driving rain, but she shouted back “just keep going” - she’s got grit! The rain was relentless, but then the rain ended and there was a faint hint of blue sky up ahead, things were looking up... and then the bike died. We rolled to a silent stop in an old school house drive. Out with the tools, so much for Rachel’s rally team photos which was the photo-brief for the day. I was pretty sure we were miles behind the other teams. By sheer coincidence Calum and the support Land Rover drove by only ten minutes later. We went over the obvious things, then took out the battery, only to discover that the two new lithium batteries had fused together in some horrible hotmolten-mess. The bike might be out of the rally and only 150 miles from the finish line. Luckily we weren’t in the wilds of Mongolia, it’s midday on a Saturday in England. We start calling up all local bike garages trying to find a classic 6V battery. After ten no-goes we find one en route that thinks he has some in stock, we quickly stick the bike in the trailer and as we did four of the rally teams roared past us, beeping. So we weren’t last after all at that stage. We found the old motorcycle shop, owned by a young guy who specialises in vintage 42
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PICTURE CREDIT © RACHEL BILLINGS
Japanese imports from the 1980’s...quite niche, but he has the battery! £6.50 later it’s installed, the sun’s shining and we’re back on track. We headed for Checkpoint 2, we’re still in the running and things look good. As we reached Exmoor, the landscape changed completely, a wild open moor, with animals running across the roads. We crossed the top and the bike seems to be struggling again, fine in high revs, but no power below max revs, it coughs, spluttering, then just the sound of air rushing past you, as the bike free-wheels in neutral down a very long hill into the deepest valley in Exmoor. We rolled to a silent stop outside an old garage that looks like it has been closed for decades. No network connection, Rachel walked up the valley, still nothing, I started going over the bike, no joy, the battery was completely dead. After 20 minutes or so a little voice popped up from the hedge behind the garage “need some ‘elp?”. A small older gentleman, in a blue baseball cap came through the gate smiling. I explain the bike problem, the man, in his late 70’s, tells us he used to get a lot of these bikes here back in the day and he owned a similar model once. He rubbed his big mechanic’s hands over the engine and says “well let’s try and fix it”. He heaves open the sliding doors of the ancient petrol station. I notice the faded paint on the inside walls ‘The Black Cat Garage’. Inside he had a load of old bike parts, some possibly working, some hanging from the ceiling, but he has a workbench of old tools - this might be the best place we could have broken down in the whole of England! He had an industrial battery charger, but after no success with the old 6V, Fred says “I have an idea”, he pulls something out of an old scooter “this might work”, it still has charge. We put it next to the Thunderbird and with makeshift copper wires from something else, we hooked it up. The Thunderbird kicked over first time! Fred wouldn’t accept a penny for the battery, we wrangle it into the battery box on its end, holding it in place with gaffa tape. We thanked him again, loaded up and headed off down the green tree lined tunnels of Exmoor - and the rain had stopped. To make it up to Rachel for that last five hours of riding in the rain, three dead batteries, two garages, four pairs of soaking gloves, I
suggested we stop on Dartmoor for a quick bite to warm up. We rode in to the oldest pub on Dartmoor. There was a wedding going on in the back of the pub, the bride walked out head to toe in white lace, looking radiant - we met at the door of the pub - I’m dressed head to toe in Black waxed canvas, covered in black oil and dirt, hungry and looking angry “I think we’re complete opposites” I mentioned. We went to start the bike, nothing, silence. The rain started spitting, I reluctantly called the support vehicle, Calum’s two hours south almost in Cornwall. A rowdy group of young male wedding guests came out of the back of the pub, half cut, they all have an opinion on how we can start the bike. Moments later they’re taking turns to help me push the Triumph to the top of the hill, across the bridge and bump starting me across the river.
watching the odometer count down the last 17 miles, shouting out at each mile marker for a morale boost “15....14....13”. Finally the sign for ‘Mile End’ appeared, the last mile south on mainland Britain. I arrived at Lizard Point just after sunset, 9pm, four hours late to the final checkpoint and the finish line. Noone in sight, the rally flags had long since been cleared away, but so good to be there, gazing over the sea at Lizard Point. I turn to get back on the bike, the lighthouse lighting up the horizon and the silhouette of the Thunderbird, reminding me of the view north from the lighthouse at the northern tip of Scotland, just a few days ago, but it seems like an age away. The poor bike, bits missing, smelling bad, no lights, exhausted and in dire need of lubrication - the bike and I had a lot in common at that moment.
“I’m not giving up now, keeping the bike at full revs, I hammered it down the lanes, taking all of the roundabouts in third gear.” On the 15th go, it roared back to life, they cheer, Rachel downs the last of her drink and we’re back in the game. A few hours later as we crossed into Cornwall, the rain started again. I saw a familiar Land Rover in a country lay-by. After nine hours on the bike, six of them in the rain, Rachel wisely swapped her seat on the bike for a drier one in the support vehicle. As I pulled away - with determination to complete this rally on the Thunderbird - the rain really set in, it was already raining but now it’s pouring, my last pair of gloves are soaked, the bike then started to misbehave. Again it only ran at full revs, then I realised I’d lost the lights and then the front brake gave up. I saw the sign for Helston and The Lizard...only 17 miles. I’m not giving up now, keeping the bike at full revs, I hammered it down the lanes, taking all of the roundabouts in third gear. I considered taking the more direct route across the middle of a roundabout, rather than around it, but thought better of it. Hunched on the saddle, trying to keep the water out,
Any last words about the rally experience? When I got back to the rally camp from the finish line at The Lizard, the afterparty was in full swing, fires lit, drinks flowing, with a gail still howling across the Cornish peninsula - I walked into the food tent like a half-drowned cowboy. I was the last to leave Scotland and the last to arrive at the finish line, but once I started riding those roads with my team, there was no way I was going to miss out and take a rest day. Things went wrong, bits fell off, but I wouldn’t change it one bit, that was the adventure. u
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IN FOCUS
NEWMARKET
F
OREMOST AMONG THE MANY reasons for today’s tourists to explore the fascinating region of East Anglia, with its rich and absorbing history, ancient and modern, is the chance to visit the birthplace of ‘The Sport of Kings’, Newmarket. This unassuming, small market town, just 15 miles to the east of Cambridge, was the historic birthplace, and has become the epicentre, of the world’s thoroughbred horseracing. The connection with British royalty can be traced back to 1609, when James I had a small palace built here, but it was the influence of the post-Restoration Charles II which transformed the fortunes of Newmarket, laying the foundations for what is now a multi-billion pound industry. After the 13 austere years of Oliver Cromwell’s ‘protectorship’, this hedonist king took great pleasure in sporting pursuits, particularly horse-racing, and established his own, modest stables in the grounds of his palace. He saw the potential of the town’s surrounding 2500 acres of, mostly, flat grassland for the training of horses and this vast tract, since 1750 in the care of the Jockey Club and not ploughed for at least 400 years, now provides the equivalent of 50 miles of unrivalled natural turf gallops (in narrow strips, regularly changed) and 14 miles of all-weather track. Now, the town boasts over 70 registered trainers, with stable-yards housing more than 3500 horses, most of whom can be seen, every day, taking their turn at exercise on the famous
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Warren Hill. The racing itself has also developed. From the long-distance challenge matches of the 17th century (origin of the name of the village ‘Six Mile Bottom’) have come two modern courses, the ‘Rowley Mile’ for the early-season Classic races and the July Course, used later in the calendar. With so much topclass horseflesh in the vicinity, many breeding units, known as ‘studs’, have been established where owners offer the services of known winners, both stallions and mares, in carefully-controlled circumstances, ensuring the purity and sustainability of the ‘bloodline’. The wonderhorse ‘Frankel’, retired to stud after a stellar, unbeaten racing career, now stands available to ‘serve’, but his owners will expect £175,000 for every foal produced as a result! Newmarket is now UK’s largest horse-breeding centre, home to the magnificent National Stud operation, the only commercial property of its kind offering public tours – which resume in February 2019 - in the UK, and several other world-leading stud farms. To guarantee the best of medical attention, three veterinary practices and two world-class horse hospitals are available, all staffed by an army of equine specialists. To complete the commercial cycle, the town is also the sales-base for the oldest bloodstock auctioneers in the world, Tattersalls through whose hands pass the finest young horses in the world. Some are ’yearlings’ and, with no track record, are for sale solely on the basis of their appearance à
PICTURE CREDITS: © NATIONAL HORSERACING MUSEUM BY MARC ATKINS / ART FUND 2017
At the heart of East Anglia is Newmarket, the international magnet at the centre of Britain’s flat-racing industry
and the racing performance of their parents and antecedents. Huge sums may be ‘invested’ on this basis – the highest price in 2018 was £3.7 million pounds! The gallops and racecourses are owned by The Jockey Club, a non-profit organisation ensuring horseracing’s posterity, as is the National Stud opened by HM the Queen, Elizabeth II in 1967 and the temporary home to hundreds of mares from around the world, brought to Newmarket for access to the best stallions in the breeding season in the hope of producing a champion of the future. The tourism organisation ‘Discover Newmarket’ offers an excellent range of informative guided tours of the showplaces, including the gallops, fabled training-yards (we visited Ed Dunlop, studs and surrounding countryside). From a central meeting point, the Discover Newmarket guides drive visitors around to the various attractions. No visit to Newmarket could be considered complete without a serious look at ‘where it all started’. Near the town centre was the site of Charles II’s palace and, after a huge financial and physical commitment, it was here that, just four years ago, our current Queen opened ‘Palace House’. On a five-acre site, three complementary attractions make up the superbly-presented National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art. In a beautifully-restored surviving part of the old palace are the fabulous Museum & Galleries of British Sporting Art, featuring priceless works by masters such as Stubbs,
Munnings, Singer Sargent and many more, bringing together images of all manner of traditional British sporting pursuits, perfectly displayed. Nearby, across the street, is the National Horseracing Museum, handsomely telling the rich story of the origins, and development, of ‘the sport of kings’ through exhibits of historic silverware, racing silks and caps and photographs, films and stories of optimistic owners and the many famous jockeys who rode their horses to glory. You will gain a fascinating insight into the scientific development of the ‘ideal’ horse, through the ages, tour the original 1903 Rothschild Yard, where you can meet former racehorses and find out how retired thoroughbreds are retrained after their racing days are over. A good day at the museum deserves some ‘downtime’ and the excellent ‘Tack Room’ café is the place to rest and refresh, with immaculate service, an extensive bill-of-fare
and comfortable surroundings. A buzzy ambience, throughout the day, only adds to the pleasure of the experience. Take your time, breathe in the rarefied atmosphere and appreciate what all the centuries of human commitment (and equestrian effort) have achieved – the ‘Turf’ will get to you and you’ll never treat the racing results with disdain, ever again. u
W H E R E T O S TAY î Q U Y M I L L H OT E L & S PA
10 miles from Newmarket is this 4* hotel, bright, modern and welcoming. Its 51 clean and well-furnished guestrooms are either in the mill-house or in attractive, singlestorey additions. The Mill House Restaurant provides top-quality dining and there is a popular Spa and Wellness Centre Ü bestwestern.co.uk
“On a five-acre site, three complementary attractions make up the superbly-presented National Heritage Centre for Horseracing and Sporting Art.”
îWEEPING WILLOW
10 miles east of Newmarket is Barrow where a run-down pub, housed in an early 16th century property, has been transformed into an amazing gastropub. The restaurant is sophisticated, with a winning combination, of great atmosphere, superb food and splendid comfort. Ü theweepingwillow.co.uk
L î B E D FO R D LO D G E H OT E L & S PA
A Four Red Star boutique hotel and spa located in Newmarket. Originally built as a Georgian hunting lodge for the Sixth Duke of Bedford in the 18th Century, the building was converted into a hotel in the 1940s. This luxurious hotel and 2 AA Rosette restaurant blends old and new in a pretty countryside garden setting. Ü bedfordlodgehotel.co.uk
F O R T H E O P P O RT U N I T Y TO G O B E H I N D T H E S C E N E S AT THE HISTORIC HOME OF H O RS E RAC I N G , V I S I T Ü D I S C OV E R N E W M A R K E T. C O. U K
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48 HOURS IN
JERSEY Jessica Way sets off to Jersey in search of a revitalising adventure, with unspoilt beaches, clean and pure air and a relaxed pace of life
I
a home-from-home warmth where you are made to feel extremely welcome, and at ease. The beautifully decorated hotel lobby and lounge areas are hugely inviting and relaxing – and the bedrooms are just as beautiful. We opted for a Sea View Balcony room with unspoiled views of the Atlantic Ocean. There are a variety of rooms including Penthouse and Bay Suites, with many family options. After checking in and marvelling over our wonderful view, we could see there was the most stunning sunset on the horizon, that had just DAY ONE We arrived at Jersey airport, late-afternoon, picked started to fill the sky with beautiful red tones. up our hire car from Hertz, and drove a 20-minute The weather was mild – and having been tipped off that one of the best places on the island to journey to our hotel. As far as a holiday commute enjoy the magnificent Jersey sunset was just a few overseas goes this was by far the smoothest transition from home to hotel I’ve ever experienced. minutes drive away we headed out in search of the La Corbière Lighthouse. Almost effortless. The lighthouse is set on a tidal island out at Our accommodation, St Brelade’s Bay Hotel, sea, surrounded by dark rocks and reached by a was situated directly on the beach front, and causeway. At low tide, you can walk the causeway as its name suggests, looks out across the bay. out to the lighthouse, past rock pools and sandy The hotel is divine, a luxuriously refurbished 19th beaches to discover a part of the island only century hotel, with 74 guest rooms and suites, an enormous Spa and Health Club complete with two revealed at low tide. You must stay alert though – there’s an alarm which warns visitors when the tide swimming pools - set within five acres of awardis returning and it’s time to leave the causeway. winning gardens. We found it just in time to relax and enjoy the Despite the size and grandeur, the character famous view before it got too dark - with the most and ambience of the hotel still managed to offer F YOU ARE YOU LONGING for a weekend break in the British Isles, Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, has much to offer. An idyllic destination, with wonderful coastal hot spots, delicious restaurants and so many varied tourism attractions and activities to choose from. Top on our agenda – a morning rock-climbing session, a visit to the Jersey War Tunnels, a session of crazy golf and a family park run! I hope you’ll enjoy the highlights.
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magnificent silhouette by the vibrant colours of a sunset sky lighting up the striking white architecture of this iconic lighthouse – it was a great moment, enjoyed, in-between taking to the camera in search of a few memorable Instagram shots. Driving back along the coast to our hotel gave us an opportunity to get our bearings of our location on the island. The hotel in St Brelade’s Bay was on the south west corner of the island, in-between St Ouen’s Bay (west coast) and St Aubin’s Bay (south coast). And from La Corbière we just about drove past our meeting point for our rock-climbing session the following morning. It is fantastic having everything so close together (the island is just nine miles by five miles), so nowhere is far away, and although you do ideally need a car, it is certainly one of the pleasantries of island life. Before bedding down for the night we stopped at The Crab Shack, a real gem of a seafood restaurant nestled in St Brelade’s Bay just across the road from our hotel. With two other locations in Jersey, St Helier and Gorey, The Crab Shack is a perfect choice for sampling some of the fresh fish Jersey is known for – I opted for seafood linguine and it was delicious. DAY TWO Saturday morning at 9am is, for us, a family ritual to run parkrun (for those who don’t know this is a 5k free timed run, managed by volunteers in various locations across the UK, and now the globe). With a parkrun location just a few minutes’ drive away it was an opportunity not to be missed and a great way to start the new day and meet some of the locals. Continuing with the theme of sport and adventure next on our packed itinerary - Rock Climbing with John, owner of Jersey Adventures, and Panda, his adorable long haired Jack Russell, who seemed highly experienced and confident on the rocks (if only the same could have been said for me)! I think I did a pretty good job as I managed to get to the top of some fairly daunting cliff faces, although not quite as quickly as my nimble daughters did. They made it look easy and it was an unforgettable experience for the family. John told us about the summer-time Coasteering, a must for another warm day. à
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The beauty of a small island is that it's easy to be spontaneous. Just nine miles by five miles, nowhere's far away. However you spend your island time, you'll be creating memories that last.
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PICTURE CREDITS: © ANDY LE GRESLEY PHOTOGRAPHY/VISIT JERSEY
On getting back to the hotel, we were told there was a hidden gem right on our doorstep. Across the road from the hotel is St Brelade’s Church. This picturesque church and graveyard with stunning views across St Brelades Bay dates back to Norman times. The adjacent Fishermen’s Chapel is thought to have been built in the 12th century, its ceiling is adorned with 14th and 15th century murals and has a beautiful stained glass window. Well worth a quick visit. I am so pleased we headed off to Rocco’s crazy golf course at St Ouen’s Bay. With competitive family in tow, there was fierce competition, and I knew I stood very little chance of winning, but we all thoroughly enjoyed the game, and I managed a hole in one. We headed south-east into St Helier next, the capital of the island, which was the longest car journey we had taken so far, but still only about 20 minutes. A completely different feel to the island we had experienced so far but the contrast still came as a bit of a surprise. More difficult to park, and busy – very busy. There’s a pretty modern harbour where land has been reclaimed, Hong Kong style, from the sea and modern office-blocks line the seafront Esplanade. You can feel the level of business and leisure activity within the buzzing capital, with a vibrant day, and nightlife. The pedestrianised, King Street/Queen Street precinct is the busiest area of all; we enjoyed exploring the sleepier cobbled sidestreets and squares which offered bars, cafes and plenty of stylish shops. Personal favourites included the beautiful handcrafted jewellery from local designers in Jersey Pearl and Aurum of Jersey. There was a plethora of leading international brands too like Rolex, Patek Philippe, Breitling, Cartier and Chopard. After an adventurous day it was time for a well-earned refuel. We headed for the uber trendy JB’s Brewhouse, a couple of rounds of ping pong followed by a delicious burger and session of craft beer tasting – fabulous! DAY THREE With limited time before heading back to the airport we made a decision to find out what life was like in Jersey during WWII with a visit to the Jersey War Tunnels and I am so pleased we did. It was fascinating, and I would highly recommend paying the extra £10 for the audio guides, and wrapping up warm as it was quite cold once on the trail. It’s a good idea taking a trip to the toilet prior to your tour as there are no facilities in the tunnels themselves, and you could easily become lost in them for a few hours! The only toilets are in the adjacent Visitor Centre which is also a fabulous stopping point for a drink and cake at the end of the tour. To be honest a long-weekend is not quite long enough for exploring this wonderful picturesque island. We certainly still managed to make the most of our time, with an appetite to see more, a return trip is definitely on the cards. I would head next time to the rugged north-coast, perhaps coupled with a visit to La Mare Wine Estate, Tamba Park and the world renowned Jersey Zoo. u
COORDINATES LATITUDE 49.185379 LONGITUDE -2.200430
SPRING MUST DOS: STARGAZING: Take advantage of the clear island skies and unpolluted air. For spectacular stargazing discover a favourite astronomy spot at Grosnez, St Ouen. The castle ruins create an eerie silhouette for star-studded night skies and clear views of the Milky Way. SPOTTING DOLPHINS IN THE WILD: Take a Jersey Seafari RIB trip to Les Ecrehous. The panoramic views of the sea and coastline will not disappoint and you might spot wild dolphins swimming beside the boat for an unforgettable experience. LA HOUGUE BIE: Discover Jersey’s Neolithic history at this tranquil and spiritual heritage site, it’s one of the ten oldest buildings in the world. Experience the awe-inspiring spring equinox when the sunrise aligns with the passageway, and sunlight illuminates the passage grave. GET ON YOUR BIKE: Spring is a great time to explore the island. Find a seaside route and enjoy the many sights, stopping off for food along the way. We chose Cyle Route One which is one of the most exhilarating ways to explore the west of the island; bayside routes and woodland trails lead to a panoramic finish at La Corbière Lighthouse.
GETTING THERE: L E S S T H A N 1 H O U R A W AY F RO M U K A I R P O RTS 4.5 HOURS BY SEA ON CONDOR FERRIES FROM P O RTS M O U T H O R P O O L E Ü J E R S E Y. C O M
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IRRESISTIBLE RISE
GINAISSANCE
G
IN HAS A LONG relationship with our island’s history. It originated in the Low Countries as genever, a juniper-based spirit. In the 17th century, soldiers returning from fighting with the Dutch in the Eighty Years’ War brought with them a drink that emboldened their allies. They called the phenomenon “Dutch Courage” and the people of London enthusiastically adopted it. Very soon genever stills were operating all over London. By the 18th century “gin” was a cheap but very dangerous way to get drunk. The fact that it was often laced with turpentine, sulphuric acid or worse only added to its horrendous effects. City aldermen worried that a Gin Craze was sweeping Britain and destroying families. In 1751 William Hogarth created a famous etching called Gin Lane showing (among other gin-induced misfortunes) a baby falling to its death from the arms of its inebriated mother. In an attempt to regulate what people were imbibing, the Gin Act of that same year established and regulated what would come to be called London Dry Gin. The drink that today is a benchmark for sophisticated living began as a way to stop poor miserable people intoxicating themselves to death. In the 19th century London Dry Gin achieved a new role in the maintenance of the British Empire. Quinine was a useful chemical that could mitigate the symptoms of malaria but its bitter flavour was detested even when diluted as tonic water. By mixing quinine with gin however, the British found they could encourage their colonial staff to swallow the medication and a drink was born that became quintessentially British: the gin and tonic. Later, at the beginning of the 20th century the USA gave a new life to gin with the invention of the martini, an
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acceptable way of drinking the spirit, undiluted, with just a hint of vermouth. The writer H. L. Mencken called the martini "the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet". Nevertheless gin became a staid drink in the dull years after World War II. G&T (gin and tonic) invariably meant Gordon’s gin, Schweppes tonic water and an ice cube. Gin and It (Italian Vermouth) was an alternative, a popular sweetened version of the martini. And martinis themselves became literally diluted by the James Bondinspired fashion for “shaken not stirred” which just made the cocktail unpleasantly watery. The time was ripe for a gin renaissance – or “ginaissance” as it is often talked of these days. Bombay Sapphire led the way in 1987 when the British company IDV created a gin that was flavoured with an unprecedented number of botanicals: almond, lemon peel, liquorice, juniper berries, orris root, angelica, coriander, cassia, cubeb, and grains of paradise. Not only did this gin have a much more complex taste, but it was marketed in a flat-sided, pale-blue bottle bearing a picture of Queen Victoria. Bombay Sapphire both harkened back to the days of empire but also gave the impression – to a generation new to drinking gin – that this tasty, intoxicating liquor was actually blue. In the thirty years since Bombay Sapphire told the world that gin was exciting again the number of high-quality British distillers has shot up into triple figures. The makes and varieties of tonics have also greatly increased. London Dry Gin is now made all round the world and not all the best producers are British. Gin Mare from Spain and Monkey 47 from Germany are two that not only hold their own against Bombay Sapphire but have excelled it in complexity. à
EAST LONDON LIQUOR COMPANY
In recent years gin has become one of the great British success stories
Fuelled by the cocktail craze, and boasting a diversity and provenance story that taps into the new trend for artisan produce, British gin has seen a massive resurgence.
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“In 2016 – known in the trade as the Year of Gin - 40 new distilleries opened in Britain. It was estimated that British drinkers alone had bought 40 million bottles”
These days 10 botanicals is quite a modest tally. Because of the relative speed at which gin can be produced – drinkable in a few months rather than many years – many Scotch whisky distillers have also begun producing gin (like Grants, the famous whisky distiller who now manufactures Hendricks). Gin certainly improves cash flow when you have to wait years for a return on your whisky investment. In 2016 – known in the trade as the Year of Gin - 40 new distilleries opened in Britain. It was estimated that British drinkers alone had bought 40 million bottles. That’s enough to have made 28 gin and tonics for every adult member of the British population, never mind the inexorable rise of the export market. Recent years have also seen the rise of the artisanal distiller producing relatively small batches of high-quality gin in premises in which they welcome visitors, offering distillery tours, gin history and masterclasses. Here's our choice of some of the best you can visit in celebration of this quintessentially British spirit:
SOUTH ENGLAND TOAD (The Oxford Artisanal Distillery) TOAD has an unusually intensive production even by British artisanal standards. It produces its own neat alcohol for the stills using grains sourced by an archaeo-botanist who has recreated medieval crops in fields within Oxfordshire. The two stills, Nautilus and Nemo, were designed by the master distiller himself and were welded together by a firm that builds steam-powered railway engines. An exceptionally good value gin given how much handcrafting goes into the process. Hints of aromatic cardamom, toasted peppercorns and orange. Prices from £38.76pp. The Old Depot, Cheney Lane, Oxford OX3 7QJ, 01865 767918, spiritoftoad.com
The Ginstitute Head along to the Portobello Star for a lesson in the history and production of gin and enjoy a tutored tasting before crafting your own gin using a completely unique recipe exactly to your tastes. Masterclass prices from £60pp/Experiences £120pp. 186 Portobello Road, London, W11 1LA, 020 3034 2234, theginstitute.com
from self-discovery tours, hosted tours and taking a gin cocktail masterclass. Prices from £16pp (tickets must be bought in advance). Laverstoke Mill, London Road, Laverstoke, Whitchurch, Hampshire RG28 7NR, 01256 890090, distillery.bombaysapphire.com
Silent Pool Distillers Silent Pool Distillery is located alongside a large pond in the Surrey countryside that’s known as Silent Pool. The distillery itself is in an unremarkable agricultural building, but the Silent Pool’s distinctive LONDON turquoise and copper-coloured bottles more than make up for any City of London Distillery In a basement by St Bride’s Church lurks the only distillery producing visual paucity in the location. A complex floral gin featuring 24 London Dry Gin within the City of London. Two German stills, botanicals including chamomile, rose, elderflower, Kaffir lime leaf, Clarissa and Jennifer (the Fat Ladies) can be seen at work and the pear, bergamot and local honey. Prices from £39.50pp. Shere Rd, company’s four plain gins in their distinctive bottles (modelled on Albury, Guildford GU5 9BW, 01483 229136, silentpooldistillers.com the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral) can be bought over the counter. Bombay Sapphire Distillery The company’s Square Mile Gin is super fresh, dry and yet fruity A Mecca for gin lovers, Laverstoke Mill was painstakingly renovated with hints of lemon balm. Prices from £35pp. 22-24 Bride Lane, and opened as a state-of-the-art distillery by Bombay Sapphire in London EC4Y 8DT, 020 7936 3636, cityoflondondistillery.com September 2014, as the gin’s first permanent UK home. Choose
Beefeater Gin Distillery Beefeater is the only historic dry gin to be distilled in London today. The distillery tour tells the history of the production of gin in London with extraordinary stories. The experience culminates with a complimentary cocktail - the classic Beefeater Gin and Tonic. Prices from £15pp, or £45pp for a VIP experience. 20 Montford Place, London, SE11 5DE, 020 7587 0034, beefeaterdistillery.com 56
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Salcombe Gin, Devon Though it only opened in summer of 2016, its illustrious location and impressively sleek and modern design, in the heart of the coastal town of Salcombe, has put this purpose-built distillery firmly on the map for all budding gin enthusiasts. Complete with tasting bar and gin school where visitors can craft their own unique gin - distilled using pure Dartmoor water - and take it home. Gin School prices from £100pp. The Boathouse, 28 Island Street, Salcombe, Devon TQ8 8DP, 01548 288 180, salcombegin.com
LAVERSTOKE COCKTAIL
NORTH ENGLAND Edinburgh Gin Distillery Learn how gin is distilled in the Edinburgh Distillery’s two stills, curiously named Flora and Caledonia in a 45-minute discovery tour or 75-minute “Connoisseur Tour”, or join a three-hour gin-making class and become your own distiller. And watch this space, as plans have been made for a multi-million pound third distillery in Edinburgh city centre, large enough to welcome 100,000 visitors through its doors each year. Prices from £10pp-£100pp depending on the experience. Distillery & Visitor Centre, Westend, 1A Rutland Place, Edinburgh, EH1 2AD/The Biscuit Factory Distillery, Leith, 4-6 Anderson Place, Edinburgh EH6 5NP, edinburghgindistillery.co.uk Gin Journey If you would prefer to have your own Gin Guardian taking you on a tour of your chosen city’s finest gin endeavours, then Gin Journey is a great option. Guests are whisked around by gin carriage to world class cocktails bars and era-defining distilleries in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and London. The chauffeur-driven tours of each city’s finest cocktail bars are educational and fun — participants learn about the history of gin and its present-day incarnations, as well as taste cocktails along the way. Prices from £50pp, ginjourney.com Spirit of Harrogate – home of Slingsby Gin The masterminds behind Yorkshire’s finest award-winning Gin brand – Slingsby have launched an exciting new gin experience where you not only learn about which type of gin you should choose to suit your palate, you also have the opportunity to make your own bespoke bottle of gin from scratch! As pretty as gin bottles might be, it’s important to know whether the gin inside, is to your personal taste and preference, and this new experience demystifies the gin category and allows guests to explore the core gin categories and profiles from Juniper, Citrus, Spice, Floral, Herbal and Fruit flavours. Taste a variety of gins, pick your own botanicals, distil on your very own traditional mini copper still and bottle with your own personalised label. Prices from £90pp, gift vouchers available. 5-7 Montpellier Parade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 2TJ, 01423 541279, spiritofharrogate.co.uk/experiences SPIRIT OF HARROGATE
BARS TO DRINK GIN 510 Below, London This subterranean bar, just five minutes’ walk from Fulham Broadway, stocks 40 different gins and hosts gin tasting evenings. 510 Fulham Road, SW6 5NJ, 510below.com The Merchant House, London Sip gin from a selection of more than 300 while listening to live jazz, or join a gin masterclass that includes a nip of a vintage gin from the 1950s. 13 Well Court, off Bow Lane, EC4M 9DN, merchanthouselondon.com The Old Bell Inn, Lancashire Proprietor Philip Whiteman holds a Guinness World Record for stocking the most gins on a commercial premises - 600 from all over the world at the last count. A gin masterclass is held on the last Thursday of every month. Huddersfield Road, Saddleworth OL3 5EG, theoldbellinn.co.uk The Gin Parlour (Gorilla), Manchester On the mezzanine level of Manchester’s Gorilla, this bar is dedicated to gin and stocked with small batch, hand-crafted distillations — including its home-produced buttered gin and homemade tonic syrups. A wide cocktail list. 54-56 Whitworth Street, M1 5WW, thisisgorilla.com The Canary Gin Bar, Bath Two floors of gin with a martini bar on the first floor in the city where Jane Austen penned her most famous books. More than 250 bottles to choose from but closed on Sundays. 2/3 Queen Street, BA1 1HE, thebathgincompany.co.uk Heads and Tales, Edinburgh Stocks around 70 gins, 35-40 of which are from the UK. 1a Rutland Place, EH1 2AD, headsandtalesbar.com East London Liquor Company Bar, London Offering a comprehensive list of cocktails, not only featuring their own spirits but also acknowledging the rich heritage of spirits production around the world. Distillery and brewery tours are also available. Unit GF1, Bow Wharf, 221 Grove Road, London, E3 5SN, eastlondonliquorcompany.com
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S M A L L , B U T P E R F E C T LY F O R M E D
MINI REMASTERED This year the iconic Mini celebrates its 60th year in production. Emma Johnson looks back at its illustrious history and one of its newest and most beautiful iterations, the Mini Remastered, and meets the skilled experts behind it, David Brown Automotive Words | Emma Johnson
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HAT GOES THROUGH your mind when you start looking at remastering one of the most iconic cars of the last century? How do you decide to pay homage to the considerable craft and skill put into designing and creating something that is beloved by so many? Where do you start? You start, says David Brown, with love. “Mini Remastered was born out of a love for the styling of the classic Mini,” says Brown, founder of David Brown Automotive – a British car manufacturing company renowned for combining precision engineering with a flair for retro, classic design. “We wanted to combine that style with what we are so good at - engineering, handcraftsmanship and luxury.” Founded in 2013, out of a love of retro styling and modern engineering, David Brown Automotive’s first model to launch was the Speedback GT - a 1960's inspired grand tourer. A lookalike Aston Martin DB5, the Speedback is a beautiful car, offering modern performance and convenience, alongside a beautifully, hand-rolled aluminium body and handcrafted interior. It was launched in 2014 to considerable critical acclaim. “It’s handcrafted throughout in the best materials a man can get, looking a little like a throwback from a distant age but feeling a lot like a premium cabin that’s bang up to date…it has a standard of finish and detail that puts it in the highest echelons of the modern car market,” said Evening Standard motoring editor John Calne. Each car takes over 8,000 man hours and eight months to make, meaning less than 20 have been sold so far, and David Brown only intends 100 ever to be made. “We are really pleased with the reception we got to the model,” says Brown. “But we are only able to create them in very small, exclusive numbers, so we wanted our second model to be offered in much larger, albeit still very small, quantities.” Enter Mini Remastered, with all the features a classic Mini would, or should, have if it were to have been built in the modern day, but with the added bonus of cleaner lines and a à
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smoother silhouette - thanks to a de-seamed body, a hand-painted finish and an interior that offers considerable luxury, by way of knurled aluminium switchgear, handcrafted leathers and premium fabrics and conveniences, such as power steering, push button start/stop, USB charging and much more. “Our inspiration came from a desire to add modern functionality and reliability, alongside luxury, into what is an iconic and much-loved design from the 1960's,” says Brown, recalling the Mini’s inaugural decade when it completely revolutionised the small car concept and changed modern motoring for good. 60
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Created by Sir Alec Issigonis for the British Motor Corporation in 1959, the Mini started out life as the Austin Mini Minor, before becoming the Austin Mini, and then finally simply, the Mini. It was celebrated because its compact features and front-wheel drive mechanism made it attractive to a host of drivers, and it soon became the best-selling British car in history. The Mini was produced in various factories over the years before it eventually ended up under BMW in 2000. As the 21st century dawned, BMW sought to reimagine the Mini, and over the following decade the sportier Mini Cooper was launched, followed by the five door, fourwheel drive Countryman in 2010. In designing their Mini Remastered, David Brown Automotive were clear that
this version had to both echo and pay homage to its roots, but also to be reflective of its contemporary origins. “We asked ourselves what they would have done in the 1950's and 1960's had they had the technology and skills to do what we were proposing. We then combined those responses along with our brand's ethos of the finest handcraftsmanship, beautiful British materials and luxurious and exclusive finishes to create what we think is a true re-imagined icon that meets the demands of modern life.” The Mini Remastered, available in an enviable array of bespoke options, has also been created in two limited editions: ‘Inspired
“For the British people, it was a car of the people and for other markets it's an admired and much-loved British icon,” says Brown.”
by Monte Carlo’ – a vintage competition rally style which offers a higher level of exclusivity, with beluga and perforated poppy leathers, dark chromed interior details and an exclusive metallic exterior paint finish – and ‘Inspired by Café Racers’ which features a vintage biker style, signature painted twin fender stripes, brogue leather bonnet straps and twin driving lights. “As a company, we do 'bespoke' really well, our customers truly can have whatever they please, so every week there are really exciting configurations being worked on,” says Brown.
Working on such an iconic car could be considered something of a risky move - the British have very much taken the Mini to its heart, and it stands as a very strong emblem of national identity. But in David Brown’s careful, considered and loving hands, the Mini Remastered has become a striking, memorable and evocative piece of history, and modernity. “For the British people, it was a car of the people and for other markets it's an admired and much-loved British icon,” says Brown. “So many people have stories and memories of classic Minis, it brings a real feeling of nostalgia and is emotive in a way that a lot of cars available today never could be,” he adds u
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Celebrating 60 years of the MINI brand, the special edition model is finished in British Racing Green, (limited to 500), priced £29,990. BritishTravelJournal.com
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CRAFTED A MARK OF TIME
Words | Emma Johnson
Bronze Medallist of the British Horological Institute, the subject of a Netflix film and honoured in 2018 with an OBE, no-one has done more for British watchmaking than Roger W Smith. Emma Johnson meets him Ă BritishTravelJournal.com
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UST BEFORE CHRISTMAS last year, a quiet, unassuming man walked into Buckingham Palace and stood proudly in front of Prince Charles to receive an OBE for Services to British Watchmaking. Later that day, via social media, he told people that, rather than it being a culmination of a life’s work, this great honour merely reminded him how much more there was to do. “It’s now 30 years since I first picked up a filing tool and embarked on making a handmade pocket watch,” wrote Roger W Smith. “I had no idea that it would lead to so many other steps towards the rebirth of British watchmaking. However, my work is not done and there are many more goals for me to achieve. The honour of this OBE for Services to British Watchmaking is wonderful recognition of all that has been achieved to date – but your comments have reminded me just how important the appreciation and support of friends from all over the world is to me.” This response is entirely typical of a man who has dedicated his life to perfecting and protecting the intricate craft of watchmaking, and in doing so, changed the face of the British horological landscape forever. Roger W Smith entered the Manchester College of Horology aged just 16 years old. A year later, a visit from watchmaker George Daniels to show his iconic Space Traveller pocket-watch was to change everything. Daniels was a British horologist, based in the Isle of Man, whose watches took over 2,500 hours to make and sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds – he made just 37 watches in his entire lifetime. Smith was so inspired by Daniels’ visit that he made it his life’s mission to study and replicate Daniels’ work. “We measure time, but we’re defined by its moments,” says Smith. “A visit by George Daniels…was my moment. Suddenly, my life’s purpose was crystal clear.”
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“I make no apology for being a purist. Ours is the purest of mechanical arts. Our design process is a continual quest for optimum performance” Roger W Smith
Smith embarked on a seven-year journey to learn The Daniels Method of watchmaking, which included mastering 34 different, and incredibly complex, techniques and skills. After successfully making a watch to Daniels’ exacting standards – a process which took nearly eight years – Smith was invited to move to the Isle of Man and work with George Daniels for a further three years, designing and creating watches with him, before establishing the Roger W Smith studio in 2001. The work Daniels and Smith did together was to become so important to the history of British watchmaking that a documentary made on their relationship, entitled, The Watchmaker’s Apprentice, gained the attention of Netflix, who bought the feature in 2015. The documentary, in which Smith shared some of his early experiences of working with Daniels, is still available to buy through Amazon. Today, Smith’s studio and home is still in the Isle of Man and he retains a deep connection with both the place and his time with Daniels. “The Isle of Man has given us a beautiful and life-affirming place to be horologists. This tranquil setting assures few distractions and complete focus. I am also proud to display the Isle of Man’s unique ‘triskelion’ symbol on each of our watches as a way of identifying us with the Island. I gather this harks back to an ancient sunsymbol and so, in a way, it also reflects our earliest observations of the passing of time.” Working in his peaceful studio, Smith and his team create just ten watches a year – made to Smith’s exacting designs. These series 1,2,3 and 4, are designed to reflect Smith’s journey in watchmaking, as well as an open dial version, which puts the functional art of the watches front and centre, and several limited edition or anniversary designs, each with their own
PICTURE CREDITS: © SIMON PARK PHOTOGRAPHY
Watchmaking itself is an ultimately British endeavour. Over 75 per cent of the mechanical innovations in any watch are British inventions by some of the great British watchmakers of the 17th and 18th centuries
CRAFTED
Pictured Left-Right: Watchmaker Roger W Smith in his studio, Isle of Man; Watchmaker George Daniels; The Watchmaker's Apprentice Netflix documentary
distinct qualities, including the GREAT Britain watch, one of his most technically-advanced watches to date. All of his watches are still the only truly handmade British watches in production. And, while the techniques used to make these watches are traditional at their core, the design and the functionality of the watches is anything but. Smith’s ethos is all about pushing the performance boundaries of mechanical timekeeping. “When you talk about ‘handmade’ there is a tendency to think about watchmaking purely as craft,” he says. “This couldn’t be further from the reality of our pieces, and our design process is a continual quest for optimum performance.” Working in this way has lead to the development of the most advanced singlewheel co-axial escapement in modern horology. Smith takes great pride in the fact that his British-designed mechanisms now completely outperform any factory-made mechanical watch in everything from efficiency and longevity to service intervals and, most importantly, timekeeping. For Smith, though - as he reflected on receiving his OBE - there is always more to do. Mechanical research and development, and the overall design of his range of watches
is ongoing; and with each watch taking nearly two years to create - due to the absolutely uncompromising approach he takes to the Daniels Method - there is always a level of striving for perfection. “I make no apology for being a purist. Ours is the purest of mechanical arts,” he says. And while, over time, Smith begins to share his considerable expertise with his small team of watchmakers, there is no denying that, due to his patient and skilled instruction, and the years of experience and technique he has acquired, each and every watch is still his own, making them a considerable, and very valuable, rarity. “For me, still being a watchmaker and being able to stick to my guns, thanks to support of our collectors, is ultimately what gives me greatest pride.”u B U Y
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The Watchmaker's Apprentice: Collector's Edition, in which Smith shared some of his early experiences of working with Daniels (pictured above) is available on Amazon, priced around £19.amazon.co.uk
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INVESTOR FIRST EDITION
Words | Emma Johnson
Whether for personal enjoyment or as a financial hobby, with prices of rare books rising by nearly nine per cent year on year, investing in books, to sell, or to keep as a family heirloom, can prove lucrative. But the world of books is not quite as simple as plain old buying and selling. Ă BritishTravelJournal.com
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F I R S T F O L I O WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S COMEDIES, HISTORIES, & T R AG E D I E S 1 6 2 3 IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOKS EVER PUBLISHED IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
“Books on the Rare Book Index include the likes of Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland, Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, James Joyce’s Ulysses and Ernest Hemingway’s In Our Time. ”
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N NEW YORK, just before Christmas last year, a first edition of a book about stock markets sold for a staggering $300,000. Confusion of Confusions, written by José Penso de la Vega, was published in 1688 in Spanish and is an account of the workings of the Amsterdam stock exchange. A relatively dry subject, all told. But what makes this book so special is that it was one of only ten first edition copies of the historically significant text to have survived. The last time a first edition of this book sold was over 30 years ago in London, for just £16,500 – meaning this latest sale represents a 900 per cent increase. And while this is a pretty unprecedented level of growth on a piece of literature, it does show how lucrative investing in books can be. However, as any expert will tell you, there are some key factors at play for anyone wanting to put their money where the words are. If you want to start buying and selling books, there are a few vital things to bear in mind – not least the rarity of a book, its condition and its USP. G O O D CO N D I T I O N The state of any book you are buying or selling is vital – and the difference in value between a battered copy and a pristine first edition can reach into the thousands. While ordinary wear and tear is to be expected, the better condition a book is in, the more it will fetch. “Even colours faded by sunlight can hugely affect the value of a first edition,” explains Pom Harrington, owner of Peter Harrington Rare Books. When buying books you’re looking for all the pages, minimal dog ears and turned down corners, no damage to the cover, no dents or discolouration from age or sunlight and no margin pen marks or annotations. But more on that later. When it comes to condition, the most important thing, especially with books from the last couple of hundred years, are dust jackets. Because they are often seen by readers are surplus to requirements and taken off and thrown away, they have become increasingly rare. They also protect the book’s hardcover underneath from signs of aging, and often come in very limited editions – the hard copy underneath stays the same, but over the years the dust jacket has changed and been redesigned. Anyone in the know will tell you that the difference between a book with and without a dustjacket can be as much as £70,000. 68
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A RARE GEM There is, of course a caveat to this. While condition is all-important, the rarer a book is, the less important condition becomes. “You can’t expect a 16th century book to be in the same condition as a 20th century book,” says Matthew Haley, head of books and manuscripts at Bonhams. “So, essentially, look for things that make a copy exceptional - the condition of the dust-jacket if it’s a modern book, a deluxe binding, signs of previous ownership by a noted collector.” In most cases, rare books are also first editions. These are usually printed in very small print runs – 250 or 500 copies – before they became bestsellers, and, although not intended as such, they are in effect limited editions. Following this, the age of a book can also have a huge impact on it, especially as the older a book gets, the harder it is to find. In fact, some books are so rare they have become the veritable holy grail of the book world. “The 1623 Shakespeare First Folio should be the cornerstone of any world-class book collection,” says Matthew Haley. When Shakespeare’s First Folio appears in auctions – which happens almost never - a good condition copy can fetch millions of pounds. Keith Heddle, managing director of investments at Stanley Gibbons which specialises in buying and selling stamps, coins, books and manuscripts, agrees, calling this edition, “the literary equivalent of a Lafite 1952”. With books, rarity is so important, that in 2015 Stanley Gibbons launched the Rare Book Index – a collection of 30 of the most desirable books for investors and collectors, which looks at their growth over the past 20 years, as well as comparing them with other assets. When matched against gold, property and the FTSE 100 RTI, books are the only asset that has continually risen in value since 1995. Books on the Rare Book Index include the likes of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland, Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, James Joyce’s Ulysses and Ernest Hemingway’s In Our Time.
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M A R K W I LT S H I R E , A S S O C I AT E S P E C I A L I S T, BOOKS AND MANUSCRIPTS, CHRISTIE’S LONDON
THE USP Other highly sought-after editions include the 1865 Alice in Wonderland, of which there are only 22 known copies, and only five in private hands, as well as numerous copies of books inscribed by one author to another - Nabokov’s Lolita inscribed to Graham Greene, Orwell’s Animal Farm inscribed to Anthony Powell; Joyce’s Ulysses given to his wife Nora. These little details are what makes a book really desirable. Other factors that also have this affect, can include books being made into films, anniversaries of author births and deaths, or original publication dates, or the author winning or being shortlisted for a book prize. “How important an author is contextually to the world at the time can have also have a huge impact,” says Pom Harrington. “Films based on the works of authors, or on their own lives, can renew interest in certain books, for instance. J.K. Rowling and Tolkien have both benefitted considerably from the ‘Hollywood effect.” It’s also worth considering the little details that set one book apart from another. Things like interesting
illustrations done by a renowned artist, a first use of colour, a foreword from a well-known figure, or a dedication by the author can be all-important. As can the provenance of a book - did it belong to someone special, was it relevant to their work, did it accompany them on a famous expedition, was it part of a valued collection? A book belonging to an American president, for instance, can make a book worth upwards of $80,000. Crucially though, if you are thinking about entering the world of book investment, make sure you follow the advice of experts and get into it with a passion for, and love of, books. “Everyone has a book inside them,” says Heddle. “Even if it was something you read as a child or studied at school. Just one book is enough. They resonate with everybody.” u
N E X T I S S U E W E TA K E A L O O K AT M O D E R N B R I T I S H A RT. I F YO U H AV E A Q U E S T I O N F O R O U R E X P E RT P L E A S E E M A I L Ü words@britishtraveljournal.com
The market for rare books is exciting, evolving and entirely free of white gloves.... here’s how you can join in. î F I N D W H E R E YO U R PA S S I O N L I E S
Attend a free auction preview. Handle the books. Pick out the signs of previous ownership in a book from the 15th century. See how maps have tracked shifting borders across the centuries. Work out what appeals to you. It will be an investment you can enjoy before it moves on to somebody who loves it as much as you do. îSEEK OUT A SPECIALIST WHO S H A R E S YO U R I N T E R E STS A N D HEED THEIR ADVICE
We can point you towards rare and important books in your area of interest, and advise what distinguishes one copy from another. As you begin to expand your collection, your specialist is your friend and guide. î NEVER COMPROMISE ON QUALITY
The value of a book depends on several factors. How rare is it? Is it complete? What’s the condition like? Who has owned it previously? Is it a first edition? With these factors in mind, focus on acquiring the best obtainable copies within your budget. DON'T MISS
5 June Christie's upcoming auction Beyond the Horizon - The Mopelia Collection of Fine Atlases and Travel Books in London. For more information visit christies.com
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The The Great BritishEscape Escape Escape TheGreat Great British British The Great British Escape Stoke Stoke Park Park isisaisaluxury 5 55AA AA RedStar StarHotel, Hotel,Spa Spa Spa and and Country Country Club Club Stoke Park aluxury luxury AARed Red Star Hotel, and Country Club Stoke Park is a luxury 5 AA Red Star Hotel, Spa and Country Club set setset within within 300 300 acres acres ofof beautiful parklandand and offers offers world-class world-class within 300 acres ofbeautiful beautifulparkland parkland and offers world-class set within 300 acres of beautiful parkland and offers world-class sporting sporting andleisure leisurefacilities. facilities. sportingand and leisure facilities. sporting and leisure facilities.
Facilities include:
Facilities Facilitiesinclude: include: Facilities include:
• 49 Bedrooms and Suites • Award winning Spa •• •27 hole Championship Golf Course Bedrooms Bedrooms and and Suites Suites • 49 4949 Bedrooms and Suites •• •3Award Restaurants and Spa Bars, including Award winning winning Spa • Award winning Spa (3Championship AA Rosette, fine dining) •• •Humphry’s 27 hole hole Championship Golf Golf Course Course 2727 hole Championship Golf Course • 13 Tennis Courts (indoor, grass and •• • 33 Restaurants 3Restaurants Restaurants and and Bars, Bars, including including and Bars, including artificial clay) Humphry’s Humphry’s (3 (3 AAAA Rosette, Rosette, fine fine dining) dining) Humphry’s Rosette, fine dining) • Indoor Pool • • 13 13 Tennis Tennis Courts Courts (indoor, (indoor, grass grass and and • 13 Tennis (indoor, grass and • State of the art Gym with Fitness, artificial artificial clay) clay) artificial clay) Hot Yoga and Spinning Studios •• •hosting Indoor Indoor Pool Pool Indoor Pool up to 50 classes per week State State of the the artart Gym Gym with with Fitness, Fitness, State ofof the with Fitness, ••• •Crèche Hot Yoga Studios Hot Hot Yoga Yoga and and Spinning Spinning Studios Studios • Games Room •
hosting upup classes per week hosting hosting up toto 5050 classes per per week week Playground
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35 minutes from London, 7 miles from Heathrow Airport and a short drive from Windsor makes Stoke Park an ideal location and perfect setting for stopovers and luxury breaks.
35 minutes from London,7 7 miles from Heathrow Airport and short drive from Windsor 3535 minutes minutes from from London, London, 7miles miles from Heathrow Heathrow Airportand and aaashort shortdrive drive from fromWindsor Windsor For more information orfrom to book, pleaseAirport contact our Reservations Team makes Stoke Park an ideal location and perfect setting for stopovers and luxury breaks. makes makesStoke StokePark Parkan anideal ideallocation location perfect perfect setting settingforforstopovers stopoversand andluxury luxurybreaks. breaks. on 01753 717172and orand email reservations@stokepark.com www.stokepark.com
For more informationoror book, please contact our Reservations Team For For more more information information ortoto tobook, book,please pleasecontact contactour ourReservations ReservationsTeam Team on 01753 717172 or email reservations@stokepark.com onon01753 01753717172 717172ororemail emailreservations@stokepark.com reservations@stokepark.com www.stokepark.com www.stokepark.com www.stokepark.com
connoisseur In The Stars p72 | Victuals p79 | Escape to Nature p80 Farmer, Butcher, Chef p82 | Take time out for you p85 | Middlethorpe Hall p83
)
THE LAKE DISTRICT
HRiSHi, Gilpin Hotel Enjoy Afternoon Tea for Two at this Michelin Starred restaurant, priced £45 or with Champagne £77
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I N T H E S TA R S The snug villages and bottle-green fells of Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire have created a holy trinity of gastronomy and a veritable constellation of Michelin stars just waiting to be explored
Words | Chantal Borciani
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ISTORICALLY, THE PEAKS, dales and shimmering lakes of the north west have been the muse of artists, poets, writers and ramblers but now these bewilderingly beautiful regions boast some of Britain’s best restaurants and producers. Their internationally revered chefs and exquisite homegrown talent haven’t gone unnoticed, of course; Michelin has bestowed its coveted stars in all three counties and reviews have been glowing. The region’s top dining rooms have even been immortalised in BBC 1’s The Trip, which saw Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon tour the north west’s finest restaurants in satirical splendour.
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Whether your budget is Michelin or modest, this corner of England is brimming with local delicacies and culinary creations fit for a gourmet road trip like no other…
LANCASHIRE HOTSPOTS The north is often considered the pulsating heartland of England. Here, you can chart the industrial – and musical – revolutions in vibrant, earthy cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool before striking out to the vast moorlands and quaint villages to the north. Two Michelin-star Moor Hall in Aughton, boasts one of Lancashire’s most notable dining rooms and is a stone’s throw from Merseyside. Opened in 2017 following a complete renovation of the 16th century manor house, chef patron Mark Birchall combines local produce with modern techniques. Executive chef for nine years at world-renowned L’Enclume, which lies just up the road in the Lake District, it’s little surprise Mark has achieved such acclaim. While history imbues its design – cutlery rests on knife blocks made from medieval timber pegs discovered on the site – the seasons rule the kitchen pass; a working garden grows herbs and vegetables year-round, all meat is locally sourced where possible, and Moor Hall’s cheese room houses a vast selection of British and Irish varieties. à
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YORKSHIRE’S FINEST North east of Lancashire, the vast watercolour vistas of the Yorkshire Dales beckon. This is Bronte country; epic, moody and bewilderingly beautiful in equal measure, where mounding hillsides give way to wooded meadows and icy waterfalls. After a hearty hike around Aysgarth Falls, take the weight off at Mill Race tea shop, where great hunks of homemade cake can be enjoyed near the rushing waters. The cosy tea room occupies Yore Mill, which was originally built in 1784, and overlooks the river by the Upper Falls. If a more formal afternoon tea is preferred, familyrun Yorebridge House serves scrumptious homemade delicacies in its cosy lounges and is a stone’s throw from Wensleydale’s famous creamery. Alongside its individually styled, uber-romantic rooms, Yorebridge has also opened the only Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Tasting Room in the UK, perfect for private dinners and champagne tastings. It’s a short drive – or a more challenging cycle – to the historic town of Sedbergh at the foot of the mighty Howgill Fells. Once described by fell walker and author Alfred Wainwright MBE “like velvet curtains 74
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in sunlight and like silken drapes at sunset”, the fells dwarf the pretty town and are a magnet for walkers. The Black Bull, a recently renovated 17th century coaching inn, has 18 stylish rooms – each named after a local fell – while its restaurant is run by owner Nina Matsunaga and serves nose-to-tail dishes infused with her Japanese heritage. Further south, on the border between Lancashire and Yorkshire, 350-year-old Hipping Hall holds a coveted Michelin star and is one of the The Trip’s famed alumni. Providing a perfect last stop before venturing into the UNESCO-listed Lake District, Hipping nestles at the foot of Gragareth, Lancashire’s highest peak. The restaurant’s devotion to local produce and seasonal dishes is astonishingly good, with head chef Oli Martin’s tasting menus almost solely championing produce from the hall’s three surrounding counties: Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria. The fluffy homemade morning crumpets are enough to warrant your stay alone. Local through and through; even the walls of the 15th century dining room are painted with bespoke pigments created by local artists using minerals from within 15 miles of the property.
TOP OF THE LAKES The Lake District’s reputation as a gastronomic hub is hardly surprising, given its ingrained farming culture, bountiful fresh produce and artisanal producers. On the edge of the national park and with a list of ‘top restaurant’ awards that could fill Coniston Water, L’Enclume in the pretty village of Cartmel is one of the world’s most revered restaurants. The two Michelin star establishment, which also starred in The Trip, is run by Simon Rogan who serves a 20-course tasting menu, with much of the produce grown in the 12-acre farm nearby. One Michelin-star Rogan & Co, its more relaxed sibling restaurant, is one road away and continues the celebration of Cumbrian ingredients. The charming village is also the home of the sticky toffee pudding – head to the Village Shop for a pudding as good as it sounds. Or for more savoury tastes, head for the micro brewery and Cartmel Cheeses. à
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Near the shimmering waters of Lake Windermere, Gilpin Hotel & Lake House’s Michelin starred HRiSHi serves Lake District and British produce with a difference, an Asian twist and flair for creativity. After dinner, guests can sink into cedarwood hot tubs, sleep in self-contained spa lodges, or plump for the Lake House where six luxury suites enjoy 100 private acres, including a lake, boat-house, hot tubs, pool and jetty spa. Hug Windermere’s winding waterside road and head north to the picturesque village of Grasmere where more 76
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scenic trails crisscross the sage and auburn-flecked fells and independent cafés pleasing hungry hikers. Kick off the walking boots at Lake View Country House, a boutique B&B overlooking restful Grasmere Lake. The B&B has private access to the lake and owners Paul and Beth Abbott have recently opened their Grasmere Brewery, housed in the farm buildings a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. The Good Sport gastro pub just along the lane serves as the brewery’s taproom where visitors can sample the ales and chat with Paul about his unique brewing process. A great base to explore the northern reaches, Lodore Falls sits in 40 tranquil acres on the shores of Derwentwater. The hotel’s lake view dining room is popular for Sunday lunch and the new spa bedrooms offer total relaxation teamed with spectacular views across Derwentwater and the Catbells Mountain range. Replete and relaxed, whether you're a keen rambler, cyclist or simply a fanatical foodie, the north west is a pick n’ mix trail of chocolate-box villages, bewitching landscapes and awesome scenery with no wrong turns. u
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CarltonC our tMayfair 1 0 D ow n St re et , May fair, L ondon
E X C L U S I V E U N I Q U E S E R V I C E D H O T E L A PA R T M E N T S I N M AY FA I R
Stay in home-from-home luxury, from 2 nights onwards, extremely spacious, fully serviced apartments in the heart of Mayfair, the most exclusive address in London! Unwind in the comfort of your own self-contained spacious apartment, enjoy fully inclusive seamless wifi, satellite and sky, 7-days-a-week on-site concierge, daily maid service,
air conditioning, stunning en-suite bedrooms, beautifully equipped kitchens, luxurious living spaces, and 24 hour security, offering you peace of mind throughout the duration of your stay. Our selection of newly furnished 1-3 bedroom apartments, and 5 bedroom Town House are also just a short walk from London’s Piccadilly, Park Lane, Oxford Street and Bond Street. Excellent value - enjoy all this from a better price than a small hotel room!
+ 4 4 2 0 7 4 9 3 0 5 9 7 | W W W. C A R L T O N C O U R T . C O M
VICTUALS WHAT 'S NEW
Restaurants | Hotels | Chefs | Spas
VI VI B A R VIVI is a lively and bustling, all-day Brasserie serving delicious British favourites. Set in the heart of London’s iconic Centre Point redevelopment and square. vivirestaurant.co.uk.
NEW GLASS ROOM REINVENTS DINING ON THE THAMES Get a whole new perspective on the city and set sail with Bateaux London’s brand new boat, Glass Room, with chic yet contemporary nautical-themed stylish interiors from Tom Dixon, and an impressive all-glass structure (bateauxlondon.com). Hop aboard at Embankment Pier and sail along the Thames while enjoying fine British cuisine, such as Severn and Wye smoked salmon with celeriac remoulade, listening to live music, with uninterrupted, unparalleled views of London’s most recognisable structures, from the London Eye to the Tower of London and Houses of Parliament. Plus, don’t miss the small balcony towards the front of the boat which allows for a more intimate view, or a romantic moment as you sail.
BR A S S ER I E O F L I G H T S EL F R I DG E S Contemporary, artistic and elegant, and we love the 24ft crystal encrusted Pegasus centrepiece created especially by Damien Hirst, his largest scale artwork in London.
S O U T H LO DG E S PA Set into the natural contours of the land, head down to this 5-star hotel in Sussex to visit the new state-of-the-art spa, and hydrotherapy pools. exclusive.co.uk THE BEDFO RD
BEL MO N D C A D O GA N
First built in 1931 located in Balham, this magnificent venue has recently undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment to create an unrivalled pub, club and restaurant, with 15 boutique bedrooms.
Adam Handling is proud Chef Patron of the Adam Handling Chelsea restaurant at the new Belmond Cadogan Hotel in Chelsea, serving ‘Best of British’ cuisine with modern flair.
Ü thebedford.com
Ü cadogan.co.uk
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10 of the best
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Connect with the countryside, staying overnight in a cosy log cabin or trendy treehouse
COTSWOLDS Little Lodge at Dryhill Think countryside, quintessentially English villages with honey-coloured golden stone and rolling hills, and the Cotswolds are likely to come to mind. This romantic retreat has it all. Priced from £1040 per week dryhill.co.uk/little-lodge
FERMANAGH Finn Lough (Northern Ireland) The perfect escape to get back to nature, recharge, refocus and remember life's simple pleasures. Prices from £195. finnlough.com
SOMERSET The Treehouse at Harptree Court A magnificent copper bath tub and wraparound stargazer’s balcony, all half-way up a tree! Prices from £245 per night. canopyandstars.co.uk
OXFORDSHIRE
CUMBRIA
Soho Farmhouse The members’ club, set in 100 acres of countryside, has 40 wooden cabins of different sizes, a farmshop and deli, boathouse with pool and boating lake, country pub, central restaurant, kitchen garden, children’s play barn and cinema. Cabins from £325 for non-members. sohofarmhouse.com
Brimstone, Lake District National Park A collection of sixteen luxury suites and rooms, with spa, a haven of tranquillity in relaxed yet opulent surroundings within a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Suites priced from £420 per night, brimstonehotel.co.uk
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HAMPSHIRE The Yews Treehouse BT RR IATVI SE HL J O U R N A L Chewton Glen, Loves... New Forest Immerse yourself in earthy tranquillity in this beautifully exclusive retreat. Take a digital detox and relax by the wood burner while your private chef prepares a delicious meal to order. Enjoy the idyllic surroundings from the outdoor hot tub. There's also underfloor heating, mood lighting, and even a hatch where delicious deliveries (such as your breakfast hamper) can be made in the most discreet way possible, combining unparalleled privacy with ultimate indulgence. Prices from £2,850 per night, Sunday - Thursday, £3,000 Friday & Saturday. chewtonglen.com
INVERNESS-SHIRE
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Eagle Brae, Scottish Highlands Hand-built log cabins nestled between the magnificent Glen Affric and Glen Strathfarrar, set among some of the wildest glens, mountains and lochs of this idyllic location. Cabins sleep between two-six people. Priced from £683 for a short break, eaglebrae.co.uk
The Lodge on Loch Goil, Scotland One of the finest 5-star venues in Scotland, and this issue’s front cover feature, The Lodge on Loch Goil is a first-class dining venue, ‘restaurant with rooms’, with magnificent mountain views. thelodge-scotland.com
HAMPSHIRE The Pig Cabin, Brockenhurst A rustic romantic hideaway deep in the New Forest. Priced from £250 per night thepighotel.com
KENT Tiger Lodge, Port Lympne Sleep in a luxury cabin within a whisker of tigers! Priced £1,000 per night aspinallfoundation.org
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RESTAURANT REVIEW
FA R M E R , B U T C H E R , C H E F With much enthusiasm Jessica Way heads to the West Sussex coutryside, in search of the holy grail of epicurean contentment, the perfect Sunday roast
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OODWOOD, WORLD-FAMOUS for its flagship events, Festival of Speed, Goodwood Revival and the Quatar Goodwood Festival, brings together thousands of visitors from across the globe each year. Mostly, this is to enjoy socialising within the fashionable country estate grounds – an unrivalled location, set in almost 12,000 acres of woodland, gardens, fields and farming. In the heart of the estate is Goodwood House, the glamorously restored 300-year old home to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond offering tours and afternoon teas. A walk (or drive) around the estate and there’s also ‘The Kennels’ a clubhouse for the Estate’s Sporting Members, ‘Hound Lodge’ a 10-bedroom country retreat, a motor circuit, racecourse, golf courses, farm, aerodrome and ‘The Goodwood Hotel’, complete with Health Club and adjacent to this ‘Farmer, Butcher, Chef’, Goodwood's sustainable restaurant - where we have a lunchtime booking. Farmer, Butcher, Chef is one of Europe’s few self-sustaining organic farms/restuarants, producing their organic meat just yards away at Goodwood’s Home Farm. The restaurant champions seasonal English fare using local suppliers and embracing the field to fork ideology, serving up some of the country’s very finest cuts of organic beef, pork and lamb to locals and visitors alike. Although adjoined to the hotel, the restaurant, a converted barn, also has its own private entrance, easily accessible from the main road,
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with plenty of parking shared with the hotel guests. With exposed traditional wooden beams counterbalancing the white washed walls, large open fire place, and authentic countryside chic décor, inside is extremely warm and welcoming – it really does have a home-fromhome feel, further enforced by the lovely welcoming, relaxed staff. For starters I went for the hand-caught Scallops with Samphire, Salsify, Wild Mushroom with Coral sauce, followed by a main of Slow Roasted Whole Rump of Beef with crispy beef shin, onion pressing, and roasted cauliflower. The meat was succulent and melted in the mouth, washed down with a lovely glass of Rioja Reserva. The closing scene was a warm pear and fennel cake with fennel ice cream. A surprising and delightful ending to sumptuous meal. As the Sunday lunch clientele thinned out we spent some time browsing the many quirky objects adorning the walls, an eclectic mix of Goodwood’s racing and farming heritage. Artefacts included radiator grills, badges, maps, horse harnesses and shearing scissors. This gave a real connection with the Goodwood Estate and brought the working element of the farm history to life. Tour over, we then enjoyed a coffee by the roaring fire in the cosy snug room adjacent to the bar. It was a chance to reflect on our meal and an afternoon well spent. We all agreed. Contentment had been found in this rural Sussex countryside gem. n Ü Goodwood Hotel, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0QB
May – August Escape to Glyndebourne this summer. World-class opera, picnicking, dressing-up and precious time with family and friends in the glorious gardens, making memories that last long after the curtain comes down.
La damnation de Faust Painted collage by Shadric Toop with source images from Sam Stephenson, James Bellorini, Leigh Simpson and Wikimedia Commons
BERLIOZ
Die Zauberflöte MOZART
Rusalka
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Cendrillon
Il barbiere di Siviglia
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Public booking opens 3 March
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Experience Rudding Park Hotel and Spa Voted Best Hotel in England, Visit England Awards for Excellence Perfectly located to explore Harrogate and the Yorkshire Dales, The Spa features the UK’s first Roof To Spa and Garden Book online at ruddingpark.co.uk
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SPA & WELLNESS
TA K E T I M E O U T F O R YO U North Devon’s newest and finest coastal spa has opened at the luxurious Saunton Sands Hotel overlooking the beach
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OURCE SPA AND WELLNESS, set atop the cliffs on the North Devon coast, overlooking the breathtaking Saunton Sands beach and World Heritage Braunton Burrows, is now open. Spanning three floors, the space has been beautifully designed to make the most of the magnificent, unrivalled views of the vast expanse of beach and sea below. It’s a breathtaking experience and one which undoubtedly sets the spa apart. The ground floor comprises a lounge where clients first ease themselves into relaxation with a drink from the well-stocked bar (trying one of the four very healthy smoothie shots is well recommended), an indoor heated pool (good-sized, with plenty of natural light), a gym with daily fitness classes and a thermal suite that comes complete with a salt inhalation steam room, a Finnish aroma sauna, a contrast shower and a marine vitality pool positioned right next to a huge window overlooking Saunton Sands beach.
The bubbles automatically turn on as you step in – requiring only the effort of lying back whilst the warm water, gentle pummelling and fabulous seascape perform their therapeutic magic. When you do emerge there’s an ice fountain available. If that seems counter-intuitive when you’re feeling all mellow and toasty, it’s because the sudden contrast between heat and cold is said to help you live longer. There are six large treatment rooms on level two of the spa, the biggest being a double that enjoys another epic vista. The relaxation room on the top floor of Source is the perfect way to end a spa journey. Comfortable beds in the lounge or on the sun deck face the ever-changing ocean, offering more mindful, tranquil moments of serenity. It’s the perfect spot for soaking up the sun, watching one of the north coast’s incredible sunsets or, enjoying candle-lit reverie. n Ü Saunton Sands Hotel, Saunton, Nr Braunton EX33 1LQ sourcespa.co.uk, 01271 892003
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Scotland’s Best Visitor Attraction
Follow in the footsteps of Royalty when you step aboard Her Majesty The Queen’s former floating palace, an exclusive use five-star evening events venue and visitor attraction in Edinburgh. Explore where the Royal Family plus 220 crew lived and worked on board. See where Prince William and Prince Harry spent their summer holidays every year. Discover where kings and queens, world leaders and celebrities were wined and dined.
Royal Deck Tea Room | Gift Shop | Free Parking | Fully Accessible Free Audio Tour Available in 30 Languages
Ocean Terminal, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ 0131 555 5566 | royalyachtbritannia.co.uk enquiries@tryb.co.uk British Travel Journal Feb 2019 210x265.indd 1
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INSPIRING VENUE
MIDDLETHORPE HALL With superb surroundings and closeness to central York, Middlethorpe Hall is a 29-bedroom country house offering the best of both rural and city worlds
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OCATED TWO MILES SOUTH of York, Middlethorpe Hall is a stunning hotel that’s well over 300 years old, set in 20 acres of garden and parkland. The hall was built during the time of William III at the end of the seventeenth century for prosperous master cutler Thomas Barlow and the former home of renowned diarist Mary Wortley Montagu. The hotel is best known today for its imaginative menu, elegant accommodation and spa, and is a great destination for any northern travel adventures. You feel more like you are staying in a grand private house than a hotel, it is as if you have stepped back in time, but still with all the modern amenities and faultless service we have come to expect. A number of architectural features, such as white sash windows and red brick patterns, show the indirect influence of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren. In fact there are few country houses with as much charm and historic interest as Middlethorpe Hall, and for this reason, in September 2008, the National Trust acquired and restored the hotel, combining its impressive history, with modern day luxury for guests to enjoy. There are three 'Historic House Hotels' in the National Trust collection, "luxury hotels, proud of their past and careful of their present" explains Simon Jenkins, Chairman of the National Trust. The other two properties are Hartwell House in Buckinghamshire and Bodysgallen Hall in North Wales (historichousehotels.com).
Middlethorpe offers country house fare at its best and has two AA rosettes while also being a two-time recipient of the Visit York Restaurant of the Year award. Eat in the panelled dining room with its view over the grounds, or enjoy an al fresco meal on the south-facing terrace. From starting the day with a sumptuous Yorkshire breakfast through to lunch, afternoon tea and a gourmet dinner, you can expect superlative cuisine and impeccable service. Enjoy a la carte and private dining options - and if you are lucky you might also enjoy watching the roe deer grazing on the parkland in the beautiful gardens. Stay in the main house or courtyard, in a suite or room, and look forward to luxury and comfort throughout. While the main house suites overlook the south lawn from their sizeable sash windows, some bedrooms also overlook the beech avenue and have fine paintings and antique furnishings. The charming suites offer both the comfort of a luxury hotel and a greater degree of privacy. From a secluded base in a private garden, behind the façade of a couple of Edwardian cottages, Middlethorpe’s boutique spa offers a full portfolio of health and beauty treatments to ease away the strains of modern life and pamper you from head to toe. Enjoy an indulgent spa day or half day, or build in a visit to your weekend break. n Ü Middlethorpe Hall & Spa, Bishopthorpe Rd, York YO23 2GB 01904 641241, middlethorpe.com
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day tripper Bletchley Park p90 | Mighty Hikes p94 | For your Journey p98
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Waddesdon Manor Home to the Rothschild Collections of paintings, sculpture and decorative arts.
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CODE BREAKING
B L E TC H L E Y PA R K In a sleepy Buckinghamshire town a window opens on this history-changing, high-security WW2 operation centre, kept secret for decades
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T’S 1938 AND A WEALTHY ENGLISH family’s 581-acre country estate, 50 miles north of London, comes on the market. Swiftly purchased by a housing developer with an eye on its potential, given its excellent transport links, the chance to recoup much of the cost, by selling on the 58 acres immediately surrounding the mansion, proved irresistible. Little did he, or anyone else, know that the mansion would become the hub of the most closely-kept secret operation of the following seven years, home of the Government Code & Cypher School, the code-breaking heroes and heroines of Bletchley Park. The GC&CS was formed, soon after WW1 by a pragmatic merger of two armed forces departments, the Royal Navy’s NID25 and the Army’s MIiB, and based in Central London, therefore at risk if the anticipated second conflict were to happen. With the War Office unwilling to find the funds, the head of GC&CS, Admiral Sinclair, convinced that hostilities were inevitable, seized the initiative and purchased Bletchley Park in May 1938, confident of its suitability, being comfortably distant from the capital and on both the main north-south railway line and another line, which ran east-west, taking in the university cities of Cambridge and Oxford. In September of that year, as tensions with Germany increased, Commander Alastair Denniston moved the London-based office of GC&CS and MI6 to Bletchley, as a real-time evacuation in the face of imminent war. Today known as ‘Captain Ridley’s Shooting Party’, lessons learnt from the three-week deployment gave the Codebreakers a huge advantage come 1939, including the need to recruit more of the eclectic mix of specialist staff needed to make it work. For over 10 years, Nazi Germany had been communicating enciphered messages and Denniston needed both extremely clever, ‘professor’ types as crypto-analysts and, because of the electromechanical devices employed by the enemy, formally-trained advanced mathematicians. Naturally, linguists versed in German, Italian, Japanese and, later, Russian were of paramount importance. Above all, whether in senior or junior positions, all members of staff were obliged to maintain absolute secrecy, not simply about their own duties but even the very existence of ‘BP’. It is a true miracle that, overall up to à
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“To join any of the free walking tours around the site is advisable, to fill in some of the gaps in knowledge, and the guides are informative and hugely entertaining�
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HATFIELD HOUSE, GARDENS AND PARK. THE PERFECT PLACE TO VISIT.
Visitors can enjoy the state rooms rich in paintings, fine furniture and tapestries along with a picture perfect garden which dates from the early 17th century. Beautifully designed gifts, jewellery, toys and much more can be found in the Stable Yard shops. Visitors can also enjoy relaxing at River Cottage & Deli which serves a variety of delicious foods throughout the day. Hatfield Park Farm covers an area of approximately 25 acres on the West side of Hatfield House. The farm shows the animals in a natural countryside setting.
STABLE YARD SHOPS & RIVER COTTAGE KITCHEN & DELI
THE HOUSE
WWW.HATFIELD-HOUSE.CO.UK
PARK & GARDENS
VISITORS@HATFIELD-HOUSE.CO.UK
Explore the glorious historic West Dean Gardens Enjoy every season at West Dean in the heart of the South Downs. Relax and unwind with beautiful Lavant Valley views.
West Dean Gardens, Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0RX Tel: 01243 818210
www.westdeangardens.org.uk
LEGO®
HATFIELD PARK FARM
D AY-T R I P P E R
“To join any of the free walking tours around the site is advisable, to fill in some of the gaps in knowledge, and the guides are informative and hugely entertaining”
COORDINATES LATITUDE 51.9833 LONGITUDE 0.7333
10,000 individuals (three-quarters of whom were female) involved, the true function of BP was not publicly revealed until many decades later, sadly too late for many to receive due recognition in their lifetime. Cracking the ‘Enigma’ (a generic name for a series of increasingly complicated cipher machines) code was a priority and was greatly facilitated by the pre-war work of a number of Polish code-breakers who, although never engaged at BP, provided vital information. With Enigma machines, and others such as Lorenz, becoming ever more complex, the burden on the human mind became intolerable and led to the development of the ‘Bombe’, the first electromechanical calculator, designed by Alan Turing and Gordon Welchman to eliminate a high proportion of the many billions of possible coding combinations. Subsequently, over 200 ‘Bombes’ were manufactured, for use around the clock, but, to decode the messages enciphered by the Lorenz, another, more powerful machine had to be devised, brought into service in 1943. Its name, fittingly given its size, was ‘Colossus’ and it was the world’s first semi-programmable electronic computer. It was built by a UK Post Office team under the leadership of the brilliant, but sadly unrecognised, Tommy Flowers.
Only a visit to Bletchley Park, first opened to the public in 1994 and improved in every succeeding year, can do justice to the dedication and stoicism of the people involved and their single-minded determination to contribute to the war effort in the best way they could. To join any of the free walking tours around the site is advisable, to fill in some of the gaps in knowledge, and the guides are informative and hugely entertaining. Once left to their own devices, some may simply retire for refreshments but, for me, the mansion displays make it a mustvisit and, with many of the original huts remaining in situ, furnished and decorated as they would have been, the whole park ‘sings’ of the invaluable work carried out there. You will be awed by the collection of different cipher machines and the ‘techies’ will be fascinated by the radio communication exhibits in the National Radio Centre. Annually, visitor numbers are 2-300,000 and the Park is open all year round. Bletchley Park is, at the same time, enjoyable, enlightening and inspiring, telling an emotional and little-known true story of obstinate dedication. u
B L E TC H L E Y PA R K I S O P E N E V E R Y D AY T O V I S I T O R S EXCEPT 24, 25, 26 D E C E M B E R A N D 1 J A N U A R Y. B L E TC H L E Y PA R K , S H E RWO O D D R I V E , B L E T C H L E Y, M I LT O N KEYNES, MK3 6EB.
BEYOND BLETCHLEY WONDERFUL WADDESDON Built in the classical FrenchRenaissance style for Ferdinand de Rothschild in the late-19th century, Waddesdon Manor, near Aylesbury, is a treasure-house for the family’s fabulous collections of paintings, sculpture and decorative artistry and the gardens are picturesque perfection. Ü waddesdon.org.uk
AMAZING ASCOTT Originally a 17th century, Jacobean halftimbered farmhouse, Ascott, near Leighton Buzzard, was remodelled and enlarged for Leopold de Rothschild. The result was described by Mary Gladstone as ‘a palace-like cottage, the loveliest thing’. Form your own opinion as the house, its art collections and blissful gardens are now in the care of The National Trust. Ü nationaltrust.org.uk/ascott
WILD WOBURN Close by the architectural splendour of Woburn Abbey, is the Safari Park, whose 360 acres offer unrivalled opportunities to experience wildlife in a natural environment. For the comfort and safety of both the animals and visitors, the Road Safari takes in gentler areas before reaching the 71-acre Kingdom of the Carnivores – do not leave the car! The Foot Safari, which follows, allows animal-lovers a more tactile encounter! Ü woburnsafari.co.uk
Ü B L E TC H L E Y PA R K .O RG .U K
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JOIN THE FUN
MIGHTY HIKES Mighty Hikes, organised by Macmillan Cancer Support, are a fantastic series of one-day hiking marathons across the UK. Experience some of the UK's most breathtaking scenery, while also raising much-needed funds for Macmillan
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ROM NORTHERN LANDSCAPES along the Ullswater Way from Dalemain to Lowther Castle to the magnificent Jurassic Coast from Weymouth to Wareham, past the iconic Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove, Mighty Hikes take you to some of the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of the UK. There are eight different events taking place in 2019 in various locations from the South Coast to Rob Roy in Scotland. Each event takes place over a day, covering around 26 miles, and offering you the opportunity to enjoy a guided route along coastlines and off the beaten track which you might not have had the confidence to otherwise attempt independently. To take part and help Macmillan continue to support people living with cancer, and their families, you're asked to pledge to raise a minimum of £250. There is just a £25 registration fee to pay for taking part in a Mighty Hike, and you will receive a branded t-shirt, drinks and snacks along the way, a buffet lunch and a hot dinner at the end of the event. All walks include professional organisation and the provision of medical assistance. On the day, you set off in a group of similar walking ability. Waves of around 250 hikers start walking 20 minutes apart from around 7-8.30am. You are given the opportunity to choose your preferred start time as part of the registration process. With all the organisation being taken care of, you can simply put one foot in front of the other, enjoy the beautiful views of some of the best walking routes in the country, while taking in the electric atmosphere and meeting people along the way. Both amateur and professional photography enthusiasts love Mighty Hikes as they cover many iconic British landmarks at a leisurely pace - there's plenty of time to compose the perfect shot and create even more lasting memories from your trip. à
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“Thank you so much again for everything you do - you truly are an amazing organisation.“ “Do it for yourself, do it for Macmillan, do it for someone you love, but don’t not do it” “It was a tremendous event and the memories will stay with us forever.”
Where the mighty events are taking place... South Coast - 8 June 2019 With this beautiful hike along the South Downs Way from Brighton to Eastbourne, you can cover a 'marathon' distance while experiencing unspoilt views of the English Channel. The white cliffs of Seven Sisters Country Park provide many photographic opportunities of the variety of seabirds that can be found in the area around the lagoon and salt marshes.
Jurassic Coast - 15 June 2019 The Mighty Hike along the Jurassic Coast is the perfect way to see the first-ever area of England to be designated as a World Heritage Site. The walk meanders from Weymouth to Wareham, and it is well worth bearing in mind that the route becomes rather steep in places - it is one of the more challenging hikes in the programme.
Thames Path - 20 July 2019 Following what is probably one of the world's most iconic rivers, the Thames Path Mighty Hike runs from Royal Windsor to Henley. Not only is this route perfect for boating enthusiasts (remember that Henley is home to the world-famous regatta), but it also provides some great shots of Windsor Castle at the beginning, along with All Saints Church in Bisham.
Peak District - 27 July 2019 This part of the United Kingdom has breathtaking mountain scenery, and the Peak District Mighty Hike runs from Darley Moor to Bakewell. The walk includes beautiful views of the River Wye and rolling forest landscapes before the route ends in the Derbyshire market town of Bakewell - 26 miles should work up plenty of appetite to try the local tart of the same name!
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Northumberland Coast - 6 July 2019 It is 'a tale of two castles' as this route takes you from Alnwick Castle to Bamburgh Castle. If the former venue looks familiar, that is because Alnwick Castle was used for a number of scenes in the first two Harry Potter movies. The route ends at Bamburgh Castle, known as the 'King Of Castles', with its imposing walls and enchanting tales of royal hauntings.
Lake District - 13 July 2019 This is another fantastic opportunity to explore breathtaking northern landscapes along the Ullswater Way from Dalemain to Lowther Castle. The hike begins in the shadow of one of Cumbria's most impressive stately homes, parts of which date back to the 14th Century, and finishes at the impressive castle and gardens in Lowther.
Rob Roy - 31 August and 1 September 2019 The Rob Roy Way has proved to be so popular that this Mighty Hike will be run on two dates, and it is easy to see why participants love this route from Callander to Killin in Scotland. The Trossachs National Park has numerous glens and lochs, making this hike perfect for both wildlife and landscape photography. There's a reason why this area is referred to as 'wee hills with big views' - it isn't too challenging for hikers of all abilities.
Wye Valley - 7 September 2019 Running from Chepstow to Monmouth, the Wye Valley route takes hikers through a stunning countryside beginning right at the English and Welsh border. Tintern Abbey is the main highlight along the way, and this 12th Century landmark has recently undergone two years of painstaking restoration work. This gives visitors a fascinating insight into the daily lives of the monks who lived there many hundreds of years ago.
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BRITISH TRAVEL JOURNAL CROSSWORD 01
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1 Metalworker (5) 4 Beaters assert HRH is off-target (9) 10 North Cornish Arthurian attraction (8) 11 Nottinghamshire castle (6) 12 With Loch Lomond, they form a National Park (9) 13 In need of rehab, perhaps (5) 15 Luminous paint (3-3) 17 Welsh Wye Valley tourist spot (8) 19 Hymn-singing (8) 21 Major East of England crop vegetable (6) 22 Murdered Dickens heroine (5) 24 Striking (9) 27 Beginning stage (6) 28 Kind of crisis (8) 29 Leaf-eating flying insect (5,4) 30 Lowest deck (5)
2 Principal thoroughfares (4,5) 3 Large bags (5) 5 Coastal Norfolk Hall (7) 6 Favourite Queen? (4) 7 Baroque architect (9) 8 Aired again (5) 9 Dinosaur with large thumb spikes (9) 14 Laughed disrespectfully (9) 16 Gleaming ways to pay? (4,5) 18 "... the sin that ye do by --- ye must pay for one by one." (Kipling) (3,3,3) 20 Wars of the Roses combatant (7) 23 Location of Game of Thrones' Kingsroad (5) 25 One-on-one teacher (5) 26 Island could be Flat or Steep in the Bristol Channel (4)
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