2023 Travel Life

TRAVELLIFE

www.sian-owen.co.uk

T RAVEL LIFE

Editor Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk

Creative Director Mark Roberts mark@goodlifepublishing.co.uk

Advertising jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk

www.travellifemag.co.uk 0845 130 6452

Cardiff House, Cardiff Road, Barry CF63 2AW

Passionate about travel

We are a small independent publisher. We are not a large publishing group pretending to be home grown. Vale Life magazine is written, designed and produced in the Vale of Glamorgan for the people of planet earth.

Our philosophy

We are committed to quality. This quote by William Foster pretty much sums up our thinking: “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

Caveat emptor

Advertisers supply their own copy or artwork, and therefore Travel Life cannot accept any responsibility for disputes between advertisers and their customers. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware.

Important you read this

We have made every effort to ensure that all information contained in Travel Life or on www.travellifemag.co.uk (or our social media streams) is correct and accurate. However, we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions and can offer no compensation should we get it wrong. Please note that the opinions, thoughts, views or ideas expressed in articles contained in Vale Life are strictly those of the authors.

Intellectual property

© Copyright Travel Life 2023. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine (including adverts) may be reproduced in any shape or form (in whole or part) without the express written permission of the publishers. We take breach of copyright and theft of intellectual property extremely seriously and will sue at the drop of a croissant. You have been warned (nicely); ignorance is no excuse.

Subscriptions

Apologies, we are not accepting subscriptions at present. However, you can reserve a copy with some of our outlets across the Vale or read articles on www.travellifemag.co.uk

Missed the last issue?

We hold a small number of each issue in stock so if you do need a pristine copy, please telephone us or email jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk. Hopefully we’ll have the issue you want (but we cannot guarantee it). Each back issue costs £5 including postage and packing.

Yes it’s free. Priceless actually! Travel Life is distributed free through a wide variety of outlets and is given away free of charge on the understanding that we are happy for it to be lent, passed on, given to friends and generally read until it falls apart. At which point, you can recycle it and we’d be delighted if you did.

Green is good

The pulp used in the production of the paper Travel Life is printed on is sourced from sustainably managed Scandinavian tree farms and utilises an elementary chlorine-free bleaching process.

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WELCOME

We started Travel Life online back in 2020 and shortly after, we all went into lockdown. Once things returned to normal (ish) we have been developing the website and publishing our experiences.

We are independent. We’re passionate about publishing, and passionate about travel – we believe we make a real difference.

For us Travel Life is a relatively new venture into the unknown (isn’t all travel?) but it’s already being enthusiastically received. Over the years we’ve been fortunate enough to visit beautiful places in Wales, across the UK and further afield. Planet earth is truly amazing.

We thought it might be nice to share some of our favourites. We’d also like you to do the same. We’d love to know where you’ve been and what you loved; beautiful beaches, wonderful hotels, fabulous restaurants and the people you’ve met. Very often it’s the relationships we make when we travel that make our trips all the more special.

In the following pages, you’ll read about some of the places we’ve visited, restaurants we’ve dined at and hotels we’ve stayed in. But we’d love to hear about your experiences and your favourite places to stay.

Have fun. Travel safe. Jennifer x

Yes, we love the Vale. We count ourselves extremely lucky to live in Wales’ southern-most county. It’s a truly beautiful combination of stunning, rugged coastline and gorgeous, rolling countryside, but there’s a world out there...

T RAVEL LIFE

As a regular reader, you’ll know that occasionally the wanderlust gets the better of us and we’re away at the drop of a hat.

Over the last few years, travel abroad has been problematic at best, for reasons we’re all too aware. We decided that we were going to stay put for this year and venture abroad again in 2023 - we already have a trip to Spain lined up along with a city break to the wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen. Our focus on the UK has been no bad thing. We’ve started exploring the Vale more (we walked thousands of miles in lockdown), Wales and the rest of the UK.

We’re hoping visit Staffordshire in the next few months and the east coast of England. Cornwall and Devon beckon too so we’ll certainly be featuring some of those trips in Vale Life. We’ve also heard great things about Scotland so we hope to head to the land of the lochs later in the year.

Trust a local agent…

One thing we’ve learned on our travels is it’s safer to book with a local agent than online. There’s more protection and their knowledge is incredible. We have two excellent indie agents here in the Vale and both are in Cowbridge. Sam Smith Travel and Cowbridge travel. They always have great offers on so it’s well worth popping in for a chat if you’re passing. We’ve found them incredibly helpful.

Travel Life online…

Early in 2020, we established our Travel Life website: www.travellifemag.co.uk and it’s become very popular with the online community. We post reasonably regularly and now travel is starting to get going again, we’ll be updating it more often. There are also whispers of a fully-fledged digital publication –we’ll see what the future brings.

We’d love to hear your travel tales… If you’d like to share your travel experiences with us (and readers), drop us a line. We’d love to hear about your favourite destinations and tips for getting more out of travel.

Dulse at Ty Milford Hotel Waterfront: Foodies will absolutely love this! We don’t need many reasons to visit West Wales, but this is a very good one.

T Y M ILFORD HOTEL

A WATERFRONT FOODIES HEAVEN

West Wales beckoned once again. Usually we stay inland – we like the countryside – but this time, we fancied something a little closer to the water. Ty Hotel Milford Waterfront couldn’t really be any closer and hugging the dock wall in Nelson Quay, Milford Haven, it really feels like it’s part of the hustle and bustle of the harbour.

Milford Haven is probably best known for its oil refinery but don’t let that put you off, it’s miles away in the distance and, at night, twinkles in the darkness –very Bladerunner-esque. The harbour is very pretty at night too, but let’s rewind a little and start at the beginning.

We were driving from Rhoose and despite the Welsh Government’s insistence on replacing the Welsh dragon with a snail, we made good time, tootling along at 50/55-ish on the motorway. We like to pop a podcast on and just get there when we get there. We’d left promptly on the Thursday due to a crackof-dawn work meeting which was a great excuse to get an early start. Heading west along the M4 in the morning is much more enjoyable than driving east and once past Swansea, traffic quietens a lot.

We were at the hotel in no time and, having arrived extra early, thought we’d park up and go for a wander. Incidentally, there is a free car park just across the road from the rear of the hotel which is handy. The marina is full of boats of all shapes and sizes. If that’s your thing, you’ll be in boat heaven. If it isn’t, then there are several indie eateries, plus boutiques, galleries and shops along the quayside to browse in.

Just behind the hotel is the awardwinning Milford Haven Museum. Not the biggest museum in the world but it packs a punch. On this particular day we were fortunate enough to be greeted by volunteers Christine and John. While Christine looked after reception, John kindly showed us around. His local knowledge is extensive, and he effortlessly recanted tales about life in the area over the decades. If you are remotely interested in history, you will love this place. It’s a real asset to the area and genuinely interesting and well curated.

“The marina is full of boats of all shapes and sizes. If that’s your thing, you’ll be in boat heaven. If it isn’t, then there are several indie eateries, plus boutiques, galleries and shops along the quayside to browse in.”

We were booked in for a tasting dinner later at ‘dulse’, Ty Milford Waterfront’s in-house restaurant, but thought we had enough time to pop across to Dale, a lovely beach front village a mere twenty-plus minutes from Milford Haven. And we’re glad we did; it is quite lovely there. We had a drink in The Griffin and got chatting to some visitors from Chepstow. They had enjoyed lunch there and said it was superb. The Griffin is definitely somewhere we will return to as several people have recommended it for its fish menu. We shouldn’t be surprised really, back at the hotel, we watched several fishing boats come and go – you can even buy fresh fish and seafood on the dockside. I suppose Milford harbour is the equivalent of Newlyn in Cornwall – working harbours still supporting a local fishing industry. It would be desperately sad to see their demise.

With fresh fish on our minds, we were looking forward to the evening’s event and, after a quick freshen up, we were enjoying dinner with a lovely group of fellow publishers. Normally this wouldn’t be something we warmed to but the guests on our particular table were lovely and very good company indeed. It was refreshing to share thoughts, experiences and ideas about our various businesses. The food was exceptionally good, and we all agreed that when dulse launches its new menu to the public, it will be a huge success (by the time you read this, it will certainly be available).

After a great night’s sleep in our fourth-floor room (418) overlooking the harbour, we were keen to see what the day would bring. Breakfast at Ty Milford Waterfront is the usual buffet affair and it’s neatly laid out in a cool, curved annexe just to the right of the main dining area which runs the full length of the building ensuring guests are almost guaranteed a great waterside view. The décor is very stylish and colour blocks and bold patterns abound. It’s quite European looking and we liked that.

After breakfast we had planned to head for Carmarthen to see a movie (The Creator) at the Vue Cinema, via Tenby. Tenby has always been a favourite of ours and every time we visit, we see something different or find a new nook to explore. After a lovely hour mooching around the town and harbour while enjoying an ice cream, we set off for Carmarthen.

Carmarthen is across the border in Carmarthenshire (Milford Haven being in Pembrokeshire). What’s the difference you might ask. Well, in our humble opinion, Pembrokeshire is more like Cornwall and Carmarthenshire a little like Devon, but we love both counties. We thought we heard more Welsh language in Carmarthenshire –Jennifer is a Welsh speaker, so it was a good opportunity to brush up occasionally. She doesn’t get much chance in the Vale. We enjoyed a nice hour revisiting some old haunts and was surprised by how much the town had changed. There’s a large market and plenty of galleries and eateries. Carmarthen is well worth a visit if you are in the area or passing through.

Back to Milford Haven. We were so impressed with the taster menu the night before that we booked ourselves in for dinner. What followed was an exceptional three courses. If the owners’ hope is to position dulse, and Ty Milford Waterfront, as a food destination, they were certainly going about it the right way. I would say the images would sell it more than anything I can write but I honestly don’t think they do. The fish, as you’d hope, is especially good.

The movie, The Creator, sadly, was a little disappointing, unlike the area and our hotel. The room, the ambience, service, starters, mains, and desserts were, in a word, flawless. If you love food and want a great location from which to explore some of Wales’s most beautiful coastline and countryside, Ty Milford Waterfront could be hard to match. The pricing is very reasonable and everything about this hotel, and dulse, is incredibly good.

In Welsh, Ty means house. I’d argue that the Ty Milford Waterfront team go above and beyond and, just for a few days anyway, turns this particular house into a lovely home from home.

Founded by Pamela Thornton, a passionate traveller with an insatiable wanderlust, Thornton Travel is an independently run travel agency which has evolved from a single agency to a network of four thriving branches nestled in the Vale of Glamorgan.

T HORNTON T RAVEL

FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE VALE TO THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE WORLD

Founded by Pamela Thornton, an inveterate traveller, whose work as a cocoa trader takes her throughout the world, she fell into the business.

“Taylor Made Travel’s unfortunate bankruptcy in the middle of covid forced the closure of their chain.

I owned their Cowbridge premises which had previously been my mum’s clothes shop for more than thirty years. I had time on my hands having been partly sidelined workwise by travel restrictions so I asked the staff whether they would consider working for me as a new independent. Their knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for their job and their customers was just so infectious that I was hooked. I engaged a consultant for three months to help me figure out the financials involved and Cowbridge Travel was quickly born.”

It has now evolved into a network of four agencies with Thornton Travel recently opening in High St, Barry and Penarth. “It’s early days and there are many challenges, but it’s a very optimistic industry and I have an amazing staff who have supported me as I try to learn the business”.

Each branch is operated by a team of dedicated travel aficionados who love creating memorable moments. “Our customers benefit from our “treasure hunt” approach whereby the staff seek to find the best possible holiday experience for the clients, given the budgets they are working with. Some clients have firm preferences but as an independent we are not tied to promote any one tour operator so can really engage with the customers to understand their unique preferences, interests and ambitions for their trips and then use our expertise to provide a range of options. Whether an archaeological expedition to Jordan; an adrenaline fuelled trek through the Andes; small ship cruises to Antarctica and the Galapagos; foodie adventures in Vietnam or just relaxation on a beach somewhere, we aim to find them the perfect experience at the best price”.

“What

Penarth is buzzing with excitement as Thornton Travel, the independent travel agents that are the project of Cowbridge-raised owner Pam Thornton, and which already has shops in Cowbridge, Porthcawl and Barry, will open its doors, adding a much-needed indie agency to the bustling seaside town of Penarth.

THORNTON TRAVEL PENARTH

Building upon its already established reputation for excellent prices, exceptional service and unique and unforgettable journeys, this expansion brings an enriched array of travel possibilities to the table. Its windows are adorned with captivating travel snapshots of far-off lands and potentially memorable experiences, enticing Penarthians to step in and embark on new adventures.

The dedicated team have a wealth of expertise between them, and love nothing more than helping customers build the holiday of their dreams to not only UK destinations but those overseas.

“Entrust your holiday to the team at Thornton Travel.”

If it’s a weekend break in the Cotswolds, an authentic hands-on Italian cooking lesson in beautiful Tuscany, hiking in Bhutan with your friends or taking a private jet to a luxury villa in St. Johns, then entrust your holiday to the dream team at Thornton Travel.

“If you want to lie on a beach and unwind, we can arrange that, but we also want to service clients who want action and adventure, and to build friendships,” says Pam.

This addition doesn’t just mark a new chapter; it’s a testament to the agency’s commitment to creating lifelong memories and fostering a growing community of globetrotters right on the high street.

Thornton Travel 31 Windsor Road, Penarth CF64 1JD

83 High St, Barry CF62 7DX 01446 393866

Thornton Travel Barry

8 High Street, Cowbridge 01446 688685

Cowbridge Travel

73 John Street, Porthcawl CF36 3AY 01656 331010

Porthcawl Travel

Website coming soon

If you’re looking for a cool, relatively inexpensive hotel with a creative vibe in London, the Hyatt Place London City East might tick all your boxes.

HYATT PLACE LONDON CITY EAST

YES, IT’S A MOUTHFUL, BUT A VERY TASTY ONE

Location wise, the Hyatt works for us. We’ve stayed in this area several times before and it’s a great place to base your exploration of east London. We take the underground from Paddington and it’s around a twenty minute straight through journey to Aldgate East. For reference, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the Thames are less than twenty minutes away on foot. Being a mere two minutes away from the hotel, Aldgate East tube station is your gateway to central London and beyond.

Courtesy of GWR (bandits on the line in Gloucester allegedly) we were delayed setting out so arrived late afternoon on the Friday – still enough time to have a wander around the area before dinner.

Our room was tastefully designed with a very contemporary bathroom complementing the design. No bath but a fab shower that was large enough for two. Add cool contemporary chrome fittings, moody tiling and fluffy, uber soft white towels and the scene is set. The shower, by the way, was excellent.

“A great place to base your exploration of east London.”

The room itself felt a little Scandi and, like the hotel, conveys modern, understated coolness. The king size bed was very comfortable, and a duvet adorned with super soft cotton completes the experience. Handily, the sockets feature USB ports for charging - another tech box crossed. The TV was easy to use too – worth noting – more often than not they’re a nightmare. But not here.

Our eighth-floor room was blessed with a balcony, including Conran-esq seating and a low table, and the views are pretty amazing, especially in the evening as the sun dips and London’s lights perforate the skyline’s silhouette.

“The views are pretty amazing, especially in the evening as the sun dips and London’s lights perforate the skyline’s silhouette.”

Living low as we do in the Vale, the minute we elevate at any hotel we instantly become enthusiastic voyeurs – scanning everything within eyeline and below. People become ants and there’s something fascinating about just watching them go about their business. To be completely honest, that’s why we visit London - it’s a world away from our coastal and countryside home, and it’s just fun experiencing a different way of life.

There’s a subtle battle of converging cultures going on in Whitechapel. London, unlike US cities, doesn’t seem to rise, it appears to spread. Cultural influence is like the tide, it ebbs and flows and it’s usually the one with the most money that wins. Is that a bad thing? Only time will tell. What it does mean is that within a five-minute walk you can transition from an edgy, graffiti filled street (good graffiti too) to a slick, stylish bistro filled suburb. That’s London, and we like that.

Dinner booked, we freshened up before heading down to the lower ground. You might be forgiven for thinking it would be dark and oppressive but no, the smart design continues, and it shares the same level as reception (sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can rise again – therapy note to self). But for the next two hours, rock bottom, it turned out, was a very good place to be.

As therapy has raised its ugly head, and food mood is on the menu, the restaurant manages the schizophrenic transition between breakfast venue and cool evening eatery exceptionally well. It’s design, combined with its lighting ensures the transformation works particularly well. The scene as they say was set.

The restaurant is called Zoom East Kitchen & Bar. It’s open to everyone for lunch and dinner. Its Sicilian authentic menu was full of tempting sounding dishes, so over a cocktail (for me) and a super smooth, Sicilian Merlot for Jennifer we made our choices.

As we don’t eat Italian food much (we do really), we suggested the waiter choose for us – it seemed like a fun thing to do.

Aperitivo (from the deli): Caponata to kick things off – chef’s own family recipe. Sicilian relish, aubergine relish, raisins and pine nuts. Not usually a fan of aubergine but it was delicious. Quite a surprise. We would certainly never order it ordinarily. A very good start.

“Rock bottom, it turned out, was a very good place to be.”

Antipasti (sharing plates): Fritto Misto. There are a couple of options (including vegan/veggie), but not being vegan or veggie, we munched our way through crispy tempura market seafood and courgettes. The tempura was divine and the black ink aioli that accompanied it was just sublime. I was tempted to ask for a jar to take home. I could have eaten it all night.

Primi: Jennifer enjoyed a lovely steak (from O’Shea Butchers) with an Italian Salmoriglio sauce which was superb. It certainly made the grade, and the steak was perfectly cooked. For me, Beef Shin Mafalde. The pasta that means “Little Queens” after the Princess Mafalde of Savoy (an interesting wartime story – look it up). Beautiful ribbon pasta, flat and wide. With braised beef shin and porcini mushroom ragu. Weirdly I can smell it and taste it now as I’m typing (never had that before!). Wow, it was, unbelievably good. I would certainly order it again.

We closed this particular Sicilian chapter with a couple of desserts. A very rich chocolate orange flourless cake and a silky-smooth Almond Biancomangire – both were the perfect end to an excellent meal. We agreed that leaving the choices to Monika (our server) had worked out well. We had rolled the foodie dice and won.

“Zoom

East’s alfresco space, The Terrazza, opened this Summer with a wall mural by street artist and illustrator Sam Kerridge. Artist’s work can be found throughout the hotel.”

The following day, after an excellent buffet breakfast, we decided to walk to the Thames (about twenty minutes away) and follow it west then for a few miles. There’s plenty see along the way (Tower Bridge and the Tower of London) and if you enjoy people watching, well, London ticks that particular box – all life is here.

Sicilian Chef Vittorio Meli Mixologist Kristian Smith

We passed St Paul’s Cathedral along the way, walked up Fleet Street (a shadow of its former self but, nonetheless, fascinating) and headed for Seven Dials, an area we’ve visited previously. It’s packed with boutiques, eateries and indie businesses and has a buzzy, cool vibe. It’s not far from Covent Garden. We had a mooch around Chinatown and ended up having a late lunch in an Angus Steak House. I’ll hold my hands up, we used to turn our noses up at them until we actually tried one a few years ago. Wow! They know how to cook a steak. Since then, we’ve been huge fans and we returned again this visit and weren’t disappointed. Great food, great staff, great service. “Did somebody say just meat!” Yes, we did, and it was excellent.

As we stepped out into the summer sun, we noticed everyone looking up. No UFOs fortunately – thankfully the fake invasion wasn’t happening today, but for the next twenty minutes we had the most amazing air display. Of course, it was the Coronation flypast! Jennifer said seeing the Spitfires, Hurricanes, and Red Arrows going over and London draped in Union Jacks really brought a lump to her throat. She said it made her feel quite emotional. I agreed. It’s not often you get a free show in the West End and what a treat. It made our day, and our stay.

We were going to get a tube back to the hotel but thought we could walk it in under an hour, so we did, and, of course, that was interesting in itself. We got back to the hotel and had a quick freshen up before heading up to the rooftop bar, PocketSquare.

Sitting, cocktails in hand, watching the sun go down with some chilled grooves being handed out by an equally smooth DJ was the perfect end to a lovely mini break. The Hyatt was glowing gold in the setting sun, and we had a little glow about us too. There are lots of hotels to choose from in this area, but the Hyatt Place London City East’s ingredients should certainly put it on your radar. It’s always nice when a hotel lives up to your expectations and, in this case, exceeds them.

As we do, we always doff our headwear to the staff who can certainly make or break hotel experiences. At the Hyatt Place London City East (yes, it is a mouthful), they were exceptionally accommodating and made our stay a pretty pleasurable one.

Special mention for the breakfast team, Monika (I don’t believe she sleeps), she reminded us of that film ‘Everything, Everywhere, All At Once’. She was there in the morning, the evening, the afternoon and never seemed to stop - respect. And, last but certainly not least, Michael, the General Manager, who has clearly built a team to be proud of.

Would we return? Yes, definitely. It’s a lovely hotel, with cool views, and conveniently located. And we hadn’t really scratched the surface locally. There is so much to see and do within a short walk or a tube journey. We’ll certainly revisit.

Hyatt Place London City East

www.hyatt.com

Looking for a staycation in south and west Wales? Nicky Bright offers a great selection of perfectly located, curated properties that have been lovingly designed to ensure you enjoy the best break possible.

NICKY BRIGHT HOLIDAYS

Nicky was Vale Life’s cover star back in the summer of 2022 and has built a brilliant business designing and renovating beautiful properties around Wales. Not only that, Nicky also provides a bespoke marketing and booking service for her clients. As this summer approaches, many of us will want some time away and something a little closer to home means that break can be a little less stressful.

They do say a change is as good as a rest, so here are a selection of Nicky’s properties (from cute cottages for two to restored and converted country pubs that can sleep up to twenty-six). We’ve actually stayed at one so can endorse Nicky’s attention to detail and five-star service.

For more information on Nicky’s services or to view more properties, visit the website below or call Nicky on 02920 001 480.

Nicky Bright Holidays 02920 001 480 hello@nickybrightholidays.com www.nickybrightholidays.com

The Old Stables

The Old Stables a beautiful luxury cottage facing south overlooking green fields. Every detail of the property has been carefully thought through with guests’ enjoyment in mind.

When you enter the property a hammock covers an open space of the ceiling. This is a relaxation place. Take time out to read, sleep, listen to music, watch TV or gaze at the stars.

Pembroke is a peaceful, tranquil paradise with millions of years of history for you to explore.

When you enter the cottage you will feel instantly at home, everything you require for your stay is awaiting you -

SWANSEA & THE GOWER Park Street Mumbles

The cottage is positioned just off the high street where you will find unique independent retailers, restaurants, bars and miles of sandy beach.

The Mumbles and Gower Coastline has been voted “Greatest region on Earth to visit” by Lonely Planet guide to Wales.

After a day at the beach, you can return to the cottage and enjoy a bbq in the comfort of your own garden. The firepit will take you through to the evening, where you will notice the stars are the brightest in Wales.

“Voted “Greatest region on Earth to visit” by Lonely Planet guide to Wales.”

RHONDDA CYNON TAFF

Chapel View

This property is within reach of the Brecon Beacon mountains and Afon Forest park, making it ideal for cyclists, hikers and walkers. The property has original features made from local Welsh stone which reinforces its Welshness.

A spacious two-bedroom property, large kitchen, lounge/dinner, ground floor bathroom, first floor toilet and two bedrooms sleeping four people.

A really charming property which stands 100 yards from the Baptist Chapel.

wine fridge, dishwasher, Kadai, BBQ, fire-pit along with a beautiful bath tub to soak away the journey west.

The Old Stables is within a ten-minute walk of Pembroke Castle, with a shorter walk into town. You will find independent retailers, bars and a night club. The Old Stables is perfectly located to explore Pembrokeshire.

We reviewed The Old Stables in the winter edition of Vale Life. Here’s the link: https://bit.ly/3Y3HJ5N

The Old Stables Grove Hill, Pembroke Pembrokeshire SA71 5PT

Accommodation features the latest Sky Glass television, life-like fire, Alexa and all the modern appliances you require to enhance your stay.

Accommodation sleeps six people and pets are welcome.

Park Street Mumbles 13 Park Street, Mumbles Swansea SA3 4DA

There is parking at the front of the property along with an allocated parking area opposite. A great location from which to explore the world famous Welsh Valleys.

Chapel View

7 Chapel View, Nantymoel CF32 7NP

“Within reach of Brecon Beacon mountains and Afon Forest park, making it ideal for cyclists, hikers and walkers.”

BRIDGEND

Ty Carreg Coach House

Ideal for families, children, pets, celebrations and reunions, and perfectly located to enjoy the best South Wales has to offer.

Enjoy the outdoors, follow the footpath to the most beautiful beaches, bays and unique little pubs along the coastline.

A short drive to Ogmore-by-Sea and Southerndown with gorgeous views and both renowned for their breath-taking sunsets. Take a picnic and finish the evening with a beach fire and glass of wine while watching the sun go down.

Porthcawl is a short drive away offering a fairground, swimming pool, gym, golf, arcades, bowling, go carts, bicycle hire and so much more. A little further down the coast is the Kenfig Nature Reserve – perfect for walking. The property is situated in between Cardiff and Swansea which are 20-25 min by car or catch a train direct from Bridgend. For the party goers you can be in the hustle and bustle of some great wine bars and restaurants. Families can also enjoy coastal walks along the Heritage Coast or visit Barry Island which is east along the coast.

Ty Carreg Coach House

Bridgend CF31 3DP

“Families can also enjoy coastal walks along the Heritage Coast or visit Barry Island which is east along the coast.”

PEMBROKE

Grove Hill Cottage

The Quercus Cottage is a beautiful traditional Welsh cottage facing east overlooking green fields. Every detail of the property has been carefully considered and created with guests in mind.

The lounge is cosy with opening patio doors to the garden. You can enjoy the summer evenings watching the sun setting in the west. A crackling log burner adds to the cosy evenings when you just want to snuggle up. There’s a fully equipped kitchen with a large range cooker for those large gatherings.

Grove Hill Cottage

Quercus Grove Hill, Pembroke

Pembrokeshire SA71 5PT

NEAR SWANSEA

Ynysmeudwy Arms

A spacious venue suited to all your needs. Perfect for celebrations, gatherings, coaching, business, weddings and accommodating large, extended families.

Entire private hire of the property is available, which is enclosed within a large private garden overlooking fields.

This impressive venue, previously a country pub (yes it still has a very cool bar), offers accommodation sleeping up to twenty-six people. Ynys Arms boasts breakout areas, a dining area, lounge, kitchen, outdoor undercover patio, an outdoor play area, bbq area, bicycle storage, pet kennels, WiFi, 75” Sky

Sports television and ample free parking.

Ynysmeudwy Arms

Near Swansea

If Pembrokeshire is Wales’s Cornwall, then Carmarthenshire is certainly its Devon. This verdant county has rolling hills, beautiful woodland and seemingly endless meadows. In winter, evidenced by its countless rivers and streams, Carmarthenshire is wet, so why on earth would we entertain a mini break?

L IGHT BREAKS, WHERE NO SUN SHINES

Actually, the title is a bit misleading. I’m merely quoting Dylan Thomas - tenuous I know. Carmarthenshire does see its fair share of sunshine - it is particularly beautiful. Like our home county of The Vale of Glamorgan, it has the best of both coastal and countryside worlds.

Carmarthenshire also has its fair share of quality hotels, B&Bs, guest houses and AirBnBs, and on this occasion we were looking for a touch of luxe. Location was also important; somewhere that would be a good base for exploration - but not too far.

After a little online research, we chose Picton House in Llanddowror. It’s four star and has great TripAdvisor reviews. Llanddowror has its own claim to fame, being the home of Griffith Jones, who, in 1731 proposed a Welsh school in the village. When he passed in 1761 it was recorded that 3,495 schools had been set up, with over 200,000 people learning to read in schools organised by him throughout the country.

National Botanic Gardens

On our way to Picton House we visited the National Botanic Gardens at Llanarthne, which features the world’s largest single-span glasshouse. The last time we dropped by was over fifteen years ago and what a difference. The grounds are established and there are plenty of things to see both inside the magnificent glasshouse and around the beautiful grounds.

We had the opportunity to experience a birds of prey demonstration which was brilliant – highly recommended. Later we enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea in the glasshouse. If you haven’t visited before, or been for a while, you really must.

Picton House

Well, what a find. Its website does not do justice to this cool little boutique hotel. We stayed in room 6 - it’s been tastefully decorated relatively recently along with some of the communal rooms. In room 6, a decent size television has Prime and Netflix on tap, so you’ll enjoy all the viewing comforts of home. The hotel also has a bar if you’re feeling sociable. We bumped into a few other guests and locals during our stay which made for very good conversation.

On the second night of our two-night stay we were tempted by the menu and enjoyed a couple of seriously good steaks (Jennifer’s with plump, spicy prawns – mine with equally plump mushrooms and an excellent peppercorn sauce). Both were divine. All finished off with a superb cheesecake and scrummy cheeseboard. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love this place. The food is top notch – it punches well above its weight. And, if it couldn’t get any better, our hosts Holly and Gareth were just brilliant. The bar was our go-to once the day’s travels were over and they are very good company indeed.

CARMARTHENSHIRE

Places to visit

Ammanford

You may have seen the Coaltown Coffee ads on television. They even have a café! However, the day we visited, the grinder or roaster, or both, were in full swing. It was a touch noisy, so we gave it a rain check.

Llandeilo

We’ve visited Llandeilo many times over the years. If Narberth is the Cowbridge of Pembrokeshire, Llandeilo is its equivalent in Carmarthenshire. There are some great little boutiques, galleries and plenty of good places to grab a bite.

While dodging the showers, we ended up in Flows – as we were having a meal later, a drink and a snack would suffice. A glass of Malbec for the lady and good coffee for the driver; the snack being one of the best home-made sausage rolls this side of anywhere. It was unbelievably good. And the adjoining deli (Pitchfork & Provision Deli) will probably be open by the time you read this. They will be selling the best local produce: chocolate, jams, cheese, and Welsh goodies.

Laugharne

The world-renowned, home village of infamous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas. He once said, “I hold a beast, an angel and a madman in me.” He pretty much nailed himself with that spot of prose. Laugharne is quite lovely though. There are several eateries here and there’ll be something to suit most tastes. You can visit the castle and Dylan’s Boat House. Well worth a drive in our humble opinion.

Gwili Railway

It wasn’t running when we popped in, but we picked up a leaflet promoting their afternoon teas. The idea of an afternoon tea on a steam train definitely appeals, so we shall return again in April. Incidentally, they do have train rides and events all year ‘round so check out their socials and website.

Hungry for more?

Carmarthenshire’s new Larder Trails provides great ideas to enjoy a feast and foraging trip to south-west Wales. There are three trails and each one offers suggestions under distinct categories, including best places for produce and market shopping, morning coffee, lunch, treats, hands-on tasting experiences, take homes, dinner dates and places to stay. It’s a great resource if you’re planning a visit.

One last thing…

We’re very keen walkers and Carrmarthenshire has some of the finest coastal and country walks in the UK. This trip was about “us time” and our tummies, but we’ll be visiting again with our walking boots, definitely.

Picton House

Llanddowror, St Clears

Carmarthenshire SA33 4HJ 01994 231333 or 07946 078979 stay@picton-house.co.uk

www.picton-house.co.uk

Carmarthenshire Larder Trail https://bit.ly/3W4XGIq

Useful links

www.botanicgarden.wales www.coaltowncoffee.co.uk www.gwili-railway.co.uk

Flows in Llandeilo are on Facebook www.facebook.com/flowsonmarketst

Looking for a two-night break not too far away, we decided to divide our break across the bridge between Cheltenham and Bristol. It’s amazing what you can squeeze into 48 hours.

OVER T HE BRIDGE

BUT NOT SO FAR AWAY

We like Cheltenham a lot, and the Montpelier area very much. It’s a lovely part of this gorgeous spa town and has some beautiful shops, boutiques and eateries. Perfect for strolling and window shopping.

We didn’t get away as early as we’d like (work sometimes gets in the way) but were happy to get there in time to have a good few hours in the afternoon before our meal at the hotel later.

We had booked ourselves in at the four star Delta by Marriott Cheltenham Chase Hotel. Very reasonably priced and its location just outside Cheltenham bordering the beautiful Cotswolds countryside seemed to fit the bill.

There was snow on the ground, but the roads were fine, and we just had to be a little careful walking along the icy pavements. Well worth it though, Cheltenham has some beautiful shops.

The Montpelier area is particularly classy. There’s a distinct lack of plastic signage, and wooden facias, gold leaf and original signwriting contribute to an ambience that just makes you feel a little better about the world. Yes, it’s a romantic view of retail but it’s also reassuringly authentic – if there’s a benchmark for a beautiful high street, Montpelier is it. Two or three hours flew by, punctuated by a coffee break, until it was time to head for the hotel.

Dinner was pretty good. The restaurant is very stylishly designed, and the staff couldn’t do enough to make us feel relaxed. A warm welcome is just what you need on a cold, winter day.

The food was good - there’s an extensive menu and the chef here certainly knows how to cook a steak.

Our room was excellent value for money – it even had a bath which is always nice when you’re away. Nothing ends a chilly winter day better than a hot bath. This one happened to have a large glass of Baileys with ice on the side which seemed to complement it well.

The next morning, after a lovely shower (it was excellent) we enjoyed a hearty, full breakfast with good coffee overlooking a snow-covered field. Soon we were on our way to Bristol for part two.

“The restaurant is very stylishly designed, and the staff couldn’t do enough to make us feel relaxed.”

“Splitting a two-night break between two locations seems like perfect sense. Feels like two breaks in one!”

Clifton Village

As we were doing “Brizzle”, we thought we’d visit an old haunt of ours, Clifton Village. We like Clifton. Its twin in the Vale would be Cowbridge. Lots of quaint independent shops, boutiques, galleries and eateries (it even has Bar 44! Though, sadly, here in the Vale, Cowbridge doesn’t anymore – Penarth is still operating thankfully).

Clifton is a village within a city and it really is an absolute joy to spend an hour or two pottering around there. It boasts great architecture and a creative, bohemian, retro vibe - it feels very much like London in the sixties. If you’re in Bristol, it’s well worth a visit. Although there’s permit parking everywhere, a couple of minutes tootling around the back streets will reward you with a space - it’s more accessible than people make out.

Central Bristol & Harbourside

The Mercure Bristol Holland House boasts a central location and is in walking distance of a mix of award-winning attractions. We weren’t sure what we were going to see but, after checking in, we headed down the gentle hill to cross a bridge and explore the harbourside. Fortunately, although it was a very grey day, it wasn’t snowing or raining.

Bristol is impressive. The harbourside especially so. There’s so much to see and if you love being near the water, this city will certainly tick all your boxes.

After a mile or so, we happened upon the SS Great Britain. Wow! We’re so glad we did. If you visit one attraction visiting Bristol, it has to be this one. It’s quite brilliant. You could spend four hours there and not be bored - it is truly fascinating and has a remarkable history. We have to compliment Ryan on reception who was an absolute mine of information and a joy to talk to. He described Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the designer of the ship, as the Elon Musk of his day and the S.S. Great Britain as his Tesla.

Honestly, even if you have no interest in history, the story of Brunel and his ship will enthral you. As a tourist attraction, the S.S. Great Britain is a visual and engineering triumph. No surprise it’s won so many awards. We doff our bobble hats to everyone involved. It’s rare for an attraction to literally blow us away but this one certainly did.

We continued our walk along the harbour – there are so many boats, ships and bits of history to see that the time seemed to fly by. And we hadn’t really seen 10% of what’s there. Soon we realised we had walked for about five miles and the light was going so we popped into a waterside pub to have a pre-dinner drink and the landlady called a taxi (eight pounds to get us back to the Mercure). We could have walked in about half an hour but had no idea where we were, and our phone batteries were completely dead which meant so was Google Maps - amazing how we’ve become so reliant on these things.

Our dinner at the hotel was as good as its sister hotel in Cheltenham. And after a couple of decent rib-eyes it was off to bed. An enjoyable mini-break in two great locations. Cheltenham has always been a favourite of ours and Bristol is definitely on our list for a return visit.

Our hotels

The Delta by Marriott Cheltenham Chase and Mercure Bristol Holland House are both part of The QHotels Collection. They are both four star and offer the same food menu. The staff in both were excellent and are a credit to The QHotels Group.

Would we stay there again? Absolutely. Both hotels are in the perfect locations if you’re visiting Cheltenham, Gloucester or Bristol. They are tastefully and stylishly designed and, very importantly, spotlessly clean and well turned out.

Cheltenham Chase Hotel

Shurdington Road Brockworth

Gloucester GL3 4PB

www.thecheltenhamchase.co.uk/offers

Readers will recall Nicky Bright’s inspirational story from last summer. Nicky was our cover star and besides her interior design talents, Nicky also runs Nicky Bright Holidays. So, fancying a quick weekend break we booked one of her cottages.

SOUTH WEST WALES

WITH A TASTE OF NEW SOUTH WALES

“We love the quirky design details and it immediately felt like a home from home.”

If you visit Nicky’s website, you’ll find several to choose from with three in Pembrokeshire alone. We chose The Old Stables in Pembroke. The images of the bath online sealed it for us.

The leisurely tootle from the Vale to Pembroke was just under two hours and, listening to various podcasts along the way, it felt like we were there in no time at all - with Nicky’s excellent directions, it’s really easy to find.

The cottage backs on to a field and the babble of the brook behind just added to the cottage ambience. I imagine in spring and summer when the wild flowers are in bloom, it would be postcard perfect. Pembroke town centre, with its amazing castle is a leisurely ten minute walk away.

The cottage is beautifully designed. We love the quirky design details and it immediately felt like a home from home. As a self-catering cottage, it works beautifully. Literally everything you need is to hand (including a wine fridge) and there’s a handy manual in place along with plenty of info on what to see and do in the area.

For our two nights, it was just the two of us but the cottage, with its three bedrooms, can easily accommodate a much larger family. It’s very children friendly without immediately appearing so. It’s a great place for grown-ups and a cool place for kids. You will notice, when you enter the property, a hammock covers an open space in the ceiling. This is a chill out place - perfect for children, although Nicky says a few parents have ended up in there too. No surprise. Here you can take time out to read, sleep, listen to music, watch TV or gaze at the stars through the skylight.

Pembroke has plenty of indie retailers, bars and a night club and we’ve visited there before. However, this time, we would be heading for Tenby, Saundersfoot and some of our favourite coastal haunts: Freshwater West (and East), Angle, Barafundle Beach and Broadhaven.

After a great night’s sleep (the beds and duvets are sublime), we headed west to take a leisurely drive along the coastline. It was a bit blustery, but the upside is the seas are a lot more interesting with big waves crashing on to the shoreline. We got to Tenby around eleven and, with a gap in the clouds, enjoyed a lovely couple of hours walking the town, around the harbour and down on to the beach. We expected it to be quiet, but it had a lovely bustling buzz about it. It was the last weekend before the children go back to school – but, listening to the different accents, it was clear there were plenty of visitors in town, even in the depths of winter.

Having not had breakfast, and with a shower beginning, we took time out in Caffi Llew on the high street for a full breakfast. We do like to support the independent businesses. Inside we got chatting to a couple on the next table who were staying in Tenby. They had brought their dogs down from Stratford for four nights (did we mention The Old Stables is dog friendly?). They said they were having a lovely time. The lady hadn’t been to Tenby before and was really impressed. “It’s so pretty here!” she remarked. We got the impression they would certainly be returning at some point.

As it was mid-afternoon, we took a little drive five minutes down the coast to Saundersfoot. We like Saundersfoot and hadn’t been there for years. We had a nice walk around the harbour and up through the town where we came across The Kookaba, an Aussie themed restaurant. We do like our steaks and the menu looked great with plenty of meaty choices. We also recalled that The Kookaba was on Nicky’s recommended list in her manual back at the cottage.

A brief check on TripAdvisor (4.5 stars and approaching 1,100 reviews) and we confirmed our booking for later in the day. We headed back to the cottage for a couple of hours relaxation and a freshen up. Our table was booked for 6pm.

The one thing I would say about The Old Stables is that it promotes relaxation. We were only there for two days but it was very good for our souls – we both agreed it had a sense of calmness about it. When, not if, we visit again, we would definitely book for longer.

Evening arrives and after a twentyminute drive, we’re parked up outside Kookaba. The restaurant oozes Aussie charm by the creek load. Staff are welcoming and friendly, and the antipodean vibe was palpable. We expected Mick Dundee to walk through the door any minute. Seriously, this place hits the spot visually with cool design nods to the oceanic lifestyle, surfing and its indigenous people. There are cool bits of Aboriginal art and imagery on the walls but not too much to become clichéd. We liked it a lot, but could they deliver on the tucker?

Well, the simple answer is yes. The food is unbelievably good. The chef, apparently, was on leave, but that didn’t stop them delivering some truly sublime starters. The Creamy Garlic Mushrooms were some of the best we’ve tasted and Kangaroo ‘Skippy’ Skewers which, if I had to rate them, would be a perfect ten. Wherever the chef is sunbathing, clearly, he’s relaxing knowing his kitchen is turning out amazing quality food.

The two rib-eye steaks that followed, with fries and peppercorn sauce, were equally excellent. Perfectly cooked, tender, and melt-in-the-mouth tasty. They source their meat locally and the quality of produce in west Wales is second to none.

If you are of vegan or vegetarian persuasion, you’re catered for too. The menu was excellent with plenty of options. Whenever you book a restaurant, no matter what its reputation, you never really know what it’s going to be like until the food arrives. Well, The Kookaba delivered, big time. If there’s a fan club, we’re officially members.

So after a great meal and a relaxing stay in a very cool cottage, our Pembrokeshire mini break comes to its conclusion. The Visit Pembrokeshire website suggests you’ll make great memories here, and they’re not wrong. We certainly have, but we’ll be back to make more.

Make great memories

Pembroke is a tranquil paradise for walkers and nature lovers. The luxury cottage is within two miles of some of the most beautifully scenic beaches in the UK.

The Old Stables in Pembroke is ideal for families sharing of all ages, two upstairs bedrooms, two bathrooms (ground floor bedroom with disabled access to wet room).

A short drive will take you to top attractions:

n Fresh Water East Beach

n Oakwood Theme Park

n Folly Farm

n Dinosaur Park

n Tenby Beach

n Saundersfoot Beach

n Milford Haven Marina

n Haverfordwest

n Pembroke Dock

With its beautiful coastal walks, stunning beaches and coastline, castles, attractions and beautiful towns and villages, Pembrokeshire really is a place to make memories.

To find out more www.visitpembrokeshire.com

The Old Stables Grove Hill, Pembroke Pembrokeshire SA71 5PT 02920 001 480 hello@nickybrightholidays.com www.nickybrightholidays.com

The Kookaba High Street, Saundersfoot SA69 9EJ 01834 813814

Kookaba@hotmail.com www.thekookabasaundersfoot.com

It’s that time of the year. The days are getting shorter, cooler and the long, hot summer seems a distant memory. Don’t get the blues though, you can bring back the tastes of summer right here in the Vale.

Yes we’re fans. Keyif is certainly one of our favourite restaurants in the Vale for two reasons, great food and great service. It’s always consistently good.

We’re not the only ones that love this bijou eatery in the heart of Penarth. But it’s not just Penarthians who love the food here. Keyif has fans from across the Vale and Cardiff – some even come from much further afield. Mehmet tells us he has customers from Swansea, Carmarthenshire and east from Newport and north from the valleys.

Mehmet and his team are pretty passionate about their authentic Turkish offering, and it is always prepared to the very highest standard. “We use the very best ingredients,” he says. “We don’t compromise - the best meats and the freshest salad and vegetables. It’s the only way to ensure everything is perfect for our guests.”

“You can enjoy the warming spirit of the Med even in winter!”

The restaurant has been established for over four years and has become a firm favourite with its loyal customers. On a weekend, Keyif is pretty busy as you can imagine (so best to book) and the kitchen is a buzz of activity turning out some of our favourites like the chef’s specials: Sarma Beyti Chicken (or lamb).

Equally they do a lovely casserole, perfect for chilly autumn and winter evenings. Our favourites are anything from the charcoal grill (Ocakbasi); classically Turkish and packed with flavour - we recommend the Keyif Mixed Grill. Any of the kofte will deliver on taste and every dish is complemented by beautifully fresh salad and rice.

K EYIF A TASTE OF THE MEDI TERRANEAN

Taking a step back for a moment, our favourite starters are always the flip of a Turkish lira between the calamari or the king prawns (when available) but there are plenty more, and they’re all very, very good.

And don’t forget the drinks. Keyif has an excellent range of ‘Keyif Kocktails’ plus a good selection of bottled beers, red, rose and white wines, plus champagne for that special occasion - to be fair, any visit to Keyif is pretty special, it just has a lovely vibe.

Turkey, Blue Lagoon, Oludeniz

“We recommend the Keyif Mixed Grill.”

Keyif at Christmas

Talking about special occasions, Christmas will soon be upon us and Keyif will be offering all its usual seasonal favourites – check their social pages for opening times and offers. Their Instagram page is particularly mouth-watering.

Don’t panic though, through November and December Keyif will be busy offering all its restaurant favourites and the legendary Keyif, Klick & Kollect service will be available. To keep up to date or to order, check out the Keyif website.

Our recent visit to Oxfordshire coincided with our 25th wedding anniversary, and while we were mixing mainly business with a little pleasure, the Holiday Inn team went out of their way to make a relatively mundane business trip a little more special.

HOLIDAY INN OXFORD

PUTTING THE H IN HOSPITALITY

Due to work commitments, we would be celebrating this matrimonial milestone in Cornwall the following weekend but, on our actual “special day”, we would be spending it in Oxford, the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’, followed by a day in Milton Keynes, “The Greenest City in the World” (seriously, look it up).

While we were celebrating on the 6th September, little did we know the country would soon be plunged into sadness with the announcement of the death of our Queen on the 8th.

We were in Oxford to do some background work for Oxfordshire Life, one of our other titles, and when we’re “in town”, we like to explore the city a little and see if we can discover a few hidden gems.

We had managed, at quite short notice, to book an Executive room in the Holiday Inn just off the Pear Tree roundabout, where the A34, A40 and A44 converge. There’s an excellent park and ride service here too so it’s perfectly placed for visitors who don’t really want to tackle the city’s roads. Oxford can be a challenge on occasion.

The Holiday Inn has recently had a makeover, and what a transformation. The reception area now merges with a tastefully designed lounge and restaurant area. Open plan but cleverly not; the areas are distinct but flow neatly together. The design is colourful and felt somewhat Skandi, but not in a “I’ve nipped to Ikea, I’m on a budget” kind of way. It’s much warmer and way more inviting. We both agreed it was lovely and we weren’t the only ones. A couple arrived shortly after and the lady voiced, loud enough for us to hear, “Oooh, this is nice!”

The lovely chap on reception, Kevin, explained where everything was and ensured that we knew how to get the best out of our stay. Kevin was from Portugal, and we chatted about places we’d stayed there on the Algarve, and he gave us some good suggestions if we were to return.

Having popped our cases in our room, we headed into Oxford. Kevin had mentioned the annual St Giles’ Fair was on so we decided that would be something to see after we’d sorted out the business element of our visit. The fair was quite spectacular, like our own Barry Island but on steroids. It was huge.

St Giles’ Fair is one of the greatest and most prestigious in the country. The fair dates to 1625 when it was a parish festival to celebrate the feast of the patron saint, St Giles, and is held on the Monday and Tuesday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (1st September). Apparently, in the 18th century, it began as a toy fair, then in the early 19th century a children’s fair. In Victorian times improved transport links meant many more could visit, and it has grown steadily over the years. So large, that the streets are closed to traffic for two days to accommodate the tens of thousands that attend.

We also visited Westgate Oxford. Jennifer was particularly delighted as it has an & Other Stories, one of her favourite boutiques. There are plenty of other great brands and eateries at Westgate and, in the streets nearby, a very good selection of indie shops.

In the evening, we headed to the cinema as we tend to do when we’re away. Top Gun Maverick was showing so we subjected ourselves to a very enjoyable two-hour, eleven minutes advertisement for the US Air Force and solid, cosmetic dental work. Actually, it was pretty good and it has grossed £1.5 billion dollars to date. Heck you could buy two Northrop Grumman B-21 Stealth Bombers for that (not including the £20 billion development cost though).

Talking about budget, with Holiday Inn, you do tend to get more than you pay for. Our room was very clean and the little extras you receive booking an Executive room are most welcome and well worth paying that little extra for. The bed was very comfortable, and the linen is really soft and surprisingly luxurious for what, essentially, is a budget hotel albeit described as four stars.

One of the things we particularly love about Holiday Inn is that the room has a bath. This may not be that important in our summer visits but, in winter, we love a bath to unwind when we’re away from home. The shower here is over the bath so you must step in and out. They do advise care and to use a non-slip mat. The shower was excellent - like a jet afterburner (apologies, Top Gun creeping in again), surprisingly powerful. So often showers are such a disappointment, not so here. The room has all you need and a good size wall mounted television means you can watch more movies from the comfort of the comfy bed.

I mentioned earlier that they made us feel extra special. When we arrived in our room, there were towels in the shape of a heart on our bed with glitter and one of the housekeeping team had written on the mirror in deep pink wishing us a happy 25th anniversary – a lovely touch. When we went down to breakfast the following morning, we had a similar message in the breakfast area - very thoughtful. Incidentally, the breakfast here is pretty good. We’d enjoyed a Club Sandwich in the restaurant the evening before. The presentation was a little basic but the “substance over style” was most welcome. What it lacked in garnish, it more than made up for in flavour - great fries too. Like the breakfast, it tasted really good.

We do like Oxford, and Oxfordshire, even if we are there for work. This time though, the Holiday Inn team made our stay that little bit special - when it comes to hospitality, at Holiday Inn, that H is definitely a capital one.

Holiday Inn Peartree Roundabout, Woodstock Road Oxford OX2 8JD 03719 429086 Search Holiday Inn on Google There's more on www.travellifemag.co.uk

As we were travelling between Oxford and Milton Keynes, it would have been a shame not to pop into Bicester Village. Obviously, this was planned at the outset, and we have to make the most of the fuel right?

SHOPPING IS GRAVY FOR THE SOUL A AH! BICESTER...

Twenty-five years of marriage calls for a celebration. So, with this in mind, and a few short but essential meetings in the area, we booked a short stay in the Holiday Inn, Oxford so that we could be up and running the next day for a trip to Bicester Village which is, conveniently, only a twenty-ish minute car journey from the hotel.

For those of you who don’t know Bicester Village, it’s an open-air shopping destination where you can spend a morning, afternoon or day spending your hard earned cash on some of the most gorgeous designer fashions. The beauty being all your favourite brands are in one convenient place with plenty of parking.

We started our day, even though we’d enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the hotel, with a visit to The Apartment where we enjoyed an informative introduction to The Apartment and Bicester Village.

Let me first start with The Apartment. It’s a stunningly beautiful suite of VIP rooms where guests can book ahead of your visit to with a stylist who can search out the perfect item, or items, for you ahead of time, so when you arrive, you will already have some outfit suggestions waiting for you.

The décor is to die for, and you’ll certainly feel special in such lavish surroundings. No wondering where to put items, no struggling to change into them (the changing rooms are huge) and there are flattering mirrors where you can see yourself from every angle.

Another great addition to the Bicester offering is the Hands-Free Shopping service. Just let each shop/boutique know that you have availed yourself of the scheme and they will send the items to The Apartment for collection by the time you return. I love shopping but hate lugging lots of carriers around with me. Genius!

We enjoyed welcome drinks and pastries/cakes provided by Holy Carrot, the incredible plant-based dining experience new to Bicester Village. We were lucky enough to enjoy a talk by the founder of Holy Carrot, Irina Linovich and what an inspiration this woman is!

Mark is your typical “bloke” and leans more towards a meat-based diet but, after he had sampled the pastries on offer, all plant based and cooked with sugar free sweeteners and plant-based flours, even he admitted to being impressed.

It was then time for shopping! Typically, for us Welsh anyway, we had to duck in occasionally to avoid the showers but that didn’t stop us from doing some serious damage at Vans (one of Mark’s current faves) and Paul Smith (another favourite). Well, it was our 25th anniversary after all, so he deserved a treat!

The skies cleared a little and we headed to the Holy Carrot’s beautiful airstream to enjoy a sumptuous lunch. Again, the presentation was out of this world. They say you eat with your eyes and Irina’s food looked too good to eat.

Mark commented that had he not known that the offering was vegan, he wouldn’t have known that there was no meat involved and he would be more than happy to eat it again and again – it was so good!

We could have stayed for longer (that would have been a serious danger to my credit card), but we had another stop to make and had to say our goodbyes.

If you love designer shopping, don’t fancy a trip into London and all that could entail (tubes, hustle and bustle, sweaty changing rooms, more people etc. etc.), then Bicester Village is a pretty stylish alternative.

Bicester Village 50 Pringle Drive, Bicester OX26 6WD 01869 366266 enquiry@bicestervillage.com

For Hands-Free Shopping - concierge service GuestConcierge@BicesterVillage.com www.thebicestercollection.com

Socialising? #BicesterVillage

Last time I was in Milton Keynes was 26th July, 1980. Back then it was a relatively new city, the dream of 1960s planners. I’m not sure if they ever really considered it would or could be a holiday destination.

M ILTON K EYNES BOWLED OVER BY BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

Quite frankly, even after our recent visit, the jury may be still out, and, to be fair, 24 hours in Buckinghamshire’s only city isn’t going to provide a definitive answer but there’s lots to like about Milton Keynes and the beautiful county of “Bucks” as it’s affectionately known locally.

Back in 1980 what I do recall of Milton Keynes was roundabouts, lots and lots of roundabouts, and estates of houses that all looked identical. I recall thinking how does anyone remember where they live? Clearly, they did and have met others, because the population has ballooned to a healthy 250,000 ‘ish’ depending on whose figures you read. Back in the 70s, the area’s population was a touch over 50,000 and it’s estimated to reach 300,000 by 2025. Don’t let that put you off visiting though, they’re a pretty nice bunch in Milton Keynes.

On this visit, a mix of business and pleasure, we stayed at the Holiday Inn at 500 Saxon Gate (appropriately named because Milton Keynes is rich with Anglo-Saxon history – you may remember the £300,000 Milton Keynes hoard of Bronze age gold jewellery that made the news).

Now the reason for choosing Saxon Gate was a) because it’s close to the National Film & Sci-Fi Museum, and b) The Centre:mk, a large mall-like shopping complex a stone’s throw away (Jennifer enjoys the odd sci-fi movie but doesn’t get all geeky about the genre like me). With several hundred shops to browse Jennifer was in her element and I headed for the museum.

The museum features an extensive collection of props, costumes, art, photos, and footage from some of the biggest film and tv productions, with many artefacts being shown for the very first time to the public. Displays from Star Wars to Indiana Jones, James Bond to Ghostbusters, Harry Potter to Marvel, and over a hundred films are all on show. It has been criticised for being somewhat amateur in its displays. I think that’s a little unfair. It’s a private operation and I imagine the costs to run it are pretty eyewatering. Is it worth the admission fee? Absolutely. My only disappointment was the no-photography rule. Yes, you can take the odd selfie in certain areas, but I think they’re missing a trick. This is the Instagram age and it’s losing out on valuable free publicity.

After our respective explorations, we returned to the Holiday Inn. We hadn’t managed to book an Exec room in Milton Keynes but, being perfectly honest, the standard room was just as nice as the Oxford offering although the shower didn’t quite have the afterburner power of Oxford’s. The interior and atrium in Milton Keynes are quite impressive and the hotel has parking directly out front - very handy. Its location makes it perfect for exploring the city centre. The staff here were really lovely and special praise goes to Freda and Lilli at breakfast who went out of their way to be super helpful when we needed a hand. The cooked breakfast, by the way, is very good.

I didn’t mention why I was in Milton Keynes back in 1980. Well, I was seventeen at the time and my good friend, Ian Gemmell, and I had purchased tickets to see The Police at what was called Rockatta de Bowl (a play on The Police’s iconic Regatta de Blanc album), a day long festival of great bands: Squeeze, UB40, Tom Robinson, Jim Skafish and Fashion, with The Police headlining in the evening. To this day, The Bowl regularly hosts concerts featuring the world’s biggest bands.

At the time of booking, I had not passed my motorcycle test, so I had to pass first time a few weeks before the concert –luckily I did, and we headed to Milton Keynes Bowl (nowadays it’s called the National Bowl) the day before.

Arriving in Milton Keynes on Friday 25th, and not sure where The Bowl was, we thought we’d scope it out just to get our bearings. That afternoon, we rode right in and parked next to the stage. No one stopped us. A very familiar sound filled the air. We walked ‘round and sat on the sun-bathed grass as Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers sound-checked some of the new songs from the Zenyatta Mondatta album. A mere handful of people had heard them performed; they were actually recording the album at the time. The album was released the following October to critical acclaim. One journalist described it as “the perfect pop album”.

The next day, the weather wasn’t so great, but we had a fantastic day anyway. The Police at Rockatta de Bowl 1980 is still one of my favourite concerts ever. And, because of that, Milton Keynes will always have a very special place in my heart.

Holiday Inn

500 Saxon Gate, West, MK9 2HQ 03719 429057

Just Google Holiday Inn

Useful links

National Film & Sci-Fi Museum

www.nationalfilmandscifimuseum.com

The National Bowl www.thenationalbowl.net

Living History of Milton Keynes www.livingarchive.org.uk

The Police at The Milton Keynes Bowl https://bit.ly/3DDqj98

Special occasions deserve special celebrations. Having got married in Cornwall, we were determined that our 25th wedding anniversary should be celebrated there, but where would we stay?

A M ERCHANT’S TALE

Much of our courting (seems an oldfashioned term nowadays) was spent visiting Cornwall. Like many visitors, we loved its beautiful rolling countryside, quaint harbour villages, rugged coastline, and gorgeous turquoise sea. Over the years we’ve stayed in some great locations and really loved the idea of getting married there.

Back in 1997 we wanted to tie the knot in St Ives. We’d both fallen in love with the town over the years and Mark, being arty and creative, loved the galleries. Unfortunately, St Ives didn’t have a registry office. That resided in St John’s Hall, Penzance, so Penzance was duly booked. No matter, we could stay at Tregenna Castle in St Ives and head into Penzance on the Saturday morning; Saturday 6th September.

There were no nerves in the lead up. Everything was arranged and, as we lay in bed in the early hours of Sunday 31st August, we were truly excited at the prospect. Then the terrible news was announced that princess Diana’s car had crashed in Paris and, shortly after, that she had died.

Over the next few days, we all had to come to terms with the awful truth. It was only on the Tuesday that it dawned on us that our ceremony may not go ahead. Mark telephoned the Registry Office and the lady at the end of the phone confirmed it would go ahead, despite it being on the day of Diana’s funeral. She told Mark, “We will definitely be open, we’re sure Diana would not have wanted to spoil anyone’s special day.”

The day itself was a little surreal. I recall wearing my wedding dress (I’d bought in Spain a year earlier for £25), with sparkling tiara, walking past a room of sombre and tearful hotel guests sat in rows all watching the funeral. Two ladies stopped us in the foyer and told me I looked beautiful and to enjoy our day. One said, “You look like a princess.” That was very kind of them.

The ceremony was beautiful and especially emotional and afterwards, as husband and wife, we walked through an eerily quiet Penzance to find somewhere to enjoy our wedding breakfast. Nothing special, we just rocked up at The Dolphin pub near the harbour and ordered scampi and chips. The pub is still there now.

The following day we had booked ourselves in at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow - that was our proper celebratory meal. I recall we had skate wings in black bean sauce and Rick signed our menu. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and, in the afternoon, we sat on the harbour wall with ice creams watching the children crabbing with their orange nylon lines.

So here we are, twenty-five years on celebrating our silver wedding anniversary. It felt appropriate to return to Cornwall. Sadly, yet again, our celebration was touched by sadness. On our wedding day we were coming to terms with the sudden loss of Diana, now we were reflecting on the life of our much-loved Queen. As we drove through the gates at Merchants Manor, the similarities were not lost on us.

Reserved for The Lubber was the first thing we saw. “Our own parking space!” It’s funny the little things that contribute to feeling special about a hotel. This was a good sign. We checked in and were shown around, just to familiarise ourselves with what Merchants Manor had to offer. Beautiful split-level dining room, lounge area, gymnasium (Technogym equipment –very good), a sizeable indoor pool and steam room. Disappointingly the steam room was out of action – a part was required and was on order from, yes, you guessed it, Ukraine.

The hotel, originally called Garras, Cornish for ‘House on the Hill’, was built in 1913 by George Newby Carne, descendant of a long line of shipping merchants, wine distillers and beer brewers, with rumoured ties to Ithal, King of Gwent (clearly George had a Newport state of mind).

The hotel sits majestically in its grounds, cocooned among its palm trees, and the award-winning subtropical gardens remind you that you are definitely on the English Riviera. Falmouth centre, its waterside eateries and sandy beaches are well within walking distance and have plenty to offer the visitor. Indeed, we both observed that you could easily stay in Falmouth for three or four days. There’s plenty to see and do.

Merchants Manor has a variety of accommodation and offers a range of affordable packages. We had booked into Landlubber, a two-bedroomed apartment at the side of the hotel set in its own private area. Why two rooms? Mark snores occasionally and I twitch and jig. Having said that, we always end up in bed together in the morning.

The Landlubber is extremely well appointed. Reclaimed wood (and very nice artwork) is the recurring theme throughout, and the two identical bathrooms feature beautifully rustic brass fittings with gloriously retro, deep green tiles. The showers are truly magnificent – easy to use and cleverly designed so you can walk in either side.

The two bedrooms are very tastefully decorated with sufficient furniture and storage to take care of most visitors’ belongings. The beds are superb with high quality everything. The pillows were divine. We slept very well indeed.

The Landlubber has its own open plan kitchen and lounge area where you can sit (and eat) at the table, or on a twoseater sofa facing a good-sized flat screen television. It has all the usual appliances - fridge, dishwasher etc. Talking about televisions, if one thing could have improved the Landlubber for us, it would have been TVs in the bedrooms. That said, it wasn’t a deal breaker. The outside private seating area, together with hot tub, more than made up for it.

Merchants Manor’s reputation as a hotel is complemented by its highly regarded food offering. They source 75% of everything they use locally: cheese, meat, honey, milk, cream, bread, vegetables and fruit, with the aim of being ‘fully 100% Cornish’ within a few years.

We tried the seven-course taster menu and the à la carte offering during our stay, and both were excellent. The highlights being the Crispy Monkfish starter, Black Pig (Char Siu belly, steamed greens, and spring onions) from the taster menu, and from the à la carte, I loved the Newlyn hake and

Mark raved about the grass-fed sirloin steak. One of the best he had ever tasted. He described it as perfection. No surprise really, Rastella, Merchants Manor’s restaurant, holds three AA rosettes and is, reputedly, “Falmouth’s highest rated dining experience”.

The drinks selection at Merchants Manor plays much more than a supporting role to the food. We were very impressed by their wine selection and the young lady who was training to be a sommelier certainly knew her grapes. The wines were, like the sirloin, simply perfect. Cocktails and spirits are of course available, and the bar staff were not phased in the slightest when Mark requested a White Russian, even though it wasn’t on the list.

Talking about staff, they really are brilliant. We always say people make places, and at Merchants Manor this reinforced our belief once again. They seem a relatively young front of house team, but all were impressive; extremely accommodating and professional but also warm and friendly - they truly made us feel special. One young lady by the name of Chloe stood out. She was extremely engaging, and we had several clandestine, whispered conversations about the extremely dark novels she was reading. She is a delight and a real credit to the hotel – as they all are.

With Merchants Manor, and Falmouth, established as base of operations, we were ready to explore this beautiful part of Cornwall. Falmouth is perfectly positioned and has a huge amount to offer but there were some old favourites we had our sights on.

The following morning, after an excellent full breakfast, we headed for Padstow. Padstow holds special memories, and it is so pretty. We had a good look around (there are some excellent galleries and eateries there) and decided to have a light bite in Stein’s Seafood Bar & Fishmongersthe bar element being added since we visited several years back. Visiting one of Rick Stein’s establishments seemed appropriate – a nod to our lovely meal twenty-five years earlier. We shared a small platter of crayfish tails and plump, juicy prawns with freshly baked sourdough and aioli. At this rate we were certainly going to be piling on the pounds. Mark was driving so I enjoyed a chilled glass of rosé.

Padstow tour over we headed for St Ives. If this charming, working fishing harbour town is a pretty lady, then St Ives is its more attractive sister. St Ives doesn’t have to work hard to attract visitors, it is spectacularly beautiful. The waters are a special blend of blues and greens you don’t even see abroad. Again, we walked the town and must have visited every gallery there. It still is a town of artists and some of them are incredibly talented. Love it as we do, it has lost a bit of its soul over the years succumbing to the chain shops that you see on most high streets these days. Many of the indie shops that we loved have, sadly, disappeared and been replaced by the joyless corporates. That’s progress I suppose but St Ives holds her head high –there’s a lot to love still.

The next day we had several spots we wanted to visit so we made sure we were early to breakfast. Marazion was our first destination. That name might not mean much but if I said St Michael’s Mount, you’d probably know it. We were planning on visiting St Michael’s Mount but after walking across the causeway, the terse and patronising welcome we received from one of the National Trust employees made us reconsider. We don’t reward negative behaviour and it’s not the first time we’ve experienced it from the NT. Perhaps Hilary McGrady, its new highly paid Director-General, could ramp up the customer care training. Unphased, we had a good stroll through Marazion. There are some nice shops, galleries and eateries - Mark loves the beautiful little church that features a wonderful piece of artwork by Zoe Cameron.

In AD 495, Archangel Michael appeared to fisherman in Marazion bay, warning them of danger, and telling them to build a sacred place. All Saints Church was built and the site dedicated to him. Hence, St Michael’s Mount. Zoe’s painting took over two years to complete and is on public view.

There were roadworks at the eastern side of Penzance that would delay our drive to Newlyn and Mousehole, so we lopped around to Sennen Cove, an old favourite of ours. Sennen Cove has a great gallery set on two levels called the Round House and Capstan. The work is of a very hide standard and local artists dominate the walls – well worth a look. Mark nipped off to take a few snaps and I had a lovely stroll across the front before we met up for an ice cream. If you love walking, this is one of the best and the sunsets at Sennen Cove are other-worldly. Some of the best on the planet.

Back to Newlyn and a lovely walk around the harbour. Newlyn is a proper fishing port and there are several websites where you can purchase their catch. We tried to find a lovely little gallery that Mark we had visited in our early years but, sadly, its owner had sold up. Mark bought me a beautiful ring with a face carved out of blue stone. It’s gorgeous and I still wear it regularly. We did find a new gallery run by a lovely chap and he had some great work on the walls plus some incredibly cool coffee tables made from polished, recycled portholes.

After a great hour and a half in Newlyn we nipped down the road to Mousehole. Again, Mousehole is a sweet little coastal, Cornish village with plenty of galleries, eateries and small shops. Despite the very tight roads, Newlyn has several carparks and, at the bottom of the main one, there’s a brilliant little café that overlooks the water. After our reccie we made a bee line for it - I enjoyed a nice glass of wine (cappuccino for Mark) and watched the seals bobbing up and down in the water just offshore. A perfect end to a perfect day.

As we drove back to Merchants Manor for dinner, we naturally reflected on our married life – we’ve been together twentyeight years, we’ve loved two beautiful little dogs and we have a son we are extremely proud of. Like most couples, the decades have thrown some challenges our way, but we’ve sailed through the storms together.

We thoroughly enjoyed our anniversary celebrations in Cornwall, and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II reminded us that, like the death of Diana twentyfive years earlier, our lives together are finite and that it’s so important not to squander the time we have. None of us know how long we’ll be here. Our voyage together is always shorter than we hope. Like the amazing fishing communities of Cornwall, be strong, be brave, and seize life with both hands.

We fancied a food focused trip to London to celebrate our milestone anniversary. To do the occasion justice, we thought five-stars would be in order. But where, at such short notice? After a twenty-minute Google search, we found the Courthouse Hotel which had our dates available.

JUDGEMENT DAY

COURTHOUSE HOTEL, LONDON

An old, Grade II Listed Magistrates Court, the Courthouse describes itself as a five-star luxury hotel “ideally located in bustling central London”. If you’re visiting the West End for a show, this is the perfect location - where stylish Mayfair, fashionable Soho and the West End meet, and, conveniently, it’s within a leisurely stroll of London’s finest shopping streets (Regent Street and Oxford Street), tourist attractions and theatreland. The world-famous Liberty London department store is literally across the road.

The Courthouse boasts 116 spacious bedrooms and suites, a trendy cocktail bar, award-winning restaurants, gorgeous spa (Sanook), swimming pool, fitness centre and heady roof terrace, and, if that isn’t impressive enough, it also has one of the biggest private cinemas in central London. Seating 100 people in comfort and style, the impressive space has rich, aubergine carpet, suede walls and luxurious, mauve leather seating all with armrests and fold out tables.

Having booked, our initial relief was tempered by reading further Tripadvisor reviews. They were not overwhelmingly five-stars and, the more we read, the more we wondered whether we had made the right choice. We’d just have to let things play out.

We do love travelling to London on the train and this time, we had the foresight to purchase some www.trainline.com travel cards which provided a healthy third off the ticket prices. The travel cards more than covered their fees and we would benefit from more discounts on future excursions.

Arriving at the steps of the Courthouse hotel, you cannot help but be impressed. If we were going to judge this book by its cover, the cover was very fine indeed. It’s an imposing building and asserts a commanding presence on Great Marlborough Street. We checked in very early and, even though our room would not be ready until the afternoon, the concierge, a lovely chap by the name of Abdul, courteously agreed to store our bags once he’d confirmed our booking.

Having not eaten anything, we headed for The Breakfast Club in Soho. Fully booked, so on to Berwick Street which, thankfully, had a table available. We could have eaten breakfast anywhere, there are a hundred places you can enjoy the first meal of the day in Soho, but we’d heard good things about The Breakfast Club, so we keen to try at least one of them (there are currently eight around London). Berwick Street’s Breakfast Club is cosy, relaxed and chatty. It had a boho and eclectic vibe, and we liked it a lot. Jennifer enjoyed a meaty build-your-own breakfast while I took the full English as it was intended. We weren’t disappointed either. The service is relaxed and welcoming, and the food is wholesome and filling. We chatted with two ladies on the adjacent table. It was a first visit for them too and we all agreed it was value for money.

With full tummies it was time to hit the shops. Soho and Carnaby Street beckoned, and all the old favourites showcase themselves here. I particularly love Reckless Records and Oliver Spencer. Jennifer headed for the boutiques: Footpatrol, Raeburn and Dunno Curated - all beautifully presented. The Ray-Ban store was also in her sights.

For lunch we headed to Ember Yard on Berwick Street. Small Spanish and Italian plates lovingly cooked on wood-fired grills in smoulderingly chic surroundings. Head Chef Adam Kulikowski and his brigade create exceptional food, and, on this day, Jennifer would enjoy a rare, sizzling steak and I opted for a board of pork ribs. Both were sublime. No fuss. No fanfare. Just pure flavour. As we sat sipping a couple of astonishingly good glasses of red, with the soft chatter of finance deals in the background, we wondered what our room would be like at the Courthouse.

If we had any concerns about service at the Courthouse, they were reassured by the warm welcome we received at check-in. The staff were lovely. We headed up to the second floor and with a click of the card we entered our room – by no means a suite, but spacious and impeccably presented. The room is well laid out and has a massive bed (we have Kings at home, and this was much wider). The bathroom, with bath, is elegantly and tastefully designed. One thing we really loved was that all our Sky favourites loaded up on the large flat screen television (including movies), none of the faff we usually encounter –one easy-to-use remote.

We headed for Regent Street and Oxford Street in the afternoon. There are three H&Ms within walking distance, plus Zara and Arket so Jennifer was in her element. I’ve learned, over the years, that when she wants to window shop, it’s best to find a decent coffee shop, grab a cappuccino and people watch. Fortunately, the weather was pretty good so al-fresco watching sat in a reasonably comfortable chair was a welcome relief on my lower back which was complaining a little after the threehour train journey.

In this part of London, well any part of London really, it is impossible to be bored. We met back up later and basically spent the next few hours just mooching around Soho and Carnaby Street – at one point venturing down to the iconic Picadilly Circus. As we made our way back to the Courthouse we came across Kricket, a theatre-style kitchen restaurant, serving inventive, modern Indian food made with seasonal British ingredients that are perfect for sharing. The counter seating and long sharing tables are perfect for groups, but we sat at the counter which gives you a great view as the chefs work their magic. The Krickets (our new name for the bartenders) can shake up Indian inspired cocktails, but we were in a spirits mood so vodka and slimline tonics were our go-to. Lovely food and great service. As we readied our jackets, we did regret not choosing cocktails and the bartender suggested we visit Soma next door.

Soma is a standalone basement bar from the team behind cricket – hence the referral. Soma continues the Indian theme, and the interior is pretty moody. One of the staff mentioned the influence of the moon which explained the glowing orb lights. It’s all very relaxed but probably aimed more at young professionals than a couple of borderline wrinklies like us. Nevertheless, the cocktails Galangal and Chaat) were pretty potent and we enjoyed the experience.

After a wonderful night’s sleep, we headed for Connaught village. Ordinarily we might take the tube, or black cab (never Uber), but on this occasion, we decided to walk. It was around half an hour away and seemed appropriate as we needed to burn off the calories we were collecting.

First stop, Le Pain Quotidien. This sweet little Belgian restaurant and patisserie offers a tempting selection of freshly baked breads and pastries. The menu offers crisp salads, tartines, frittatas and organic wines and beers, but we were here for the most important meal of the day, so perfectly poached eggs on sourdough with some tasty bacon on the side, plus excellent coffee, made sure we were both fuelled for the morning. Le Pain Quotidien on the corner of Kendal Street and Hyde Park Crescent is one of 260-and-counting worldwide. Chain it maybe, but it has an indie feel and they certainly made us feel special – we liked that.

We had originally thought about visiting Hyde Park Stables nearby for a horse ride, but my back was grumbling so decided to take a thirty-minute walk through Hyde Park to the Science Museum. It was a lovely day and, crossing the Serpentine, we both agreed this was a beautiful part of London. Excuse the pun, but you could park yourself here for a week and not run out of things to see and do. We would have loved to have visited the Albert Memorial, but we simply didn’t have the time.

Arriving at the Science Museum, I was keen to get in and, I must confess, I found the convoluted entry procedure quite frustrating. It is free but they want your pound of data first. With registration out of the way, Jennifer and I agreed to part company (we had our own favourite things to see and do). I spent the hour-and-a-half wide eyed and open-mouthed. I may be nearly sixty but for those ninety minutes I was eight again. I remember visiting the Natural History Museum with our school at that age and the wonder hadn’t diminished. Seriously, you could spend a full day in there. It’s vast, and the displays are unbelievably impressive.

Having been scientifically challenged, we crossed Hyde Park back to Connaught Village to find somewhere for lunch. We’d heard some good reports about Abasto during our morning chats with locals and really fancied trying their empanadas.

Abasto is a specialist Argentinian deli, wine merchant and butcher. To complement the food offering, they are renowned for their cellar featuring the best wines from the “dizzying heights of Mendoza” to the cool climes of Patagonia, and a deli counter that showcases the finest beef sourced directly from Argentinian farmers. We Brits may have had our differences with Argentina in the past but there was no evidence of that here. Superb, friendly service from a team passionate about their offering. The salad and empanadas were seriously scrummy (especially the beef), and the coffee was as good as it gets.

In the afternoon, we had a good mooch around Connaught Village taking in the rather beautiful interior of St John’s Hyde Park, a lovely church at the heart of the community. We also visited London Chocolate, and the owners gave us tour and explained the process. This isn’t just an enthusiastic chocolatier melting down bags of Belgian chocolate beans. London Chocolate actually roast and grind their carefully selected beans on the premises, hence the hefty but entirely fair price. We tasted a few samples, and they were divine.

There are plenty of galleries and good indie shops here too, and our next favourite was Buchanans, a wellrenowned cheesemonger on Porchester Place. Their selection of British and European cheeses changes daily according to what is the ripest and most delicious from their onsite maturing rooms. They even had some Welsh cheeses! The business works primarily with trade customers but, fortunately for Connaught Village locals, the shop offers a fine selection of the best and an impeccable selection of accompaniments, from small batch chutneys to carefully sourced biscuits and wines, plus a range of must-have accessories – perfect gifts for cheese lovers.

Later we wandered further afield and ended up on Edgeware Road. It’s changed a lot since we were last here, but the buzz remains the same. If the sleepy Connaught village is the cheese, Edgeware Road is the very busy chalk.

At 6pm we returned to Connaught Street for dinner. We had noticed Casa Malevo during the day and, as we both loved steak, it would have been remiss to pass up the opportunity to dine at an authentic Argentinian restaurant and steakhouse.

Casa Malevo describes itself as rustic and states it “works directly with selected farmers to ensure they always source the finest cuts of meat”. Their seasonally changing menus showcase popular regional dishes, and now also includes a mix of vegetarian options. We were initially drawn to their sandwich board outside: written in chalk “The best steak in London just a few steps inside (plus an arrow with little motion lines)” – a bold claim indeed.

They were confident and rightly so. The melt-in-your-mouth rib-eyes were incredibly good. The best in London? Quite possibly. Combine these with an exquisite Malbec by the name of El Enemigo (The Enemy) and the pairing, despite the wine’s name, got on famously. Could it have got any better? Actually, yes, it did. A brace of perfect desserts rounded off a particularly enjoyable meal, and a lovely day in a very pretty part of the capital.

So our late summer/early autumn London excursion has come to a close and, as we taxi back to the Courthouse, marvelling at the architecture glowing in the London uplighters, the quotation on the back of the Malbec resonated: At the end of our journey, we remember only one battle: the one we fought against ourselves, the original enemy. The one that defined us.”

This trip didn’t feel like a battle - quite the contrary. But, if we’re dishing out pearls of wisdom, I recall someone, anonymously, once said “Never judge someone, or something, by the opinion of others.” Whoever they were, they probably hadn’t encountered Tripadvisor. Had we have done so, we might have missed out on something quite special. Here’s to the team at Courthouse Hotel. Cheers!

Courthouse Hotel

19-21 Great Marlborough Street

London W1F 7HL

020 7297 5555

info@courthouse-hotel.com

www.courthouse-hotel.com

Useful info Ember Yard

www.saltyardgroup.co.uk

Kricket & Soma

www.kricket.co.uk/soho www.somasoho.com

Connaught Village

www.connaught-village.co.uk

To say that recent years have been a roller coaster for Nicky Bright, would be the understatement of the century. Nicky’s story is the interior design equivalent of Stallone’s Rocky, and boy has this lady come out punching.

SHINING

BRIGHT

To discover your husband’s having an affair is devastating for most people. To find out from your children must be almost unimaginable. But that harsh reality was Nicky’s. Most women, and men, would find it hard to come back from such betrayal and Nicky, by her own admission, had to pretty much hit rock bottom before her inner voice told her to get up off the canvas and fight for her, and her children’s future.

But, from those days of extreme emotional lows, was reborn a new, stronger soul, and a happier one. And probably, even Nicky would argue, if it hadn’t have happened, she may well have not rediscovered her passion for interior design. She now lives in the beautiful Vale market town of Cowbridge, but we caught up with Nicky at her new Airbnb pub project in the beautiful Swansea valley.

How did you get into design and renovation industry?

Thinking about timescale to 1995, Changing Rooms was on the TV (Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen etc.), and I absolutely loved it.

Going back a little bit further to when I was a child, probably between the age of nine or twelve, I had this fascination with design.

I recall going into my parents’ bedroom saying, “mum you go downstairs, and I’m going to surprise you and redesign your bedroom for you.” She still talks about this now, she’d have Estée Lauder makeup and Yves Saint Laurent perfume on the dressing table, and I would redesign it for her and make it all neat and say “surprise!” And mum would say “gosh it looks lovely. Thank you.”

I would go shopping for kitchen accessories as a child, Woolworths was my favourite store. With my little basket and pocket money I would select red mugs, utensils, and other items I could match and know mum would like. Once the kitchen was cleaned, I would set about re-styling it and loved doing it.

Did that passion continue into your working life?

It did. I worked for Chanel on the cosmetic counter and, again, I was just really good at staging and would make the displays look nicer.

I also had a job with Boots the chemist (this is going back to when I was very young), one of my first jobs. I’d redesign and stage the cosmetic counter and noticed it made a difference to sales.

So it’s something you’ve always done? It a passion of mine. I took a home study exam for interior design and I flew through it because I was just good at it. When I lived in the Midlands, watching Changing Rooms, I started to makeover friends and neighbours’ houses. I was designing, painting furniture and stencilling. I was noticed by the College in Solihull and asked to take on a course for them in the evenings, one day a week. I would teach ladies how to do paint effects and stencilling.

You could have ended up teaching! It came to an end because I moved from the Midlands back to Wales and, at that time, it wasn’t as popular here. Times had changed and wallpaper started to grow in popularity, becoming feature walls, and my life had changed as I started a family and had two little ones to focus on.

I left it then for, I would say around fifteen years. Friends used to say to me, “you should go back and do what you always did, you were brilliant at it”, but I didn’t because I had the family. So, my background really is just selftaught, which I think is the best part about it. I’m proud of that. I just always loved my books and magazines and anything to do with interiors.

Why do you love what you do?

Today for example. I was up at 6.30am, at the pub by 8am and I didn’t leave until after 9 o’clock. I could have kept going and going. I just love what I do. The music is on in the background, and I just don’t stop. It’s lovely when you find your passion. I do push myself too hard sometimes, I realise that. I have to make sure that all the rubbish is away, and the room is finished so that the following day I can start a new task within the project - I am very hard on myself.

What was your first project?

I’d painted a school that my children were moving to in Wales. We went into the school in Penyfai in Bridgend. They told me it was a lovely little Church of Wales school in the village, and I went there and was really disappointed. It was really run down and neglected - lots of portacabins. I was sad my children and the children at the school were in this environment when I visited. So, I spoke to the headmistress and she loved my ideas. I started painting the playground for them. Painted flowers on the walls and hopscotch, snakes and ladders and parents loved it and asked me if I could do themed bedrooms for their children. So, I did. I painted murals, furniture (Disney themes, football).

What are you working on currently?

Wales’s first Airbnb pub, which I’m really excited about. This came about because my new partner called me and said I have a business friend with a pub and he’s stuck with what to do with it after Covid. Straight away I thought I can transform it into an Airbnb experience, it will be an amazing venue! I’ll make it work. I spoke to the landlord, and he said, “Business has changed since lockdown I have to find another way to save the pub.”

So, when I told the landlord, who also has the Gower Brewery, what I could do and we started walking round the pub, I had my vision, and I was reeling ideas off immediately. We could put a children’s area in, something for teenagers, mums and dads, and grandma, and he was blown away and said, “I’m not selling.” He said, “I love it, and have always loved it, so I’ll keep hold of it and you can transform it for me.” So here we are! My current project. It’s been really hard work, but I’ve loved every dust-filled minute. It’s going to sleep up to 26 people, and it’s gorgeous. I’m so proud of it.

What types of projects excite you?

The pub, my cottage. Taking properties apart and rebuilding them and letting others enjoy them. I’m able to walk into a room or building and instantly feel a feminine or masculine energy, or a negative or positive, and I can feel this vibe very quickly so I can sense whether it would suit a female or a male. I can turn a home with no light and transform it so that it’s full of light and then people walk in, and they feel the positive energy too. Same happened when I sold the family home, you can feel positive energy, love and happiness in a home.

Is it only commercial projects you undertake?

The business is still young so I’m taking on private and commercial. Anything that interests me: show homes, pubs, holiday lets, retail shops, lots of things!

How do you juggle the work/life balance?

It can be really tough. I purchased The Old Stables Cottage in Pembroke at the beginning of December and I really haven’t had a day off since then. It’s been back-to-back projects with different properties. I don’t have any time off. Even on the weekends I’m out, sourcing stock, buying materials, ordering, picking items up. They say it’s not work if you love what you do, and I do! I really love doing what I’m doing.

What do you do in your spare time? What I really like to do (and Covid was good for this), I like to walk on the beach with my headphones on and just listen to podcasts, and anything to do with positivity. Walking on the beach, in the countryside and mountains. That’s how I like to relax when I have time.

You took yourself away to the Atlas Mountains recently. That’s certainly getting away from it all... It was booked for 2020 but postponed due to Covid. I chose to do it because it felt the right time after a very difficult period with the divorce and getting back on my feet. I’m doing okay now, and I felt like it was the right time to give back to charity. So, when I heard about the Atlas Mountains and how there was only ninety families in the mountains living in mud huts, I wanted to find out more about their lives, and to help if I could. I went with a group of other business ladies and there was a great feeling of sisterhood. Hopefully we could share some of our entrepreneurial skills and ideas with the women there.

The Atlas community don’t have the luxuries we have and, as a cooperative, we weren’t just doing it for them, we were helping the women there gain their own independence by saying that if they used the school building they can make necklaces and baskets that they can take to market and make money.

We thought if one of the ladies could make necklaces, Karen from Goose Island in Cowbridge could sell them. And, if one of the ladies made pottery, then I would be happy to buy from them and I could put them in my holiday lets and would be an outlet for the Atlas Mountains ladies.

My second reason is that my daughter is twenty-one and I wanted her to experience it. It’s a one-in-a-lifetime experience and we were all blown away by it. When we started off in the mountains, we could hear the prayers. Combine this with beautiful scenery, stunning sunrises, and sunsets. It was emotionally charged.

At one point, we went to the top of the mountain - it felt like you were in heaven. And when we were with the ladies and their children the gratitude was immense. They were so grateful – we felt like we were really making a difference. I would recommend anyone to do it.

They need a lot of equipment and technology which isn’t cheap. Together we raised the money to build a community centre/school which gives them a place to gather and work. It was a lovely experience, I do believe that when you give, it does come back to you in abundance when you help others.

Design wise, who inspires you?

Believe it or not, and you’ll probably think this is strange, there probably isn’t anyone. I get my inspiration from brands I love, Ted Baker or Laura Ashley, I get a lot of inspiration from fashion. I do have an obsession with clocks. They are in every room. But I suppose it’s my own take on things that people like.

You are very glamorous...

Of course, I’m a lady! I love it. I love my make-up and polished nails. I’m very feminine. I love everything to do with being a girl. I love my nail varnish, handbags, shoes and perfume.

But it’s not all glamour...

No. Most of the time my hair is in a pony. I’ve had no make-up on. My nails are chipped. I’m in a pair of heavy boots. In fact, the boys laugh because I have my own toolbox, my own sander, and electric screwdriver. Typical day turning up on site. I’m the only girl. The rest are all labourers. I’m forever saying how untidy they are, they just leave their dust and dirt everywhere and I say, “Look! There are no dust and dirt fairies here. Clean up after yourself!” I end up picking up items and tidy while I work.

I imagine every day is different and that keeps it interesting...

A typical day starting off with a project means ripping it all up, getting a skip in, clearing it all out, getting it prepped, painted and decorated all in white initially so we see can see what we’ve got. Then I start sourcing the furniture. Sometimes my clients don’t know what they want. I can walk into a shop one day and I’d see a wallpaper for instance “peacocks” and that’s the start point for the room makeover.

Another room could be a masculine room because of the vibe - I’ve just panelled wall, added King & Queen cushions and it looks fabulous. Another room could be cactus plants, more teenager. What I’m able to do is look at a space and quickly know what to do with it. I always take into account who’s going to use it; children, parents, grandparents, so there isn’t a section of a room in the house that doesn’t have something there for everyone, even if it’s wellington boots or a hide away for the family dog. What we’ve done in the pub is put in kennels so that when the guests are entertaining, they can put the dogs away safe while they enjoy the evening with a glass of wine and not spent looking for a lost pet. I know it is important to families and a feature they love.

Where do you see yourself in five years? I’ve been evolving so much. My life has been such a journey and, over the last two or three years, I’ve just created a whole new persona. I was once a wife and mother. I’m still a mother, but I was a mother with children at home, a nine-tofive job, two dogs and I’d do the same thing every day - go to work, come home, walk the dog, make the food, put the dishwasher on, get up have a shower, go to work. It was just a job. Was I happy? No, I wasn’t, but you do what everyone else does. You have a curry on a Friday, watch X Factor on a Saturday night, it was literally the same routine every week.

My life has changed so much now. It’s mind-blowing and I say to myself, “Oh my God, why did I spend time on tears when all I had to do was rediscover what I love doing”.

And yes, my life has changed, and with it came the invention of Nicky Bright, because I was going through my divorce, and thinking about a business name. At the time, I thought “Stay Wales” was a good name, but it wasn’t, “Nicky Bright Holidays” was born.

I felt alignment to it as if everything was meant to be, and change my name legally to Nicky Bright, out with the old in with the new me.

Looking forward, all the holiday lets will feature the Nicky Bright branding. I will create new properties all being unique, whether it be an Indian or Italian theme, inside I will have products I source on my travels -

from Morocco to the Atlas Mountains even my own brand that I’m creating. When a guest enters my properties and like what they see, they can buy it from my website.

What drives you?

“A typical day starting off with a project means ripping it all out, getting a skip in, clearing it all out, getting it prepped, painted and decorated all in white initially so we see can see what we’ve got. Then I start sourcing the furniture. Sometimes I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do.”

I want a good life. I want a great life for my children. I inspire them not to fail, to never give up. I say “Never give up, always succeed!”. If you work hard and keep at it, it will come to you. Describe yourself in three words... Focus. Action. Result. Can I add a fourth? “Fabulous!”

NickyBright.com hello@nickybright.com 07971 342 453 www.nickybright.com

Nicky Bright Holidays hello@nickybrightholidays.com 07971 342 453 www.nickybrightholidays.com

What do you do when the Stereophonics and Tom Jones are playing at the Principality Stadium? That’s right, you head for Newport, the city that thinks it’s a town.

NEWPORT STATE OF M IND

Usually a Friday or Saturday night would be the days we might usually head into Cardiff for a spot of shopping and/or a meal. As the Stereophonics and Tom Jones were in town, this wouldn’t be a sensible option, assuming we didn’t have tickets, and we didn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, this pairing would be a dream gig, but we just didn’t fancy it and, besides, the Beeb were covering it anyway. Yes, it would have been great to be there but also nice to be at home watching it three days later with a vodka and tonic, which we did.

No, this weekend we were heading for Newport. We’d booked a suite on the Friday night in the new Mercure, and we had tickets for Fleetwood Bac at the Riverfront Theatre. We’ve stayed at Mercure hotels before. They’re pretty good and, as we hadn’t stayed at this one, we thought we’d give it a try.

We arrived early in Newport and thought we’d make the best of the beautifully sunny day by visiting the Transporter Bridge. This was definitely one of the highs of the weekend as the views from the top are breath-taking. You can see right across the city, the docks, and across the Bristol Channel to Somerset. It’s one of several around the world and, apparently, boasts the longest span and is the quickest – the history is fascinating. It’ll shortly be undergoing a complete renovation which will include a new visitor centre. It should be complete in 2024 and will be well worth the wait. It must be on your Newport bucket list.

Back into Newport centre and a nice afternoon walk around the city, followed by a stroll across the foot bridge over the river Usk - there are some great cafes and restaurants on the other side. We ended up in Horton’s (good coffee). Just to the right is Monusk Tapas & Wine Bar which was highly recommended. We didn’t partake on this occasion - certainly next time.

We then walked along the river up to the road bridge and crossed back passing the Steel Wave, one of Newport’s iconic pieces of public art. Have to say there are some beautiful pieces of art around the city. Unlike the awful visual drivel you see in most cities, Newport nails it. Clearly someone in Newport Council has taste.

Back to the Mercure to check in. The whole hotel is tastefully designed. It’s very contemporary in style and the art is a nod to Newport’s past. I have to say we were very impressed with the quality of the room, and the views from the thirteenth floor were pretty impressive. The overall design is excellent, and the bathroom and shower were superbly designed. The shower is walk-in and could easily accommodate two people. We always say, people make hotels, and the staff can’t do enough to help – a proper Welsh welcome. Its location next to Friar’s Walk (parking) and the train station is, quite frankly, perfect. Everything is within walking distance.

Newport itself is an excellent base camp for exploring south-east Wales. If you’re into history, you’ll be in heaven and there is lovely countryside within walking distance or, if you want to venture a little further by car, the astonishingly beautiful Welsh valleys and Monmouthshire are close by.

I mentioned the Stereophonics and Tom Jones earlier. While we were staying in the Mercure, many guests were going to the concerts and had, pretty smartly, booked in and were taking the train from Newport to Cardiff – a few minutes’ walk at each end, saving themselves from the chaotic traffic jams and parking nightmare that has blighted recent concerts at the Principality Stadium.

Before our Fleetwood Bac experience at the Riverfront Theatre (less than five minutes’ walk away), we had booked in to the restaurant for 6pm. We won’t go into a full-blown review here but to say we were impressed would be an understatement. The food was superb. Perfectly cooked and the staff delivered a truly enjoyable experience.

With full tummies, we headed for the Riverfront and enjoyed an excellent show by one of the world’s best Fleetwood Mac tribute bands. Have to say, the acoustics at the Riverfront are very good. I had goosebumps - if you love Fleetwood Mac, they should be on your radar next time ‘round.

The beds are excellent at the Mercure. We have kings at home, but this seemed huge! A good night’s sleep was complemented by an excellent breakfast and while Jennifer headed for the high street, I popped across to Newport Museum & Art Gallery. Wow, what a little gem. Three floors include a library and what’s on show is really quite brilliant. The quality of art is pretty exceptional for a relatively small gallery A few personal favourites: Kyffin Williams, Ernest Zobole to name but a few. Naturally, the Chartist movement takes pride of place here and the museum does an excellent job of explaining the events and impact it had on Britain.

One of the floors is home to a section of Roman mosaic flooring, plus a collection of china. There is also plenty of background on the history of Newport and a particularly moving video about the loss of life when one of the docks collapsed during construction. The whole experience was quite emotional. I spent over 90 minutes there and couldn’t really take it all in. Again, the staff were so helpful and welcoming.

I stepped out into the rain and headed to my pre-arranged meeting with Jennifer at the newly redeveloped Newport Market. Loft Co, who

developed the Goodsheds in Barry take credit for the very stylish overhaul. No surprise really, everything this talented team touch seems to work beautifully. The market is completely covered and is now home to dozens of cool businesses and a fantastic food hall. We decided to try a few burgers at The Burger Boys. We were not disappointed. I munched my way through the legendary Chuck Norris. The quality of the meat and preparation is superb. The two owners were there, and they have invited us to the opening of their next incarnation opening in July. Seeing these young entrepreneurs building a brilliant business is quite inspiring.

We headed out of Newport but couldn’t resist popping into Tredegar House & Gardens on the way home. This beautiful property was once home to the very colourful Morgan family. Their history is fascinating: “Welsh, wealthy and wild!” is a fair description. If you’re near Newport, this is a must visit. The knowledgeable staff are excellent and recanted tales that would make even the broad-minded blush.

Before visiting Newport, we had heard pretty negative and disparaging comments about the city. To be fair, for a long time, it hasn’t had a great rep. However, the Newport today is blossoming, booming even. There’s a sense of optimism in the air, things are changing. It’s exciting, and it felt good to be here. The city and its people embraced Chartism, so Newport is no stranger to revolution. We think there just might be another on the way.

Mercure Newport

Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street Newport NP20 1DW 01633 837700

Search Mercure Newport www. all.accor.com

Newport Museum & Art Gallery

Home to some pretty decent art

Newport Transporter Bridge

Both searchable on www.newport.gov.uk

Newport Market

Home to the Burger Boys www.newport-market.co.uk

Tredegar House & Gardens

Home to the Morgan family for centuries www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tredegar-house

Fleetwood Bac

Rumoured to be the best FM tribute band www.fleetwoodbac.com

The parody, Newport State of Mind

Keep your Big Apple, we’ll have a tangerine! https://youtu.be/Eijc2tGe-zM

Isn’t it funny how you plan a city break to do specific things, but when you arrive, the city takes you by the hand and leads you “a merry wander”. Lichfield’s a classic example of that.

SWINF EN H ALL

Our original plan was to visit Staffordshire and walk the canal paths in the area. Friends had visited Lichfield and had recommended the city as being a good place to base our explorations. We found Swinfen Hall and, after reading about its history, and looking over the beautiful website, we booked ourselves in to The Games Room, Swinfen Hall’s one bedroom apartment. It sounded different, and we like quirky.

The Hall was built back in 1757 by Samuel Swynfen to a design by architect Benjamin Wyatt (father of James Wyatt) and remained the home of the Swinfen and Swinfen Broun

families for almost two hundred years. It’s changed hands a few times since then and the current owner has aspirations for some considerable development: lakeside lodges, a spaall very exciting.

Lichfield is just north of Birmingham. Arriving early, we popped into the Heart Of The Country Shopping Village next door, a collection of converted 19th century farm buildings which is now home to an eclectic mix of indie shops and boutiques, a woodland walk and fairy woods – it all began as a single country store in 1985 and has developed into quite a stylish enclave of cool businesses.

We were pleasantly surprised to meet a fabulous lady who, with her husband, owns the South African themed ‘Fields Biltong Shack’. We had featured the couple when they ran The Meating Place in Cardiff several years earlier. There was much reminiscing and we all agreed it was indeed a very small world.

Another notable little gem there was Heart Galleries, the lady owner has an excellent eye, and we really liked the work on sale. If you like art, you should certainly pop in if you’re passing.

After a lovely look around it was time to check in. As we tootled up the drive, Swinfen Hall made her presence felt. Set in over 120 acres of beautiful Staffordshire countryside, the brickwork of this stylish 18th Century mansion house glowed in the afternoon sun.

We were made very welcome and shown to our apartment at the bottom of the house. The warren-esque walk through several rooms, doorways and down a stairway only added to the intrigue.

On opening the door, we were met by a modern, spacious (1,200 square feet) self-contained apartment space complete with a huge golf simulator, gym equipment, an arcade game, a full-size snooker/pool table, a serious telescope and a fully stocked bar complete with fridges and ice maker. And we mustn’t forget the 75-inch television. It felt like the ultimate man cave. We were not in any way disappointed. This was all topped off nicely with a beautiful bedroom (queen size bed with goose down duvets and Egyptian cotton sheets), and bathroom area complete with rain shower.

After soaking up the experience, we headed upstairs to the main bar and enjoyed a few vodkas and tonics out on the rear veranda overlooking the fountains and deer park and lake beyond. It was as close to idyllic as one could imagine. No wonder the staff seemed so happy and laid back. I couldn’t imagine a more relaxing place to work.

That evening we decided to stay close to the hotel and chose to have a romantic meal for two in the apartment. “No problem!” was the reply to our request, and dinner lived up to our expectations – beautifully prepared and served with the smiles we had already grown accustomed to.

The following day, we headed into Lichfield and enjoyed a guided tour which is well worth doing. Lichfield is packed with history, and it has some pretty amazing stories to tell.

Fancying a cuppa, we stopped off at a very cool place called Boomers which is run by the lovely Sue Pettitt - 1940s theme on the ground floor, ‘60s theme on the first floor. Great coffee, fab service and Sue is an absolute mine of information about Lichfield. Boomers certainly qualifies as a Lichfield gem.

Just around the corner is a family home that inspired the literary giant Samuel Johnson. Best known for his Dictionary of the English Language, Samuel Johnson spent the first twenty-seven years of his life in this atmospheric Grade I listed trader’s townhouse which is now a museum. I’ve read his quotations on many occasions, so this was a real treat to find out more about the man with the aid of the very knowledgeable curator.

Being a city, we were determined to visit Lichfield Cathedral, the only medieval English Cathedral with three spires, and were absolutely blown away by it. It really is quite stunning. The exterior carving reminded me of Barcelona’s famous La Sagrada Família. Yes, it’s that impressive.

Our last history splurge of the day was a visit to Erasmus Darwin House, the former home of the English poet and physician Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of naturalist Charles Darwin. The house is a Grade I listed (there are quite a few in Lichfield) and is now a writer’s house museum commemorating Erasmus Darwin’s life. Whatever was in the Darwin gene pool, it was pretty special. This was a man way ahead of his time. You’d be forgiven for thinking he was a lot more interesting than his grandson. He was to us anyway.

Later in the day, we “took tea” overlooking the Minster Pool and enjoyed a lovely hour-long stroll through the rather beautiful Beacon Park before returning to Swinfen Hall for drinks on the veranda – well, it had to be done.

After a good night’s sleep and an excellent breakfast, our homeward journey was punctuated by a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum. A place we had longed to visit having seen it many times on television. It’s much bigger than you imagine so we opted for a guided tour and land train ride which proved incredibly informative. With many memorials celebrating the lives of tens of thousands of people across all walks of life, it was very emotional in places, and lived up to our expectations. We also enjoyed a cooked lunch there which took us right back to the school dinners of our youth. All in all, a very enjoyable experience.

Swinfen Hall is a class act. The staff are brilliant. We had a wonderful time there. Yes, you can visit and stay in one of its nineteen beautiful rooms but, if you live locally, it’s also a great place to hold events, a wedding reception or perhaps a corporate dinner.

It can deliver on every level, and we think that’s what makes it so special. We’re excited to see how it develops and we’ll most certainly return (we never did explore those canal paths).

Samuel Johnson once said, “The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” He wasn’t far wrong. If you’re visiting Staffordshire, this is the place to stay. But don’t take our word for it.

Swinfen Hall

Swinfen, Near Lichfield Staffordshire WS14 9RE 01543 481494 reservations@swinfenhallhotel.co.uk

www.swinfenhallhotel.co.uk

swinfenhall

swinfenhall

swinfenhallhotel

Lichfield

You can also visit the excellent Visit Lichfield website for more information, ideas, and advice. www.visitlichfield.co.uk

West Farm, Southerndown Coastal Retreat, sits majestically on the glorious clifftop alongside the Glamorgan Heritage Coast path. Could there be a more idyllic location?

W EST FARM

SOUTHERNDOWN

West Farm was purchased in January 2021 by the Williams family, who live in the area and recognised the amazing potential with the building and soon embarked a comprehensive remodel and renovation.

This distinctive self-catering retreat on the Vale of Glamorgan’s western coastline “exudes an effortless, rustic charm evoking memories of a childhood seaside holiday”. It has been tastefully decorated with a gentle, maritime vibe throughout and enjoys enviable, panoramic, clifftop views. There are four beaches nearby, a river estuary with enormous sleigh-down sand dunes and a stepping-stoned castle. If you’re a visitor to the area looking for a dramatic getaway in every season: whether sporting swimsuits, wetsuits, summer skimpies or cwtch’d up in your favourite woollens and walking boots, West Farm feels both luxurious and natural. It really is quite special.

Here we talk to Alex Williams to find out more about the beautiful transformation of West Farm.

Why did you choose to buy the business?

Chris Williams was brought up in the neighbouring village of Wick and spend his childhood in Southerndown and Ogmore by sea, Lots of friends and family from the area were involved in the restoration of the buildings and remain involved in the operation of West Farm.

Chris has known the buildings at West Farm nearly all his life and had always been overwhelmed by the location and incredible views the property offers. It was a great opportunity and, after a comprehensive remodel and refurbishment, launched in November 2021.

What is the West Farm ethos?

Friendly and welcoming. West Farm is a family business owned and run by friends and family spanning three generations. Our friendly approach is focused on making a visit to our amazing venue as enjoyable as possible. We love working here and hope people love coming to visit as much.

What can customers and visitors expect?

West farm now comprises three separate holiday lets, a new coffee shop and beautiful cocktail lounge which acts as an events space. If you want to drop in with your laptop and do a little remote working while enjoying a coffee and cake, you’ll be most welcome. We have excellent WiFi.

We have already had some amazing events at west farm including, birthday parties, engagements, baby showers, live music days, sporting events. We are excited to host our first wedding in September. We are fully licenced. You can hire the venue and arrange your own catering. We’re very flexible.

Please tell us more about the accommodation...

The spacious self-catering stone farmhouse and both luxury apartments (Nash and Tusker), alongside the extensive lawned gardens, have been renovated and modernised, making it great for families, couples, and friends. If you’re looking for a self-catering break with understated elegance, we think you’ll love it here.

The Farmhouse sleeps sixteen, Nash sleeps six and Tusker, four. Whitewashed wood panelled walls, nautical blue soft furnishings, seagrass rugs, brushed metal kitchen finishes. We believe West Farm does coastal style effortlessly.

Each of the lounges boasts sea views, and all the bedrooms are decked out with fine linens and indulgent en-suites for rinsing down those sea-salty bodies. And you’ll have no problem getting the kids to bed when they see their ‘bunkrooms’. Back from the beach or coastal walk, and bathed to perfection, relax on your sun deck while food sizzles on the barbecue grill or sink into the sofa and relax with a favourite tipple.

You mentioned events earlier, can you tell us more about those?

We’re running Sundowner events on Friday and Saturday evenings. If you’ve visited this part of the coast, you’ll know it’s famous for its sunsets, so we thought we’d make the most of it! The bar will be open until sundown. On Sundays, we’re also planning to have live music from 5pm on certain weekends. Please check our socials for more info.

Are you dog friendly?

Yes, dogs are welcome in the coffee shop and in the outside terrace.

What visitors say…

“Nash Cottage is a fantastic, clean, tidy, and luxurious cottage set in a truly breath-taking location. We had an absolutely great time, our two girls loved playing in the expansive brass area and our dog loved the open spaces. Honestly, the place is absolutely perfect. 5 stars.”

“Great cottage with good amenities. Very friendly owners and staff. Very clean and tidy and a great place to unwind. Wonderful sunrises and sunsets. Added bonus is the on-site café and cocktail bar, so a great place to sit on the terrace and savour the amazing sunsets. Will definitely come back here.”

“Lovely little place, ideal for two. Our daughter and partner stayed over one night but the mezzanine was better suited for kids rather than adults, just due to the headroom and getting a suitcase up that ladder would be a bit of a challenge, otherwise, this is a wellequipped, nicely furnished place. Great for some lovely coastal dog walks from the door. All the staff we met were particularly helpful and friendly too. Really nice being able to use the café next door (although real sausage butties would have been a god extra!) We would definitely have made more of it if it had been open more often, particularly the bar!”

“A cosy, homely accommodation in a beautiful scenic location. Idea for a relaxing break and walk along the cliffs and picturesque coastline. Well equipped with all necessities and a coffee machine that makes a perfect expresso! Comfortable outdoor furniture ideal for chilling with a beverage, company, and the sea air. Welcoming owners and friendly staff in the café and bar. What’s not to like?”

“We had a wonderful time staying here, the owner was so lovely and welcoming. The Cottage was cosy and tidy with lovely views of the sea. Would 100% highly recommend.”

West Farm

Southerndown Coastal Retreat Southerndown CF32 0PY 01656 332638

www.westfarmsoutherndown.com

westfarmsoutherndown

westfarmsoutherndown

General enquiries: info@westfarmsoutherndown.com

Event enquiries: events@westfarmsoutherndown.com

Wedding enquires: weddings@westfarmsoutherndown.com

Accommodation enquires: stay@westfarmsoutherndown.com

Book a cottage at www.holidaycottages.co.uk

Opening times

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 9:30am - 4:30pm, food served until 3pm

Friday 9:30am - 5pm, food served until 3pm (Coffee Shop)

Bar will then close at Sundown

Saturday 9:30am - 5pm, food served until 3pm (Coffee Shop)

Bar closes at Sundown

Sunday 9:30am - 5pm, food served until 3pm (Coffee Shop)

Bar closes at 6pm (or later if live music)

Fontygary Leisure Park was established in the 1950s and has always been a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Seventy years on, the park has been transformed into something quite special.

FONTYGARY

When Tim McIlveen left the army, he was appointed as Managing Director of Fontygary in 1995. By 2004 he had completed a management buyout. He was subsequently joined by wife Jane and sons Tom and Mark as Directors. As Rhoose residents, we’ve been following the developments at Fontygary with great interest. We caught up with Tim to find out more about the exciting transformation of this much-loved 4-star leisure park.

What has prompted the recent investment in the park?

Just after acquiring Fontygary, we were able to purchase a holiday park in France. The complications of running a business in another country were made trickier still during the recent pandemic. Somewhat reluctantly we took the decision to sell the French park and to invest the proceeds in the ongoing improvements at Fontygary.

What have been the major improvements?

Our aim has always been to develop the park to the highest possible standard for all our customers, be they holiday homeowners, tourers or the general public.

We have really invested in making Fontygary completely family friendly and over the last few years we have added ten pin bowling, an 18-hole adventure golf course, indoor soft play, a coffee shop, function room and a fabulous bar, kitchen and terrace. The swimming pool remains too. All areas of our central facilities complex are open to the general public, and we have options for all the family come rain or shine. In school holidays we also run special ticketed events and we have live music on site every weekend.

We have also just started work on a deli and convenience shop which should open in late June. By July we hope to have completed refurbishments of the park maintenance buildings and launderette. In addition, we have been able to purchase some seventy extra acres of land to the East of Fontygary.

We hope in due course to offer some limited additional tourism features but also to maintain and improve much of this area as public open space for both our customers and local residents, plus of course their dogs!

By the summer our total investment in Fontygary over the past few years will exceed £5 million pounds, much of which is a massive thank you to our customers who have stuck with us throughout the pandemic.

“You don't need a caravan to enjoy Fontygary Leisure Park though, all our facilities are open to the public.”

Please tell us about the new style restaurant. What will the food offering be?

We have something for everyone - hot drinks, snacks, toasted filled croissants, sandwiches, salads, paninis in the coffee shop which is open all day, every day for eat in or takeaway daily 9am - 6pm.

In Shoreway bar, kitchen and terrace we have small plates, grill, children’s menu, fresh salads and burgers, food is served 12 noon - 3pm and 5pm - 8pm in Shoreway Monday - Saturday. Also, breakfast from 9am - 11am Wednesday - Sunday. Sunday lunch is from 12 noon - 4pm.

There are different zones to the restaurant. Please expand on these. Can people just have coffee and cake for example?

You can eat and drink everywhere in the restaurant. We recommend booking at the weekend, particularly for Sunday lunch. Otherwise, you can normally walk in and order food and drinks at the bar. Coffee and cake are an option, just as a glass of white wine and a bowl of olives is too! The outdoor terrace is for walk in’s only and drinks can only be ordered out here via the Fontygary app. We also have a limited dog friendly area and all children under twelve should be accompanied by an adult.

What’s the booking system? Do people need to book online, or can we just turn up?

We recommend that you book for groups of eight guests and over as areas to seat large parties are limited. Sunday lunch booking is a must. If you know you are definitely coming to Fontygary then bookings are highly recommended at weekends and in school holidays. You can book via the website very easily to ensure you are not disappointed.

The décor is gorgeous. What inspired the look?

Our designers used the natural ambience, environment and coastline around us as inspiration. The colours used reflect those of the sea and there is a slight nautical and maritime theme to the design. If you study the pictures, you will also see many scenes from Fontygary taken over the last fifty years on the walls, it is interesting to see how the place and the fashions have changed!

How many new staff have been employed and are they from the local area?

So far, we have employed around sixty new staff from Rhoose and the surrounding towns and villages. We are always on the lookout for more though.

What will the opening hours be? It varies per area, best to look at the website for up-to-date information.

Do you have spaces that could be hired for private functions?

We do have a function room available for hire Monday to Thursday currently. Bayview has a superb private balcony overlooking the coast with its’ own bar and entrance. We also have a raised area in Shoreway that is perfect for parties of up to forty guests to have a celebration meal.

What do you think will attract new visitors to the new look facilities?

Our aim throughout this process has been to offer our customers the highest possible standards but at a reasonable price and in stunning surroundings. We very much hope that word will spread!

Is the redevelopment now complete or are there further plans for the future?

Over our years in this business, it has become abundantly clear that you must never rest on your laurels and think things are complete. The best are always looking to improve, evolve and move forward – we endeavour to be the best that we can be!

We try to get to London at least once a year (to get a Heat magazine obviously) and we’re always looking for new locations, funky hotels and cool places to visit. The Gate near Whitechapel popped up on our radar so we logged on to www.thetrainline.com

T HE GATE GATEWAY TO THE CITY

The Gate is an aparthotel, a cool cross between an apartment and a hotel. We’ve stayed on a few previously and they work very well. The Gate is on White Church Lane near Whitechapel. It’s just down the road from the Gherkin so never having stayed in that area, we thought we’d give it a shot.

It worked out very well indeed. Armed with our Oyster card, from Aldgate, Aldgate East or Whitechapel tube stations we could explore most of central London within twenty minutes. Locally there are some excellent restaurants, pubs with live music and eateries. We had intended on seeing a movie at the Curzon cinema and bar around the corner but just ended up in the bar area chatting - next time perhaps, we were just too chilled.

The Gate is within a short walking distance of London’s most creative and vibrant areas of Shoreditch, Hoxton and Hackney, all alive with street art, independent restaurants and great bars. The iconic Tower Bridge and the riverfront are also a mere ten-minute walk away. Honestly, you won’t be bored.

Our ‘studio’ at The Gate was compact and bijou, as you’d expect, and was fine for our purposes. Tastefully designed, and being on the seventeenth floor, we had some great views across London. There are larger rooms available, and The Gate has an excellent website where all is explained. We particularly loved the king size Hypnos bed, the shower and excellent toiletries, and the lounge area on the fifth floor (which is also where breakfast is served).

You can order a meal too, but we grabbed a couple of steaks from the rather excellent Macro Food Centre across the street and cooked them in the room on our first evening.

On our second evening, liking Turkish food (we love Keyif in Penarth), we thought we’d try Efes just five minutes away (we’d passed it earlier in the day). We were lucky to get a table and weren’t disappointed. The tender lamb shish was perfect, as was the service. We can certainly recommend.

Whenever we visit any area in London, we ask ourselves two questions. Would we return and would we stay in the same hotel (or aparthotel)? The answer to both questions is a resounding yes. The area had a real buzz about it and The Gate mirrors that energy and creativity (and it’s pretty reasonably priced). The staff are excellent and couldn’t be more helpful. I wish we could have stayed for a few more nights. Two was great but there’s such a lot to see and do around there, three or four nights would have been perfect. The

www.thegate-london.com

thegate_hotel

When our magazines go to print, we try to reward ourselves with a little weekend away occasionally. We’d had friends recommend Hartwell House & Spa in Buckinghamshire so thought a cheeky short break would do us the world of good. We weren’t wrong.

FRENCH CONNECTION

For a start, we would be crossing the border into England where Covid restrictions were considerably more relaxed, and life might feel somewhat normal - it did. After a leisurely crosscountry drive, we arrived at Hartwell House & Spa. A truly beautiful stately home in rural Buckinghamshire, restored by Historic House Hotels, offering hotel luxury in a magnificent ninety acre setting.

I won’t ramble on too much about its history - suffice to say it could fill a library, and there are plenty of reminders around the hotel - so if history is your thing (and it is ours), then you’ll certainly be spoiled. At this point I’d like to give a well-earned shout out to John, our concierge, who gave us truly fascinating insights into Hartwell House’s history. John is a fount of knowledge and worth seeking out.

Just to give a short example, we had booked the Duchesse d’Angoulême Room, which was occupied by the Duchesse (the niece of Louis XVIII of France) who resided at Hartwell House with him in exile from 1809 to 1814.

The Duchesse was the surviving child of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Apparently, the revolution affected her pretty badly and she was said to have a ‘pious and mournful disposition’. Revolutions can do that to a personespecially if you’re not on the winning side shall we say. It was observed that she always looked as if she had been recently weeping.

She was devoted to the King though, and never failed to accord him all the homage due to him, which, it is rumoured, he found at times a little tiresome within the confines of Hartwell (which is a rather smaller than Versailles).

The Duchesse d’Angoulême had a long life, and it’s worth noting that, surviving as she did until the 1850s, she lived long enough to experience travel by train.

We travelled by Fiat. Certainly not as glamourous but, nevertheless, like the Duchesse, surely, we were impressed by Hartwell’s location on arrival. A walk prior to afternoon tea did much to relax our disposition and put us in a ‘Royal’ frame of mind. There is no doubt about it, Hartwell has a wonderfully calming effect on the soul. The grounds are superb and the waterfowl on the nearby lake did much to contribute to the feeling of us being in harmony with nature.

We can highly recommend dinnerthe food and service are superb. If you do stay, you really must indulge yourself. It’s one of the best we’ve experienced. If I had an observation (not a criticism), it’s the lighting. In the Instagram age, the dining room lighting makes it almost impossible to do the food justice. Having said that, perhaps that’s how it should be at somewhere like Hartwell - if it is to be dragged into the modern era, like it’s previous occupants, it’ll do so begrudgingly, and quite rightly so.

While we loved mooching around the hotel and grounds, we do love a little drive to check out what there is to see and do in the area. The reasonably local town of Thame was recommended to us. Don’t get me wrong, we love a big city mooch as much as the next person, but as we only had a couple of hours to spare, we liked the idea of a visit to a quaint market town with a smattering of independent shops - just up our street. Thame certainly held its own. Anyone who knows Jennifer, knows she loves to shop, especially if it’s a boutique and there were several to keep her entertained. Thame is small and perfectly formed - very similar to our own Cowbridge. It even has a decent sized Mint Velvet store, something that Cardiff, our capital city doesn’t. Let’s just say Jennifer was glad we called in on our way back.

Bottom line, we love Hartwell House. You can lose yourself here (as so many have over the decades). It’s wistful, charming, imposing and, despite its historical boasts, spectacularly understated but with an elegance that is quite disarming and unforgettable. We will return.

Finally, I’d like to mention the staff at Hartwell. They are, quite simply, lovely. Nothing is too much trouble, and their service is faultless and authentic. You can have the most beautiful hotel in the most stunning location but it’s people that make it special (including the guests). And they certainly are at Hartwell House.

TRAVEL LIFE

For more local, UK and international travel features, visit www.travellifemag.co.uk

“Hartwell House & Spa may be the epitome of Englishness, but it has a wonderful French connection.”

Hartwell House & Spa

Oxford Road, Vale of Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP17 8NR 01296 747444

www.hartwell-house.com

Main Switchboard (Bedroom and Dining Enquiries, and Reservations) 01296 747444

Spa Reservations 01296 746500

Meetings (Weddings and Private Dining enquiries and bookings) 01296 746502

We love dogs...

As you may know, we love dogs and Hartwell House is very dog friendly so if you have a pooch and you don’t want to leave it at home, Hartwell House could very well be the perfect staycation location. Just thought we’d put that out there.

Having ever-so-slightly fallen head over heels in love with Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, we decided to book a second two-night break in this beautiful part of rural England. And now, as they say, for something completely different.

ORANGE BALSAM AND DEEP PURPLE

Darwin Escapes recently unveiled its Springs Resort & Golf Club in Oxfordshire, following many years of investment, culminating in the loving restoration of the 19th Century Manor House previously owned by rock legend Ian Gillan of Deep Purple.

Ian, at one point, had developed the property and grounds as a home, complete with guitar shaped swimming pool, and then a hotel.

It was subsequently sold; but, over several decades, business waned, and the Manor eventually closed and fell into disrepair. Skip a few years forward and it’s acquired by Darwin Escapes who, in the words of John Hammond in Jurassic Park have “spared no expense” turning the property into something really rather

The resort, including hotel, spa and four new lakeside lodges, is located a mere thirty minutes from Oxford, benefitting from easy access to major road networks but surrounded by beautiful rolling countryside.

We stayed in the Orange Balsam suite. One of eight that have been individually designed “to offer guests an intimate, chic and relaxing stay”. Ours certainly did. For the price, we were genuinely blown away by the quality - beautifully designed in a boutique style but certainly not in a clichéd way.

It wasn’t long before Jennifer headed for the 1893 Spa, named after the year the Manor House was originally built, with its stunning spa lounge and hydrotherapy pool with underwater ceramic beds. Later we enjoyed dinner at the newly renovated Springs clubhouse, home to The Ridgeway Restaurant, overlooking the golf course. Our three-course meal was superb.

The following day, we visited Henley-onThames, Marlow (an excellent suggestion by the ladies on reception), and Oxford (we ended up watching Dune at the cinema while students queued eagerly to see Jordan Peterson at the Oxford Union). in the evening, we headed to the market town of Thame for a light evening meal. It was, in rock parlance ‘just a perfect day’. That’s the great thing about The Springs location. It’s smack bang in the middle of some of the most beautiful English towns and villagesyou won’t be bored that’s for sure.

We’re not golfers, but The Springs golf course provides an excellent experience with an 18-hole, par-72 course that tracks the River Thames through 133 acres of stunning Oxfordshire countryside. I imagine if you are a golfer, this would be pure heaven - it certainly felt like it to us.

The Springs Resort has also unveiled four new two-bedroom Millpond lodges, all of which come with a hot tub and landscaped decking area with beautiful views across the millpond.

A further 15 one-bedroom lodges and 27 hotel lodge rooms will be opening in spring 2022 to offer a wide variety of accommodation to guests.

Drum roll please…

We have to commend everyone at The Springs for making our short stay so enjoyable. As we often say, “people make places”, and this couldn’t be truer here. Every member of staff we encountered was a credit to the company.

TRAVEL LIFE

For more local, UK and international travel features, visit www.travellifemag.co.uk

The Springs Resort & Golf Club

Wallingford Road North Stoke, Wallingford OX10 6BE 01491 827300

www.darwinescapes.co.uk/the-springsresort-and-golf-club https://bit.ly/31flcLZ

thespringsresortoxford

Darwin Escapes

For further information about Darwin Escapes and its numerous golf and holiday destinations and facilities visit www.darwinescapes.co.uk or follow them on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook @DarwinEscapes

Owners Sanjeev and Elinor took over The Great House Hotel in 2017. Over the last five years the couple have slowly but surely transformed the offering.

GREAT E XPECTATIONS

What changes have you made to-date?

We have updated all public areas of The Great House including the bar, restaurant, toilets, and function room. We are currently in the process of renovating some more of our bedrooms and are in the middle of an exciting garden project.

What’s the offering at Great House?

We have twelve bedrooms at the hotel, ranging from standard and superior rooms to our suites and Lodge in the Courtyard. We offer a comfortable relaxed home-from-home environment whilst still providing all the mod cons needed to enhance guests’ stays.

We cater for all types of life events from weddings to wakes, baby showers and christenings. We also have a conference and meeting facilities for corporate events or team away-days.

We understand that you’ve had some rooms refurbished/redesigned. Please tell us about those. We are not afraid to push boundaries with our refurbs and will sometimes experiment with extreme and unusual colours, fabrics, and design ideas. We try to create a unique guest experience and no two rooms are the same. However, that said, guest comfort and their needs are always at the forefront of our minds.

“If you wanted full, exclusive use of the whole house we can accommodate up to 120 guests who can also mingle in our bar and lounge areas.”

Who’s at the helm in the kitchen and what is his background?

Our Head Chef is Mathew Howells. Matthew is self-taught and has worked under some awarded chefs. His first Head Chef role was at Cae Court in Bridgend. He has fifteen years’ experience and is passionate about local and Welsh produce. He likes to experiment, as we do, so he fits right in.

What style of cuisine is on offer?

Matthew describes our menu as “British Classics with a twist”. We are a 2 AA Rosette establishment that takes pride in experimenting and providing quality dishes with fresh, local ingredients. The Michelin guide recognises us so we always strive to deliver exciting flavour combinations presented in different ways. Thinking outside the box is a must.

Are you open for lunch and dinner?

We are open daily for lunch 12 ‘til 2pm, Afternoon Tea is available between 3 and 5pm and dinner at 6 ‘til 9pm. We do change our menu fairly often, combining seasonal flavours with locally sourced produce.

What about Sunday lunch?

We offer Sunday Lunch from noon ‘til 3pm. Our Sunday lunch options change weekly as we use a Welsh Master Butcher and local produce is an essential part of our offering. We offer a 2-course menu from £18.95 or three courses at £21.95.

You’ve kept going through Covid offering a takeaway service, will this continue as things ease even further? Yes! The demand for takeaways was incredible during lockdown and we were overwhelmed by the support from the local community. We will of course keep these going as restrictions ease and allow everyone to experience The Great House in their own home. We currently offer Sunday Lunch and our Afternoon Teas for takeaway.

Can customers book your venue for private events?

We can certainly offer guests exclusive use for private events. We cater for everything from baby showers to children’s princess parties! Our Great Hall is perfect for functions of up to 70 guests, whilst our function room upstairs offers a cosier atmosphere for up to 40 guests. If you wanted full, exclusive use of the whole house we can accommodate up to 120 guests who can also mingle in our bar and lounge areas.

Now that weddings are back online, what can you offer the would-be wedding couple?

The newly engaged couple will have a bespoke experience, from the initial enquiry to the “I Do’s!” our wedding team are on hand to help create their dream day. We offer an exclusive experience, with personalised touches that make the day truly special.

What customers say…

“Stopped here for a coffee in the gardens. Pleasant and friendly staff, prompt service, clean facilities, good coffee, and absolutely gorgeous scenery! The building itself is really beautiful and the landscaping outside is delightful. Plenty of car parking spaces. And the rooms looked quaint and very cute from the outside at least!”

Lisa Moseley 2020

“A rare find. Quaint little hotel.” Mike Fleckney 2020

“Superb dining experience. Great staff who were welcoming and attentive. The food was faultless.”

Phil Maund 2021

“First time staying as a treat from my partner for his birthday and wow the historic architecture of the building is amazing. Beautiful decor inside and out the room was beautiful especially the bathroom had a really comfy night, staff are lovely and friendly.”

Victoria 2021

“We had our wedding reception at The Great House a couple of weeks ago just after the restrictions lifted, and all I can say was it was absolutely stunning! The food was fantastic, incredible service from all the staff who went above and beyond to make the day so special. The room was decorated beautifully. The grounds are really pretty for photographs. A Special mention for our wedding coordinator as nothing was too much trouble for her - whatever we needed. Highly recommend this lovely quaint hotel. Top class service, thank you all.”

Kathryn Thomas 2021

Sunglasses are essential to protect our eyes from bright light, but only lenses that are polarised can cut out glare from reflective surfaces.

Catherine

Coles. Manager

at Davies & Jones, Talbot Green

explains.

WINTER SUN SCREEN POLARISED SUNGLASSES AT DAVIES & JONES

We all experience glare in our daily lives, and whether its whilst driving or taking part in an outdoors sport, it can be distracting, especially as the autumn and winter months approach. The sun sits low on the horizon and that can create huge problems with glare.

When light reflects off a flat surface, like water, or the sloping window of a car, it tends to travel in a uniform direction creating a concentration of light, or ‘glare’. Polarised lenses contain a filter that blocks these concentrated light rays and reduces glare. This reduction of glare can be particularly useful when driving in the rain, or when the sun is low in the sky, as blinding glare can be extremely dangerous.

Reduced glare means better contrast and clarity of vision. This enhanced vision, and the fact that harmful rays are being blocked also results in less eye strain.

Polarised lenses have been popular in the fishing community for years but it’s not just those who spend a lot of time around water that can benefit from reduced glare. Whether you’re a driver or just someone who spends a lot of time outdoors, Davies and Jones recommends polarised sunglasses.

Davies and Jones are proud of their spectacular(!) range from Maui Jim whose sunglasses won’t change the world –they’ll change the way you see it. Call in and see the full range for yourselves.

I first walked through Crumbs door back in the early eighties, probably around the same time as current owner Paul. We both loved the food. I bought a potato pie salad, Paul bought the business.

PLUS BRUNCH, LUNCH & AFTERNOON TEA CRUMBS FOR BREAKFAST

Crumbs, the much-loved restaurant/ café in Cardiff’s beautiful Morgan Arcade, breezed past its 50th year in 2019 (Paul has owned it over thirty years) and, to celebrate, he gave what was the capital’s very first vegetarian/vegan restaurant a little makeover to celebrate.

Paul is keen to remind me that virtually nothing has changed since it opened back in the early seventies. It’s still offering both a brilliant sit in and takeaway menu. We agree the subtle change of décor, chairs, and tables may, for the most part, go unnoticed.

It always looked, and still does, exceptionally clean and beautifully presented - testament to his passionate team. In fact, it looks and feels much the same as it did when I walked through its door for the first time back in 1981. Even the menu is almost as it was then. As they say, “if it isn’t broke, it doesn’t need fixing.”

I must confess, I don’t eat a lot of veggie but Crumbs won me over those many years ago (I just love their cheese and potato pie). These days, it’s a favourite for a breakfast with a friend or business brunch. Talking about breakfast, it’s the Crumbs breakfast (served up to 11.30am) that kept it going through the heady months of Covid.

No surprise to me really. It all looks so good. You could go for a cereal bowl of either brans or mueslis (gluten free option available) served with fresh fruit and yoghurt, but you may fancy something a bit more substantial so perhaps the vegan porridge with mixed fruit and a drizzle of local honey, eggs Florentine, scrambled eggs on toast with spinach or the homemade American-style hash browns topped with fried eggs (I’m honestly salivating writing this). A recent favourite for me, and many other customers it appears, is the full breakfast.

There are an excellent selection of teas, coffees, soft drinks and choice of freshly squeezed carrot, apple and orange juice to choose from but I can’t resist their cappuccinos at the moment - fortunately the cups aren’t buckets like so many of the chains.

Crumbs has always been a firm favourite for lunch due to its plentiful, super healthy salad bowls, Mediterranean Falafels, sweet potato pakoras, seeds and olives, homemade quiches, lasagnes and pies (remember my favourite, the cheese and potato). Not forgetting the gluten free and vegan soups, vegetarian curry and chilli. For those just wanting a coffee there’s a to-die-for selection of vegan, gluten free and organic cakes to tempt should your resolve weaken. If you happen on Crumbs mid-afternoon, you must try the afternoon tea; home-made scones with clotted cream and jam and a cup of tea (traditional or speciality), it’s to die for.

Why is the food so good at Crumbs?

The produce is fresh and locally sourced, so it’s full of flavour and goodness. Also, no meat is stored on the premises, which, for vegetarians or vegans, is of paramount importance.

The restaurant is bigger than it looks from outside. If it looks busy inside, take the stairs to the first floor where you’ll find two more rooms with even more seating and table space - a different vibe to downstairs (in one window, you can look over the arcade below! Great for people watching.

Don’t just take our word on how good Crumbs is. A quick visit to TripAdvisor will reassure you that this shrine to all things veggie is a must visit. If you’ve never tried it, you must. Trust me, like myself and thousands of Crumbs fans across Cardiff and the Vale, you won’t be disappointed.

TESTIMONIALS

Crumbs is rated five stars

“Amazing for vegans!” *****

My sister and I went to Crumbs for lunch after hearing good things about it. We are both vegans and were really impressed with the range of vegan options. We had the spiced chickpea and spinach pie with salad and hummus - it was amazing! There was also a large selection of vegan cakes, brownies and shortbreads. We had one piece of chocolate cake and one piece of carrot cake - both were delicious. The staff were also very friendly and welcoming. I’ll definitely be going back!

“Great for veggies, vegans and other humans too!” *****

Had a lovely breakfast here yesterday followed by the best vegan cake I’ve ever had - Morello cherry and vanilla! Breakfast section is small but great quality. Lunch looked lovely with vegan and gluten free falafels and a very tasty looking chickpea pie also vegan and GF - also great selection of salads. Make sure you leave room for cake though - all vegan and lots of choice!

“Superb curries!” *****

I adore the Farrow & Ball interior. Taste is what sets Crumbs apart. Their curries are so packed full of flavour. I’m not vegetarian but they’re so good, I don’t notice the missing meat. Their soups are to die for too. If I’m shopping in town, Crumbs is my go-to for lunch.

Crumbs Takeaway & Salad Bar 33 Morgan Arcade, Cardiff CF10 1AF 029 2039 5007

www.crumbskitchencardiff.co.uk

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Opening hours

Monday to Friday 9am - 4pm

Saturday 9am - 4:30pm

Sunday 10am - 3:30pm

Breakfast served 9:30am to 11:30am every day

Open all year ‘round except Christmas day and Boxing Day

SEVEN HEAVEN

Living in Wales is wonderful but wanderlust always sets us off travelling and because we love our weekends in the smoke, we took ourselves for a short break rail-blazing around Seven Dials.

Seven Dials is a unique shopping and lifestyle destination in London’s West End positioned between Covent Garden and Soho. Seven atmospheric streets are filled with independent boutiques, international fashion labels, heritage brands, beauty boutiques, men’s grooming specialists, traditional pubs, cool cocktail bars, cafés, awardwinning restaurants, theatres and smart hotels. At the centre is a pillar bearing six sundials, a result of the column being commissioned before a late- stage alteration of the plans from the original six roads to seven. Seven Dials even warranted a mention in the operetta Iolanthe by W. S. Gilbertfame indeed!

First we needed a base, so The Hoxton, Holborn pops up on our radar and has excellent reviews; we aren’t disappointed. It’s a mix between a business club, restaurant, café, bar and hotel, and oozes cool from every pore.

“The Hoxton, Holborn delivered one of the best night’s sleep ever.”

It is compact and bijou, with great value and finish as well as value for money, and we love it.

For breakfast they offer a complimentary bag (yoghurt, fruit etc) but we opt to purchase the full English with tea and it doesn’t disappoint. We have to compliment The Hoxton, Holborn on their service. The staff are awesome and some of our establishments could learn a lot about customer service from The Hoxton, Holborn. They really are lovely people.

“Any hotel that has an August 1990 copy of Elle for you to read is cool with us.”

Yes, we loved The Hoxton, Holborn – perfectly positioned on High Holborn to explore the Seven Dials. So what does the area offer? Great access to Covent Garden, Soho and the West End. The seven streets are packed with cool independents so if shopping, rail-blazing and eating out is your forte, you’ll be satisfied indeed.

Our highlights…

Any weekend away is about experiences. In this area, you’re coming for the vibe, the buzz, the sounds, the smells, the tastes and boy, does Seven Dials deliver. We pushed the boat out on day one with dinner at Marcus Wareing’s Tredwells restaurant and enjoyed one of the best starters to a meal ever - afterwards, we took a walk and even the rain added to the mood reflecting the beautiful lights of Carnaby Street onto the cobbles, a wonderfully atmospheric start to a great weekend.

On Saturday, we actually slept in - The Hoxton, Holborn is super quiet despite our room overlooking High Holborn. Great breakfast and we’re out, there’s so much to see. The Seven Dials Market is a must - lovely vibe about the place and some really excellent stalls. We wanted to try Redemption, a vegan restaurant nearby in Shorts Gardens (as we’d heard excellent things) but, sadly, it was fully booked (we should have made a reservation). We head for Covent Garden and, again, it delivered exactly what we’d hoped for - by now, we are completely chilled and embracing London life.

Lunchtime Saturday we find ourselves sharing afternoon tea at Monmouth Kitchen on Monmouth Street, an Italian and contemporary Peruvianinspired tapas restaurant. Super scrummy. A treat yes, but isn’t this what life is about? The other food at Monmouth Kitchen looked excellent so certainly one we would visit again next time we’re here.

We head to Earlham Street and discover Knomo who design products to help get life organised. From backpacks to briefcases and handbags to luggage, every product is cleverly designed and caters for technology and modern life on the move. Impressive, and we’re now proud owners.

Back to Monmouth Street to Miller Harris for what we both agreed was a really lovely experience – a bespoke fragrance profiling by Store Manager who instantly became a friend.

He was a gorgeous soul and we ended up promising to have dinner next time we’re in London. Having our own fragrance specially curated for us was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.

We spent the rest of the afternoon browsing the seven streets and decided that we’d like to try something out of our comfort zones for dinner. After a quick freshen up at The Hoxton, Holborn, we were off to Flesh & Buns on Earlham Street, a Japanese Izakaya restaurant and bar serving steamed hirata buns with sirloin steak and some cool cocktails. It was packed, noisy and wonderfully addictive. I imagine if we lived locally, it would be one of our favourite places.

Soho and Chinatown beckoned and we spent the next hour soaking up the sights, smells and sounds of this iconic area before heading back.

Sunday morning arrives and despite our mantras that we’d go easy at breakfast, one of us caved and the full English won again.

We head back into Seven Dials and find ourselves at Murdock London on Monmouth Street. We’d spotted it the day before and had booked in for a facial for Mark. Murdock London is a fine barber offering all the usual services but delivering in an exceptionally cool way. They have also created a range of signature products so even if you’re not in London, you can enjoy the experience at home. All products are made in England and offer a signature shaving collection along with colognes, skincare and accessories. Great facial - very relaxing and refreshing. Well worth a visit and a great gift for the chaps.

In the afternoon we are unable to resist passing Hotel Chocolat (we love the one in Cardiff). They offer a Chocolate Tasting Adventure in their Cocoa Vaults on Monmouth Street but, again, we should have booked. We console ourselves with a variety of ‘train sweets’ in the form of Cherry Deluxe and Lemon Cheesecake.

We checked out and headed for Paddington in a black cab (no we don’t Uber – we’d rather support the cabbies). Both agreed we’d had a fantastic weekend in Seven Dials and, as we wait for our train, we’re already planning our return. We’re in seventh heaven.

Leading hospitality group Accor is opening a new Mercure hotel in Cardiff by the end of 2020. The hotel previously operated under the Park Inn brand but is currently being extensively redesigned and fully refurbished to align with Mercure standards.

NORTHERN LIGHT

NEW MERCURE HOTEL FOR CARDIFF

Mercure Cardiff North Hotel, located in Circle Way East, is owned by Danish real estate group Proark and managed by Mercure.

Every Mercure hotel takes its inspiration from the features, traditions and history of its individual location while sharing the consistent quality of an international brand. Each hotel features locally inspired artwork, design, décor and even textures encompassing elements of its area’s cultural and historic past.

Mercure Cardiff North Hotel takes its inspiration from the historic docklands district Tiger Bay and the key role it played in the export of coal, iron

and tin from South Wales during the industrial revolution. The design of the hotel features copper aesthetic lining inspired by the Millennium Centre façade in Cardiff Bay, while curated display items include Welsh love spoons, miners’ hats and welsh textiles. The hotel offers 132 guest rooms and provides a convivial eating and drinking experience with a 32-cover restaurant, a café and bar lounge area.

Jean-Marc Vendioux, Senior Vice President Managed hotels UKI at Accor, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Proark on this new hotel in Cardiff and are proud to brand it as a Mercure. Guests can already expect an incredibly high

level of quality and personalised service, as they would receive in any Mercure, and this will be elevated by the look and feel of a hotel rooted in its local Cardiff community once the refurbishment is complete later this year.”

Michael Brag, Chairman of Proark commented: “We have worked closely with Accor since signing this hotel and are extremely pleased with the ongoing work being done to redesign and refurbish it. The hotel has the Mercure service and features guests expect but it will also offer local touches specific to Cardiff, which we are confident will be well received by business and leisure travellers alike.”

HIGHBULLEN

Given that it’s only a leisurely two and a half hour’s drive from Cardiff, it’s no wonder city dwellers choose this beautiful hotel for a quick getaway.

It’s

History

Highbullen Hotel combines an interesting history dating back to 1879 enhanced with contemporary touches and modern luxuries, set within a sprawling 127 acre estate with magnificent views across the Mole Valley and Exmoor National Park. This really is the hotel to explore North Devon.

Accommodation

At Highbullen Hotel, the main building, a Victorian arts and craft manor house, is home to twelve beautiful bedrooms, including the spectacular award-winning Loft Suite complete with its own steam room and infrared sauna, whilst a further thirty bedrooms can be found throughout the Estate in The Courtyard, Gardener’s Row, Golf View and Stable Cottage. Comfortable lounges to relax in can be found in the Manor House with stunning views across to Exmoor. Highbullen also offers four luxurious self-catering cottages.

The Food

There are plenty of dining options at Highbullen. Formal dining takes place in the AA 2 Rosette Devon View Restaurant, under the careful watch of head chef Stephen Walker.

The elegant dining room features floor to ceiling windows, granting spectacular panoramic views across the Devon countryside over to Exmoor.

The menu showcases seasonal and local produce with a modern British theme across all dishes. An extensive wine list offers wines from the old and new worlds and staff can suggest wine pairings.

Highbullen recently opened Laura Ashley The Tea Room. Designed in the distinctive Laura Ashley style, the room accommodates 74 covers, providing guests with unrivalled views bringing together the quintessence of England: the timelessness of afternoon tea, elegant country living and one of the most iconic English brands. This space is converted into The Supper Room between 6pm and 10pm daily. The casual dining menu here includes a wide style of dining options that will entice everyone including ‘small plates and sharing platters’ priced from £4.50, ‘big eats’ priced from £12.50, ‘pizza and pasta’ priced from £11, ‘salads’ and ‘desserts’ priced from £6.50.

HOTEL

The Highbullen Hotel, north Devon, is best known for two things - walking and great food. It’s an ideal base for exploring Exmoor and beyond and is the perfect place for a weekend or mid-week break.

Lanelay Hall is an extensively refurbished Victorian mansion in the heart Talbot Green – a real hidden gem. And what a gem it is. Beautifully refurbished, the Hall is situated on the eastern base of the Garth Maelwg mountain (known locally as the Smaelwg).

LANELAY HALL

Dating back to 1873, Lanelay Hall has been home to a succession of well-heeled gentry families throughout its colourful history. Hosting many special events and impressive family celebrations across the generations, many of which can be seen in photographs and images displayed throughout the hall.

In 1951 South Wales Fire and Rescue made Lanelay Hall their Headquarters until 2007. Owner Dave Edwards says, “We are always thrilled to welcome those that were stationed, worked or visited the fire headquarters over the years. We hear so many lovely stories and special memories.” In 2018 Lanelay Hall was gifted the original station bell which has pride of place in reception.

Lanelay Hall Hotel opened its doors in 2017 after an extensive renovation project. The timeless architecture and original features have been married with a unique contemporary design for the interior. It is refreshingly different and has a lovely vibe.

All bedrooms are individually designed with bespoke furniture and luxurious bed linen and the fabulous suites are all unique with rolltop baths and king size beds with plenty of space to relax and re-charge. Classic rooms and deluxe rooms all have en-suite bathrooms with a walk-in shower. You can wake every morning and enjoy a freshly prepared breakfast just as you like it.

Dave is keen to stress that everyone is welcome at Lanelay Hall. “You don’t have to be staying at the Hall to enjoy its superb facilities. Business-people drop by for meetings and we have a steady stream of lunch and dinner guests, and locals pop in all the time for teas and coffees,” he says.

“We’re passionate about providing every guest with outstanding customer service catered to their personal needs.”

One of its most popular offerings is the gorgeous Tribe Spa. The Spa fits the bill perfectly, following the theme of a ‘break from the norm’. The all natural (and Welsh) award-winning Tribe517 product range brings unusual and glorious treatment experiences to life, with its “dazzling fragrances, hot barley bags for comfort, and techniques to heighten your awareness”. And they’re not stopping there - Spa Phase 2 is due to open in spring 2020 and we know it will be fabulous.

“Most of all we want to make you feel special, look for the little treats and surprises all along your journey with us,” says Dave. “Every visit promises to be a little different than the last. That’s the Lanelay promise.”

Lanelay Hall is the perfect venue for christenings, family gatherings, private dining and intimate weddings. They’ll soon be publishing their Christmas calendar of events. To find out more, visit the website or drop in – we promise you’ll not be disappointed.

CORNISH CREAM

Next to West Wales, Cornwall is our favourite staycation destination in the UK. In the past, we’ve always looked for the perfect Cornish sea view but, on this occasion, thought we’d try inland at the beautiful Clowance Estate near Camborne.

Clowance Estate is part of Luxury Lodges, renowned for their hotelquality self-catering accommodation in some of Britain’s best loved holiday destinations – from Cornwall up to the Lake District, with a new property launching in Laugharne this Winter (the Welsh link).

Luxury Lodges, which includes Clowance Estate, is owned and managed by Sharon Hurley, and it is Sharon who has been the driver behind the group’s investment in Clowance and its expansion to Laugharne.

Clowance sits in 55 acres of beautiful grounds with ancient woodlands and lakes just outside Camborne. For Sharon, who grew up in Wales, the recent refurbishment and investment surpassing £5 million is the realisation of “a truly monumental season”, and means guests have a new restaurant, bar, and pool facilities, designed with inspiration from the on-site historic manor house and a concept that echoes its elegance and the surrounding meadow land.

“

We stayed in one of the cottages which are absolutely beautiful inside and out and are a credit to Sharon and her design team. Sharon says, “I believe that you should not have to compromise on style and quality just because you have a family to cater for. We want to offer all the luxuries of hotel-quality accommodation, but with the freedom and flexibility of self-catering. Our range of properties offer something for everyone and cater for the whole family in every stage of life, whether just starting out as a couple or celebrating milestones with multiple generations.”

Everything about Clowance is five stars, including its location. It is perfectly positioned at the base of the Cornish peninsula meaning all the very best locations are easily accessible; St Ives, Penzance, Porthcurno, Padstow, Newlyn and Mousehole plus the usual south coast favourites (we even managed to

squeeze in dinner at Rick Stein’s in Porthleven). On our third day, we took a leisurely drive down to Sennen Cove, just around the headland from Land’s End. Absolutely beautiful. Our evenings at Clowance were rounded off nicely with drinks in the bar followed by a relaxing spell in the jacuzzi outside our cottage, sipping a little night cap under the stars - total bliss.

As I mentioned earlier, later this year will see the opening of the newest addition to the portfolio, Luxury Lodges Laugharne and Milkwood Spa. The resort will be the first resort of its kind in the region, welcoming guests following an investment of £30 million plus. We’re really looking forward to visiting. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about Luxury Lodges, take a look at their gorgeous website at www.luxurylodges.co.uk

www.luxurylodges.com/clowance

I’ve always wanted to go to a slimming/ detox retreat. Not because I need to lose weight; my diet is pretty much on point but if you cut me, I bleed vodka! So I took myself away to the Slimmeria Retreat in Ilfracombe, north Devon, for a muchneeded five day detox.

SLIMMERIA RETREAT

Merlin Court is an impressive and imposing building resting on top of a hill with fabulous views overlooking the town of Ilfracombe. The building has been beautifully restored and renovated and comprises of boutique style en-suite rooms (some with baths). Imagine stripped wood floors, white walls and chandeliers. As this is a detox retreat, there are no TVs and no kettles or trays with teas, coffees and home-made shortbread biscuits! Or vodka.

Our host Galia Grainger set up her first Slimmeria retreat in Sussex. She lost more than four stone herself by following her Russian grandmother’s rules, a mix of Russian orthodox fasting, folk medicine and stern Soviet willpower. She is firm but fair (with a bit more emphasis on the firm!)

I arrived on the Sunday along with my fellow guests and our host was there to greet us. More on Galia later. We were a mixed bunch. Two other women, one in her thirties and the other in her forties - a gentleman in his sixties and little, old me. We were all there to shed some pounds and tighten up our flabby bits. Some were fitter than others but, as we found out during the five days, it was very much a team effort.

How each day unfolded...

Each day began with the ringing of a bell at 7.30am. We had to be in the dining room for 8am. We began the day with a slice of apple and some lemon water before setting off for one of our many and varied twohour walks.

Now, if you don’t know Ilfracombe, then let me tell you it’s a hilly place so the walks all involved hills of some sort or another. The first day our host was kind to us and took us on a walk through the town via the harbour; a proper fishing harbour with working boats. Here, we had a minute to stop and admire the famous Damien Hirst sculpture - Verity - a defiant, naked, pregnant woman holding up a sword as she oversees the comings and goings of the harbour. Love her or hate her, she’s definitely the talk of the town. I was unaware that Damien was a local.

“Our host Galia is firm but fair (with a bit more emphasis on the firm!).”

Other walks included the harbour and Hillsborough Torrs Path (south west coast path) and the historic Tarka Trail which follows the journey of Tarka the Otter, from the classic tale by Henry Williamson.

As I mentioned earlier, the group was of mixed walking ability, our host set us fitter ones on our way whilst she walked with the less fit. On our return to Merlin Court, we enjoyed breakfasta glass of juice.

Each day was a variation of different revitalising ingredients. Then followed an hour long fitness class (which even I found quite tough), and then an hour of yoga (which I’m going to take up on my return).

Did we eat real food?

Then lunch. Our meals were all plantbased and included ingredients such as carrots, shredded cabbage, beetroots, broccoli, some nuts and buckwheat/ quinoa with a drizzle of a light oil dressing.

At 3pm we had some fruit and a herbal tea. Dinner was at 6pm. This consisted of another salad, broth or soup.

We were encouraged to go for another unaccompanied walk (without taking money!) after our fruit, and before dinner, to keep the activity levels up and to lose more weight. I must admit I wasn’t even tempted by the fish and chips, pasties, fudge or afternoon teas. I was on a mission

After dinner, there was another activity of either self-defence, dance, belly dancing, pad work in the gym and muscle stretching and meditation classes. The package came with one treatment, but I also opted to have a few more which included lymphatic drainage, a back massage and reflexology during my stay. Lights out was at 9pm.

It was all going well until...

Everything was going swimmingly (I did that too at a local leisure centre) until Wednesday. Apparently, the lack of caffeine and carbs sometimes catches up with people, and it did me. I felt nauseous, weak, shaky and had a nasty headache. I was given a couple of raisins (a fast sugar hit) and, quite surprisingly, this sorted me out. It freaked me out though as I thought I was beyond that reaction given my caffeine and sugar free diet.

And the verdict?

So, did I lose weight? Yes. I lost 5lb (one pound a day) and an inch off my bust, an inch and a half off my waist, and an inch off my hips. The others in the group lost more but, in fairness, I didn’t have that much to lose in the first place. Previous guests have lost between 7-14lbs per week.

Would I go again?

Definitely. We all know the answer to losing weight is to eat less and move around more but it’s hard when you have to motivate yourself and contend with the working week, the house and the kids. But if you have a few days to spare and you want to kick start your diet, metabolism and tone up in the process, then a trip to Slimmeria could be just the thing to get you into that LBD for Christmas, look and feel great for an upcoming holiday or the start of how you mean to go on.

“I

lost 5lb, an inch off my bust, an inch and a half off my waist, and an inch off my hips.”

Hide is a unique, peaceful and luxurious hideaway on the Glamorgan Hertitage Coastline where you are encouraged to discover peace and contemplate the wild.

H IDE

Here you can explore a stunning part of the Welsh coast from carefully crafted accommodation with an infectious appreciation of local culture, history and art creating a perfect retreat for relaxation.

Where is it?

Tresilian Wood is the name of Hide’s site with its small arboretum occupying seven and a half acres adjacent to St Donats Castle.

St Donats is a tiny village in the Vale of Glamorgan, just twenty-five minutes from the Welsh capital. It is an area steeped in history with its castles, churches and myths. With vast skies, lush grasslands, woods and the dramatic Heritage Coastline, Hide is special.

Hide provides a tranquil and delightful location. Sea air, lush meadow and wild coastline surround you, perfect for getting away.

Accommodation

Hide has three romantic, snug Cabans, a Bugail (shepherds) hut and Walden Lodge, tucked between trees, bushes and wildflowers offering uninterrupted views of the wild seas.

Who comes here?

Hide is perfect for any event you might have in mind, from creative workshops to dinners, retreats and intimate celebrations. The pavilion opened in April 2019 creates a bar, dining and treatment area, hosting up to twenty-six guests with twelve guests staying on-site and the remaining guests staying in local accommodation.

Catering is from a choice of self-catering to award winning pop-up chefs. With 7.5 acres including its own arboretum from intimate spaces to large outside spaces, Hide has it all.

Workshops and Events

Hide is hosting a number of workshops and events - from pop-up feasts with the Two Anchors, Dirt and many more to workshops with esteemed artists. The diary starts with Zoe Bradley whose career started with Alexander McQueen and commissions such as designing Liberty’s Christmas windows.

Zoe will take the clients attending on a paper sculpting journey, creating a hand sculpted snowflake wreath that exudes Christmas by immersing you into a wonderful creative space surrounded by nature.

“With vast skies, lush grasslands, woods andthe dramatic Heritage Coastline,Hide is special.”

You deserve it…

Hide creates an environment to switch off from the outside pressures, ensuring relaxation to restore and reset your body. Inspired by the traditional Swedish massage, the treatments offered here focus on treating your body and your body’s needs. There is no routine - it is about treating you.

Sounds perfect, how do we book? For more information please contact paula@hide.wales or call 014446 794362.

Do they offer vouchers?

Yes, you can buy a voucher for a friend or loved one. You can personalise your voucher with a message, choose to have one sent via e-voucher directly to your friend or loved one, or send a beautifully packaged paper voucher by post.

Hide Tresilian Wood, Dimlands Road St Donats CF61 1ZB 01446 794362

www.hide.wales