Destinations

Before describing the reasons why I love the Lake District I must first ask an important question. What is the most beautiful place you have ever travelled to? It is a cliché question and on second thoughts not actually ‘important’. Everywhere is beautiful so choosing a place is difficult and in many ways unnecessary. Despite this at least one answer will come to mind if you ask anyone and give him or her time to think.

Solo travelling has taken me to many places in the UK but visiting the Lake District was not on my travel bucket list. The reason I travelled to this region of north-west England was for charity. If that opportunity had not come about maybe I would never have been to the Lake District. Could you call it fate? Well, let’s not go down that path. Instead, I will use this post to explain why I love the Lake District.

How many peaks?

I love the Lake District because it brings to mind a happy memory.

My first visit to the Lake District was to attempt a walking challenge for the British Heart Foundation. The challenge was to hike 8 peaks within 12 hours in one day. Yep! One of those peaks was Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. A quick back-story to this is that my dad passed away several years ago from heart failure. From then on I vowed that if I was to ever sign up for an epic challenge I would do it for the British Heart Foundation.

I exceeded my fundraising target and managed to hike all 8 peaks within 11 hours. For this achievement I won’t hold back in saying it is one of the best experiences of my life. This memory is forever associated with the Lake District.

The green of Langsdale

I love the Lake District because of how green it is.

The 8 peaks challenge started in a remote part of the Langsdale region, New Dungeon Ghyll. It is situated between giant valleys dwarfing a single hotel and the pub next door. As a city person I am not used to seeing so much green so when I stepped off the bus I couldn’t believe that a place like this existed in the UK.

Wherever I looked there were uninterrupted views of the natural landscape. Cars are frequent along with the occasional bus so walking along the narrow roads requires caution. Getting off the road and onto the rocky paths in the green fields is what I enjoyed.  I was connecting with nature and never wanted to escape it.

Peaceful

I love the Lake District because it is peaceful

The remoteness of Langsdale is what pulls me back there. I am able to have the time to see, feel and be in the Lake District. There are many walks or hikes to experience in every direction. Having the chance to walk in such beautiful surroundings is peaceful. Most of the time the only sounds you can hear are your steps on the rocky paths.

My daily routine whilst staying in Langsdale consisted of; breakfast, a long walk, lunch at the pub, writing/blog work, a few hours to relax and then dinner at the hotel. Having this type of holiday routine in the Lake District is inevitably relaxing. Bad phone signal and limited wifi means that I get the peaceful holiday I need to re-charge and forget about my usual daily routine.

The walks

I love the Lake District because of the numerous walking opportunities.

As I have already mentioned, the open green areas of Langsdale provide the opportunities to explore the Lake District on foot. Whichever direction you walk in it is inevitable you will come across sheep. You could even be in a stand off with sheep if they are in your way or you are in their way.

Participating in the 8 peaks challenge meant that I had to do a lot of walking to prepare. It is an easy way of keeping fit so any opportunity to walk especially in beautiful environments I will take. I couldn’t ask for a more suitable setting to walk in, than the Lake District.

A yearly trip

My love for the Lake District means that I have made a promise to myself to go back every year. I aim to explore other areas of the Lake District in the future and have already started doing this by staying in Windermere and doing a tour of the high peaks.

If you have been to the Lake District I am interested to hear whether you have had a similar positive experience.

Not only do I love the Lake District but also is it the most beautiful place I have travelled to.

No need for postcards, feel free to write a comment.

In 2019 there was one city I wanted to see. In the summer, I spent 72 hours in Copenhagen, exploring canals, gardens and food. Known for being one of the best cities in Europe to live in, Copenhagen is a city rich in history with lots to explore.

From my research, I knew that Copenhagen was an expensive place to live compared to other capital cities in Europe. The reason for this would have something to do with the average wage of €4000 (after-tax). I suppose you give what you take and if the quality of life is good then it is worth it.

During my 72 hours in Copenhagen, I frequently saw electric bikes being used and left in random places. I took one photo of an electric bike propped up in a town square filled with people, left waiting in a crowd for its next user. That’s modern life in Copenhagen.

Having 72 hours in Copenhagen to explore is an ample amount of time to see the city as a solo traveller. I explored fourteen places across the city taking in views of the city from the streets, canals and high above. I had a tool that helped me to explore, which I will come onto later. For a solo trip to Copenhagen this is what I recommend you explore with 72 hours in Copenhagen:

Nyhavn

The purpose-built canal region of Nyhavn is one of Copenhagen’s most recognisable places. Along the north side of the canal is a stretch of multi-coloured buildings, popular for photographic opportunities. Restaurants and cafes now adorn the colourful canal side, a good chance to relax and spot tourists admiring the city. I would advise visiting Nyhavn before ten in the morning. I did that a couple of times and it was a more quiet setting to take your time wondering by the canal.

Free Walking Tour

Copenhagen offers free walking tours. These types of tours are an excellent way to discover more about any city. Copenhagen Free Walking Tours offer daily tours at different times, durations and routes. The tour I booked on was the Classical Copenhagen Tour lasting 90 minutes from noon. Our guide was from Australia who had been resident in Copenhagen for nine years. He introduced us to hidden locations, the two main high streets, The Round Tower and told us many facts about the city. Excluding any tips you may want to give at the end, you can’t really say no to a free walking tour.

Food Market

At the end of our walking tour, the guide left us at a place for lunch. Situated close to the busiest station in Copenhagen Norreport, is the urban marketplace of

Torvehallerne Copenhagen. Here you will find stalls with local produce, food, drinks and desserts.

The various street foods stalls offer many options but with Denmark being famous for open sandwiches I had to choose that. I chose a very nice smoked salmon and scrambled egg sandwich from Hallernes Smorrebrod. There are a lot of sandwiches to choose from, just be prepared to join a long queue.

Aside from the open sandwich; I tried a smoothie from Vita Boost and a Cinnabun from Lauras Bakery. Both were too tempting to miss out on. On another day I went back to the marketplace to have fish and chips from Fiskerikajen. Being freshly made it took a little longer than usual to receive it but worthwhile.

Rosenborg Castle and Kongens Have

The Rosenborg Castle is located in the beautiful Kongens Have (Kongens Park).

Rosenborg was built by Christian IV in the 1600s as a pleasure palace. It was the king’s favourite residence but by the 1700s it was no longer used for its original purpose. It became a place for kings to keep unique objects and in 1838 it opened to the public as a museum.

Admission to the castle allows you to see the royal rooms on the ground, 1^st and 2^nd floors. The Great Hall is on the second floor with tapestries on the wall illustrating Christian V’s victories in the war against Sweden in 1675-79. The basement is where weapons and unique items are displayed. The treasury level of the basement is where the crown jewels can be viewed.

Canal Tour

During my second day in Copenhagen, I went on a one hour canal tour. Seeing Copenhagen from this perspective enables you to see the boathouses located outside of the city centre. Also outside the city centre is the Little Mermaid statue. It attracts many tourists but it wasn’t something of great interest to me. At least by taking a canal tour, you are taken close to the statue, to at least tell people you saw it.

Tivoli Gardens

I visited Tivoli Gardens on a sunlit Copenhagen evening. The sun was slowly setting over the city and despite entering the gardens at 7.30 pm it was very busy. A large crowd gathered to watch live music at The Open Air Stage in the centre of the gardens. Many more were walking around eager to get to one of the many fairground attractions, restaurants or entertainment areas. Tivoli Gardens catering all types of visitor. If you want beautiful scenery, there are many open spaces to photograph.

Performances are scheduled across the various stages in the gardens that you can watch for free. I was fortunate to see a ballet of The Steadfast Tin Soldier. My evening was set with ice cream in hand!

The Round Tower

Seeing Copenhagen at street level enables you to cover more ground. By boat, you can see more of the city quicker. To complete the hat-trick you should be viewing the city from above. The Round Tower is a well-known structure to view the city. Christian IV built the tower between 1637-42 as an astronomical observatory, which is still used today. The tower opens at 10 am, which is when I visited. With fewer people around it is quicker to walk up the ramp to the top. You then have more space at the top to view Copenhagen in all directions.

How did I explore so much?

I purchased a Copenhagen Card to help me explore in the city (not sponsored). I have used similar cards in various cities and it is a valuable tool for a solo traveller. It allows you to explore with compromise. To make the most of it you have to set off early and have a plan of knowing where you want to go. That is precisely what I did and it allowed me to explore much more than I would have done without it. What made the Copenhagen card different to others I have used before is that each day of use is a full 24 hours.

For other cards, let’s say you arrived on a Saturday evening and activated it at the same time. That would be one day’s use. With the Copenhagen Card that one-day would last for 24 hours until the next evening. So by purchasing a 72 card it latest from the moment I arrived on Sunday evening up until I travelled to the airport on Wednesday evening. It even includes the use of public transport.

Final thoughts on my 72 hours in Copenhagen

For this solo trip, I wanted to have the fullest experience possible. I achieved this through careful planning and having the determination to explore early and late in the day. I stayed at a hotel close to a metro line (CPH Hotel), which was only a few minutes from the airport and the city centre. A beach was a few minutes walk away too.

Going on a walking tour helped me fit it with other solo travellers and the people of Copenhagen were very welcoming. If you want a beach, a castle, gardens, street food and canals Copenhagen is a city you should visit.

No need for postcards, feel free to write a comment…

When compiling the 8 things to do in Bakewell I found myself listing more things than I anticipated. Bakewell is in the heart of the Peak District and is a timely reminder of a traditional English town.  Before travelling it was obvious that the two main things to do were eat a Bakewell tart and a Bakewell pudding. Now, this could not be all that I would do during this bank holiday trip surely? Of course not, but eating was a big part of it.

With the weather being overcast, could you blame me for sitting in the various cafes and restaurants Bakewell had to offer? My 8 things to do in Bakewell are not all about food, you may be happy to hear. Surrounded by the green land of the Peak District there is much to admire in the outskirts of Bakewell also. As briefly mentioned I travelled to Bakewell during a bank holiday weekend. This offered plenty of time to explore the town, which is the ancient capital of the Peak District.

Here are my 8 things to do in Bakewell:

Have fish and chips from Riverside

For a traditional dinner, you can’t go wrong with fish and chips. Judging by the long queues, Riverside is a popular establishment with the people of Bakewell. I opted for a small cod and chips with mushy peas. The food was crammed into a compact container, which I took back to my hotel. A pleasing dinner on my first night in Bakewell.

Have lunch at The Bakewell Tart Shop

This shop is known as the home of the traditional Bakewell tart. As this is what Bakewell is famous for, the shop attracts many people from far and wide. It has a selection of tarts from individual sizes to larger family ones. I brought a large tart for my team at work and they loved it.

Besides the takeaway options, you can sit in the coffee shop further inside (or outside weather permitting). Here you can browse through the extensive menu that includes; breakfast, sandwiches, jacket potatoes, pies and home cooked specials. As it was lunchtime I choose the Homity Pie (apparently their local speciality). On the menu, it was under light bites and sides but there was nothing light about this lunch. In case you don’t know a Homity Pie consists of cheese and potato. It was served with a generous portion of salad and coleslaw.

Of course, I couldn’t sit in The Bakewell Tart Shop and not try a Bakewell tart. I opted for the Iced Cherry Bakewell Tart with cream, containing fondant icing with a cherry. The icing was very sweet and therefore not totally edible but the rest of the tart was very good. You will also find a very questionable amount of icing sugar lavished all over the plate.

Relax at the Bakewell Book & Coffee Shop

This bookshop is a nice place to relax in town. Its coffee shop is integrated with the two areas of the bookshop. In some areas, the tables and chairs are next to the bookshelves making it a little harder to shop. Being the nice guy that I am, I helped a lady get a cookbook, which I was sat in front of. I sat in here a few times during my trip, as it is a good place to relax.

Visit the Bakewell Love Locks Bridge

As I walked around the town I found a bridge crossing the River Wye. The bridge was covered in locks, thus giving the bridge the name Bakewell Love Locks Bridge. Being quick access to a nearby car park, the bridge gets a lot of footfall. The bridge attracts a lot of attention, with the popularity of the locks now leaving no space for anymore.

Have dinner at the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop

If you were wondering about the origins of the Bakewell pudding the best place to start would be here. As the story goes, a new pudding was created around 1860 after a misunderstanding. When making a strawberry tart, a cook spread the egg mixture on top of a jam layer instead of stirring it into the pastry. The pudding was a success that was the cornerstone of a business. Despite this interesting story I actually didn’t try a Bakewell Pudding here. There is only so much I could eat in one day!

The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop is a popular place. On my first night in Bakewell, I came here late for dinner and tucked into a roast dinner. I came back on the bank holiday to try the pudding, however, it was a full house. The ‘shop’ has a cafe downstairs by a bakery shop with seating outside. Upstairs is where you will find the restaurant. In some areas of the building there are original features, just be careful you don’t hit your head on the low ceilings.

Visit The Old House Museum

The Old House Museum is a short walk away from the centre of town. Be prepared to walk up a few hills. Along the way you will pass by All Saints Church. Originally built as a tax collector’s house, the museum showcases items from the Bakewell area. It is a nice place to visit to get away from the busy town centre.

Upstairs Cafe & Gift Shop

Before leaving Bakewell I sat at this cafe to enjoy one last treat, a Bakewell pudding. The Upstairs Cafe is above a couple of shops, with a random staircase next to them leading to the cafe. I had custard with my Bakewell pudding and I was pleased I did have it before leaving.

Take on the Monsal Trail

This trail goes through the Peak District and has been made suitable for cyclists, walkers and wheelchair users. The trail follows an old rail line passing the old Bakewell Station. Along the trail, there are many interesting things to see including the Monsal Viaduct, Cressbrook Mill, Litton Mill and Lime Kilns.

Where did I stay?

For this long weekend, I stayed at the Rutland Arms Hotel, in the centre of Bakewell. Local stories say that Jane Austin wrote part of Pride and Prejudice, whilst staying at the hotel. I wonder which room that would have been? Probably not mine, as I stayed in a room across the road. The hotel has comfortable rooms and is in a great location to easily explore the town.

Final Thoughts

It is fair to say that I ate well in Bakewell. Choosing between the tart and pudding is a hard choice. However, as I had to remove the fondant icing from the tart I’d say that I enjoyed the Bakewell pudding more. Bakewell is a cute town that offers beautiful scenery and plenty of places to relax.

Have you visited Bakewell?

Do you prefer a Bakewell tart or a Bakewell pudding?

No need for postcards, feel free to write a comment…

Spending a long weekend in Brighton is not unfamiliar to me. My godparents used to live in Brighton so I used to visit quite often when I was young. Now as a solo traveller I see the city differently.  

When considering where to travel during a bank holiday weekend, Brighton came to mind. Just over an hour travel time from London, it is a convenient and popular seaside city.  

By travelling to Brighton, I wanted to discover and explore places I had never been to before. The first thing to make clear is that Brighton is actually not the cities proper name. The city is formally known as Brighton and Hove and was granted its city status in 2001. Interestingly the city has a connection to the Eurovision song contest. The competition was held in the city in 1974, the year ABBA won with Waterloo. 

Here is what I recommend you should do on a long weekend in Brighton: 

V and H cafe 

I read about the V and H cafe when trying to find somewhere for breakfast. It is located in Hove in a quieter area of the city.  

The cafe itself is not very big so it is advisable to get there as early as possible. There is a large selection for breakfast, with quality ingredients cooked and prepared with care.  I chose the eggs Benedict with the poached eggs runny, as they should be. The breakfast menu is available until 3pm so there is ample time to turn breakfast into brunch in this local cafe. 

V and H Cafe

Royal Pavilion 

Although I have visited Brighton before, I have never been inside the Royal Pavilion. This exotic palace, as beautiful as it is, looks a little out of place for a seaside city. This diversity is what I think makes Brighton such a popular place. 

 It was a pleasure palace for King George IV. It was in 1815 that work was commissioned to transform the appearance of the old villa into the oriental palace we see today. Unfortunately no photos can be taken inside, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that the interior of the palace is just as interesting as the outside. 

Purchasing tickets online in advance costs £13.50 for an adult over 19 years old (correct as of May 2019). I recommend using an audio guide for your visit to help you understand more about each room inside the palace. Audio guides are available for an additional £2. 

Brighton Royal Pavilion 

Sea Life Brighton 

I have always found aquariums to be fascinating places. When reading up about Sea life Brighton, one fact surprised me. Operating since 1872, it is the oldest aquarium in the world. I would never have guested that.  

In all of that time the aquarium has been used for other purposes including a jazz club, bowling alley and dancing. Today it features 3,500 creatures across 12 areas. The Ray Pool was my favourite area. I stood at the edge of the pool for several minutes as the stingrays swam to the surface close to me. In this moment I had a lovely admiration for nature.  

For an extra cost, you can participate in a behind the scenes tour. This tour enlightens you to how the creatures are feed and looked after.  

Sea Life Brighton 

British Airways i360 

This is the newest must try activity on the sea front. Opened in 2016 this tower enables passengers to view the surrounding countryside from a viewing pod 138 metres high. In the sunny conditions I had, the views do offer excellent photographic opportunities of the city and surrounding county. A worthwhile experience, I mean who doesn’t like viewing cities from above? 

British Airways i360

Final thoughts 

My long weekend in Brighton was a discovery of new and historical places I had never been to before. Amongst exploring these places, I walked many times along the seafront, stopping off at the famous Brighton Pier and Bandstand. I walked along the high street on Western Road where I had takeaway fish and chips from Bankers (had to eat that when in Brighton for sure!). Indeed, there are many things you should do on a long weekend in Brighton and Hove. 

No need for postcards, feel free to write a comment…

I am getting better when planning what to explore in two days during my solo travels. Before travelling to Bristol I did not know too much about the city. All I knew was that Banksy is from there and it was the location for the Clifton Suspension Bridge. This meant that I had no expectations heading to Bristol so I needed to research.

The city has a strong maritime history, trading with countries all over Europe. This is not surprising when you walk around the city and see boats docked along the River Avon. Nearby Filton, is the home of Rolls Royce and where the UK aerospace industry began. Indeed Filton is where Concorde was tested and built.

I was to discover more about these Bristol facts as I explored the city and culminated with me fulfilling a forgotten childhood wish. Here is what to explore in two days.

The Crafty Egg

Let’s start with something eggy. I was on the look out for somewhere original for breakfast which led me to a website recommending a lot of places. Through all the choice I decided on The Crafty Egg due to it’s baked eggs being served in a hot skillet. It was a long walk from where I was staying but very much worth it.

The baked eggs I chose were the Chessy Eggs, which were in a tomato sauce, with mozzarella, oregano and basil served with a fresh Abu Noor pitta. I ordered additional sides of sausage and halloumi to fill me up for a hard day exploring. It is a friendly place for breakfast in the cultural quarter of Bristol.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Clifton Observatory offered the ideal location to view the Clifton Suspension Bridge. There are not too many bridges that would make me stop to admire it but the Clifton Bridge is one of them. The bridge was opened in 1864 and consists of 3500 load bearing bolts and chains that go twenty miles underground.

Adrenaline junkies have used the bridge to do illegal bungee jumps. I am happy looking at the bridge from afar, much less risky and far more enjoyable I think! Be aware that the bridge is a forty-five-minute walk from the centre of Bristol.

Pieminister

I first heard about Pieminister through a travel vlog and their pies looked too good to miss. There are many Pieministers across the UK but its origins are in Bristol. Aside from the food, what I enjoyed most about Pieminister was the presentation of the pie. I ordered a Mothership meal deal consisting of a pie, mashed potato, mushy peas, cheddar and shallots. The pie is served on top of the sides. When you pour the gravy over the pie it will seep down to surround the pie, making it look as though the pie is king of the plate. A pie has never looked so good. By the way, the pie I had was a Chicken of Aragon. Very fancy!

SS Great Britain

As a lover of old ships, I was drawn to visiting the SS Great Britain as soon as I read about it. The experience is a true exploration of the history of the ship and how it looks outside and inside. Placed in a dry dock, visitors are given the opportunity to walk around the hull of the ship with a thin layer of water cleverly floating in a ceiling above.

On board the ship, visitors can climb to the top of one of the masts providing an insight into the life of a real sailor. Not something I personally did but I can see the appeal.

Aerospace – Concorde

Remember that wish I mentioned earlier? Well here is where I fulfilled it. When I was younger I hoped that one day I would be able to fly on Concorde. Now, unfortunately, I can’t actually do that anymore but I did the next best thing. At the Aerospace centre, I went aboard the last Concorde to ever fly.

Seeing Concorde up close was better than I ever imagined. The planes aerodynamic design just makes it look so cool. It was ahead of its time and still looks like it. During a tour, the overwhelming feeling I got was that Concorde has such an enduring appeal. Young and old, including me, are drawn to Concorde as if it is a celebrity or a famous work of art. It really is something to admire and it is such a shame that its days in the air are over.

One fact I learnt that captured my imagination related to how high Concorde flew. Through the planes smaller windows all you could see were the clouds far below and the darkness of space above. I never knew Concorde flew that high.

What else could you want?

What I managed to explore in two days at Bristol surprised me. In addition, one morning I did a walk of the Upfest festival where I learnt about street art. How I fitted this in I do not know. 

The variety of what you can do in Bristol has no limits. You can learn about street art, eat crafty eggs, feast on an epic pie, climb up a mast, walk across a world-famous bridge and set foot inside the worlds only supersonic commercial plane. If none of these is good enough reason to visit Bristol then nothing else is.

No need for postcards, feel free to write a comment…

I never thought that the words street art and Bristol would have a strong association. My knowledge of street art is limited so surely I can be forgiven for this. I didn’t have a clue about where this creative form originated or how much it is popular around the world.  Learning about street art, during my solo trip to Bristol was something I wanted to invest in. 

I took part in a walk that introduced me to the street art of Europe’s biggest street art festival Upfest. The walk broadened my knowledge of street art and opened my eyes to a world of inspiring creative artists. Here is what I learnt along the way.

The origins of Street Art

When discussing the origins of Street art we must focus on the evolution of graffiti, in the 1970s and 80s. Graffiti came from young people in New York.  They began tagging as a way of expressing their feelings during a period of social and political struggle. Graffiti started showing up on cars and the side of subway trains, which immediately became visible throughout the city. Graffiti was a way of leaving a mark to remind people they were there and couldn’t be forgotten about.

It is argued that Street Art has developed from the same ideals as graffiti. In terms of what we see street art as today, most of it is a means of expressing a message. As most of street art uses urban spaces as it’s canvas it’s visibility is memorable as well as thought-provoking.

Street Art in Bristol

It is difficult to not think of Banksy when discussing street art in Bristol as he is widely reported to be from here. As such an influential artist in the street art movement from the very beginning, he has helped to integrate it in the UK. Many cannot agree on why Banksy’s work is so popular. Whether it is his technic or symbolic message his influence on street art in Bristol is obvious.

Many other artists have developed their own styles and voices to become well known in the world of street art, such as British artists Roid, Phlegm and Mr Jago. Indeed, it is very hard to not find street art in some form in most of the UK’s bigger cities.

Upfest

Upfest is Europe’s largest street art festival and is held annually in Bristol. It attracts an international audience, including artists from all over the world. It truly showcases the skill, meaning and popularity of street art. To give you an idea of how widespread street art is recognised, at Upfest 2018 The Simpsons creator Matt Groening selected three artists, Bao, Nomad Clan and Soker to bring The Simpsons to Bristol in the form of street art.

If that is not a sign of creative appreciation and collaboration, then I don’t know what is. Here is some of the street art from Upfest 2018:

Conversations about street art

As with many forms of art, there is always conversation and debate surrounding street art in terms of its context and meaning. Should the art be protected to last longer or does this go against the whole point of the form and medium, is just one of the topics for debate in the street art community.

Knowing more

No matter how it originated or how people feel about it, street art is ingrained into our modern world, no matter how big or small. Its influence has been far-reaching and pushes boundaries as to what is possible. I have seen this creativity in full view in Bristol and it sparked my interest from something that I had never given much thought to in my day-to-day life. After all street art is practically everywhere so when I next come across someone’s work I’ll look at it in a completely different way. Learning about street art in Bristol is something I would advise you to do if you visit.

Have you taken much interest from street art in Bristol?

Are you interested in street art?

No need for postcards, feel free to write a comment…