Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for england
Treehouse Dining in Northumberland
By Linda Tancs
Ordinarily you might not wish to see a tree trunk rising like a phoenix from the floor of your dining room. That is, of course, unless you’re dining in a treehouse. No doubt a unique experience, The Treehouse at Alnwick Gardens in England’s Northumberland offers farm-to-table menus, live music and a long list of beers and wines. Not to mention the bird’s-eye view. Needless to say, the kids will love it.
Share this:
1066 Redux
By Linda Tancs
In the mood for a joust? If so, the Battle of Hastings reenactment on 15 and 16 October may be just the ticket for you. The annual event in Britain’s East Sussex features 400 soldiers clashing in the annual re-enactment of the 1066 Battle of Hastings, on the very battlefield where it took place. A decisive Norman victory, the battle took place between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II. The living history encampment will immerse you in medieval life. The cavalry awaits you.
Share this:
Scotsman Soars from Edinburgh to London
By Linda Tancs
The Flying Scotsman is arguably the world’s best known steam locomotive, having dutifully plied the route between London and Edinburgh for decades. Purchased for the nation, it found a home at the National Railway Museum where it is undergoing restoration to full mainline running condition. In the meanwhile, what’s a busy traveler between Edinburgh and London to do? East Coast has the answer. In May, the train operator introduced a Flying Scotsman express service, a four-hour jaunt calling only at Newcastle in its route between Edinburgh and London’s King’s Cross station. The new service is the cream of the puff, you might say. Other improvements include a new early-morning service from Berwick-upon-Tweed, Alnmouth and Morpeth, which connects into the Flying Scotsman service at Newcastle.
Share this:
UK Dining Discounts
By Linda Tancs
There’s a dining revolution taking place in the UK. A Tastecard membership gives you 50% off the total food bill or 2 meals for the price of one at all 5,000+ participating restaurants. You can always order from the full a la carte menu, so your choice will not be restricted in any way. Buy the card online or at the Visitor Centre at Regent Street.
Share this:
London’s Sweetest Attraction
By Linda Tancs
Now the candy that “melts in your mouth and not in your hand” has its own showcase across the pond. Opening earlier this month, M&M’s World in London’s Leicester Square is the first overseas attraction for the brand’s candy maker. The 35,000-square feet behemoth features a Union Jack comprising M&M’s logos, a Wall of Chocolate and a range of merchandise from apparel to bedding.
Share this:
Snail Racing in Congham
By Linda Tancs
“Snail racing” is as oxymoronic as you can get, which might explain why there’s only one such championship in the world. Now in its 40th year, the World Snail Racing Championship is due to take place on 16 July in Congham, an English village in Norfolk. And what prize awaits the winner at the finish line, you might ask? Why, a silver tankard stuffed with lettuce, of course! Slow and steady just might win this race.
Share this:
A Mistletoe for Any Season
By Linda Tancs
There’s no need to hold out until the Christmas season to fall under the amorous spell of the mistletoe. At the Mistletoe Lodge outside England’s Amberley Castle in West Sussex, summer is the perfect time to play Cupid. Perched upon the beautiful sycamore trees by the Castle’s main entrance, the lodge is a tree house reached by a rope bridge and walkway, offering spectacular views of the 900-year-old Sussex castle and its lakes and grounds. The tree house is available for rental for a ‘dîner à deux’ from May to September (weather permitting), offering up seasonal fare and a floral ambience custom crafted to your liking. No wonder the luxury retreat is a favorite for marriage proposals.
Share this:
A Taste of London
By Linda Tancs
There’s great taste abiding at Taste of London. From 16 to 19 June, 40 local restaurants and world class chefs will compete for your palate in Regent’s Park. The event features a boutique food market, cooking lessons from culinary greats in the Taste Theatre and a Secret Garden. No roses there, just a gourmet oasis of wines and first-class foodstuffs. Hope you’re hungry.
Share this:
Cheap Train Tickets in UK
By Linda Tancs
Given the relative uncertainty of travel costs in the UK, it’s worth exploring all of the options for cheap travel, like rail bookings using thetrainline. Use the Best Fare Finder to locate the best deal or the Ticket Alert for notification when advance purchase options become available. You can even download a free application to buy tickets from your mobile. Want a package deal? You can select among train, hotel and theatre options for a customized experience. There’s even a carbon calculator for the environmentally conscious among you.
Share this:
Some Enchanted Evening
By Linda Tancs
As the state apartments of London’s Kensington Palace undergo a mulitmillion pound restoration, its enchanting history is coming out of the dust. Transformed into the Enchanted Palace, each room celebrates the life of one of seven princesses who once lived there. Merging fashion and fairy tale, you’ll romp through rooms like The Room of Royal Sorrows, the Room of Flight and The Room of Royal Secrets to uncover the identity of the estate’s inhabitants and their life stories. At last, walls that talk.
Travelrific® Travel Journal 