Coastal Life, Our Coast

During our travels we have been inspired by Coastal life, so much so that we have published a collection of our photographs in our book ‘Our Coast’.

Be it the way the coastal communities make their lives by the coast…

Generation after generation living by the coast, passing on their knowledge and traditions…

or simply enjoy leisure time on the coast…

In places people have had a more profound impact on the coast than in others…

Everywhere though we are fascinated by the magic that can be created at the coast by the interaction of sea, land and sky.

From the laid back coastal life in the Caribbean

to the hectic, coastline of Hong Kong, almost unrecognisable crowded with skyscrapers and people.

We have fished off many a coast, admittedly not very often catching but that’s not the reason. Fishing has been a reason to drag ourselves from our slumber and walk the coast in the early morning.

The spectacle can sometimes be so distracting we almost forget to fish.

In Porto the Atlantic fog smothered any sound or sight of the city across the bay

In Greece the sun rose early and seemed to light all the way to the bottom of the sea

During a Caribbean sunrise it is difficult not to just stop and stare as the silhouettes of the low lying islands come to life, their vibrant colours gradually replacing the often spectacular colours of the coastal sunrise.

This photo-blog shows a handful of the images from our coastal travels so far. We have put together a collection of our photographs that we believe shows best the beauty and diversity of the coast around the world (that we have visited anyway).

The book that we have published, Our Coast, is a book full of wonderful memories for us as well as a book of beautiful images inspired by our experiences by the coast.

It is available to buy online from Blurb. We’ve had some fantastic feedback already, confirming it makes a great gift for anyone who enjoys the coast.

Here is the link to take you directly to the book:
https://www.blurb.co.uk/b/9892040-our-coast

Hymer 4×4 motorhome for sale – now sold

Our Hymer 4×4 motorhome is for sale…

After many adventures and amazing times, so much so that I haven’t had time to write here, it is time to move on and therefore the ‘Nomad Explorer’, Hymer 4×4 motorhome is for sale.

Precisely it is a Mercedes Hymer MLT580 4×4.

It is a rare 4×4 Mercedes Sprinter based motor home with full winter spec.

As readers of my blog will have seen we bought it new Jan 2018 and immediately vinyl wrapped in satin black by S6 Wraps in UK, wrap can be removed and van restored to pristine white body, original graphics and grey cab.

The Hymer 4×4 motorhome is UK registered but left hand drive for European touring. Having spent much of our time, as many do in Europe, this has made it much more practical and comfortable for our driving adventures.

The Mercedes 3.0 V6 engine and automatic/triptronic gearbox has been invaluable. No worries or slow downs up hill and you can have such fun watching people’s faces as the ‘slow motorhome’ some speeding past them in the fast lane!

The raised suspension, 4×4 and Hymer’s full winter package have worked perfectly for our winters in the alps.

The Hymer motorhome winterised pack includes Alde underfloor heating plus 2 additional Webasto diesel heaters (one cab & one for engine). We’ve spent two full winters in the Hymer in the French Alps and we can confirm it is super cosy and perfect for winter conditions…

Key highlights include:
Rear wheel drive Mercedes drive train with switchable and very capable 4×4, essential for mud, ice, snow and sand.

Truma Duo Control CS gas system (the system switches automatically to the full bottle when one runs out so no need to go out in the cold to manually switch over).

3 leisure batteries; 1800W 240V inverter perfect for charging all phones, laptops and even TV and coffee machine.

Reversing camera – critical for driving and parking in towns and villages.

Huge heated garage – perfect for storing summer and winter kit. Works really well for drying and keeping kit warm in winter too.

Large (2.1×1.95m) and comfortable longitudinal bed so no climbing over each other to get in and out of bed. The bed is the full width of the van so very luxurious and cosy.

It can be set up as two single beds too. You can see how the mattresses split in this photo…

We could not have lived the winter in our Hymer motorhome without the generous bathroom with shower. Lots os storage space in there and the water heats up in a few minutes for a lovely hot shower.

Of course we also cooked, a lot, during our winters and summer. The tall fridge freezer, three burner hob and lots of cupboard space in the kitchen work really well.

 

Hymer fitted blinds and fly screens on all windows;
3  large roof windows;
External gas appliance attachment;
Scorpion tracker;
Preparation for tow bar;
Back mounted spare wheel, air compressor, hydraulic jack;
Rear air suspension.

We have also fitted and include in the sale:
2 Thule canopies (one on each side);
Thule drop down awning; 150W
solar panel and controller;
Sony tv;
Apple play Sony audio system (used for navigation);
External windscreen cover, great for keeping the warmth in and snow off the windscreen in winter.

If you know motorhomes and you know Hymer you know that this 4×4 Hymer motorhome was not cheap when we bought it two years ago.

We have had some great adventures, travelled many miles (38,600 miles, 61,800km) and it was worth every penny.

We think you will find yourselves doing the same!

Our Hymer 4×4 motorhome is for sale for £69,900 , 78,000€.

Private message via Facebook (link above) if you are interested to buy.

 

Hong Kong Highlights

Our Hong Kong Highlights are not a tourist list of things to see rather what we discovered, walking the streets, during our brief visit to Hong Kong in October, that stuck in our hearts and minds.

Armed with a map, we picked up at the train station, we set out each day with the plan only to discover a new area of the city of Hong Kong.  Each day as we hoped, we were amazed at the colours, culture and fantastic food we discovered.

Here are our Hong Kong highlights which were overlaid, everyday and everywhere by two things; the vibrant colours and juxtaposition of eastern and western cultures.

CITY OF LIGHTS & COLOUR

An obvious highlight; the Hong Kong skyline, famed for its brightly lit skyscrapers.  The nightly ‘light show’ spectacular from either side of the harbour and quite stunning from the Star Ferry.

We were more amazed also by the colours and lights in every street…

There must be almost as many neon lights as people in Hong Kong!

EAST MEETS WEST

The juxtaposition of eastern and western cultures is constantly highlighted, and for us sometimes uncomfortable, in Hong Kong; smart-dressed city types relax in the many western style bars, seemingly oblivious to the (more often than not) Chinese making everything work in the background.

Contemporary stores selling fine goods sit along side traditional Chinese stores and workshops.

High above the bustling streets, hidden away roof top bars offer breath-taking prices to match their views

whilst below in the narrow streets and alleys make-shift street cafes serve fantastic, simple local food to eastern and western people alike.

An amazing array of ingredient in even the simplest dishes…

TEMPLES

Though the peace and tranquility is spoilt in some by camera clicking, indiscreet tourists others remain serene and sacred places the Taoist and Buddhist temples remain one of our Hong Kong highlights.

In most temples we came across I only stood close to the entrance and watched the people perform their ceremonies for a few minutes.  If the temples were empty, and it felt appropriate, I took pictures.

In the smaller, less tourist visited temples the deep red of the messages to the gods, the aroma of the constantly burning incense coils particularly highlight the contrast of east and west in Hong Kong.

Even surrounded by ancient eastern culture and religion the modern, western influenced city and its skyscrapers were never far away.

APPRECIATION OF STYLE & NATURE

The of our most surprising Hong Kong highlights for us was the evident appreciation and application of style.

These two perfectly, almost eerily, coordinated girls caught my eye on Hong Kong harbour.  Their use of colour perhaps not as vibrant as others but such simple, understated and elegant style made a real impression.

Even the modern shopping malls revealed an appreciation of style.  These ‘retail temples’ were worth visiting to see the emphasis given to style and use of natural materials.  Even the ladies rooms were spectacular!

Thankfully nature still rules in many places throughout Hong Kong and is appreciated sometimes simply for the shade it provides

and, in such a fast developing and fast moving city like Hong Kong, it’s fascinating to see nature appreciated and interwoven with a special attention to detail and effortless style.

THE PEAK

Not for the experience of the Peak Tram which, though a wonderful site making its way slowly up the hill, we avoided and walked up to the Peak from the city instead.

Rather again for nature and the dominance of it so close to the city.  On the path up to and around the peak it was wonderful and unsettling at the same time to see how quickly nature takes back over after people have cut their path and laid their mark.

Hymer Motorhome Customisation

Our Hymer Motorhome customisation started even before we’d placed our order for our Hymer motorhome.  After many great times and summer adventures in our VW Transporter self-converted custom-camper we wanted to extend our camper adventures to winter.   Buying a ‘winterised’ Motorhome was a reasonably straight forward decision and a custom specification of the Hymer MLT 4×4 ticked most of our boxes.

However, no offence Hymer, Hymer owners and all caravan and motorhome owners, the various ‘beige’ interiors within the white boxes really do not excite us.

We needed to find a way to customise the motorhome, to reduce the white box exterior and beige interior without impacting the resale value, so ideally the customisation would be reversible.

We had heard about vinyl wrapping and, after several fascinating visits to vehicle customisation companies, we finally found S6 Wraps. When we explained the motorhome customisation project we had for them, were as excited as we were to get started on the inside and out.

On a beautiful, chilly morning in January we waited with anticipation to collect our Hymer motorhome…

Finally our Hymer motorhome (a monster 4×4 truck) emerged, exactly what we expected but not exactly what we wanted…yet.

The team showing us, enthusiastically, around our new motorhome seemed surprised when we explained how much we planned to customise the motorhome appearance, inside and out.  We were so pleased to finally be in our motorhome but very eager to get away and somehow reduce the beige feel of the interior.

The privilege of the first drive of our Hymer MLT 4×4…one very happy Hymer owner

Straight to S6wraps in our wonderful but white Hymer motorhome…

who got to work on turning our matt grey designs for the exterior graphics into reality.

We had the steel wheels removed and sprayed black to complete the customisation..

Once S6wraps had finished their work, with attention to detail to every line on the cab and the motorhome body, we made changes to the inside to cover some of the beige with warm grey and more colourful and softer fabrics.

Hymer motorhome customisation complete we set off to the French Alps to spend the winter and truly test our Hymer 4×4 motorhome…

We’ve been amazingly cosy all winter thanks to the winterised options like the extra diesel heater, under-floor heating and a heated garage (essential to dry out kit each evening).

 

Wherever we have stopped the amazing mountain views have drawn our attention

and we’ve been amazed how we draw the attention of passers by in turn.

We’ve made new friends of strangers everywhere we have stopped, aspiring motorhome owners and travellers alike wondering where they can purchase the ‘Nomad Explorer’ model of the Hymer motorhome.

and now as the snow melts and spring flowers start to emerge everywhere, we prepare for our summer adventures in our customised Hymer motorhome.

Who knows where it will take us, what experiences we will have and people we will meet…

 

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A year in the French alps

It’s been a busy year living in the French Alps…

When the builders completed the transformation of the shell of our 1850s Savoyard barn in August we spent a fun, exhausting and fascinating five months completing the renovation ourselves. From fitting floors to building furniture.
here is how we renovated a tumble down barn to boutique ski chalet

Finishing just in time for winter season we had a busy year; enjoying time with friends old and new to enjoy winter season in the French Alps. Getting just a little better at snowboarding, learning to ski again.
Here’s our winter season captured in pictures

We were also busy during this first year living in the French Alps managing our holiday rental business in the UK and building up to the sale of the business in May and June.

We think we amused and inspired the team at Travel Chapter (the new owners of the Sheepskin brand and UK holiday property collection) in equal measure by choosing to camp in our VW camper van throughout the six week sales completion process.
Just for fun here’s our business sale ‘adventure’ in pictures

Business sale complete, at the end of June we were off on the road with Adam’s parents this time for two weeks sharing some of our favourite places with them on a camper van trip as part celebration of their 60th wedding anniversary.
A day in Provence, ten days in Italy and back to the French Alps….

In July, back to home in Montriond in time for the bikers to arrive in force. 10,000 Harley riders, two BMW riders (us!) and one Triumph rider (my dad!). We made the most of the Harley Days Festival with two ride outs on Harleys, a night at the Blues Brothers concert and a quiet evening BBQ at Lac du Montriond.
All in all a great Harley Days Morzine 2017

In August the mediterranean sea and sunshine were calling us but so were the peaks around our home in the French Alps so in August we completed our quest of walking the four peaks that we can see and that inspire the artwork in our home; Roc D’Enfer, Nyon, Ressachaux and Nantau and a few other wonderful alpine walks with friends too.
Walking in portes du soleil.

So that is the whistle stop summary of our year in the french alps, from August to August.

Of course we didn’t sit still in September,  we’re still busy and I’m busy writing so stay tuned….

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Motorhome holiday in Italy…

A motorhome holiday in Italy was Adam’s parents holiday they would most like to experience as part of their 60th wedding anniversary celebrations.  We have visited Italy many times in our VW camper van so relished the idea of returning and sharing some of our favourite places in Italy with them.

So off we went with a vague plan for a motorhome holiday in Italy.

After picking up the motorhome (from Hertz in Lyon) and filling it with all of our plates, bedding, provisions and our two man tent for us to sleep in we set off south for a day in Provence.

A wander into the nearest town to search for local wine and a morning coffee brought us to a beautiful tranquil squareand made us linger a little longer than planned as the beautiful light, colours and stylish, Provence locals distracted and intrigued our group of people watchers. Wine rack stocked with Provence Rosé next stop Italy.

We drove via Piemonte and one of favourite places for motorhome stops in Italy, a basic campsite in an olive grove just outside of the lovely hill town of Olivetta San Michele (which has a fabulous food shop with home made savoury pastries!)

Finally the motorhome holiday in Italy started fully.  Along the coast though and into Tuscany for a few days of amazing home-made pasta and of course some lovely Chianti wines.

During our stay in Chianti, on a walk to the local town of Marcialla we found a fantastic delicatessen selling wines produced on the surrounding hills.  You could buy the wine to take home or, for the same price, chilled to enjoy on their terrace with a view.  We couldn’t resist!

On this motorhome holiday in Italy, as always, we had so many amazing food experiences, too many to mention here.  One in particular was in Umbria; a wonderful foodie find with the local food shop in Civatella del Lago.

During our ten days in Italy we managed to get as far south as one of our favourite places, Paestum, and treated Adam’s parents to Mozzeralla direct from the buffala farm and a beer by the Greek ruins

We were half way through holiday time and so time to head north and towards home.

Herculaneum was far too busy and hot for us to wander around this time unfortunately but it was fascinating to stay above and see the ancient and modern cities together.

Stopping at Solfatara campsite just outside of Naples was a steamy and smelly as always

and a little more challenging getting in to and out of the campsite in our motorhome versus our VW campervan

One final stop in Italy, parking the motorhome down a tiny street in Courmayeur and finding a great local restaurant (one we hadn’t found on any of our ski trips in winter), a great find with amazing views.

Ten days was not really enough in Italy in the motorhome but we managed to share some of our favourite places and find a few new ones that we will be sure to revisit on our next motorhome holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walking in Portes du Soleil

As soon as the snow disappears, normally early May, we are out walking in Portes du Soleil.  Walking in Portes du Soleil mountains from Morzine and Montriond has easy access and is very rewarding with amazing views across Haute Savoie region from many of the peaks.In spring and summer the valleys and peaks are transformed by nature.  Verdant and welcoming from the valley floor to the rocky peaks where miraculously mountain flowers appear everywhereand crocuses force their way through the fading patches of snow.During May and June, the wonderfully peaceful ‘inter-season’ Adam and I enjoy a variety of walks from our home in Portes du Soleil.  Some walking out to conquer particular peaks and others simply a nice circuit along the rolling hills of the lower slopes.

Everywhere is well sign posted so, as long as you have an idea of where you want to head to, it’s easy to walk in Portes du Soleil without a map.We have now completed/conquered the four main peaks that dominate the skyline from Morzine & Montriond; Pointe de Nantaux, Ressachaux, Pointe de Nyon and Roc D’Enfer.

Pointe de Nantaux was particularly daunting and rewarding at the same time and took us two attempts to conquer since the first time the summit was still very much covered with snow but in August 2017 we made it to the top with our friend David.The sign at the bottom ‘KMV’ (kilometre vertical) gives it away that this is not the easiest of walks and this is by no means the roughest or steepest part.

In short the KMV is 1000m of ascent in 2000m of distance covered and then you have another 200m or so of climb and around 500m distance to reach the summit.

The arrow shows the top of the KMV (where I took the photo below), you may just make out the path directly below and the summit you see to the right is not the true summit….

The peace and tranquility, that we had all to ourselves (even on a bank holiday), at the summit was spellbinding.Walking the descent was harder on the legs though easier on the lungs and the scenery, with views across Portes du Soleil, absolutely breathtaking.  Oh to be the shepherd who gets to stay here!Everywhere reminders of the power of nature.

Pointe de Ressachaux is another must conquer peak when walking in Portes du Soleil. We set off reasonably early suspecting it was a 5-6 hour walk to the summit and back.   It was Sunday so, after several cups of coffee, 10.30am wasn’t a bad achievement!As we huffed and puffed up and up through the forest we were embarrassed and just a little demotivated to be cheerily greeted by a group of pot-bellied, grey haired ‘ramblers’ striding down towards us at 11.30am.

In my halting French I asked were they returning from the summit already? ‘Bien sûr! Bonne Montée!’ they replied as they disappeared down through the forest.

A few corners later some very kind, and fit, person had made a welcome bench from a fallen tree…We envied the French group, probably enjoying a menu du jour very soon but the tasty cheese baguettes in our rucksacks for lunch at the summit spurred us on. and hat a picnic spot it is.

Pointe de Nyon, our favourite peak in winter for easy to reach, fun, off-piste on powder days and actually a deceivingly difficult walk in summer.
We have walked from our home in Montriond, through town and up to the plateau du Nyon via the Cascade de Nyon which makes it about 5 hours to the top and back.On a clear day, as our next walk to the summit of Nyon, you can clearly see Mont Blanc from here…To make it shorter we’ve driven up to the plateau and walked from there which makes it a little more relaxing and leaves time for lunch at Chez Nannon.

You can even get the chair lift to just below the summit so that you can reach the amazing views

Roc D’Enfer lives up to its name Rock of Hell.

We walked from home which made the total circuit about 30km and around 7 hours. On the way to the base of Roc D’Enfer you have spectacular views, even Mont Blanc in the distance.When you pass the sign that basically says ‘ this way if you’re sensible and want an easy walk back to Les Gets or this way Danger of death’ you know you will have to keep your wits about you.

A steep, scramble over rocks takes you up to a narrow path along the long ridge which follows the crest where sometime it can be quite tricky to see where the path is.For several kilometres the narrow path picks it way up and down the ridgesuntil finally emerging into a mountain meadow and the long track back to Col D’Encrenaz and home with Roc D’Enfer looming large behind you.

Walking in Portes du Soleil is not all about ‘up’, high peaks and tough climbs.

We’ve had great days wandering in the valley and found virtually flat walks with friends and family by the river and around Morzine town using the suspension foot-bridge to avoid ups and downs.The advantage of staying close to town is that there are always plenty of places for refreshments in the sunshine…and if you do fancy exploring and walking a little higher in Portes du Soleil you can always take the lift up.

My favourite, relaxing rather than challenging, walking in Portes du Soleil has got to be around Lac du Montriond.  A flat walk with spectacular views in every direction and a bar at either end!

Similarly Lac du Mines D’Or is a short drive, up, along Vallee de la Manche and rewards you with amazing views, a short walk and the Chalet Freterolle just a little further up for a spot of local lunch…

Off-piste, back country Snowboarding

Off-piste, back country is what snowboarding is all about for many keen snowboarders. Previously, we now know, we have been, reasonably safe, ‘side-country’ off-piste snowboarders.

Off-piste, side-country snowboarding is what most snowboarders do, it’s the type of off-piste snowboarding that is likely to be covered in your travel insurance, it’s normally easy to find (not far from or in-between the pistes), doesn’t involve hikes or walks, so long as you keep a lift in sight somewhere, however it does mean you need to be an early bird to get first tracks and fresh powder.

backcountry-guide-morzine-luke-rees

Helen-snowboarding-offpiste-backcountry-luke-rees

There is so much more off-piste snowboarding to discover in the back-country!

We are both reasonably good snowboarders and love exploring independently so over time we could get to know the back-country off-piste in the Porte du Soleil however we are also both very impatient.  Rather than spend lots of time searching ourselves we saw the value in joining a guided group on a week long off-piste back-country course and chose the ‘off-piste back-country ‘ with Mint Snowboarding in Morzine.

We had high expectations of the week off-piste and David, our Mint snowboarding guide / guru (the ‘green giant’ disappearing off into the mist below), did not disappoint.

misty-backcountry-hike-offpiste-luke-rees

When the group, of six, met on the first morning David asked each of us what we wished for from the course; the answers were all reassuringly similar.  To have a better understanding off-piste conditions, to improve our confidence riding in the twists, turns and powder of back-country conditions.

A couple mentioned they’d like to do some cliff drops which scared and excited me all at once.  During the week we practised (and landed!) several cliff-drops which all felt, and looked from above, a lot bigger than they do here)…

adams-cliff-drop-luke-rees

helens-cliff-drop-luke-rees

But before we went into the back-country search of fresh tracks off-piste first a refresher for us all on avalanche safety.  We all had avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels and had been on avalanche training courses before and all agreed you can never have too much practise using your equipment, practising avalanche situations and understanding as much as possible about weather and mountain conditions to hopefully avoid the avalanche in the first place.

After practise using our transceivers and probes we dug a snow pit to investigate the snow pack which fascinatingly and worryingly showed a few weak layers.  Here I am separating off one of the weak layers…

offpiste-avalanche-training-mint-snowboarding-rob-palmer

I hasten to add I am stood in a hole here which makes David look even more like the Jolly Green Giant towering over little me – one of the group, Rob, took to calling me ‘Ninja’ from this picture I can see why ;-).

One thing we learnt quickly was that although it is great to snowboard the ‘off-piste’ that you can find easily from the lifts you are amply rewarded if you hike a little off-the-beaten-track and into the back-country.

ridge-hike-to-backcountry-offpiste-snowboarding-luke-rees

No matter where you are in the mountains there is always a stunning vista to remind you what an amazing and beautiful world it is and how privileged you are to be in the special place.  Our hikes into the back-country often rewarded us with spectacular views and special moments…

view-worth-the-walk-in-off-piste-backcountry

helen-and-adam-enjoy-mountain-view-off-piste-back-country

offpiste-backcountry-course-mint-snowboarding-alex-horton

On each of the five days we had a few ‘five’ minute hikes (or at least five minutes for David with legs twice as long as mine and who thinks nothing of hiking up 700m and snow-boarding down off-piste before breakfast!) and a few climbs…

climbing-offpiste-backcountry-alex-horton

climb-offpiste-backcountry-luke-rees

and more often than not beautiful powder and fresh tracks once we reached the back-country destination…

fresh-powder-worth-walk-off-piste-backcountry

more-first-tracks-in-fresh-powder-offpiste-backcountry

One of our group, Luke, is owner and writer for adventure travel website awe365.com and wrote a great article about the five day back-country course with more detail of what we did and where.

magical-mystery-tour-offpiste-backcountry

Overall it was a wonderful week when nature was kind to us with frequent falls of fresh snow to make each day different and amazing fun.

more-snow-portes-du-soleil-ardent-mint-snowboarding-off-piste-back-country-course

Vanity struck at some points and on mellower, less demanding slopes we played with videos.

An eye-opening, exhausting, exhilarating and extremely enjoyable five days with a fantastic bunch of like-minded and fun-loving people.  One of those life-changing experiences.

mint-snowboarding-backcountry-offpiste-group-alex-horton

offpiste-funky-views-nature-alex-horton

Gower holiday, close to nature

Our recent Gower holiday was made all the more memorable with our days spent close to nature.

Before the hours of daylight got too short and the days a little too chilly to sit for hours, by the crashing waves, watching the end of a fishing rod we planned a short holiday for a few days of fishing on the Gower peninsula.

We started each day of adventure and exploration before the sun rose above the horizon and meandered back late each evening.  Every day memorable in its own way and each with new discoveries about Gower.

We had fished off breathtaking Rhossili Bay beach before and know you can reach the small headland at Burry Holms and some great, quiet fishing spots but only at low tide. High tide was 7.30am that day so to get over to the headland and back safely before then meant an early start…

The 5am alarm was certainly a memorable part of our holiday; jolting us out of a deep sleep in this peaceful place on Gower.  We thought about snoozing but knew that getting up in time to see the sunrise over Rhossili Bay would be more memorable than a lazy morning.

We were far from disappointed; even stepping out of the cottage in the lane, where few street lights pollute the sky, the stars were bright in the still black and clear sky.

After a walk through the dunes in the twilight we were rewarded with a truly beautiful and memorable sunrise over the Gower coast and along deserted Rhossili Bay.

As we sat, mesmerised, on the rocky outcrop at Burry Holms we both gasped as we spotted an otter peak out from the rocks below then sprint across the sand.  The returning tide was just starting to wash our foot prints away on the beach where the otter dived into the waves lapping on the sand.  We were both so excited to be so close to nature and to share such a memorable experience.

Finally with bait in the water we were joined by other natives and were close to nature again when a couple of seals popped their heads above the waves just in front of us.  The seals were certainly more interested in our fishing rods and bait than any fish and for the next few hours followed us to each new fishing mark.

The morning was one of the most beautiful and memorable on our Gower holiday even despite the lack of fish.

We explored the paths to Worms Head in the afternoon.  A crisp clear day meant the view from the coast walk of Rhossili Bay beach towards Burry Holms was spectacular and certainly will be memorable.

Another twilight walk along the long winding path from Rhossili village to the National coast watch hut, looking out to the causeway to Worms Head, we explored the various beautiful bays along this stunning part of the Gower coast.

Each day different paths, different rocky outcrops, different vistas, always a wonderful sunrise.  Each day also the same attention from the seals which equally amused and frustrated but made each day unique and overall a very memorable holiday on The Gower peninsula.

We gave up fishing and instead enjoyed a few pints of locally brewed Gower Gold ale, delicious and dangerously quaffable.  In the pub we got a few handy tips for fishing spots and bait from the locals that Adam put in his memory banks for next time.

Yet again Gower amazed us; a small corner of Wales where the stunning coastline helped us to experience a very memorable Gower holiday and enjoy, as we always do, being close to nature.

 

 

Our favourite places in Oxford

The occasion of Adam’s birthday gave us a great excuse to visit some of our favourite places in Oxford.  Having Oxford as our local town is really a great privilege and we take every opportunity we can to wander the breath-taking streets of Oxford and visit our favourite places.  I wanted to share our favourite places with you to help you make the most of your visit to Oxford…

Oxford has many beautiful and awe-inspiring places and buildings, many of them are out-of-bounds except for the privileged few (privileged not just financially one assumes but in the determination and dedication that they must have in order to have the honour of studying in such a wonderful university town).  However although you will see plenty of private, no entry, closed signs…

There are still many wonderful places to explore.

We have been locals for several years now and have our favourite places in Oxford.  We never tire of it; we are always finding new favourite places and we still meander the streets, looking up to be sure to see the true beauty of the city its wonderful historic architecture and amazing vistas and skylines.

There is no denying that Oxford is a transient town, a place for tourists.  Every day of the year the streets are packed with throngs of visitors and rightly so it is a stunning and fascinating town.

The city of Oxford changes throughout the seasons as visitors and students come and go the city, its colours, feel and appearance change with the seasons but our favourite places in Oxford remain the same.

You will see our favourite places in Oxford are a little biased to places to eat and drink however they are also all great places to sit and watch the fascinating world of Oxford for by.

The first of our favourite place in Oxford is really an activity enjoyed in numerous places; walks along the River Cherwell, through University Parks and Christchurch Meadow.  I recommend getting away from the town centre and enjoying the paths by the rivers.  In Christchurch Meadow (behind the Botanic Gardens) the Thames and Cherwell rivers meet.

There are many paths along the river Thames but the prettiest and easiest are along the River Cherwell.  You can’t follow the river directly as much of the land is owned by the university but with an OS map it is easy to pick up the paths any quickly get away from the hustle and bustle.

Through University parks, north of Oxford town centre, you emerge on Parks Road and are quickly back in town along St Giles to find one of our favourite places The Ashmolean.  Established in the 16th century and refurbished in 2009 a mesmerising museum in a breathtaking building with exhibitions to inspire and amaze.

We have visited numerous times and still not seen everything.  Since our privileged sneak preview of prior to the reopening in 2009 The Ashmolean remains one of our favourite places in Oxford.  Its only downside is that it is not open on Mondays which has disappointed some of our family and friends on extended weekend visits to Oxford.

Before heading to the town centre perhaps head out of town a little for a spot of lunch at one of two of our favourite places to eat in Oxford. First Gees restaurant is part of a local, privately owned group of restaurants each of which is very individual.  Gees looks very decadent and pompous from the outside but venture in and it is a very relaxed environment with quirky decor, attentive and friendly staff and great food from local produce.  Adam and I have turned up in walking gear on a late Saturday afternoon and stayed all evening but also enjoyed, slightly, more formal evenings there with family and friends.

A little further out of town but worth the walk (or taxi ride) is The Cherwell Boathouse, it’s hidden away in a quiet spot by the river and worth the trek for a special treat.  The week day lunch menu is great value for wonderfully creative and delicious food thought the wine list may still damage the wallet a little.  If you are in Oxford in the summer then you should book in advance, this goes for most places in fact.

On your way back in to town, just north of Gees, have a wander down North Parade, it’s a lovely little street for a mooch with an eclectic mix of cafés, restaurants and shops.  Carry on straight ahead to reach Woodstock Road and turn left to head back to St Giles and Oxford centre.  If you get thirsty on the way you can stop for refreshments at another of our favourite places The Royal Oak pub.  Being out of town it is a more of a locals place and is a good place for a beer and nibbles.

refueled and re-energised you’ll be ready to tackle the Ashmolean or save it for another day and continue the exploration of our favourite places in Oxford with a food and drink theme…

Not so easy to find The White Rabbit, behind the Oxford Playhouse near to Gloucester Green, is a quirky and friendly place.  The young owners pride themselves on their pizzas (which for me are ‘ok’) but the main thing is it’s a lovely little place to while away a little time, watch a diverse range of students, locals and tourists come and go and enjoy a pint of ale in this tiny and stylish place.

Often packed with tourists, because it is easy to find in the heart of Oxford on the corner of Broad St and Holywell St opposite the Bodleian Library, but with an equal mix of locals The King’s arms it’s a great place for a good pint of ale, some very tasty home made pork scratchings or a spicy scotch egg and a good people watching spot if you can grab a seat outside in the sunshine.  We’ve spent some wonderful afternoons there watching the world go by.

If you wander through Christchurch meadow from behind the Botanic Gardens you come out at the other end through a grand gateway on St Aldates, turning right back towards the centre and Carfax Tower and you’ll find another of our favourite place in Oxford.  It’s another pub!  St Aldates Tavern nice atmosphere, friendly staff, a quite usual menu (unusual in that the menu is hidden inside old hard back books but also in that it ranges from pork pie and pickle to Mozzarella and tomato salad or ham, duck egg and chips to fresh pasta).  Needless to say they have great beers too in a great atmosphere so it makes a good place to escape the crowds for a while.

Talking of crowds I suppose you have to visit The Bear Inn, the oldest pub in Oxford and a quirky little place. Their website describes as ‘a hidden gem’, and granted it is tucked away but everyone finds it so it is not a place for quiet pint, nice relaxed meal or catch up with friends.  The interior, with its wood panelled walls adorned with the neck ties of previous visitors is worth popping in to see and experience but it is not one of our favourite places in Oxford.

On past The Bear and over Magdalen Bridge towards St Clements and Cowley to the last of our favourite places in Oxford; you guessed it another pub!  The Cape of Good Hope on the corner of Iffley and Cowley road on the roundabout at St Clements is another wonderful people watching place particularly in the summer when you can spill outside and enjoy your pint of local ale.  The staff are always friendly and knowledgable about the guest ales and always offer a little taste before you decide.

The very last of our favourite places in Oxford is not a specific place but a general area.  A wander down the Cowley Road at any time of day or night is always entertaining and we have spent many afternoons, evenings (and on into early mornings!) doing just that.  On every block there is a great place to eat, we have our favourite places for Chinese, Nepalese, Greek and Indian food as well as our favourite place to dance into the early hours The Hi-Lo.  It’s a place you should discover for yourself though and find your own favourite places.  Do be sure to venture out away from the tourist and historic centre of Oxford and explore.

I hope that you find our favourite places useful when you visit Oxford and that this blog helps you make the most of your time in our wonderful town.

I know many of you must have your own favourite places in Oxford so do please comment and add your favourites too.