Sarchu to Leh
Final of three days travelling to Leh on the Leh-Manali Highway. A real roller coaster of a day with snow, sunshine, road closures, uncertainty whether we would even make it,…
Category: Travel
Manali to Sarchu
Opened in 1989, the Leh-Manali Highway runs for 473km through some spectacular mountain scenery, and over one of the highest driveable passes in the world. This post covers the first…
Manali
Named after Manu, the Hindu version of Noah (of Ark fame), Manali is a popular tourist spot in northern Himachal Pradesh, and the start of the memorable Manali to Leh…
McLeod Ganj
McLeod Ganj is the home of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government in exile. After escaping from the Chinese in 1959 the Indian government offered sanctuary and land in…
Shimla
The summer capital of India during British rule, used between March and October, Shimla is a classic Indian hill station in the foothills of the Himalaya. It’s filled with colonial…
Old Delhi
Compared with the planned streets of parts of New Delhi, Old Delhi seems more typically Indian, packed with people, traffic, and noise, a much livelier experience. A rickshaw ride was…
New Delhi
One of the largest cities on the planet, home to 25 million people, a fraction of India’s 1.3 billion, Delhi doesn’t feel like it to a visitor. It’s almost entirely…
Sussex and a bit of Kent
A rather lengthy post covering nearly a week based in the small village of Brede in Sussex, exploring the heritage, gardens, and coastline of the surrounding area, mostly in Sussex…
Things I’ve learnt about travel / how to travel better
As this blog illustrates I’ve done a fair bit of travel, particularly over the past six years. Along the way I think I’ve gotten better at the mechanics of travel.…
Lisbon churches, monasteries and cemeteries
There are some wonderful churches in Lisbon, even for someone who has visited rather a lot over the years. The first I visited blew me away, Igreja de São Domingos…
Sintra
The westernmost point of Europe, Sintra is an understandably popular day trip from Lisbon, only 40 minutes away by train. The climate is cooler than Lisbon, which attracted Portuguese royalty…
Lisbon
The capital of Portugal, and westernmost city in Europe, Lisbon is a gem but sadly not an unknown one anymore. In the middle of summer it was heaving with tourists,…
North Downs Way – Dorking to Oxted
Running for 246km from Farnham to Dover, the North Downs Way is one of 16 long distance National Trails in Britain. On a sunny summer day I walked sections 3…
Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle
A wonderful couple of examples of 17th century grandeur relating to Bess of Hardwick, the second richest woman of the Elizabethan age, after the Queen herself. She married four times,…
York
The capital of one of Britain’s most historic counties, and the most important city in the North during the Middle Ages, York was the perfect base from which to spend…
Harewood House
One of the most enjoyable and impressive of the many historic houses I’ve visited over the years, Harewood Hall was one of the highlights of my trip to Yorkshire. I’ve…
York Cold War Bunker, Yorkshire Air Museum, and Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum
A trio of fascinating WW2 / Cold War themed museums in Yorkshire, must visits for anyone interested in the history of that period. The York Cold War Bunker is run…
Whitby
A good place to try and escape the worst of the heat on one of the hottest days ever in the UK, there’s more to Whitby than most English seaside…
Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal Water Gardens, and Brimham Rocks
A varied day exploring north west of York, starting with the World Heritage site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens. The Cistercian abbey was one of the largest…
Castle Howard
A distinctive grand house in the Yorkshire countryside, one of the largest country houses in England, Castle Howard has been the home of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family…