Some of the most charming and very definitely quirky artwork to come out of Australia is made by the Potters of Hermannsburg in the remote Northern Territory.  Various utentsils including pots, vases and bowls are decorated with just about every type of native Aussie creature from the kangaroo to the witchety...

Gazing up through enormous sandstone walls carved into fluid waves, at the distant branches of enormous trees, it feels as if you’re in another world. A world where dryads, trolls, nymphs, dwarves and elves move unseen yet seeing, observing you from afar, luring you deeper into their universe, where who...

Herdwick sheep – Elterwater in winter So, what are your holiday plans for this year? Sunbathing on a Caribbean island? Winter sports in Switzerland? An African Safari? A cruise to the Arctic Circle? How about a few days in the lovely Lake District, in Cumbria, North West England? Often voted Britain’s...

It’s the end of the year and, along with many others, I’ve been looking back over the past 12 months and reflecting on all that has happened. On a personal level it was a big year as my son finished school and started university in Liverpool, so much of the...

It’s the smell of pine that greets us every morning. It’s the irregular branches and chunky needles. It’s choosing the right Christmas Tree; about 6ft tall, chubby shape, dense boughs and a pointy top on which Father Christmas perches. It’s bundling it into the car and having to put down...

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … With only a few days to go, there are festive decorations in every city, town and village throughout the country. Christmas cards keep landing on the mat; last night I spent a few happy hours writing cards to old friends and sticking...

The most famous site in Jordan is undoubtedly the breath-takingly lovely ancient city of Petra, magnet for visitors from around the globe, but on a recent visit to this wonderfully diverse country, I discovered many other world-class sights. Here are 5 places that will appeal to any lovers of history, art...