Festive snowmen at Dunster Christmas Shop Christmas decorations bring simple joy and delight; if you don’t agree, BAH HUMBUG to you! Unpacking the boxes of colourful baubles, bells, angels, stars, Father Christmas, candles, tinsel, fairy lights and wreaths is a magical experience. Many objects bring back memories of childhood, family,...

Rottacher Christmas Market and Maximilian, King of Bavaria Clasping a mug of hot glüwein, I looked up at the King of Bavaria, who was sporting a very fine crown of stars. He was welcoming visitors to Rottacher Advent Christmas Market, on the shores of Lake Tegernsee in Upper Bavaria, Germany. People crowded...

OK, so Heysham may be more well-known for being home to a nuclear power station than for its historic attractions. It’s an ugly blot on the landscape of glorious Morecambe Bay. Visible from virtually any point around the coastline, one good reason to go to Heysham is that you can’t see...

Tete Jaune History in the Rocky Mountains Jasper A hiker strides out into the wilderness of one of North America’s most renowned regions. He is Tête Jaune, the legendary pathfinder of the Yellowhead Pass through the Rocky Mountains in Canada. Part Iroquois and part European, (Métis) Pierre Bostonnais was a fur...

“I really like being a part of the #LightupLancaster Festival because of its accessible scale, its friendly atmosphere and the way Lancaster lends itself to a variety of settings for the events and installations. The whole city comes out to enjoy it.” Renowned artist Steve Messam was explaining what he enjoyed...

‘When the Red Rose’ by Steve Messam The large red balloon glows like a radioactive tomato, enticing visitors with its voluptuous beauty. Children run up to it and gaze in amazement. Photographers try to capture its scarlet vibrancy, cyclists glance at it as they whiz past – and an unobtrusive guard...

Say the name ‘Beatrix Potter’ and no doubt images of cute bunnies, dim-witted ducks, sailing frogs, frisky squirrels, naughty kittens, mischievous mice and perky pigs come to mind. Her little books have had a place of many children’s hearts for over a hundred years. At my son’s birth he got two copies...