When people visit an area you love for the first time, you want it to look its best, to show it off in all its glory. I remember going to Skåne, Sweden on my first group blog trip one summer; it was dull, cool and cloudy with ‘occasional showers’ almost every...

“We’re so excited. This year’s food and drink festival is jam-packed with sensational and varied food producers, chefs, street entertainment, master classes, cookery demos and unusual events. There really is something for everyone, whatever age and whatever foodie preference.” Cath Dutton, founder of Kendal Festival of Food is speaking in...

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...

Gold, yellow, orange, amber, burgundy, russet, scarlet, crimson, aubergine, purple, plum, pink, magenta – the splendour of autumn is its colour as memories of summer fade and winter is still a snowflake away … Maple tree in Ambleside Autumn in the Lake District is one of the best times to...

Abbot Hall is a slightly hidden gem, just off the main street in Kendal, an attractive Cumbrian town on the edge of the Lake District in north west England. It’s a provincial art gallery with a metropolitan vibe, a Georgian house with a contemporary ambiance and  it recently came alive to the...

It was the morning after the night before, and everyone was looking surprisingly chipper. Breakfast was on the table and people were helping themselves to bacon and eggs, cereal, toast, coffee and juice – with an aspirin or two for those feeling a tad fragile. My son and his girlfriend...

It’s a real pleasure listening to people talk about their passions. They become animated, articulate and  engaging. Their enthusiasm is infectious and can be a catalyst for change. In recent weeks I have been chatting to a number of people closely linked to the cultural scene in Cumbria and each person...