Building sandcastles on the beach has got to be one of the quintessential childhood memories for many of us. Fill a bucket with damp sand, turn it upside-down, bash it on the end with a plastic spade, jiggle the bucket and lift, keeping fingers crossed it will come out perfect...

‘Stand still and this policeman will arrange the sash.’ Possibly one of strangest instructions I have ever been given, but somehow in keeping with the surreal experience of taking part in Bun Pha Wet Fair. It’s one of Thailand’s lesser-known and very colourful festivals and happens every year in Roi Et...

Hello. My name is Oxley. I’m a red squirrel and live at Underscar near Keswick. Now and again I’m taken out for the day by children who come to stay in this wonderful place and they write about our adventures together. This time I was lucky enough to accompany Zoe, the...

Finding something to keep children occupied over half-term or other school holidays can be a challenge. Whether they’re your own kids, grandchildren, nieces or nephews or you’re just doing a good turn for a friend, you’ll probably be trawling the internet for ideas as well as asking others for advice....

At the end of the year, it’s become a tradition with travel bloggers to look back over the past 12 months and review our top trips of the year. Here are a few of my Quirky Travel highlights from a year when I made a conscious decision to do less...

Nuremberg Christmas Market (Christkindlesmarkt) is one of the most famous in the world. Every year thousands of visitors throng its crowded streets, craning over each other to get a glimpse of the Christkind, admiring the Christmas decorations, shopping for presents, quaffing mulled wine and enjoying this festive atmosphere. Christmas Baubles...

Fire at Rose Cottage Elterwater There’s something very special about sitting by an open fire on a chilly night, logs crackling, coal sizzling, flames dancing brightly as the heat radiates out around the room. Maybe there’s a pre-historic memory of sitting in cave round a fire, protected from the sabre-toothed...