Often when taking the ferry from Dover to Calais, we’re on a mission to get to Paris, the Cote d’Azur or heading off across Europe. However, it can make a pleasant change to hop across the Channel and take time to explore nearby Nord-Pas de Calais. Galerie du Temps –...
Winning ‘Britain’s Best Culture and History Blogger’ was a delightful surprise. I was very pleased to have been shortlisted in the DFDS Travel Blogger competition but felt awkward asking people to vote. However, when I saw the other bloggers nominated in various categories, including Travelator Media founder Heather Cowper (here we are in...
Salisbury Cathedral Chapter House displays Magna Carta Now how to put this diplomatically? One doesn’t want to offend, but at the same time, one doesn’t want to eulogise without meaning it … The truth is, when I finally got to see the best-preserved copy of the most significant document in...
South America’s such a massive continent that many travellers panic when people ask them what they’ll be seeing. Should they spend all their time in Argentina, or Peru? Maybe Ecuador is their best bet? Brazil? Help! We’ve scoured the internet and found the top ten most exciting, overwhelming sights in...
In this month’s article from the Luxury Safari Company they highlight 5 unique and very luxurious Tanzania safari lodges where you can unwind in comfort and tranquility, assured of the very best Africa has to offer. Sadly since the downturn in tourism in Kenya, luxury safaris in Tanzania have flourished,...
Girl with red umbrella During a heavy rain shower, the huge Piazza del Duomo cleared quickly as people rushed to get into Il Duomo, Milan’s cathedral, or nearby uber-fashionable shopping mall Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II to shelter from the storm. I was being shown round Milan by Italian travel blogger Simon Falvo,...
The pale face is marked by age and sadness, chipped and peeling, the hands are clasped in supplication and birds sing merry songs. The Garden of English Martyrs is tranquil, overlooking an ancient gateway and arches of a Victorian viaduct. Behind the Presbytery a crucifix is lit up by spring sunshine...
David Hockney looking at a picture of fellow Yorkshireman Alan Bennett – photo Salts Mill You may have heard of, or even been to see, the new David Hockney exhibition at Tate Britain in London. One of this country’s most loved and respected artists, Hockney was born in Bradford in 1937,...
It looked a lot bigger than I had imagined. It also looked a lot prettier, covered in views of Canada’s splendid scenery. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. Once you get on the road, you’ll soon forget its size and be enjoying yourself behind the wheel.” I was at the Cruise Canada pick-up centre...
Barry McCann explains the history of a northern tradition that dates back centuries and illustrates it with some of photos from this year’s celebrations. Mayor of Preston in Guild Hall Procession There is a saying in Lancashire that goes “Once every Preston Guild†which is probably unfamiliar to anyone outside the county....
With his hands clutching his long, flowing coat tightly around him, Sir William Hillary (1771-1841) stands high above Douglas Harbour, ready to face everything the weather can throw at him. As founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution he was well aware of the changeable meteorological temperament of his home,...
In this article in the World Travel Blogger series, photographer Angus Matheson describes The North Coast 500, a memorable road trip he did with his wife in the Highlands of Scotland. North Coast 500 – the greatest motoring adventure in the British Isles North Coast 500 In 2015 the North Coast...
The Toy Train to Shimla As we clattered along the narrow track, the mountains gradually emerged like shy ballerinas peeking out from behind a curtain of lush green foliage. Glimpsed intermittently at first, the foothills of the mightiest mountain range on earth rose amidst tiny hamlets and towering pine trees....
In our latest ‘World Travel Blogger‘ article, Canadian writer Cindy Baker shares her favourite things to do the beautiful city of Lisbon, capital of Portugal. The clatter of old trams, the smell of sardines on the grill, the haunting melancholy of fado music. In Lisbon, these traditions combine with a...
Oh, to go to sea in a beautiful pea-green boat … The classic children’s poem, The Owl and the Pussycat by Edward Lear, has been a family favourite for many years; I used to read it to my son, Alex, at bedtime. It weaves its quirky magic in every line, taking us...
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ABOUT THE QUIRKY TRAVELLER
Hi, I’m Zoë; welcome to my quirky world…
QUIRKY TRAVEL is about seeing the world from a different angle, looking at things from all sides, finding the unusual, the interesting, the fascinating. It’s about quality combined with classiness, it’s about being curious about everything and wanting to know more…
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Recent Posts
- The Heart is Like a Compass
- Quirky Travel Poem: ‘Consolation’ by Billy Collins
- 7 soulful places to visit around Morecambe Bay #followpye #lancashire #cumbria
- Canada: Mind, Body, Spirit experiences that FEEL GREAT #forglowinghearts
- Exploring the simple attractions of Molle on the west coast of Sweden