Lacock Abbey
A lovely spot on a sunny day.
Topic
Travel
A collection of 84 issues
Travel notes: North Devon
A relaxing dinner at the Clinton Arms, in Frithelstock, north Devon. Basic but good pub food (the steak looked particularly good) with healthy-sized portions and a couple of excellent local beers on the pump.
Hassocks commuters are doing it for themselves
Commuters in Hassocks, near Hurstpierpoint, are trying to raise £2.5m to refurbish their dilapidated 70s-era station, the BBC reports.
Travel notes: Manchester
An evening at the Marriott Victoria and Albert Manchester before a flight to Belfast. A lovely hotel, though rather out of the way, converted from a warehouse of some sort, and (as so often with Marriott) getting the fundamentals absolutely right.
Travel Notes: Norfolk
Staying in Norfolk tonight for the wedding of some friends, which took place in the pretty town of Bungay. Took a family room at the Grange Farm B&B, very off the beaten track in Mundham, south of Norwich. It was a great place, very friendly with a comfortable
Pubs: Wenlock Arms, London N1
Off last night to the Wenlock Arms, an excellent beer pub in a fairly undistinguished side-street in North London. Winner of best real ale pub in North London for several years (though pipped at the post this year), it’s a proper local. Well worth a visit if you’re
Settle-Carlisle Partnership
The Settle to Carlisle railway has an excellent website, with links to good places to stay along the line, plus history and a little online shop.
Travel notes: Nottingham & Mansfield
Stayed the night in the Hilton Nottingham, a pleasant facade with a (presumably) Victorian/Edwardian hotel behind it. Comfortable enough, though the staff were fairly unhelpful. The oddest thing was that my room was too cold, while just outside the door the corridor was far too hot (it must have
The glory of trains
Simon Jenkins, a columnist I usually disagree with, has a good article in today’s Guardian, in praise of the steam engine. Jenkins, who is fascinated by others’ fascination with trains, talks about the revolutionary nature of rail travel, and the engineering marvels that the great steam trains certainly were.
Travel notes: Belfast (1)
To Belfast for the wedding of Niamh Rooney and Bill Stewart. The wedding – and the city – is very friendly and welcoming. The city is still a little shabby and beaten up in places, but thankfully the bride and groom are not.
We stayed at the Crescent Townhouse, off Botanic Avenue,