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Discover the Delights of Deal on the Coast of Kent
Before the advent of the steamship sailing ships would seek shelter in the stretch of water known as The Downs situated between the shore and the Goodwin Sands. As they lay at anchor waiting for favourable conditions to continue their journey the Deal boatmen would ferry supplies across the water…
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Four Extraordinary Estates to Visit in Hampshire, England
Ralph Dutton inherited Hinton Ampner from his grandfather, John Dutton, in 1935. By then the building, believed to have been built during the 1540s had morphed under various owners from a Tudor to a Georgian and finally a Victorian mansion. Ralph, a devotee of Georgian architecture, disliked…
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Four Highlights of the Test Valley and East Hampshire
A dramatic finale to this display involved a bush fire and the sudden appearance of several different birds flying overhead including vultures, storks and ibis. A cheeky meerkats was perched on a rock keeping an eye on the proceedings. Deep, throbbing African music accompanied this incredible…
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Alton in Hampshire - All About Jane?
Jane Austen is not the only famous person to be associated with Alton, another well-known resident was Sweet Fanny Adams. Fanny Adams did actually exist but today she is more commonly associated with the phrase sweet fanny adams that translates as sweet nothing or very little. Her story is told…
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Luxury Personified at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island, South Carolina
At the top of the elegant staircase leading to the East Wing is the "Ocean Room":https://kiawahresort.com/dining/the-ocean-room/ that offers gourmet dining. Gregg, the head waiter provides such wonderful descriptions of each dish I was constantly changing my mind. Gregg is so persuasive I was not…
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Arundel and its Castle - a West Sussex Gem
Of particular interest in the castle grounds is the Collector Earl's Garden This incredible garden is decorated with colossal green oak structures surrounded by flowerbeds bursting with colourful blooms. It was established as a memorial to the fourteenth Earl of Arundel who was a friend of the…
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Charleston in South Carolina: A Trail of the Unexpected
Described as quintessential Charleston, Mrs Whaley's Garden on Church Street is, reputedly, the most visited private garden in America. Open during festivals and by appointment this pretty, very English garden, is charming. When it was first created by the renowned landscape architect, Loutrel…
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Paradise Regained on Kiawah Island, Charleston
Alligators are popular residents of this island and I saw several on my bike ride. One was sleeping on the lawn of a house, another, lying on the bank was keeping a watchful eye on me as I crept closer to take a photograph. As I was standing by a lake composing a photograph my attention was drawn…
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The Bembridge Coast Hotel in Bembridge on the Isle of Wight
The hotel is situated so close to the coast that the beach is a natural extension of the lovely grounds that surround it. These grounds include a small pitch and putt course and a formal walled garden. Easy access to the beach means guests can walks along the beach. When the tide is out it is…
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The Isle of Wight Walking Festival and Some Island Lore
Our path took us to the cliff edge where we could see the wild, natural coastline on both sides of us. By this time there was a chill in the air and I could see a light mist creeping towards us. I hoped we were not about to be enveloped in the notorious Swaalien. Would be transported back in…
