Nestled in the Scottish city of Inverness lies Leakey's Bookshop. Opened in 1979 in an old chapel, it has thousands of books. As you walk in, you're confronted by a giant black log-burner, perhaps risky in a place with so much paper but there to combat the harshest of Scottish winters. Lining the walls are... Continue Reading →
We only stayed in Trieste for three nights, but in that time we managed to cram in a bunch of stuff; a visit to Miramare Castle, a magnificent palace built for Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian who was executed in Mexico before it was fully completed, a trip into Grotte Gigante, the world's largest showcave, and an afternoon... Continue Reading →
Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire is one of the grandest and most fascinating houses the National Trust have to offer. It was the home of Elizabeth "Bess" of Hardwick, who became one of the richest women in England, second only in wealth and power to Elizabeth II herself. Bess was born on the Hardwick estate about... Continue Reading →
Anne Bronte was the younger sister of Charlotte and Emily Bronte and, like her sisters, a writer whose novels are still popular today. I stumbled across her grave accidentally whilst on a trip "Op North" last year. Anne Bronte was born on the 17 Jan 1820, the last of the children Maria and Patrick Bronte.... Continue Reading →
I'm not fond of small spaces - but I do like a cave, and they don't come much bigger than Grotta Gigante (or Giant Cave), which was featured in the 1995 Guinness Book of Records as the largest show-cave in the world. It apparently doesn't hold that title any more having lost it to a... Continue Reading →
What connects the 90s pop band Aqua with Vin Diesel and Superman? Answer - closed London Underground station Aldwych. Aldwych, is a now-defunct station close to Holborn, and this was where we started our tour with "Hidden London". Run by the London Museum, these tours focus on exploring closed underground stations dotted all around (or... Continue Reading →
If you want people to engage emotionally with your story, you'll need to make sure your characters feel real. No matter how outlandish your plot or unusual your setting, if your characters feel real, your readers will find it easier to feel connected to your writing. There are lots of ways to do this, but... Continue Reading →
Dante Alighieri, widely known simply as Dante, is one of the most famous writers in the world. His Divine Comedy, is considered one of the most important poems ever written and certainly one of the greatest works of Italian literature. Watch our Italian adventures on our YouTube channel! Although mostly associated with Florence where he... Continue Reading →
Let's start with the obvious. There are older libraries in the world. However, the Chapter Library of Verona is apparently the oldest continuously operating library in the world, dating from before the 5th century It's no surprise, given where it's located that this library has seen some turbulent times - earthquakes, plague, war and ransacking... Continue Reading →
With everything going on, I've not been on the ball with my shameless self-promotion. Well that stops now. During my recent writing competition blitz (or maybe spritz is more appropriate), I was fortunate to be shortlisted for the Hammond House 2024 International Literary Competition which also means I've been published in their latest short story... Continue Reading →
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