For the last couple of months there's been a Landmark Trust Photography Competition to find pictures for next year's calendar. I entered a few photographs and was delighted to hear today that this picture of Swarkestone Pavilion is going to be used for January. I must admit every time I look at it, I think I should have got all of the tree in, but ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

When I go away to Landmark Trust properties, I usually mention the log book. This is a large green book where guests can record any highlights of their holiday and useful information for anyone that comes after. They rarely restrict themselves to the mundane restaurant review, and can have pictures, maps of walks, clues to objects (like thimbles) ( Read more... )

( Read more... )

I've just spent a few days at Queen Anne's Summerhouse on the Shuttleworth Estate in Bedfordshire. The name is a little misleading since Queen Anne never came near the place, but the name seems to be connected to Samuel Ongley (the probable builder ) being knighted by her. Also as you can see, it's a fairly hefty piece of masonry and nothing like a ( Read more... )

It's that time of year when the Malvern Autumn Show takes place so I went up to Worcestershire to visit it. The last couple of years I've been with Other Sister, but since she wasn't able to make it this year, I decided to combine the show with a stay in a Landmark. I stayed in Tewkesbury which is only a few miles from Malvern, at St Mary's Lane, ( Read more... )

I've just come back from a few days holiday in Snowdonia. I won't describe anything about where I was staying since my last post gave the link to last year's holiday in the same place, and it hasn't changed.

( What I did on my holiday )

I spent the weekend in Peter's Tower, Lympstone - a Landmark Trust property that I stayed in last April. It's a great place for one person, although I think it probably seems crowded even with 2! Apart from being compact, it's other advantages are that it's one of the cheaper Landmarks, and it's only 2 minutes walk from Lympstone statiion - or 5 by ( Read more... )

I spent last week in Snowdonia, near Betws-y-coed in North Wales, staying at this remote cottage. It's actually only 2 miles from the town, but you have to drive up through a Forestry Commission area to get to a parking area. Then you take a flagstoned path into the trees, through a kissing gate, using a stepping stone to cross a stream, pick your ( Read more... )

I'm off on holiday to Snowdonia for a few days. I don't usually go on holiday in August since it's the peak season, but I thought there was a chance of fine weather in Wales in August. I thought wrong - the forecast is rain each day, although in varying amounts ( Read more... )