
Exploring the Lake District

Recipe ideas for budget meals, everyday cooking and a little indulgence. Travel inspiration and restaurant reviews too.
A quick whistle-stop visit to a British seaside town is a perfect way to blow away the cobwebs and having recently spent a weekend in Brixham, Devon I wanted to share some of my favourite spots to eat and drink. As a harbour town with a thriving fish market it’s no surprise that there’s Brixham fish, crab and shellfish almost everywhere. From little seafood stalls on the harbour front to the restaurants it’s not hard to get fresh fish and Devonshire
We learnt a few things about Sweden while we were there. Firstly, if you drive on the smaller roads there's hardly anyone else driving the same way. Secondly, if you like lakes, red houses and pine trees then Sweden is the place for you. Lastly, it doesn't seem to matter where you are, all the food is brilliant. Embarking on a west coast Sweden road trip meant we had to consider a few things we don't normally have to think about on other road trips:
We went for a long weekend in North Yorkshire to start exploring more of this beautiful part of the world. Yorkshire is rather large you see: with two of the UK's National Parks in Yorkshire (The Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors) and two others really rather close (The Peak District and The Lake District) there's rather a lot to get through. And that's only the parks. There's towns, cities, villages, museums, galleries, food shops and all
I think being in connection with the seasons is hugely important. When it gets dark in the evenings and the mornings are gloomy and grey it can be hard to see the different colours, the natural changes and shifts that happen at this time of year. Last weekend we headed down for a Shepherd's hut weekend getaway to the New Forest and it was just what I needed.
Stay
The Shepherd’s Huts are the perfect size for two and contain everything you could
Before we went to Italy I was looking forward to it immensely. I had been planning an Italian road trip for months and I couldn't wait to start visiting and eating my way through this beautiful country. Now I've come back I feel like I've left a little part of me there and I am itching to go back. We went to lots of different regions and the way of life is so different in all of them: in Ferrara (Emilia Romagna) it is all about food; in the Amalfi
I planned a brilliant road trip; it was all mapped out, places of note to stop at if there was time, places to stay and eat all sorted. There was going to be plenty to see and do and then after a series of unfortunate, last minute events, the plan went out of the window entirely and a new road trip was drawn up rather hurriedly, while on the road! But you know what, managing to see two UNESCO sites in two days and then tick somewhere else off my bucket
This was a gifted meal.
I do love a good afternoon tea, everything about it just demands some time out to properly sit back, enjoy and relax. There have been a few occasions where I've slightly overindulged on the clotted cream I have to admit. I was invited to try the new vegan afternoon tea available at Careys Manor Hotel; I was really looking forward to trying it and was really curious to see the desserts most of all!
This was a gifted meal.
I love Windsor. Partly because it’s both Windsor and, after a skip over the bridge, Eton. We went last weekend for lunch at Browns, Windsor but before we ate we had some exploring to do. As a compact town there’s plenty of wandering around shops that can be accomplished in no time at all but we opted for grabbing a drink and promenading up the Long Walk. On a frosty morning, looking back at Windsor Castle with a warm coffee
Those funny few days between Christmas and New Year are the perfect time for a bit of reflection. I like to look back at everything I've been up to and where I've been, what (if anything!) I've learned and achieved in the last year and, most importantly, what I've been eating! So this post contains my absolute favourite recipes from this year and some of the best places I have visited.
Beer, Mustard and Onion Macaroni Cheese
New recipe! Zingy, spicy and full of vegetables this is a really easy and fast soup to make, perfect for freezing t… twitter.com/i/web/status/13674…
I love these veggie Singapore noodles. The mix of flavours is a real winner, it's ready in minutes and is ideal for… twitter.com/i/web/status/13674…
Just written a whole new chapter. So after re-reading it for the 57th time and patting myself on the back I shall r… twitter.com/i/web/status/13674…
I’ve booked a day off to have a whole chunk of uninterrupted writing time. So of course I’m cleaning the whole house. #WritingCommunity