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12/07/11--18:51: Harbour Inn (chan 1798951)

Found by the picturesque harbour of Solva, an inlet that fills and drains completely of water, depending on the tide.
The Harbour Inn is a great place to sample Brain's bitter, a creamy, nutty brew. We enjoyed the fish and chips out in the sheltered beer garden and soaked up the last rays of the October sun while admiring the little boats stranded high and dry at low tide.


12/07/11--18:51: Calton Hill - rise above it all (chan 1798951)

Castle Rock’s smaller sibling is Calton Hill, a grassy spot some 450ft above sea level at the east end of Princes Street. It is from this spot that every postcard shot of the city has been taken, so take a wander up and take in the view for yourself.

Explore the strange structures at the top – including the locally named ‘Edinburgh’s disgrace’ – an overambitious attempt to replicate the Parthenon in the ‘Athen’s of the North.’

Take a picnic and take this short walk to one of the finest views of Princes Street, the Castle and beyond.

Google map: bit.ly/qNhCjl


12/07/11--18:51: St David's Cathedral (chan 1798951)

St David's Cathedral (Eglwys Gadeiriol Tyddewi) is one of the most beautiful houses of worship in Wales. Located in Britain's smallest city and nestling in the greenest hollow on the rugged Pembroke coast, the cathedral is a must-see for anybody visiting Wales.
There has been a church on this site since the 6th century and in the Middle Ages, it had a strategic position at the crossroads of the Celtic world: Ireland, Scotland, England and the Basque lands.


12/07/11--18:51: Boathouse Tearoom (chan 1798951)

The Boathouse Tearoom is a little National Trust cafe, located by the world's smallest harbour and offering a great selection of hot and cold food to sustain visitors on the half-mile trek to Barafundle Bay. We tried the scones with home-made jam and clotted cream and bought some locally produced honey.


12/07/11--18:51: Loch Nevis Bunkhouse (chan 1798951)

This is the 'remotest bunkhouse' on the west coast of Scotland situated in a beautiful bay at Ardintigh on the south shore of Loch Nevis with a fantastic view over the sea to the Cuillin mountains and across to the remote peninsula of Knoydart. It is only accessible by walking or by sea and our party arrived by various methods including walking, boat taxi and canoeing via Loch Morar (deepest loch on the UK mainland). It is a wonderful place for adventure or just chilling out. We spent a long weekend canoeing and walking and thinking about swimming! The accommodation is in small wooden bunkhouses scattered around the bay with plenty space for campers too. We cooked in the large bunkhouse by the beach (showers and toilet block under the kitchen and dining room) We went as a small party of 11 but the site sleeps up to 24 (plus extras camping). You can go as a group or as individual at £15 per night for the bunkbed (take your own sleeping bag).
The sunsets are wonderful and the last night we watched the sun go down not long before midnight after a beach barbecue. I almost forgot to mention the whale ...


12/07/11--18:51: Walking in the Gower (chan 1798951)

The Gower peninsula has many brilliant walks. Loads of different scenery - woods, dunes, cliffs, beaches, crags, hills, moors - etc. Fantastic veiws from the cliffs. All within a few miles. Also they all seem to be brilliantly catered for with delicious cafes just when you need a hearty snack.


12/07/11--18:51: The Monument Memorial (chan 1798951)

Christopher Wren’s The Monument has been impressively restored creating a new glittering landmark for the city sky line. Built between 1671 and 1676 it commemorates the great fire of London; the origins of the fire supposedly close to this spot. The viewing deck at the top provides excellent views over the surrounding areas and a great view over to the rapidly developing new London Bridge complex on the south side of the river. At the top visitors are protected by a wire mesh; the real fright is the very narrow and steep 311 stairs. This is a great experience for a mere £3 and children (and adults) will love the certificate you receive acknowledging your climbing achievement.


12/07/11--18:51: Ramsdale Circle (chan 1798951)

The North Yorks Moors are awash with standing stones, circles, burial mounds and markers from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages. New ones come to light from time to time that have been covered by heather and bracken for hundreds of years, and a walk on these glorious moors reveals a surprise cross or stone at almost every turn.
Some served as markers on the pannier tracks that connected Yorkshire's monasteries, and some are boundary stones - such as the aptly named Fat Betty on the road between Castleton and Rosedale. Two miles inland from Robin Hood’s Bay are the three Bronze Age stones of the Ramsdale Circle. This is an unsurpassable site for a picnic, with a wonderful view of the coast across rolling moorland, which has probably changed little since the stones were erected.


12/07/11--18:51: Feast (chan 1798951)

Feast is a restaurant at Gorey Harbour. My wife and I recently visited Jersey (August/September 2011) and were recommended to this restaurant by some French visitors we met. The food was unfussy, fresh and delicious. The staff were friendly and pleasant and gave very good attentive service. If the weather is warm and dry sit outside the premises where there are fantastic views of the harbour and across the bay to Grouville and Seymour Tower. Tip - it may pay to book a table in advance as it is also very popular with the locals.


12/07/11--18:51: To the Lighthouse (chan 1798951)

Though Virginia Woolf set her famous novel in the Hebrides it was inspired by childhood holidays at St Ives Bay in Cornwall
Pure white sand, hidden rock pools, a wooden cafe serving hot chocolate, and that view to the lighthouse - a timeless stream of consciousness


12/07/11--18:51: Camelot Castle Hotel (chan 1798951)

If strange and eccentric is your thing, then you'll not go wrong in the imposing Camelot Castle in Tintagel. Perched on the cliffs like a giant sandcastle overlooking the ethereal ruins of the real castle, this is a Victorian station terminus hotel of grand proportions. The station and rail line have long since gone, but the owners of the hotel (none other than John Mappin, heir of Mappin & Webb and his stunning wife Irena from Kazakhstan) have maintained the grandiose Gothic feel of this monstrous building in a recent refurbishment. Beware! The owners and the residential artist Ted Stourton are scientologists ... but don't let it put you off. Other than some gently crazy conversations about Super Power around the fabulous King Arthur's round table in front of a roaring fire (and no, I was neither converted nor felt intimidated), this really is a friendly, quirky find. You can just pop-in for coffee or have the full-blown wedding package, but either way, your dogs and your cats will be as welcome as you are. Oh - and the whole place is stuffed full of Ted's original (in every sense of the word) art work. He may even take you down to the bowels of the castle to show you his lightbox. Honest! It's an advertised option. Don't forget to take the whole thing with a light heart and absolutely make sure you go around Tintagel Castle. It'll hurricane the cobwebs away.


12/07/11--18:51: Top Withens (chan 1798951)

The ruin of Top Withens farmhouse is the perfect place to experience the fictional world that the Brontes created in their novels. Purported to be the location that Emily had in mind when she wrote Wuthering Heights, the farmhouse is reached by a well signposted walk across the moors from Howarth. Far removed from the touristy tea shops in the village, the isolation of this windswept ruin gives you a true sense of what it must have been like in the world of Cathy Earnshaw or Jane Eyre. The views are wonderful, but even on a bright summer's day, the loneliness and solitude of this moorland are an almost tangible presence, and you feel that the howling winds and harsh frosts of winter are never far away.


12/07/11--18:51: The Minack Theatre (chan 1798951)

The Minack Theatre is a stunningly beautiful open-air theatre in Porthcurno, Cornwall. On the edge of a rugged cliff above the ocean, the audience are entertained both by the on-stage action and the jaw-dropping view behind it. If you're looking for a unique and spectacular theatre-going experience which creates a thoroughly magical atmosphere, then this is for you!


12/07/11--18:51: Bangor Pier (chan 1798951)

Tucked away at the end of a built up area is a pleasant walk along Bangor Pier. This has views to Anglesey on the way there, a cafe selling great home made scones at end, and a view of the mountains on the way back.


12/07/11--18:51: The Penthouse (chan 1798951)

This very trendy bar is located on the seventh floor overlooking Leicester Square. Apart from it being a great bar, is has some of the best views across the square and across London for that matter.


12/07/11--18:51: OXO Tower (chan 1798951)

When I'm feeling flush, I like to treat myself to a dinner on the eighth floor of the OXO Tower and marvel at the views of the city from the huge summer terrace - summer weather permitting!
The British-Asian fusion cuisine is pretty tasty too.


12/07/11--18:51: Admiring the moon (chan 1798951)

I always feel a little nostalgia when I return home from Coll. I've been twice and on both occasions it has been truly special. Not only is the island beautiful (perhaps because it is so isolated) but the locals on the island are so welcoming. I think its the simplicity of the place which captures my love for the Island. And you feel a sense of belonging there. On top of this, my reason for visiting has caused my admiration for the place to grow as it is where the charity Project Trust are based. It is this organisation which are allowing me to spend a year out in Thailand taking on projects in both teaching and orphanage work at the age of 18. Therefore I associate Coll with the positive prospects which I would not have received had they not have existed. Visiting the Island is all part of the Project Trust experience yet I would urge anyone to visit. Be it the Coll show, the golf tournament, Ceilidh dancing, fishing competition or beach football, there is certainly enough to keep you occupied. Or whether you fall more for the tranquil side which Coll offers: the unbelievably picturesque beaches, the wild flowers, rare birds or sea life you can find complete escapism here. Need I say more...


12/07/11--18:51: Lake Vyrnwy Hotel (chan 1798951)

Fabulous hotel with food that is absolutely wonderful and views over the lake to match. When you have eaten to your heart's content you can wander around some of the beautiful countryside trying to catch a glimpse of some of the local birds of prey.


12/07/11--18:51: St Conan's Kirk (chan 1798951)

This church, overlooking Loch Awe on the road to Oban, has a very weird and wonderful personality, and its multifarious design echoes the eccentricities of its architect. On the outside many ecclesiastical styles are blended, such as the grand flying buttresses and stained glass, as well as other more zany features such as the stone-carved rabid hound chasing frenetic rabbits down the guttering. The gloomy interior holds many more delights including a giant effigy of Robert the Bruce, underneath which you can view a fragment of bone belonging to the great Scottish king.


12/07/11--18:51: Barafundle Bay (chan 1798951)

Often voted the best beach in Britain, Barafundle Bay is definitely worth the walk over the rugged cliffs.
The wide bay is filled with golden sand bordered by dunes at the back and craggy cliffs with rockpools and secret caves on either side. A wonderful place for a picnic, a paddle or a potter in the rockpools.
Visitors can park their cars at Stackpole Quay, have a bite to eat in the National Trust cafe in the boathouse and see the world's smallest harbour, with room for just one boat!