If you haven’t come across the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme… well, let me explain. What is the DofE? A life-changing experience. A fun time with friends. An opportunity to discover new interests and talents. A tool to develop essential skills for life and work. A recognised mark of achievement; respected by employers. It’s an … More Stay At Home Storytelling: My DofE practice expedition
In 2019, I did a virtual swimming challenge every month. 2.5km or 100 lengths of a standard pool every month and double that in June and October. December was going ok. I’d done 40 lengths before I went to York and I wanted to do another chunk while I was there because I like to … More When a 50m pool isn’t a 50m pool
Hi from social distancing/semi-isolation and working from home! Blogging continues as normal even though I can’t travel so today’s blog is from my trip to York in December – which is what I’ve been writing about throughout March anyway. My primary objectives in York were Jorvik and the Minster. With them crossed off, I set … More Selfies at the National Railway Museum
Is Jorvik Viking Centre underwhelming or fascinating? Or is it both? Jorvik is the main reason I wanted to go to York and the fact that it flooded a couple of years ago is why it’s taken until late 2019 to get there. The Minster only came to my attention in April, as I said … More Jorvik Viking Centre: underwhelming or fascinating?
My first stop on my long weekend in York was York Minster. Well, my actual first stop, on the evening I arrived, was next door to my apartment, at the Barbican Theatre to see Rob Beckett. What kind of comedy fan, living next door to a theatre, isn’t going to pop round the corner for … More #BeforeItBurnsDown: York Minster
This is one of the hazards of planning and scheduling your blog so far ahead. I went to Mudeford and Christchurch in January and right now, I don’t have an empty blog spot to put it in until mid-June. Some shuffling and rescheduling will be required. In the middle of January, my mum collapsed in … More Wessex Girl: a day around Mudeford and Christchurch
One of the permanent annual fixtures on my calendar is an “adventure” with Tom on the day after Boxing Day. You may remember Tom from Lyme Regis last year, Charmouth in 2017, Swanage in 2016 or from our trip to Edinburgh two years ago. We generally go to the coast. We like a bit of … More Lulworth Cove: Tom & Julie’s Annual Adventure
I used to enjoy walking but in recent years I’ve gone off it. So I make a point of going on as many Region walking weekends as I can. The last time was South Wales nearly two years ago. They often clash with other plans. But this time I was available. This was a Level … More Bits fall off me on Dartmoor
On April 16th this year, I suddenly realised that those eternal behemoths of days gone by might not be there forever, waiting for me to get around to visiting them and so Project #BeforeTheyBurnDown began. The very next morning I booked flights to visit the Sistine Chapel; that very weekend I went off to Winchester, … More A Pilgrimage to Canterbury: The Blogger’s Tale
I go to Studland fairly irregularly. My parents like the Bankes Arms pub and I like the kayaking school and the walk up to Old Harry Rocks. The Bankes Arms is the sort of pub where the food is simple but really solid. Look at the size of this cheese ploughman’s and especially the size … More Studland’s Secrets: St Nicholas’s Church
I Am A Polar Bear 