Summer’s here. As we headed into the Spring Bank Holiday, a heatwave was approaching the British Isles. Before things got too crazy and blisteringly hot, we took the opportunity for a cooler — but still beautiful — hike in the Dales.

Early May means one thing in my head: bluebells. There’s a few options I know of, and have been quite fortunate to view some extraordinary bluebell displays. However, one place in particular tugs on my desire strings more than others: Barkbooth Lot.

I have a lot of love for Newcastle. The last time I visited the city was over a decade ago. Too long. During our recent stay in Tynemouth we picked a more murkey weather day to take the metro inland for a jaunt around Newcastle city.

Like a mini-Pembrokeshire. On our final day during our Easter break in Tynemouth, we decided to cross the Tyne south towards a coastline that looked rather interesting (to me) on Google Earth: Whitburn.

An Easter break on the other side of England. Hearing that Storm Dave was on its way wreak havoc across the northwest, we did the only sensible and drive away from it.

Things are starting to feel like spring. They day ahead was looking clear and sunny, if still cold. So we decided that a visit to Blackpool was in order. Something a little different.

Finally, blue sky! January and February have been wet. Murk, drizzle, mist, frost have been a defining feature of this winter. But with Valentine’s Day opening up clear skies and cold temperatures, it was time to get out.

It’s been about 12 years since I last went to York. That’s way too long. A few days after our snowy hike around Brimham Rocks, Lisabet + extended family and I head east on a crisp clear day to one of England’s oldest cities: York.

A week off after working Christmas and New Year was needed. With Lisabet’s Aussie family in the UK for a few weeks, we all took a joint week long holiday together. Our “base” was near Summerbridge, between Harrogate and Pateley Bridge, within the Nidderdale National Landscape. This gave us good access to a wide variety of places to explore.

Time for proper winter scenery. Happy 2026 everyone! May you have the clarity to focus on what you can control and the composure to let go of what you cannot.

December has been very wet. To quote the UK government website, “In the first 16 days of December, England has already received 80% of the long term average (LTA) rainfall for December.”

It’s beginning to look a lot like winter. Recently we’ve been bombarded with a mix of arctic blasts and torrential downpours. After a Saturday of downpours, Sunday was looking nice and clear.

It’s not often you find the ruins of an abbey near a city centre. Upon our visit in and around the Leeds area we also became aware of a ruined abbey right next to the main A65 road that runs from Leeds to Kendal.

The remaining bits and bobs from our time in Shropshire. One of the first places we checked out upon arriving in Shropshire was Ironbridge, famous for its namesake bridge and for being the “the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution”.

It’s not often we visit cities. After our week in and around Shropshire we then booked a couple of nights away in Horsforth, in the northwestern suburbs of Leeds. Lisabet has family history in Leeds, which fuelled part of our reason for staying, but it’s also genuinely a lovely city. And also, apparently, undergoing massive investments, improvements, and upgrades. Skyscrapers growing, streets are clean, arcades and food halls full… Leeds seems to be thriving.