Blog Archives

Greenwich: Longitude 0˚

18/2/2015

Having just watched the movie Longitude, with the fabulous Michael Gambon as John Harrison and Jeremy Irons as horologist Rupert Gould, I am now planning for a family visit to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich to see the famous Harrison Clocks.

Having guided in Greenwich a number of times for guests I can highly recommend it as place to visit if you are in London, perhaps on holiday or taking time out from a business trip – it’s not far, only 7 miles from Trafalgar Square (allow 30 minutes by car).

An interesting & fun way to get to Greenwich from Central London is by boat on the River Thames – you can take a Thames Clipper (River Bus) from the London Eye (yes, do that too – fantastic views!) and it takes about 40-45 minutes.

In addition to the Royal Observatory, where you can stand astride the Prime Meridian – one foot in the West, the other in the East – there are many other attractions in Greenwich with something for everyone. Here are some:

The Old Royal Naval College – originally the Royal Hospital for Seamen, built on the site of Greenwich Palace where Queen Elizabeth I was born. Highlights here are The Painted Hall and The Chapel – both beautiful.
The Cutty Sark tea clipper - built in 1869 specifically to ship tea from China back to Britain.
The Queen’s House - commissioned by Anne of Denmark, wife of King James I (reigned 1603–25), and designed by architect Inigo Jones.
The National Maritime Museum – described as “the world's largest maritime museum, filled with inspirational stories of exploration and endeavour at sea.”

For more information click Royal Museums Greenwich

If you are planning to come to London this year and would like a private guided tour of Greenwich, or indeed any other places of interest, with me then please get in touch - click Contact

A Mansion Full Of Secrets

17/2/2015

Today I visited Bletchley Park which, between 1939 & 1945, was Britain’s most secret location. This was where, during World War 2, enemy codes were broken and Nazi Germany’s “unbreakable” cypher machine Enigma was cracked. The work at Bletchley was crucial to Allied war effort, saved many lives, and by all accounts shortened the war by 2-4 years.

I first visited Bletchley 2 years ago and was very impressed – everyone was very welcoming, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the place and its history. Today I was astounded! The welcome, knowledge and enthusiasm were still there; but there was more – much more.

The Bletchley Park Trust has just completed the first phase of a restoration programme that has seen the virtually derelict Codebreaking Huts restored and fitted out with artefacts, displays and projections that really do take the visitor back in time.

There are information and display boards with explanations, photographs and quotes at key locations throughout the site; strategically placed loudspeakers provide an authentic acoustic backdrop, and all this augmented by a quite brilliant Multimedia iTouch Guide with commentary, photos, film clips, stories, puzzles - all for both adults and children.

Add to this a reconstructed and fully operational Bombe Machine (the Bletchley Guide who explained this was quite brilliant), Enigma machines, the enigmatic sounding Station X, vehicles, kit and equipment of the period, and (as if that’s not enough) a display dedicated to the 2014 movie The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch as one Alan Turing with scenes filmed on location at Bletchley – well, enough said, a visit is a must!

Blooming Britain!

16/2/2015

Banish those Winter Blues and start planning your Spring / Summer Holiday in Blooming Britain! Whether you are a keen horticulturalist, enthusiastic gardener, or just like seeing beautiful flowers in formal gardens or shows, then Britain has some of best. (See sample 2015 Flower show list below).

Of course, it’s not just the plant life - Great Britain is a very diverse country with many attractions and places of interest to visit. So, even if flowers aren’t your thing, no matter what’s on your list - exciting cities (e.g. London, Manchester, Liverpool, etc.), the peaceful countryside of England, mountains and valleys of Wales, or the Highlands and Glens of Scotland – the best way to see or tour Britain is by car with a Private Blue Badge Driver Guide.*

Need some help with planning, or just want more information? No problem. Just get in touch and we can take it from there. Contact.

Some of This Year's Flower Shows around the Country

Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Flower Shows 2015

Cardiff Flower Show Fri 17 – Sun 19 April 2015
Chelsea Flower Show Tue 19 – Sat 23 May 2015
Hampton Court Palace Flower Show Tue 30 Jun – Sun 5 Jul 2015
Tatton Park Flower Show Wed 22 – Sun 26 July 2015

England

Cornwall Spring Flower Show – Sat 28 - Sun 29 March
Blenheim Palace Flower Show Fri 19 – Sun 21 June 2015
Portishead Flower Show Sat 25 - Sun 26 July 2015
Sandringham Flower Show Wed 29 July 2015
Shrewsbury Flower Show Fri 14 - Sat 15th Aug 2015
Southport Flower Show Thu 20 – Sun 23 Aug 2015
London Flower Show (Victoria Park) Fri 11 – Sun 13 Sept 2015
Harrogate Autumn Flower Show Fri 18 – Sun 20 Sept 2015

Scotland

Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society
Spring Show (Edinburgh) Sat 28 - Sun 29 March 2015
Ayr Flower Show Fri 7 - Sun 9th Aug 2015

Wales

Cardiff (RHS) Flower Show Fri 17 – Sun 19 April 2015
Prestatyn Flower Show Fri 24 - Sat 25 July 2015

Northern Ireland

Garden Show Ireland (Antrim Castle) Fri 8 – Sun 10 May 2015

For more information on the RHS Flower Shows click here

*The Blue Badge is the highest level of tour guiding qualification in Britain.
I am a member of the national Driver Guides Association (DGA) - professional blue badge tourist guides providing private guided tours throughout the United Kingdom.

The Cotswolds

15/2/2015

The Cotswolds region is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) within the UK, as well it might be with such gorgeous countryside featuring gentle hillsides, river valleys, water meadows and beech woods, with market towns and villages, buildings and field dividing walls built from beautiful honey-coloured limestone.

There is plenty of it too; nearly 800 sq. miles (that’s over 2,000 sq. km) which makes it ideal for recreation: touring, walking, cycling, fishing, riding, and camping. There are gardens and castles to visit, Roman sites & museums, a Palace, and even an ancient stone circle.

A Driver Guided Tour of the Cotswolds, which can be combined with visits to other places such as Oxford or Stratford-Upon-Avon, also takes in some of those places with mysterious sounding names: Stow-on-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh, The Slaughters, Chipping Norton, Shipton-under-Wychwood, etc.

Each of these places has a story to tell ranging across the Roman occupation, the English Civil War, The Lord of the Rings, and even (would you believe) an iconic pop record from the 70s!

You can discover more online here: The Cotswolds - or come with me and experience the real thing - Contact

Windsor & Waterloo

14/2/2015

Throughout 2015 there will be many events to commemorate the Duke of Wellington’s defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo 200 years ago – 18th June 1815.

At Windsor Castle, for example, they have put together a display of prints, drawings, etc. that explores the battle and its aftermath, and combined this with a themed trail through the State Apartments (always worth a visit anyway!). The trail highlights various objects associated with Waterloo, some taken from the battlefield itself; and you can even see Napoleon’s red cloak seized from his fleeing train.

More info here: Windsor Castle

The display and trail will be in place throughout 2015 so plenty of time to arrange a visit to one of Her Majesty The Queen’s official residences and the oldest inhabited castle in the world.

You can even combine a visit to Windsor Castle with Hampton Court Palace, plus a nice lunch in a typical English village pub or nearby restaurant. Hampton Court has its own reason for celebration this year – it’s 500 years Henry VIII’s chief minister, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, began building the Tudor Palace, scene of so many pivotal events in our history. (See earlier Blog).

Find out more here: Hampton Court

Borough Market

13/2/2015

Now fully re-opened following refurbishment of the Three Crown Square area, Borough Market is one of the oldest fruit and vegetable markets in London. The original market joined the end of London Bridge, but caused such traffic chaos that it was moved further down the High Street.

The City of London received a Royal Charter from King Edward VI in 1550 to control all markets in Southwark. The charter was confirmed by King Charles II in 1671.

However, the market caused such traffic congestion that in 1754 it was abolished by Act of Parliament.
The same Act gave the parishioners of St Saviour's Church permission to set up a new market on a new site and the market began again in Rochester Yard in 1756.

During the 19th century it became one of London's most important food markets due to its strategic position near the riverside wharves of the Pool of London.

The present buildings were designed in 1851, with additions in the 1860s, and an entrance designed in the art deco style added on Southwark Street in 1932.

The recent revival of the South Bank and the arrival of several high-profile restaurants has had a dramatic effect on Borough Market. What was once a raucous marketplace for the trading of cattle, fish and grain has become one of London's most exotic and sophisticated food markets.

Notable films with scenes filmed in the streets around the market include: Bridget Jones's Diary, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

special party invitation

12/2/2015

2015 marks 500 years of history at HAMPTON COURT PALACE and to celebrate they are throwing a PARTY!

Each evening of the Easter Weekend (April 3rd, 4th & 5th) from 6:30pm to 9pm there will be live period music, food (including meat roasted on the fire in the Tudor Kitchen), a champagne bar in the Cartoon Gallery, as well as various pop-up food & drink bars.

The climax of the evening will be a Son et lumière show with projections on the Palace walls and fireworks.

Ticket prices are: Adult £22; Concession / Member £20; Child £10 (under 5s free); Family ticket £50.

For further details and buying tickets follow the link below:

The Party: 500 years of Hampton Court Palace

England Hosts the 2015 rugby world cup

11/2/2015

key dates:

Opening Ceremony & Match at Twickenham Stadium (shown above) is on Friday September 18.
Pool or Group Matches (40 of them!) played over 3 weeks ending on Sunday October 11.
Quarter Finals take place over the weekend October 17 & 18.
Semi Finals the following weekend October 24 & 25.
The match for 3rd Place is Friday October 30.
The FINAL - at Twickenham - Saturday October 31

tickets

Incredibly tickets for some matches are still available from the Rugby World Cup website.
If you want to purchase tickets here is the link:
Rugby World Cup Tickets
You will need to create an account with Login ID and Password - it's very easy BUT ACT FAST - DO IT NOW!

can't get tickets?

You can try other websites many of which still have tickets available - just type Rugby World Cup Tickets in your Search box to find them.

And if that fails - don't worry - I'm sure there will be plenty of Big Screen venues all around the Country where you can soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the games.

Harry, England & st. George!

10/2/2015

The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced their new season (Sept 2015 - Jan 2016) for Stratford-upon-Avon.

In the Royal Shakespeare Theatre:

Henry V
Wendy & Peter Pan

In the Swan Theatre

Hecuba
Love for Love
Queen Anne

A Painting Mystery

9/2/2015

The Four Ages of Man - Valentin de Boulogne - about 1629
National Gallery, London.

Four figures sit around a small table – each supposedly represents a stage in life – Infancy, Youth, Manhood & Old Age.
Infancy (centre foreground) holds an empty bird trap, perhaps symbolising hope.; but he doesn't look hopeful - not to me anyway.
Youth (left) is playing a lute, which might represent amorous desires - but is there anything else?
Manhood (right), in armour, is wearing a victor’s laurel wreath and holding a plan of a fortification; but why is he shown sleeping? Safe & Content? Battle weary? What do you think?
Old Age (centre background) - tends to be associated with wisdom, but he is holding a flask and a glass (alcohol?), and has pile of coins, symbol of avarice, before him. But he doesn't look greedy - or drunk. Some say that the glass is symbolic of the fragility of life.
I have my own ideas but I'd be interested in yours - write and let me know what you think.