The Bush Hotel in Farnham feels like a secret that those of us who know about it don’t really want to share with the rest of the world. And even if you are local and drive through Farnham regularly you would be forgiven for not knowing this little peaceful haven was there despite the fact it has been welcoming guests since 1618. Step off the pavement in onto it’s cobbled
Exploring
Guernsey’s bathing pools
Nestled along the captivating coastline of Guernsey, a charming gem in the Channel Islands, lie a collection of exquisite bathing pools. These picturesque havens, carved into the rocky shores, offer visitors an idyllic setting for relaxation, tranquility, and rejuvenation. They have recently seen a huge investment and now make for a must visit attraction. A Natural Oasis of Serenity: Guernsey’s bathing pools are a hidden treasure, secluded spots where the
Read More
Exploring
Victor Hugo’s House — Guernsey
You might not realise it but Guernsey, a picturesque island nestled in the English Channel, holds a significant place in literary history as the sanctuary that inspired one of the greatest writers of all time—Victor Hugo. We had been to the island a few times before we finally visited Victor Hugo’s house and as we prepare to visit the island again we have already booked a revisit to the House
Read More
Musings
Cosmo Restaurant — A review (AD)
When I was asked if we wanted to review Cosmo Restaurant in Reading I did what I always do and headed straight to the website to look at the menu and plan what I was going to eat, even though it was a good six weeks away. Seeing that the restaurant’s USP is delivering a buffet that spans continents did not help my decision making. Normally I hate buffets because
Read More
HomeLife
[AD] How much do you know about heading to Uni?
I didn’t go to university, and nor have my three children. The reason I didn’t go is because I didn’t do A levels, and knew I wanted to be a Nanny, and my three didn’t go as they all wanted to start working straight from A-Levels. So, when I see people talking about their kids heading to uni and making decisions about where their children are going to possibly experiencing
Read More
Exploring
Billesley church
You would be forgiven for not knowing this little church exists. It is tucked away at the end of a small lane behind nearby Billesley Hotel and a neighbouring farm. There was once a bustling village here but it was wiped out by the plague in the 1400s. There has been a church on this site since the 1100s but the present building has “only” been here since the 1800s.
Read More
Exploring
A weekend in Towcester
The third of our “visit all the -cester towns in England” saw us spending the weekend in Towcester. It feels really mean to say that you dont need a whole weekend in Towcester, a morning will do it but there is a reason why people generally say ‘oh are you are off to Silverstone?” when you mention you are going there. Wikipedia is scant and even Google was reluctant to
Read More
Exploring
Billesley Manor Hotel and Spa — A review
I was thrilled when we were invited to experience an overnight stay at beautiful Billesley Manor recently. Not only because it is very close to one of our favourite areas of the country, the Cotswolds, but because it also meant to we got to visit another of the towns ending in cester, Alcester. You can read about that by clicking on the link, but for now what about the Billesley
Read More
Exploring
A day in Alcester
When we set out to visit all the towns in England that end in cester I have to admit that I didn’t envisage us spending a day in Alcester as I had never heard of it. Despite the fact it lies just off the M40 and so therefore we have driven past it hundreds, if not thousands of times. Alcester is a market town that has been around since Roman
Read More
Musings
Exploring Cirencester
We were looking forward to exploring Cirencester and as soon as I mentioned on Instagram we were heading there people gave me all sorts of tips on places to go, restaurants to eat in and what to do. Not too far from us I am surprised we hadn’t been there before to be honest, and I really hope we get the chance to go back. In fact I might have
Read More
HomeLife
Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2023 — AD
Welcome to my Mother’s Day Gift Guide for 2023! I have been sent some lovely things to share with you so shall we just crack on (make sure you see the note at the bottom too about where the gifts have all been sent on to) QuietOn Noise Cancelling earbuds You are anything like me then one of the things you really crave when you are sleeping is to cut
Read More
Exploring
A weekend in Worcester
We were in Worcester for the weekend when we realised it was of only a handful of towns in England that end in cester. I say “we”. It wasn’t we at all, it was Bruce because that is how his brain works. Once we realised they were all “do-able” for a weekend we promised ourselves we would set out to visit them all this year. We found ourselves in Worcester