• Jervaulx Abbey – A secret gem

    On my way back from Aysgarth Falls in North Yorkshire this week I stopped at the outstanding Jervaulx Abbey situated on the Ripon Road (A6108)between Leyburn and Masham. Despite living in Yorkshire all my life I have never visited Jervaulx Abbey before so we parked up in the car park and wondered across the road…

  • My visit to historic York

    If the Romans and the Vikings could see York as it is now I wonder how they would feel? It was 71AD when the Romans arrived in York and 866AD when the Vikings first paid a visit, but also there were other well known visitors to York. William the Conqueror marched on the city in…

  • Cauldron Falls, West Burton

    Cauldron Falls in the tiny beautiful village of West Burton in North Yorkshire is a stunning waterfall that is not that well known. It’s near to the more visited Aysgarth Falls but I think Cauldron Falls is better. There is plenty of nearby parking available and the waterfall is only 50 yards from the road…

  • A holiday explosion of cultures on volcanic Mauritius

    A holiday on Mauritius is probably the quintessential island paradise, a tropical haven of relaxation for celebrity visitors such as actor Ralph Fiennes and model Naomi Campbell. Certainly the volcanic island lives up to its reputation with its year-round warm tropical climate, its turquoise sea and coral reefs full of exotic fish. The island boasts some of…

  • Visit Malta to escape Winter

    If you’re thinking of escaping the British Winter for a spell this year, why not visit Malta for a relaxing break in the Mediterranean. This friendly destination is a delight to explore, with a rich history and culture, as well as delicious Mediterranean cooking, clear blue waters, a thriving nightlife in some parts, and neighbouring…

  • Kos: Island of history, culture and fun

    Nestling in the warm waters of the Carpathian Sea the island of Kos is a jewel among jewels offering a climate and rich history few other holiday destinations can match. The third largest island of the Dodecanese archipelago, after Rhodes and Karpathos, Kos lies between the islands of Nisyros and Kalymnos, close to the coasts of Asia Minor. The…

  • Falkland Island’s family book Florida holiday with Leeds travel agency.

    There are not many places in the world that are more remote than The Falkland Islands. These beautiful islands, in the South Atlantic Ocean, have a population of less than 3,000 and are fiercely loyal to the United Kingdom. So, when we received an email from a Falklands resident asking us to arrange a Florida…

  • Take a city break to Zurich

    I have just had a city break to Zürich. I was there for only 24 hours in August 2013 but Zürich is such a compact city you can see plenty of this beautiful city in a short length of time. I arrived into Zürich train station from Chur. I had been on the Bernina Express…

  • Tirano Italy. Start of the Bernina Express Rail Journey.

    We arrived in the busy Italian town of Tirano in northern Italy by train from Menaggio on Lake Como. Tirano is actually on the Swiss/Italian border and it is the start of one of the most amazing train journeys in the world. The Bernina Express starts from Tirano and travels through the streets of the…

  • Parma – Things to do and where to stay in Parma, Italy.

    Things to do and where to stay in Parma, Italy.   I have just returned from a trip to Italy and one of the places I visited that I had never been to before, is Parma. Famous, of course, for ham, Parma also has many reasons to visit. Parma has one of the oldest universities…

  • Holiday heaven in the Dominican Republic

    The Dominican Republic was not always the holiday haven of today, previously nestling modestly in the shadows of its Caribbean counterparts such as Jamaica, Antigua and Barbados. But its white-sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges, spectacular rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife, have finally helped the island emerge as one of the great…

  • Huge increase in cost of Maldives holidays causes slump

    Tour operators are reporting a drop in bookings for Maldives holidays, with some saying that bookings have slumped by 35%. The slump has been caused by an increase in land costs, poor exchange rates and an increase in airfares. It’s not just The Maldives that is suffering. Other long haul destinations in the Caribbean like Barbados…