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A day in Grasmere

A day in Grasmere
When you live so close to the Lake District, it can be easy to forget what a beautiful place it is to visit. I don’t visit it anywhere near enough, and each time I do I promise myself I’ll be back soon, which usually turns into many months later. The problem is that a lot of the time the weather isn’t fantastic, and when it is it becomes overrun with tourists making the roads busy and parking difficult to find. Luckily, I had the perfect opportunity to visit recently. The skies were blue, it was a weekday and it wasn’t yet the school holidays, so I jumped in the car and headed for Grasmere. View Post

An Autumn day at Acorn Bank

An Autumn day at Acorn Bank
Autumn has never really been a time of year that I have appreciated before. In the past, autumn has always marked the end of summer, with colder weather and dark nights drawing in. This year however, the leaves seem to be brighter, and the trees have a greater mix of colours. It also hasn’t been quite as wet as I remember other years being, which always makes it more enjoyable! Anyway, when James last came to visit we decided to make the most of the autumn (and my new car!) and head to Acorn Bank National Trust property for a day out in the cool air. View Post

Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival 2016

Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival 2016
Surprisingly for someone who is an English Literature graduate, and has enjoyed reading their whole life, I’ve never really been to a book festival. With the exception of York Literature Festival in 2015 where I was a volunteer for a couple of the events, I had never attended one until last weekend. Borderlines Carlisle Book Festival started three years ago, but this was the first year I have been able to attend. Each year I have looked at the line-up, but either haven’t had my interest piqued or wasn’t easily able to get there. This year I was in the area, and looking through the brochure was spoiled for choice. It’s little wonder that this has been its most successful year to date. View Post

Lanercost Priory

Lanercost Priory
Lanercost is a small hamlet in Cumbria, which at first glance might appear insignificant, but is actually shrouded in history. Lanercost sits close to Naworth Castle, Hadrian’s Wall and is home to an Augustinian Priory which is now in ruins after being dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538. Whilst there is not enough to do in Lanercost for a full day trip, it is certainly worth a visit if you are in the area or planning to see Hadrian’s Wall. View Post

A New Chapter

A New Chapter
“When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.”   –  Alexander Graham Bell Anybody who knows me well, or who follows this blog, will know of my love for York. It is a place I began to call home four years ago when I started university, and somewhere that I never expected to get so deeply under my skin. I love the history which surrounds the city, the restaurants within it and the fact that there is always something going on. I love its size (not too big or too small), and I love its location in comparison to the rest of the UK, with most places being fairly easily accessible by train. A year ago I thought I was saying goodbye to York, but was lucky enough to… View Post