The schools round here break up tomorrow, which fires the starting gun on peak holiday season. What do you have planned?
For us there is no pressing reason to seek out the sun this year. A local weather page confirms that my corner of Essex has had no rain for 31 days, and a grand total of 1.1mm in the last 50. Perhaps the kids breaking up will act as the traditional invitation to the rain gods?
We usually go away in the last week of June, which covers The Light’s birthday, but her daughter’s graduation last week took priority. Much as I like Manchester it’s not what you would call an exotic holiday. (A wonderful week though – Apart from the highlight of the graduation there was a show in London to start, Squeeze at Brentwood Festival to finish, a 100 plane RAF flypast straight over my house in between, then the finals of Wimbledon and the World Cup to round things off).
We have just booked, literally this evening, to go to Dubrovnik at the start of October too, which I’m already looking forward to. Apart from the obvious Game of Thrones sites (we have a terrific view of Kings Landing from our balcony!) I haven’t made any plans yet, and often find planning things to do, which are then often ignored, half the fun of the holiday.
Assuming that you like wine I can recommend this wine bar in Dubrovnik.
https://www.dvino.net
We certainly do – thanks for the tip.
Just be aware that the whole Game of Thrones thing ( plus the Last Star Wars) means that every well-known spot like The Walk of Shame will be engulfed by hordes of young American women screaming “Carrie, Carrie, a selfie here!!” Check online to discover how many cruise ships are in port today – our first stroll round the walls was idyllic, the next day when 11 shiploads of tourists arrived was almost impossible. Get yourself to Korcula, a mini Dubrovnik without the hordes.
A big second for Korcula, a wonderful little island. You can book a boat to there from Dubrovnik.
Spain and Morocco in 50 days in celebration of Mrs Wells 50 th.
Woo hoo.
Sounds great! We both had ours last year; Venice for me and (a longstanding ambition) Portmeirion for her.
Already had a couple of holidays this year. 5 days in Italy (Pisa and Lucca), and a week in Ireland (Dingle, Waterford and Dublin). Both great holidays and lucky with the weather too. Not too hot in Italy and not very wet in Ireland.
Still to come is a fortnight in Menorca (Cala n Porter and Ferreries). It’ll be either the 7th or 8th time I’ve been. I like it!
We were in Dubrovnik in June well actually in Cavtat about 18kms away – worth visiting on ferry from Dubrovnik. Beautiful part of the World. If you are adventurous enough to rent a car would highly recommend driving to Kotor in Montenegro. Its only about 90 kilometres away – is breathtakingly beautiful drive to a marvellous mediaeval city surrounded by mountains.
In November am off to Cape town and driving part of the Garden route if anyone has any tips.
Off to Tuscany in August – just outside Lucca. Planning some pool time, beach time, red wine and food. And Sienna, Cinque Terre and Florence days out.
We liked Sienna better than Florence, which was very busy. At Florence, we parked at the edge of the city and walked in to the centre. As well as the usual sights, we enjoyed the Boboli Gardens https://www.visitflorence.com/florence-museums/boboli-gardens.html
I’ve been to Florence several times but never to the Boboli Gardens. I liked Siena well enough on my two visits there, but was glad to get back to the hustle of Florence after a few hours (see also Fiesole and San Gimignano).
The aardvarkess, the tripe hound and I returned last Thursday from a week of camping in The New Forest and The Isle of Purbeck.
As most round here will be aware, it was hot, very hot. Our last lunch out (Wednesday 11th) was taken outside the Shell Bay Seafood Restaurant* on Poole Harbour. It was idyllic. At that point we’d had such a good time that it started to feel unreal – “Are we really in the UK?” Bliss.
(* I don’t “do” fish but the chips were great and the “craft” lager was very quaff-able. My thanks go to the aardvarkess for driving that afternoon.)
In August we’re off to a cottage on Anglesey for a fortnight. Music, reading and plenty of mostly coastal walking. If conditions look good I might take the tripe hound up Snowdon – I’ve been up there many times but not since the station / cafe was rebuilt and I’d really like to see the new building.
Well, we toyed with the idea of the Caribbean, the Algarve or New Zealand, but it’ll probably be a week on the North East coast in October, as usual.
Already had my main holiday, mainly spent in one of the finest places on earth, a sun drenched Wales. Then some camping in sun drenched Ontario in August probably.
Wales seems popular on here; we’re off to the Llyn peninsula in a tent next week. Hoping to take the smalls to Anglesey Sea Zoo.
Halifax, W Yorks. Coming over with son so he can see Britain for the first time and catch up with his cousins.
After that, Sharon and I will find somewhere quiet for just the two of us. And we have to plan a honeymoon.
But yeah. Halifax.
Nowt wrong with Halifax, some good things from there
John Noakes
Cats Eyes
oh and Me
Going to India September/October. Touring the Golden Triangle.
Originally planned to go in 2020 as my father was born in India and he would have been 100 then. (May still do that)
Going now while I’m hopefully still mobile.
The main school holidays in Singapore are 4 weeks in June and then 6 weeks mid Nov through the end of the year, so we’ve done our “summer” holiday – back in the UK for a couple of weeks visiting family (Oxfordshire, Cornwall and Sheffield) and then a few days in Skye (where we had no rain !). Added to that a week in Colorado in March around a business trip I had and we are pretty much done for this year, although we do have a long weekend at a Batam beach resort coming up (Batam is an Indonesian island south of Singapore that’s less than an hours ferry ride away). Kids look like they have school trips in Dec, so we probably won’t do anything at year end this year, although skiing in Japan is always an option.
We now have the opposite – folks coming to see stay with us. An aunt and cousins out next month, a friend in September for the Grand Prix (he does the marshalling so we get free tickets) and another cousin late September.
Cornwall this year, for the first time since I was 18. I used to stay for two weeks every August with my cousins just outside Falmouth.
After years of visiting Mrs F’s birthplace in the Cairngorms, we had two weeks there last year where it rained for 13 out of 14 days. There were demands for “somewhere with sunshine and swimming”. Crohn’s prevents my guts from foreign travel, so we’re off to surf-dude country.
My cousin dropped dead from a massive heart attack 8 years ago, at the age of 42, and I’m not sure how I’m going to be when I revisit our haunts. I stuggled with playing my Undertones RSD box, all I could think of was listening to them in his bedroom – I could even smell the floor varnish.
We went to Cornwall 3 out of 4 years (about 20 years ago) when my boys were young. The last year, it rained every single day, and we actually came home a day early, as there’s only so many times you can take them to the baths.
My wife said “Never again. We want sunshine and swimming”. That’s when our Menorca holidays started.
My aunt’s car had a sticker in the window which read in large lettering “IT NEVER RAINS IN KERNOW” and, in much smaller text, “it buckets down”.
I refuse to go away in the UK for this very reason. Holidays need a reasonable chance of good weather.
You refuse to go away? No matter how many times someone tells you?
Only in the UK. Elsewhere, I flounce regularly.
I believe you have just had about 6 weeks of the most wonderful weather in the UK. Unusual, but there is always a bonus to not deal with airports, ferries, huge queues for trains etc.
It’s getting on for three solid months of sunshine where I am. And thanks to global warming, over the last decade it’s become the norm rather than the exception.
It’s amazing how popular we are with our house in The South of France! “Hi, remember we worked together for two years around 1987? Yes, we exchange Christmas cards every year. Anyway, just wondering if you have enough room for me and Mrs Dull and our three delightful teenagers, we’ll be no problem, just for a week or two and who knows we might even buy you a bottle or two of wine. ps you do have air conditioning don’t you?”
We have already had a fabulous week in Cornwall ( amazingly my first proper visit, we will return) and a great walking holiday in them there Pyrenees where apparently “facile” in the local guidebooks means a two hour slog up to 2000 metres, 30 minutes stroll along a breathtaking plateau before an agonising two hour descent where cries of “My bloody knees have gone!” accompany us all the way back to the hotel where five litres of red and a hearty mountain stew help set us up for tomorrow’s “facile” attack on Col du Tourmalet.
Somewhere around the end of September we we will emerge with engorged livers and bloodshot eyes proclaiming yet again ” Next year, just say no!”
The Pyrenees are facile… that’s the kind of thing Peter York or Brian Sewell would say.
“Niagara Falls… dreadfully suburban”
The American side of Niagara Falls is a complete dump and the Canadian one is like Blackpool. Worth a visit of course, but pretty depressing.
Take a look at the falls from the Canadian side and get the he’ll out of there up to Niagara on the Lake.
Prince of Wales hotel is wonderful.
No longer tied to school holiday time (daughter just turned 25).
Valencia the last week in March.
Portugal (Cascais & Lisbon) in June, followed by 6 scorching days in my garden before returning to work.
Tokyo, Kyoto & Hiroshima upcoming for our 30th anniversary in September. Excited & scared.
Life is good.
Ooh, let us know how you get on in Japan please. It’s still on my list.
We went to Tokyo,Kyoto and Hiroshima a few tears back- all splendid but particularly liked Hiroshima.
While there make sure you do a detour to Nara which is beautiful and also try to experience the Japanese outdoor steam bath (Onsen). Fabulous country that we intend to return to.
Steve, thanks for this as Hiroshima was the destination that I wasn’t so sure about. I can relax now.
I have checked the itinerary put together by my travel company & we are going to Nara & also staying one night in an onsen at Lake Kawaguchi with “some of the best views of Mount Fuji”.
It all seems so exotic. I cannae wait.
I’m going to Kraków next Sunday. I’ll be visiting the salt mine and Auschwitz.
I’ve never been but The Light and her daughter tell me that Krakow is beautiful (and, of course, Auschwitz just as harrowing is you would imagine). They brought me back a small tree ornament made of salt which sits on my shelf of tourist tat.
It does look beautiful, the people are reported to be friendly and the food and drink cheap, yet delicious. I’m looking forward to it.
Everybody Polish who I’ve asked has said that the first place anybody should visit is Krakow.
I could never visit Auschwitz, not least because these days it’s not safe from sniggering or people doing selfies. No place in the world is safe from stupid shitheads.
We’ve already had our traditional fortnight in Lincolnshire which no one seems to go anymore but we love it. Lovely beaches, beautiful countryside, easy walking (even the Wolds are a doddle) and lots and lots of marvellous Pubs, Cafes and Restaurants.
We’ve been going off and on for about 25 years. We stay on a Farm in one of the workers cottages from the 1900s that isn’t used anymore, it’s basic but has everything anyone could need. It’s the perfect place to recharge our batteries.
Just back from the Isle Of Wight.
Can’t get duty free on the Ferry, but can get a massive Seafood Platter in Ventnor.
The Ferry on the way out was very much like a 1970s Working Mens Club – all sticky carpets and screaming kids. The return trip felt a bit like a 21st Century version of Triangle.
Nothing says glamour more than Kate O’Mara sunbathing under the grey leaden skies of the North Sea. Phew what a scorcher!
Your capitalisation of “ferry” initially presents the alarming image of you trying to buy cheap booze and fags from the suave Slave to Love Hitmaker.
Going to the dogs this year. Along with the rest of the world.
White City is a delight at this time of year.
White City is currently a building site, along with the rest of That London.
I first went to London in 1981. I looked at the skyline from Westminster Bridge. Cranes everywhere. Wow! This city is on the mooooove!
I’ve seen those cranes every time I’ve been back since, on dozens of occasions, and have always wanted to say to a local:
“Nice city. When’s it going to be finished?”
Never.
Corrrr! It’s a right old two-and-eight and no blinkin’ mistake, guvnor.
I grew up in the London suburbs, lived and worked in and around Wembley until I was in my late 20s. London will always be rebuilt and adapted, not always for the best. This week I walked across Waterloo Bridge and the view looking East has been ruined by cranes and weird buildings. I’m all for modernisation but not at any cost. It’s hard to imagine Ray Davies writing about the view now.
Cranes on the skyline are a sure indicator of economic investment, and that’s always going on in London. Cranes can add to the skyline for night shots though. I took this one from the stairwell of a Travelodge in January. I like the Wren meets Blade Runner atmosphere, despite the smeared glass I was shouting through.
It almost looks better at night. There’s now a huge amount of LED lighting on everything from buildings to bridges which looks great on a summer evening from the South Bank.
@gatz
Great photo but what were you in a mood about?
Just back from Cornwall, 2 weeks without rain in both the top coast, Perranporth, and the bottom coast, Flushing. Perranporth is a bit of a time warp seaside shithole, but has the best beach in the world for dogs and that makes up for the lack of decent food/ale in the town. But St Agnes, a few miles up the road more than makes up for that. Flushing is a lovely little village wincing discretely in the glare from Falmouth across the estuary. My 3rd trip to the Duchy and am loving it. Porthleven might be getting an airbnb search soon.
But an 8 hour journey back somehow took a bit of shine off.
We’re off to Cornwall next week, camping. Equally not looking forward to the drive there or back, but can’t wait to dip my hairy toes in the sea.
Next time you go try Trelawny Bay just outside Padstow – cliff walks to match St.Agnes and surprisingly few people. Oh and 15 at Waterford Bay is as good as the Rick Stein restaurants and half the price.
I don’t even bother with Rick Stein anymore. His restaurants are the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar de dos jours, popping up bloody everywhere.
Croatia for me. The kids maternal grandmother lives there and has a lovely house on the island of Rab that we go and share every year for 2-3 weeks.
Costa Rica in September, first ‘big’ holiday since Tunisia three years ago. Apparently there’s a bar called Bowie’s Point somewhere in the region, so i’m a man on a mission .
We’re already there, in rural France sort of between Paris and Tours. Not at all touristy but all the more lovely for it. Looking forward to bubbly, local gris, cheese and the sounds and words recommended by you fine bunch in my thread last week. Santé!
Mrs Japanese and I went to Sicily and Rome for our Honeymoon in May. We are going to Brighton with friends for a long weekend in August.
Returned from Skiathos last night – wonderful island (our third visit and there will be more).
Luckily the whole place has not yet been taken over by Mamma Mia Mania although you can go to a midnight showing of the film in the open air cinema (but who would want to do so – we didn’t).