It is mid summer and we are in Northern Finland, staying at Arola Farm with ex-dairy farmers Helena and Eero Sappanen continue reading ›
It is mid summer and we are in Northern Finland, staying at Arola Farm with ex-dairy farmers Helena and Eero Sappanen continue reading ›
Cha Ca La Vong restaurant in the Old Quarter of Hanoi is eulogized by Alastair Hendy in his wonderful book Food and Travels: Asia. Indeed Alastair has included a delicious recipe for the eponymous fish, noodle and dill dish which is an honor to this eating house.
A delayed flight and a late arrival meant I was beginning to pall as the driver of the airport bus offloaded me onto The Avenue on a chilly December night. As I approached No 19 a figure appeared from the darkness to greet me. It was Peter - the owner of the B&B. He gave me a warm welcome, reassured me that I was in the right place and all was well. From the street No 19 looks like a late Victorian villa. Inside it is a cornucopia of contemporary, retro and classical style beautifully assembled into a comfortable home which Peter and his partner are generous enough to share with travellers who need a bed for the night and a good breakfast. Peter has thought of everything to make a stay comfortable and enjoyable. A tiny fridge for fresh milk. WiFi internet access. Lovely unguents in the bathroom. The tiny roll top bath was a joy to soak in. The house was spotlessly clean, beautifully decorated and Peter prepares a wonderful breakfast with a smile. Everything from Bonne Maman conserves, fresh fruit, a range of good quality cereals and freshly ground coffee to a traditional ‘English’. Peter is one of those people who has the gift of putting you at ease - the perfect host. I wasn’t surprised then when he told me his other job is party organizer for the rich and famous.
Our breakfast was superb. Rick’s own hazelnut and apricot sour dough bread, spread with creamy local butter and home made grapefruit and anise marmalade, was delicious. In addition I choose a bowl of carefully chopped fresh fruit served with local yogurt and a couple of boiled fresh eggs laid by his noisy hens that strut nobly around the barn. Rick is a generous and friendly host. He is one of life’s enthusiasts and loves to walk and talk you around the beautiful kingdon he and his wife Gill have created just three miles outside Kendal. He is mid way through building his own bake house and kitchen so that he can extend into outside catering. The accommodation is charming and finished to a high standard. But it was the personal touches we really appreciated. The welcoming glow of the wood burning fire; the bunch of fresh flowers and a slice of home made cake which greeted us on arrival. The location is remote but provides a magnificent view of the local fells.
“Look there’s a beaver” announced Nick, my partner. I saw a line growing along the lake. A blunt snout and distinctive paddle shaped tail clinched the sighting.
Delighted I watched and listened to the silence. No amount of meditation could take me to such a place. continue reading ›
Exhausted by the pressure of office work and clutter of city life? Then don’t head south for the crowded beaches of the Mediterranean, but follow the geese north to Finland and the land of the midnight sun. Our destination is Arola farm which lies just south of the Arctic Circle within sight of the watchtowers of the Russian Federation. continue reading ›
North west of Cape Cornwall, the scene changes - relentless waves, walls of white-tipped water from deep in the Atlantic surge in and crash, breaking off rocks and creating a coast as irregular as a torn off bit of pie crust. continue reading ›
How do you think you would cope if you were flown deep into the largest temperate wilderness in the world, abandoned and left to find your way out carrying everything you might need for the next nine days on your back? Each year about 1000 people come to South West Tasmania to do just that. Last year we were among them. continue reading ›