After having called Oxford my home for almost three years, I can say with confidence that it is one of the prettiest cities I have ever visited and lived in. Even though it isn’t the biggest, the city of dreaming spires can never bore you. It is rich in cultural wonders, as well as astonishing …
Yorkshire, infamously referred to by its inhabitants as ‘God’s Own County’, has been inspiring writers and poets for generations. What makes Yorkshire so special is undoubtedly its natural landscape. Windswept moors, dramatic coastal cliffs and rolling country fields, are just a selection of Yorkshire’s natural beauty on offer. And many of these places of natural …
Short for glamorous camping, glamping is one of the best ways of immersing yourself in nature without sacrificing your home comforts. It’s similar to traditional camping in many ways, but you don’t need to worry about cramping into small tents or sleeping on the – more than uncomfortable – ground. Instead, you can get a …
Hiraeth is a uniquely Welsh word that encompasses familiar feelings of nostalgia and homesickness: a longing to return to the comforts of home. And, while there are arguments to be made that no word is ‘untranslatable’, hiraeth nevertheless speaks to the love and community so intrinsically stitched into Welsh culture. Books and Bao is run …
Where else but London can you find such a marvellous selection of eclectic, unique, and utterly special bookshops? These beautiful London independent bookshops exist as champions of feminism, LGBTQ rights and values, left-wing politics and ideals, and celebrations of the written word in all its strength and beauty. Each of these thirteen bookshops has something …
There were so many reasons to wearing face masks even before this pandemic nightmare. It’s hygienic if you’re sick, a face mask for pollution can protect from airborne particles (like my favourite Vog Mask which saved me during yellow dust season in Korea), and it’ll stop you touching your face which is one of the …
It may – or may not – surprise you to hear that some of the most important classics of the 20th century were written by Czech authors. Of course, when you consider that Czech literature dates back to the 14th century and has been consistently valued culturally since then, perhaps it’s not so surprising. After …
A country as old as the UK, with so many ghosts, castles, medieval villages, and dramatic landscapes, is going to have a lot of unusual places to stay. Some of the most quirky hotels in the UK hide secrets behind their bookcases or are so haunted that they’ve appeared on national TV. Here are some …
Are you ready for Hay on Wye’s bookshops? It’s noon on a Saturday; the sun above is floating in an ocean of blue. You’re driving a little car down twisting, winding English country lanes lined with hedgerows. Birds outside sing you on your way to the happiest little town in Britain. You’re on your way …
One of the most charming and traditional things to do in London is a spot of afternoon tea. Afternoon tea has been a popular pastime in London since the 1840s, and it has been refined time and again over the centuries. Whittard of Chelsea, however, may have just perfected the afternoon tea experience. In the …
