trips tips and tapas

'Why visit Wales? It always rains there,' I hear you say. Well, it may be true that Wales receives its fair share of rainfall but then that accounts for its wonderful greenery. Plus, when it's not raining, it offers fantastic scenery to rival that of any in the world. If you’ve visited Wales already, then I’m sure you have a favourite region. An area popular with families, campers, hikers and nature lovers is Pembrokeshire; hardly surprising with its miles of beautiful coastline and natural habitat.  Why not start by visiting Fishguard? Better known as a ferry port and handy if you plan to go on to Ireland but well worth a visit in its own right. The scenery, I’m sure you’ll agree is absolutely stunning and the views from the top of the town looking down to the harbour could rival any Mediterranean vista on a sunny day. If you’re travelling to Fishguard I can thoroughly recommend stopping at ‘Pembrokeshire Creations’ at Nant-y-Mor for a delicious coffee or cream te

Gloucester, with its famous cathedral, actually dates back over 2000 years to Roman times. It also has the distinction of being England’s most inland port and is conveniently situated with the Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean and Wales all close by. Having lived here for twelve years, one of my favourite areas to visit is The Quays, the dockland area of Gloucester that has seen massive rejuvenation in recent years. With the designer outlet, multiplex cinema and restaurant chains, this area has become quite trendy. What I appreciate though is the docks themselves from where you can take a boat trip down the Gloucester- Sharpness canal. On the dockside is one of my favourite restaurants with a great view, aptly named ‘Greek on the docks.’ The kleftiko ( lamb cooked in a clay oven) is to die for. I first went there for my birthday and will definitely be going back. The area has been mostly pedestrianized and there’s a pretty little church that looks as if it’s been maro