Beautiful cities and a huge variety of cultures packed into a small continent. Not to mention the food!
In September 2024 we took our family back to England for a month-long road trip. This was the first time we'd been home in seven years. It was a real nostalgia trip for us, and a chance to show our kids where we grew up and share our childhood memories. Come with us...
And so we had reached our last full day in England. With a heavy heart we left Devon and drove through Somerset into Wiltshire. We had one big-ticket item left to see - and that was Stonehenge. In case you haven't heard of Stonehenge, it's the king of all stone...
Teignmouth in Devon is a lovely seaside town and fishing port on the South Devon coast. It makes a great base for exploring this part of England. Here's my guide to spending a few days in Teignmouth and South Devon. Teignmouth Make sure you allow time to enjoy...
The weather didn't cooperate with us on our first full day in Teignmouth. Heavy rain and wind were expected by the afternoon so we made an early start and headed out to Dartmoor before the worst of it arrived. I'm a sucker for a good moody moor, as you might remember...
It was a long but straightforward drive down the motorway from Warwickshire into Devon, stopping only at the Gloucester Services. If you aren't familiar with motorway services in the UK, you don't know what you're missing. They are rest stops which are more like...
The beautiful county of Warwickshire sits right in the heart of England. This historic county has verdant countryside, peaceful villages, an incredible 11th century castle and is also the birthplace of Shakespeare. Well located in the middle of England, it's the...
Warwick Castle is a medieval castle originally founded by William the Conqueror in 1068. With 1100 years of history, it has existed as a fortress, royal residence and today is one of the best castles to visit in England. It has huge amounts of history and is...
Warwick Castle Hotel is located in the grounds of Warwick Castle and is heavily geared towards family stays. Warwick Castle is a huge well-preserved castle in Warwickshire, well worth a day trip and great for kids. In the castle grounds they have plenty of...
Tea Room Travels has reached 50 posts! If you've been following along with my journey since the beginning, you'll know this is a personal milestone that I really wanted to achieve within the first 6 months, so I'm pleased to say I've hit it. As always, I'm grateful...
We left York early the next morning to begin our journey back down south. After a couple of comfort stops we arrived in Warwickshire. Side note - the motorway services in the UK are brilliant. They have toilets, cafes, shops and are frequently dotted along the...
Yorkshire is a large and diverse county in northern England. Known for its moors, dales, coastline and lively cities, there's something for everyone in this friendly county. Here are my favourite things to do in Yorkshire. Yorkshire Dales With rolling hills, quaint...
York is one of the best city breaks you can do in England. This compact city is packed with so much history that the whole city centre feels like a living museum. World-class attractions like the Shambles, Jorvik and York Minster secure York's position as one of the...
Our next stop was York, and what an amazing city it is. I'm not a big city person (see my thoughts on London here) but I absolutely loved it. The city centre is compact with history everywhere you look and world class attractions like Jorvik, York Minster and the City...
The North York Moors National Park is an area of natural beauty in the northeast of England. Featuring heather moorland, coastline and pretty villages, the North York Moors is a great choice for a weekend in Yorkshire. Here are my favourite things to do in the North...
The day we left the Yorkshire Dales we decided to take the scenic route through the North York Moors National Park. Oh how I loved it here! The weather was inclement with heavy rain and mist so visibility wasn't great but I really felt that this added to the allure...
The Yorkshire Dales is a picturesque area in the north of England characterised by rolling hills, valleys, pretty villages and waterfalls. There are over 20 hills, known as dales, in the Yorkshire Dales and Wensleydale is probably the most famous. Thanks in no small...
We left Bamburgh the next morning. After a quick stop in Newcastle for some lunch we made our way into the Yorkshire Dales. We would be staying in the village of Askrigg for 3 nights, in a little stone cottage with a fireplace and a cosy feel. Askrigg is a...
Northumberland is a rural county located in the far northeast corner of England. With an incredible amount of Roman, Viking and medieval history as well as beautiful coastline and picturesque countryside, this is an underrated area of England with so much to discover....
Northumberland has more castles than any other county in England. Due to its position on the northeast coast it was constantly attacked by the Vikings and Scots and has played pivotal parts in many turbulent periods of British history. Most notably, Northumberland was...
For the next few days we would be staying in Bamburgh and exploring this quiet pocket of Northumberland. The village of Bamburgh is a small settlement which services tourists with a few pubs and tea rooms. The most notable part of the town is the massive medieval...
Dunstanburgh Castle was built in the 14th century. It's the largest castle in Northumberland, England. Now just a ruin, the castle sits in isolation on a dramatic coastal headland. The setting is just as impressive as the castle itself. History Of Dunstanburgh Castle...