I regularly use the LNER (London North Eastern Railway) train service from London to Lincolnshire but usually travel by standard class. But in a bid to see what I was missing 'on the other side', I recently upgraded to First Class. The experience was much pleasanter all round and now when booking, I will investigate premium options. With the new Seatfrog app it's now possible to bid to upgrade your Standard Advance ticket from as little as £5. To start, a first class ticket with LNER gets you access to the lounge at Kings Cross station in London. The space is modern and clean with comp...
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There were some cool beats playing, I felt pretty warm and we were sat outside with the sea twinkling under the night sky beyond. 'It feels like we're in Ibiza,' My friend Ellen said as she sipped a shimmering pink cocktail. I agreed, it did feel like we were in some chilled-out spot on the continent. However, we were in fact on the beachfront after landing into Southend-on-Sea. The two of us had taken a train from London Liverpool Street to the Essex coast to check out the Roslin Beach Hotel which is around a 7 minute taxi ride from Southend Victoria station. The 62-room property under...
Read more →I was worried when I got a message saying the tent site at Camp Wildfire was full and they were opening up a new patch of land. Had my favourite festival become TOO popular and awash with the masses? To my relief, I can report that although the festival has grown, it hasn’t got too big that it’s impersonal and lost it’s humble character. In fact, it's bigger and better than ever... For those of you who haven’t heard of Camp Wildfire, I’ve previously described it as being Scouts meets Hogwarts meets Glastonbury. Everyone is very friendly and no one takes themselves too seriously. The...
Read more →All Brits love May. Two glorious days of (free) annual leave, woollens firmly retired to the back of the wardrobe and endless evenings fuelled by Aperol Spritz. This Spring bank holiday we’re packing up our disposable BBQs and heading west for something much more wholesome - Porthilly Spirit festival on the Cornish Coast. A brand new three-day independent festival, showcasing and celebrating the finest elements of the outdoors, food, wellbeing, and music - including feasts from Chef and Writer Anna Jones and Tomos Parry, of Michellin-star Shoreditch haunt, Brat. From 24th to 26th May 2019, Po...
Read more →If you're looking for a convenient weekend getaway, then look no further than the Isle of Man. The self-governing British Crown dependency is literally a one-hour 15-minute flight from London Gatwick and it only measures 32 miles long, so you can explore much of its stunning landscape in a few days. If you're worried about the weather, the place looks even more dramatic with a spot of wind and rain and there are dozens of cosy places to perch. Come the summer, you'll definitely want to take a dip in the Irish Sea's glistening blue waters! And of course, there's the famed TT motorbike race in...
Read more →I first experienced Camp Wildfire last year. It rained non-stop, I was covered in mud, but it didn't deter me from returning for more. This underground festival, which mixes outdoor adventuring with musical revelry, is pretty unique. On this year's menu, there was a whole host of activities to tantalise campers, from beekeeping classes to tie dye workshops. New offerings included zorbing, ice cream-making and natural headdress building. Thanks to an online scheduling system, this year was much more organised. Before I landed in the Kent countryside - just a 30 minute ride from London Victo...
Read more →I was rubbing mud all over my body when it suddenly dawned on me how relaxed I felt. The smell of sweet spices scented the air, some funky music wafted over the airwaves and soft lighting lulled over my skin. I’d only been at Archerfield House in Scotland just over 24 hours but this secret retreat is a place where you immediately lose all connection with bustling city life. It's charm attracts people from all over the world and Ronan Keating also chose it as his wedding venue. A one hour flight to Edinburgh, a 30 minute drive with the resort’s lovely driver Gordon and I had arrived at...
Read more →It was only when I was hurtling down an extreme water slide screaming into the Kent country air that it suddenly hit me; this was getting increasingly surreal. The same morning I'd made a tie dye t-shirt, learned how to butcher a deer and whittled a branch into a crossbow. There was also the moment I spotted a naked woman emerge from the undergrowth as a still life drawing session unfolded on the fringes of a field. No, I hadn't fallen down a rabbit hole but ventured to the Wildfire Adventure Camp. Pegged as a 'half music festival half adventure camp for adults' this get-together started...
Read more →Scrap the Hunter wellies and hot pants, you'll more likely to need a hammer and headlamp at this crazy festival. Camp Wildfire - a sell-out in 2015 - is back this year, inviting 'only the curious' to participate in a weekend of adventure. Held at a secret location close to London, the event is based around the ethics of 1950's style summer camp - which also means that no mobile phones are allowed. Activities on offer include fire lighting lessons, bivouac building classes and good old-fashioned treasure hunts. For those in need of some rest and recuperation, a spot of nudist aftern...
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