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Environment, Sustainable Travel

So Pleased! Another International ‘Short Film’ Festival Selection

Very excited to hear that our film ‘It’s time to act. NOW’ has been nominated for another short film festival – Germany this time.

All you need to know follows and if you haven’t seen the film yet, then you can watch it here – it’s only 2 minutes!

We hope it’s a film that will keep giving – to those organisations that are already working on protecting the Antarctica and all that is in our Southern Ocean.

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June 26, 2024
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Polar Art – It’s More Than Just a Reflection of Icy Landscapes

A powerful advocate for the environment, a guardian of cultural heritage and a catalyst for change, all describe ‘Polar Art’ to me. When someone captures the stark beauty and profound significance of the Artic and Antarctic regions, it’s not just an artistic endeavour.

May seems to be the month for ‘Art Trails and ‘Open Studio’s’ across the UK and I reconnected with a fellow shipmate from our trip to South Georgia and Antarctica, Polar Artist Helen Young, at her Open Studio event as part of the Oxfordshire Art Weeks.

Come with me as I recount the experience of what I can only describe as a quintessential British garden party but with substance, in the depths of stunning countryside that is Oxfordshire.

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June 20, 2024
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Environment

Celebrating Seaweed!

… at the Cornish Seaweed Festival

Seaweed may become another ‘thing’ for me. But in all seriousness it’s fascinating to dive into these topics, but even more fascinating to uncover local stories that are supporting this welcomed shift we are seeing to a better appreciation of our surrounding nature. This beautiful illustration of Cornish Seaweed by Rachel Akerman, is definitely to be appreciated.

But it’s more than that. This shift – I am hoping – may help each of consider what small changes we might make that will have less impact on our planet and that nature.

Let’s head to Marazion, a coastal town in Cornwall….

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June 6, 2024
4395
Environment

Have You Heard About the Sargasso Sea?

Sargasso Sea Ecosystem and Why It’s So Important

I’m beginning to think I really should have tried harder in Geography at school! Why? Well, when a colleague mentioned the Sargasso Sea, I had absolutely no idea where it was or why I should be so interested in it. Let me tell you, since last week that has certainly changed. Whilst not claiming to have got anything close to being an authority on its importance, a chance invitation to an expert meeting, had me rubbing shoulders with some pretty key people that definitely are! Here’s what I learnt…

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May 10, 2024
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Gravetye Manor: A Centre of Excellence for Gastronomy and Horticulture

Is there anything better than the English country garden in the Spring? Two nights at Gravetye Manor makes you appreciate all that is good about this part of England. I swear it was a degree warmer! But that’s not it. Perhaps the locally produced English sparkling wine, the meadows and tranquil gardens littered with spring flowers, the warm comfortable welcome from the happy helpful Gravetye team and the excellent cuisine? Yes, absolutely.

But of course, for me there was more… some surprising hidden ‘goodness’ that radiates outwards from this stately, historic manor hotel….

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April 16, 2024
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

SKI’ing in Lanzarote

Hotel vs Villa: The Princesa Yaiza Experience

Soon as it starts getting into Autumn – darker nights and gloomier skies – my husband’s thoughts turn to ‘where can we go to get some sun over Christmas and New Year?’. Now I am more of a ‘snow and fairy lights’ type of person… well that’s what I tell myself. With a ‘complex’ family structure – thats one way to describe it – exiting the country (UK) is a good way to extract ourselves from seasonal challenges, but it’s more than that. This is our third Christmas and New Year in Lanzarote, first time in a hotel rather than villa. Let’s look at how that went and explore how you can SKI’ing in Lanzarote when there is no snow or snow dome! Read on to find out more….

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January 31, 2024
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Sustainable Travel

Shaping Guest Perceptions Positively

Part 3 of 3: Cliveden House Hotel, Taplow – what a welcome

We had friends from Germany visiting in the summer, with two young energetic children and a baby. It was a long weekend only but I always like to plan activities ahead with several options. Mainly ensuring places to run around for the children. 

The National Trust property, Cliveden House came up in conversation. Beautiful grounds going down to the Thames although the stately mansion house, previously owned by the Astor family steeped in history and political scandals, is now part of the Iconic Luxury Hotels group and a Relais & Chateaux association member.  We wondered what it would be like to stay in this historic hotel? 

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December 21, 2023
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Environment, Sustainable Travel

Getting more ‘Polar’

Part 2 of 3: Scott Polar Research Institute – Polar Museum, Cambridge

Planning  our short trip away in the UK following  some medical ‘stuff’  I had always wanted to visit the Scott Polar Museum at the research centre in Cambridge.  My blog last week, our short stay at The Graduate Cambridge, was part 1 of 3 with this visit being the main reason for the Cambridge trip

2024 will bring a trip to the Arctic for me in June  – totally different of course in every way to the Antarctica trip but still with some common threads through explorers like Roald Amundsen reaching both the South and North Pole, I thought a history lesson at the museum was a good place to start.

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December 12, 2023
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Sustainable Travel

Messing About on the River – Cambridge

Part 1 of 3: Graduate Cambridge Hotel

It’s funny what drives a short getaway, especially in November! Because of some medical stuff that had been going on we wanted a short trip to celebrate a 6 week recovery point. Criteria equalled not going too far in the car – my husband hates being driven, and I was driving! – and places we could easily walk. Combine that with something interesting to do, hmm thats not hard for me, the Scott Polar Museum = tick! A friend had mentioned Cliveden House and the beautiful grounds – a National Trust property but with the house now being a Relais & Chateaux hotel. I can see a mini-break coming together nicely.

This is part one, first stop Cambridge.

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December 6, 2023
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