Hi, I'm Alex, a travel writer based in London, I love writing about travel as much as traveling itself. I’m a scrappy researcher, and a hoarder of info, whether it's trivial or mind-blowing. I get a lot of joy doing justice to worthwhile places, and I’m always excited to share the stories behind them.
I have a real affection for Tarragona in Catalonia, from the golden sandy beaches to the mountains. I love Hamburg and its harbour and many waterways, especially in spring. And I'll always be drawn to the rolling countryside in the south of England, especially Wiltshire. I'll go anywhere with a great art museum, and ruins, ancient or medieval.
Both the largest natural lake in England and the name of the small town on its east shore, Windermere is a coveted summer holiday escape and arguably one of the most beautiful places in the UK. Tourists began to arrive in the mid-19th century when the Kendal and Windermere Railway opened. One person who was …
The market town of Darlington is rooted in Medieval times, but was built up in the 19th century by two families wealthy Quaker families, the Peases and Backhouses. They spearheaded projects like the Stockton and Darlington Railway (1825), the first public line in the world to use steam locomotives, and donated monuments like the clock …
Pulling into Durham on the train from the south you’ll be treated to a view you won’t soon forget. High in the east are the towers of Durham Cathedral, the pride of this Medieval university city and one of Europe’s greatest Romanesque monuments. Like all of Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage it is built from a …
Warwickshire’s county town is a genteel sort of place on the River Avon, dating back to the start of the 10th century. Warwick was founded by the sister of the Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Elder, and in 1088 became the seat of the Earls of Warwick. Their castle is an icon of 14th-century military architecture …
In the north of Wiltshire, between the Cotswolds and the North Wessex Downs, Swindon is a large and growing town in undulating countryside. This had been a small, traditional market town until the middle of the 19th century when the construction of the Great Western Railway turned Swindon into a transport hub. The fabled engineer …
A market town in the Lake District, Keswick has Medieval roots and sits just in from the northeast shore of Derwentwater, a lake of staggering beauty. The lake is in an awesome crucible of hills that you can climb directly from the town, while the Derwent Launch will whisk you off on a cruise. Keswick’s …
On the southwestern periphery of Greater London, Guildford is a prosperous town that has held onto its historic character. This shines through on the High Street, laid with cobblestones and fronted by 17th and 18th-century facades that conceal far older buildings. The Guildhall for instance dates from the 1300s despite its Baroque 17th-century lines. Guildford …
The very word “Windsor”, instantly calls to mind the British Royal Family, as the name of the Royal House currently on the throne. Thirty-nine monarchs have lived at the enormous Windsor Castle since it was raised as a royal palace by Henry I more than 900 years ago. Step into this storied palace for an …
A youthful city with two universities, Nottingham is known around the world for the Robin Hood legend. In 2015 it was named a City of Literature, and giants of the English language, Lord Byron and D. H. Lawrence lived or grew up in the city in the 19th century. The big-hitting monument in the city …
Where the sandstone ridge of the High Weald tumbles to the English Channel, Hastings is a working fishing port, Victorian resort and a historic settlement. Hastings was one of a Medieval alliance of coastal towns known as the Cinque Ports, and has a gorgeous old town in a valley against the rocky East and West …