When it comes to the British countryside, we don’t know which way to turn.
In the 17th Century it was something we feared – a chaotic, violent place where Nature, red in tooth & claw, vied for a taste of your blood with bandits, highwaymen, smugglers, murderers and the clinically befuddled. Mention the countryside to Thomas [...]
Posts Tagged ‘britain’
Soft and Prickly: Our Fickle Love Of The Countryside
What Is A Staycation?
As the leaves turn golden and Christmas approaches, our thoughts naturally turn to what truly sucked about 2009.
Top of my list? “Staycations”.
Oh, you horrible, horrible word – a wretched portmanteau of “stay” and “vacation” (and perhaps a silent “bullshit”).
British media coverage has been intense. Every newspaper, every radio presenter – such as this one – [...]
Train Travel In The New World Order
For some time now, I’ve been working diligently behind the scenes to secretly bring about a brave new global order.
(I haven’t talked about it before now for hopefully obvious reasons).
There will be many sweeping changes, and I look forward to discussing them with you – or, to be more specific, telling you about them in [...]
Foundations
There’s one rule you should always follow when dining out in York, and it’s this: look up.
My home city is head-scratchingly complicated. Thinking of opening a restaurant within the walls of York? Welcome to a heritage minefield, where you can’t unlatch a window without applying for planning permission first. Everything around you is deeply and [...]
British National Rail: 5 Ways To Make It Work For You
If you’re using the British rail system for the first time, or if you’re unaccustomed to doing so – you’re the rail network’s number one favourite customer. Why? Because you’re overpaying wildly.
Train travel in this country is expensive enough to start with – the priciest in Europe. So it’s a tooth-loosening slap in the face [...]
Workin’ on the Chain: 16 Reasons We Need Bikes
It’s the British National Bike Week – and on Thursday, I’ll be attending the University of York Cycle Fair (PDF).
Please excuse me while I enthuse wildly on this subject.
A Matter Of Fact
Remember those long summer holidays where you bronzed your limbs by cycling helter-skelter down country paths, enjoying the movement of the pit of your [...]
Brisk
31st October 2006
Fevered Mutterings v.2
Swiping out of work at 5.45pm (can’t seem to shake off the habit of surfing the ‘Net for quarter of an hour – institutionalised by my lack of access at home until recently)…..
It’s the Big Bald Security Guard.
(At the back of my mind there’s a video clip of him trying to [...]
The Appeal Of Fallen Buildings
There’s a place that haunts my mind – and it’s in Belgium.
Now, the less charitable among you may suggest that Belgium generally haunts everyone’s mind. Some Belgians feel this way. But this is probably unfair, even if it’s quite funny. Belgium has had a long and glorious history of being everyone’s favourite Shortcut To Somewhere [...]
