Author Archives: Frances Murray

Sandy Balls!

13th May, 2015 | Article By Frances Murray

AccommodationActivitiesAnimalsCampingFamily Travel

The name of this holiday village puts a smile on your face before you have even arrived. Only a couple of hours drive in our new motorhome and we were on the edge of the New Forest just outside the picturesque village of Fordingbridge. We had chosen this particular campsite because of the facilities on site, not least the indoor pool (no chance of rain and cold spoiling our break), two restaurants (no intention of cooking on this occasion either) and a well-stocked Village Store with fresh bread and pastries available daily.

The second week of the Easter school holidays proved to be the best of the two, infact we couldn’t believe our luck with the weather and even got our shorts out. We were so pleased that we had left it to the last minute as usual and not decided to book. Have to admit we are not those staunch campers who are determined to enjoy themselves no matter what the weather. We would rather have our fun in the sun, with good facilities and services to hand, at least, until we get a bit more confident and adventurous in our travels with “Maurice”.

We are relatively new to motorhoming, having only hired them before to travel round France. It is now our intention to start a new chapter of our lives and try a more flexible approach to getting away when the mood takes us, instead of waiting for the two week planned (months ahead) vacation, that we have never been very good at organising and usually ends up last minute and very expensive.

So here we go, off to Sandy Balls for our first proper staycation in “Maurice” the Motorhome – yes, that’s his name and what a lovely time we had.

It’s a large site, very family and pet friendly and with accommodation to suit all. There are Lodges and Caravan holiday homes set in the trees, some of the lodges perched high on hilltops have stunning views out across the Avon Valley. There are also Camping ‘Pods’ although they didn’t look overly big, Bell Tents and lots of touring pitches varying in size, shape and services to choose from.

Our route to Sandy Balls took us through the forest and across heathland where wild ponies and donkeys were grazing freely. Even though it was too early in the year for the trees to be in their full glory, it was still beautiful, in a different way, from our home in the Essex countryside and we enjoyed the change of scenery.

At the holiday village there was lots going on to keep active, cycle hire, archery, swimming (Piratemania water activity for the kids), alpaca walking and a riding stables just down the road, Arniss Equestrian, a half hour pony ride definitely made our daughter’s day.

I found the food very satisfactory and the staff more than accommodating to our needs.

After a long winter of braving the daily dog walk through wind and rain and yet more wind, we were rewarded with a lovely sunny day to enjoy the highlight of our stay (according to me), wandering around the 120 acres of woods and parkland on the fun Forest Trail, searching for hidden numbers along the way!

Since returning home, the place continues to put a smile on my face, as it seems everyone I have mentioned it to has been there, and everyone remembers the name, Sandy Balls!

Cornercopia

4th March, 2015 | Article By Frances Murray

Food and DrinkGood ValueRestaurants


If you would like to escape the madding crowds of Knightsbridge and give those weary shopping soles a rest, then slide round the back of Harrods and make your way to Ebury Street in SW1.

A peach of a place this small, intimate restaurant has an attractive menu serving modern european cuisine accompanied by an adventurous wine list.  I find the prices quite reasonable for a spot of lunch, considering you are in Belgravia.  I like the warm interior, feeling slightly french but not in any way haughty, with an elaborate floral display in the centre of the dining area.  Oh, and the walls are painted with trompe l’oeil murals adding that extra touch of personality.  The staff are very friendly and it all adds up to a really nice experience.

They always serve an interesting 2/3 course lunch and as a well established venue for eating and drinking close to Victoria Station, I think most tourists would enjoy this hidden gem just around the corner.

A House with Personality

9th November, 2014 | Article By Frances Murray

AttractionsEventsHistoric BldgsParks-Gardens

I love the county of Suffolk for its relaxed atmosphere and informality.  It is rural England without the airs and graces of other more pretentious counties, full of history and adorned with brightly coloured villages with buildings of all shapes and sizes, like no other I know.  A perfect place to head for on a Bank Holiday Monday, with heavy rain predicted as usual, but we were lucky with the weather, and ‘Through the Ages’ at Kentwell Hall turned out to be a real treat.

Sitting at the top of Long Melford, an historic village as so many are in the area, this stately home, not grand or pompous, humbly beckons you up an understated driveway, flanked by meadows of grazing cattle.  Everything about Kentwell is warm and welcoming, no roped off areas and ‘do not touch’ signs, this is where you can touch history, really get up close and feel a part of it.

My seven year old daughter is currently learning about evacuation and ‘dig for victory’ in WWII at school and she was thrilled to see the era come to life at Kentwell, especially in the kitchen of the main house where the cooks were preparing a stew and moaning about the flour that they had to make jam tarts with.  This wasn’t just a static display of memorabilia, all the people were in character and we seemed to jump through time, quite seamlessly as we meandered through the grounds.  Stopping to chat with a medieval lady boiling up animal fat to make tallow for soap and candles, learning about photography in victorian times and admiring the beautiful dresses of the ladies in the house.

The walled garden was a real winner too.  The air heavy with the scent of roses in full bloom and positively brimming with produce, gorgeous gooseberries and vegetables of every description, a feast for the senses, freedom to roam and more than a pinch of humour thrown in.  We all loved the topiaries of people secretly dancing and playing behind the hall on the bank of the inner moat.

Plenty to entertain the younger ones, from Frizzie Peking Bantam chicks to authentic games on the lawn and for those seeking a little nostalgia – the Home Guard marching to the sound of ‘forties’ music resonating through the courtyard.  My husband couldn’t stop himself, as no ‘Dad’s Army’ fan could, saying out loud as they passed us by, “Don’t panic Mr Mannering!” and I couldn’t help but smile.

A very enjoyable living, breathing insight into times gone by and a truly English day.

Hidden Oasis

16th October, 2014 | Article By Frances Murray

CafesFishingFood and DrinkLeisureRelaxing

After reading Lunch by the Lake posted by Daisy Clarke (TT England page) I decided to visit Clavering Lakes on a hot Friday afternoon in July.  As I arrived, the Chef was making a proper mess of things, Eton Mess that is, one of my favourite summer desserts:  a mixture of fresh strawberries, pieces of meringue and a big dollop of cream, delicious!

I found it to be an idyllic spot for alfresco dining on a warm, sunny day.  Plenty of outside seating where you can soak up the warm rays on your face, surrounded by lovely, unspoilt Essex countryside.  I don’t know what it is about being beside the water (be it sea, river or lake) but I always feel the urge to eat fish.  Strangely, I don’t feel the same, like suddenly eating beef, if I happen across a field of cattle but anyway, I did have fish and chips:  it was very tasty and served with a smile.  The added charm of the place was being able to take a nice gentle stroll around the lakes after lunch, passing the time of day with the amicable anglers along the way.

I have been back a second time, happy to have discovered a place to get away from it all not far from my doorstep, yet which I had no knowledge of before I read about it on Top Tourist.  So, thank you Daisy for sharing with the wider community, what is probably a very popular, hidden oasis more usually frequented by the locals.

More than we bargained for at the OXO

1st October, 2014 | Article By Frances Murray

EntertainmentEventsOccasionsRestaurants

We came for the gravy, not literally, but for a 40th birthday party meal in the OXO Tower Restaurant.  We arrived from the suburbs by limousine and ended up having to leave the comfort of our carriage behind and run down the street to meet our reservation.  I couldn’t help wondering why the traffic was so bad on a Saturday, but it became strikingly apparent later into the evening…THE LORD MAYOR’S SHOW.  How did we miss that!

One of London’s biggest annual events, indeed a world-class pageant, was taking place on the same day.  I still don’t know how we managed to get as near as we did to OXO Tower Wharf and regrettably, didn’t get to see ‘The Procession’.

However, come the evening and by pure chance, we had front row seats to the fireworks display.  We stood on the balcony, overlooking the Thames and watched the sky light up, so close you could almost touch it, right in front of our eyes.  We all felt like the dazzling display had been put on for us, just to celebrate our occasion.

Absolutely brilliant, not so much a case of OXO as WOW!

Blooming Marvellous!

29th July, 2014 | Article By Frances Murray

AttractionsCafesGood ValueNatureParks-Gardens

A magnificent oasis in the middle of Cambridge city centre.  You would never guess that behind the iron fencing lies a fabulous forty acre botanic garden containing over 8000 plant species from around the world.

This was the vision of Professor John Henslow, mentor to Charles Darwin when it opened in 1846, now a heritage-listed Garden, a resource of the University and a delightful place to spend a Summer’s afternoon.

There is so much to see here, not just for keen gardeners and horticulturalists but for anyone interested in nature.  A contemplative mood is reflected in the students parked on the many benches around the landscape, quietly reading.

I, myself, was most taken with the huge Redwoods which were breathtakingly beautiful.  I also loved discovering the tropical rain forests and giant water lilies that were housed in the 1930s built Glasshouses (replacing the original Victorian range) and what a find to walk right into the rare Jade Vine, apparently one of the garden’s spring stars and a vivid and extraordinary example of the beautiful flora on display.

Then there were all the different gardens to explore: Rock, Scented (heavenly), Bog and Rose, to name but a few; the Grass Maze and Healthy Herbie.  The serenity of the Lake and a Café at the heart of it, made for a secret escape into a land of rich and diverse habitats.

I thought that my entrance fee (adult £4.50, 16 and under are free) was money well spent and if any of it goes towards maintaining and preserving these glorious plants, which I’m sure it does, then I am happy to have made a contribution.

Sandy Heights

22nd July, 2014 | Article By Frances Murray

ActivitiesLandmarksSceneryViews


The Great Dune of Pilat (or Pyla) is the tallest sand dune in Europe.  It is located in La Test-de-Buch not far from the famous Bay of Arcachon, 60km from Bordeaux.

Not for asthmatics or vertigo sufferers perhaps, but if you want to work off the over-doing of too much wine and fromage that one inevitably indulges in when visiting France, this could possibly be a view worth the climb.  That’s an understatement by the way, it is quite incredible!

The weird thing about the dune is the fact that unlike standing on a mountain where you can get a solid footing, venture away from the top ridge and closer to the edge and you get a bizarre sense of the sand giving way.  One of my favourite and most memorable landmarks because it is not the usual tourist attraction, you get a totally different feeling standing on a sand dune, to standing on a high solid structure with a view.  There are no railings to hold on to, or glass to make you feel safe.

A really unique experience, just not for the fainthearted.

Nice One Harry

21st July, 2014 | Article By Frances Murray

AttractionsEntertainmentFamily TravelFunOccasions

I admit, I haven’t read a single Harry Potter book or watched a film from start to finish.  However, my fourteen year old daughter, along with my other three children (6, 16, 17) were all keen to sign up for the Harry Potter Studio Tour and so a birthday bonanza unfolded.

I liked the build up to the Tour, being herded through doors guarded by enthusiast Potter people and into a room where a nice young man gave an eloquent and amusing speech about the studios, before allowing us to continue through to the Great Hall.

We were lucky enough to meet Chris Rankin, the boy behind Percy Weasley, wandering around Studio One where some of the extraordinary sets like Gryffindor’s Common Room and the Headmaster’s Office were on display.   I was pleasantly surprised and happily swept along by the magical aura that surrounded me and even queueing, one of my pet hates, for the photo shoot on broomsticks and in the flying car, didn’t seem to bother me.

Studio Two was a labyrinth of technical wizardry, make-up and special effects.  I was beguiled by the enormity of Hagrid and how life-like the scarily, hair-raising Giant Spiders looked close up.

And the pièce de résistance…Hogwarts!

It was an unexpectedly bewitching birthday and some three wands, several T-shirts and some disgusting Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans later, Harry Potter had most definitely won a place in my affections!

Pirates of the Caribbean

| Article By Frances Murray

AccommodationBeachesHolidaysResortsSports

First time to St Lucia and surprised by the landscape of this small, green Windward Island.  Lush, tropical and with steep coastlines creating beautiful little coves and reefs, great for snorkelling.

Probably one of it’s most prominent features and natural attractions is the twin coastal peaks, the Pitons, which rise up from the surrounding rain forests and a dramatic sight to encounter when you arrive by plane.

Stayed at the Smugglers Cove Resort on the north west of the island, with its own private beach and numerous restaurants, particularly liked the bayside restaurant, overall happy with this choice.

The only thing I regret is not getting out more and exploring the island to its full, travelling around was a bit tricky as they had had a hurricane the previous year and there were a few road repairs going on.  So rather than spend time in a vehicle we took the decision to enjoy the resort facilities and water sports instead.  Should have taken advantage of the boat trips on offer, but the two weeks flew by and I find that when travelling to a long haul destination, sometimes I just want to stay put when I get there.

One tip: when choosing which side of a Caribbean island to stay on, I would suggest the West side, as the Caribbean Sea is calm and gentle (more like what you would expect if you are heading to this location) compared with the Atlantic Ocean which can be quite ferocious at times.  Obviously it depends on your own personal preference, but it’s worth considering as I don’t think many people give it much thought before they book their accommodation.

I just loved the whole mystical pirate thing going on, I don’t know why but there was a wildness about St Lucia that I really liked, and I can see why they would have used this as a location for the film.

National Treasure

| Article By Frances Murray

Art GalleriesAttractionsFunGood Value

Anyone visiting London should take advantage of the fabulous selection of Museums and Art Galleries available for a free afternoon’s entertainment.  The National Gallery is an imposing building with a huge columned entrance, overlooking Trafalgar Square.

It is obviously a very busy part of town, generally jam-packed with tourists and always something going on in the Square.  However, I tend to forget the crowds around me and focus on the amazing works of art.  Before long you are wandering through the landscapes of Constable, riding the seas with Turner, stroking the lilly pads that Monet has delicately painted and absorbed by the brushstrokes of Van Gogh.

I also had fun with the children creating our own floral displays during a workshop being held at the time.  The organisers encouraged the grown ups to get involved  and I actually felt quite chuffed when one of them complimented my attempt at a masterpiece.