Exploring Beautiful Dorset | A Sunrise On Man Of War Cove

Sometimes we get so busy trying to get away from it all, that we never consider to venture off to what is near by as a refuge from all the woes adult life brings. Living in the UK, train journeys always seem so expensive when compared to enticing travel deals to neighbouring European destinations that are dangled in front of you like candy, by the likes of RyanAir. Hello Copenhagen! Or even Warsaw. These are just some of the destinations you can visit for about £10 one-way. Compare that to a one-way train ticket at £30 in the UK. Yeah, my guest would be that you would be going for the European destination but don't let these deals stop you from visiting amazing and scene destinations hidden in the realms of the English country side. One such destination is Dorset. Steeped in historical charm that will have you lost in day-dreams one minute and the next captivated by tales of how the coves, caves and sandy beaches provided opportunities for Hawkhursto gangs of the 18th century to smuggle goods ashore. 

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An English Summer In Lulworth Cove

Two days ago I shared a the first post on our visit to the Jurassic Coast with a stop at Durdle Door in Dorset. Having planned on spending a weekend in Dorset the next day we moved from Durdle to Lulworth Cove. Lulworth Cove is a shingle beach with amazing views out on the Purbeck Isles. Perfect for a swim. As the English Summer was in full swing over the weekend, it was time to get out there and be active. From Lulworth Cove you can hire Kayaks, they also have tours on kayaks, we opted for Rib Ride on the bay. Even better start to the day was having a chilled out breakfast in the Boat Shed Cafe that comes with views of the cove.

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Why You Need To Visit Dorset's Durdle Door | 5 Things To Do In England's Jurassic Coast

England and the UK, in general, has some pretty amazing places, so if you are one of those that visits the UK and only go as far as London then you are missing out. A visit to Dorset's Durdle on the Jurassic Coast one you have to add to your list when you visit the UK. It's in Dorset which is just a stunningly beautiful region in England. A visit to Dorest or Durdle, in this case, perfect any time of the year. I have posted on weekend and day trips to East Sussex, Thorpeness, Snowdonia, Gloucester, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Bath, Bristol and Llandudno, just a short list of places to inspire your explorations of Great Britain. About 2 weeks ago, we ventured off to the Jurassic Coast, mainly because I wanted to visit Durdle Door. Durdle Door is a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic Coast. It sits on privately owned land but accessible to the public. The Jurassic Coast is a now a World Heritage Site on the English Channel coast of Southern England. It stretches out for nearly a 100 miles. So plenty of trails for hiking! It's about 3 hrs drive from London but easily accessible by train as well.

Jurassic Coast is one of UK's popular destinations in Britain for many Britons, but not many tourists venture out to this part of England. Whether you are after fossils, hiking, cycling or just to take in the views on the coast there is plenty to and take in the area. Below are a few activities to start you off.

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Thorpeness | Rediscovering England's Best Beach Side Towns

thorpeness |  thorpeness country club hotel | thorpeness boating lake  | thorpeness cottages | thorpeness golf club | thorpeness beach | thorpeness house in the clouds |thorpeness meare |thorpeness country club

Who says you need to go very far for a getaway. Thorpeness is one little English town oozing with countryside charm. If you are a lover of all that is quintessentially English, then you need to add it to your list. Never mind that it was a wealthy Scott who made his fortune designing railways around the world who decided to buy land in Suffolk in 1910 and develop it into a private holiday village, where he invited his friends and families during summer months. The development included a country club with tennis courts and a swimming pool. This was of course we were booked into for a weekend of rest and relaxation. With great sea views to boot! Yep, I was in need of some vitamin sea, though much like most seaside towns in the UK, weather is no guaranteed.

One of my recent posts I shared a couple of tips on how to switch off and enjoy your holiday. I certainly hope that was helpful or provided an insight into what I tend to do on most of my weekend getaways as well some of my longer holidays. I try to practice what I preach here as some of you may have noticed that my trip to India(a few instagram posts here) was not announced nor did I tweet it, Instagram or Facebook anything while I was out there, which left me to just enjoy it all and take it all in with my eyes and that of my Nikon. The only time people knew about it was when I was back in London and posted one or two photos. Sometimes that is needed to really get in tune with the place. With this post I was hoping to show you some of England's beautiful escapes without having to jet off. Especially for those that want to explore a bit more on the UK than just staring at the London Eye and Big Ben when they land here.

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Colours of Autumn In Richmond Park

Autumn is here and what better way to witness this vibrant and colourful season than to take to the English parks. I have done a few posts on my walk in the park series. This past weekend I got together with a few other budding photographers and we took to the lovely Richmond Park. The weather during the week had been grey, dull and uninspiring, although Saturday wasnt anything to sing about, it did brighten up just enough to take in the colours of autumn. I was hoping to also photograph the beautiful deer in Richmond park, I didn't mind so much when they failed to turn up as I had a full rainbow of autumn colours on display. Living in the city or anyone working/keeping house...while also trying to maintain sanity in this ever so hectic and the constant connection to the digital world that is now ingrained in our lifestyle can definitely appreciate some time enjoying the open  spaces  in the parks or countryside. When I do manage to get out to the parks I usually opt for a nice walk with music, book or with neither of these so as to just enjoy the spaces and allow the mind to clear with no distractions. Then there other times I take my camera with me(hence why you get to see pictures here), for me this serves as a little reminder to keep developing my photography and experiment with the settings and make the most of the light and shadows make the outdoor spaces look so delightfully pleasing to the eye. Take in the very things that we take for granted in our day to day and sometimes miss all together because we are too busy existing instead of living. My walk in the park series serve as a reminder to stop existing and start living. I hope they do the same for you too...

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Countryside Escapes and Hideaways

There is something about the countryside air and days spent enjoying the company of friends with rolling countryside views to boot. I would never have thought to have a birthday celebration camping in the wilderness but when my boyfriend's friends suggested a weekend around the fire I raised an eyebrow. Considering my usual posts, camping is not something I do all the time but I am no stranger to a campsite at all. It's just that Birthdays are synonomous with booze filled celebrations and hangovers(that's not a confession by the way), but I was certainly up for a weekend getaway. Having just dodged an Ikea DIY disaster we set off on the two and a half hour drive leaving London's concrete jungle in favour of some RnR with Mother Nature. The weather was set to be on its best behaviour for the weekend which was a deciding factor for me.

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Portsea Island

In my last post I shared shots taken while exploring the Spitbank Fort, a man made Island off the coast of Portsea Island. Before heading out to the fort I took sometime to visit some of the old hangouts when I lived in Portsmouth. Noted for being UK's only island city as its mostly on Portsea Island. Home to more than two hundred thousand people, its easy to forget that its an island but it's separated from mainland via a small channel know as Portsbridge Creek.

Portsmouth is also home to the Spinnaker  tower, a 170-meter landmark tower with a similar design to Burj Al Arab. If you follow my Instagram you would have seen me sky walking a good 100 meter plus high up, on see-through glass!  You if you have a fear for heights then it might not be your thing as a few people were too scared to even be near the glass while on the viewing deck. A waste of the £8 entry if you ask me. If that's not enough of an adventure for you, then you can try out the abseiling on the tower, held during summer months. You have to sign up early though as the places fill fast. It appears I am not the only one who gets off on climbing things. I will have to wait until next year for that challenge.

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Mundesley Beach | Sun, Sea & Sand

For someone that works within IT and running a blog means I spend a lot of time on the laptop or peering at one gadget or another. This means that even when I am not at work I will find myself on the laptop, iPad or phone. With only 24 hours in the day, doing this 7 days a week can take its toll on you. This is a recipe for anxiety ridden days sometimes with an endless to-do list. After much resistance from Mr Awesome, I finally agreed to take a break from all gadgets, with the exception of my trusted Nikon - hence why I have pictures for you. So last weekend I retreated to Norfolk with Mr Awesome and with a few of his friends. This was not just any weekend but a Reiki Weekend Retreat. They rented out the Coastguard Cottage, cozy and beautifully decorated with a nautical theme.

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