I don’t know where to start. I was born in the UK, and having lived there briefly, I have a particular affinity for the country that I cannot just explain in mere words.

London, to start off with, is one of those places that never fails to thrill or disappoint. The capital is huge and sometimes unwieldy. But every time I visited, I found myself wandering the streets smiling at the simple pleasure of being there. Theatre, clubs, dining, sights – take your pick.

I’ve had the opportunity to explore the calmer environs of Kent and Suffolk too. Both are more countryside than city. Both are also different because is a relaxed charm about Kent which exists in Suffolk as rural relaxation.

The rest of England is shrouded in my mind in a fog that is a mixture of valiant knights, Dickensian life and The Wind in the Willows. I will return and explore the country  because I want this fog to be burnt up by the light of discovery as I weave my way across the British Isles.

United Kingdom Articles, by region

Select one of the British regions to drill down and see articles and stories connected to it.

All United Kingdom articles

• HMS Orwell March 27, 2024 - In 1903, a British navy drill off Corfu ended disastrously when HMS Orwell collided with HMS Pioneer during a night exercise. Continue Reading
• Air Battle over the Ore Mountains March 24, 2023 - On 11 September 1944, a massive, intense air battle took place over the mountains between Germany and what was then Czechoslovakia. The memory of this… Continue Reading
• The lost cathedral of St Nicholas December 2, 2022 - In Famagusta, Cyprus, there is a building that used to be a cathedral dedicated to St Nicholas. It saw major events of the country's history… Continue Reading
• Russian exiles in Malta October 15, 2022 - Mentioning exiled Russians these days suggests pro-Ukrainian protesters or anti-Putin demonstrators. Malta's reputation as a haven for Russians goes back more than 100 years before… Continue Reading
• The ultimate story of Czech heros February 1, 2021 - Many countries have memorials to fallen heros, and stories of bravery from wartime. Czechia is unusual in that it has heros from both sides of… Continue Reading
• Why did the Pope want to move to Malta? June 1, 2020 - In the 19th century, various states on the Italian peninsula united to become a single, new country. While some papal states merged with the others,… Continue Reading
• The Allied bombing of Prague May 18, 2020 - During World War II, Prague wasn't as affected by bombing as many other European cities were. This was because planes didn’t have the range to… Continue Reading
• The powerful Anglo-Egyptian Bank in Malta May 4, 2020 - In the 19th century an offshore British bank in Malta issued its own banknotes. It's unusual to think of a private company issuing banknotes, more… Continue Reading
• The Battle of Ferozeshah April 20, 2020 - British forces fought wars all over India in the 18th and 19th century. Between tribal feuds, and the British, there were many sources of conflict.… Continue Reading
• Preserving Malta’s money supply March 23, 2020 - European geopolitics in the 1930s caused plenty of uncertainty. The British worried about riots in the Middle East, and the possibility of another major war… Continue Reading
• The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry December 2, 2019 - There weren’t many female physicians in the 19th century. Irishwoman Margaret Bulkley pretended to be a man for over 40 years to practise medicine. This… Continue Reading
• The truth behind the Sudetenland November 4, 2019 - Before living in Prague I thought I knew about the Sudetenland and how Hitler annexed it before World War II. There’s a lot I’ve learnt… Continue Reading
• For people interested in World War II stories October 22, 2018 - There's a plaque on the wall in the castle in Ghent, Belgium, thanking the city for the symbolic establishment of the SAS. In Belgium. The… Continue Reading
• How did the British take control of Malta? October 8, 2018 - I often discuss Maltese history with others and have written about unusual parts of it here. Often people claims that ‘the British illegally took control’ of… Continue Reading
• Do you know when to drive on the right in London? January 8, 2018 - Many people become anxious when they have to switch from left-hand driving to right-hand driving. I've had people tell me they won't drive in England… Continue Reading
• The Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane October 23, 2017 - Nothing cheers up a good ghost story than a juicy double entendre. One of London’s most famous 18th century hauntings took place in the marvellously… Continue Reading
• The Admiralty Arch and Queen Victoria March 7, 2016 - Stand in Trafalgar Square in the middle of London and gaze south-west at the landmark Admiralty Arch that leads to the Mall. Its association with… Continue Reading
• The Best Places to View a City from November 9, 2015 - If there is one thing that fascinates me about cities, it is the view from the top of a skyscraper. Nothing quite beats the moment… Continue Reading
• Revealing my 5 Ambitious Travel Resolutions June 8, 2015 - Over the New Year, while I was peacefully driving through the hills and valleys of Andalusia, it occurred to me that I had not really… Continue Reading
• Simple and Stylish European Travel – Eurostar April 6, 2015 - When based in Brussels, one of the joys of life was hopping onto the Eurostar and cruising to London. I often did it for work but I took… Continue Reading
• A Shard of Nice March 11, 2014 - It started to drizzle after I finished the coffee I had been nursing for a half-hour whilst waiting for the Shard's viewing gallery to open… Continue Reading
• OlivoCarne – Sardinian Dining March 4, 2014 - The problem with having a simplistic underground map of the metro system is that you feel all the London landmarks are as close together, or… Continue Reading
• The Unexpected Guide To St Pancras Eurostar Terminal August 23, 2010 - If you, like me, prefer the pleasant atmosphere of a train to a sometimes claustrophobic  aircraft, then you will surely appreciate the benefits of the Eurostar when… Continue Reading
• The Unexpected Leeds Castle April 22, 2010 - For those of you stranded at Gatwick, there's something you might be able to do while waiting ... I pushed the car further, its engine… Continue Reading