For the next five weeks, travel writer Simon Parker is cycling the length of Britain for Telegraph Travel, from Shetland to the Scillies. But how might a long-distance, unsupported bike tour be different in these uncertain Covid-times? Watch the video to see his 127-mile-cycle from the north to the south of Shetland. We’ll have a video of Simon’s full journey from Shetland to the Scillies when he finishes his trip in a few weeks.
Tag Archives: England
Photo Contests: ‘2020 Wildlife Photographer Of The Year Awards’ (London)
The fifty-sixth Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition will immerse you in the breathtaking diversity of the natural world. Explore some of the world’s richest habitats, see fascinating animal behaviour and get to know some extraordinary species.
After more than 49,000 entries were whittled down to just 17, the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton to her friends) announced the winner of the 2020 Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards at a live-streamed event from London’s Natural History museum this week.
This is one of the more prestigious photo awards going around, with a history going back to 1965. Started by the BBC’s Animals magazine, it aimed to highlight species, behaviors and natural events that few people get to see first-hand. The very first winner was presented with his award by no less than Sir David Attenborough, and for the last 38 years, the winners have been put into an exhibition.
Home Tours: ‘The Garden House’ In Southwell, Nottinghamshire, UK
Set within the grounds of a Georgian walled-garden, this superb seven-bedroom house has been joyfully designed around the exceptional architectural landscaping. The internal living space spans over 4,580 sq ft across multiple levels, arranged in a playful layout of floating mezzanines, balconies, and a double-height winter garden.
Designed with high energy efficiency in mind The Garden House has outstanding solar collection, heat recovery and rainwater harvesting and is partially earth-sheltered to conserve its heat and energy.
The Garden House is approached via a quiet country lane, leading to a secluded entrance, revealing little of the house from the walled courtyard. A private driveway leads to a sheltered car port available for several vehicles to park adjacently to the house. There is also a log store, outside store room and a smaller front courtyard garden.
New Aerial Travel Video: ‘Stratford-Upon-Avon’
To soar over Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire is to be transported back in time to the age of William Shakespeare; a man born in humble circumstances who would go on to become the most celebrated writer of all time.
Art History Video: ‘Young Rembrandt’s Etchings’
Curator An Van Camp explains Rembrandt’s use of a printmaking technique known as etching, and what his early experiments tell us about the young artist’s working process.
The Young Rembrandt exhibition is open at the Ashmolean until 1 Nov 2020: https://www.ashmolean.org/youngrembrandt
New Walking Tour Video: ‘London’s Hamstead Village’ Streets In The Rain
Today we will walk in London Hampstead, one of London’s most beautiful area, in the rain. This time, in addition to the previous walking route, we will also take a walk along small side streets and alleyways. Enjoy the view and sound of the rainy city.
Date of video: Friday October 2, 2020
Global News Podcast: ‘Bidenomics, Erasing Chinese Villages, Ethnic Minorities In Britain’
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week: Bidenomics, Chinese officials want to erase many villages (12:00) and ethnic minorities in Britain (19:10).
Sunday Morning Podcast: News From Athens, Zurich, London, Tokyo (Monocle)
Monocle’s Emma Nelson speaks to Vincent McAviney and Rob Cox, plus we hear from The Saturday Paper’s Karen Middleton, and check in with Tokyo and Ljubljana.
English Country Homes: ‘Ponden Hall’ – Inspiration For “WUTHERING HEIGHTS” By Emily Brontë In 1847
In the early 19th century the house kept an extensive library, and the Brontës were regular visitors; many details of the house, particularly the interior, suggest fairly clearly that it was the inspiration for the Lintons’ home, Thrushcross Grange. Anne Brontë was just as inspired as Emily, incidentally: Ponden is also the model for the titular house in The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
Ponden Hall is in the village of Stanbury and is even accessed via a lane with a suitably Gothic name: Scar Top Road. It’s huge: there are eight bedrooms, a paddock, four acres of land and a further two-bedroom annexe — ideal for the Nelly who looks after your family, or for use as a potential holiday let to Brontë-mad tourists.
The oldest parts of the hall date to 1541, but most of the house as it stands today goes back to 1634 — and the evidence of its great age is plain to see.
The beams, walls, floors, ceilings, fireplaces and windows are gloriously authentic — and the owners have doubled-down on the effect with some wonderfully inspired furniture choices, especially with the beds. Don’t fret about the fact that you’d struggle to find similar pieces yourself: the vendors are apparently happy sell it on via separate negotiation.
Cotswolds Home Tours: “Manor House At Chipping Norton”, Oxfordshire, UK
For the past 10 years or more, the manor’s globe-trotting owner and ‘serial collector’, Tony Hill, has painstakingly restored and modernized the quirky, 3,700 sq ft house set in three-quarters of an acre of totally private gardens in the heart of the town, with guidance and advice from Cheshire-based Nigel Daly Architectural Design.
In the rolling countryside of north Oxfordshire, Grade II-listed The Manor House at Chipping Norton has ‘the wonderful homely feel of a house your parents might have lived in for 30 years,’ says David Henderson of Savills in Stow-on-the-Wold.
Stone steps from the hall lead to the light-filled main drawing room with its oriel window and window seat, where bespoke bookcases made from reclaimed elm boards surround the open fireplace. Another flight of stone stairs leads from the inner hall to the dining room with its vaulted ceiling and impressive carved stone fireplace. A large games/media room is used as a home cinema, office and party room.
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