When there’s no vet on the island…

It seems such a simple and straight thing for those of us living on the mainland. If your dog gets ill, you can take it to the vet to get help, or contact a charity to help out. On an island as small as Eigg, though, there aren’t facilities like a supermarket let alone a

National Coal Mining Museum

It’s time for another journey beneath the surface of Britain to discover another cracking day out for people of all ages. The National Coal Mining Museum, not far from junction 38 of the M1, is awesome place to go – not least because it’s free to get in and even the brilliant underground tour only

The Beatles Story

By Peter Naldrett, author of Days Out Underground. The anniversary of the iconic Abbey Road album has seen a surge in Beatles programming on the TV and radio this week. One of the best ways to get involved with Beatles history is to enjoy a trip to the stunning Beatles Story in Liverpool’s historic Albert

Stockport Air Raid Shelters

Stockport Air Raid Shelters Days Out Underground. Some of the attractions in my Days Out Underground book are in out-of-the-way places, but not so the feature of Chapter 1 – this one is right in the middle of a big town. Stockport, near Manchester, has a secret beneath its streets. As shoppers pass by on

San Francisco – what’s not to love?

Driving holidays in and around California often start and finish at Los Angeles or Las Vegas, but leaving San Francisco out of the equation is something that should be avoided. It’s a lengthy drive up the coast from L.A. to San Fran and the weather often takes a turn for the worse, but some of

Subterranean Peak District Gems

I enjoyed a return to Treak Cliff Cavern this week, a gem of the Peak District where you can literally see gems underground. Never one to tire of the fossils and Blue John stone within the cavern walls, I always like to head back to the family-run attraction and spend some time beneath the limestone

Two Tribes – Going Underground

Anybody living through the 1980s will vouch for what a scary time it was. The Cold War constantly raised the threat of nuclear Armageddon as Russia and the USA faced off, in a real-life and potentially deadlier version of Rocky IV. While western cinema audiences were rooting for Balboa to overcome the beast from the

Going Underground! Treak Cliff Cavern

Although you might think the best sights to see in the Peak District are the hills, waterfalls and villages that dot many a landscape, the real gems are found beneath the surface – quite literally!   Castleton is a small village close to Kinder Scout and Mam Tor. It’s beyond Hope, as the local joke

Desk or exercise bike? What’s the best location for a writer?

George Orwell famously took himself off to the Scottish island of Jura to pen 1984, allowing himself to become engrossed in tranquillity and isolation for the creation of the dystopian classic. I’m writing this blog as I sweat away on an exercise bike in my one-time garage that now acts as a cold office for the