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Main entrance of the Pomme d'Or Hotel in St Helier, Jersey, illuminated at night with the hotel signage clearly visible.

Pomme d’Or Hotel, St Helier’s Remarkable History

At the heart of Liberation Square in St Helier, the Pomme d’Or Hotel holds a central place in Jersey’s Occupation history. Seized by German forces between 1940 and 1945, it served as the island’s naval headquarters. Today, the famous façade and discreet interior displays connect visitors with that wartime past.

2 February 2026
View of St Helier Harbour from the summit of Mount Bingham in Jersey, showing waterfront, marina, and coastline under bright sunlight.

Summiting Mount Bingham

Mount Bingham in Jersey looks like a quiet grassy hill, but its summit hides a German WWII artillery site and views that reveal its strategic importance over St Helier.

30 January 2026
Exterior of a preserved German bunker at the Channel Islands Military Museum in St Ouen’s Bay, Jersey

Visiting The Channel Islands Military Museum

I visited the Channel Islands Military Museum in Jersey to explore an original German bunker filled with occupation-era artefacts, military equipment, wartime documents, and personal items collected over decades by a private collector.

28 January 2026
Entrance to the Jersey War Tunnels, showing the white arched portal with a red cross built into the hillside.

What To Expect At Jersey War Tunnels

I visited the Jersey War Tunnels to understand what this former German underground hospital really was and what visitors should expect today.

27 January 2026
Welcome to Scotland sign with Scottish flags at the England Scotland border layby on the A1.

England and Scotland Border Layby on the A1

I stopped at the England and Scotland border layby on the A1 to photograph the flags and welcome signs that mark the historic crossing between the two constituent countries.

4 January 2026
Tanfield Railway platform and track view at one of the stations on the worlds oldest railway

Visiting Tanfield: The World’s Oldest Railway

I visited the Tanfield Railway in County Durham, widely recognised as the worlds oldest railway, and explored its origins as an early coal wagonway built long before passenger rail travel.

3 January 2026
Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead viewed from behind, showing the steel wings and exposed hilltop setting

Angel of the North in Gateshead

Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North stands beside the A1(M) in Gateshead on the former site of Team Colliery. This guide covers its history, setting, accessibility, parking, and what you notice when standing beneath the sculpture.

2 January 2026
Exterior of Holiday Inn Newcastle South at Boldon Business Park with Holiday Inn by IHG signage

Holiday Inn Newcastle South Review

I stayed at the Holiday Inn Newcastle South, formerly the Clarion Hotel, and share my experience of the refurbished rooms, free parking, leisure club with pool, gym and sauna, plus dining and IHG elite benefits at this Boldon Business Park hotel near Newcastle.

31 December 2025
Freddie Gilroy sculpture on North Bay Scarborough seafront at sunrise, with an added person for scale looking out over the ocean.

Freddie Gilroy Sculpture on Scarborough Seafront

The Freddie Gilroy sculpture on Scarborough seafront, officially titled Freddie Gilroy and the Belsen Stragglers, stands at North Bay in Scarborough, North Yorkshire. This powerful coastal artwork is a striking landmark and a moving tribute that adds historical depth to a walk along the seafront.

28 October 2023
After travelling across Luzon and the Visayas over multiple trips, these are the experiences that genuinely stood out based on my own time in the Philippines.

11 Best Things to Do in the Philippines I’ve Experienced Myself.

  1. I explored the white sand beaches of Boracay at Station Zero and Station 1.
  2. Swam in the crystal-clear waters of Malay, Aklan’s Bamboo River.
  3. Had breakfast at Tagaytay overlooking Taal, an small active volcano in a lake in a bigger crater.
  4. Ate hotpot dinner cooked over charcoal at Cebu Tops in Cebu.
  5. Visited the Chocolate Hills in Bohol and marvelled at their unique geological formations.
  6. Stayed at the Shangri-La and Movenpick hotels on Mactan Island, Cebu.
  7. Went to Vigan City to see the heritage and culture of the famous Calle Crisologo.
  8. Experienced a Kawa Hot Bath in Malay, Aklan – essentially you’re in a giant wok!.
  9. Visited the Bohol Tarsier Conservation Area at Bilar, Bohol.
  10. Explored Intramuros & Fort Santiago, the hispanic colonial fortress in Manila.
  11. Visited the RG Jar Factory in Vigan City and the Hidden Garden restaurant.
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