The perfect English country walk: five ingredients

by Alex Robertson Textor on

The country walk near or around London is a venerable tradition. Every weekend, in good weather and bad, scores of Londoners descend upon different areas of the Home Counties–the counties surrounding London–to tramp along country roads, walk adjacent to (and sometimes through) cultivated fields, and wander into rural churches.

My first walk transpired this past Saturday. I was lucky enough to do a walk with a group of friends, some of whom have spent many a weekend exploring the countryside. Our meander, a circular walk based on a Surrey town called Guildford, came from Time Out’s Country Walks Volume 2, which was written by a committed group of walkers called the Saturday Walkers’ Club. The Time Out volumes are well-known and very well researched. Most of their walks require only very basic fitness.

Here are five ingredients for the perfect country walk. First up is a tip for making things affordable from the get-go.

1. Take the train to your origination and from your termination points, and take advantage of discounts for groups. Go in a group of three or more. My inaugural walk last weekend required the purchase of a group round trip ticket from London Waterloo to Guildford, a snip at £6.95 ($11.10), considerably less expensive than the lowest normal round trip fare of £13.90 ($22.30).

2. Make sure there is a good restaurant or pub at the midway point as well as at the walk’s conclusion. A filling midday meal, capped with a scone slathered with insanely good clotted cream and jam, is part of the tradition. And a crisp refreshing drink at the close of the walk, alcoholic or otherwise, is also key. There should be a pub close to the termination of your walk.

3. Do your research. Time Out has published two Country Walks volumes, with over 80 walks between them. Take a look at these and examine walk durations, transit times, and level of difficulty. The Time Out volumes certainly aren’t the be-all and end-all of country walks, either. Check out the walks detailed at Urban75 for some additional ideas.

4. Walk with someone with a good sense of direction, or, barring that, good navigational gear. Some of the Time Out walks travel through unmarked territory and will accordingly be made more pleasant by including someone comfortable with a compass.

5. Not to belabor the obvious, but dress appropriately. You’ll need rubber boots or hiking shoes with very good traction for walks during or following rains. For some walks, sneakers will do. Other walks will require shoes with an especially good grip. Pay attention to the difficulty grade and description of your walk beforehand. And layer appropriately.

Royal Wedding watch: parties, packages and more

by McLean Robbins on


Unless you’re really lucky, you probably didn’t snag an invite to the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on April 29. But that doesn’t mean you can’t join in the festivities. Check out these great hotels and resorts offering special wedding-themed packages and events.

Live Like Royalty

Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
This is, without a doubt, one of the more over-the-top packages we’ve seen recently. Book the hotel’s Royal Wedding Tour ($18,000 for one, $30,000 for two) and you’ll receive special access and hosted tours by first-hand family members and associates of the royal family to Kensington Palace, Chartwell, Spencer House, Althorp and Westminster Abbey, all venues which members of the public have not had access to before. The hotel itself also has a rich history: Queen Elizabeth II and the late Princess Margaret first learned to dance in the gilded ballroom, Prince Charles and Princess Anne visited the tearooms as children and more recently, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were guests at Baroness Margaret Thatcher’s 80th birthday party. Sir Winston Churchill was even a temporary resident while his London house was being refurbished. Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park also boasts the only private Royal Entrance from Hyde Park. Visit our friends over at Luxist for full details.

The Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C.
In the heart of the United States’ own “seat of power,” this luxury hotel has partnered with area vendors to create a wedding experience fit for a king and queen. The Royal Wedding experience includes customized diamond jewels for the bride and rare vintage loans for the bridal party, a custom dress from an area bridal shop, personal shopping at Saks Fifth Avenue, celebrity stylists, and a “royal watch” consultant. The ceremony will transform the hotel ballroom into Westminster Abbey, Kensington Gardens and Buckingham palace while guests nosh on a custom menu and sip Dom Pérignon Champagne to the tunes of a 17-piece orchestra. Afterwards, the newlyweds will retreat to the hotel’s Royal Suite and receive a box of Dom Perignon Wedding which includes 12 bottles of Dom Pérignon Vintage 2000 in an exquisite white lacquered box with a unique silver label personalized with the bride and groom’s names and the date of their nuptials. The price of this wedding package is available upon request.

The Waldorf=Astoria New York
The acclaimed New York hotel is offering a special one-time-only promotion for a whopping $20,000. Available only for booking through Jennifer Jorgensen, director of luxury sales, the package includes accommodations in The Waldorf=Astoria Royal Suite April 28th -the former residence of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, plus a soiree for up to 40 guests with a custom British wedding food menu.The May Fair Hotel
Book the hotel’s “Suite and Sapphire” package to enjoy a stay in the hotel’s signature Azure Suite, featuring a private elevator, Fendi furniture and a fireplace, and a sapphire and diamond engagement ring designed by a celebrity jeweler. Depending on the size of the ring, the package ranges from £9,500 for a one-carat ring to £207,500 for an 18 carat ring, the same size as Kate Middleton’s.

Hyatt Regency London The Churchill
Book the hotel’s “Royal Opulence Package” and receive a four night stay for up to six guests in the Royal Suite (one of London’s largest Suites) plus:
* Daimler DS40 and hotel chauffeur available up to eight hours per day
* Butler in the Royal Suite available for up to eight hours per day.
* All meals included will be served in the Royal Suite, with dishes created by the private chef
* Royal Banquet Dinner in the Royal Suite catering to up to ten guests
* Private talk by Royal Biographer on _William and Kate – The Love Story_
* Six tickets to the Royal Opera House’s performance of “_The Tsar’s Bride_” on 29 April
* Historic Royal Palace tours will include the Tower of London, Kensington Palace and Hampton Court, along with a London Blue Badge guide for two days for six guests
* Special Royal amenities by Royal Warrant holders including: Flowers by Moyse Stevens, Bathroom products from Floris and Royal Wedding limited edition truffles from Prestat

Just make sure you’ve got the cash to back it up – the package is £30,000.

Party Like a Prince (or Princess)

The Stafford London by Kempinski
Located just steps from Buckingham Palace and a rumored “hotspot” of the Royal Family themselves, the newly-revamped Stafford London by Kempinski is hosting a special Royal Wedding viewing party on April 29. Tickets are £85 per person and include all food and beverage. Reservations are required.

Augill Castle
Augill Castle is offering a Great British break of two nights from Thursday, April 28 – Saturday, April 30. Guests will be greeted with sherry and home-made biscuits before a four-course dinner or special high tea for kids. Augill Castle’s idyllic 15 acres will set the stage for the festive Garden Party to watch the Royal wedding in style. After, guests will feast on British classics including cucumber sandwiches, scones with fresh strawberries and cream, fairy cakes, English trifle and pitchers of Pimms. Children can enjoy party games in the afternoon before high tea and adults will be kept entertained that night with live music and a majestic banquet. Priced from £725 for two adults.

Dukes Hotel, London
Dukes is the closest hotel in the city to Buckingham Palace, and is situated nearly next door to Clarence House, where William will depart from to get to Westminster Abbey on the big day. The hotel is hosting an Afternoon Champagne Tea in the hotel’s Regal Marlborough Suite, where the wedding will be shown on a large screen for £34 per person.

The Suite Life

Trump International New York
We liked this package so much, we covered it in our Daily Pampering column earlier this year, but it bears repeating. Book this suite package on April 28th and you’ll enjoy a “Royal Brunch” on Friday morning with a special tasting menu created just for the wedding. You’ll also get a 4 PM late checkout, because, after getting up at 5 AM, you’ll want a nap.

The Ritz London
Boasting a prime location near Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, this luxury property has a rich history (The Duke of Windsor dined and danced in The Palm Court, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 80th birthday and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales awarded the hotel the honor of a Royal Warrant). The Ritz Restaurant will host an extravagant Royal Wedding Brunch between 10:30 am and 3:30 pm. Screens streaming live coverage of the wedding will be displayed throughout the room. Priced at $244 per person, the Royal Wedding Brunch includes a glass of Champagne to toast the happy couple, a commemorative souvenir Menu, and an exclusive limited edition decorative keepsake embroidered with the initials of the Royal couple and their wedding date. Care to stay overnight? For guests checking in on the 28th or 29th of April, the special Monarchy & Matrimony program is priced at $2,375 and includes:

  • Two nights sumptuous accommodation in a Louis XVI inspired room
  • Flowers, fresh fruit and a bottle of Champagne in-room on arrival
  • Royal Wedding Brunch in The Ritz Restaurant, with live coverage of the Royal wedding playing throughout
  • A limited edition commemorative gift
  • English breakfast each morning

Four Seasons Resort, The Biltmore Santa Barbara
From high teas to royal pampering, the Resort has planned number of events, including special cocktails in the hotel’s Ty Lounge, including the Middletini, made with Hennessy XO, Grand Marnier Cuvee du Centenaire 100 year, Chambord, poma juice and ginger ale. To truly enjoy the “Royal” treatment, book their special 7-hour spa package ($1,350 per person) including a Jasmine Rose Bath Soak and Champagne in a luxurious ocean view treatment suite, a Green Jade Rice Scrub, a Detoxifying Seaweed Wrap, a 50-minute full body massage, spa lunch, 80-minute custom facial and Hand and Foot Paraffin treatment. Guests receive a special spa robe as a memento and limo transport back to their suite or home within a 25-mile radius.

Elite Island Resorts
Traveling to the Caribbean? Elite Island Resorts is offering 30 percent off all-inclusive nightly rates at The Verandah, St. James’s Club and Galley Bay in Antigua; The Palm Island Resort in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and luxury-inclusive spa resort LaSource in Grenada. Guests will gather to watch the royal festivities at all of these participating properties. Traditional English tea, finger sandwiches and scones will also be provided.

‘La Ferme de la Lochere’ Estate, Burgundy
Rent this fabulous French estate from April 30 to May 7 and enjoy a recreation of the wedding meal by Katherine Frelon, who has cooked for the royal family. The week-long package at the 400 year old property features Royal High Tea, champagne in a hot air balloon, dining at Michelin-starred restaurants, a private wine tasting and several hands-on cooking experiences with a seasoned Michelin chef. Prices start at €1,895 ($2,561)* per person. E-mail scattychef@aol.com for reservations.


Fairmont St. Andrews
Celebrate the Royal Wedding at the location where William and Kate were rumored to have “caught eyes” – the five-star resort hosted the 2001 fashion show where Ms. Middleton modeled a sheer black lace dress and Prince William sat front row. A two-night package is available which includes dinner in the Squire restaurant –the room where the fashion show took place –and a 60-minute treatment in the spa of which Prince William was a member, as well as a live broadcast of the wedding itself. There is also a complimentary shuttle bus service to St Andrews so guests can visit and explore the ancient town and university where the couple both lived and studied. The two-night package costs £229 per person and is valid between April 29 and May 1.

The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota
“The Royal Engagement” package includes overnight accommodations in a city-view room, a delightful Afternoon Tea served in your guest room, tickets to the Sarasota Polo match (a favorite pastime of HRH Prince William), a bottle of Ritz Champagne upon arrival, Rose Petals and a proper pillow for the “prince” to fall to one knee to propose. The cost begins at $449 per couple, and add-on services and upgrades can be arranged by the hotel’s Romance Concierge.

Ellenborough Park
Located in the Costwolds countryside, the newly-opened Ellenborough Park offers all of the traditional “English” amenities you’d expect with a Royal Wedding package. Enjoy a welcome bottle of champagne, signature Royal Cocktail in the hotel bar, and a wide-screen TV broadcasting the wedding live. That evening, enjoy a romantic à la carte meal in the hotel’s dining room, as well as a full English breakfast each morning. The three-day package starts at $1,583 for two and includes optional suite upgrades for additional charges.

The Chester Grosvenor and Spa
Owned by the Duke of Westminster (and hosted Prince Edward of Wales and the Earl of Chester in 1869) is offering a This Royal Wedding Celebration package that includes accommodation in one of the hotel’s 12 luxurious suites, including one called the ‘Prince William Suite’; breakfast each morning in La Brasserie; a romantic eight-course tasting menu dinner in Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Simon Radley at The Chester Grosvenor’ one evening; a special Royal Wedding indulgent afternoon tea served with champagne; and entrance to Chester’s 2,000-year-old cathedral where society weddings with Royal guests such as the Queen and Princes William and Harry have taken place. The Royal Wedding Celebration package costs £762.50 per person, based on double occupancy and is available Thursday, April 28th and Friday, April 29.

Four Seasons Hotel Boston
In addition to showing the royal wedding on the big screen, hotel’s Bristol Lounge will host the Royal Tweet Trivia on April 29th. Twitter followers (the hotel is @FSBoston) are welcome to join in the fun 5:45-7am ET, royal questions will be tweeted out to hashtag #royalBL every five minutes. The first person to tweet back the most correct answers first will win a Princess Katherine-worthy spa treatment at Exhale Day Spa. And, those joining us in The Bristol Lounge for breakfast will also have a chance to win an overnight stay in one of the hotel’s luxury suites.

Glamis Castle
To celebrate the royal wedding, a special Historic Wedding Exhibition will be put on show in the castle’s Coach House Exhibition Room. On display will be articles of Marriage between the 15th Century to present day, and will include:

  • The official wedding program and menu from the Queen Mother and King George’s wedding in 1923.
  • Photographs from the Strathmore family weddings and in particular the Queen Mother’s siblings.
  • Dance cards from various family weddings
  • Marriage Contracts from 15th Century onwards.

Visitors to the castle on the 29th April will be able to watch the marriage ceremony of Prince William and Kate Middleton as it happens on large television screens strategically placed throughout the castle, shop and restaurant.

London Q & A: Photographer Philippe Sibelly

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Marseille-born, London-based photographer Philippe Sibelly has an inspiring and very international mindset. Two of his projects, both detailed in the interview below, provide exciting and remarkable interventions in the ways that we understand contemporary cities, cultures, and even economics.

Sibelly’s The World in One City depicts London as a vibrant, multicultural city by including photographs of London residents from over 200 countries and territories. His Irish subject can be seen at right. Sibelly’s ongoing project, The Other Africa, overturns notions of Africa as essentially destitute and impoverished by showcasing the lives of middle-class Africans.

These projects provide deep commentaries on globalization and culture. They also provide a delicious kind of social candy for travelers and cosmopolitans.

Q: Sum up your profession.

A: In a perfect world I could give you a straight answer: if only I knew where my camera was, I could say I am a photographer. I am a qualified teacher of art, but teaching is such a demanding profession I had to stop as it was taking over my entire life. My last teaching spell is probably the reason I can’t find my camera any more. I am a househusband right now and I use any opportunity the kids give me to promote my photographic projects: The World in One City and The Other Africa.

Q: The World in One City is a fascinating look at London’s intense diversity. Describe the project briefly for our readers. What prompted the project? How do you feel about it now, a few years on?

A: When I arrived in London, in 2004, I was amazed by this diversity, especially after two six-year spells in Sydney and Dublin. Both are great cities but not the most diverse in terms of cultures. In London a lot was made about multiculturalism in the media before the 2012 Olympic Games announcement. I thought it would be a great challenge to search for Londoners from every Olympic nation. There were 202 at the time. It was also a great opportunity to meet people from every country of the world. After London got the Games, multiculturalism came off the front pages for a while.

As the 2012 Games are now fast approaching, the subject of London’s diversity is back at the top of the agenda. Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent speech on multiculturalism has also reignited the debate. I don’t think you can say it has failed, but asking if it works is a valid question.

The work has spent the last few months exhibited. It is currently at the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith, West London.

Q: You’re from Marseille, which I believe is France’s most ethnically diverse city. Do you return often? Do you miss it? Did growing up there shape the way you interpret the world?

A: I go back to Marseille as often as possible, but it is getting much more difficult with the kids. So many logistical issues! After living for nearly seven years in London I find Marseille quite frustrating now. If you think public transport and traffic are bad in London, check out Marseille!

Growing up in such a working class melting pot definitely has an impact on the way you interpret the world. I remember being shocked when I first arrived in Sydney, in 1991. It was such a contrast from Marseille. Very “Anglo-Saxon middle class.” Interestingly enough I find Marseille (and France in general) very conservative now. London is so dynamic, a place where pretty much anything goes. In spite of being so diverse Marseille remains very much “old France.”Q: Talk about your current project, The Other Africa.

A: If The World in One City was my way of meeting people from every country in the world, The Other Africa is my excuse to go to Africa any chance I get. I grew up discovering Africa through depressing news headlines, like pretty much everybody else in the West. I was about 15 when Live Aid happened. I glimpsed the Africa that Bob Geldof was going to save, images of dying kids covered in flies.

There is no doubting this Africa exists but it contrasted greatly with the image I discovered traveling to West Africa. My friends in Dakar surely don’t suffer from malnutrition, more the opposite. Very rarely is it reported that millions of Africans go to work everyday, produce and consume, just like “us” in the West. It is all the more regrettable because changes for the better in Africa should and will come from this African middle class and not via foreign aid.

In 2005 I decided to start documenting this emerging middle class through a simple series of portraits of professionals and images of cities at night. I do not seek to say that everything is fine in Africa. My goal is to try to correct the perceptions we have of the continent.

Q: Where do you like to travel?

A: I just love getting out of the house. Discovering a new part of London can be just as rewarding as going to a new country a 12-hour flight away. It is also quite difficult to travel with the kids, which makes London explorations particularly appealing. I love Surrey and the South East of England as well.

I traveled a lot in Asia and the Pacific when I lived in Sydney. They are great places for independent travel but Africa has got the edge. I am always looking for opportunities to go and live there. Dakar, Libreville or Accra would be great places for the kids to live in while they grow up.

Q: What’s the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to you on the road?

A: Without the shadow of a doubt meeting my partner. I was traveling overland from Sydney to Europe. I bumped into Loretta in a cafe in Xi’an, China. A week later we ran into each other again, in Beijing. A few days after that we met by chance for a third time, on a train platform, in Irkutsk, Siberia! She gave me her Irish phone number from the step of her train carriage as it was leaving for Moscow. I decided to go to Ireland. 14 years later we have two kids together, two little Londoners.

Q: That is an amazing story. Do you have any travel secrets you’d like to share, either secret destinations or tips for other travelers?

A: I have perfected the art of traveling light. Unless I go to Africa to photograph for The Other Africa, I don’t even bring a camera! Too often you spend so much time taking souvenir photographs that you only see the things you were photographing when you look at the photos once you’re back home. I have cut down on everything. I have a special traveling wallet, which is in fact just a small purse, as you rarely need any of what’s in your wallet when you travel. Most of the time I don’t even need what’s in my wallet when I’m at home!

I have come to realize that if I really need something on my journey I can always buy it there. Unless I’m traveling in Norway it’ll be cheaper than it would be in London anyway, and going to a shop to buy something other than a souvenir is actually a great way to discover a place. Buying a toothbrush in a supermarket in Jakarta tells you an awful lot more about life in Indonesia today than does climbing Borobudur.

Apart from the importance of traveling light the best tip I can give to any traveler is to always try to look as smart as possible when crossing borders.

Q: You have a month to travel anywhere and your expenses will be paid by a mystery benefactor. Where do you decide to go?

A: Can the mystery benefactor also mind the kids? If my expenses were paid I would be tempted to go back to Japan as it is not the cheapest place to travel but it is such an interesting one. Iran is another place I would absolutely love to go back to and discover more. It wouldn’t cost my benefactor much either as it is such an inexpensive place to visit. Iranians are simply the most welcoming and friendly people I have ever met. Of course I would be tempted to go somewhere in Africa but I’ll go there whether or not I have a benefactor’s help.

You may find it surprising but if I had to choose one place to relax for a month, enjoy culture, great food, people with lots of character, sceneries second to none and a whole range of activities, I would go to Corsica.

Like this Q&A? Check out previous Gadling Q&As with inspiring travelers like Benji Lanyado, Zora O’Neill, and Jodi Ettenberg.

Tickets for 2012 London Olympics now on sale

by Justin Delaney on

Tickets for the 2012 Olympics in London officially went on sale today. With only 499 days remaining until the opening ceremony, it seems that now is a reasonable time to start jockeying for seats. According to CNN, the public will have six weeks (until April 26) to place bids on the full portfolio of events. A total of 6.6 million seats are available.

Accessibility and a level playing field are the common themes of the ticket distribution scheme. 90% of the available tickets will cost less than £100, with the range being from a paltry £20 to an arbitrarily cheeky sounding £2012. Each individual is entitled to apply for up to 20 sessions or events.

The balloting system does now reward those that register early or punish those that procrastinate until the final days of ticket registration. In the likely event that a surplus of tickets are sold, a ballot will determine ticket distribution. Here is a great primer on all of the details.

The chairman of the 2012 Olympics called this ticket scheme, “the daddy of all ticketing strategies.” I totally agree. I rest easy knowing that those that pounced on the opportunity like pack of Harar Hyenas have no measurable advantage over casual dawdlers that will quietly register on April 24. All tickets can be purchased on the official website of the 2012 Olympics.

flickr image via Ariaski

The London homeless thrive as tour guides

by Justin Delaney on

I have hired some strange tour guides. One was a Balinese man that cackled like a quick fire dub step remix of the word “huh.” One was a spy for the Myanmar government whose eyes widened in the car’s rear view every time I fumbled with my iPod. One made me promise that I would marry my girlfriend when I returned home. Others still furthered strange agendas upon my explorations.

Never though, to the best of my knowledge, have I toured under the guidance of a homeless person.

Thanks to a group called the Sock Mob, the London homeless are taking to the streets and finding a calling as tour guides. The Sock Mob is a volunteer organization that interacts with the city’s homeless or “rough sleepers.” They engage the homeless in agenda-free conversations, distribute socks, and generally commit altruistic deeds. They also have spearheaded a tourism program called “Unseen Tours” that allows travelers to take in some of London’s sights with a homeless tour guide. The lens of homelessness provides a unique perspective on landmarks such as London Bridge, and the guides also showcase hidden corners of the city that a conventional tour may miss. The tours meet every Friday at 7pm and every Saturday at 3pm. Cost is roughly $10, “depending on your circumstances.”