Morning Readers!!

We’ve been in Kent since Tuesday in search of Castles! On the list was:-

We’ve been staying at Channel View Apartments in Deal and checked out after breakfast today. It hasn’t been the best of accommodation, but it’s put us in the right location for what we had planned. Parking has been challenging and we didn’t need an alarm clock because the seagulls rise early around here (just before 4am!). Thanks, Gulls!

If you came here to read about our Castle Capers they’re all done for this visit and you can read about them below:-

Tuesday – Arrival
Wednesday – Deal Castle & Walmer Castle
Thursday – Dover Castle

For completists, here’s what we did today…

And so, with all the Castles conquered, we headed towards Maidstone for a one-night sleepover and to catch up with a work-mate of Ann’s (and a BBQ) before hitting the road early tomorrow heading home. But before Maidstone, I heard the word ‘sandwich’ which caught my attention!

Sandwich

I must have misheard as I saw the sat-nav was pointing to the town rather than the snack! Doh!

Sandwich lies on the River Stour and has a population of around 5000. It is one of the Cinque Ports and is probably most people’s idea of what a ‘olde English’ town looks and feels like!

Scenes around Sandwich

Well, the town certainly lived up to expectations. An immaculate location that appeared to be frozen in time – and looking all the better for it!

To complete the picture, it even has a Toll Bridge! (No tolls these days, though!)

The Guildhall Museum

If you want a potted history of Sandwich, then the Guildhall Museum (located in the 16th Century Guildhall) is the place to visit – and just a minute or so from the main car-park.

Admission is free and it’s a good use of an hour of your time. The staff were enthusiastic and knowledgeable – the perfect combo!

On the ground floor there is a comprehensive maritime history of the town that was once the second busiest Port after London! Who knew? . The photo above is of something that we didn’t know existed – a early sea mine dating back to the 18th century and designed by American inventor Robert Fulton.

On the next floor, the perfectly preserved Town Court (last used in 1987). David, one the staff gave us chapter and verse about the Court and how it operated. It was in great condition and these days it’s mostly used for Weddings!

Elevenses

Time for a pitstop at the appropriately named ‘The Sandwich Shop’!

A couple of coffees and a slice of Victoria Sponge later, we were ready for anything! (well, almost!). It was then back to the car as we headed west for the 50 mile journey from Sandwich to Maidstone.

Maidstone

First stop was the NEXT store on the lookout for some bargains. Even though this was an ‘out of town’ site, parking was nowhere near large enough and it soon became clear that some drivers had created their own parking spaces – just because… well… they could! For the rest of us, it made manouevering into the official spaces even more difficult. May your cars be full of seagulls on your return!!!

After bagging a few deals at NEXT (and encouraging the Gulls to stick around), we drove the short distance to the newish M&S in order to top up EVie. Yikes, the car-park was manic and although we got a space for charging pretty quickly, that area too, was full within minutes! Unlike NEXT, the drivers here seemed a lot more considerate!

We had a picnic lunch in the car before heading to M&S. In spite of its gleaming appearance, it had opened back in August 2020 but looked almost brand new.

Inside was massive! It included a Food Hall and one of the largest clothing areas I think I’ve ever seen. A Café and a Click and Collect point completed the picture. Not surprisingly, it was busy too! Whoever said that people are tightening their belts, obviously none of these customers had seen the memo!

It was another scorcher outside and we hurried back to the car and fired up the AC . Altough it began cooler this morning, it was now definitely hotter than yesterday. The car said 29℃ but it fell a lot, lot (lot) warmer. Next stop? The Premier Inn

We arrived at the Premier Inn about half an hour before official check-in of 3pm, but good ol’ Premier Inn allocated our room ahead of schedule and we were soon on our way to room 32 for the night.

Better still, they’d thoughtfully put the most important item in the room without asking – a rather high-tech fan!

Just time for a short siesta before getitng into ‘BBQ mode’.

It’s 5.45 and thankfully, it was a little cooler outside, as we took the short 15 minute drive to David and Anne-Marie’s BBQ. Tomorrow, we’re checking out early, hoping to be home by 10am (ish).

Thanks for reading this far, everyone! . See you on the other side!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The Kent Castles Caper! – Day 4 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Welcome to Day 3, loyal readers!

It’s our last full day here in Deal staying at Channel View Apartments where it’s been the perfect location for our ‘Castles Caper’ (even if the parking has been ‘challenging’!).

On our Castle Capers list is:-

With Deal Castle and Walmer Castle conquered yesterday, guess where we went today?

Yes, we’ve had Dover Castle in our sights today. It only took us about 10 minutes to get there, and weather-wise, what a great day for it! Our hats, sunglasses and suncream are certainly on overtime!

Compared with Deal and Walmer, Dover Castle is massive! There is more than just the Castle walls to see here, and we therefore both felt we’d saved the most impressive until last.

Dover Castle

Built by Henry II, and commanding the shortest sea crossing between England and the continent, Dover Castle has a long and immensely eventful history. Known as the ‘key to England’, this great fortress has played a crucial role in the defence of the realm for over nine centuries, a span equalled only by the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. Read a more detailed timeline here on the English Heritage website.

Impressive, ehh?!?! What makes this Castle extra special is that it also has secret tunnels put to various uses underneath (more about that later).

We arrived around 9.20am – 40 minutes before opening time (we’d seriously over-estimated the journey time!) – but there was soon a long queue behind us. Helpfully, a member of staff walked the queue and explained the admissions process. For EH Members, wait for the green traffic light (it’s a partial one-way system initially up to the car parks) and point the car ‘upwards’.

At the summit, there were three car parks to choose from, with the middle option getting us closest to the admission area, but the lower one would have been better for shade. The upper area would have helped with our step count!

The Castle

It’s an impressive structure that dwarfs its sister Castles at Deal and Walmer. What to cover first? Fortunately, the helpful staff must have been asked that question a million times before and quickly explained the best route (Lighthouse and Church first, then the Castle and finally the Tunnels and the Hospital).

10.05am:
Colton’s Gate

Colton’s Gate is the first construction you’ll see as you head for the Castle itself. It’s an impressive 13th-century octagonal gate-tower built on instructions of the ever-popular King John and historically grants access to and guards the approach to the Anglo-Saxon Church and Roman Lighthouse. Built in the early 1200s, the Gate was re-roofed by the War Office around 1900.

10.10am:
The Church and Lighthouse (yes, really!)

Amazingly, the Pharos (Lighthouse) was constructed in 2AD by the Romans, and most of it was still standing – in later years, it became the Church’s bell-tower! The inside of the Anglo-Saxon Church dating back early 600AD – St Mary in Castro – had been heavily restored and looked beautiful. We might have stayed longer, but ‘Class 3B’ had also arrived about the same time as us, obviously working on a school project and took up most of the room by the altar – time for a swift exit!!

10.20am:
Inside the Castle

Today featured steps and lots of them! Our first encounter was heading for the battlements of the Castle and to look around the Great Tower.

Every room was immaculate and had been decorated to reflect the period. There were plenty of Guides on hand to answer questions, although I wouldn’t have fancied their job today as it was already quite hot in the rooms.

10.35am:
The View from the top

The climb to the top was worth it! I counted about 80 steps, but it felt more like 8000! As our feet slowly recovered, we admired the views from all four sides of the Tower.

10.45am:
The Regimental Museum

We headed down a different set of stairs (still the same number though – I counted them!) Next stop? The Regimental Museum. The Regiments depicted here dated back to 1572, and there were plenty of exhibits on display to re-tell their respective histories.

Admission was free, and the displays and exhibits had been put together with a great eye for detail.

Even if you only have a passing interest in military history, it’s worth a look. It’s also worth visiting as it was nice and cool inside whilst outside had already hit 25℃ (and it was only 11am!)

Tunnels, Tunnels and more Tunnels

The secret tunnels (well, not that secret these days!) are located beneath the white cliffs of Dover and Dover Castle. They weren’t just used in WWII, but served as a barracks for soldiers during the Napoleonic Wars too! Later, they were headquarters and a war hospital during the Second World War under Winston Churchill. The war theme continued in the 1960s, when it served as a Regional Seat of Government in the 1960s in the event of nuclear war.

Opinions seemed to vary, but one account of the tunnels suggests there are over 15 miles of them!

11.20am:
The Spur Tunnels

The Spur Tunnels were built in the early 13th century to allow soldiers to quickly get to the northern tip of the Castle. They were remodelled in the 1790s to better assist the next generation to more effectively defend the Castle.

Yes, more stairs to get to the Tunnels!!!

It was just coming up to midday, and we were both wilting with the heat. After a brief sit down in the shade we spotted something unusual in the NAAFI restaurant! We learned that (with a massive dose of irony) it was called the Pocket Pistol and it has quite a history. The 24-foot-long bronze cannon was originally cast in 1544. It is thought to have been presented to Henry VIII as a gift for his young daughter Elizabeth and is known to have been referred to as Queen Elizabeth’s Pocket Pistol by an article in the Gentleman’s Magazine from 1767. The cannon is thought to have been used during the English Civil War, described as ‘the Great Basilisco of Dover’.

12.05pm:
The WWII Tunnels (aka Cliff Casemates)

We were disappointed to learn that no photography was allowed once we descended into the Tunnels. No explanation was given, but we think that the Tunnels are still in use by the State (where’s my tin-foil hat? ). Amazingly, they date back to 1793 and have been used on and off ever since in times of war. More especially from 1942 when they became a combined HQ for the military services. They are probably more famously known for where the Dunkirk evacuation of May 1940 – codenamed ‘Dynamo‘ – was masterminded.

The Tour itself lasted around 45 minutes and was part AV and part explanation by Kate our EH Guide. Quite a lot of walking, often in semi-darkness, gave a good feel for how it might have been for those who HAD to be here over the centuries.

1.03pm:
The Hospital (more Tunnels!)

Just like the War Tunnels, no photography was allowed in here either. Our Guide, Cara, explained that the Hospital aka ‘Dressing Station’ could look after as many as 100 patients, supported by 200 trained medical staff. Built in 1941–1942 as an annexe to the military command tunnels, it features a fully-equipped operating theatre and wards.

The Tour itself took an imaginative approach. Led by Cara we travelled through the myriad of tunnels supported by a recorded commentary complete with authentic period sound effects such as air-raid sirens and voices of the doctors and surgeons of the time. Flickering lights and complete blackouts added to the authenticity.

Not being allowed to take photographs was a definite disadvantage, whereas, unlike next door in the WWII Tunnels, we couldn’t think of a reason why not. We ended our tour with MORE STAIRS … and the famous ‘double helix’ staircase that allows two groups of soldiers to ascend/descend without literally running inot each other!

1.45pm:
Phew!

We ended our visit at the Memorial to Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay (unveiled in 2000), who planned and directed Operation Dynamo. And that’s when we decided to call it a day. It was now so hot, the best place would have been in the Tunnels!

2.05pm: Lunch

We usually cover these sort of places at some pace, but this one still took us 4 hours – and we could have probably spent even longer here! There’s a lot to take in but the staff here were great – helpful, happy, enthusiastic and professional – just like their colleagues at the other two Castles we’ve visited. After a quick picnic lunch it was back to the car and a stop off at Aldi in Deal for a top-up charge for EVie.

Time to pack when we get back – for our departure tomorrow, just after 9am.

Tomorrow

We say goodbye to our Castle Capers and head for Maidstone for a single-night sleepover and to catch up with friends in nearby West Malling.

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The Kent Castles Caper! – Day 3 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Morning all! Here we are in Deal, Kent. We arrived yesterday to a scorching hot day – and impossible parking (more about that in a while!). We’re taking a short break with our cultural heads on – in search of Castles! On the list during our stay is:-

Yes, we plan to give those English Heritage Cards a real workout before we leave on Friday! .

We woke at 3.45am to ‘nature’s alarm clock’ aka a herd of seagulls – and what sounded like a the worst Britain’s Got Talent audition! Step forward, about half a dozen of our winged warblers screaming at each other to prove who had the largest lungs and biggest beaks! How we laughed!! Thanks gulls!!!

We’re staying at Channel View Apartments in Deal Castle Road. It’s not bad accommodation, but we’ve had better. It has all we need and is well-equipped, but looks a little ‘tired’ in places (a little like me!). There’s plenty of space in the lounge, but location-wise, the most crucial issue is car parking – or complete lack of it!

With the car parking challenge, maybe they should call this place ‘Deal or No Deal’. Honestly, it’s like being in London: a great location and plenty to see – but parking is not easy if you’re a stranger! Actually, no, it’s worse than London as there doesn’t appear to be ANY long-term parking at all within easy reach of where we are and where signage for parking is non-existent (apart from the residents zones and short term affairs). And just to screw any thought of promoting tourism at this end of town, all the immediate parking is subject to a two-hour maximum and no return within the hour! Thanks, Dover Council . They don’t need Castles round here to thwart an invasion, they just need to paint double yellows everywhere! Oh, wait! They already have!!!

Therefore at the top of our list today is to talk with the locals to determine what we do with the car for the next few days! Disappointingly, I think the nearest long-stay car-park might be in France! Oh ye, of little faith, the mystery is solved, thanks to one of the helpful Staff at Deal Castle – more about that later in this Post.

Today’s plan? We’ve two Castles in mind – nearby Deal Castle and then, a shortish walk away, Warmer Walmer Castle. The former is so close, we can almost touch it from where we’re staying, whilst Walmer Castle is 30 minutes by foot. Thankfully, it’s a little cooler here today, contrary to the national forecast with ‘early 20s’ being the maximum. In spite of the ideal walking conditions though and the short distance between the Castles, we’ll probably take the car to escape the clutches of the local Traffic Enforcers!

Once we’re all ‘castled-out, we’re going to take a drive into Deal town and have a look around.

Deal Castle

Deal Castle was built in 1539–40 on Henry VIII’s order as an artillery fortress, designed to allow all-round firepower from over 140 guns. For over 250 years it defended the important naval anchorage called the Downs, and in 1648 endured a hard-fought siege between Royalist and Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil Wars. From 1730 it was gradually transformed into a genteel residence, and its military role had effectively ceased by around 1800 (Thanks, English Heritage!).

Ann chatted with two of the Guides to gain some more background information, and here’s what we learned: It was built in just a year and using just 1427 men. But better than that, not just Deal Castle but they constructed Walmer Castle and Sandown Castle too in that same 12 months! Impressive! Now that’s what I call ‘productivity’!Of the three, Sandown Castle is no more, (today, it’s a Community Garden), whilst here at Deal and nearby Walmer, they certainly pull in the crowds.

It was just a short flight of stairs up to the battlements with some stunning views from the top.

It was a beautiful day for it, and the breeze from the ocean worked a treat as the temperature was now already higher than the forecast! . A perfect opportunity to descend and look inside the Castle.

It was like it had its own air-conditioning! Wonderfully cool and such a contrast to outside. We ended our visit with a wander around ‘ground level’ outside. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable visit with knowledgeable Guides, stunning views and a beautiful day for it!

Next stop? Walmer Castle, a short drive away. But before all that, as promised, here’s the official ‘line’ on parking here in Deal. Our thanks to Melanie, who was on the front desk at Deal Castle, who explained how it all works!

Yes, parking for more than a few hours is challenging, and yes, there are the occasional spaces in side streets BUT… there are long-term Car-Parks in Deal, but as we suspected, they were nowhere near where we’re staying – see below. The parking is managed by Dover Council and the Wardens are very visible and doing their job!

Happily, there was an official workaround for us. As we suspected yesterday, we could take advantage of being English Heritage members. Parking in any of their car parks is free from 6pm until 9am – and when parked, you are given three hours free. So today, we plan to park the car in Deal Castle car park just after 3pm (using our free three hours) and plan to leave by 9am tomorrow. Simples!

Walmer Castle

Thanks again to English Heritage, here are some essential facts about this Castle.
Walmer Castle was built in 1539–40 by Henry VIII in response to threats of invasion from Europe. It was all part of a 2.7-mile coastal barrier that included Deal and Sandown Castles. During the English Civil Wars, Walmer came under siege from Parliamentarian forces, but since the 18th century, Walmer has been the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. The Cinque Ports are a series of major ports on the south-east coast of England. They are Sandwich, Dover, Hythe, New Romney and Hastings. By the mid-18th century, the castle had become a well-equipped seaside retreat as well as a Fort.

As we approached Walmer Castle, the weather was definitely warmer than the forecast. Cue hats and sunglasses! . After parking the car (drat! All the shady spaces had gone!) we headed for the entrance. What makes this Castle a little different to its sister in Deal is that it has impressive Gardens, and because it was the residence of the ‘Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports‘ too, it all felt somewhat grander than ‘just’ a Castle. It became the official residence of the Lord Warden in 1607 and is still in use today. The position dates back to the 12th century and is highly coveted.

Our first stop then had to be the Lord Warden’s Apartment. Notable ‘Lords Warden’ include William Pitt the Younger, the Duke of Wellington, W H Smith (later T G Jones ) and the Queen Mother. The slightly macabre factoid is that the Duke of Wellington actually died here at Walmer Castle in 1852 – and they still have the actual chair where we ‘left this world’. It wasn’t surprising, therefore to see a lot of exhibits celebrating the DoW’s life – including his boots!

The Castle was impressive, but the Apartment was a very pleasant surprise. Each room was special in its own way, and English Heritage have done a great job in conserving the property.

I was just getting started with my photographs when I noticed that there was a sign prohibiting any form of photography or video – so I stopped! . A shame really, as it would have been good to show off the decor. The above two are all I got! – no, I don’t know what the red light does!

If Deal Castle had been impressive, then here at Walmer, it was even more so – but the best was yet to come! As we wandered into the Gardens, it was easy to spot that it was well-loved. Everything seemed to be in rude health, and it looked especially impressive on this very hot day against a perfect blue sky!

..and if that didn’t impress, then their Kitchen Garden was even more impressive!

Wow! What an impressive location! We headed back to the car for a picnic lunch before heading off into the town of Deal.

The Town of Deal

Here we are in the Town. Today, with its population of around 32000, Deal is a former fishing, mining and garrison town. Deal became a ‘limb port’ of the Cinque Ports in 1278 and grew into the busiest port in England; today it is a seaside resort, its streets and houses a reminder of its history along with many ancient buildings and monuments. In 1968, Middle Street was the first conservation area in Kent.

Meanwhile, in 2026, we were here to get a ‘feel’ for the town – and a meal for tonight!

It was a busy town and definitely had a buzz about it. The shops were a mix of mostly well-known high street brands plus a few independents. Nice to see a fresh fish shop on the high street in 2026!

But old habits die hard, and we couldn’t resist checking out the local Sainsbury’s here in Deal. Opened in 1998, it looked much newer and looking around, we think it’s the largest supermarket in Deal. With Dinner tonight sorted, we headed back to the Apartment having covered a grand total of FOUR miles in the car today!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, we’re off to Dover. We’ve never spent any time together in Dover before now (except for grabbing a Ferry to France), whilst I’d spent a lot of time here, as part of my day job, during the brand-new Dover Sainsbury’s opening back in 1980!

See you on Thursday!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The Kent Castles Caper! – Day 2 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

We’re off to Kent for a week – in search of Castles! On the list is:-

Yes, we plan to melt those English Heritage Cards before the week is out!

We’re staying and self-catering at Channel View Apartments in Deal until Thursday…

…and then, later in the week, we’re heading for Maidstone and booking-into the Premier Inn in Sandling in time for meeting up with a ex-work friend of Ann’s in the town for an evening meal.

We left home just before 9.45am and had a trouble-free journey – even the M25 was well-behaved! We stopped off at Thong Services (yes, really!) near Gravesend, having covered about ⅔rds of our journey, and even though we only had another hour to go, it felt like the right time for a break.

Hhhhm! Thong Services. That’s a first! Motorway Services named after an item of clothing! . Somehow, just the name suggested it might not be a very attractive location – and that proved to be true. What a dump! In fact, it’s obviously so unpopular and unknown, even Mr Google can’t find it! In truth, that probably meant we’d got the wrong name, but it was in the village of Thong and it was err, a ‘Services’ area – and we did follow the signposts to ‘Services’.

Fifteen minutes later, with coffee, biscuits and chocolate consumed, we said a rather hurried goodbye to possibly the weirdest village name we’d ever come across (and the crappiest of Motorway Services).

It was then back in the car for the final part of our journey. Looking ahead, we knew we’d be too early to check into our accommodation, so we filled the time by taking a slight diversion and heading for a massive slice of local history in the town of Sandwich – the ruins of the ancient Roman Fort and Ampitheatre called ‘Richborough’.

Roman Fort and Ampitheatre

The Romans considered Richborough a significant location in their invasion of Britain, and they landed here before heading for the Medway and then the Thames before ending up in Colchester. Thus, Richborough Roman Fort became a significant ‘dot on the map’ in Roman Britain.

We weren’t sure what to expect when we arrived, but one thing was certain – it was HOT! Very HOT! . Touching 32℃ at just before 1pm and showing no signs of cooling down, meant that this was going to be a quicker look around than we originally planned. A short walk from the makeshift car-park took us to the site. Much to see? There’s certainly a fair amount of the Fort’s wall left – a testament to their construction skills – but very little else.

The 2000-year-old walls looked as solid as ever, but it did require a degree of imagination to fill in the gaps and imagine how the complete Fort might have looked ‘back in the day’. Apart from the very solid walls, we learned there had been some significant archaeological finds here too, and in the visitor area they’d built a small museum, packed with what had been uncovered.

The Museum was amazing! . There was a lot more here than we imagined! Definitely worth a visit, just to see what they’ve found (so far!). As we ended our visit with a well-deserved Magnum each, we caught up with what happened to the town after the Romans left. Not surprisingly, the town went into decline around AD410, but the legacy of Richborough lived on for a while as the town was one of the last military bases to be occupied by the Romans. In later years, evidence was unearthed of another settlement – Anglo-Saxon – here between AD 400-900. The maritime connection in the shape of the nearby Wantsum Channel eventually silted up, by the early 17th century, making it inaccessible to big ships. Sadly, what we saw today – the impressive fort walls – are all that’s left as a testament to its former glory.

The last mile or so to the Fort had been very narrow and quite twisty. if you follow in our footsteps, take care! . In fact, we had considered turning RIGHT out of the Fort, but according to the staff on duty, that route was even worse!!

With our history lesson over for the day, it was off to our final stop for the day – Deal – to top up the car at the local Aldi and to sort out a meal for tonight.

Luckily, it was easy to find! Unusually, it also had very fast EV chargers and we were soon plugged-in and whilst EVie enjoyed a blast of kilowatts, we headed to the store to pick up some food. We were in and out inside 30 minutes, which meant that by the time we got to the car, EVie was well on the way to being 80% fully charged

Channel View Apartments

At just after 3.30pm, we arrived at our bed for the next three nights – Channel View Apartments – where we’d covered a total of just over 150 miles.

First impressions? Not easy to pinpoint. Second impressions? Although we knew there was ‘only’ on-street parking, try finding some! After about a dozen laps around the block, I gave up and parked on double yellows right outside to allow us to get our luggage to our apartment.

Yikes, this was going to be a challenge! It was now 34℃ outside and about 134℃ inside the Apartment. Whilst I left Ann to do the unpacking, I returned to the car to scour the coastline for a parking space. Luckily, on the 17th lap, I spotted one just half a mile from our apartment. Unfortunately, it was limited to a maximum of two hours. Ah well, let’s go for two hours and see what happens! With parking secured (for at least the next few hours, at least) we settled in to our new home.

We’re on the ground floor, and it’s got all the basics. It looks like an old Edwardian house has been ‘carved up’ and turned into multiple dwellings, but there’s plenty of room. Decor-wise, it could do with a coat of paint in places, although the furniture in the lounge and the kitchen looked quite new. It’s not the most luxurious of apartments, but it’ll provide all we need for our short stay. The only ‘issue’ is the parking and as the clock counted down to our two-hour maximum, we decided to head out for a short spin to see if we could find a more permanent parking solution.

Not a chance! All the spaces in the immediate area were taken, and everywhere else was double yellow lines! . Surely, we were missing something obvious (like a massive multi-storey hidden in plain sight?). Nope! And then Ann read that English Heritage members get parking for free on their properties – and as luck would have it, Deal Castle was right opposite our Apartment! There was the small matter of a THREE hour maximum, but the free ticket from the machine seemed to be suggesting that we were ‘OK’ until 11.47am tomorrow. That suited us fine as we’re visiting Deal Castle tomorrow around 10am.

Had we beaten the system? Who knows? Well, Dover Council probably knows, but let’s see how that turns out!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow, we’re heading for nearby Deal Castle.

We ate in tonight – and it went down a treat! . See you tomorrow!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post The Kent Castles Caper! – Day 1 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

21st June 2026

Welcome back to all my dedicated readers! This is our last full day here in Lancaster. The weather forecast is the best since we arrived, so we hope it’s accurate!

If you’ve just joined the conversation, here’s a quick recap… We arrived in Lancaster on Thursday – our first visit ever – and part of our UK-centric holidays for 2026.

Why Lancaster? It’s a town we knew nothing about, and in a part of the UK that we’ve always tended to pass through when travelling north. Ann tracked down a great little Pub/Hotel – The Borough Lancaster Hotel – so that was our accommodation sorted!

The Hotel has been great in every respect, and because of its location in the city, has allowed us to walk everywhere we’ve needed to go. We haven’t needed the car at all! Technologically speaking, it’s also provided the best WiFi we’ve ever seen in a UK Hotel – 95 up and 95 down – Perfect! – so, it’s certainly made my blogging easier!

For us, it’s a cultural holiday, where we’re learning about the city and its people, plus the wider area and its rich history. We’d done our homework before we left Kettering and created a shortlist of everywhere we wanted to see.

We’ve pretty much completed the list. The only places we didn’t get to was the Town Hall (closed on weekends), Williamson Park (we ran out of time) and although we wandered down to the Canal on our first night here, it didn’t really turn into a proper ‘walk’. Instead, as a bonus, we discovered the Lancaster Maritime Museum, which wasn’t originally on our list – but what a find that was!! (see yesterday’s Post)

Missed a Post?

Saturday’s – Day 3
Friday’s – Day 2
Thursday’s – Day 1

Today…

We strayed a little today and took the short train journey to Morecambe – and its glorious sandy beaches. We’ve got Lunch booked at the famous Midland Hotel in all its Art Deco glory, and we’re also heading to the Promenade to find the statue of Eric Morecambe.

Tough life, ehh!?!?

The Train

From Lancaster it was only a short journey – just two stops – and where we took the rather leisurely 10.30 (they run every hour on a Sunday). Great value too, costing us just over a fiver return, in total.

It turned out that we caught the last train out of Lancaster to Morecambe today, due to track maintenance – and it’ll be a bus coming back!

Morecambe Station looked very sleepy when we arrived. There wasn’t a soul in sight (and that’s how it would stay for the rest of the day).

Welcome to Morecambe Bay! Did you know that the Bay is in the Guinness Book of Records for “the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom” – some 120 sq. miles! Just imagine me at parties!!

The Eric Morecambe Statue

The statue, sculpted from bronze, was made by Graham Ibbeson and unveiled by the Queen in July 1999. It shows one of the UK’s best-loved comedians in full ‘Bring me Sunshine’ mode – and that seemed wholly appropriate for today!

A Look out to Sea (1)

Itvwas turning into a beautiful day with the temperature already in the mid-20s. We wondered why there were a lot of ‘big boy’ lenses out today!

It’s Armed Forces Day today with a flypast by a solitary Hurricane!

Is that the time? It’s ice-cream o’clock of course! . Thanks for asking… it’s Strawberry and Chocolate plus the obligatory flake!

A Look out to Sea (2)

The deep blue sky and golden beaches continued to impress us!

The Midland Hotel

We’d only ever seen this Hotel on TV. It’s served as a filming location for several prominent productions, including the classic 1960 film The Entertainer and the 1990 Agatha Christie’s Poirot episode “Double Sin“. 

It’s been around a while and certainly has a striking appearance – even from a distance!

History of the Hotel in 100 Words!

Well, 115!

It was opened on 5 September 1903 at a cost of £1m (about £115m in 2026 money) and was built by the Midland Railway to serve Manchester Central station for its rail services to London St Pancras.

One of the lesser-known facts is that Hitler took a shine to it as a possible Nazi HQ for Britain! It was bought by the Paramount Hotel Group in 2004, and upgraded in a £12m renovation and then transferred to Hotels, Paramount’s sister company.

The hotel was sold in 2018 to a partnership between the Swedish firm Pandox and the Israeli firm Fattal Hotels, which undertook a second £14 million renovation. From 2023, the Midland Hotel has operated as a Leonardo Royal Hotel.

Inside…

Outside…

Lunch

Shall we say, Lunch was an interesting experience! I think we both had an image in our minds of what the four-star dining experience would be like – Sadly, today wasn’t it!

First and foremost, this is a four-star establishment and so NOT to have any Waiters at all to take your food order was a bit of a surprise. Instead, the once majestic Midland Hotel now required us to choose from the menu, walk to the Bar, queue with the rest of mankind, place and pay for our order – this was no better than your below-average Pub!

Desserts demanded an identical process requiring us to queue again! Err, no thanks! Any offer of mustard or horseradish with the Beef? Nope! A similar shortfall with the Turkey and the absence of Cranberry Sauce too. Well, at least they’re consistent. A filthy wine glass completed the lacklustre experience. This was going downhill fast.

The signs of cost-cutting were everywhere. No water for the table, paper napkins, and ‘help yourself’ cutlery because they can’t be asked to lay the table! So, no chance of a tip then! In fact, by having to pay up front at the Bar, before the meal began, completely removed any opportunity for tipping! A missed opportunity!

Conclusion? The Midland has become a pale shadow of its former self, and one venue that we’ll never see the inside of again! Thankfully!

We headed back to the Station on the lookout for the replacement bus service – hoping that it hadn’t been organised by the Midland Hotel!

Fortunately, it hadn’t! A shiny luxury coach arrived just up the road from the station, and we climbed aboard.

That didn’t take long! Within 40 minutes, we were sipping tea back at the Hotel.

Tomorrow

After four nights here, we head home after Breakfast. Lancaster began as a complete mystery to us, but ended up being in our ‘top five’ of ‘Cities to explore’. What a great few days away!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lazy Days in Lancaster – Day 4 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

21st June 2026

Morning, loyal readers, and thanks for reading my Blog! It’s our second full day here in Lancaster, where we’re spending a few days exploring the local area. Yesterday, we dodged the showers and picked off a few destinations that were on our list (see below), including the Castle, the Gaol, the Courtroom, the Police Museum and the Judges Lodgings’ Museum. Phew!

Missed a Post?

Thursday’s is HERE
Friday’s is HERE

Currently, we’re staying in The Borough Lancaster Hotel, which puts us within walking distance of everywhere we’ve wanted to go. It’s quite a compact area anyway, and we’ve not missed the car at all.

Today looked like a kinder day weather-wise (thankfully!). But just in case, for our first adventure, we’re inside, with a backstage tour around Lancaster’s Grand Theatre – a ten-minute walk away.

Originally, we also had plans to visit the Town Hall to look around. They’re always much more interesting on the INSIDE than their exterior suggests. However, a bit of local knowledge is a great thing, and we discovered that they’re not open to the public on weekends! . Oh well, we’ve got the City Museum (located in the OLD City Hall) on our list and from there, we’ll see how it goes. So, we’ve got a plan – sort of – but before all that, it’s…

Breakast!

What’s that acronym? ‘KISS’ – Keep it Simple, Sausage! and we certainly did! It was a much lighter affair than yesterday’s humongous ‘Breakfast Burrito’ that almost needed a table to itself! .

The Grand Theatre

As planned, our first cultural stop of the day was at the Grand Theatre where we’d booked ourselves on the 10.30 Tour.

The Grand Theatre is one of the oldest theatres in England and the third-oldest in Britain, having been in near-continuous use since 1782 . We were one of the first to arrive, but it soon filled up. With fifteen minutes to go, there were almost 30 of us waiting for kick-off.

Adrian, one of our Guides, was taking his role very seriously and came dressed as one of the original Victorian owners – Charles Whitlock. He clearly knew his stuff and kept our attention throughout.

Because of the large numbers today, we were split into two groups. Hats off (see what I did there!?) to the staff here, as they’re all unpaid volunteers and these tours run across the week on most days. Irena, another volunteer, was also on hand to look after the other half of the group.

Adrian took us through the chronological timeline of the Theatre’s history, where it became clear it certainly had experienced a few ups and downs – and a few fires too!

The Theatre receives no grants at all and relies wholly on the few productions it puts on through the year, plus the income generated from ticket sales from well-known comedians who use the venue as a type of ‘test bed’ for their performances before hitting the bigger Theatres around the UK.

Whilst Adrian entertained and educated half of us on stage (literally) Irena (above) showed us the area below the stage, including the dressing rooms.

Looking at the photographs hanging on the walls, there were more than a few famous faces (and there were at least three more walls like the two above!).

Twenty minutes later, we swapped around, giving our group an opportunity to experience the view seen by performers, where Adrian continued to explain how the Theatre grew in popularity, plus age-old theatre conventions including not wishing a Production: ‘Good Luck’ and not mentioning the name of ‘that Scottish Play’ .

…and what a view! Although we learned later that, because of theatre lighting, generally, the actor cannot usually see anything past the first two rows! Who knew!

We ended the Tour on the technical side of a production, where Adrian explained the increasing use of technology here in the 21st century.

Just before we said goodbye to the Theatre, there was just one final opportunity to experience the more usual view of the Stage! . A free cup of coffee also awaited us where we had an opportunity to chat with the staff. All in all, even if you’re not a theatre fan, this was a fascinating insight into their world and delivered with enthusiasm and energy by the volunteers.

What made this experience even more extraordinary was that it was completely free of charge! Thanks, everyone!

The City Museum

The Old Town Hall building in which the Museum is housed is of Georgian design and was recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II-listed building. It was designed by Major Thomas Jarrett and built between 1781 and 1783.

Inside, they had packed a lot into the two floors. Just £4 each for admission – great value!

Immediately past the admissions area were numerous exhibits that were part of the ‘Hidden Hoards and Fascinating Finds’ series – Lancaster’s summer exhibition. Wow! if you’re into coins, especially, there are some amazing collections on show here.

A real Roman milestone!

As we headed upstairs, we were in for a real treat!

The above ‘Memorial to Insus‘ (unearthed in 2005 and read more HERE) was probably the most valuable piece on display here (because of its rarity) and dates back to around c80AD – it looked brand new!

Similarly, the Burrow Carvings, a collection of 3rd-century Roman stone carvings discovered in 1794 near the Roman road into Lancaster and just as rare!

As we continued around the First Floor, we discovered a wide range of exhibits depicting the Lancashire Life…

But the best was yet to come in the shape of a museum-within-a-museum covering the King’s own Royal Regiment.

Covering 1680 to the present day.

The photos only show a fraction of what was on display here today. For those with only a passing interest in military history, this very comprehensive exhibition makes it all worthwhile. Read more about it HERE (but be prepared to put in a significant amount of time to do it justice!).

Wow! That was seriously well done!

We ended our visit with a trip to the museum Shop (actually, it was the only way through to the exit! ) where it punched well above its weight in terms of range and quality – keyring or fridge magnet anyone???

I think we were now all cultured out and it was turning into a very warm day out there. There was only one thing for it – ‘Elevenses’ – at a very relaxed 1.30pm!!! where we stopped off at nearby Diggles.

Pitstop

Another GREAT coffee (this is becoming a regular ‘thing’) with a scrummy slice of Lemon Drizzle Cake with superb service as well. Just leave us here!

Maritime Museum

After the pitstop, we decided to walk further to the Maritime Museum.

xx

It was a very pleasant walk as we headed for the old Custom House that is now the home of the Maritime Museum. Again, just a paltry £4 each to get in where the Museum is split into two halves. It occupies two historic buildings on St. George’s Quay, the heart of the city’s 18th-century harbour. Opened in 1985, it was designed in 1764 by Richard Gillow (Yes, he of the famous ‘Gillow’s cabinet-maker empire). It also incorporates the upper floor of the neighbouring warehouse, where goods were stored after being shipped into the port from all over the world.

We were advised to visit the Warehouse first, which put the town of Lancaster into a maritime context (who knew that the town used to be the fourth largest slave-trade port in England – and 29000 African slaves were traded here.

The Museums up here have all been excellent, and the Maritime Museum was no exception. It comprehensively covered everything – in a maritime sense – from slavery to offshore drilling for Gas in Morecambe (who knew? ).

The above boat is called a ‘Nobby’ and is used in the cockle-boat business in Morecambe Bay.

Another great experience, and we now understand the significance of Lancaster in the broader context of the rise and fall of a town’s maritime success.

At this point, lesser mortals would have grabbed a cab back to the Hotel. Not us! We decided to (ahem!) ‘experiment’ by turning LEFT out of the Museum and locate the Railway Station so that it’s more straightforward tomorrow when we take the train to Morecambe. Well, safe to say, it did all work out, but the walk was a lot further than either of us imagined – and it was now the hottest it had been all day . On a positive note, it’s upped our step-count, plus, we’ve now discovered parts of the town that most people don’t get to see!

So, all good then!

Phew! The afternoon was a real scorcher (when we did most of our walking! ), but in total, we covered about 3-4 miles on foot.

Tomorrow…

We’re taking the train to Morecambe, where we’re having lunch at the famous Art Deco Midland Hotel.

We’re also going to locate the statue of Eric Morecambe – “Bring Me Sunshine” springs to mind! – see you then!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lazy Days in Lancaster – Day 3 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

19th June 2026

Morning all! It’s our first full day here in Lancaster, having arrived late yesterday afternoon.

We both slept well but were awake at just before 6 to hear the melodic tones of two ‘gobby’ women immediately outside in the street, accusing the other of ‘gaslighting’ them! . Yikes! They were really vocal!! . Luckily, they were only within earshot for about five minutes as we enjoyed their ‘deeply philosophical’ debate gradually fade into the distance!

Sunbathing today? I think not!

The weather forecast was nothing special, but at least it looked better than when we arrived yesterday afternoon! .

If you’re catching up, we’re staying in the rather quaint, but popular, Borough Pub Restaurant & Hotel that is just a short walk from where we plan to spend a lot of our time. Missed yesterday’s Post (why? ) – it’s HERE.

As we’re only in the area until Monday, we want to make the most of our time exploring the local area, and so, as you might have guessed, if you know us, we’ve got a little list

The highlight for us, culturally speaking, is going to be the Castle, the tour around the local Theatre and finally, the trip to see Eric Morecambe’s famous statue!

But first…

Breakfast at the Hotel!

We had the place almost all to ourselves!

Today…

The plan, after Breakfast, was to visit the Castle, just a 10-minute walk away.

Lancaster Castle

The Castle is a Grade I-listed building that occupies a hilltop location (really!?) on the site of three successive Roman forts and has been described by English Heritage as…

“Not only the North-West’s most important historic and archaeological monument but also of international importance”

It’s also known as John O’Gaunt’s Castle and is currently owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, aka His Majesty, King Charles III. Read more about the Castle HERE.

If you’re wondering how John of Gaunt fits into the picture, he was the Duke of Lancaster (1340 – 1399), an English prince, military leader and statesman. It probably helped that he was also the fourth son of King Edward III and the father of King Henry IV. Because of his royal roots, advantageous marriages and numerous land acquisitions, he was one of the richest men of his time – yes, it’s not WHAT you know etc…

What an improvement in the weather too! We walked around in short-sleeves and no coat! As we passed through the Keep, we noticed something unexpected…

In fact, from overheard conversations by the staff, it seemed to be a surprise to them too – apparently, the ‘advanced party’ were going about their business, assembling chairs and large stage BUT expected TOMORROW! Still, they weren’t going to let a few hundred chairs, miles of wiring and testing the sound system (with the volume set to 11!) get in the way of the tranquility of the Castle on a Friday, were they!?

Judging by the frantic conversations between roadies and Castle staff – err, yes, they were! Cue some tension between both parties

Yes, it’s all about the Comedy Festival – Comedy at the Castle – coming soon and it looked like they were expecting quite a few!

We grabbed a seat and waited for our Guide and the 10.45 Tour.

Gotta have standards!!!

The following numbers are probably worth a Post all of their own (but I’ll spare you that!)

The Tour took around an hour and a quarter and for just £9 each, great value. Gregory brought the history of the Castle to life with his delivery style. He certainly knew his stuff, but if you came here expecting an uplifting story of knights, their battles and other castle-related stuff, this was the wrong place!

This was a place of punishment in all its various shades. From the Pendle Witch Trials (1612) to the last man hanged (Thomas Rawcliffe) in 1910, plus the home of two working Courts and a Prison until February 2012. The ex-Prison is now the home to Lancashire’s Police Museum.

The above was the final photo of the Tour as we headed for the working Courts (including the holding cells), where the instruction was clear: NO PHOTOGRAPHS AT ALL – or risk a fine and possibly imprisonment. ‘Nuf said! The next 30 minutes was fascinating as we got up close and personal with the inner workings of the judicial system including a wall of shields depicting monarchy and High Sheriffs!

As a Category 3 establishment, Norman Stanley Fletcher and Del Boy would feel right at home here! but as the Tour ended on stories of the most recent hangings and how the dead bodies were, ahem! ‘maintained’, it all felt very depressing!

Coffee!

As recommended by our friend and neighbour, Janet, to cheer ourselves up, we headed for (late) elevenses nearby.

Another great coffee from Atkinson’s Coffee Roasters.

We’d planned to visit the Police Museum next, but they were closed for Lunch, so we filled in the time by exploring some of the other attractions here – The Priory and the nearby Roman Baths.

The Priory

Tucked behind the Castle is The Priory or to give its full name: Lancaster Priory Church of Saint Mary. It has been a place of worship here since the 2nd century, and inside, there was plenty to read about its history as well as marvel at the architecture.

yy

Roman Baths

Fancy a bath?

In truth, there’s not much to see here, but it killed fifteen minutes or so.

The Police Museum

Note this is only open on Thursday and Fridays from 10.30 and closed between 12.30 and 1.30 for Lunch. It closes at 4.00pm – criminal!!

Where once Prisoners resided has now been converted to a Museum to reflect the Lancashire Police’s fascinating past and present.

This was probably one of the most comprehensive and content-rich Prison Museums we’ve ever visited (and we’ve done quite a few!). Well worth an hour of your time – and better still, it’s free to get in (and out!)

Well, it made me giggle – Oh, the irony!!

The Judges’ Lodgings Museum

Our final stop today was here – The Judges’ Lodgings Museum, just a few minutes’ walk from the Castle.

This was a perfect example of how the rich and powerful of the judiciary were rewarded for their work. A house full of ‘no-expense-spared’ furniture (by the world famous Gillows) and other comforts. For younger readers, Gillows was THE cabinet maker and the byword for quality furniture in the same vein as Chippendale (not to be confused with Chip ‘n’ Dale, the chipmunks).

Yes, if you fancied a bit of posh cabinet-making, Gillows was your man – and there was plenty on show here across the first two floors.

Tools of the trade…

On the top floor, it was full of childrens’ toys – The Museum of Childhood – a fascinating trip in time back to the Victorian era complemented by more modern toys. A real treat for kids aged 9 to 90!

Back to school!

Wow! What an impressive place! Just £5 each to get too!

Our final stop for the day was a more down-to-earth visit to Marks and Spencer’s for tonight’s carpet picnic. With rain forecast, we didn’t fancy venuring out again and as we stepped through the door to our room, it started to rain – perfect timing then!

With about 2½ miles walked today, we even managed to up our step-count! . Smug or what!!!

Tomorrow…

A conducted tour around the nearby Grand Theatre, the City Museum and then the Town Hall. Weather permitting, we might grab a boat trip too!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lazy Days in Lancaster – Day 2 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

18th June 2026

It’s holiday time, and in 2026, we’re sticking closer to home, favouring UK-based holidays over anything that involves a lot of travel! No airports (so no killing time in airport lounges), no cruising on the high seas (with all that excessive food and drink) – and for this break, no driving either, as it’s all being done by train using the UK railway network. We’re heading for Lancaster and we’re there for four nights exploring the local area.

Yes, you read that correctly. Usually, we’d travel by car without further thought, but actually, there wasn’t a lot of difference in the journey times – car vs train. By car, we calculated it would take 3 hours 26 minutes, whilst by train, in theory, just 3 hours 45 minutes. So, if you factor in a wee break for a wee, then there wasn’t much in it timewise. OK, if you look at the travel costs, it was just shy of £150 return in total for both of us by train, and it would have only cost about half that for charging the car, plus the cost of parking, plus the ‘fun’ of finding parking in the first place! Conclusion? Yes, more expensive, but it made perfect sense to let the train take the strain – it’s not always about the cost, is it?

It was a pretty direct route too! Kettering – Leicester – Birmingham – Lancaster. It started well! David and Valerie acted as Chauffeur and Deputy Chauffeur dropping us at Kettering Station in good time for the first leg. As things turned out, we actually caught an earlier (delayed) train, meaning, just 20 minutes later, we were at Leicester, all set for our next hop to Birmingham. Thankfully, that train was on time, and in less than an hour we were ready for our final leg – the longest at around 2 hours – to Lancaster.

That’s when our luck ran out! . Here at Birmingham New Street, our next train was running late. Ok, it was only 7 minutes behind – but things were to deteriorate further as we boarded and got closer to our destination. By the time we approached Lancaster, not only had the weather had turned nasty – it was pouring down – the train, for various reasons, eventually pulled in around 30 minutes later than planned, at just before 3.40pm.

It wasn’t quite the textbook journey we’d planned, but with the horrendous weather, I had a feeling that the journey, by car, would have also had its ‘moments’.

Once we were off the Train, we considered walking from the Station to the Hotel, but it was still absolutely hammering it down, and so we jumped in a cab instead for the short drive to our bed for the next four nights.

Ann had tracked down a great little Pub/Hotel that would be our home until Monday – The Borough Lancaster Hotel – located south-east of Morecambe Bay.

The warm welcome helped to compensate for the cold and wet weather, and we were soon taking the short walk to Room 10..

It wasn’t the biggest room we’ve ever stayed in, but it had a certain charm about it with two TVs, a massive shower, a coffee machine, plus a bed about half the size of Kettering! . Oh, and it had its own little patio area (not that we’d be using it much today! ). Well, as they say: ‘the garden needs it’ – except our patio featured astroturf, so it didn’t!

Whilst I set up the technology, Ann played to her strengths and got us unpacked. Maybe not surprisingly, we ate in the Hotel tonight.

We ate early too! At 6.30 it wasn’t particularly busy, but that meant the service was swift and attentive – and that suited us!

No sign of a Michelin Star, but it did the job!

Around the Town

After our meal, we decided to get our bearings by taking a wander around the Town’s nearby retail area. The shops and restaurants were plentiful with ‘big names’ nestled amongst the now-obligatory vape shops, kebab shops and a wide range of eateries. There were a few shops that were vacant (surprising to see the mighty Greggs had closed down!), but proportionally not quite as many as we’ve seen elsewhere.

It’s an old Town with an old feel, full of buildings deserving more than a cursory glance, but there’s a good mix of newer outlets too. Just as we began to think the experience was like a lot of modern towns, along came a couple of police constables – ON HORSES!

A mile-and-a-half later, our bearings were ‘got’ and we headed back to base to think about the rest of our days here. As you might expect, for our short stay here, we’ve got a list!

The List!

The big one is Lancaster Castle and the surrounding area, and we plan to cover that tomorrow. Best of all, it’s literally on our doorstep. There’s a bit of rain forecast for tomorrow, but not as much as today – and at least, we’ll be mostly inside. Sounds like a plan!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Lazy Days in Lancaster – Day 1 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 8 – Monday 16th March

Welcome back, everyone! I appreciate your readership over the past week – there’s been plenty going on! Today’s a short one as we’re heading back to the Airport this afternoon – and home! . The last Post for this holiday!

As I’m sure you know by now, we’ve been staying here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue for the past week. Last time we were all together was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great time (in spite of my left hand being in a cast! . This year, we timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that ran from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, where the headline celebrations included: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) last Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and yesterday’s Burning of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the week has been the Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We had also hired a car on arrival at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

10.55am: After checking out, we took the drive to Castillo Caleta de Fuste on the east coast. It’s a holiday resort developed in the 80s and ‘loved by the Brits’. In my book that’s either welcome news or ‘something else!’ . In spite of the very precise sat-nav directions, the route was ‘interesting’, mainly down to the construction/extension of the FV-2.

12.24pm: It took a while to find the area’s famous beach, but when we did, parking was easy AND free.

Actually, as we attempted to finish our journey ,it was all quite confusing as to exactly where we were. We deduced that although the beach was in our intended location, we were actually slightly off-kilter, in nearby, Puerto Castillo.

Nothing wrong with that, of course, wherever we were, it was all very nice! Warm? Just bordering on too warm as we settled down for a well-deserved beer!.

1.05pm: We grabbed a seat in the nearby Barcelo Resort called The Show Factory and attempted to order some drinks and a light snack. Barcelo seemed to own the whole area around here, and it showed in the shocking service. Yikes! A challenging task in itself just to order drinks and nachos! And we weren’t the only ones, as the table next door was getting increasingly agitated playing ‘spot the waiter’! Whilst we waited, we people-watched! We eventually got our drinks and snacks, but it was easily the WORST service we’d experienced since being out here.

Still, the Sun had definitely got its hat on – and that eased the frustration. Just! .

2.40pm: We decided to head back to the hire-car that by now had been roasting for the past few hours. Ann and I concluded that it wasn’t our kind of area at all – it all felt a bit ‘false’ and ‘manufactured’. It had all the right ingredients – plenty of places to eat/drink, wall-to-wall sunshine and a constant parade of people to observe going about their business, just not very ‘natural’. After a final wander around the nearby Souvenir Shop, we said our goodbyes.

Back in the car, I drove us on the short journey back to the airport. Thankfully, the sprint was short and jam-free.

3.15pm: We returned the hire-car without any fuss, and once we found the Departures area. We easily found four seats whilst we waited for the departure desks to open.

4.22pm: In fact, for once, things got BETTER. After a fairly swift piece of ‘extreme queuing’, our bags were all checked in, and then we noticed they had called the flight early.

7.01pm: We were soon boarded and on our way home! The flight was pretty full – and pretty full of people who had clearly forgotten their suntan lotion. Ouch! Pink is the new mahogany! . Those easyJet seats were uncomfortable enough without needing any extra help from super-sensitive skin!

10.28pm: Less than four hours later, the early departure and the wind in our direction meant we made good time, and we were soon retrieving our bags and queuing with the rest of mankind to get through Immigration. Good to see that the eGates at Brum were as reliable as ever – but selfishly, at least I got through without incident (and that makes a change!)

00.07am: After picking up Sue’s car, we were soon negotiating the national collection of bollards as we exited Birmingham Airport (what are they doing here? HS2? ). A clear run meant we were on familiar roads until the overhead gantry announced that J2&3 were closed on the A14. A swift detour by Sue around the back roads near Kelmarsh saw us avoiding cats and badgers who were also out late, and we arrived back on the Farm at just after midnight. Quick hugs all around, and after transferring our bags to our car, we were on our way home.

00.47am: Unpack tonight? Nope! Put on the first (of many) washing loads? Absolutely not! A quick check of the post? Not a chance! Wonder why DPD threw a package over the back gate even though we put a big notice on the door to place anything in the porch or deliver to a neighbour? That conundrum is for tomorrow!

Back to reality then!!?? . See you on our next adventure!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 8 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 7 – Sunday 16th March

Morning, my loyal reader! Boy, that was a late one last night!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations includes the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, and you can read about that HERE.

Our home has been Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

The weather has been pretty consistent during our stay. We could have all coped with it being a tad warmer, but all-in-all, it’s been OK.

9.35am: So, what to do today on our penultimate day here? Over breakfast, we decided, as a start, on a slow mooch around the Town. No particular destination in mind – just a gentle stroll, taking in the sights and sounds of Corralejo. We also have the ‘Burial of the Sardine’ to investigate. Or is that the BURNING of the Sardine? No-one seems to be sure, including the residents here (more about that later!). So, at this stage, we have no idea of the details surrounding this pivotal and final part of the Corralego Carnival – but we do love a mystery!!!!

11.10am: We’re off!

Once we got outside, it became clear this was one of the best days so far for the weather, with temperatures already exceeding the forecast by a few degrees – but the cool breeze was back. With our Hotel about 1½ miles from our destination, its proximity to the main action has certainly helped with our step-count and distance – pretty much 1½ miles x 2 every day since we arrived (and sometimes more)

11.35am: Once we arrived in the main shopping area, Corralejo looked just like it always does – busy and scrupulously clean! The Street Cleaners (who we caught a glimpse of last night as we were walking back to the Hotel) had done a grand job in clearing up the litter from the Carnival. We’ve always found the area to be completely litter-free, but last night was an exception with bins overflowing and some areas looking like the worst of the UK! . Hats off to these hidden heroes!!

Today, it was just great to be wandering in the sunshine with no particular place to go! On our walkabout, we spotted the OFFICIAL Tourist Information Office and thought that would be an ideal place to clear up the mystery of the Carnival-related sardine’s destiny starring in tonight’s event (we’re kind, like that!) – and exactly WHERE the event would be taking place.

Sadly, the Spanish member of staff didn’t quite understand what we were asking, but a nearby Brit DID! It turned out that she had lived in Fuerteventura for over 30 years and was part of the big procession last night. This sounded promising, and she was therefore happy to clear up the confusion. We explained that we’d seen the event referred to as the BURNING of the Sardine, but elsewhere it was referred to as the BURIAL of the Sardine! (You can tell we had nothing more pressing on our minds!)

A detailed and helpful conversation from our newest BFF revealed where the event would take place, and that it definitely wouldn’t be BURIAL (as that wouldn’t be allowed). So BURNING it was going to be, and finally, the mystery was solved! Oh! And one final point, the event involves the Town Mayor. All good then!

Err, ‘no!’ On leaving, we took a closer look at the Poster pinned up right outside the Tourist Office, that clearly listed the event as BURIAL of the Sardine. Doh! . Well, at least we know WHERE to see the sardine spectacle – and at 7pm tonight, the mystery will be ‘put to bed’

12.05pm: With the Sardine’s destiny still causing confusion (and in the absence of a darkened room to lie down in), we stopped for coffee in the harbour area. Restaurant La Longa caught our eye as we’d been here last time we visited the island, and we recall the coffee being very good! Another great opportunity for us to look out across the water, people watch and continue to enjoy the sunshine.

12.25pm: That was a yummy coffee. Eventually, we left Paul & Sue to do their thing, whilst we did ours – looking for somewhere for us all to eat tonight. In truth, there was just (still) too much choice, even though we’ve eaten out every night since we arrived. It would be an interesting exercise to see how many days we could eat here in the evening before we’d tried them all!? I’m sure there’s someone, somewhere, who’s already worked this out! As they say: ‘Answers on a postcard, please’

12.35pm: We meandered our way back to the Hotel, where a mix of sunbathing and siesta followed. Yes, it’s still a tough life here, but we better soon start getting used to the reality of heading home tomorrow!

4.45pm: Ann began the process of packing, whilst I did very little to help – you got to play to your skillsets, haven’t you!?

6.00pm: Later, it was the familiar walk back into Town for our evening meal. Having not seen anywhere in particular on our wanderings earlier today, it was just a case of ‘seeing what took our fancy’. Having already enjoyed Indian, Pizza, Steak and Fish eateries, we fancied Chinese, if only because we hadn’t already!

6.35pm: With the Sardine event due in around half an hour at 7pm (which we’ve learned is err, ‘flexible’ in Spanish time), we grabbed a few nibbles at the familiar Alma Brunch where we’d enjoyed a late-night hot chocolate a few days ago.

7.00pm: As expected, the scheduled time for ‘sardine ahoy’ came and went!

The crowds were now building, and after another fifteen minutes or so, to the sound of beating drums, the procession began to make its way towards the Pier. Led by the Town’s Mayor and various generations of Carnival Queens, just like last night, there was a lot of enthusiasm for the event.

And then, the real star of the show: the Corralejo Sardine! OK, it wasn’t a REAL one, so that was the first mystery cleared up. The fish looked pretty contented given its future, propelled by a small group of dedicated Chinese mourners, supported by two large, VERY capable Drum Bands and followed by what appeared to be the grieving ‘Sardine family’ dressed in black (but dancing the night away!). Yes, it was all very weird but I’m sure there’s a symbolic backstory that explains all this!

There was certainly no need for any grief counselling as the dancing families seemed to be having a great time!!! . The procession wasn’t on the scale of last night’s Grand Parade, but what they lacked in numbers they more than made up for in noise! As they disappeared into the distance, we followed the crowd, heading for the Town’s Pier.

7.57pm: The area near the Pier was quite crowded, but we managed to get a good position. Burning or Burial of the Sardine was about to be revealed. As the pictures show, it turned out to be the former. As the entourage gathered near the fish’s funeral, in true keeping with modern H&S practices, they were accompanied by the local Fire Service! It took a while for the fire to take hold, but when it did, it was quite a spectacle. Thinking about it now, I’m not sure how, given the size of the fish, and that it was now pitch black, how they would have conducted the burial

So, now we know! They don’t BURY Sardines here in Corralejo, it’s a cremation all the way!

8.14pm: And, as the Sardine gently toasted on the beach, its demise gave way to the firework display. What a display! Ten minutes of really good quality pyrotechnics.

This included a type that none of us had seen before. Most firewoks go in a single direction – UP, but the display tonight included a number that were fired HORIZONTALLY. They pointed out to sea and then, after a short pause, headed for the heavens! This was a really effective way to see fireworks on the water without the need for them being fired FROM the water. Genius!

8.25pm: With the firework display coming to an end, there was a mass exodus from the Pier area, before things quietened down as we arrived back in the main strip. Most restaurants seemed to be busy as we headed for ‘Asia Garden’ – and our final evening meal here in Corralejo.

The Restaurant was heaving, but after a short wait, they found us a table. Just like all good Chinese restaurants, the range was enormous, but in the end, we settled for one of their preset Buffets.

I’m not sure where the time went! One minute we were sipping our sweetcorn soup (easy for you to say!!) and the next moment, we were paying the (very reasonable) bill!

10.45pm: As we wandered back towards the Hotel for the very last time this holiday, we spotted something very unusual! An EMPTY Corralejo! I guess it showed it MUST be a Sunday, and for many, there was work tomorrow. It was a comfortable 18℃ and completely breeze-free making it a very pleasant final mooch!

11.20pm: Time for some beauty sleep . They’ll be a final SHORT Post tomorrow as we’re heading back to the Airport, but not before we take a drive to the town of Caleta De Fuste (which is on the way). See you then!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 7 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 6 – Saturday 14th March

Morning readers! Thanks for following our latest adventure! Just a couple of days left before we return to Blighty, where the highlight of TODAY is to be the Grand Parade tonight in town – all part of the annual Corralejo Carnival!

We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our temporary home is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

10.30am: After our now-familiar late, late Breakfast, as we made plans for another tough day – guess where?

11.15am: Slap on the lotion, find the best spot, grab the free lounger-cushions and remember my reading glasses. Yep! We’re poolside again!! . Flanked by Paul & Sue, that’s where we stayed. Better still, if anything, it was actually warmer than yesterday, where the occasional breeze was, for once, a welcome and occasional interruption

1.55pm: In that time, I finally finished my reading quota for this week – “Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red” by Andrew Thompson (thanks, Janet!) – a great book packed full of ‘I never knew that‘ moments. Reading aside, that was now enough rays for us today, and it was now back to the room for the obligatory siesta

5.45pm: Time to head into Town and join the rest of mankind to see the Grand Parade and then grab a bite to eat.

6.15pm: By the time we arrived, it was already quite busy with the ‘Avenue’ lined on both sides with people like us awaiting the start of this year’s celebrations. We had agreed yesterday that initially, we’d try and find a position higher up to get an uninterrupted view. We spotted a Bar on an upper floor that was all part of the Las Palmeras (how appropriate!) shopping area, appropriately named ‘The Lager & Ale Sports Bar‘. From a distance, it didn’t look too busy, so we tried the closest lift (switched off!) and then the nearby stairs that got us to our vantage point.

This turned out to be a good decision as we could see almost to the start of the planned procession. We also got our drinks in double-quick time AND a seat too – albeit a concrete bench! Still, we were in position and ready for the off.

Since we arrived, it had been challenging to find out the specifics of this year’s event. Given that this is a big annual celebration, we expected the town to be awash with posters and general information. Not quite! Even our hotel didn’t seem to know the precise timings of events. Now in position, with drinks in hand, we took our cue from a drone flying overhead, that we assumed must be ‘in the know’. It sat in the air, hovering, for a good 20 minutes before ‘returning to home’ (presumably because it was in need of a new battery!). It clearly wasn’t just us then who wondered WHEN it would all officially begin.

7.10pm: We wondered no longer! We could see movement in the distance and heard the sound of distant drums (we were to learn that these would be a BIG feature of the event as the evening unfolded!). Let the evening begin!

The Grand Parade

Another uncertainty for us was the SCALE of the event. Would it be ‘just a few’ Floats and performers… or something bigger? By now, the streets were packed on both sides and we congratulated ourselves on our position above the organised chaos down below.. I decided to get a lot closer – and I’m pleased I did. Five minutes later, I was in amongst the action and that turned out to be a good decision.

It soon became apparent that this was, in terms of scale, a really BIG event! With my new ‘ground level view’ looking up the Avenue, there appeared to be miles of vehicles and performers. As the procession passed, all became clear as the crowd prepared itself for an assault on the senses- in a very good way!

I’ll just leave these here!

We had Drum Bands alternating with dancers all supported by Float after highly decorated Float. Visually, it was absolutely stunning. The Drum Bands were dressed in their finery and playing as if their lives depended on it! Fantastic! In all my days, I’ve never seen anything that approached the colour, the size, the spectacle and the pure enjoyment that was on display tonight!

And they kept coming. I lost count of the number of Floats, but later we estimated there were more that 50/60!

In amongst the highly regimented Drum Bands and the immaculately dressed Floats, there was room for a lot of quirkiness too! We had no idea who some of the characters represented, but it didn’t matter as everyone was having a lot of fun getting into the spirit of the event!

I was only close to the action for about 30 minutes, but there was clearly a lot more to come! I headed back upstairs to join the others where Ann had been snapping some ‘distance shots’.

We decided to get ahead of the crowds and walk to the Restaurant, just 10 minutes further on.

8.05pm: Would the restaurant be mobbed? Would we get a seat? Slightly bizarrely – ‘no’ and ‘yes’. They easily found us a table even though the restaurant was already quite busy.

They even put us by a window, and so we got a reasonably good view of the procession as the evening wore on.

9.55pm: The meal and the service were excellent (especially the latter, as they were now getting very busy). For me, it was probably the best meal of this holiday as they clearly know how to serve a steak. Being able to see the action too, was a real bonus. The procession was continuous throughout our meal – two-and-a-half hours of dancing, drumming and waving finally brought this year’s celebrations to a close just after 9.45. We skipped Dessert and headed out amongst the crowds.

It had been an excellent evening and we all agreed it had been worth booking the holiday to coincide with the town’s annual event.

10.30pm: We wandered along to the now-familiar marquee, where a Salsa Band was playing. Not surprisingly, it was the busiest we’d seen it since we arrived last Monday. By now, some of the more quirky performers had ‘broken ranks’ and were wandering aimlessly around the town in various states of inebriation. In fact, some weren’t walking it all, preferring to be carried or simply propping themselves up in vacant corners. It was easy to spot the Brits amongst it all. Loud, proud and with more than a few dressed as Batman (nope, me neither!). It became clear that over and above the official Carnival performances, some had simply used the event to dress up – after all, it was a Saturday night!

10.45pm: Ann and I went in search of ice-cream – and El Momento Gelato Artesanal came to the rescue with its generous scoops of multiple flavours – Snickers/Cherry/Caramel and Strawberry combo for me, whilst Ann (on standby with Rennies for me!) was far more refined and restrained with (just) Snickers and Caramelised Toffee. Paul and Sue stayed on to enjoy a hot chocolate whilst we took the now familiar walk back to the Hotel, following (at a safe distance) three paralytic Scotsmen who had clearly enjoyed the evening and wanted to sing about it whilst walking along the middle of the road. Brits abroad, ehh!? Almost as memorable as the Carnival itself!

Wow! What an evening! Thanks Corralejo for an unforgettable event!

11.35pm: . 11.35???? See you tomorrow (maybe!) .

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 6 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 5 – Friday 13th March

Welcome back, dear reader! It’s another day in Paradise!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was here in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 where we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the coming week has been Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay.

A shorter read today, as our day split into three distinct parts

• A lazy morning
• A lazy afternoon
• A lazy evening

On the weather front, the temperature was on the rise. OK, only a degree or so, but we’re beginning to feel the difference as it seems to be increasing every day. Yikes! By the time we leave, we could be up to 25℃!

11.03am: After Breakfast, we took the decision to make today a car-free day, so that meant a lazy one, with time around the pool. I know, as a regular reader of our travels, you’ll feel our pain!

Joking aside, this was the first day that the area was completely free of the cold breeze that has followed us around since we arrived. We wanted to make the most of its absence, and so we grabbed a lounger, and that’s where we stayed for the next three-and-a-bit hours

2.30pm: Perfect timing as we returned to our room for a short siesta, just as a hint of ‘the breeze’ was returning. It’s been an exhausting morning! and I’m not sure where the afternoon went!

6.05pm: We decided to walk into Town and find a Restaurant looking out across the water. It was the warmest evening so far. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was ‘hot’, but perfectly pleasant during our now familiar mile-or-so meanderings towards the main drag.

6.24pm: Since our last visit, they’ve improved the walking route close to the water – known as Toro Beach – less sand and more of a structured wooden path. However, it looked like the constructors got bored in places (or lost the plans!) as it didn’t join up as one continuous route, and we were still forced to feel the sand between our toes! Overall, though, it’s now a much better experience and especially helpful to those who might be less mobile.

The other great thing about our relaxed walk was that it took us away from the main strip and past quite a few Restaurants that we wouldn’t have otherwise seen – in fact, during our wanderings, I think EVERY building was an eatery of some sort. Welcome to Fuertaventura and Toro Beach!

6.45pm: After checking out the menus along the route, we settled for La Playita, which, if we craned our neck, we could see the sea! It was already busy when we arrived, and by the time we left, pretty much full (and it was a large Restaurant!).

It was drinks all around to start the evening with Paul, Sue and me enjoying a large beer, whilst Ann opted for a G&T where the Waiter was more than generous with the ‘G’ part! I think there must be a gin mountain secretly stashed somewhere on the island, as we haven’t found anywhere yet that is able to serve a single measure. Shame!

It was all very tasty! After a yummy first course, we tucked into our Mains with Sue enjoying the catch of the day – Paul Red Snapper, Ann trying the Sole, Paul on Sea Bass, and me sampling the most unusual of fish dishes: four-cheese-sauce macaroni! I love fish, but not if it looks like one! Weirdo!!!

We turned our heads to plans for tomorrow, as being a Saturday and Carnival Week’s penultimate day, there’s a large Parade in the evening – and we all fancied seeing it. Of course, so will most of the island (well, that was our thinking). We agreed that finding somewhere to eat, at a sensible time, whilst still being in time to watch the Parade was a good plan.

8.30pm: After our meal, our next stop was a brief return to the now-familiar Carnival marquee, where a group of about 50 youngsters were having the time of their lives dressed in the brightest of greens. Whatever they were singing about, we had no idea, but you couldn’t fault their enthusiasm!

8.40pm: We took a walk around the familiar eatery spots, perusing their menus and checking prices. Compared with the UK, it’s still far cheaper to eat out here, but some that we looked at, were more expensive than others. In the end, we settled for El Toro Bravo and its wide range of steaks. We also thought we ought to book, as the thought of the gazillions of people coming to see the Parade would seriously hamper our chances of finding anywhere on the night at a sensible time.

8.55pm: Strangely though, when we popped inside El Toro to make the booking, the Waiter seemed very relaxed about NOT needing to book ahead. In his slightly broken English, he advised: ‘just turn up at any time, and we’ll fit you in’. We weren’t expecting that!

As we headed out of town and with the hard part of the day completed – and our Eatery sorted – we went in search of Hot Chocolate (the drink, not the group) and we remembered we’d done exactly the same during our last visit, three years ago. We attempted to find the exact same Bar but some of the names had changed since that time, and in the end, we settled for ‘Alma Brunch‘ (although that seemed to be going through a rebranding exercise according to the Staff’s t-shirts sporting the name ‘Gorilla Tattoo’). The consensus was that this WAS the same place as back in January 2024.

9.10pm: Well, that was worth the wait (weight?)! More chocolatey than Mr Chocolate from Chocolate town, its smoothness was no doubt down to the optional slug of brandy! . In between the sips, we reflected on our day and our plans for tomorrow, where we were all looking forward to the Carnival celebrations.

9.35pm: We left Paul & Sue to experience more of Fuertaventura’s night-life whilst we slowly wandered back to the Hotel. We were both strangely tired tonight – all that relaxing had been exhausting!

10.10pm: See you Saturday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 5 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 4 – Thursday 12th March

You came back! Thanks! . Welcome to Day 4 – a day of wonky weather forecasts, wishlists and worship; performances, processions and pizzas!

We’re here in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for this week is the Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area. It’s a tank-like Sssssshcoda Kodiaq 7 seater.

We’ve decided to make a day of it and head south to a village called Betancuria – population: 801! It was on this four’s wishlist, and Jo & Janet had also enjoyed their time here recently too! For historical context, it was originally the ancient capital of the whole of the Canaries, and everyone we know who’s been to this part of the world has recommended that we visit this gem. Word to the Wise: If you follow in our footsteps, note that although it takes less than an hour to get there by car, the last section is fairly twisty! Enjoy! .

According ot the marketing blurb: “Betancuria is a historic, picturesque village in the mountainous interior of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404 by the French explorer, Jean de Béthencourt. As the island’s first capital until 1834, it is now a peaceful, tourist-oriented destination”.

11.15am: After Breakfast, it was a spot of ‘role reversal’ as Sue took the wheel, and I was Navigator (I think I got the easier role!) . We were soon on our way, where the weather was on our side (no rain/warmer than yesterday/little wind) but in terms of the travelling, it took a little time to get used to the constantly changing speed limits and the lack of road signage. It ended up being a pretty uneventful (but enjoyable) journey, although we did temporarily miss a turn, and quickly corrected our error thanks to a little help from ‘Mr Google’.

About ten minutes before we arrived, we stumbled across a couple of statues that Jo & Janet had mentioned when describing their recent visit here. They’re located at a scenic viewpoint called Moro Velosa.

Parking was limited, but we squeezed in and took a closer look. The statues are of two former Kings – Guize and Ayose, the last Mahos tribal chiefs and the statues were designed by artist and architect César Manrique. The only way to really appreciate the workmanship was to get up close, and Ann ‘took one for the team’. Given Ann’s positioning in the photo, personally, I would have worn a waterproof hat!!! . Opposite the statues (mind the road!) was a spectacular view across the valley.

12.40pm: We were soon arriving at our destination. It felt (and was) definitely warmer than yesterday with a healthy 22℃, and the hottest day since we arrived. Luckily for us, the weather forecast had been consistently ‘wonky’ since we arrived – in pretty much every case, ignoring the wind, it’s been a tad warmer than suggested. Huzzah!

Again, limited parking saw us grab the last space in the official parking area for the village. In fact, I think we created the space, as the car-park was technically already full! . Living on the edge, us four, ehh?!?! . We took the short partly-stepped route into the village itself.

The pedestrian entrance route was fairly narrow, beginning with a sand-covered path and then a series of steps (requiring an informal one-way system to prevent those leaving from colliding with those arriving). Having carefully and courteously paused to let ‘oncoming traffic’ through, in barged a group of Germans who were stopping for no-one! . Teutonic travellers now ahead, we were soon up the stairs and into the village. Weather-wise, it was turning into a gorgeous day!

With the steps conquered, we were greeted by Don Quixote, Rucio, and of course, Sancho Panza (perhaps the impatient Germans thought there was a Tank ahead? (I digress. Again ).

Whoever thought it was a good idea to promote the Village based on its history of being the ancient Capital, was onto a good thing! . Whether it was the variety of flowers and foliage or just the general feel of the place, we all enjoyed every square inch. It wasn’t particularly large in square footage – easily covered in a hour, but a) it was busy and b) it felt cared for. With everything restored within an inch of its life (without overdoing things), it was an authentic slice of history and the perfect Tourists’ trap Paradise

For us though, the standout attraction had to be the Church. Helpfully named: The Church of Santa María De Betancuria, the interior was a feast for the eyes. Dating back as far as 1404, imagine worshipping here all those years ago!

Founded in 1410 by Jean de Béthencourt it features a blend of Norman-Gothic, Baroque, and Mudéjar styles, including a notable wooden ceiling, wooden/stone floor and a 17th-century altarpiece. Nice… very nice!

It was worth the drive just to see this! 100% recommended, even if you’re not particularly religious. Note that it’s not free to get in (just like the toilets here). Great value at just 2€ per person (in contrast, the loos cost 1€!)

1.30pm: By now, we were all cultured out, and a short pitstop at the nearby Café – Casa Santa Maria – was calling our name. Less ‘Man of la Mancha’ and more ‘Men with the Munchies’.

2.10pm: Yummy! That all went down a treat. We’d now seen everything we wanted to see and headed back to the car for our return to Corralejo. Sue was again in charge of ‘the tank’, and we returned to base in record time.

3.05pm: Back at the Hotel, some of us siestered whilst others made the most of the improving weather.

6.10pm: If last night was Curry Night, then tonight HAD to be Pizza! Checking the Carnival Programme showed that there was also some entertainment on near ‘Music Square’ in the popup marquee – more of that later.

We took a short wander before the performances began and enjoyed a quick drink. Unusually, the welcome was a little frosty (maybe because we ‘only’ wanted drinks) at our chosen watering hole, but Ann and Sue were rewarded with what looked like triple measures of Gin in their G&Ts. Both glasses certainly looked like a generous glassful even before the tonic was added . It’s a tough life out here!

7.35pm: We returned to the marquee, where the performances were now in full swing. It’s difficult to fully appreciate the energy in the photograph, but we were about as close as we could get – it was all very well supported, and those on stage ranged from ‘tiny-tots’ to adults – and it seemed, every age in between! They were giving the music their all. Choreographed within an inch of its life, what we saw was a powerful performance of song and dance – and a real joy to watch. Enthusiasm was off the scale as demonstrated by the performers AND those watching.

7.55pm: Pizza time! Plenty of choice for Pizzerias in the immediate area where we chose ‘Peperoni‘ (yes, with a single ‘p’!). It was obviously a popular place with pretty much ALL of the tables pre-booked. Luckily for us, they squeezed us in.

Inside, it was the simplest of decor, giving it a more intimate feel. Service was swift (pretty much the norm out here) and we learned that they’re the 9th most popular pizzeria in Spain (according to TripAdvisor!). That might certainly explain all the ‘reserved’ signs then! . Talking of signage, the choice of pizzas was simply enormous, so large, in fact, they displayed the more popular choices ON THE WALL – and it was a long wall! . Come here for their excellent pizzas (but not their WiFi, that they proudly announced they didn’t have, unless bribed ).

We all enjoyed our respective choices. I opted for the ‘Pozo Negro’ featuring Tomatoes, Mozzarella, Porcini Mushrooms, and Gorgonzola. They all had a real homemade feel to them. A bottle of very smooth Red sealed the deal!

9.25pm: The night wasn’t quite over as we were about to find out. Was that the sound of distant drums, or was my Tinnitus playing up? Thankfully, it WAS drums – and it was getting louder! Great news then, as what we’d missed in the performances at the marquee earlier (in part) was now making its way towards us. We hadn’t expected this, but judging by the number of people now lining the streets with their camera-phones at the ready, it was all part of the Corralejo Carnival experience! Wow! What an atmosphere!! ,

The costumes, the colours and the sheer enthusiasm certainly brought a party atmosphere to the streets of Corralejo! And they weren’t done yet as they danced their way past the restaurants and into ‘Music Square’. We followed the growing crowd of err, followers, where the dancers and drummers just kept going. Today, Corralejo, tomorrow, the world (well, there was no stopping them tonight) where it certainly looked like they had a few more miles left to cover. Whatever they were on, can I have some, please??

10.05pm: We left Paul & Sue to enjoy the atmosphere in ‘Music Square’ that, even by its usual ‘buzzy’ atmosphere, was now experiencing even more of it than usual. Tempted to join the dancers (really? ) we side-stepped the main procession and took the now-familiar walk back to the hotel. It was now just after 10pm, and the wonky weather forecast had truly exceeded expectations – the breeze had dropped, and even at this late hour, it was warm enough for me just to need a light coat.

10.35pm: That’s us done for Day 4. That’s two nights on the trot where we’ve still been up after 10.30. Are we turning into party animals?

Probabaly not! . Sleep well, I know we will! . We have no plans whatsoever for tomorrow except that it’ll be a car-free day! Catch you Friday!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 4 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 3 – Wednesday 11th March

Morning loyal reader! Welcome back to our adventures in Fuerteventura. Today’s is a relatively short one – a super-lazy day!

We’re here with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together in Corralejo,was back in January, 2024 and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and the Burial of the Sardine (yes, really!). 

Our home for the week is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

So far, we hadn’t seen much of the Carnival, but Paul & Sue discovered some related entertainment close to where we ate last night.

It was the ‘Crowning of the Grande Dame’ involving a lot of OTT costumes (that were, apparently, also very wide!). Tonight’s events are all kiddy-related, so we’ll be giving those a miss.

Back to today, and as I mentioned earlier, it’s a VERY lazy one planned!

“Another day in Paradise?” – especially if your idea of Paradise feels like living in a wind-tunnel! More positively, though, it’s another warmish one with no sign of rain!

9.25am: Our first activity of the day was walking the short distance to Breakfast. I know, it’s a tough life! It was busy there again (even though we were slightly later) and it’s clear, the Hotel is a popular destination. Same great service and the same extensive range of food choices on offer together with their very freindly service. Just like yesterday, it was a slow and relaxed first-meal-of-the-day and by the time we left at just after 10.30, we were the only ones left in the Restaurant.

11.25am: Time to follow the herd and find a spot around the pool. I had a fair bit of reading to catch up with, so that was perfect opportunity to combine the two. It was definitely a case of choose your spot wisely, as some areas were more hurricane-like than others, whereas other spots simply caught an occasional breeze. After a fair bit of experimentation, we didn’t find anywhere that was completely breeze-free (this is Fuertaventura, after all!), and in the end we settled for the area by the heated pool – it was almost deserted too!

In an instant (in spite of it being mostly a breeze-free zone) we realised why there was a lack of people – the daily Water Aerobics Class sprang into life nearby and the Instructors appeared to be looking for volunteers! Luckily, they didn’t spot us in the corner and the Class began. Oh joy!, I haven’t heard the infamous ‘Birdie Song’ at full volume since I was in my 30s. Oh joy!! . Fortunately, the music choice improved!!

And there we stayed for the next couple of hours. It turned out to be a good spot with plenty of sun reaching us with just the occasional waft of cool air.

1.30pm: That’s enough Vitamin D for the day! We headed back to the room, made a cuppa and then touched base with Sue, who’d just arrived back from catching up with their friend, Julie. We had a quick natter about eating options for tonight and agreed that it’ll be a Curry House or a Pizza! .

2.35pm: Ann and I then went in search of some retail therapy (Spanish style!)! This was the shortest of walks – out of the Hotel, turn right, short walk, turn right again, short walk… Done! We were now at Villa Comercial el Campanario, a small collection of retail spaces combined with some small eateries. We stopped at Cafe Bar Habana. It was all very Spanish and good to be out-and-about, just sitting and people watching!

We feasted on a couple of jam-laden croissants, helped along with two very nice coffees, all served with a smile! It was an opportunity to soak up a few more rays as the weather had now vastly improved, topping the forecast by a couple of degrees (a very welcome 21℃!) according to a nearby thermometer .

3.15pm: After a disappointing search for AA batteries in the nearby supermarket (a ‘hiper-dino’), we wandered back to the Hotel, had a quick natter with Paul & Sue who were enjoying the sunshine, and like us had found the perfect spot away from the random gusts of wind.

3.45pm: The shortest of siestas – “I’ll just close my eyes for a few minutes”

4.55pm: Up and about, and time to get ready for tonight’s meal in town.

6.10pm: We popped around to Paul & Sue’s to finalise our eating choices. That was easy, decision made! – the first Curry House in the main drag towards town.

6.25pm We took the short walk towards the main strip, and there was The Tandoori Garden. It was already doing a good trade when we arrived, and they quickly pushed together two tables to accommodate us.

And the customers just kept on arriving! By the time we got our Starters, the place only had a single table left – surely a good sign! It certainly was!!! The food was delicious and plentiful

9.02pm: A great meal! Next stop? Next door at the Retro Rock & Roll Restaurant.

8.55pm: When we arrived just before 9pm, just like the Indian, it was already heaving inside, but they found us four a table right next to the stage. From a sound and vision point of view, it wasn’t ideal, but at least they got us in! To say this was a ‘themed Bar’ would be a massive understatement, as it sported highly professional murals and rock memorabilia around the walls. They poured a perfect Guinness, too, so it definitely got my vote!

9.30pm: The singer tonight was ‘Mel‘. Born in Belgium (but with an American accent) we learned that she was, by day, a Primary School Teacher. Personable too, as she easily got the audience on her side with her charm and banter – and musicianship. And what a vocal range too! .It was easy to see that her passion was for singing and performing live, and after the first couple of tracks, toes were already tapping as she received warm and genuine applause from all of us in the audience. Mel was clearly very talented and belted out numbers by Fleetwood Mac, Oasis, Abba, Aretha Franklyn, Whitney Houston and many others with complete confidence. And when I say ‘belted’, she didn’t just sing them with a backing track. Oh no, instead, she put her own spin on the compositions and simply supported herself on the guitar. An amazing set of lungs that surely deserves to be known more widely! Fuerteventura’s got talent!

10.05pm: Paul & Sue stayed for more of ‘Mel’s magic’ whilst we took the short walk back to the Hotel, leaving the Bar (and the town) still buzzing. Turning our heads to tomorrow, we’re back in the car, exploring the island. We’ve decided to head south to a Village called Betancuria – population: 801!

Betancuria is a historic, picturesque village in the mountainous interior of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404 by the French explorer, Jean de Béthencourt. As the island’s first capital until 1834, it is now a peaceful, tourist-oriented destination.

That sounds like fun! . If you follow in our footsteps, note that although it takes less than an hour to get there, the last section is very twisty! Enjoy!

10.45pm: Another late one for us! Nighty-night!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 3 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 2 – Tuesday 10th March

Morning all! Welcome back, and thanks for following my Blog!

We’re in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, here in Corralejo, was back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and something unspeakable with sardines!  

Our home for this week is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

5.30am: Up with the lark this morning to see if the Hotel’s internet connection had improved (preventing me from posting last night). It hadn’t! The first hour was therefore spent trying various tethering configurations using my phone and tablet. Oh joy! Just what I didn’t expect! . By 6am, we were sorted, and Day 1, although late, made it to the webiverse.

8.45am: We took the short walk from 1105 to the main centre of activity – and brekky!

There was a slight chill in the air, but it was pleasant enough.

9.04am: First stop this morning was breakfast – and based on last night’s meal, expectations were high. We were earlier than planned, at just after 9, where we discovered the restaurant already very busy. Just like last night, there was plenty of choice, including a dozen different types of cereals, fresh fruit, doughnuts in various shapes and sizes (and colours!) and of course, for the Brits especially – the Full English. Featuring sausages that looked like sausages but didn’t quite taste the same (still delicious though!), fried or scrambled egg, the obligatory baked beans, fried tomatoes, but sadly, no black pudding (which I suspect got ‘lost in translation’). Toast, croissants with a wide selection of jams completed the menu together with ‘Continental’ for those wishing a lighter persuasion. Finally, fresh tea and a bean-to-cup coffee for the true lightweights!

10.35am: Well, that was leisurely, taking 90 minutes for breakfast! We must be on holiday!! The only downside? It was so busy, we were limited to a table right by the entrance door that was permanently open – and we experienced the famous local ‘breeze’, first hand!

The ‘planning committee’ met and our first full day was sorted . On the list for today:-

• Drive to El Cotillo
• Back to the Hotel
• A wander into Town
• Have a beer (or 5!)

11.45am: We agreed to meet in Reception before taking the short walk to where we’d left the car overnight. Today was also about attempting to locate the Hotel’s free and very secure car-park when we return.

El Cotillo

“El Cotillo is a charming fishing village located on the west coast of Fuerteventura, known for its stunning beaches and laid-back atmosphere”.

So, we took the 40 minute drive to El Cortillo. Again, I took the wheel and Sue did the navigating. It was another leisurely drive on the pothole-free route, taking us about 40 minutes tocover the 20 kms.

Initially, by way of experimentation, we simply drove from one end of the town to the other, just soaking up the views. Actually there was nothing spectacular to see, but it was good to see a blue (ish) sky and the Sun attempting to break through.

We then parked the car that required all my three-point-turn seventeen-point-turn skills (not easy in the ‘tank’!), but Sue was on the ball acting as wingman and preventing an insurance claim! Cheers Sue!

At this point, we had nowhere particular to visit in mind – a general ‘mooch’ – once we got into the town. It was warmer than the forecast, or it certainly felt that way. After a while, we then switched to ‘moochless mode’ with just a single place, recommended by Jo & Janet – El Goloso De Cotillo, located on the western tip of the island. It’s a coffee and cake outlet where legend has it, people queue around the block, especially for their coffee!

So, just our luck that today, of all days, their coffee machine was broken! . Still, the cake went down a treat!

2.29pm: As the shop said hello to the coffee repairman (who’d just arrive), we said our goodbyes and took a final wander around the Town taking in the views.

Weatherwise, it was very warm, punctuated by the stiffest of breezes that made us feel glad (and a bit smug) that we’d brought extra clothing – observing plenty of others in shorts and tee-shirts freezing their bits off!

I didn’t feel the Town had the most exciting of architectural designs, where BLUE was (maybe understandably) the predominant colour! Elsewhere, looking out to sea, the colour of the water was complemented by the whiteness of the waves crashing on the rocks. It was all dramatic stuff – an experience that inspires poets to put pen to paper or send ‘part-time’ swimmers scrambling back to the changing room!

2.15pm: Last on our exploration list today was the famous Castillo de El Toston (although it seems to be known by a few names). Plenty more information HERE but in short:-

• Recognised as an artistic monument in 1949
• Built on the ruins of another around 1700
• Two floors
• Similar structures to be found in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote
• Nowadays used as an exhibition space

Just time to stare at a skinny whale adjacent to the Tower and marvel at some of the brave swimmers.

2.32pm: We’re now all ‘cultured out’ (and more than a little wind-swept!), so it was back to the car and the journey back to base.

3.20pm: Just time for a short siesta before our walk into Town later.

An Evening in Corralejo

6.00pm: We took the 25-minute walk into the main drag that included the famous ‘Music Square’. As we got closer, you could feel the buzz of the Town as more and more (and more) people filled the streets, bars and restaurants. For us, we were in search of a good meal – and that was easy-peasy in these parts!

Restaurante Sotavento

6.31pm: We settled on ‘Restaurante Sotavento‘ – where we ate last time we were here. Whilst Paul & Sue chose ‘Seafood Paella’, Ann and I opted for the ‘Meat Grill’ plus a jug or two of Sangria.

Not surprisingly, the portion sizes were truly massive. In our case, enough carnivore creations to feed at least six people – maybe even eight!

Sue and I forced then down a dessert (it would have been rude NOT to!)

According to our Waiter, he made this himself – Mousso Del Golfio. I’d not heard of it before but it involved sugar, cream and lots of other banned substances. Err, ‘yes please!’. Officially it’s a traditional, creamy dessert originating from the Canary Islands, known for its unique, toasted flavour. It is made from gofio, a flour produced from toasted grains (usually wheat or millet). AllI know is that it went down a treat!

8.55pm: Time to settle up and head back to the Hotel. We left Paul & Sue to wander around the Town, whilst we took a slow walk back to the Hotel. Along the way, we took a few shots of Corralejo by moonlight…

9.55pm: That had been a very enjoyable wander back to base. In spite of the busy traffic, the numerous e-scooters and the dozens (and dozens) of people around, we felt perfectly safe, and it was easy to see why so many Brits come here time and time again for their holidays. Oh, and the food prices too! We enjoyed two jugs of Sangria, four Mains and two Desserts for 120 Euros (that worked out about £26 per head!)

10.15pm: All this eating and drinking has worn us out (I know: ‘poor loves‘!! ). Night-night . It’s another late, late Breakfast tomorrow! – see you Wednesday for our next instalment

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 2 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 1 – Monday 9th March

6.05am: Morning readers! A lie in (or sorts) this morning as it’s the first day of our holiday

We’re off to Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together like this, was in Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we had timed our break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. You can read more about the Carnival itself HERE.

For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and something nasty that involves sardines!

8.35am: We left on time and headed for Paul & Sue’s.

9.15am: We said goodbye to Rothwell and after some, (ahem!) ‘experimentation’ with packing our luggage, we pointed the car in the direction of Birmingham Airport and EasyJet flight EZY6611. We had plenty of time, and it already felt like we were on holiday as, for a change, we weren’t in a rush.

If all goes to plan, we fly at 1.30pm, arriving at 5.45pm, local time. For once, there’s no time difference at our destination, which felt weird (and I’m sure there was an hour’s difference last time??) . We were soon joining the world and all its wives on the A14, but in spite of the time of day and it being a Monday, we had a hassle-free journey arriving just before 10am – 45 minutes was pretty good going!. With the car safely ‘meeted and greeted, we took the short walk to the Terminal.

With the bag-tagging machine, for once, behaving itself, we were soon heading for Departures. Since last flying from Birmingham, they’ve installed whizzy new security scanning technology – where there’s no requirement to remove any ‘tech’ for inspection, there are no restrictions on liquids, and their scanners are the ‘full body’ type. That suggested, the process should be quicker and smoother, but guess what? Yikes! The area was packed with people – and it certainly wasn’t a queue-free experience! As a result, it took us a while to get through, not helped by my laptop bag arousing their interest.

11.22am: Ten minutes later, with all the contents being signed-off as ‘passed’ we weaved our way through the legion of parfumery staff in Duty-free (and their free spray samples) to finally make it to the pre-boarding area where we joined P & S who skillfully, had somehow leapfrogged us, whilst queuing at Security. I’m not quite sure of the collective noun for ‘sprayers of scent’ – maybe it’s ‘new essence’ (nuisance?).

I digress!

11.30am: With an hour-or-so to kill before boarding, we joined the rest of Warwickshire doing the same – reading, writing, drinking and eating – and of course hoping and praying (given the current global conflict affecting many flights) that their flight wouldn’t be cancelled. Looks like those with Doha in mind were to be disappointed! . Again!!

Time to chill out before the gate is called. Looking ahead to our week ahead, the weather forecast in the area wasn’t exactly ‘scorchio’, but in reality, it was already 10°C warmer than Kettering, so that was a plus!

I’m sure we’ll make the most of it

12.40pm: Huzzah! Our flight was called, and we headed for the ‘holding pen‘ lounge. Capacity of the Lounge = 100, number of passengers =150+

1.33pm: We’re flying! See you on the other side. Oh good! A group of beer-swilling Brits testing their shouting capacity! Welcome to EasyJet!! . Actually, apart from ‘the lads with large lungs’ it was a good flight. We all think that the budget carriers have upped their game in recent years – great customer service, clear announcements and what looked like a newish plane. There’s still some work to do with the seats that were clearly crafted from the hardest substance known to man – recycled ironing boards – and EasyJet had opted for the NON-recline version, but we coped… just… but I wouldn’t wanted to have been on a flight that was any longer!

5.47pm: Hello Fuerteventura!

6.00pm: After retrieving our bags in an almost deserted baggage area, we then headed for the car hire desk. Our company of choice? Top Car. All I can say is it’s a good job they aren’t called Fast Car! The process took absolutely ages – and we’d pre-booked online too!. And then, just when the paperwork was completed, we had to walk to another of their buildings to actually pick up the car!

Our chariot of choice was an almost brand new (ish) Skoda Kodiaq – but the 7 seater variant! It was almost the size of a Sherman Tank, meaning it swallowed our luggage with ease. After a quick review of the essential switches, and copious photos to prove it wasn’t us that scratched it, we were on our way. With me behind the wheel and Sue navigating, we took the silky smooth road to our destination. Maybe the locals had heard that I was driving – and stayed at home – but we didn’t encounter much traffic where, twenty-five minutes later, it was now dark, as we arrived at the Hotel.

7.30pm: Our home for the coming week is the Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) each, Bed & breakfast for the duration of our stay. Check-in was a detailed experience and carried out with a smile. We were flagging a bit, but first impressions were VERY favourable!

It was now pitch black outside – cue phone torches – and the few pictures I took couldn’t capture a real feel for the place (more of that tomorrow).

7.45pm: The Restaurant closed at 9pm, so we needed to get a wriggle on. Time to simply dump our stuff and find the nearest beer! . It was then that we discovered the flaw in our recent ‘detailed check-in’ – we hadn’t been shown how to operate the electronic door keys. What could possibly go wrong?!?! . With four of the finest minds in Northamptonshire on the case, we finally cracked the sequence. How we laughed! Not!

On the other side of the door was a very pleasant surprise. There’s ‘large’ and ‘large’ – and then there was our room. ‘Spacious’ doesn’t describe it! It was all very well-appointed with everything we needed! .With Paul & Sue next door in a mirror-image version of our layout, we were perfectly placed.

Food was calling, but more especially BEER. We had originally thought of also doing some planning for the days ahead, but our day was catching up with us, so we postponed any further brain work until tomorrow (I think we’d used up most of it, figuring out how to open our Apartment door! . Corrajevo is a popular destination for the Brits and luckily, Janet & Jo had made a similar trip earlier this year and Ann had tapped into their experiences a few days ago to create a shortlist .

8.05pm: The Restaurant punched well above its weight both in service and variety – tonight was Mexican themed, and there’s a different theme each night. At 16 Euros (c£14 each)Tuesday 10 March 2026, it was AMAZING value. The Staff were great, and the variety of food and its presentation were impressive. I think we’re going to love it here!

9.15pm: That’s us done for the day. We left our friends to continue their evening, whilst we headed back to Room 1105 to unpack.

10.33pm: Nighty-night! It’s been a late one for us and we’re shattered. Next stop? Breakfast at 9.30 tomorrow!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 1 appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Here we are in Cyprus! We’re here for a week, where the main event is the marriage of Sean and Kellie this coming Thursday! What follows is a much briefer account than my usual Posts (‘hooray!’ say some!) as I took the decision to travel light and leave the laptop behind and attempted to record the whole experience using my phone!

Saturday

10.40am: We shared a taxi to Luton Airport with Clive and Carole. Russell was our driver and being an experienced ex-HGV driver, we made steady and safe progress towards Luton Airport.

2.00pm: That’s our plane! In less than 5 hours we’ll be in Paphos!

9.15pm: We’re now two hours ahead of home. Our coach awaits!

All aboard!

10.30pm: Scorchio (still) !

10.10pm: Hello Mayfair Hotel. A warm welcome awaited us, together with a bag of sandwiches, cake and fruit!

Nice room! ‘354’ was to be our home for the next week.

Nicer Internet!!

11.45am: Nighty night!

Sunday

Morning folks!

7.02am: The view from 354 – some towels already on the loungers! No Germans in sight though!

9.02am: Off to Breakfast

A massive dining area where it could seat most of Cyprus!! . After breakfast, a relaxed day ahead!

First, a wander around the Hotel complex.

Another day in Paradise? You decide!

Then, off to the Harbour, on foot.

11.30am: A very pleasant wander in the sunshine!

The walk brought back some lovely memories of the last time we were here. Older memories were quickly replaced by new ones – and the sight of an ice-cream van! But before the obligatory ’99’, a sit down and a drink nearby.

12.45pm: Last time we sat here was back in November, 2022 with Paul & Sue.

1.14pm: Next, a visit to the famous Archaeological Site…

Good to see these amazing mosaics again… Free admission today too! (First Sunday in the month across the EU?)

2.55pm: Well, that was worth a look! Next? The promised ‘Mr Whippy’ ice-cream all around before deciding that we wouldn’t walk back – we’d take the Bus instead. Word to the wise! The Buses only accept cash out here (€2 each!) – no plastic! Twenty minutes later, the ‘610’ dropped us nearby, and we were back in our room, ready for a siesta.

Mrs P, Carole, John and Clive

6.05pm: A few hours of shut-eye and we’re ready to take on the world! (Well, not quite, but almost!). Next stop: The Bar and then the Restaurant. Did I mention it’s all inclusive here?

7.05pm: A quick visit to the Bar before joining the rest of the group for a catch-up. Then it was into the (very busy!) Restaurant for our evening meal. It was impressive! An amazing selection of food and service levels that ‘punched well above their weight’!

After the meal, we headed for a quieter part of the Hotel with Clive and Carole and caught up with our reading.

Trish joined us later for a natter.

10.05pm: Other ‘Party Animals’ were still partying, but for us, that’s it for another night!

Monday

Morning!!

A super-lazy one today, as our next ‘official’ event isn’t until lunchtime! Time to find the pool!

“Hooray, it’s the Daily Aquarobics Class” shouted absolutely no-one!

9.45am: We sat around the pool catching up with our reading and wondering how the three employees felt with absolutely ZERO interest from the inmates!?!? (We learned they do this routine every day at 10!)

12.30pm: Sadly missing the aerobic opportunity, later Geoff & Rhonda picked us up, and it was back to theirs for Lunch!

Nice view from their Apartment!

3.00pm: Northants Nutters – Cypriot Division!

4.15pm: After a gorgeous Lunch outside, We headed off to ‘Sense‘ a well-known Bar/Restaurant in nearby Kissonergas for a quick drink with a sea view! Fantastic!!

We couldn’t have been much closer to the sea!

5.25pm: Wow! That was good! Geoff & Rhonda then dropped us back at our Hotel.

9.45pm: Knackered!!

Tuesday

6.05am: Welcome to Tuesday! I call this one ‘Moon over Beach Towels’…

9.05am: The day would turn out to be a surprising and unplanned one. No details here, but it reshaped the rest of our week (again, not documented here)

12.35pm: We grabbed a quick bite to eat back at the Hotel, and then it was time for a quick walk.

1.25pm: A short wander around the local area to make the best of the weather (rain is coming!).

2.20pm:

4.35pm: Ahh, we both needed that – time to get ready for tonight. Another themed night awaits!

8.01pm: Our evening meal in the Hotel – strangely quiet tonight, even though it was Cypriot Night and the food selection was fantastic!!

9.05pm: A chill-out with Ann and Carole, just off Reception, whilst the ‘youngsters’ went out on the town for an extra ‘Hen Night’! I had a feeling it’ll be the boys’ turn tomorrow night! .

We steered clear of the main Bar area simply because (warning: old bloke alert) of the volume of the performers/music. Ever since we got here, the evening performances have always been on the super-loud side – and too much for these vintage ears. Last night’s ‘Freddie Mercury Tribute Act’ was SO loud, we could pick out the tunes – and we were three floors away, tucked up in bed!

9.35pm: again – it’s my age!

Wednesday

Happy Wednesday, everyone!

11.05am: Today, we met up with Geoff & Rhonda again, although the weather looked like it might limit our outdoor activities!

11.23am: First stop was Coral Bay and a lovely Bar/Eatery close to the water, helpfully called ‘Corralia Beach Restaurant’.

Nice bollards, nice flower-pot and nice wheelie-bin, but best of all – a great beach!

12.25pm: Fab! We then headed for Latchi.

1.25pm: We parked up and wandered around the Harbour area. Today, it was almost deserted (we think mainly down to the damp weather!).

1.45pm: ‘Faros‘ for Lunch!

I chose ‘traditional’ and picked ‘Stefado’ – one of the beefiest beef dishes I’d eaten in a long while!

3.15pm: As we headed back to the car, we all agreed that it had been a great lunch.

4.32pm: Back at the Hotel, we said our goodbyes to G & R. It had been a great day where we’d also managed to dodge the occasional shower too!

Just time for a short ‘feet up’ before heading downstairs and the Asian themed night in the Restaurant.

8.15pm: Yummy food again tonight!

9.45pm: A big day tomorrow! Beauty sleep needed!

Thursday

Morning all! No pre-placed beach towels! What’s going on!

Here we go..! . Today’s THE day! Sean & Kellie’s Wedding at 3.30pm.

Thankfully, the weather held!

Nicely ‘scrubbed up!’

3.35pm: After a slightly scary open-top bus journey through the town to the venue, we arrived at L’Chateau (not a typo!)

It was a beautiful location, a lovely event, and although the photography was challenging, everyone had a great time and lifelong memories were made!

The Service was pretty standard except, perhaps, for the distribution of bottled beer by semi-dancing Groomsmen to the congregation before the Bride’s arrival. An unusual riff on the ‘usual’ practice! Still, it saved queueing at the Bar and we were missing ‘Strictly’!

A unique Service followed, with very strict controls by the (equally strict) Wedding Planner. She continued her unique management style throughout the unfolding event with bags of enthusiasm and determination! Ad-hoc photographs were discouraged, and even when we ‘snuck one in’ the lighting (too bright, with the Sun in the ‘wrong place’ plus a lot of artificial bulb lighting in the darker areas) made it almost too challenging for a mere camera phone!

A rare shot! But wait! Is that the Photo Police at the door!?!?

Best of all, as the Cypriot Sun set, during the excellent sit-down meal that followed all the subsequent speeches were very heartfelt. As the evening wore on, even more memories were forged – especially on the dance floor. A few were almost traumatic!

Fashions varied: from the more traditional to the more practical (given the heat). Above, one of us is clearly illustrating taking full advantage of the Hotel’s ‘all inclusive’ meal deals (clue: it’s NOT Mrs P!)

Most memorable event? In the closing hour of the celebration, we were all ‘treated’ to a short and impromptu re-enactment from the final scenes of the film: The Full Monty – a pseudo strip by a few of the wedding guests (that also just fell short of an excellent charade of the film ‘Free Willy’! ).

The karaoke hour also made stars of a few who we didn’t expect to go anywhere near the microphone! Thankfully, the Cyprus nation was spared from The Palmer’s legendary ‘prog rock/disco/heavy metal’ interpretation of ‘Climb every Mountain’! due simply to lack of time and a queue for the mike (yeah right!). The impromptu ‘singing’ of those that did, was all part of the fun as other family and friends jostled for the best camera angle to capture this one-off event!

00.05am: And in a flash (see what I did there!), we were soon boarding the coach for another truly terrifying trip along the roads of Paphos. A combination of the driver being a reincarnation of Stirling Moss and the mostly deserted Cypriot roads ensured that our next conversation was either going to be to God (for forgiveness) or the Guinness Book of Records (for a land-speed attempt). Yikes! I can honestly say, it was one of those rare occasions where it was probably better to be drunk! . Some were better prepared than others!

00.35am: Wow! What a night! Congrats you two! Whilst a few hardy souls headed for the Hotel Bar for a top up, we opted for bed! Nighty-night!

Friday

6.45am: Morning all! Our last full day here! . Neither of us suffered any after-effects from last night’s ‘super late’ one (well, it was late for US!)

They’re on the Loungers early this morning!

Weather-wise? More of the same! But once outside, it felt hotter, much hotter!

After breakfast, we headed for the Tombs of the Kings partly by Bus (No. 603), but we walked the last mile, it was now much more humid than any other day since we arrived.

11.15am: A very misleading sign!

Well, that was all a bit underwhelming! Tombs of the Kings? Actually, by their own admission on the first information board, there’s no evidence that any Kings are buried here! . In short, a bunch of caves, mostly resembling a mausoleum. On a positive front, it was just €2.50 each to get in, and the views out to sea were impressive! Still VERY hot though!!

11.55am: We headed back to Paphos Harbour by way of the 615 to the Bus Station and then the 611.

12.25pm: On arrival, the obligatory stop for some ice-cream beckoned. We complied!

Now suitably cooler, we headed for the Harbour and took the short walk in the direction of the Castle.

Successfully dodging the numerous restaurateurs eager to temp us in, we got to ‘the end’ to find they’ve ‘added a bit’ to the Harbour since were last here, stretching further around the coast – all courtesy of an EU Grant!

12.55pm: Well, that ‘extra piece’ was a pleasant surprise, as we picked a seat and soaked up the Sun… and the view!

Heading back, we took the 610 that stopped close to the Hotel.

1.15pm: Just time for a quick one

1.45pm: A short siesta!

6.30pm: We met up with Tom & Julie in the Bar.

8.02pm: An evening meal with Carole. Oo-la-la, it was French Night!!!

9.45pm: Shattered!!

Saturday – Heading home!

Bye-bye Paphos and the Mayfair Hotel! It’s been fun! Paphos Airport? Not so much! Totally rammed from the moment we arrived until the moment we (eventually) boarded.

2.53am: Sunday – Back to reality! We’re home to a cold and foggy UK!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Passion in Paphos appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 22 — Saturday, 23rd August
Azamara Holiday – Summary

Phew! As promised, here’s a summary of our holiday, which includes links to all my daily Posts.

We spent it with great mates, Ralph and Karen, taking in Canada, Greenland and Iceland.

Thanks for your readership, comments and feedback – it was great fun recording our travels for you.

Daily Posts

Iceland

Day 21 – Even More Akureyri Friday, 22nd August

Day 20 – More Akureyri Thursday, 21st August

Day 19 – Akureyri, Iceland Wednesday, 20th August

Day 18 – Heading for Iceland Tuesday, 19th August


Greenland

Day 17 – Prince Christian Sound, Greenland – NOT! Monday, 18th August

Day 16 – Qaqortoq, Greenland Sunday, 17th August

Day 15 – No Go Paamiut, Greenland Saturday, 16th August

Day 14 – Sisimiut, Greenland Friday, 15th August

Day 13 – NOT Nuuk, Greenland Thursday, 14th August

Days 10/11/12 – Next stop, Greenland! Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, 11-13th August

Canada

Day 9 – Havre St Pierre, Quebec Sunday, 10th August

Day 8 – At Sea Saturday, 9th August

Day 7 – Saguenay, Quebec Friday, 8th August

Day 6 – More of Quebec City Thursday, 7th August

Day 5 – Quebec City (1st Day) Wednesday, 6th August

Day 4 – All Aboard! Tuesday, 5th August

Day 3 – Montreal (2nd Day) Monday, 4th August

Day 2 – Montreal (1st Day) Sunday, 3rd August

Day 1 – Montreal Bound! Saturday, 2nd August

There’s been total of 986 reads so far!
(as at Saturday 23 August 2025)

Update: Tuesday 2 September 2025 = now 1094 reads! Thank you!

Photo Reel is HERE

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Azamara Holiday – Summary appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 21 — Friday, 22nd August
Even More Akureyri!

Morning all! . Welcome to our BIG Holiday of 2025 – and our last day exploring Iceland! We’re with great mates, Ralph and Karen, having conquered Canada, and grappled with Greenland‘s weather! . Even MORE Akureyri? Can there be anything left to see here?*

Click for our (mostly accurate) itinerary…

*Of course there is! This is a modern city with museums, retail outlets for every occasion and a wide range of eateries. For us though, today was a fairly relaxed itinerary (by our standards!) . We began the day with plans to complete the famous ‘Diamond Circle‘ route visiting the famous Godafoss Falls (we simply ran out of time yesterday). Yes, it’s another Waterfall, but we’re told it’s worth it! But before all that – Breakfast!

Final Breakfast in Iceland

8.05am: We were all ahead of our planned 9am breakfast. When we got to the breakfast area, it looked like the locusts had landed! Apparently, a pre-planned party of 60 (yes, 60!) had just finished breakfast – and decimated the Buffet! Cue a few embarrassed staff who rallied round, moved us to a different room and set about replenishing the food!

If you want to read more about yesterday’s adventures, covering the rest of the route, click HERE.

9.10am: After saying goodbye to the Centrum Hotel (great service, great food, very basic accommodation) we headed by car to our next impressive location.

Godafoss Falls

10.15am: Goðafoss is another waterfall in northern Iceland. It is located along the country’s main ring road at the junction with the Sprengisandur highland road, about 45 minutes from Akureyri. The water of the river Skjálfandafljót falls from a height of around 12 metres over a width of 30 metres. A 1.8-mile hiking trail also loops around the waterfall area, but maybe that’s for next time!!

By comparison with yesterday’s Dettifoss Falls, this one’s a lot smaller, but in its own way, no less impressive – maybe more so.

11.05am: Coffee Break as there was plenty more to see.

12.02pm: There was even more to see from the other side after walking across the small bridge . And if the ‘first half’ was impressive in terms of the views, the ‘other side’ was just as jaw dropping!

We liked the fact you could view the waterfall from multiple angles (great for photos and just plain looking), and even the terrain there and back was much more shoe-friendly! The coffee was good and they also had a gift shop! We liked it! We liked it a lot!!

If you only have time for ONE waterfall in these parts, I’d say this is the one! But do use the loo before you arrive as it’s a cheeky 200ISK (c£1.20) for even a wee! .

Back on the road

12.57pm: We’re all ‘waterfalled out!’. We headed back in the direction of Akureyri with two things on our mind – food and petrol.

1.40pm: Back in Akureyri, we were sorted!

2.25pm: Now for the savoury course! We returned to Bautinn (where we’d eaten when we first arrived a few days ago). They gave us the same table too!

That was yummy! (19943ISK = £120.87)

3.35pm: Suitably stuffed and a little poorer, we left for the Airport and returned the car to Avis.

Back on the Plane!

3.55pm: Tomorrow, we head home, but we’re not quite done yet. Today, it was back on the plane for an internal flight to take us to the Aurora Hotel in Keflavik. The trip was to get us closer to the Airport in readiness for our flight home on Saturday.

Flight F147 left on time at 4.45pm and landed just under 40 minutes later in Reykjavik. We were soon heading for the Aurora Airport Hotel, for a sleepover in readiness for our longer trip back to Heathrow tomorrow at 10am. Ronaldo was our driver, from Croatia, and he proudly showed-off his newly acquired Tesla Model Y with all its ‘whistles and bells’. It was a hassle-free journey, but I think by now we were all beginning to feel our long day catching up with us!

Hotel Sleepover

6.35pm: We arrived to a windy, cold and foggy weather! In fact, it was foggy pretty much the whole trip. We were quite surprised at how different the weather was compared with the bright blue skies and warm temperature we enjoyed at the Falls earlier in the day. We were soon checked in and beginning the process of unpacking.

Well, this was very nicely decorated. Very modern, and where the whole place had a sense of newness about it. By now, we were pretty much done in, but there’s always room for a beer and cake (or both!) and we all met up the the Hotel’s Restaurant – Aura – for a quick nibble.

7.15pm: With drinks all around, the Tiramasu Cake and the Lava Cake with Whipped Cream went down a treat! . I now need sleep!

Tomorrow…

We’re back on another plane. This time, we’re heading home, landing at Heathrow. We arrive back in Blighty, just three hours later – just after 2pm, and then it’s round on the Tube to St Pancras before grabbing to train to Kettering. Back to earth with a bang, ehh!

9.00pm: That’s it, we’re both done in. I’ll pull together a summary of the holiday tomorrow when my brain is functioning! . Nighty night!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 21 – Even More Akureyri appeared first on Steve's Blog.

Day 20 — Thursday, 21st August
Sightseeing around Akureyri

Morning All! Welcome to our BIG Holiday of 2025! With Canada and Greenland completed, our final hop is here in the north of Iceland – in Akureyri.

Click for where we’ve been and what’s left to see…

In a first for us eating Breakfast abroad, in amongst the continental staples of ham, cheese, peppers and tomatoes were… Custard Creams! . Maybe it’s a local custom?

8.35am: After a rather hurried breakfast (that obviously included the nutritional Custard Creams!), we all met in Reception, ready for the off! We were prepared for an Arctic Expedition – midge hats, thick coats, umbrellas, beanies and scarves.

Akureyri

This was our first FULL day in Akureyri (population c20000), where today was all about the local SIGHTS. After taking advice from the local Tourist Information Centre yesterday, we planned to drive around the famous ‘Diamond Circle’ route. Read more about it HERE. We may not follow it exactly, but it’ll give us a good feel for this part of the country.

It’s a long trip – some 250 km (150 miles) in total, and we’re heading clockwise, but deliberately leaving out the famous Godafoss Waterfall until tomorrow.

As we only made the decision about exploring this route yesterday, so we needed to get back to the Airport to rent a car. In spite of the extra hike, it made perfect financial sense, as an equivalent guided tour would have been much more expensive – and we’re still getting used to the prices here! .

Our Transport of Choice

With Ralph as designated driver and an almost brand new, Kia Sportage, we were ready!

The Route to Husavik

What a great start! Stunning vistas all the way, punctuated by the occasional low cloud and sea mist.

Husavik

12.01pm: We arrived in this beautiful town with the Sun shining, but with the sea mist rolling in, the situation looked ominous. Home to around 25000 people, Húsavík is known as the whale-watching capital of Iceland – if not Europe – and the oldest settlement in Iceland. There’s also a Whale Museum here too (thanks, Nicki!)

Plenty of activity here with many boats on their way out for a spot of Whale Watching!

12.12pm: Meanwhile, turning a full 180°, we spotted coffee and cake nearby!

The cake won our affections. Why? It was still quite misty out to sea, and we weren’t confident we’d see any Whales!

What a pretty place Húsavík was! It reminded us of Cornwall. Next stop? The not-shown-on-the-map tongue-twisty…

Oxarfjardarfur Point

1.11pm: This one is not on the map, as such, but is a well-known ‘local secret’ (obviously, not now!). Oxarfjardarfur Point provides breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding landscape, where rugged cliffs meet expansive beaches. More significantly, there was a (small) chance of seeing Puffins nesting here!

But to compensate for the puffin-less and whale-less view, a little to the right was…

Well, that was disappointing, but perhaps not completely unexpected, given the time of year.

Between Oxarfjardarfur and Ashbyrgi

The mist had now receded, leaving us with a bright, sunny day.

Ásbyrgi Canyon

2.11pm: Ásbyrgi is a glacial canyon and forest. The horseshoe-shaped depression is part of the Vatnajökull National Park and measures approximately 3.5 km in length and over 1 km wide.

We missed the Visitor Centre and kept driving. The road got narrower, but it was worth it, for the photographs.

Enormous!!

We looped back to drop into the Visitor Centre but Coffee from a vending machine and a small picture exhibition made it the shortest of stays . We’re not sure what this place offered in relation to the Canyon itself.

Dettifoss Falls

3.01pm: We were making good time.

Dettifoss Falls, as the name suggests, is a waterfall. Located in Vatnajökull National Park (the largest NP in Iceland). The falls are 100 metres (330 ft) wide and have a drop of 44 metres (144 ft) down to the canyon Jökulsárgljúfur. Depending on who you speak with, it’s either the most powerful waterfall in Europe or the second most powerful.

As we arrived, the car-park was already pretty busy. And if that wasn’t an indication of popularity, it also had the largest collection of public toilets (12) we’ve seen anywhere in Iceland. Their exterior was neat and tidy whilst inside, their workings were ‘down to earth’ – literally! Yuk!

Take your walking shoes as the terrain is as rugged as it gets! . Thoughts of the song ‘Walkiing on the Moon‘ by The Police instantly sprang to mind. Bags of opportunity for a twisted ankle (or both!)

It took us about 30 minutes to get to the Falls – but it was worth it! We wimped out and chose the ‘viewing platform’ route (easier!), but for the more adventurous, there’s a ‘closeup route’ to enjoy too!

Lake Myvatn

5.01pm: Our final stop today.

Lake Myvatn is a volcanic lake. On the northeastern shore, Reykjahlíð, the nearby village has an information centre and is a base for exploring the area. Eastwards, Mývatn Nature Baths features a naturally heated man-made lagoon, with mineral-rich waters known for their health-giving properties. Today, for us though, just a short photo opportunity.

6.05pm: Time to head back, and to speed things up we took a shortcut – the Tunnel. Opened in 2018, after much delay, it cost about £12 as a toll, but saved us about 30 minutes in travel time.

…and just over an hour later, we were back at our Hotel reflecting on what a great day we’d had.

Exhausted, for simplicity, we ate in the Hotel.

Tomorrow…

We’re aiming to complete our Diamond Circle route – and drive to Godafoss Falls, before heading for the Airport and back to Reykjavik.

See you Friday!!

Steve Palmer

I got into blogging quite late in life, not publishing my first post until 2004 – well into my 40s! My lifelong love of technology and communication (in all its forms), together with a fondness for the art of writing seemed to be the perfect combination to contribute a few words to the online community. But I’m no Samuel Pepys! If you’re looking for deep and meaningful comments on a variety of subjects, then you’ve arrived at the wrong site! I only pen for pleasure! On average, my posts appear about twice per month, covering family & friends, cinema visits, eating out, holiday experiences and techy stuff. Oh, and as this is my hobby, there are no sponsored links nor adverts here – it’s all done with love!

I hope you find it enjoyable, interesting and occasionally, even helpful!

StevePalmerTheBlogger.com

The post Amazing Azamara – Day 20 – More Akureyri appeared first on Steve's Blog.