As 2017 kicks in, we look back on another year of office breaks. From a day trip to the end of the world to bank holiday weekends in Bavaria and Bohemia; it’s been an action packed year. We share with you a few of our favourite memories which hopefully may inspire your own breaks out of the office during 2017.
Views from Freiburg Cathedral
May bank holiday to Bohemia: Offering fairy tale castles, forests deep and dark and gargantuan sandstone pillars, the Czech Republic’s Bohemian Paradise offers some of Europe’s most dramatic scenery. Keen to venture off the beaten track, my May bank holiday trip was a spell-binding experience which will stay with me for many years to come.
view of Hruba Skala from Hlavatice, Bohemian Paradise
A day trip to Dungeness: windswept and desolate, Dungeness has always held a fascination for me. In July, I joined a photography day trip to explore this surreal land dubbed the end of the world. From abandoned shipwrecks to phantom wooden houses, it has to be one of the most surreal and atmospheric places I’ve ever visited. Add to that, the domineering shadow of the nuclear power station and it suddenly seems that the end of the world could well be nigh.
carcass of an old shipwreck in Dungeness
After work at the City of London Distillery: Discovering hidden gems is one of the delights of writing the Office Breaks blog and stumbling across the City of London Distillery was a treasured find in 2016. Tucked away down an unassuming alleyway off Fleet Street, is a hidden emporium dedicated to all things Gin. Offering 380 different varieties of Gin, the tour provides a fascinating insight into the rise, fall and resurrection of Gin as one of the nation’s favourite tipples. A post-work tonic not to be missed!
City of London Gin Distillery tour
An afternoon at the October Plenty Festival: I do love a local festival and the October Plenty Harvest Festival surpassed all my expectations. Kicking off in style from the Globe, the colourful procession of wolves, bears, jesters and troubadours injected the South Bank with medieval colour and pageantry. With a fitting grand finale at Borough Market’s apple festival, it really was a day of abundance.
the Green Man leading the October Plenty Autumn harvest festival procession
A lunch break at the Sky Garden: A recent addition to the London skyline, the Sky Garden has fast become a high-rise oasis of calm. Offering breath-taking views across the capital, this conservatory in the clouds proved to be the perfect spot to rise above the day-to-day stresses and strife of office life. Remember to book well in advance if you’re visiting in 2017 – slots normally open around 9.00am on a Monday.
The Sky Garden
Healthy wholegrain tips with Terry and George: In September, I became slightly star-struck when invited to join cooking supremos, Terry and George, on their mission to educate the nation about the benefits of whole grains. From wholemeal pizza to popcorn salad, their innovative wholegrain tips certainly gave me food for thought when it came to my own home-made lunches.
healthy whole grain lunch break tips with Terry and George
August Bank holiday in Freiburg: Germany has been on my hit-list for some years now and did not disappoint. Looking for something a bit different, I opted for the University town of Freiburg, nestled between the Black Forest and the Rhine. Officially Germany’s sunniest city, (it was 36 degrees every day!), Freiburg mixes cuckoo clock kitsch with pulsating techno clubs and achingly cool rooftop bars and an impressive of eateries. Not forgetting the infamous Black Forest Gateau.
Skajo Roof top bar in Freiburg
What’s on your office breaks wish list for 2017 – please share your thoughts with us here.