Country retreat to the Grim’s Dyke Hotel

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Linzi Clark

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After a stressful working week, what could be more soothing than the thought of slipping away to your very own country retreat. But before most of us have googled weekend breaks in the Cotswolds, visions of a grid-locked M25 sends us scurrying home for a glass of wine instead. Cooped up in concrete for another weekend, few realise that only twelve miles from central London lies a fairy tale Manor house nestled in 40 acres of award-winning gardens and woodlands. (leave a comment below for a chance to win a stay at the Grim’s Dyke hotel)

Grim’s Dyke gardens

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Seeking weekend sanctuary at Stanbrook Abbey

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Linzi Clark

“Turn left just past Jesus,” instructed the reception manager. Grabbing my bag with a grin, I wondered what other surprises lay in store for me during my first night in a Nunnery. Seeking a weekend of calm and serenity far from the corporate pressure cooker, I was delighted to accept an invitation to the grand opening of Stanbrook Abbey in rural Worcestershire.

Stanbrook Abbey

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Mini break to the Beltane Fire Festival

Posted on April 19, 2015 by Linzi Clark

As daylight commutes, lunch breaks al-fresco and post-work Pimms make a welcome return, we’ve finally made it through winter. But while we’re dusting off our sandals down south, in the harsher Scottish climes where winters are frequently a feat of endurance, spring is celebrated with far more pomp and ceremony. Edinburgh’s Beltane Fire Festival is a mystical night of Pagan pageantry crammed with stirring twilight creatures, fire dancers, flame throwers and giant, glowing toadstools.

May Queen at the Beltane Festival, Edinburgh

Beltane Fire Festival 2013

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My Atlas Mountain Trek Challenge

Posted on April 12, 2015 by Linzi Clark

Driven by never-ending goals in our nine-to-five lives, all too often the things we dream of achieving in our free time get relegated to bucket lists of wishful thinking. Five years ago, I visited Marrakesh on a mini break and was entranced by the distant white peaks of the Atlas Mountains. From the roof terrace of my riad, I vowed to explore them one day. But once back home, doubts crept in and the dream became as distant as the snowy mountain peaks. But this year something changed.

Atlas Mountains

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Mini break to literary Dublin

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Linzi Clark

Known for Temple Bar, Guinness and plentiful craic, Dublin’s a city break destination guaranteed to shake off the shackles of corporate life. But like the best-loved books, don’t judge it by its cover alone. Home to Samuel Beckett, James Joyce and Oscar Wilde, Dublin’s literary credentials are second to none. From the Book of Kells to the world-famous Ulysses, the city’s steeped in literary history. If you’re looking for a mini break with a little more depth, now’s the time to delve into the pages of a well-worn classic.

bookcase and ladder at the Old Library, Trinity College Dublin

Literary Dublin

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Mini break to Essaouira

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Linzi Clark

Shivering in Siberian temperatures this week, warmer climes are calling. With a whole new year of annual leave possibilities awaiting, what will be top of the mini breaks in 2015? With a new direct flight route from London in May, my money’s on Essaouira on Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Blissfully free from the snake charmers and hard-sell henna ladies of neighbouring Marrakech, Essaouira offers a bohemian costal sanctuary where artists and musicians rub along peacefully with fishermen and the world’s loftiest goats.

Essaouira

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Festive mini break to Hamburg

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Linzi Clark

With Oktoberfest now a distant memory, Germany’s flavour of the month again as the Christmas market season gets into full swing. Boasting sixteen markets, Hamburg’s festive cheer is guaranteed to warm the cockles long after the haze of the office Christmas party. If you still have a few days leave left before the New Year, grab a gluhwein and delve into Germany’s most diverse festive markets on a mini break to Hamburg.

Hamburg Christmas market

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Halloween mini break to Transylvania

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Linzi Clark

With darker evenings casting a menacing shadow over the evening commute, what better time of year to escape for a long weekend to deepest, darkest Eastern Europe. Known for its towering castles, endless forests and the Prince of Darkness himself, what more fitting choice than a mini-break to Transylvania? Stocking up on garlic cloves, I set off for the Romanian wilderness.

Bran Castle, Transylvania

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Mini break to Montenegro

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Linzi Clark

Home to prosperous merchant towns, international cat walk shows, glitzy seaside resorts and dark, brooding mountains, Montenegro is following hot-on-the-heels of Croatia as one of Europe’s most sought-after destinations. Attracting the attention of the international jet-set and the Russian elite, I decided it was time to leave office life behind and see if my ship might come in amidst the bright lights of the Adriatic.

Kotor Bay Montenegro

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Day hike to the Jurassic Coast

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Linzi Clark

Summer holiday been and gone in the blink of an eye? If you’re left to pick up the pieces amidst the office tumble weed, a day hike to the Jurassic Coast offers sun, sea and an adrenalin-rush like no other. With a landscape dating back to the days of the dinosaurs, spectacular sea views and a helter-skelter ride of petrifying peaks and knee-trembling descents, this trip could provide just the thrills you’re seeking.