Snape Maltings

Then you go to Snape to visit the The Maltings. What a strange name and redolent of music and Radio broadcasts – “Welcome to the Aldeburgh Festival and tonight’s concert is broadcast live from The Snape Maltings…” From seeing no-one to being with everyone, that is the Zen of the place.

Hambleden shop Review

St Mary’s Church, Hambleden
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

Out on one of my bike rides, the Ravenous Rambler stopped at the Hambleden shop for tea. The village is one of those quintessential English villages. A dog sleeps in the middle of the road, there is a an old well by the tree in the centre of the [...]

Tea at Sissinghurst Castle

Sissinghurst Castle
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

The Ravenous Rambler managed a short visit today to Sissinghurst Castle in Kent. This is one of my favourite places. I used to be a fan of the writings of Harold Nicolson when I was young and am now a fan of Adam Nicolson.
It’s a castle that exists in ruins. There [...]

The No 1 Ladies Opera House, Botswana

Baobab in Botswana
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips
The Ravenous Rambler is a fan of the No 1 Ladies Detective series and is delighted to hear about the new Opera house that has been set up in Botswana by Alexander McCall Smith, the author of the series.
I taught in the bush of Botswana for a couple of years [...]

Cedar House Rules – a review of the Cedar Cafe in Marlow

11 November
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

Marlow is a delightful old town in Buckinghamshire on the Thames. There is a great regetta here to rival the more famous Henley Regetta just up river. There are some delightful shops but the question is, where to go for coffee. There is a Costa coffee and Starbucks but in my [...]

West Wycombe Walks and food

West Wycombe
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

The old coaching village of West Wycombe is an excellent centre for splendid walks and there are plenty of places where the ravenous rambler can get some refreshments.
I had lunch at the West Wycome garden centre this week. There is a small indoor eating area and then some seats outside with [...]

Motorway service at Tebay, Cumbria, North bound

It seems odd to write about a motorway services but this place at Tebay is supposed to be one of the best in the country…

Missionary munchies in Swakopmund, Namibia

lighthouse
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips

This old German colonial town in Namibia has one of the best cafes in Africa. I shall come to that cafe in a moment, but first I wanted to dwell on that beautiful mix of Europe and Africa. Here amidst the wildest most remote deserts in the world sits a [...]

That New Place

That New Place
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips
That New Place, South molten
Morning coffee
One of my favourite places in South Molten.
There is a great coffee stall in the covered market where you can buy coffee but best of all sit and have a cup where you can properly look around at the locals and make some [...]

Tea at the Apothecary, Rye

Tea at the Apothecary
Originally uploaded by Mr_Chips
Nothing like tea and toasted tea-cakes at The Apothecary. A rambling tea shop in Rye. Leather armchairs, newspapers and a congenial atmosphere. You have to walk in the wild wind for a few hours to deserve this and to enjoy the atmosphere to the full!
We had a pot of [...]