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Taste Derbyshire – Bottle shops, tap rooms & micro-pubs

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Modern Collectibles – Station Name Signs

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South Wingfield Station – A Lost Beauty

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Recently it has become almost fashionable for major cities to bring back trams to their streets. Some like say Manchester, have done it with the minimum interruption to normal street traffic. There, it was managed by mainly using defunct railway tracks, but in other places the radical idea of reinventing a long gone system of […]

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A Passion For Mosaic

March 27, 2020 Alistair Plant

Although it’s a while since I waved a hot glue gun in anger, I’m confident I could give craft queen Kirstie Allsopp a run for her money if only I had the time, money and patience to follow basic instructions. Sadly, my previous attempts at crafting – toy making and calligraphy – only left me […]

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Taste Derbyshire – Bottle shops, tap rooms & micro-pubs

February 25, 2020 Alistair Plant

It was 2005 when Thornbridge Brewery, in Derbyshire, started producing one of the UK’s first craft ales. There are now 70 micro-breweries in the county and there’s been a huge rise in the number of outlets – bottle shops, tap rooms and micro-pubs – on a mission to bring these bespoke beers to the public. […]

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Modern Collectibles – Station Name Signs

February 25, 2020 Alistair Plant

So often one can awake from a reverie in the corner seat of a railway carriage when the train stops and look out through a grimy window to see where one is: a helpful sign on the platform, lamp standard or station building quickly puts one right and allows one to slip back into the […]

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South Wingfield Station – A Lost Beauty

February 25, 2020 Alistair Plant

The large, attractive village of South Wingfield no longer relies on mining coal, or producing knitted fabrics for its industries, but has become a quiet dormitory town for the surrounding area. Its one major feature is Wingfield Manor. It was here that Mary Queen of Scots was held captive for several years, all the while […]

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Taste Derbyshire – Canine Delights

January 30, 2020 VickyP

More and more restaurants and cafés are opening their doors to canine customers and Derby even has a fancy bakery exclusively for dogs. Taste Derbyshire’s Amanda Volley went along with her naughty pup Eddie to find out what would happen if you put a Jack Russell in a bakery. My Jack Russell, Eddie, is typical […]

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Cruising Up The Rhine

January 30, 2020 VickyP

When Brian Spencer went on a Rhine cruise, little did he realise that the high point of the trip was, for more than one reason, several thousand feet above the level of the river. A mere four hours after leaving Matlock, we emerged care of Eurostar into bright sunshine on the French side of the […]

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Allestree – From Norman Doors to Arts & Crafts

January 30, 2020 VickyP

Allestree’s ancient village – the only part of what is now a huge amorphous suburb really worth dawdling round – is remarkably compact, which makes a tour that much less complicated. It is also high enough above the city to the south, to ensure clear, breathable fresh air. Not to be sneezed at, as one […]

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Taste Derbyshire – Buying Direct From The Farm

January 7, 2020 VickyP

Taste Derbyshire’s Amanda Volley discovered, buying your groceries down on the farm makes for a deliciously different shopping experience and helps to boost the rural economy. There is something very appealing about buying direct from the farm. On top of the feel-good-factor of buying fresh from the fields, there’s a chance of getting up close […]

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Cruising gently along the Rhone – Part Two Vienne to Lyon

January 7, 2020 VickyP

Leaving Vienne and its Roman links, we sailed through the night, past Lyon where we would eventually return and, joining the River Saône, made our way into Beaujolais countryside, past villages well known to wine lovers. Hopefully we would be enjoying their produce later. Today’s visit was to be Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. […]