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Jul 6, 2024 | 
thetimes.com | Tim Palmer
If this year’s stop-start summer weather is good for one thing, it’s to remind us how vital it is to be ready to make the most of a rare day when the sun peeks out from behind the rainclouds. Rather than gambling precious time off on our increasingly unreliable climate, live by the sea — then every day can be like a holiday. You’ll be in pole position to spend time in, on or beside the water.
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Apr 25, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | David S. Byers |Emanuele Midolo |Tim Palmer |Victoria Brzezinski
From vast lateral apartments with a view of Buckingham Palace to bling footballers’ pads in the rolling Surrey countryside and modern new-build flats overlooking Edinburgh Castle, the homes on Britain’s most expensive streets are some of the most noteworthy in the country for their finishes, views and locations.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
The scale may be more modest and the weather less reliable, but for its combination of coast and culture, Falmouth is the closest thing this country has to the kind of city-by-the sea lifestyle of California or Barcelona. On any sunny morning on Gyllyngvase Beach, one of four in the town, you’ll see dogs chasing balls or frolicking in the surf; bobble-hatted sea-swimmers and people meditating, doing yoga or tai chi.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
When the extraordinary seems ordinary you know you are in a special place. From a pharmacist who doubles as a fire-eater to a stellar classical music festival and breathtaking night skies: the small communities of Presteigne and Norton full of wonderful surprises. Presteigne was declared the first official “dark skies” community in mainland England and Wales this year after a six-year project that involved adjusting existing lighting and installing LED street lamps.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
shorturl.at | Tim Palmer
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
Less “kiss me quick”, more “massage me holistically”, Hove is where Brighton goes when it wants to stretch out a bit and be kind to itself. It’s a short seafront stroll from the wreckage of the West Pier to Hove Lawns, but as the crowds thin it’s hard not to breathe a sigh of upmarket relief. The atmosphere turns from seaside to coastal, the beach dotted with hardy swimmers, lunch-hour readers and ball-chasing cavapoos instead of boozy day-trippers.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
Life’s a (sandy) beach in this scenic and sociable hotspot on the Ards peninsula. Look down from the 19th-century castle built atop the 12th-century Donaghadee Motte (known locally as “the Moat”) on a fine day and the picturesque harbour is awash with paddleboards, kayaks and sailing boats. Also present are the hardy swimmers of the Donaghadee Chunky Dunkers — there’s one wee rule: wetsuits are forbidden, whatever the season — who have raised more than £65,000 for charities in the past decade.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
Since the Pilgrim Fathers stopped in for repairs 400 years ago en route to Cape Cod, the deep, sheltered waters of the Dart Estuary have provided a picturesque refuge for anyone who knows their boom from their baggywrinkle. There are sparkling views of the water at every turn and nearly 3,000 moorings — the best ones come with a long waiting list and a hefty price tag — and the estuary remains at the heart of life in Dartmouth.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
As someone Ribble Valley born and bred, a local scout leader and the man behind Georgonzola, a meticulously curated cheese shop and deli in Clitheroe, George Hammond is best placed to sum up the feast of delights that this spot in rolling countryside serves up on a platter. “Food has always been important around here … we’re so close to the land,” he says. “There’s nothing pretentious about it.
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Mar 15, 2024 | 
thetimes.co.uk | Tim Palmer
If you want an authentic Cotswold life — markets, shops, parks, cafés and a smattering of culture to elevate it above the weekender 4WD norm, along with pretty houses, Barbours and dogs — then home in on Cirencester. This ancient market town offers modern comforts and a stellar community spirit. The volunteers who run the heated open-air swimming pool were recognised last year with the King’s Award for Voluntary Service.
