Knowing Britain through books ‘Turn back Whittington, the Lord Mayor of London….’

In some respects, Dorothy was right - there really is no place like home.

Aliens have long captured the imagination of the world in one way or another.

We live in a time of carbon dating, of ancient languages being rediscovered regularly, of genealogy, and miracles of science that can nearly figure out the exact age of the earth itself.

The idea of travelling aboard a night train holds an almost mysterious allure, conjuring images of moustachioed Hercule Poirot aboard the Orient Express or stepping into the high heels of Jack Lemon and Tony Curtis as they bunk down with Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot.

Though we don’t really think about streets on a daily basis unless we’re trying to get to somewhere, it’s amazing just how many streets in the world can be a holiday destination in themselves.

It’s Halloween once more and across the world various traditions are observed for the spookiest day of the year.

From the vibrant, cosmopolitan cities of Leeds and Sheffield and the rich history of Medieval York, to its quaint, rural villages and atmospheric seaside towns, Yorkshire is a truly wonderful destination

When I started working for Great Rail Journeys, I could never have guessed how much train knowledge and expertise I would pick up over the course of four short years.

This March 8th, in honour of National Women's Day, we are celebrating the role women have played over the generations in the creation and maintenance of our railways.

It's probably one of the most famous unknown train stations in England. You might have seen it in films and television series, but not been sure where it is - or even if it exists at all outside a carefully constructed set in a studio. Goathland train station, the 3rd stop along the line of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Pickering to Whitby, does exist, and it's frankly idyllic.

Whether you read a chapter or two each night to your children, or grandchildren, or enjoyed secretly devouring page after page by wand light, er of course I mean lamp light; the Harry Potter novels and later film franchise, are sure to have had some kind of impact on most denizens of Britain’s green and pleasant lands. With its messages of tolerance, bumbling wizards inhabiting tumbledown cottages, filled with eclectic and magically misbehaved nick-knacks, and scenic descriptions of swathey Scottish landscapes, it’s obvious to any discerning reader that good old Blighty is almost as much a leading character throughout all seven books as Harry himself.