08 oxfordshire wantage

This year marks the 625th anniversary of The Canterbury Tales author – and “father of English literature” – Geoffrey Chaucer’s death. He penned this classic, about a merry band of medieval pilgrims te

Somehow, it isn’t hard to imagine the scene of battle here, even on a sultry July morning when only the distant growl of a motorbike interrupts the crooning of collared doves. Perhaps it is the quiet.

Our September holiday started with a rush of hot air, and I’m not talking about the often-promised Indian summer. To start our trip to the Mendips we had booked a flight in a hot air balloon; what bet

“ I met Charles Dickens today, except he had clearly been so busy working on The Mystery of Edwin Drood that he had fallen asleep, so I didn’t get to speak to him!” I laughingly proclaimed to Ro when

KIT HILL CIRCULAR Level Easy Elevation gain 63m Length 2.1km (35 minutes) Description A walk around Kit Hill, with expansive views over the Tamar Valley and beyond, and a mix of heathland, woodland an

■Distance: 5 miles/8km ■Time: 3 hours ■Grade: Moderate