A city with a big heart, from home made chocolate snowballs at The University Cafe (a Glaswegian institution that hasn’t changed since it opened in 1918) on Byres Road, a stroll round the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, lunch in the Merchant City, a peruse down the ‘style mile’ in the afternoon and a candle lit dinner at night. This is a city you can enjoy being lost in. But, ultimately, it’s the people that make Glasgow - even in the rain they have a smile for everyone. I would absolutely recommend No.1 Devonshire Gardens, an indulgent experience, where they will do their best to upgrade your room for free. My boyfriend doesn’t believe in Valentines Day - he says I hoodwinked him into it, but I know this city will always hold a special place in our hearts - may even move there one day.

Hotel

www.hotelduvin.com/hotels/glasgow/glasgow.aspx

Restaurant

www.guysrestaurant.co.uk/

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A glamping experience on the Lleyn Peninsula, north Wales, just by Snowdonia - really special.

Penfras Isaf, Llwyndyrys, Pwllheli, LL536NG www.away-from-it-all.co.uk

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I can't promise the same will happen for you but if you want an amusing romantic story to tell you could do worse than going to Maeshowe on Orkney Mainland. My girlfriend and I were there a few years ago, standing opposite each other among the rest of the group in this small Neolithic chambered burial cairn. Our Historic Scotland guide (trying to ensure we could all see a particularly fine piece of 12th century Viking graffiti) asked whether I'd like to move to stand beside my wife? My hesitation evidently made her doubt the status of our relationship for she then asked,"You are married aren't you?"... I had to admit we weren't, upon which she promptly offered to conduct the ceremony there and then, telling us she was “qualified”! A response absolutely typical of the generous and ever helpful Orcadians.
But what a magical place to get married! Visit Maeshowe on the shortest day of the year and if the sky is clear the rays of the setting sun will shine for several moments directly along the narrow entrance passageway, dramatically illuminating the wall of the 5000-year-old chamber within.
Regarding the wedding - unfortunately for us no cake had been prepared so we were forced to decline our guide's kind offer. We'll have to go again another year ...

Website: bit.ly/wUuNSQ
Orkney Mainland
9 miles west of Kirkwall on the A965
KW16 3HA
+44(0)1856 761 606
Google map: bit.ly/yTciUw

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With luxurious sandy beaches, archaeological sites, cetacean spotting and shark fishing, the Isles of Scilly are the UK's own tropical paradise. Don't just stay in one place, though, use the excellent boat service to explore all the islands, several of which are uninhabited. You'll find rare birds, seal colonies, pre-historic remains and the UK's most south-westerly lighthouse, Bishop Rock.

Nature walking tours:
www.islandwildlifetours.co.uk
Walks start in late March and finish mid October, numbers and weather permitting.
www.scillywalks.co.uk
Katharine Sawyer leads archaeologial and historic walks round the islands between April and September
www.simplyscilly.co.uk
Google map: bit.ly/AlTA1D

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This hidden gem is well worth seeking out. Arguably one of London's larger city farms, there is an abundance of animals from all the farmyard favourites to tropical birds and even some alpacas. A beautiful shire horse gives cart rides in the summer months and there are regular events for all the family. It's free to get in and there is plenty there to keep you coming back.

www.newhamcityfarm.org
Stansfeld Road, Beckton, London, E6 5LT
Closest station: Royal Albert DLR
Bus: 300, 376, 262
+44(0)20 7474 4960

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For a fun London experience, check out the late night adult-only openings of the London Science Museum on the last Wednesday of every month. With 'no kids between you and the big red button' you can refresh forgotten science knowledge by checking out the rocket show (where the presenter proves he can do adult as well as childish humour), doing a spot of speed-dating, and contemplating the properties of sound while boogieing away at the silent disco. Best of all, it's completely free.

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/events/events_for_adults/Lates.aspx
Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
+44(0)870 870 4868
Google map: bit.ly/AjDdSY

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This walk brought the history of the Thames to life for the whole family. Led by Fiona, an intertidal archaeologist we strolled along the river with stops for background facts. Then onto the part my sons had been waiting for. Clad in plastic gloves and wellies we were led down the safest path onto the foreshore outside Tate Modern and let loose to beachcomb (strictly no digging). An amazing array of items were found by the group and expertly identified by Fiona. We went home with clay pipes, a Victorian jelly mould and a piece of a 17th century 'Witch pot' tossed into the river full of pee to ward off evil spirits. And my seven-year-old son's highlight, a musket ball.

Dates and times depend on the tides so check www.walks.com and search for mudlarking. Meets at Mansion House tube. No booking needed, £8 for adults and free(!) for kids.

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Darting through the chilly winter night to the steaming outdoor pool, or sunbathing and splashing here in summer is my idea of fun in London. Just a saunter away from Covent Garden Market, and shielded by a disguise of tower blocks, Oasis Sports Centre is one of London's hidden treasures. It is such an unexpected contrast to the shops and offices that surround it- a true Oasis.

Website: bit.ly/ymkL2F
168-173 High Holborn, London WC1V 6JJ
+44(0)20 7831 1804
Google map: bit.ly/zGhkja

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The London Monopoly Pub Crawl is a great way to see the city and socialise with friends at the same time. It's basically a pub-crawl around central London, with a real ale hostelry at each street or station which appears on the monopoly board. There are organised trips but it's much more fun to download the directions from the website (both the most direct route and the original board route are listed), grab your oyster card and some friends and hit the street! Note: it does take all day (we started at around 11am and reached the final pub just as last orders were being called) and if you drink alcohol at even half of the stops you're likely to be a bit squiffy by the end!

monopolypubcrawl.org.uk/

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It’s not quite a trip to the jungle, it’s not a tour through sparkling snowy waste, but exploring the side streets of Glasgow can be just as much a life-changing experience. It’s the music that does it, as I discovered on trips to the city in the last year. Live music happens in every street; not just in grand concert halls but in basements bars and attic clubs, in ageing art deco cinemas and old variety theatres, in subterranean tunnels where gigs are punctuated by passing trains, in vegan (yes vegan) cafes which would not look out of place in San Francisco. Live music transforms even the most battered parts of the city into an unforgettable experience – O2 Academy stands like a beached liner, a defiant dazzler on Gorbals edgelands. Barrowland is a beacon for rock bands the world over, The Arches and Sub Club rock the city underground and even the Apollo, long gone, absolutely refuses to die. All adding to the gritty, almost industrial strength of Glasgow’s cultural life. No wonder this is the UK’s first UNESCO City of Music. I explored Glasgow with the help of Walking Heads audio tours who have just produced Glasgow Music Tour as a free app.

www.walkingheads.net/

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After a hard days shopping or sight-seeing in London, there is nothing better than a time-out in a floatation tank. While the whole city is buzzing around you, you can let every single muscle in your body relax to the max as you float effortlessly in a warm relaxing salt bath. The feeling is magical, akin to floating in mid-air, with the effects of gravity being removed from your body as you drift in to a dream-filled sleep. The Epsom-Salt solution in the baths also has numerous health benefits, so you also get a bit of a detox! After a floatation session, I can't even explain how revitalized I felt. It's something that you REALLY have to experience if you are in London!

www.floatworks.com
1 Thrale Street, London SE1 9HW
+44 (0) 20 7357 0111
Google map: bit.ly/zu5Was

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The changing of the Guard is and always will be an attraction. When I was five my mother and father took me to London which was a big thing in 1855(!) I remember standing squashed against the railings and the Big Guard came towards me and with his bright sword nearly touched my nose for a moment I was terrified. Then the Guard smiled at me and I melted. To this day I will never forget him. Shame I had not got a camera. I am 61 now and have never been back to London and suppose now never will but that Guard remains in my memory.

www.royal.gov.uk/
Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA
+44(0)20 7930 4832
Google map: bit.ly/wnr3Ev

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Keep little ones and teenagers intrigued on a shoestring budget with a day trip to the Natural History Museum. The impressive cathedral-like structure plays host to one of the largest natural history collections in the world.
The collection includes everything from microscopic slides to mammoth skeletons, a dinosaur gallery to Darwin’s work on natural selection and an enormous life-size model of a blue whale.
The National History Museum also offers special exhibitions, an outdoor ice skating rink (in winter) and a wildlife garden. Admission to the permanent collection is free.

www.nhm.ac.uk/
Cromwell Road London, United Kingdom SW7 5BD
+44(0)20 7942 5000
Google map: bit.ly/yAK0x7

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For stunning views right across Cambridge, head to Castle Street just north of the city centre. Halfway up the hill you'll see the Castle pub (well worth a visit on it's own) and just past this there's a turning to the city council offices. Take the turning, then immediately to your right you'll see the mound and the path up to it. Enjoy views right across Cambridge and the surrounding areas.

Castle Hill‎, Castle Street, Cambridge
Google map: bit.ly/zAcwr6

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Found near St Pauls, Postman's Park is a quiet retreat that will keep you captivated for hours. A former burial ground, it has since 1900 served as a Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice. Dozens of memorial tablets line the walls in poignant memorial of ordinary and otherwise forgotten people, who died saving the lives of others.

King Edward Street, London EC1
Google map: bit.ly/ykjudK

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For macabre Victoriana take a trip round Highgate Cemetery. Sadly it is no longer open for individual roaming, but the accompanied tours are entertaining and informative. With its catacombs, statuary, grand mausoleums and famous names this latter day necropolis is a spooky but fun place to visit. Lucinda Hawksley, Charles Dickens's great, great, great granddaughter, will be giving two talks in the cemetery's chapel in February 2012.

www.highgate-cemetery.org
Swain's Lane, London N6 6PJ
+44(0)20 8340 1834
Nearest tube: Archway
Google map: bit.ly/e24iLF

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Recently I took my mother for a trip onto the London eye to celebrate her 75th Birthday. When purchasing our tickets, I was asked if I was her carer as she walks with a walking stick and I enquired why. They said that the carer goes on free so in essence it's a buy one get one free ticket. The London Eye was a wonderful experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

www.londoneye.com
Riverside Building, County Hall Westminster Bridge Road, London SE1 7PB
+44(0)870 990 8881
Google map: bit.ly/A9PFVh

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Jane, a Londoner, was highly sceptical when I suggested this tour. We piled on clothes (it was November) so stayed warm enough to appreciate the birds’ eye view from the upper deck. Over several hours we learned an eclectic mix of history, celebrity, and the macabre: Trafalgar Square’s lions were cast from melted French cannons; a City company insures Tina Turner’s legs for £millions; Green Park was a swampy, medieval graveyard for lepers. You can hop on and off along any of the three routes and the ticket includes a river cruise and guided walks. Commentary is live on one route; on the others it’s taped, in seven languages, plus an extra-gruesome one (in English) for kids. The ticket, normally valid 24 hours, is extended to 48 in winter, so the next day I used it to get to the museums in Kensington, hearing about the humble origins of Harrods and Harvey Nichols along the way. Jane confessed that next time she has out of town visitors, she might do it again.

www.theoriginaltour.com; from £23 adult, £11 under 16s.

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Visiting London we happened upon a free drop-in drawing session at the National Portrait Gallery. The welcoming tutor placed sheaf of cartridge paper and some pencils in our hands and we were away! A great hour's fun. Even my wife, who hates drawing, found it engaging and was proud of her finished efforts, which we still have.

www.npg.org.uk/
St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE
+44 (0) 20 7306 0055
Google map: bit.ly/wMtJSN

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The Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons is a lot more fun that its name might suggest. It contains more that 3,500 specimens, mainly collected in the 18th century by John Hunter, the anatomist.
There is a vast array of pickled body parts, the skeleton of a 7’ 7” ‘Irish giant’, the tooth of an extinct giant sloth, and a slightly grisly display of pickled foetuses. More recent additions include Churchill’s dentures.
There is also the opportunity to try your hand at simulated keyhole surgery, and watch footage of brain surgery. Educational and fun at the same time!

www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums
35-43 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PE
+44 (0) 20 7405 3474
Google map: bit.ly/wEx9wO

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