Tips and tidbits for travel and for fun

A Room of One’s Own

The Pennan Inn, Aberdeenshire

Nikki Simpson’s smile lights up the small bar at the Pennan Inn. After all, hospitality is in the attitude - DANA HUNTLEY
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Nikki Simpson’s smile lights up the small bar at the Pennan Inn. After all, hospitality is in the attitude - DANA HUNTLEY

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You, too, can relive the scenes of Local Hero. Follow James Graham edits the UK wine site the Coastal Road West along the Aberdeenshire coast from Fraserburgh and it’s hard to miss. The tiny inn is the only commercial establishment in the village. You’ll get a warm welcome from Nikki and Peter Simpson, who reopened the inn just 18 months ago. The three bedrooms are small, but tidy. Peter’s cooking is absolutely first rate and so is the Scottish ale. Share stories with the handful of locals, holidaymakers spending a week in the village and travelers who find their way to Pennan from across the world. Hardly fancy, but much fun.

The Pennan Inn
Pennan
Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire AB43 6JB
Tel: 0134 6561 201
www.thepennaninn.co.uk

Sites for the Savvy

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The British Heritage

PUZZLER

Last issue we queried: “The son of a duke, I raised a regiment to fight the Jacobites, but made my name as a spectacular cavalry general later on the Continent. I am remembered all across the country with pubs and inns bearing my name. Who am I?”
General John Manners, Marquess of Granby, was commander of the British expeditionary forces in Germany during the Seven Years’ War, and a national hero. Granby was also a man of charity and set up many of his retiring non-commissioned officers for later life—as pub landlords. Not surprisingly, many pubs were named after him and remain so to this day.
Now, this is puzzling.
“I am the only English cathedral that can be seen from the sea. Though my building is medieval, I have a magnificent stained glass window by a famous Modernist.”
Yes, by all means, play the Puzzler and email your answer to [email protected]. All entries are acknowledged, of course.

The Marquis shows up all over the country. Here, he’s in Weymouth ©HOLMES GARDEN PHOTOS/ALAMY
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The Marquis shows up all over the country. Here, he’s in Weymouth ©HOLMES GARDEN PHOTOS/ALAMY

From the British Heritage Post

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I was up at 3:30 am with a pot of tea, a scone and jam to watch every instant of the Royal Wedding. And I loved it all, from the carriages and horses and guards to the hats and “fascinators” to seeing the Royals—Princess Michael of Kent in a cartwheel hat and Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice looking like characters from Alice in Wonderland to Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who showed us a tiny hat perched can be elegant—to the flawless Kate Middleton in the perfect bridal gown and tiara and veil. Designer Sarah Burton came up with a brilliant mix of traditional and modern, harking back to Princess Grace and Princess Margaret as brides. The Queen and Duchess of Cornwall both looked terrific. I also loved the little bridesmaids and pages, so English. Westminster Abbey is a star as always.
Virginia Wilhelm
New York City

The article on Bletchley Park (May 2011) was of particular interest to me because my mother, Shirley Stephens, and my godmother, Jeanne Cawley, both worked there during the war. My mother had an amazing facility with languages and could solve the Sunday Times crossword in about 15 minutes flat. After I learned that she had worked on the “Enigma” codes, she promised to tell me about it once the 50 year period of silence ended. Unfortunately, she died just a few weeks prior to the anniversary, so I never did hear the details that I would have liked to know. The only thing she and my godmother told me were anecdotes regarding some of the interesting colleagues they had, which were often very funny, but had nothing to do with codes.
Denise Williamson,
Laconia, NH

Coming Up in British Heritage

    • The Royal Warrant: How to Live Like the Queen
    • Making Malt Whisky
    • Dickens in Portsmouth after 200 Years
    • On the Wesley Trail
    • What’s New in the New Forest

Still John Wesley’s statue stands in his hometown of Epworth
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Still John Wesley’s statue stands in his hometown of Epworth

 

London’s Top Ten Visitor Attractions for 2010

1. British Museum ………………………………..5,842,138∗

2. Tate Modern ……………………………………..5,061,172

3. National Gallery……………………………….4,954,914

4. Natural History Museum……………………4,647,61

5. Science Museum………………………………..2,751,90

6. Victoria and Albert Museum ……………..2,629,06

7. National Maritime Museum……………..2,419,802

8. Tower of London………………………………2,414,541

9. St Paul’s Cathedral …………………………..1,892,467

10. National Portrait Gallery …………………1,819,442

National Gallery ∗number of visitors - DANA HUNTELY
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National Gallery ∗number of visitors - DANA HUNTELY

Still Wedding on the Scottish Border

Gretna Green

The modern arch of clasped hands is only one of many backdrops against which the 5,000 couples marrying each year in Gretna Green are photographed today. The options were different when the small Scottish village on the border first became a destination for runaway weddings in 1754
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The modern arch of clasped hands is only one of many backdrops against which the 5,000 couples marrying each year in Gretna Green are photographed today. The options were different when the small Scottish village on the border first became a destination for runaway weddings in 1754

Related: September 2011