Annie is currently a second year English & Film student at Bristol University, writing for Time Out in between lectures and daytime naps. She can usually be found analysing Taylor Swift lyrics like they're classical poetry or ranting about politics.

Despite enjoying her time in the south, her heart belongs at home in Glasgow, and she escapes back to the motherland whenever she can to be once again surrounded by loudmouthed Glaswegians and affordable nights out. 

Annie McNamee

Annie McNamee

Contributor, Time Out London and UK

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Articles (12)

The 9 best things to do in Southampton

The 9 best things to do in Southampton

This bustling coastal city is absolutely steeped in history, maritime heritage, and of course, there's loads to see. It’s roots date back as far as the Stone Age, and its first ever museum (the Tudor House) remains a top attraction, with gorgeous gardens and guided tours on offer.  There’s plenty of modern-day action too, with a treasured football team, The Saints, and their fans bringing life to the city on match day. Southampton is also only a 20-minute drive away from the New Forest, or a ferry-ride away from the Isle of Wight, there's plenty going on that makes this city worth a visit. Check out our list of top picks for all the best things to do in Southampton.  RECOMMENDED:  🚆The best day trips from London⛰️ The best things to in the New Forest🏖️ The best seaside towns in the UK💕 The best things to do in the UK Annie McNamee is a writer at Time Out UK. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 
The 101 best TV shows of all time you have to watch

The 101 best TV shows of all time you have to watch

Television has been around for 70 years, but only in the last two decades has it earned true respect as an artistic medium. Up to that point, elitists referred to TV as ‘the idiot box’ or ‘the boob tube,’ and if you worked in it, you were either a hack or an upstart hoping to make the leap into the more dignified world of movies. Was its poor reputation deserved? Sure, there were blips of brilliance between The Ed Sullivan Show and The Sopranos, but by and large, the garbage outweighed the gold. Maybe it’s unfair, but the fact that it was all being beamed directly into our living rooms made the dreck more noticeable.  That’s all changed. Television has nudged film out from the center of popular culture, to the point that some of cinema’s truest believers – Martin Scorsese, David Fincher, Steven Soderbergh – are making movies specifically for the small screen. The shift may have started with HBO and The Sopranos, but the advent of streaming has made it so that hundreds of new shows are now continually flipping the script every few years, if not months. But that doesn’t mean everything before 1999 is pure dross. While this list is dominated by 21st century programs, there are hundreds of shows that deserve credit for pushing TV forward into its current golden age, and chiseling them down to a neat top 100 is difficult. So we elected to leave off talk shows, variety shows and sketch comedy, focusing on scripted, episodic dramas, comedies and miniseries. Even then, it proved to b
The 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2025

The 15 best places to visit in the UK in 2025

This is about the time when the January blues start to hit pretty hard. It’s dark at 4pm, you’ve got no money left after Christmas and winter feels like it’s dragging on forever. But we’re here to tell you that things are looking up, because 2025 is going to be a corker of a year for the UK.  It turns out that 2025 is going to be a bit of a big one, with a number of landmark occasions being celebrated across Britain. There’s Jane Austen’s 250th birthday in Southampton, as well as the art-packed Folkestone Triennial, a celebration of 200 years of the British railway in York and Bradford’s 2025 City of Culture festivities. Then, there are up-and-coming foodie towns in Cornwall, music scenes that are popping off in Cardiff and Belfast, and the reopening of grand cultural insitutions like the Tate Liverpool.  If there’s ever been a good time to book a trip, it’s now (it might even help keep some SAD at bay). There is so much fantastic stuff happening across the country this year, so read our list curated by local experts of the best places to visit in the UK in 2025, and get stuck in.  RECOMMENDED: 🇬🇧 The 25 best new things to do in the UK in 2025📍The 12 most underrated city breaks in the UK 🏨 The UK’s 13 best new hotels opening in 2025👨‍👩‍👧 6 amazing places to stay with Kids in the UK
The best live music venues in Glasgow

The best live music venues in Glasgow

If people make Glasgow, music is what fuels it. The city's music scene was thriving long before the rest of it had caught up, with places like the Barrowlands and the Old Fruit Market offering locals good, cheap live music when general attitudes of Glasgow were, let's just say, less than favourable.  But those days are behind us, and Scotland's biggest city is now known across the UK for its vibrant cultural heritage, nightlife, and, of course, its music scene. Whether you're looking for an arena of people to scream along your favourite songs with, or a small makeshift stage at the back of a bar to find your new favourite band, Glasgow's got you sorted. Fair warning though: crowds here are famously rowdy. They're a lot of fun, but don't be surprised if you end up beer-soaked. Oh, and brush up on our local chants. You don't want to be the only person not shouting along with 'here we, here we, here we f'ing go!'. 
Pollokshaws Road neighbourhood: What to eat, drink and do

Pollokshaws Road neighbourhood: What to eat, drink and do

History has it that Pollokshaws Road was once home to a merry band of Flemish weavers – known as the ‘Queer Folk’ – who were brought over to work in the city during the 19th century by local landowners. These days it’s still a thriving creative hub, threading down Glasgow’s Southside and linking up the districts of Govanhill, Strathbungo and Shawlands. Rows of sandstone tenements loom over traffic separated by wide pavements, behind which stand ornate townhouses designed by Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson. There’s a juicy chunk of Pollokshaws Road where bars, cafés and boutiques jostle for space; pick it up from Allison Street and wander down past Queen’s Park. Since it’s a largely residential area, there’s a distinct feel of community – something that’s enhanced by the indie businesses that have popped up over the past few years. In particular it’s a brunch haven, with queues leaking out of living-room-sized cafés come rain or shine. You can also expect to find organic fruit and veg at Stalks & Stems, a fresh produce emporium with a florist next door, and (almost) a different coffee shop for every day of the week. It’s not all hipster territory, though. Punters tired of mustachioed baristas and bar staff will be cheered by the decent selection of old man pubs complete with smoked-glass windows. Recommended: Full guide to the best things to do in Glasgow
As Gen Z ditches booze, is this finally the end of university hazing?

As Gen Z ditches booze, is this finally the end of university hazing?

How easily could you be persuaded to shave off an eyebrow, or take a shot for every stair you climbed? Perhaps you’d feel more compelled if you were half a bottle of ‘Chicken Wine’ deep, 18, and surrounded by new friends that you were trying to impress? If you attended university in the UK you might have an uncomfortable feeling of deja-vu, perhaps being whisked back to the time you were ‘hazed’ as a first year student. If you didn’t, you’ve likely heard the rumours about former prime ministers getting it on with pigs, or rugby teams shoving carrots in places vegetables should never go. Hazing, or ‘initiation’ as it more commonly goes by this side of the Atlantic, is a practice which usually consists of ritualistically embarrassing rookie members of a given group in order for them to prove themselves. It’s also nothing new. There’s evidence of rowdy schoolboys dating as far back as 420 BCE when Plato recounted ‘practical jokes played by unruly young men’ which left both spectators and haze-ees injured. Somehow, this bizarre custom has survived the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, the birth of Jesus Christ, several international plagues and found a home for itself in the modern age on university campuses. But for the past decade or so, hazing’s millenia-long reign has been threatened by a generation who supposedly care more about their physical and mental health than they do about banter and ritual humiliation. Today, hazing has met its match: Generation Z. So what do these
The 38 coolest neighbourhoods in the world

The 38 coolest neighbourhoods in the world

In 2024, what exactly makes a neighbourhood cool? Craft breweries, natty wine bars and street art are well and good, but the world’s best, most exciting and downright fun neighbourhoods are much more than identikit ‘hipster hubs’. They’re places that reflect the very best of their cities – its culture, community spirit, nightlife, food and drink – all condensed in one vibey, walkable district. To create our annual ranking, we went straight to the experts – our global team of on-the-ground writers and editors – and asked them what the coolest neighbourhood in their city is right now, and why. Then we narrowed down the selection and ranked the list using the insight and expertise of Time Out’s global editors, who vetted each neighbourhood against criteria including food, drink, arts, culture, street life, community and one-of-a-kind local flavour. The result? A list that celebrates the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities – and all their quirks. Yes, you’ll find some of those international hallmarks of ‘cool’. But in every neighbourhood on this list there’s something you won’t find anywhere else. Ever been to a photography museum that moonlights as a jazz club? Or a brewery with a library of Russian literature? How about a festival dedicated to fluff? When communities fiercely support and rally around their local businesses, even the most eccentric ideas can become a reality. And that, in our eyes, is what makes a neighbourhood truly cool. From formerly overlooked sub
10 top day trips from Edinburgh for hiking and beach walks

10 top day trips from Edinburgh for hiking and beach walks

You might never want to leave Edinburgh, and we get it. The Scottish capital is loved the world over for its culture, restaurants and Fringe Festival (to name a few). But if you limit your time in Scotland to just Edinburgh, trust us, you’re missing out.  Scotland is full of gems, but the best part is a whole lot of them can be reached by train or car in just one day – with enough time left to get back in time for dinner. From hilly hikes to wide-open beaches and from pretty towns to full-blown city breaks, these day trips from Edinburgh are not to be missed. Here are our favourites.  RECOMMENDED:🌤️ The best things to do in Edinburgh 🎨 The best art galleries in Edinburgh🏰 The best attractions in Edinburgh🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Edinburgh This guide was updated by Edinburgh-based Arusa Quereshi, and Time Out editors. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 
All of the Olympic jargon you didn’t think you needed to know – but you do

All of the Olympic jargon you didn’t think you needed to know – but you do

What words come to mind when we mention the Olympics? Prestige? Excellence? Medals? Or is it: ‘Grom’?  The Olympic games have been around for nearly three millennia. As the entire planet tunes in to watch as the top sports people compete for those coveted gold medals, there’s some stuff you’ll probably want to get your head around to make the most of your viewing experience: jargon for you normies to weave into your vocab that will have you sounding like proper Olympic pros in no time.  RECOMMENDED:How to watch the Paris 2024 Olympics in the UK for freeHere’s the full schedule and timings for the Summer Games We’ve done some digging and unearthed some 100 percent real words and phrases that will almost certainly be used by professional Olympians and commentators across the next few weeks. What’s more, there’s something inherently funny about words which sound out of place to the average Joe. There’s nothing worth giggling about hearing the word ‘jaeger’ at a bar (especially as it’s usually followed by a friend trying to convince you to neck a shot of sweet battery acid and gone-off liquorice), but watching it earnestly come out of the mouth of a world-class gymnast? Now that’s entertainment. So what are you waiting for? Brush up on your sporty lingo and drop these into convo next time you’re watching the Games to impress your mates. Skateboarding  ‘Goofy stance’: Refers to when a skateboarder has their left foot on the back of the board. Also used in surfing and snowboarding
RIP the fake ID: why young people aren’t going out anymore

RIP the fake ID: why young people aren’t going out anymore

You remember the days. Assuring your friend that she definitely looks like her older cousin’s co-worker, especially with a ponytail in. Hovering awkwardly around the corner from the off-license as your one 18-year-old pal does God’s work for the rest of you. The pit in your tummy as you recite a fake birthday to the bouncer of a sticky-floored nightclub – remembering your star sign, memorising your imaginary postcode – and the elated relief when he lets you in with a raised eyebrow and a reluctant nod. Finding increasingly inventive ways to get around age-restrictions was half the fun of being 17, but today’s teens seem to be going off going out altogether. ‘You definitely see fake IDs less than you used to,’ says one bouncer at a popular student nightclub in Bristol. When he started working at the venue a decade ago, he’d encounter a load of fakes on any given night – but not so much anymore. ‘The worst one I ever saw had the back on upside down,’ he says. ‘The ones we do see are getting a lot better and it can be harder to catch them. But they’re definitely rarer now.’ Something has certainly shifted. A few weeks ago, as I walked through the Triangle, Bristol’s premier hotspot for stumbling freshers and lovers of three for two Jägerbombs, I noticed that the local Sainsbury’s was busier than all of the clubs combined. Two years ago, dancefloors would’ve been filling up at 11pm on a Monday. This wasn’t a fluke: since that night, two of the clubs in question have closed their
The 15 most beautiful places in the UK, according to travel writers who’ve seen them all

The 15 most beautiful places in the UK, according to travel writers who’ve seen them all

For all of the stick we give the UK – the grey skies, the pigeons, the Greggs sausage roll packets littering the pavements – it’s actually a pretty gorgeous country. In London alone, you can be goggling over the Barbican’s brutalist beauty one moment, the next, you might be basking in the tranquility of Hampstead Ponds. Add the turquoise coasts of Cornwall, the rugged mountains of Snowdonia and the fairytale wonder of Scotland’s highlands and islands to the mix, and you’ve got a country which is as good looking as they come.  When we set about curating this list of the most beautiful places in the UK, we called on our network of expert travel writers. These guys have have personally experienced the pinch-me moment of seeing every place on this list IRL – so we can guarantee you there is no catfishing going on here. Of course, you’ll find the usual suspects – you can’t argue with the magic of the Isle of Skye, after all – but you’ll also find some more surprising beauty spots to add to your travel bucket list. RECOMMENDED:🚂 The UK’s most beautiful train stations🇬🇧 The best things to do in the UK🏝 The most beautiful places in the world🏠 The best Airbnbs in the UK Chiara Wilkinson is Time Out’s UK features editor, based in London. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content
What your British university *really* says about you

What your British university *really* says about you

Ever wanted to know what life as student is really like in 2023? We asked 20-year-old student-turned-amateur-anthropologist Annie to tell us her observations about the people, parties and juiciest secrets of the UK’s unis. Here’s her verdict. Universities. National institutions. Places of learning and research, incubators of intellect. Unfortunately, also the land of the ‘student’. Student is a varied species which feeds mainly on pasta and rice. British students can often be found at the nearest Wetherspoons, getting drunk on vanilla flavoured vodka because the regular one is 30p more expensive. They tend to be slightly nocturnal and the males are known for going to extraordinary lengths to attract mates that they will subsequently ‘leave on read’.   Subtypes of ‘student’ vary based on location and each British uni comes with its own set of defining characteristics. So, buckle up: this is an entirely imaginary but 100 percent accurate investigation into the private lives of students in the wild, in their most natural habitat – on what they like to call, ‘a night out’.  Newcastle Image: Genie Espinosa We start in Newcastle and encounter Georgia moments after arriving at Market Shaker, an underground bar. She promptly begins chatting about the time she almost jumped into the Tyne ‘just for laughs’, which seems common for the ‘Geordie’ student species. Other notable characteristics appear to include: studying Geography, being obsessed with the North/South divide, Nike Air Max

Listings and reviews (2)

The Counter - Soho

The Counter - Soho

3 out of 5 stars
You’ve been here before. Almost.  With a clientele which would be perfect for a Love Island spin-off featuring exclusively people with ‘entrepreneur’ in their bios and a healthy amount of exposed pipework, The Counter is what those in the know would probably call ‘trendy’. Its dim lights, small plate selection, and strategically chipped brick feature wall put it on the verge of parodically hip, but a glance at its menu and a quick chat with any member of its team reveal it to be much more down to Earth than some of its equally Instagrammable peers. If you close your eyes you can almost feel the Istanbuli breeze flowing through your hair The sense of deja-vu you feel may not be coming solely from its open-plan bar though. Chef Kemal Demirasal’s first UK venture, opened up two years ago in Notting Hill to much success. Originally from Turkey, he’s taken much of the charm of the original joint (as well as its most popular recipes and excellent cocktails) and transported it to Kingly Street – and combined it with a series of fresh ideas and a lot of seafood. Fresh is definitely the operative word. The cocktails are infused with real fruit. The tomatoes have been imported from Turkey. There’s sort-of-caviar sprinkled on avocado-topped fish. If you close your eyes and just bite, you can almost feel the Istanbuli breeze flowing through your hair. A series of enthusiastic staff members recommended a variety of dishes to us. Some, like the tomato salad or prawns, were familiar classi
Randall Goosby in Recital

Randall Goosby in Recital

Enjoy an evening of modern classical music composed by Black artists whose work did not get the spotlight that it deserved in its time at this Southbank Centre concert. The night will involve three different pieces from three different composers, performed by up and coming American violinist Randall Goosby, who made his debut with the Jacksonville Symphony orchestra at just nine, and award-winning Chinese pianist Zhu Wang. 

News (730)

This iconic UK nightclub is on the market for £1.7 million

This iconic UK nightclub is on the market for £1.7 million

Many a messy night out in Southampton has ended in Jesters. Between its signature ‘Jesticle’ drink (which has its own Urban Dictionary entry), and the legendary four-corners challenge which allegedly saw students try to, well, perform a different illicit activity in each corner of the dancefloor, in its in its 35 year-long life Jesters became a verified Soton icon. In fact, the club’s infamy is such that it reaches far beyond the southern city – it regularly features in articles about the ‘worst clubs in the country’. Despite its rep, or perhaps specifically because of it, the club is beloved by locals and visitors. A fundraiser set up to try and save Jesters from impending bankruptcy described it as ‘more than a club’, concluding ‘it is a part of Southampton’s DNA’.  Southampton student Ben, who holds a ‘Jesters Gold Card’ which he earned by staying in the club for more than eight consecutive hours ‘mainly because it was funny’, affirmed its legendary status, telling Time Out: ‘Southampton will be that much dimmer without the Jesters dance floor... it will will live on in our hearts’.  All that glory, however, has finally burned out. After attempting to raise £200,000 following a repossession notice, Jesters went up for sale a few days ago, hailing the end of an era. There is some good news though: it could be yours for only £1.7 million. You may think nearly £2 million for a less than gorgeous nightclub is pretty steep, but for that price you also get the attached Clowns wi
An exhibition of IKEA patterns is coming to one of Britain’s most culturally vibrant cities

An exhibition of IKEA patterns is coming to one of Britain’s most culturally vibrant cities

Few retailers have made as much of an impact on our day-to-day lives as IKEA. We sleep in their beds, argue over their flatpack instructions, and dream of their signature Swedish meatballs when we’re hungry. Now, an art exhibition is set to debut about IKEA, honouring the very best of the brand’s textile designs from the past 60 years. The show, named ‘Magical Patterns’, is set to open up during Edinburgh Art Festival, which spans most of August. In total, 180 fabrics will be on display, which organisers hope will ‘[showcase] the rich history of print, pattern and design at IKEA’. RECOMMENDED: Your ultimate guide to the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe The most exciting part? This is a world first; the collection was put together in Älmhult, Sweden, but has not yet been seen by the public. It will make its debut at Dovecot Studios, a modern art and textiles museum in Edinburgh, on Friday (July 18) and remain there for six months, waving goodbye to the Scottish capital on January 17 2026. That means you’ve got plenty of time to come and have a good look at IKEA’s finest. You might be surprised by just how artsy a big brand like IKEA is willing to get. It’s worked with Swedish heritage designers like Inez Svensson and Sven Fristedt, and modern art icons alike, and has acted as a ‘nursery for experimental artists and designers’ since the 1960s. Since then, it’s seen duvet covers with a bright yellow banana motif, and lots of stripes, and even curtains adorned in broccoli. Clearly
The east London ‘hidden gem’ open water swimming spot getting a stunning makeover

The east London ‘hidden gem’ open water swimming spot getting a stunning makeover

Getting to the water is a must when it’s hot, but you can run into issues when you live in the middle of London. Getting to a beach requires at least one train, by which point the seaside is already heaving.  Here in the capital we have plenty of great lidos, one of which we recently crowned the city’s best, but most of them are equally packed on a sunny day, so you might need to think outside of the box if you want a calm, relaxing swim. Luckily, Hackney has the answer – and it’s due to get a massive upgrade soon. The West Reservoir Centre in Stoke Newington has been open to swimmers for over 20 years now. It’s a lesser known outdoor swimming spot up near Woodberry Down, but after a couple of decades in use, it’s in need of a bit of a refresh – which is exactly what it’s about to get. Upgrades will make the reservoir centre more accessible and much greener. The council won’t be doing much to the water – this is a reservoir, after all – but the goal is to create ‘a more welcoming destination for both local residents and visitors’. Some of the work includes two new accessible entrances, a brand new café to chill out post-swim, a new reception area, and ‘expanded open water swimming opportunities’. A new grassy patch for relaxing will also be added next to the water’s edge. It’s all being funded by the Greater London Authority as an effort to improve community spaces and create a better space for the people of Stoke Newington. The good news is that the water will remain open th
The northern UK area that is one of the most affordable housing markets in the world

The northern UK area that is one of the most affordable housing markets in the world

It’s no secret that housing is expensive in the UK. Whether you’re trying to buy or rent, finding a place to live in this country is often a time-consuming, soul-crushing task which will inevitably eat up most of your paycheck. Not everywhere is as pricey as London, though. In fact, there’s actually one part of England which was recently named one of the most affordable places to live in the world. Yep, in the world. How do we know this? It’s all detailed in the 2025 edition of the Demographia International Housing Affordability (DIHA) report. Catchy name, we know. The study was conducted by the centre for Demographics and Policy at Chapman University in LA and a Canadian thinktank called the Frontier Centre for Public Policy (FCPP). The DIHA is now in its 21st year of life and has, according to its authors, ‘robustly documented the deterioration of housing affordability’. Median price-to-income ratio was used to determine exactly how affordable an area was. This basically means the DIHA compared house prices to incomes, working out how many times you have to multiply the median salary in order to afford the median house price. The DIHA painted a pretty bleak picture overall, but there are some spots where homes remain within reach, one of which is in the north of England. Middlesbrough & Durham was named the fifth most affordable housing market in the world, also meaning that it tops the UK chart. It had a ‘median multiple’ of 3.7, only 0.5 points above the city which came f
It’s official: London is home to one of the most beautiful outdoor cinemas in the world

It’s official: London is home to one of the most beautiful outdoor cinemas in the world

Usually we think of cinemas as dark, silent sorts of spaces. When the lights go down it’s just you, your popcorn, and the film, but what if there was another, completely different way of experiencing the movies? We introduce: the outdoor cinema. Okay, outdoor cinemas are nothing new. In fact, they’ve been around for decades, but given the weather in this country they remain a novelty when they pop up every summer. There’s loads of great outdoor movie screenings across London, but one in particular has just been named one of the most gorgeous open-air cinemas in the world by us at Time Out. Our credentials? We know film – you can find our recent reviews here – and we know even more about what makes for a great night out. Our editors have ventured across the world, so they’re pretty qualified when it comes to anything travel related. They’ve specially curated a list of the planet’s most beautiful outdoor screens, and yes, they’ve visited them all first-hand. London is one of only three UK entries on the list, but it’s only natural that there’s going to be more venues based outside in countries where it doesn’t rain nine months out of the year. In 15th place was the Rooftop Film Club in Peckham, which won’t surprise anyone who’s ever visited. Where else can you enjoy the sunset over London whilst you and 160 other cinephiles watch a classic movie together? In the words of Time Out’s film editor Phil de Semlyen, it’s ‘a CinemaScope-like experience’.  The rooftop venue is blessed
The best lido in Britain is in south London

The best lido in Britain is in south London

After enduring the sweltering heat that has descended upon London this summer, there’s only two places that anyone wants to be: in an air-conditioned room, or in the water. Nothing is better on a sunny day than lathering on your suncream and cooling off in a pool – even better if it’s outdoors. Luckily, there are dozens of brilliant lidos in the capital so that you can get that beach-feel in the city centre, and without leaving sand in your socks for months to come. Lidos often require pre-booking (unless you fancy an hours-long queue – or getting turned away entirely), so you want to make sure you’re going to the best of the best. That’s why the AA has decided to do some serious research to figure out the best lidos in the country. The good news? The best lido in Britain is right here in London. The AA was pretty thorough in its search for the nation’s favourite outdoor pool. The company combined data from Google searches, Google review scores, amount of Instagram hashtags used, entry and parking fees, average temperature, and hours of sunlight in summer. All that info was then combined to give each lido an average score out of 100. So where should you be heading next time a heatwave strikes? According to the AA, Brockwell Lido, which achieved an overall score of 82.9/100. We’re not surprised – it’s only been a couple of weeks since we at Time Out reached the exact same conclusion, saying Brockwell is the city’s top pool. So what’s the fuss about?  Regulars love that the lid
The best walk in Britain

The best walk in Britain

You probably already have a favourite walking spot. Maybe it’s nearby, maybe it’s got a world-class cafe at the end of the trail – but it’s always worth branching out and finding new spots for a gander. If you’re looking for a new route to fall in love with, you’re in luck: Cewe has got you covered. Yes, Cewe the photo printing company. You may not think that it knows about hiking, but Cewe certainly knows what makes a gorgeous view, so it compiled a list of what it says are the most beautiful walks in the UK. In order to create the ranking, Cewe measured several popular walking routes against different metrics including amount of times they were hashtagged in Instagram, amount of Google reviews, and the number of reviews which specifically mentioned the word ‘beautiful’. Once all of this data was collected, some serious number crunching took place, leaving each walk with a final position in the chart. Mount Stewart, a 200-year-old estate in Northern Ireland, came out on top with 259 reviews referencing its beauty. According to Cewe, ‘the grounds feature a grand mansion with a notable collection of paintings, beautifully landscaped gardens, and 10 miles of walking trails that wind through farmland and woodland’, so it’s a very versatile area. Whether you fancy freshly-trimmed hedges or towering trees, Mount Stewart’s got you covered. In joint second place were Powis Castle, in central Wales, and Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire – both of which had 254 reviews which contained
The best beach in Scotland has been crowned – and it’s just one hour from Edinburgh

The best beach in Scotland has been crowned – and it’s just one hour from Edinburgh

Scotland may not get quite as much heat and sunshine as much of the rest of the UK, but the nation’s beaches are so spectacular they don’t even need the weather to cooperate. But which Scottish beach is the best?  The Times and the Sunday Times recently revealed its top 50 beaches in the UK, with each region having its own individual winner. The overall winner was in Northern Ireland, which you can read about here, but a few stunning beaches in Scotland also got their dues. Seacliff in East Lothian was named Scotland’s regional winner, commended for its ‘sheer cinematic drama’. According to the Times, the £5 entrance fee for drivers is well worth it, giving you access to sandy shores, the smallest harbour in Britain, ‘the burnt-out shell of Seacliff House’ in nearby woods, the ruins of a 17th century castle, and a huge colony of gannets. Basically, there’s a lot to explore in Seacliff if you’re up for it. The beach is about an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, so it’s not massively remote – though it is quite difficult to get to by public transport. The up side of that is that it never gets too busy, even on hot days. The water quality is ‘excellent’, and there’s toilets nearby. All in all, Seacliff boasts the perfect set up for a brilliant beach day. In total, eight of the Times’ top 50 beaches were in Scotland, and with the exception of Seacliff, they’re all in the north. It’s no secret that the Highlands are full of stunning scenery, but you might not have realised they’re also
A new skyscraper is coming to the City of London – with a Roman basilica tourist attraction and views of one of London’s most famous markets

A new skyscraper is coming to the City of London – with a Roman basilica tourist attraction and views of one of London’s most famous markets

One of the most fascinating things about London is how seamlessly the city’s 2,000-year history blends in with its present. The capital may be constantly evolving for the better, but there’s always hints of the past which peek through. 85 Gracechurch Street is a perfect example of this. Back in February, the ruins of the first Londinium basilica were discovered under an unremarkable road in the City. It was a huge find for archeologists, who have been working in the area for years, because the basilica would have been right next to the forum, the heart of Roman London. The site’s discovery potentially offers researchers much deeper insights into how the city functioned two millennia ago – and, more than anything, it’s just really cool. So cool, in fact, that the discoverers of the basilica are keen not to keep it to themselves. Planning permission was just approved by the City of London Corporation, giving Hertshten Properties the go-ahead to renovate 85 Gracechurch Street, the modern building currently sitting above the ancient ruins. The goal is to create modern office spaces and, of course, to ‘uncover and showcase the remains’. Photograph: Woods BagotProposed exhibition space showcasing the Roman Basilica remains The development will see the skyscraper reach 32 stories tall, and it will come complete with a huge public hall with access to the 19th-century Leadenhall Market. The market itself is sort of like a modern day forum, a few feet away from the Roman one. Some th
Exciting new details have been revealed about the upcoming Universal theme park in the UK

Exciting new details have been revealed about the upcoming Universal theme park in the UK

We’re a little bit short on theme parks in the UK. Although there’s a few brilliant ones, they’re few and far between, and a couple have had to shut their gates in the past few years (RIP Flambards in Cornwall and Oakwood in Wales). Soon however, none of that will matter, as us Brits are due to get a massive Universal resort in Bedfordshire, and we’ve just had more information about what exactly it could look like. We’ll get the bad news out of the way first: despite hopes from fans of Harry Potter for a taste of the Wizarding World – like there is in Universal Studios Orlando – the Boy Who Lived is not expected to make an appearance in Bedfordshire. Don’t be too disappointed though, there’s loads to get excited about. Planning documents have revealed that the park is set to have four separate ‘lands’, each with its own unique theming, rides, and places to eat. We don’t know yet what they'll be based on, but according to the Mirror, some of the rumours include James Bond, Paddington, the Minions, Jurassic Park, and the Lord of the Rings. It’s also not currently known if each land will have a single theme or if they’ll share, but we’d definitely love to see a James Bond/Minions collab. At present, the lands are being referred to as ‘the Core Zone’, ‘Lake Zone’, ‘West Gateway Zone’, and ‘East Gateway Zone’. It’s expected that the core zone will have most of the theme park rides, as well as a massive 500 room hotel. The Lake Zone will, unsurprisingly, be home to a new wetland de
The posh British train route named one of the best in the world

The posh British train route named one of the best in the world

In the UK, many of us have come to associate train travel with stress. After years of strikes, regular delays, and many, many cancellations, it’s easy to forget that in the right circumstances, hopping on a train can actually be a thoroughly luxurious experience. You might have seen the videos of glass-topped carriages zooming through luscious Swiss mountains, or the jaw-dropping railway journeys through rural China in Race Across the World, and concluded that that sort of experience simply can’t be replicated in the UK. Whilst we don’t quite have the scenery – although the UK’s ‘most remote’ route is said to be pretty stunning – we more than make up for it in the fancy carriages of the British Pullman, A Belmond Train. Named the second best luxury train journey in the world by readers of the high-end travel mag Travel + Leisure, the British Pullman is more of a bucket list item than a mode of transport. Tickets start at around £590 but go up to £1500, and routes generally end in the same place that they started. Belmond, which operates the service, painstakingly restored vintage Victorian carriages which fell out of favour in the mid-20th century, including the Pullman, to provide a classic British experience. The operator offers several routes through the countryside, generally accompanied by a Michelin-worthy meal and as much wine as your heart desires. It’s no wonder then that Travel + Leisure readers gave the iconic locomotive a score of 86.3 out of 100, only a few point
Lewis Capaldi is going on a huge UK tour in 2025: dates, ticket prices and everything you need to know

Lewis Capaldi is going on a huge UK tour in 2025: dates, ticket prices and everything you need to know

In the immortal words of everyone’s favourite Scottish singer/funnyman: ‘I’m Lewis Capaldi, and I’m back, baby.’ It’s been over two years since we last heard from Capaldi, when he struggled to get through his 2023 Glasto set after being overcome with tics and losing his voice. What followed was a complete retreat from the public as he focused on his health following a recent diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome. But the hiatus is over, and his return to the stage this weekend at Glastonbury was a real tear-jerker. Despite being a secret set, hundreds of thousands of fans showed up to show their support and sing along as Capaldi set out to ‘come and finish what I couldn't finish last time’. And that he did – this time there were no stops, pauses, or hiccups. Or dry eyes left in the crowd. Luckily for us, it seems like Lewis has got a taste for performing again, because following his victorious Glasto comeback, he’s announced an entire UK arena tour. Warning: it may get emotional, so make sure to pack some tissues. Here’s everything you need to know about Lewis Capaldi’s 2025 UK tour. When is Lewis Capaldi going on tour in the UK? Lewis Capaldi’s tour will be travelling across the UK this September, and will consist of nine nights in the UK and one in the Republic of Ireland. What dates are confirmed? So far, nine UK dates have been confirmed, including two at London’s O2 arena. Here are all the dates confirmed so far, including the night in Dublin. Sun September 7: Sheffield, Uti