5 Favourite Walks in Birmingham and Beyond

These are favourite walks that are easily accessible from Birmingham. They vary in difficulty but tend toward the easy to moderate end of the spectrum. Enjoy!

Carding Mill Valley

This is one of many Shropshire walks with varying routes to explore. There’s even a small reservoir for the wild swimmers out there! I even saw an Instagram post with a paddleboarder. We followed the signs to the waterfall and looped back around to where we started. It was glorious! At the end of summer, purple heather carpeted the undulating hills. We spent much of our day just sitting and taking in the last of the summer days. Pure bliss! It is just over an hour from Birmingham near the village of Church Stretton. We walked the waterfall loop, which I would class as easy. We followed the signposts dotted around and looped back round to the carpark without getting lost!

Bringing sexy back

Sutton Park

Anyone who knows me knows I wax lyrical about this place. I am an advocate of the often-overlooked North of Birmingham and this is our gem. The largest urban park in Europe, you can get lost here walking through woodland, heathland and open fields. There are several lakes one of which you can wild swim in (I saw people enjoying this near The Miller and Carter restaurant Boldmere gate), sail with Sutton sailing club, canoe with the canoe club or my favourite – paddle board. There are also paddle boats you can jump on for a sunny day idling on the water. The park is pretty flat with gentle inclines and parts that are good for off-roading on your mountain bike. If you are lucky, you might even see wild ponies (in the North of the park). In the summer, cows graze and you will likely meet a bunny or two (or ten). Can you tell I love the place? It’s also a great place to run – on Sundays at 9 you can take part in Park Run. Or not if you are anything like me!

One of Sutton Park’s many lakes

The Wrekin

The Wrekin (near Telford) is one of the many hills you can walk up in the Midlands. Once home to an Iron Age Hillfort (common in Shropshire), you can walk in the footsteps of our ancient ancestors. The Wrekin also interests geologists as it comprises hundreds of millions of year-old volcanic rock (even though the Wrekin itself was not a volcano). I love this walk because of the proximity to Birmingham, and the ease with which you can complete it. When you arrive, you can park at the paid carpark or the layby at the foot of the hill. We usually do the layby because I am cheap! The hill is covered in forest so you do not see the views until you are nearly at the top. When you do, you will find sweeping views of the Shropshire Hills, all the way to Wales if you are lucky. The terrain underfoot is mostly rocky path, so it can be a good shout in the rain, although the wind at the top can be fierce! All part of the fun! You can do an up-and-back route that will take under two hours or a circular route back to the carpark. A good one to do with the whole family.

680 million-year-old rock porn

Malvern Hills

The town of Malvern is beautiful within itself and it is interesting enough to meander between the small shops and the independent cafes they have in the town centre. The park by the council house is cute and a nice way to chill and picnic on a summer’s day. You can access the hills from the town centre going up behind some pubs and restaurants. The walk is pretty steep here and will give you a good ol’ workout. There are various other points to access the hills throughout the town of Malvern, but this is the way we always go so that we can have lunch before making the trek up there. The view at the top is well worth it and once at the top, you can continue along the spine of the hills until you’ve had enough. Malvern is roughly a 1.15 minute drive from Birmingham. You can also get there via the train easily enough.

At the top of the world (or the Malverns).

Kinver Edge

Kinver Edge is another walk just over an hour from Brum. We followed the arrows for the yellow trail and were not disappointed. The terrain varies between short hills, forest and a bit of open field. The caves we came to pleasantly surprised us, which you can easily climb into and have a look around. There are also rock houses owned by the National Trust, which you can visit for 7 quid. Inside, they have reconstructed what the home would have looked like when it was lived in. Prebook to avoid disappointment! In autumn, I have to say; it was magnificent with the trees glowing gold in the afternoon sun. I enjoyed reading the graffiti carved into the caves – especially the name ‘Bella’ (of who put Bella in the Witch Elm fame?!).

A cave with a view

All that glitters is not gold…

It was hard whittling it down to 5 but those would be my go-tos if I had to choose. These are all family and dog friendly. Do you have any favourites that weren’t mentioned here? If so, I want to know!

Two days in Catania

Trawling through the web planning my trip to Eastern Sicily was a slog. So many places to go, 10 days in Sicily, not enough time! Many forum members advised to avoid Catania altogether. Arrive at the airport and do one to Eastern Sicily’s more picturesque destinations…. Being the rebel that I am, I eschewed the advice and booked us in for two nights in Sicily’s second city.

To Catania or not to Catania??

Ahh, the age-old question! Many use Catania as a base for viewing Mount Etna and not much else. In the end, we spent two whole days and nights there at the start of our trip, choosing to save Mount Etna for our penultimate day. Why you ask? Because we didn’t want to see Etna in the rainstorm, plus we found we actually liked the vibe of Catania. Bustling with life, scooters, crazy drivers and the smell of the city’s sewerage systems and dumped rubbish, it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Anybody who has been to Naples and loved it would be sure to love Catania. There’s enough history (isn’t there everywhere in Italy?!), interesting buildings, the people (who mostly had an excellent grasp of English) and the food, oh the food- some of the best we tasted on the entire island. If you like something gritty that slaps you in the face with its realness, Catania’s ya boi. My verdict is, visit if you like interesting, loud, smelly places like Naples and don’t if ya don’t. Simples.

Where did we stay?

Our bed-and-breakfast was a 20 min walk from the ‘main’ square. But still pretty central. I am including it in this guide because of its awesomeness. Decorated in a historical baroque style, it was one of the most original places I’ve stayed in Italy, period. They gave us the option of having breakfast there, eating in our room, or at the café across the street. That is where we met the Pistachio Cornetto for the first time and fell in sweet, sweet love. The b and b was a decent price for the bougieness. They had bottles of various liquors to calm the nerves before embarking out into the baffling world that is Catania city centre.

Now that’s what I call a screenshot of a video of a ceiling.

What’s to do in Catania?

Here’s my summary of things we enjoyed in no particular order. With a caveat, on any holiday, our activity of choice is always to wander around aimlessly. Catania is a decent place with enough intrigue to make doing that an enjoyable endeavour.

The fish market

Walk around on a weekday morning and experience the fresh smell of dead fish, hark at the shouts of sellers, and marvel at the sheer size of the fish for sale (who knew tuna was THAT big??). Am I selling it to you? It’s worth walking around the fish market just to soak up the atmosphere and experience a real in your face, full-of-life Sicilian market. One of the realist. If we were staying in an apartment, we would have had us some tuna.

Castello Ursiono

A medieval castle in the middle of Catania ready to explore for castle geeks like us! But seriously, the inside is pretty bare. Nothing to show what it would have looked like/ been like to inhabit back in its day. That’s fine though, you can close your eyes and imagine the extra large dining table with a boar’s head centrepiece and giant turkey legs. Instead, feast your actual eyes on the exhibits of archaeological finds from around the Catania area dating from around the 1st century AD onwards. There’s even an old statue with a very lifelike, defined, sexy male torso (from the Biscari collection, so I heard). Be still my beating heart. Upstairs there was art from local artists (up to the 18th century AD) and I have to say, I wasn’t complaining. I found it all rather interesting and worth the entrance fee, a castle cum museum. If you like old things, then you will enjoy this place.

Decent

Piazza del Duomo

Where all the guides tell you to go, you don’t need me to tell you it’s good, they already probably have. It’s fit. An impressive square with a beautiful church, cathedral and a decent fountain. A great example of Sicilian baroque architecture due to a rebuild after a city flattening earthquake. We stopped off for an espresso at the espresso bar next to the fountain. The cannoli there was fresh, filled with ricotta and honey. We found ourselves pulled here via Via Etna on our many forays to the city centre.

Food Street- Via Santa Filomena

Something we didn’t find in a guide but happened upon by a lucky mistake with empty bellies on our first day in Catania. A cute, narrow street overlooked by balconies with tables and parasols outside excellent-looking eateries. We stopped at Fud, which was busy with clientele, serving oozing burgers and more. My hubby went for a deconstructed burger and I went for a charcuterie board of local cheeses and meats. Washed down with delicious local Etna wine. We only wish we had more time to get to know the eats on that street!

Pizzaaaaaa

Ok Pizza is everywhere in Italy and Catania is probably not the best place for it – cough Naples- but my favourite pizza in the whole of Sicily was here, in an area we found with pizza restaurants galore. I’m sure they were all delicious. Our restaurant of choice was Le Quinte. Hard recommend.

Chiesa della Badia di Sant’Agata

Come for the holy water; stay for the panoramic views of Catania overshadowed by Etna.

I spy something beginning with E…

Moody church vibes…

Razzmatazz Wine bar

Another fortunate mistake. After a massive nap on our first night, we hangrily wandered the city looking to be fed. We found what we were looking for and were not disappointed… The menu changes daily, written up on a blackboard. I had the nicest ravioli I’ve ever encountered. My hubby had the squid ink risotto. If only I could be there now, washing down my food with red.

Not an extensive list, but we found there was enough to keep us interested for a couple of days before moving on. There is so much more to Catania than its landmarks. It is the beating, breathing, heaving life of the city. In between visiting all the wonderful places listed above, we wandered the streets, to the port round, down and back up again, happy to just take it all in. If you are anything like me, you will appreciate it.

Things what I’ve noticed about London

 

I’ve been in the big smoke for over 2 years now. The longest I have lived in any city that isn’t my hometown. Must be good then. Here are my observations from an interesting two years of breathing polluted air that will probably be the death of me.

People never seem to press the traffic light buttons.

So I am standing at the traffic lights with a bunch of people waiting to cross when I glance over at the traffic light button thingy to find that no one has pressed it. I press it, the light promptly changes. I just don’t get it. Upon asking a Londoner colleague she replied, ‘the lights change automatically, don’t they?’. Only at T junctions babe.

Pedestrians have no fear

Leading on from my last comment those that brave the busy roads of London by foot do so without fear and at any opportunity. Note my horror when a colleague practically walks in front of oncoming traffic. What to me looked like a near miss was actually a calculated and well judged road crossing move that seems to come naturally to those used to these mean streets.

Traffic don’t stop for no one

Ok so this is something I was aware of previously, but very unlike my native Birmingham. If you happen to make an ill timed road crossing you are literally risking death. These cars do not stop. They never stop. They just keep on moving. Whenever I have taught foreign students who come from a more laid-back culture I have often had to scream at them in order for them to realise they cannot slowly amble along with the onset of the green man on Euston Road. Do so at your peril. That light changes fast.

Beware cyclists

This is both of cycling and of cyclists. Of cyclists because I have often seen them come up with their own rules of the road leading to near misses when I have been legally crossing. And of cycling because I have seen the way the people drive here. Still to decide whether it is worth getting back on that saddle,  I have yet to learn the laws of this jungle.

There is amazing food.

Food from around the world no further than 100 metres away and it is usually reasonably priced. £3.50 for the best damn Japanese chicken I have ever tasted at Chatsworth Road market. Not great for the aspiring vegetarian. I really cannot say no to that!

If want people to hear your writing/see your art this is the city for you

The opportunities for creative writing ventures here make it a hard place not to get creative. There are an abundance of spoken word nights such as Spoken Word London’s fortnightly open mic sessions in Hackney and the more experimental, monthly You’re Hysterical, (a mixture of performance art and live  poetry). If you prefer your performance poetry with a bit of hip-hop and grime mixed in there’s Word on the Street. If you want to get all page poetry about it you can make your way to the Poetry Café in Covent Garden to see what they’ve got going on. No matter what day of the week it is there is always something. Not to mention writing groups. Words Down in Willesden Green is a good one to go to for friendly feedback on your prompted pieces. And if you can’t find exactly what you want you can set your own night up. It’s easy enough to do.

Random under the bridge art for your enjoyment.

You will never feel more alone surrounded by millions of people

I’m sure you have heard this before but London can be a lonely place. People are always going their own way, doing their own thing. It is far removed from my native Birmingham where people make eye contact and speak to each other, stranger or no. London can feel very exclusive and cliquey at times. In saying that there are many more people who feel the same way, looking for a way in, you just have to have your eyes open.

London is almost one massive park 

Did you know, 47% of London is made up of green spaces? No? Me neither. Well at least that was until I lived here and noticed that I couldn’t get very far without falling into one.  London is the third greenest city in the world and it’s parks are almost as diverse as it’s people. From the deer in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington to underground secret tunnels in Greenwich. The big smoke I think not!

Morning glory.

There are green parakeets that fly around

Look up or you might miss them. I don’t know how or why but they’re here and they ain’t going nowhere.

 

Overall I haven’t learned much about this city because it is so damn big.  What I have learned about it is that there is more to it than you’d think. If you manage to survive through it’s smoky exterior you will find diverse cultures and sub-cultures existing beside each other, coming together to make the city the vibrant, never boring place it is. Just be sure to look left and right before crossing the road.

 

 

 

 

So far so good London. Here’s to finding out more.

 

 

London. (For the nervous cyclist).

I have spent every weekend of September ‘splorin the city of London with my moderately OK hybrid bike. With so many fancy road bikes around and horn-honking, (that was a close call) traffic,  it can all be a bit much. However, contrary to what many may think, London can be a rather cycle friendly city. With cycle superhighways (bits of the road sectioned off just for cyclists) and much off road traffic-free cycling in it’s manifold parks and canal towpaths,  London has something in all shapes and sizes, for all shapes and sizes.  Whether looking for an alternative to the forehead-bead ridden, sweaty smells of humanity on ones commute or those like me looking for stress free weekend routes, London has much to offer.

Here are my September ‘splore picks……

The Lee Valley walk. My most visited of routes offers miles of canal-side cycling with enough variation of landscape to keep those wandering eyes busy. Think postindustrial dystopia alongside hipster-hanging party barges. All colours of the rainbow graffiti with a side of black and chrome-plated political message (we’re all fucked if you didn’t know already). Rubbish sculptures (I’m being literal not rude) and of course, leafy green quietscape.

Rubbish sculptures, Hackney Wick

Only in East London

To the north, the Lee Valley towpath will  take you all the way to Hertfordshire, where, once you get past Enfield to Waltham Abbey, the towpath gets all the more resplendent. Here you can venture off the towpath and explore the flora and fauna. Including but not limited to the enjoyment of espying those massive see-through winged insect creatures milling about. Dragonflies if you want to get all pedantic.  I saw at least one and that was without visiting Cornmill Meadows Dragonfly Sanctuary.

Magic

Going South past Hackney on the Lee Valley Towpath you make it all the way to the City and the river Thames. Proper London. Innit.  I find this section of the canal more attractive as you make your way there, and because of this (I assume), more populated. My favourite part of the Lee Valley towpath can be found en- route to the city near Limehouse Cut, the Three Mills Island. It’s a bit like emerging from a thigh-powered time machine,  with all it’s cobbles and pointed buildings. Three Mills Island is also home to London’s oldest surviving tidal mill and 3 Mills Studios, London’s biggest TV and film studio. A much welcomed rest from pedal pushing, I loved stopping off for a tea and a Chelsea bun whilst contemplating which way to go next.

Modern London believe it or not.

 

Pedalling on further South you will eventually make it down to Shadwell/ Wapping way and the river Thames path. From here you can get all the way to Richmond (bit more about that later)  but you cannot stay on the river the whole way. It’s an on again, off again, on again job. The river Thames near Wapping is rather splendid and if you fancy a pub lunch you can have one overlooking the Thames at one of Wapping’s historical pubs. The Prospect of Whitby is the oldest riverside pub in London (dating back to around the 1520’s) and was once a regular meeting place for smugglers, pirates and sailors. The hangmans noose outside, a reminder of the gruesome nature of punishments back in the day,  at what was once called Executioner’s Dock. Apparently one of the judges that would sentence the condemned to death would watch them hang as he ate his Sunday lunch at the pub. Digest that whilst enjoying your yeasty alcoholic beverage.

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Hackney park loop. Being a London borough with an abundance of parks and green spaces, Hackney is the perfect place to do a park loop. From the north start at Stoke Newington’s Clissold park, ride South to Hackney Downs then on through Lower Clapton road onto Lea Bridge Road through to Millfields park where you get onto my old faithful, the canal towpath. Cycle down to pleasantly bushy Hackney Marshes then onto the final stop in the loop, Victoria Park. One of the nicest parks in London (arguably) and a particular autumn fave with its tall trees and colourful leaves littering the floor ready to be thrown into the air in glee. On sunny days hiring a boat and having a row on the lake will give the legs a rest.

Poetry in motion

Regents Canal. Whilst we are at Victoria park it is well worth mentioning Regents Canal. You can get onto the towpath here and cycle to Angel, here you can get off, go over ground for a bit, then get back on the canal and onto various locations in Central London. I do believe that branches all the way to Paddington in West London. A trip I have yet to make but I am sure I will one day.

Richmond/Richmond park. Going West a cycle to Richmond is worth a shout. I ended up cycling across London from Hackney to Hammersmith, which in retrospect I would not do again, due to a fear of overwhelming busy roads. Kensington Highstreet being particularly hairy.

Hammersmith Bridge

If I were to do that journey again I would find the quickest way to the Thames along the canal and go the long way along the Thames River Path to Kew Gardens and make my way to Richmond park from there. From Putney onwards the path gets rather beautiful and a touch fancy. The thing I found most interesting was the dichotomy between working class council estate and the most expensive part of Chelsea so close they can see into each other’s windows. Classic London.

Unfortunately,  both times I have attempted the journey to the park, I haven’t made it all the way. However,  various credible (google)  sources have informed me of the 7 miles of cycle route around it, with the odd deer thrown in for good measure.  In my latest attempt I made it all the way to Kew Gardens and hopped straight on the overground back to Hackney, shivering and cursing the very earth that sustains me due to being rained on all day. Eyelashes dripping with rain tears. The heavens did not want me to see the deer that day.

There was no silver lining.

 

Wansted Flats. Finally, on my September ‘splore I made my way from Hackney to Wansted Flats located in the South of Epping Forest. I am a nervous road cycler so this route was really fabulous for me, with cycle lanes pretty much all the way along until you get to Leyton. Once in Leyton I stopped for to get my eyebrows threaded (Ghaz’s in Leyton is a must for perfect brows) and browse in second hand furniture shop before making may way down quiet residential roads, onto the flats. The landscape here is interesting and well worth it for such an easy cycle. If I had more time I would have made the cycle North and braved the knobbly, branch strewn paths of northern Epping forest.

 

Here, just a snippet of the diverse landscape (East) London has to offer the nervous cyclist. Here is to more London cycle ‘sploring, wholesome weekend activities and thick thighs.

London Lodging 1: The Lazy Landlord

As I come to the end of my first year here in London, I can sit back and reflect on how this tumultuous year has gone. London is not an easy city to move to and teaching in the UK is not the easiest of jobs to have a first year in, but I’ve made it out alive.

One thing that has been less than great here in London and which has added a massive strain onto my happiness and mental wellbeing is the rental market. Anyone in the know will be aware that London is a mine field of a rental market, notorious for dodgy, extortionate lets, paying 650 upwards a month for a room that is not fit to live in is not only not unheard of, but rather a commanilty that us hapless wannabe Londoners who aren’t lucky enough to have parents who already live here to save us the experience of paying a good proportion of our monthly salaries on a shit hole.

My experience is no different but needs to be shared for catharsis and also to bloody shine a light on the London housing crisis, highligting but one experience on the weatlth of shit that is out there.

The end of my year will see me moving for my third time. Each time moving for very different reasons. My first experience was in a shared flat in an ex-council block in Hackney. Four of us shared the flat, including the landlord and his lovely docile Staffordshire Terrier. Everyone in the flat was laidback and of similar enough ages and the dynamics worked. That flat did not become a problem for me until I got to know the landlord a bit better and realised that he was neither cut out for the role of landlord, neither did he want to fulfil his role as landlord. The man, whilst being interesting and entertaining to talk to was a 38 year old child with a God complex. He never bought his own food and instead raided the cupboards of his tenants shamelessly. Whilst laughing that we are unlucky enough to pay tax. Silly law abiding peasants!

 

That was something I could put up with. Just. The other grating thing about his personaility was that he thought he knew everything and would patronise us by telling us after a conversation about our days at work, how we should have done differently. He knows. Because he is omniscient.

Again this was not even the most annoying thing, actually, his conversations about his 6 month stint at a temple in China, his retreat to the Amazon and the witch craft he admits to personally enocountering were bizarre and entertaining.

Even the fact that he would stay away for days at a time or go on two week trips leaving his beautiful dog to wait for him, presumably starve and look depressed did not put me off. We would walk her when we were in and make sure she had food. Not through any request from him. That dog was nigh-on neglected, not through a lack of love but through the sheer selfishness of her owners and seeing her everyday made us feel sad. And in the end knowing we had to leave her at his mercy made us feel sad.

The final push to leave was made when actual water started coming up through my carpet. Water that spread and did not stop spreading. Water that made the carpet damp and smell like wet fish. Every mode of communication he ignored. I then pulled my bed out to discover black mould that had clearly been there for years behind where I would lay to rest at night. Still no response. For over a month I had to get my socks wet on that carpet and live in that damp, mould infested room. What a prick. In the end I could no longer take it and felt I had to find somewhere else.

Which leads me to my next, equally shitty situation for opposite end of the spectrum reasons. I write this post awaiting to move out of the next hell hole and into what should be my haven from the outside world… More to come….

Home is where the Birmingham is.

I will always love my home town. Now I am in England I  am lucky enough to go back regularly. More than I should when trying to build something in a new city alone. Birmingham is where my heart is. I will defend it to the death. It has a bad reputation. Which I wish to show is undeserved. This photo is one of my favourites. We have much park space in Birmingham, contrary to the incorrect assumption by many that Birmingham is a concrete, industrial wasteland. This is one in my native  North Birmingham.  I want to show the world that there is much more to Birmingham than it’s industrial past and the architectural oddity that is the soulless shopping centre, the Bullring. Here is my first snap shot. Birmingham through the eyes of one who knows and loves it more than so.

Nostalgia, you don’t know what you got til it’s gone.

Nostalgia

What is it about nostalgia that makes you appreciate something more when it has passed than when you have it right in front of you? My photo was taken in Istanbul, a place I lived in for 10 months. A place that I loved to hate. A place that I didn’t realise I loved until nostalgia kicked in. Now it is a place I long to return to.

The grey of the cities over development was often stifling, however, the ugliness of the buildings meant that the colours of the flora were appreciated more than ever.

These were no exception.

Tarragona, In Photos

A summary of my time in Tarragona, from a new project of mine.

ontheroadtoenlightenment

Pont Del Diablo

I have always had a love for photography, my first foray with a cheap disposable, my mother still marvels at how I used to snap everything. From loved ones to the seemingly mundane view from my bedroom window. I have always been fascinated with time, how it passes, how it cannot be retrieved. I still see photography as a way to cheat time. Life being a series of moments once passed that we cannot get back.

When I photograph a place  I try to capture it’s essence and how it made me feel. Tarragona is a place I lived in for almost a year, a small Catalan (not Spanish!!) city, built on ruins that are a reminder of it’s history as the capital of the Roman empire in Spain. These photos may not do justice to the beauty of the place. It is stunning. It does however, so something…

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On starting again. Catalan Style.

So my new story starts here, in sunny Tarragona, the sun  and the chill of the spring time sea wind on my face. From Istanbul to Catalonia I am on the road (over 6 months on) to finding and truly knowing myself in a new country and for the first time living abroad alone (last year I was con relationship).

My shaky flight into Reus airport felt like an ominous warning of things to come. A never ending blanket of black cloud engulfed the airport, making the descent a rattling, tumultuous one complete with screaming children throwing up on themselves and what felt like a death defying lightning strike. I was greeted at the airport by my new boss (or jefe en espanol) and delivered to my new home, greeted by a young looking friendly landlord who almost set the kitchen on fire lighting the large gas stove top.

Unlike Istanbul as soon as I arrived at the place, it felt like home. Akin to meeting someone on the first night and feeling like you have known them for many years. Sometimes things just, fit.

My first weekend was spent navigating the streets, trying to make my way down to the beach in vain, (Tarragona’s Miracle beach is right next to the train tracks which annoyingly do not have a bridge to cross over therefore there are only two points of entry to get on to the bloody thing), my ignorance leading me to a not so impressive end of the port.

One of my first observations in my new home, was that the afternoon siesta is actually a thing. Note my disappointment at leaving my apartment after a much needed lie in to find my new home a ghost town. Shutters down, streets empty. Even the Spar closes during siesta, the one time I am free to go shopping. Makes sense.

Its funny now, looking back at how different things looked back when I first arrived. At how the eyes of experience make the streets take on a different colour. These well worn streets I traverse on a daily basis once induced wonder, with a shine that perhaps can only be appreciated once they eventually become familiar and you look back and remember how wandering them made you feel.

After a school year in the big smoke, Tarragona was just the sort of place I needed to go to clear my head and reduce the resulting stress induced trauma inevitable when  living in the crazy that is Istanbul.

My photographs here remind me of the thoughts and feelings of those first few days. A new beginning in more ways than one.

Rasnov Fortress Romania in Photos

To be able to say that I never got bored after visiting this monument four times in four weeks says a lot. Not only is it an impressive piece of history preserved, it is also situated at the top of a hill with incredible views of the always breathtaking Transylvanian fauna. Situated in the county of Brasov, Rasnov is definitely worth passing through if you are in the area.