I’m not usually one for writing annual reviews but I couldn’t let the 10th anniversary of the Love Travelling Blog slip by without a mention. It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed as the time has just flown by and what a journey it’s been.
Starting my blogging journey
It was on one rainy afternoon back in August 2015 that I opened the lid of my laptop and spontaneously decided to start my travel blog. Up until that point I hadn’t even looked at any other blogs and just thought it would be a good idea to create one as I love travelling, writing and taking photos – the essential ingredients for a travel blog!
I didn’t start off with any grand plans or high expectations, the blog was just going to be a step up from my earlier hand written travel diaries and my children’s holiday scrapbooks. It was to be a new treasured home for my travels to look back on in future years and to share with family and a few close friends.
Little did I know that my blog would resonate with so many people from all corners of the world and rather than penpals from a previous life, I was making mutual friends through the WordPress community which I continue to value to this day.
Love Travelling Blog begins to get noticed
Regular readers will be aware of my love for all things Finnish and on noticing a writing competition on the Discovering Finland website, I decided to enter. I wrote a piece comparing and contrasting the cotton mills of Tampere in Finland with those nearer to home in Manchester, added some photos from a recent visit and sent it off, not giving it a second thought.
I don’t know what prompted me to enter the competition in the first place as it wasn’t something I would normally do but I was so glad that I did, as astonishingly, I won!My prize was a three night press trip over to Tampere in western Finland and following on from this my blog really started to take off as shortly afterwards Visit Germany got in touch and then one engagement just seemed to lead to another!
Starting with the United Kingdom, I’ve so far had the pleasure of supporting more than 50 tourist boards assisting with their destination marketing to inspire readers to explore both rural and city locations. I’ve huffed and puffed my way up to the top of so many church and castle towers that I think I deserve a medal.
I’ve taken to the water aboard a hydro bike and travelled through the Cotswold countryside in a gleaming blue Morgan 4/4 classic car hand built in 2018, in fact I’ve been invited to participate in so many amazing activities that it would be impossible to list them all here.
Worldwide travels
Overseas travels have taken me as far afield as Australia, through parts of Asia, Canada, USA, North Africa and Europe. Standout moments include soaring over the Atherton Tablelands in a hot air balloon gazing in awe at kangaroos hopping through the fields below and whizzing down the Skyline Luge on Sentosa Island, Singapore.
Learning new skills
On a practical level, I’ve tried my hand on a potters wheel at both Wedgwood and Denby and learnt the art of chocolate tempering to handcraft a delectable selection of truffles at the Chocolate Manor in Northern Ireland. Other hands-on activities have included creating a fused glass tea light holder in Ramsgate, attending a blossom themed acrylic art workshop in Worcestershire and a Polish dumpling cookery course in Warsaw.
2025 has been a momentous year for Love Travelling as not only has the blog reached its tenth anniversary, it’s also the year that I wrote my 1,000th post. With posts averaging 1,500 words and each one being unique, I think you’d agree that’s a lot of words and places visited over a ten year period.
Hotel and restaurant reviews
From cosy country inns through to luxurious five star hotels, I’ve stayed in castles, windmills, glamping pods, apartments and cottages, loving them all whether it’s been in a city, village, seaside or rural location. Dining experiences have taken me from cafes to gastro pubs and from Michelin starred restaurants to street food vendors and I’ve savoured it all, one bite size piece at a time.
Friends made through blogging
I’d only been blogging a few months when I was planning my first trip to New York City and found Susan’s blog an excellent resource for visitors to the Big Apple. After leaving a comment letting her know how useful her posts had been, she suggested meeting up after work for some sightseeing followed by a meal. Her invitation came as a complete surprise and we spent an enjoyable few hours together.
My next blogger meet-up was in Finland where I first met Suvi eight years ago. Apart from during COVID we’ve arranged meet-ups every year since then, so much so that we laugh that we sometimes see each other more often than our friends nearer home.
In early 2022 I was invited on a weekend press trip to Nuremberg and with a Sunday afternoon and evening free from engagements it was the perfect opportunity to meet up with talented photographer Marcus, the name behind Streets of Nuremberg. We’d both started blogging within a few months of each other and have avidly read each other’s posts with interest since then.
Last but not least, in November 2023, I had the pleasure of spending time across the world in Perth, Western Australia with Alison from Travels with Ali where we enjoyed days out and delicious meals together in the Perth sunshine.
Alongside bloggers, I’ve also made lasting friendships with several destination marketing personnel whom I’ve met over the years on press trips both in the U.K. and further afield. If I hadn’t started my blog I would never have had the opportunity of meeting up with so many lovely people. One of many things I love about travel writing is that it has taken me to places that I’d never considered visiting. Being open to new experiences and inspiring others to follow in my footsteps has been a dream come true.
Well, what a journey it’s been, I haven’t by any means done it all, but after climbing mountains, kayaking, pack-rafting, hot air ballooning, summer sledding, playing golf above the Arctic Circle, taking a Llama for a walk, canal boating and caving anything is possible. Whatever your age I hope that I’ve inspired you to push boundaries and get out of your comfort zones to visit new places and try new activities. Life is short and it’s said that travel is the best medicine, so why not follow my example and experience what the world has to offer whilst you still can.
I’ll end this post by raising a glass to the next ten years of the Love Travelling Blog wherever it takes me. New adventures are already planned so do stay along for the ride. Thanks must go to all the tourist boards, attractions, activities and hotels who have had the trust in me by inviting me along to review destinations and accommodation to my thousands of subscribers and readers worldwide.
A big thank you also to each and every one of you for following along on my travels and whether you’ve been with me from the outset or joined more recently, I truly value your support and comments as it wouldn’t be the same without receiving your lovely feedback and of course reading some of your own well written blogs too.
