The White Village of Casares

Many places in Andalusia still leaves you with a sense of having stepped back in time. The photogenic town of Casares, with its white silhouettes of houses sprawling up the hillside and surrounded by the mountainous territory that is Serrania de Ronda, is one such place. Whichever way you approach it, nothing prepares you for the spectacular views it affords from all angles, the distinctive outlines of white sugar cube houses crowned by an Arab castle perched on top of the hill.

We used the toll road and drove along a row of wind turbines, most fascinating to a two year-old who likes anything that goes round and round. There is a tourist information centre just before the entrance to the town and I managed to inform the attendant that I speak no Spanish. She was kind enough to give us a direction to the free car park in perfect English and bade us away with a map of the village.

From the car park, the main village square is reached through a labyrinth of winding streets, passing by local people gossiping on the street. The smell of newly-baked bread from the panaderia made our stomachs rumble but soon enough we found ourselves in front of the water feature called Carlos III Fountain, built in 1785 using neo-classical style which marks the centre of town.

While having our favourite breakfast of cafe con leche and pan y tomate con aceite de oliva, we witnessed village elders hold their council on a couple of benches at the back of a church wall. Locals and tourists crossed the square. Older women hovered around their doorsteps watching the daily goings-on unfold before them. Like they, and many others before them, would have done for ages.

We would have happily stayed there but the square was getting busier and other people needed our seat so we thanked the owner of the cafe who was running a one man show and made our way up the steep hill to the ruins of the moorish wall and the castle, admiring the plants adorning the walls of the houses and greeting everyone we pass by.

The fortress was built in the 13th Century on Roman foundations and the 16th Century Church of the Incarnation, originally a Franciscan-capuchin convent, features a Mundejar tower.

We walked along the walls of the ruins, admiring the views of the town below and following the little boy as he ran around the ruins. On the other side opposite the church is a viewpoint with a panoramic view over olive groves, orchards and forests agains the backdrop of the Mediterranean sea.

The cemetery, located within the castle enclosure is also a site to visit. It is known for its circular construction with whitewashing niches. It was closed when we visited but we were able to admire it through the iron gates.

We used the coastal road on our way home, following a scenic route of hills and wooden areas and dotted with restaurants offering local Andalusian cuisine. We promised to stop by another time, for now content to have our fill of the beautiful Casares.

Urban Art in Industrial Andalucia

My journey to work every day includes a romantic view of the sun rising over the horizon as the car weaves its way towards the prominent Rock of Gibraltar. But as we get closer towards Britain Under the Sun, we have to pass by the industrial heartland of what is otherwise our Andalusian paradise.

The looming towers of CEPSA oil refinery, the largest pollution pumping machinery in the Iberian peninsula, prompts Isaac to shout "fire, hot" every time it comes into view. Perhaps unsurprisingly for one the poorest area in Southern Spain, there is a residential area built around it but one that very few tourists would probably venture towards.

But over the weekend, after taking a wrong turn to get back to the main road towards our safe and well-maintained suburban estate by the seaside, we found ourselves off the beaten track and discovered a street art gallery along the coastal road that hugs the oil refinery. For a big urban art enthusiast, this is indeed a treasure find!

Knaresborough: Yorkshire's Biggest Hidden Gem

Knaresborough is a picturesque little market town in Yorkshire that was built in the gorge of the River Nidd which spills down the river bank while towering above are the ruins of an ancient castle and an iconic viaduct. No other place in Britain has quite captured my imagination as it has and it will always surprise me how very few people seem to have heard of it.

We went on a day trip in 2011, on the bank holiday weekend that celebrated the royal wedding and the royalists that we are decided it was too good a day to be stuck inside watching the lavish ceremony paid for by our hard-earned money so we decided to commemorate the event by visiting a town that was a perfect example of merry England. In the days when it was still easy to just hop on a train and escape for a day, we headed off to Leeds where we changed platforms to take the Harrogate line.

The train crossed the river through the stone viaduct and we followed a warren of cobbled streets and staircases which led us down to the riverside that was littered with pretty cafes, riverside walks and boats for hire.

After a short coffee break, we borrowed a boat and a romantic ride ensued (after a tiny bickering about how to make it move!) under the river gorge, taking turns on the oars. The views of the town rising on the crag from the river was a sight to behold and it was almost with regret that we got off the boat when our time was up.

We took a different path on our way up, following the signs that led us to the Knaresborough Castle, a Norman ruin that includes a 700-year-old King's Tower and modern-day unofficial children's climbing wall (for we have captured a couple of wilful youngsters defying Britain's extreme health and safety regulations). The views along the way are almost too beautiful for words even though it is a familiar sight for those of us who are fans of Paul the Weatherman's segment at 6pm on  BBC Yorkshire.

We explored the medieval ruins and strolled along the castle grounds before heading towards the town centre that was mostly made up of Georgian homes, boutique independent shops and pretty little cafes. We followed the map of the town's tromp l'oeil - an art technique that sets out to 'fool the eye' into seeing a painted picture as something real. This colourful trail features characters and events from the towns long and rich history that goes back as far as 5th Century and were painted on the town's blank windows, a feature of Georgian buildings where the windows were blocked to avoid window taxes.

After picking up the traditional lunch of fish and chips from one of the village shops, we were off to chase our train to Harrogate. But the historic and delightful town of Knaresborough has sprinkled so much stardust that until now it remains my perfect vision of Peter Pan's Neverland. Go and see for yourself - it's an almost English paradise.

Weekend Walk: Ecclesall Woods

To wander in the woodlands is one of the best ways to celebrate the changing season. And in autumn this transformation couldn't be more fervent, when the trees put on a dazzling display of colours from gorgeous golds to russet reds and the woods are rife with frantic activities as the wildlife prepare for the cold winter to come.

Ecclesall Woods in the south of Sheffield are the largest semi-natural woodland in South Yorkshire and is very popular to visitors for its wildlife, historic and archaeological features. Last Sunday, they held their annual Feast in the Forest, a celebration of autumn in the woods with children's activities, food stalls, woodland trails and pumpkin carving. We arrived early and headed off to the visitor centre where most of the activities were held. Without a map, we discovered that we had limited pathways to follow with a pram but we still managed to have fun - picking up chestnuts, listening to the crunching of leaves on our feet and taking photos of course!