#isle-of-sheppey

#isle-of-sheppey

Skomer Island has recorded an unprecedented number of puffins this year, offering a significant boost for the vulnerable species. The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales confirmed 52,019 puffins during their annual count off the Pembrokeshire coast, eclipsing last year's record of 43,626.

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The Long Man may be Anglo-Saxon in origin; the shape is similar to the design on a buckle discovered in Kent in 1964 by the archaeologist Sonia Chadwick Hawkes, which probably represents the god Odin (or Woden).

The Page & Overton's Brewery started in a small red brick building on Overton's Yard and slowly expanded into buildings on the other side of the yard, dominating the area for decades.

The recent pattern of movement does not present any additional risk and it is safe to reopen to cyclists and pedestrians, the council said.

Originally known as Sneads Court on John Rocque's map of London in 1746, the area was wider and more of a courtyard than an alley. Over time, it was renamed Hertford Place and later Yarmouth Mews as the neighborhood evolved into larger hotels and grand houses.

It's not a house of outstanding art, being a self-taught carver whose skills evidently advanced over the years, as you can see the evolution from fairly rough carving on the stairs to the very skilled work in the living room. He also created the paintings on the walls - talented chap - but never finished the carving in the living room, as his time finally ran out.

They're special on a world stage, 85% of chalk streams are in England. They're wonderful habitats, they're great for people as well, people really enjoy them, whether it's areas like this where you can find kingfishers and grey wagtails and it's just a unique resource that we really should steward properly.

Archaeologists have fought the tides to save a 17th-century shipwreck from a popular nudist beach in Dorset. The remains are believed to be part of the Swash Channel Wreck, a Dutch merchant ship called The Fame of Hoorn that ran aground while approaching Poole Harbour in 1631. The wreck was found on Dorset's Studland Beach at the end of January when Storm Chandra washed away the sand that had kept it hidden for almost 400 years.

But saving up doesn't mean resigning yourself to weekends full of nothing. Especially in London. Sure, there are countless things in the city that can very easily tempt you to part with your cash, but there are also plenty of art exhibitions, cultural festivals and annual gatherings happening this weekend that are completely free of charge. Even if you're not trying to be money conscious right now, they're worth your time.

Winchelsea Beach features a long sweep of steep shingle beach with sand and rockpools at low tide, making it an ideal spot for swimming and relaxation.

The story of this corner of London runs deep. The roots of settlement here stretch back to the 10th century, when King Edgar granted 13 acres of riverside land to 13 knights (yes, an acre per knight), with permission to use it for trading along he river. By 1125, there was already a dock at St Katharine's. Over the centuries, the area grew into a small but busy community, complete with a hospital, a monastery, a school, almshouses and its own court.

Not many chefs working in small, family-run restaurants expect global megastars to turn up for dinner and to design them a menu from scratch. But that's what happened to Simona Di Dio last weekend, when she cooked dishes inspired by her Italian grandmother's recipes for Madonna, who sat on the single wooden dining table in their cosy, candlelit Italian restaurant in Margate's old town.

Every hotel on this list has been selected independently by our editors and written by a Condé Nast Traveller journalist who knows the destination and has stayed at that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider both luxury properties and boutique and lesser-known boltholes that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination. We're always looking for beautiful design, a great location and warm service - as well as serious sustainability credentials.

Battersea Power Station is a former coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames in London, originally designed by architects J. Theo Halliday and Giles Gilbert Scott. Notable for its appearance on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 studio album Animals and in Alfred Hitchcock's 1936 film Sabotage, the station is one of the world's largest brick buildings and is known for its Art Deco interior fittings and décor.

The alley likely came into existence when the first Leadenhall Market, as a market for herbs, opened, with a long passage leading from the market to Gracechurch Street. The alley used to be longer and straighter, but the eastern half was cut off when a building was constructed on the site. That building was demolished in 2000, and archaeologists researched it for Roman remains in 2002.