James Clark

James Clark learns how to ski – and cycle with no wheels – in the popular Swiss ski resort of Wengen.
The mountain top village of Wengen at 1274 metres looks out upon soaring snow-covered mountains and the Swiss Lauterbrunnen Valley. Wengen’s stop, reachable only by an old and yet well-functioning cog railway, is conveniently located across from the Maya Caprice Boutique Hotel & Spa. My home for three nights. Now that’s what I call service.
Car-free Wengen first made an appearance on the UK t...

So many of London’s hotels tend to be big, showy, and audacious, with an extra helping of elitism added on for good measure, but where do you rest your head when you’re in need of a more mindful experience? Look no further than Paddington’s Inhabit Hotel. James Clark has found the answer.
Inhabit Hotel on Southwick Street opened its doors in 2019 with the aim to relax guests and take care of staff. It has paid off. Through hard work, a talented team, and a mindful outlook on the leisure indus...

James Clark takes to two wheels in Les Gets, France, to see what it feels like to cycle up to the top of the world, and then come back down again, very quickly.
As soon as I heard the news that a stage of the Tour de France 2023 was passing through the mountain resort of Les Gets, I teamed up with a group of friends, and decided to make the short journey to the alpine village. My mission was to try out some of the mountain trails in one of the top mountain biking destinations in the world.
As...

James Clark stays at the Palais Amani, Fes in Morocco, and cooks up a storm in this amazing city.
I have always been a fan of second cities. They tend to be a lot more relaxed than capital cities and don’t have the need to compete to be the best. Morocco’s second city Fes is the ideal destination for a laid-back break.
Getting Lost in Fes Medina
Founded in the 9th century, Fes is one of the oldest and most culturally rich cities in the world. The city is divided into three parts, but I was he...

James Clark becomes an Honorary Newfoundlander by joining in the Screech-In ritual in the capital St John’s.
After devouring cod, chips, and gravy at a traditional Newfoundland kitchen party, it became clear that I was to be the first out of my friends to provide the after-lunch entertainment. My moment had come, I was about to become an honorary Newfoundlander.
This wasn’t my first introduction to the term screech-in. A few days before, I was outside a pub beer garden in my hometown Norwich ...

James Clark discovers west Sweden’s industrial past intwined with its sustainable future on a recent hike on the Gotaleden Trail.
It’s not every day that I get the opportunity to start a hike in a city centre, but the Gotaleden Trail in West Sweden starts in the country’s second city, Gothenborg. Normally I’d spend my time frantically buying supplies, but during a previous conversation with Nicke Sundström from Pathfinder Travels he assured me that the hike was split between nature and develo...

After a hectic few months of work, I decide it’s time for a break.
Over dinner, my friends and I chat about travel and what life was like prior to the explosion of technology. The topic is front of mind as I've recently read that 5 billion people - almost two-thirds of the world’s population - use the internet daily, according to DataReportal’s Digital Around the World report.
Knowing we’re included in this figure makes us worry about the negative effects the internet and social media is havi...

London Begins at 40 Food Critic, James Clark returns to Sloane Place to check out the rooms, The Rooftop Terrace at The Sloane, and brand-new British-Javanese menu.
Sloane Place is part of the 100-year-old Sloane Club. A popular private members’ club where guests tend to hangout to work, socialise, and relax after a day of shopping along Kings Road. To celebrate the arrival of summer something special is happening. The Sloane has opened The Rooftop Terrace to non-members for the first time.
A...

James Clark visits Lympstone Manor Hotel to discover a veritable Babette’s feast in Devon courtesy of Michael Caines and a posse of international chefs.
There has been a lot of talk around celebrity chef Michael Caines getting behind the wheel of Lympstone Manor hotel, near the city of Exeter in Devon.
Five years ago, Michael visited the dilapidated building, and fell in love with its potential. Today it stands proud complimenting the natural surroundings around the hotel.
The point of my vis...

James Clark explores the southern French destination of Toulouse, aka the Pink City.

London Begins at 40 Food Critic, James Clark visits Sloane Place a new place to dine in a very old part of London.
It is no secret that Chelsea’s high-end restaurants and cafes attract a wealthy crowd, and there’s a relative newcomer on Lower Sloane Street that is starting to get the attention it deserves.
Sloane Place is part of the 100-year-old Sloane Club. It was founded by Princess Helena. Today the club is a popular private members’ club with guests working, entertaining and relaxing aft...

James Clark visits Cojean, a French ethical fast food restaurant that has taken London by storm.
There is no shortage of places in the city to grab lunch, but decent quality and already prepared food can be difficult to come by. Or that is what I thought until I discovered Cojean on Ludgate Hill.
Cojean first opened its doors back in 2001 in Paris. Parisians were becoming more conscious about the food they were eating and in need of a place to go to for a sustainable breakfast or working lunc...

I visited the Moroccan port town of Essaouira with many expectations from the walled city and medina. My imagination was filled with images of souks and cafes. But alcohol, and in particular wine, did not feature in my pre-Moroccan trip fantasy.
I was not aware that wine was served in the country until I sat down for dinner at Umia, one of Essaouira’s upmarket restaurants. This is where my journey into Moroccan wine began.
While enjoying the local seafood on the menu, I asked the waiter about...

James Clark discovers that MonteRosola Tuscany winery is making a name for itself in one of Italy’s top wine regions, with sustainability at its heart.
Volterra is the oldest town in Tuscany. It can be traced back to the Bronze Age. If walls could talk, the Etruscan walls around the town would have many tales to tell. Scenes of rivalry have taken place throughout Volterra’s history with neighbouring Siena. Today, such antagonism can at times rear its head at football matches.
The wine of Tusc...

Ahead of some exciting Valentine’s celebrations, James Clark decided to head to the multi award winning Sumosan Twiga restaurant. Read his Sumosan Twiga review …
The critically acclaimed restaurant, bar and club, launched in November 2016 on one of London’s most famous streets, Sloane Street, in West London’s luxurious Knightsbridge neighbourhood.
Two things excite me when it comes to food – Japanese and Italian cuisines. I found it difficult to contain my sense of anticipation when I discove...