Take 12 Trips April: Palaces and parks in London

As part of my mission to ‘Take 12 Trips’ in 2014, I’m taking at least one trip a month – which can be anything from a local day out to an international trip. After starting the year with two trips to the north of England, it was lovely to see some sun on last month’s mini-honeymoon in Morocco.

In pictures: Autumn in Cheltenham’s Pittville Park

After over a year of blogging, I’ve realised that one destination I’ve never written about is the place I spend most of my time – my home town of Cheltenham. So to welcome in autumn, here’s a photo essay of the colours in the city’s Pittville Park.

In pictures: Flowers in the Jardin des Plantes

Hidden away behind tall hedges near the Seine in Paris’ 5th arrondissement is the city’s Jardin des Plantes, or botanical gardens. These gardens stretch over almost 70 acres, with more than 4500 different plants – from rose and iris gardens to alpine plants and tropical greenhouses – filling it with beautiful colours and perfumes throughout the year.

Walk the line: New York’s elevated High Line park

When I was in Paris this autumn I came across the Promenade Plantée, an elevated park on a former railway line that formed the inspiration for New York’s High Line park. Having seen the original, I had to check out New York’s newer version on my trip out there to see how it compared.

In pictures: Autumn colours in New York’s Central Park

The green heart of Manhattan, Central Park covers 843 acres of seriously expensive New York land. It’s an escape from the bustling city for both New Yorkers and tourists, with over thirty-five million visitors each year.

Paris’ Promenade Plantée: The original High Line park

New York may have its new High Line elevated park on a former railway line in Manhattan, but Paris got there first back in 1993 with the Promenade Plantée. Stretching for almost five kilometres across the 12th arrondissement, this narrow raised park follows the route of the old Vincennes railway line which closed down in 1969.