Head to Foot Adventures on Foot

Launch of two new London Audio Walks.

2010-04-15T11:16:00.000Z

Last week I finally recorded two new audio walks for London. These have been a rather long time in arriving. Works in progress for Vienna, Geneva and Kendal were put to one side for a while. London, the city where I grew up, turned into a labour of love. Weeks have been spent researching, buildings, history, facts and the fiction of the most fascinating and captivating city in the world.

Both walks begin at Trafalgar Square.
Corridors Of Power, covers Whitehall, Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.
Processions, Palaces and Piccadilly, takes in the Mall, Buckingham Palace, St James's and Piccadilly.

Each recording lasts around an hour, they will take those following the tour as long as they wish.
The cost of each walk as a download is £6.00, both can be bought for £11.00
Each is packed with information researched from a number of sources. I want to use this post as an opportunity to give a name check to the books I have developed a relationship with over the last few months.

This relationship is not over as I am now well into a third wander, leaving to the East of Trafalgar Square, heading into Covent Garden, Seven Dials, Soho, Carnaby Street ending with a saunter down Regent Street.

Here in no particular order are those, now very well thumbed books. Along with links to them or at least those that I could find.

Discovering Off-Beat Walks in London John Wittich and Ron Phillips

Secret London Andrew Duncan

London's Strangest Tales Tom Quinn

Eccentric London Benedict Le Vay

Discovering London Street Names John Wittich

What's in a Name Cyril Harris

Favourite London Walks Andrew Duncan

London Theme Walks Frank Duerden

The London Compendium Ed Glinert

Secret London an Unusual Guide Rachel Howard and Bill Nas

Movie Locations Tony Reeves

I Never Knew That About London Christopher Winn

Dictionary of London Phrase and Fable Russ Willey

Do Not Pass Go Tim Moore

London Calling Barry Miles

Suggs and the City Suggs

There are others including a selection of very old books from The Carnforth Bookshop

The new walks are recorded in a large studio in Kendal, where I now live, under the ever watchful eye of Tim Riley. These two walks now have a non musical ambient background track.

The walks are currently being added to the website www.headtofoot.eu

To hear samples of the other tours click on the city name. Maastricht, Bruges and Antwerp

www.headtofoot.eu

walk the talk

Take a look at our gallery

Head to Foot 40 hours in Rome.

2010-03-15T11:59:00.000Z

Stopped clock at the Vatican

Head to Foot 40 hours in Rome

Legend says you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain.

Some years ago I was in Rome creating a team building challenge around the city for my old company Catalyst Events. I managed to throw a coin in the fountain.

The legend works.This weekend I returned with Gill to celebrate her birthday.

Now home stunning sites, monumental architecture, great weather, good times running around my head along with a selection of blisters from not entirely sensible footwear.

Flying BA from Manchester with a change at Gatwick, with just over 30 minutes to make the connection. Not an easy task these days, as bags need x-raying and the tiny tube of tooth paste purchased in Manchester must have the seal broken before continuing. I often wonder if some security personal has Middle Eastern appearance mixed up with middle-aged appearance.

Touch down in Rome, straight onto Leonardo Express straight through to Rome’s main terminal.

11 euro each.

Using Late Rooms, I found accommodation close to the station, for 120Euro for two nights Bed and Breakfast. Ensuring as full a day on the Sunday as possible. I decided to live a little extravagantly as it was Gills birthday.

Alex from Incanto Romano had sent me a mail asking to check in at his restaurant.

Alarm bells flashed through my mind at this point. But hey all we wanted was a place to sleep; we were there to see Rome not the inside of a hotel.

Finding the restaurant easily, Roberto brother of Alex greeted us, welcoming us like long lost friends, sit down have a drink. Then off to the room.

Four keys later we were accommodated, Bed and Breakfast apartments in a typical Rome apartment.

Open and closing the huge double doors to the lobby and courtyard making us feel like real residents of Rome.

Took dinner in the restaurant where we had checked in, full house but once again greeted with open arms, table found complimentary drinks in hand.

Rome was feeling good.

Our regular approach to a short city break is taking a hop on hop off bus tour. Even better if weather is good and the top deck is open. Using City Sightseeing. 18 euro each with the ticket lasting through the weekend.

Commentary in 8 languages.

Rome has so much for visitors to witness, discover and enjoy all well documented and covered in numerous guidebooks. For us the bus was the perfect introduction. Getting on and off wherever and whenever we wanted. Finding us eventually rather a long way from Incanto Romano long after the bus had stopped running for the day.

Enjoy a few snaps of Head to Foot in Rome.

Gill at the Vatican, 2 hour wait to visit Sistine Chapel. Many offers from guides able to fast track wait.

I found the fact that one of the clocks on the Vatican was stopped. Or is there something I don't know.

The Pantheon, second visit here, each time my breath is taken away. Built in AD 118-125.

Throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain. Looks as if Gill will return to Rome.

Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore. Stunning decorations and riches inside.

No idea who this is but just loved the pose.

How on earth do you get to live in a place like this. Centre of Rome on River Tiber.

Piazza Navona the place for some very good and some very strange street performers.

Spent some time, longer than planned as fascinated by this. Italians flocking round a parked orange Lamborghini to take their pictures with it, pretending it was theirs. Many times.

Grilled Lamb from the Old Marconi.

The blisters will heal but the memories will remain. Architecture, history , Religion beyond my imagination, statues that want to make me create Gothic Horror stories. Wonderful food, wine, ice cream and desserts. To much for one weekend.

I would like to give a big thank you to Alex and Roberto from Incanto Romano who greeted us like old friends, with their open arms. Extending to not allowing us to pay for any part of our meal on Saturday night, when we finally finished walking and wandered into the restaurant around 10.00, letting us stay with them while they ate at the end of their day. There had been mention of a free meal on the booking, but to pay nothing at all including drinks was so kind of them.

Grazie Alex and Roberto

One little warning if buying a ticket to the airport at the station you can save a Euro a person if you get the ticket at the official ticket office rather than an agency office in the station.

This is another trip on the Head to Foot never ending tour, more nights away than Bob Dylan.

Head to Foot is currently working on two London walks which will be recorded in April and downloadable for £6.00 each by the end of April.

There are two audio walks of Antwerp, one for Maastricht and Bruges currently available for download.

Click on the town to hear samples.

Antwerp Bruges Maastricht

Take a look at the Head to Foot Gallery

Greatest Day out with Arsenal in Porto, but pants result.

2010-03-03T20:44:00.001Z

February 17^th saw the Knock out stages of the Champions league resume for Arsenal.

This meant a two-legged match against Porto. The first leg played in Portugal’s hard working second city.

Porto.

There is an old saying, Lisbon shows off and Porto works. Make of that what you will. Those from Lisbon refer to those from Porto as tripeiros, tripe eaters; in turn they call the southerners alfachinhas, lettuce eaters.

I have a daughter and a son, both teenagers, Jackson 18 and Cassidy 16. Both of whom it turns out is always up for a bit of an adventure with dad.

Over the years, these have included 5 star hotel site visits, major road trips across Europe, sharing rooms, wild and civilised camping, searching for tigers off elephants in Nepal, and even a wedding in Bhutan.

Cassidy and I had visited Lisbon previously, when I had to create a living game of Monopoly for a conference taking place.

Jackson, now 18 and driving suggested, why not drive to Porto, to see the match. Both of us being members of Arsenal, tickets would not be hard to get.

He approached me with his plan, and an AA route map.

“Look Dad it only takes 23 hours driving to Porto.”

Pointing out that was 23 hours straight, it we a few days, I had once driven to Lisbon for a job.

Jackson responded with “if we take the van we can put something in the back to lay on, one can drive while the other sleeps.”

It was Half term week so we did have time.

Rather than dismissing his enthusiasm, I was warming to the prospect of this adventure.

Finally sitting down with pen, paper and calculator, the trip was beginning to look like a rather expensive adventure. Sometime during these calculations Jackson pointed out that Arsenal Travel were running a day trip including flights tickets and all transfers for less than 25% of the cost we had worked out for our week long trip.

Sorted, get on line book now, Gill instructed. Gill and I are both Londoners who have live in Cumbria for getting on for 20 years. Gills mum is in the south, Gill and Cass had a visit arranged that week we needed to tag on as the flight was from Gatwick.

17 th February saw the pair of us with a 4am alarm call, taxi for 5am. Check in beginning at 5.45.

What followed was possibly one of the best days I have ever had out in my life, and I can assure you that I have spent a lifetime of having days out.

Arsenal Travel team could not have been any more efficient, smooth check in, boarding passes for the return flight that night issued.

Tickets for the game. Cleared security, if you have seen a previous blog of mine you will know that I had a problem with special branch recently. Money changed, including a few notes refused in Hungary the week before.

Thomas Cook sport operated the plane, which was full. Yes a cooked breakfast arrived. Almost forgotten about airline breakfasts, which come with a knife and fork.

Bit of a snooze and touch down for 10.00 in Porto, same time zone as UK.

Six coaches, engines warmed, survival instructions issued, maps, consulate details, emergency phone number, police escort through town.

Many on the coach were obviously going to have a look around rather than knock back local beer all day, judging by the amount of guidebooks.

A couple of years ago after finishing working at a conference in Lisbon, the crew flew home, I had decided to work my way back to Cumbria by train. Amsterdam at least, due to unplanned schedules my car was parked at Liverpool.

First stop had been Porto, for a day or so of Port, Bacallau and buildings. I had a few places to share with my son.

We had been dropped off south of the Douro River, presenting a superb view of Ribeira, a Unesco World Heritage Site.

Crossing the narrow, double-decker bridge, Ponte de Dom Luis I, first stop was the vernacular tram to the higher part of town. The town is built on the steep edges of the river valley.

First stop Café Majestic, possibly the most historic and famous in town. Writers, artist and philosophers’ would gather here to exchange ideas, or maybe just drink.

Beautiful inside and should be included on any visit.

Stroll along the shopping street of Rua Santa Catarina. Quick visit to introduce Jackson to the joys of FNAC. Remember I live in Cumbria.

Onto Praca De Liberade, last time I was here an enormous scaffold Christmas tree was being dismantled, I had seen it a few years earlier in Lisbon. Scaffold Christmas tree does not sound much, but it is, I understand the only one larger is in Rio.

Lunch was to bacalhau, dried codfish, a staple part of the diet around here. If you buy it wash it many times otherwise the saltiness is unbearable.

This was to be in a working mans café, totally local, far to much fish, a little to much local wine, topped of with a glass of Port.

My jacket still carries the cooking smells of that café.

What match have we come to see, oh yeah?

Afternoons wandering around strange places, winter sun on your face, good lunch inside your belt, a feeling that cant be beat. Even more enjoyable sharing the experience with one of your kids. Who still talk to you.

Many alleyways, steps, monuments, photo opportunities, parks and sights.

Time to return to the mission’s objective, we were here to enjoy a football match.

A European night. With any luck a number of superlatives could be inserted at the start of the sentence.

Arsenal fans, guidebooks packed away. Gathered around the squares of Riberia, south side of the river.

A couple of beers in the sun, joined by locals, a few songs the atmosphere was carnival like. Anticipation was high for a favourable result.

Blackburn away on December afternoon, this was not.

5.30 was the time to arrive back at the coaches. Last alcohol swallowed at 5.00.

Bit of rain on the way back to coaches, the authorities must have been clouding bursting or just very good.

Police escort to the ground, past heavily protected and armed police. Experience the delight of the Porto club shop; take part in some stage games, provided by the sponsor. It was agreed I would let Jackson win, as it was I won a prize for just having the right credit card. Happy daze.

Queuing at the bar for another beer, it became clear there was no alcohol involved in this brewing process. Perfect planning on behalf of FIFA, mines a coke then.

Lovely new stadium, big crowd, flags and fireworks, poor refereeing decisions.

Need less to say the Arsenal lost, much has been written about the free kick that allowed this. But we do have the away goal, plus the game at the Emirates, to rectify everything.

Kept behind in the stadium for a while after the game, coaches, and police escorts to airport. Exciting but very subdued, not a song to be heard, just mutterings and moans.

What I love about football is that you just can’t make this stuff up, and write about it.

Once again a smooth operation at both airports Porto and Gatwick, taxi waiting, finally falling into bed 23 hours after getting out of it.

I first saw Arsenal as a 12 year old in 1970, even with the disappointment of the result; this was possibly one of my greatest days out.

Thanks must go to all involved in organising this trip at both ends, but big thanks to Arsenal Travel.

Let get through to the next leg, then I’m booking again. No doubt Jackson and I will be doing this for years, one day he might be able to treat me.

Its taken a while to finish this, I have created a number of walking tours event companies in the last couple of weeks. Please feel free to contact me if you might be interested in these.

Pants in Porto

To find out more about Head To Foot click here

Listen to free audio samples click here

Budapest where even the best laid plans can go wrong

2010-02-10T18:40:00.000Z

Adventures on Budapest transport system.

Days often begin with high expectations, excitement and the best laid plans for the next adventure. Then it all seems to go AWOL without any effort from yourself.

Today that happened to me in Budapest. I had a plan, I knew how to get there with a tourist bus, expensive but did include entrance.

My planned destination, Statue Park, some 10 km outside the city.

This was my forth or possibly fifth visit to Budapest, on those occasions if I had time between work commitments I also aimed to visit the park.

Today I had a day to spare. The tourist bus leaves at 11.00 and 15.00 from Deak ter. My helpful hotel receptionist wrote out in neatest upper case English, all I needed to know

Take the number 7 in direction of Etele Ter, a terminus then look for a yellow bus going to Erdor, these place names of course did not look like this in Hungarian. Tickets for the city buses, purchase from a news kiosk.

Tickets for the local bus had to be purchased at the terminus.

Tickets bought, stop found, letting a couple of number 7’s pass with out the final destination I had been given on their boards. Time to ask, a couple of blank looks followed.

Missed the 11.00 tourist bus by now.

Clutching my 300ft ticket I boarded the number 7. Forty minutes later still clutching my ticket, having no idea who to show it to.

Built in natural directions were telling me the bus had gone the wrong way, checking the number 7 buses travelling the other direction I still saw none with the destination I had been given.

Finally somewhere out in the parts of Budapest that looked as if they were the locations used for filming Munich, it was filmed here. I left the bus and crossed the street, boarding the next 7 determined to ride to its destination, hey I might have just got on a bus going the wrong direction.

Oh no I hadn’t this bus terminated 45 minutes later, not a yellow bus to be seen.

No worries there is a tourist bus leaving at 15.00, I’ll bite the bullet and get that.

Another bus ride back to town, still with the original ticket crumpling between my fingers, a selection in pristine condition in my wallet.

Wandering backstreets to Deak ter, discovered you could just wander into a shop and show your interest in purchasing automatic weapons and some serious ammunition for said weapon. Along with some good second hand record stores.

There was no tourist bus at 15.00 during the winter, only 11.00, so a big thanks Eyewitness Travel for that hopeless bit of information. The existence of the 15.00 bus managed to keep my hopes up as I traversed the city’s hi-rise hinterlands.

Imagining I would be able to have some kind of serious comment on the psychogeography of Budapest from looking on fascinated by the blocks of flats to my left and right.

The statue park is on my hit list next visit, maybe I will take the tourist bus, or even a taxi.

The park is a final resting place for the socialist statues that adorned squares, parks, street corners, and public buildings and just about everywhere during the Communist rule of Hungary, until 1989.

When the Communist rule ended most countries destroyed the statues. Hungarians with a little business savvy put them all in a park out of town so tourist could pay to get there and pay to get in and look at them. Once there you can spend a lot of money on Communist Years memorabilia. I’m a sucker for this sort of stuff, but do find the passing of large amounts of money for such items has a certain irony.

That of course is if the tourist is smart enough to get himself there.

This tourist will get there next time as he has had a good look at his bus map and found the bus he should have been directed was number 7E.

Again bus number 7E, looking forward to pointing this out to my friendly receptionist in the morning.

I did come across a great relic later in the day, the right hand of King St Stephan, he died in 1038, but his mummified hand is housed in St Stephan’s Basilica.

I love a holy relic.

Tomorrow I return to Endmoor by van, driving back with a friend who has made a delivery here this week.
Keep an eye out for those adventures. Off to find a tv to watch Arsenal now.

Sean

www.headtofoot.eu

ALFIE by Blackeyed Theatre Company

2010-02-07T15:25:00.003Z

Just felt the need to share an experience, an opportunity many can share, experience and enjoy.
Last night Gill and I enjoyed our second visit in the same week to Lancaster Grand Theatre.
Thursday night was spent tittering, chuckling and sniggering in the company of the house wife's favourite homosexual, Julian Clary. On occasions the pair of us did wonder why on earth we found that comment funny, but could not hold back the guilty sniggers. The house was packed full of like minded titterers.

Saturday night was spent in the head of Bill Naughton's chauvinistic Alfie. Performed by the Blackeyed Theatre Company.

Being familiar with the Alfie's of Michal Caine and Jude law, I found myself immersed within minutes in the Alfie of Eddie Elks. Totally believable, intensely watchable, images of Caine and Law blown out my head, Eddie made the role his own. Not only Alfie but every single member of this five piece, multi role playing cast performed out of their skins to entertain a disappointingly sparse audience.

Not once during the interpretation did my mind wander from the story unfolding before me. Gripped by the seat of my pants and chair by five skillful performers.

Gabrielle Meadows, Courtney Spence, Lisa Howard and Ben Harrison along with Elks made up the cast.

This production is touring through to April, get yourself a ticket for yourselves, your teenage kids, tell your friends and strangers in the street. Pack out theatre's and forget cosy nights in front of reality TV.

Alfie comes to our town in March, Kendal Brewery. I will be buying my kids and their friends tickets and witnessing the performance again.

Hats off and thrown in the air to celebrate all those involved.

This week the Head to Foot never ending tour will be heading to Budapest, watch out for next post.

Geneva, Head to Foots quick Top Ten

2010-02-05T19:12:00.000Z

Head to Foots very quick Top Ten to Do in Geneva

Returned this week from a rather busy ten days. Ireland and Geneva, with only ac couple of nights back at Head to Foot Towers in the middle.

The reason for the travelling, I was working for Catalyst Events, a team-building company.

Arriving in Geneva on Sunday, with the job on Monday and a return on Tuesday, I decided to stay an extra day and have a look around Geneva.

For my adventures at the airport see the last blog.

Having Visited Geneva a couple of times previously, only briefly to see the water spout and have lunch in Switzerland.

The Event took place at the Intercontinental Hotel. This stands alone so it can be protected easily from attack. Bill Clinton and Castro both stayed in the hotel at the same time during a conference in town. The hotel Manager made sure they never met in the lift.

My first two nights were spent in the Ramada hotel very close to the airport and very little else. Apart from some kind of faux bikers bar, Le Petit Bison.

No problem though, as a visitor to the town you will get a Geneva Transport Card, which lets you use all public transport for free during your visit. Buses, trams and waterbuses.

For the first two days the town seemed cold very grey, and expensive. Not being a member of the Euro, you need to get heads round a new exchange rate.

Around CH1.60 to the £.

From Tuesday Lunch time I was on my own, making the schoolboy error of wearing a new pair of boots, as yet unworn in.

My first plan is always to take a guided bus tour of a new city. These give me bearings and in most cases, locations I want to visit again, in my sore boots.

Tourist information at the main Post Office pointed me in the direction of a tour.

Operated by Key Tours, leaving from the central bus station. CH45 seemed a bit expensive. A fascinating guide rather than a pair of hissing headphones led the tour.

There was around an hour of wandering on foot around the old town. Why did I wear these boots?

The tour covered the North of Lake Geneva, United Nations Buildings and park and the International area. Heading to the South of the lake, which looks like a fabulous stroll in the summer. Finally off to discover the History of the old town, and Geneva’s importance in the Reformation.

Wednesday saw me wandering on foot, and taking advantage of my free transport card.

Here’s a few snaps of things I found fascinating during my short visit.

I do have a slightly off kilter way of looking at places.

Jet d'Eau photo taken from the water bus, this is two things to do. 7 tons of water in the air at one time.

Not my best photo, the United Nations Building and Gardens. You will need a passport to enter.

Keith Haring masonry in the old town

The world longest wooden bench

Saint Peter's Cathedral and the Chapel of Maccabees. Take a look around the ancient remains beneath the cathedral, CH5 with audio guide.

Chair outside United Nations, to remind us of the horrors of land mines.

From this point Calvin would preach to the men of Geneva each day at 6.00 am. They would then have to take his words back to their families and pass them on.

The Russian Church, built by white Russians before the revolution.

My find of the day Janus a two headed turtle. Yes folks its alive and 13 years old. Janus lives in the entrance to the Natural History Museum.
He was not looking at me when I was there, but I can assure you he is living. Got to be honest I think its a tortoise.

Public Museums are free to enter in Geneva.

Once I had come across the old town impressions of the town improved a bit.

I stayed close to the centre at Le Capitole Hotel, nice but a bit over my budget.
Best meal was in La Bagatelle on Boulevard James-Fazy 20. 1204 Geneva. Opposite the church.
Not top of the pile but suited my budget, surroundings perfect for dining on your own, space to spread out a newspaper.

Great second hand vinyl store on same street as La Bagatelle, just after bridge heading toward Airport. Lost name but will find it. Lost a couple of hours in there.

Geneva, cold, sunny, grey, bright, old, sort of modern, maybe I needed more time there. Dont think there will be an audio guide following this trip.

Sentences you don’t want to hear when going through security at an airport.

2010-02-05T10:29:00.000Z

“Hello sir, I’m from Special Branch, could you step into this room.”

Last Sunday morning this was the sentence spoken to me. Once my laptop, phone, wallet, change, newspaper and book had gone through the scanner at Liverpool airport.

The guard asked to swab my laptop, no problem there, while this was going on something else in my plastic tray had caused concern.

The item of interest was swiftly removed. I was approached, asked for my boarding card. This was placed in the item and taken to another desk, behind high screens in the corner of the room.

Laptop returned I approached the screened desks to get the item of concern returned.

“ Not at the moment sir, we need someone senior to take a look at it”

I waited, colleagues waving as they made their way for coffee and the departure lounge.

After a few minutes a light grey suited man approached me. He then uttered the sentence that puts the fear of God into any overweight, grey haired, middle-aged broad-minded British European with a clear conscious.

“ Hello sir, I’m from Special Branch, could you step into this room”

I was taken into a classic interview room. Three chairs, table, and to my eye nothing else.

Passport taken, the item of concern was placed in front of me on the table.

The man from Special Branch left with my passport. Five minutes or so later another head popped round the door.

“ He wont be long sir, sit tight.”

Making a dash for the plane and freedom really had not crossed my mind. Anyway I had no passport.

Ten minutes can take a hell of long time to pass. Endeavouring to give an appearance of no concern to the hidden cameras that my imagination had found in every bare corner of the room.

I read the same sentence on the sports page over and over again.

Special Branch returned.

“ You can go now, sir”

Item of interest returned.

I left the room to rejoin my colleagues.

Head spinning with what ifs. What have they done, have they bugged my house, hacked my computer. Do they know I once read a copy of The School Kids Oz in the playground at school? I like the Alabama 3, never wear a tie and dream of living off the grid.

Realising these were pointless concerns as the strangeness of the situation washed over me.

Ladies and Gentleman the item of such interest was the book I was reading.

A book picked up from a market stall in Milnthorpe for £2.50. Written in 1974, by a pair of Swedish writers Majsjowall and Per Wahloo. Set in Sweden, the main character was a police officer, the last in a series of 10.

The authors used their books to highlight social issues in Sweden at the time.

Me I had seen Wallender on the TV and the book caught my eye.

Yes the title of the book is The Terrorists. There is a picture of a comedy bomb on the cover.

I can only imagine that it was this image that the x-ray machine picked up, alerting Special Branch.

I must raise my hat in respect to security at Liverpool for such alertness; our flying experiences will surely be much safer in future.

On the other hand, a book is a book, a flick through the pages should reveal if the middle has been cut out. Or was it that maybe the title gave the impression I was reading a terrorist manual. Or was it thought to be subversive and content inappropriate for these times.

The book is now finished, and thoroughly enjoyed and will get a high recommendation from me.

I can assure you it remained well tucked into my luggage for the return Journey.

Come to think of it there is a car I don’t recognise been parked outside our house for a couple of days, with a shadowy figure in the passenger seat.

Are they watching me now?

item of interest

Head to Foots Top Ten for Maastricht

2010-01-12T17:34:00.001Z

Head to Foot Top Ten Maastricht

Maastricht got into my system sometime around the end of 2006.

Work took me there, I had to create a teambuilding challenge around the city for a Dutch based company, who make sat nav systems. The brief was to get them out of the meeting room and spend some time having a look at Maastricht.

Yes that was work; create team games for the corporate world. Sixteen years on the road, more miles travelled in a year than most mange in a lifetime. Extreme luxury hotels, tedious conference venues, small hotels, bed and breakfasts sometimes the back of a van.

Maastricht was the city, which I needed to revisit I was lucky enough for the client ask for the challenge again. Managing another couple of visits. Since then there have been many returns. I read somewhere that once you visit Maastricht you keep going back until you end up there. Hope this is true.

The purpose of the visits was to create an audio walk for the town. This was for a project of my own, Head to Foot Audio Tours. Many streets wandered, corners turned, doorways peered through. Many hours spent researching buildings, history, customs and culture plus days pouring over Dutch dictionaries preparing phonetic pronunciations for the actor who was to record the walk. This love and passion led to the The Maastricht Tour.

The tour is around 80 minutes of audio. Recorded in tracks can be paused or played again, giving the listener the opportunity to spend as much time on the wander as they wish. Half a day, full day, two days. Listen before you leave, plan your stroll.

The cost of the walk is £6.00. Maps can be downloaded free.

Since Maastricht I have created two walks for Antwerp and one for Bruges. Ready to record is a script for a London walk.

LISTEN TO A SAMPLE TRACK OF THE MAASTRICHT WALK.

Here is a very personal top ten must see sites in Maastricht. Once you reach a certain age top ten lists are one of those things that can change day by day. This list could be completely different in a few months. I would like to think if you only have a few hours in the town and don't fancy the download, this top ten will give you a start point.

Enjoy.

St ServaasBasiliek

Yes another church in my top tens. Once again for me, a jaw dropper. Pay a few Euros to enter, the riches in the treasury are the greatest I have witnessed. Follow the footsteps of millions on pilgrims to the crypt of Saint Servaas, entombed in 384.

Follow the tiled maze in the royal entrance. Sense the power and mysticisms of medieval Catholicism in the Low Countries.

Take a drink on Vrijthof

There are around 400 bars in Maastricht, to many for one man. I always pop into In Den Ouden Vogelstruys. The Old Ostrich for a couple of beers in an atmospheric setting.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek

Sorry another church, not sorry, another fabulous building. Must stem from an almost religious free up bringing. The stone at the base is from Roman times. Lighting a candle with the locals at the shrine to the Virgin of the Sea, is something I cannot resist. Quite a shrine.

Bisschopsmolen

One of the few remaining working watermills in town. Pop in for a coffee and a slice of Vlai, an open topped pie, guess that’s a tart then. Speciality of the region. Ask for it as if saying fly with a V. Delicious.

Wandering the remains of the City Wall

Many parts of the old wall are still accessible; the best bits are looking across the river to Wyck. Or next to the Jeker, heading towards the university. See if you can spot the lady with a giraffe. Mind the steps at Helport.

Kruisheren Hotel (Another church)

Having spent 16 years travelling the world working, staying in hotels this is the most eye-catching of them all. Built inside a church designed by dynamic imaginations. Great bar and good Vlai. A monument used is a monument saved. Outstanding

Selexyz Dominicanen Bookshop

Oh a church! This time it’s a bookshop. Its 800 years old. Staggeringly impressive as is the stock, tremendous English section, add to this a first class coffee shop. I want to live in Maastricht.

Strolling across St Servaas Bridge

This stroll makes me feel so European. Astride the Maas, a crossing point for centuries, part of the Roman Road leading to the coast and then Britain. Even better if a loaded barge is ploughing up stream.

Raw herring in the Market

I’ve never had a bad meal in Maastricht, so many great restaurants to chose. I am inexplicably drawn to the stalls in the market, close to the happy housewife. I have an urge, a desire for a fix of those raw herrings and onion. If not your taste all sorts of places here for a snack on the move.

The smell of herring does linger on the finger beware.

Wandelen/ Walking

This is a first rate city to just wander around, the old city on the west of the might Maas River teems with alleyways to explore, ancient walls, roman sites, sculptures dotted around. Quality bars, restaurants and independent shops full of those lovely items that you never seem to find at home. Cross the bridge and enter Wyck, a little more business like. Take the path beside the river heading for a building that looks like a hand grenade, The Bonnenfantenmuseum. Here find a unique collection of classical and modern art. Wandering and being curious will lead to all sorts of imaginative architecture. Maastricht is a place to wander at leisure

This is just a taster of what you will find on the audio walk

Click here for the Head to Foot Gallery

www.headtofoot.eu

walk the talk

Coming soon Berlin, Lisbon, Ghent, Vienna,Valencia, Bhutan, Katmandu and Kendal Top Tens.

Head to Foot Top Ten must see in Bruges

2010-01-11T14:10:00.001Z

Head to Foot Top Ten must see in Bruges

Bruges, around 240 km from London, translate that to miles, 150, London to Birmingham. Except that travelling to Birmingham, a fine city, my son is planning to go to university there, will not transport you back to Medevial times.. Economics and nature played a major part in the non development of Bruges. Europe was pushing forward with an industrial revo;ution, Bruges ended up on its knees, struggling to feed itself, until late in the 19th century. These days its a UNISCO Heritage city. It only takes little imagination to see the past as you wander the cobbled streets.
Below are Head to Foots current top ten things to do in Bruges. Once you reach a certain age top ten lists can change at the drop of a hat or a change of wind. Of course there are omission's, taking the canal ride, visiting the Groeninge Museum, Sint Janshospital, numerous lace and chocolate shops, or just buying Belgium comics. Even a beer at The Druids Cellar.
I have written and had recorded by an actor an audio guide of Bruges. This has a running time of 90 minutes. The walk is recorded in chapters and can take you as long as you wish. Its also ideal for listening to on your way to Bruges. The tour can be downloaded from Head to Foot for just £6.00.

Click here to hear a chapter of the Bruges walk.

Click here to have a look at the Head to Foot Gallery

Head to Foot Top Ten must see in Bruges

Heilig Bloed Basiliek . Basilica of the Holy Blood.

Site of one of medieval Europe’s Holiest relics. Blood of Christ in an ancient phial. The silver tabernacle in which the blood is stored is nothing less than magnificent. Ascension Day will see the blood carried through town. This is the Procession of the Holy Blood. Scenes “In Bruges” were filmed at the wonderfully atmospheric Jerusalem Church. Sense and feel the power and mysticism of old time religion.

The Belfort Tower

Puff and pant up 366 steps to the top of the tower, the reward a splendid view of the medieval city. Even more famous since the film, “In Bruges”. If you don’t fancy the steps, take the lift for 2 Euro at the Concert Hall at t’Zand.

The Market.

Best enjoyed on market days. Wednesday. Still a fascinating place to take coffee and watch the world and listen to the carillon bells. No doubt you will spot some unusual tunes. Façade of the Stadhuis. The figures on the front of the town house fascinate every time. Unfortunately, not originals. Look out for a naked Adam and Eve, high up on the left.

Museum underneath the Crown Plaza Hotel.

Here find an exhibition of a previous, enormous cathedral, Saint Donations Cathedral, torn down by the French. Who promptly sold of the masonry. Not always open as it is used for meeting rooms. Ask at reception if it is possible to visit. A meeting might be taking place.

Museum of the Chip .

One of my favorites. Pull away from the medieval for a while and enjoy this fascinating insight into the potato. They have a museum of Chocolate as well. Discover why the “French Fry”. The ticket includes a few cents off the cost of some fries.

Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kerk. The Church of our Lady.

Pretty simple inside as churches in this part of the world go. Backdrop to one of the few Michelangelo statues, not in Italy. Madonna and Child. Now a personal pilgrimage to stare at the sublime marble faces whenever in Bruges.

De Halve Maan Brewery.

Another Head to foot Favorite. For a few Euros take a tour round Bruges last working Brewery. Find out what makes beers darker than others. Stunning display of beer cans from around the world. Oh yes you get a beer included in the entry.

Begijinhof

Where the sisterhood called the Beguines, nuns, but with out conventional vows lived. Beguines could return to the world when they wished. These days a superb spot for a bit of contemplation.

The Krisvest Windmills.

Wander past these windmills on their manmade grassy mounts next to the canal in the East of the town. Pinch yourself you are 240 km from London.

Using the Head to foot audio tour and map in Bruges.

Coming soon Head to Foot Top Ten to see in Maastricht, Berlin, Vienna, Valencia, Ghent, Bhutan, Katmandu, Budapest, Kendal.

Take a look at old posts to find out more about Bruges in Why Bruges.

Head to Foot Top Ten must sees in Antwerp

2010-01-08T11:33:00.008Z

Head to Foots Top Ten Must Do in Antwerp

Over the last few years I have had to visit Antwerp on numerous occasions. My first visit was to create a living game of Monopoly. This was team-building challenge for a company holding a conference in the city.

Antwerp was a glorious surprise. Take a look at the post, Why Antwerp.

Below are my top ten must see or do when in town. They wont be everybody’s choice, but they are mine. Next time I visit they may change, no doubt I will find new places.

There are now two Head to Foot audio tours for Antwerp. Historic and The Meir.

They cost £6.00 each to download, both last over an hour of audio. Created and recorded in a way that allows the listener to take as long as they wish.

Click here to hear a sample track.

Antwerp Central station

Nothing less than cathedral to rail travel. No finer gilt, glass and marble-dripping concourse in Europe to be checking the departure boards. With platforms on three levels. If stations don’t do it for you, this 1905 one could.

Diamond District

Architecturally bland and totally business like. Strolling this area during the week is like wandering through a strong room. This is the diamond-dealing centre of the world. Listen out for ‘mazal’, then a deal is struck. Diamond museum is Koningin Astridplein.

Cathedral of Our Lady

This 123 mt soaring stone spire must have been a massive inspiration to citizens in the past. Towering over town, the perfect point to get your bearings. Take a visit inside; looted by French Revolutionaries, many original pieces are missing. Still some major works by Rubens, which should be viewed.

Grotte Markt

The spiritual heart of the city, sit and have a coffee, you will pay a premium. Admire the town hall, Brabo’s fountain, and the impressive guild houses around this three-sided square.

Hendrik Consienceplein

“The most beautiful square in Antwerp”. Charles Borromeus Church, setting of 39 ceiling paintings by Rubens and his students. On sunny days a violin will often be heard. Fine place to take enjoy lunch.

Sint-Anna Tunnel

A tunnel under the river. This art deco lined tunnel will lead you under the river where a stunning panoramic view of the city greets. Take a bike, using the lift. Feel like a local.

Torengebouw

This was the first skyscraper to be built in Europe. Designed to celebrate the 1930 world exhibition. Sitting at the start of the Meir.

The Meir

“Doing the Meir” is a Saturday morning tradition amongst locals. This is the main street running through the city. Once the homes of the elite stood here, now its major retail outlets. Take a look up wandering along here, some stunning buildings. Pop into Stadsfeestzaal for a magnificent surprise.

Oudevaatplaats

Saturday here is the exotic market, lots of local goodies but also Turkish, Moroccan specialities. Sunday is the bird market, flowers, antiques, jewellery, fabrics and animals. Not every thing bought here can be taken back home.

Hire a bike

Here the pedestrian is king, you can cover miles with a bike. Numerous museums, churches, bars, restaurants and shops can be visited once you have taken the Head to foot audio tours of the town.

Click here to visit the Head to Foot Gallery

Coming soon top tens for Bruges, Maastricht, Vienna, Lisbon, Berlin, Budapest, Valencia, Nice, Bhutan and Kendal

Head to Foot Press Release

2010-01-02T14:16:00.009Z

Walk the talk with these unique,

independent audio travel guides.

Here’s something very different from the world of audio travel tours. Firstly, Head To Foot’s downloadable MP3 files cover some of Europe’s less visited, more quirky, but no less fascinating cities such as Bruges, Antwerp and Maastricht. Secondly, the audio commentary is a completely independent, impartial, personal and therefore genuinely enlightening take on each of these glorious destinations.

Whether you’re taking a relaxing city break or are a business person with a few hours to kill, Head To Foot audio tours can be listened to either before you arrive or in ‘real time’ as you walk the tour with your personal MP3 player.

And at just £6.00 per downloadable audio file, Head To Foot audio tours are considerably cheaper than a printed travel guide.

“It’s like strolling around town in the company of an amiable and wise old friend,” explains Head To Foot founder Sean Eatherden. “And at each and every turn he’ll give you another wonderful, personal insight into these cities.”

Taking in the architectural, cultural and commercial high points of each city the tours are the result of hundreds of hours of meticulous research, numerous visits and local expert input. But most important of all no single tourist attraction, museum, gallery, hotel or restaurant has paid to be mentioned in the professionally produced commentary that has been recorded using a popular voice-over artist.

If you want to get to the beating heart of some of Europe’s most deeply interesting cities then Head To Foot audio guides are an affordable and effective way to do it.

Head To Foot audio tours can be downloaded from www.headtofoot.eu and it’s worth popping back regularly to see the latest new cities to be added to the list.

ends.

January 2010

Bruges Sample Track

Maastricht Sample Track

Antwerp Sample Track

Head to Foot Gallery

Lancaster Slave Trade Trail

2009-11-27T17:36:00.016Z

Morecambe Bay looking to the Lakes, on the way home

November 27th Lancashire Day, I had no idea that there even was such a day till I saw a twitter this morning.
A few clicks and discovered that Lancashire Day commemorates the day in 1295 when Lancashire sent its first representatives to the Parliament of King Edward I to attend what later became known as The Model Parliament.

This day has not been a longstanding celebration, getting created in 1996.

Weather in the North West has been damp and grey. Lancashire Day turned out to be brighter than seen for a while.

Lancaster"s Roman Baths

There was a walk I had seen a flyer for somewhere, Lancaster Slave Trade town Trail. A wander around old Lancaster, taking no more than an hour and a half. Ideal for a Friday in winter.

A copy of the map can be bought for less than a pound at the tourist information centre. The office has recently moved to Meeting House lane, situated in the splendid Friends meeting House, along with a café and exhibition space.

As a Londoner I found the displays about real Lancashire and the upset caused by moved county lines back in the mid 70’s intriguing. Take a look at their website. If you know the area you will be astonished how far Lancashire stretched into the Lake District.

Back to the Slave Trade Trail. The walk has been written by a group of schoolchildren from Dallas Road Community Primary School. The aim of the project is to raise awareness as to the role played by Lancaster before slavery was abolished in 1833.

The trail begins close to Lancaster Castle, now a prison. The least likely prison you could possibly imagine in the 21st century. Homes of prominent slave traders, along with civic buildings are included on the trail. One of the most impressive, the Custom House. Now Lancaster Maritime Museum.

This is beside the River Lune. Here you can take a look at the new flood defenses. Maybe not everyone’s idea of fun, but they sure make you feel safe.

The route heads back into town from here. If you feel a little more adventurous turn away from town along St Georges Quay. New footpaths and cycle ways have created a tremendous circular route for both local and visitor.
Looks to me like a good use of public funds.

Finishing back where you started the walk is pleasant and easy to follow. There are a number of tucked away, interesting looking pubs along the way. Quayside Lancaster City Museum is almost at the end of the walk, worth a look if you have time.

The only disappointment for me was a statue commissioned by Slave Arts Memorial Project, the map says to commemorate Lancaster’s involvement in the slave trade. It really is not an impressive monument, and should be aimed at those poor souls who passed through the city on the slave ships. Lancaster jail

Not on the walk, but sign posted on the route and worth exploration are the Roman Baths. These are on the way down the hill to St Georges Quay. A bit slippery, and not looking as if they have had much council love over the years. The thought of Roman having a bath so far from home in the cold North West I still find strange. They must have been wondering what they were doing here.

If you want to know more about modern slavery and what can be done about it go to www.antislavery.org

2009-11-16T18:53:00.002Z

Head to Foot is currently working on a walk to create an income for a village project in Endmoor. Where its international operation is based.

Money is needed to ensure that a much used village facility is not removed in a moment of bureaucratic madness.

Funds are required for the continued existence of the children’s playground.

Head to Foot have created a village walk, over 10 miles around the village.

It is designed for all ages, and is buggy friendly. There are of course easy routes off the walk if 10 miles is too much in one go.

The walk will be launched with a sponsored walk around it to raise funds for Endmoor Peoples Park Project.

From the Spring copies of the map will be on sale, in the shops, caravan sites, pubs tea shops, garages, fly fishing lakes, maize mazes and bakers which have helped cover the set up costs by sponsoring their inclusion on the map. Yes all these places are close to Endmoor.

The suggested selling price is £2.00, ideally with at least a pound going to the park. Even better would be once the sponsors costs have been covered all goes to the project for years to come.

London, Lancaster and Vienna, three names not often seen together.

2009-11-02T12:59:00.003Z

2009-11-02T12:40:00.003Z

Back on line

After a frustrating three weeks www.headtofoot.eu is back on line.

The mysteries behind its disappearance have stretched between a twitchy trigger figure on a host, and an alien space ship that was preparing a visit to Earth managing to blow up the site whilst downloading a tour of Antwerp.

Whatever the answer. It is more than likely the answer will never be found, with these three weeks in the ether becoming a myth, shrouded period of forgotten days.

The site is looking sharper,and cleaner, I think easier to navigate. The free sample downloads are simple to he ar, just a click and there they are. The gallery is easy to enter. More importantly there are a number of offers on tours. All four, for the price of three. Some useful links have been added to assist with downloads.Nice work Mike.

During the weeks when off line, there has been much work and walking done on the first London Walk. This will be recorded before Christmas. Just how many pieces of glass are there on the clock faces at the Houses of Parliament? Which film had a scene shot in The Methodist Central Hall? What keys are the Bells of Big Ben in?

Watched the Arsenal play sublimely on Wednesday night at the Emirates. Knocking Liverpool out of the Carling Cup then enjoyed the hospitality of the Holloway Boulevard.

Just finished, Paperboy by Christopher Fowler. Growing up in South East London, in the 50’s and 60’s. Also something I found for a pound in a junk shop. The Pass Beyond Kashmir. Berkley Mather. Written in the very early 60”s. I have travelled in the area on a motorbike so found rather fascinating. Turns out the author wrote the screenplay for Dr No at the request of Ian Fleming.

Listened to Drive by Truckers, Ryan Bingham, Gurf Morlixand some Blue Note Trip collections by Maestro. Came across these in Lisbon. Bought Bob Dylan Christmas albu m could be a long Christmas.

Most of the time listening to Robert Elms. Radio London during the day.

Working on London walk and Vienna.

Off to World Travel Market next week.

Love and Cuddles Sean

www.headtofoot.eu

Why Bruges?

2009-10-26T10:35:00.009Z

Why Bruges?

Why Bruges? It’s in Belgium, reached easily on the train from Brussels. If you have bought the right ticket to Brussels you will be able to travel to another city in Belgium.

The other reason is that Head to Foot has two tours around Antwerp. Visiting a new city in a country where I am beginning to feel very much at home seemed like a nice idea.

Also I have never been to Bruges before and I love exploring fresh cities.

My knowledge about the city was limited to details my wife had given me. When six months pregnant with our first child, and

she had walked up a tower that had over 300 steps, to see the view. She was there with her mother who did not walk up.

Gill spoke of boat trips, horse and cart rides narrow streets chocolate shops beer quaint old buildings covered in flowers. Along with a large amount of wandering tourists covering the cobbled streets.

My interest in visiting was sparked by the release of the film In Bruges, which never made it to cinemas in the area where I live.

I managed to get a copy from America before the DVD came out in the UK, before that I read the book, on which the film is based. Written by Martin McDonough.

If you have seen the film you will realise that it has a pretty strong content, whilst the quaint beauty of Bruges makes for an

attractive backdrop to all this violence.

Taste buds were wetted and the passport was once again to get a dusting down, a flight was organised.

Flights are best taken to either Brussels or Antwerp, from here

it will not take long, or cost much on the very efficient train network.

Bruges is served by Ostend-Bruges Airport. Not many flights are dedicated to getting

you to Bruges. Ostend is 25 km from the town.

The only other thing that I knew about Ostend, that Marvin Gaye lived in the coastal resort for a period, during the early 80’s.

I took a flight with my favourite little airline VLM from Manchester to Antw

erp, the time was better for me and the price was a bit cheaper.

For this trip I had a new tool, a fold up Brompton bike that was given to me for a rather significant Birthday. This was unfolded upon arrival and 15 euros were saved as I made my way to the glorious Antwerp Station.

If the truth w

ere known it was travelling from Antwerp Station that was the draw rather than the cost and

times of going to Brussels. I love this station I just want to get on trains from here. Watching th

e hands on the gilded station clock move until it’s the time for me to board.

I bought a si

ngle ticket to Bruges for just under13 Euro. The journey was direct and took 75 minutes.

Here I was In Bruges

Bike unfolde

d then into the town, as on many adventures on my own there is no accommodation booked. Boy there are some cobbles in this town, bigger wheels would have been better. For foot travel a good solid pair of comfy shoes should be taken.

Avoiding the city centre I found a hotel no more than what turned out to 10-minute walk from the centre. The Hotel Gulden Vlies.

The hotel is on Koningin Elisabethlaan at number 80.

As normal I needed a place where breakfast was included, as I have to be set up for a day wandering streets.

This was really friendly hotel and I would recommend it anyone, and have been back a couple of times.

The rest of the day was spent cycling all around town, foll

owing guides, which I had picked up before leaving home, al

ong with a bumper pack of information and maps given to me at the hotel.

At first I found the place a little bit hard to warm to, I’m still not sure why this was. It was far busier than I expected, but after 4.30 it seemed to calm down and the snaking lines of tourists disappeared just as quickly as I saw them arrive the following day.

Most of the crowds are bussed in for the day as part of sightseeing coach trips. Once I had a good look around I soon realised that there is a lot to see in a city that I have heard

described as an open-air museum.

On that first day I got my bearings, found the ancient churches, canals, monuments, alley ways, city gates, fortifications, bridges, bars, chocolate shops, the only things I could not find were any big shopping areas or second hand record shops.

The European Championships were taking place, so finding a place to watch that evening game was my next task.

Before that could happen I needed to return to the hotel and work out my route and locations for the next day, as this would be on foot on those cobbles.

Settling for a small Irish bar, the Druids Cellar, run by a guy called Drew who was from Newcastle not Ireland. This place felt far cosier than, any of the massive Irish bars that seem to be every town across the globe.

Dinner that night was from the chip stand in the market place.

There are two, much discussion goes on as to which is the best, left or right.

Next day was spent on foot, starting in the market square and visiting every site in the guidebooks and tours I had in my man-bag.

There was of course a chance to stop and have a bowl of mussels and a local beer for a late lunch. No trip to Belgium would be complete with out this meal.

Notes were made throughout the day along with taking around 300 pictures, books were bought, and questions asked. Churches were visited, museums wandered around, including another chip museum.

The day had to end once my feet and legs could take no more of those cobbles.

I spent the evening in a different bar on the other side of town, this was full of locals and was the only place I could find screen with the football.

The highlight was a girl who had obviously a problem wit

h a boyfriend, she spent nearly all game screaming into her phone in what I can imagine to be the most colourful language. There was a never-ending line of guys offering the girl sympathy until she started screaming down the phone again.

The following day I was originally going to head off to Ghent, this did not happen as I felt there was a little more to Bruges than I had seen. So Ghent will be visited later.

The next day it poured down, I must have got saturated and d

ried out four times during the day.

First visit was to the De Halve Maan Brewery where last nights beer had originated, Ticket includes another beer, at their very impressive bar. Mind you this was the first time I had ever seen an empty beer can collection, the only thing that let the collection down were the tins that were supermarket own brands.

The weather was still very wet, but in the need of researc

h I got on my bike and travelled outside the city to have a look at the suburbs, these will not be on the walk, but if an opportunity is there to look at a place a little deeper I will take it. There are some huge houses out there I can assure you. You can hire bikes and a cycle to the coast is recommended.

I also followed the walls of the old city, enjoying the imaginative architecture, which sits along side this world Heritage site. It was during this part of the exploration where I came acr

oss those hidden doorways and out of the way locations t

hat I love.

Even though it was June, I felt the need for a hearty Flemish stew in a café to warm me up, as I watched the rainfall straight down for an hour.

Not Haute Cuisine, more home cooking, did the trick though. Even the rain seemed more interesting with a full stomach.

Back on the bike and a circumnavigation of canals. These have led to the city being called the Venice of the North, and Belgium’s Amsterdam.

Many of the locations I came across you will be able to explore and enjoy if you download the walk.

This really is a unique city. Ending up as it has due to its history and the centuries when nothing happened.

By the end of the third day, there were very few parts of t

he city I had not explored, any that I hadn’t would be seen on the bike in the morning before making my way back to Antwerp on the train.

The final night turned out a little more than I had expected. My legs were sore from so much wandering, but I always try to capture every moment whenever I’m in a new city.

Finding myself in hotel room in a strange town is not somewhere I want to be. Out came the bike and back to the Druids Cellar to watch a bit of football with some company, and a couple of Leffes before bed.

It was after 1.00 am when I managed too get my bike through the front door of the hotel.

Turned out there was a one-man music show starting after the football, he was playing guitar, very well, but also was his own rhythm section. It was all done with string and wires.

He did a quick sound check at half time, turned out to a very obscure song by John Hiatt, that I knew, the evening looked interesting.

Even more so when three Belgium’s came down the steps into the cellar, one of them looking like Ian Dury, the other two could have been extra’s from In Bruges. They called for Irish tunes, the musician obliged and these three danced alone to Whiskey in the Jar.

They spent an hour or so haggling over the cost of their drinks, and “getting to know”, everyone in the air, the owner’s mother came in and drinks were bought by one and all for each other.

When the dancing Belgo-Irish trio, left hands were shaken and pleasantries exchanged.

The Ian Dury look alike shook my hand, put his arm around my shoulders, whispering that they were now off to kill a man who had been messing around with his daughter.

What can you say, they were barely able to get up the steps from the cellar, so I felt their victim would be safe. I mentioned this comment to bar owner and he assured me it wa

s how this guy often said good night, as he enjoyed to watch the response. He told me I appeared un-rattled and had done well.

Maybe I’ll try that as I leave a bar in future.

Nearly missed breakfast the following morning.

Final trip before heading for the station a complete ride around the city’s outer ring road, to make sure I had missed nothing.

I don’t think I did.

After my first impressions, I really grew to like this town. This is due to my affair with Antwerp.

The thing that kept going through my mind as I wandered around the city was the fact that in a straight line Bruges is only 236 km from London, that is 146 miles.

That is not a great distance, but one that will take you back in time if you allow your imagination to wander.

I would like to think that after reading this you might want to let Head to Foot take you on a wander through the city and time.

Eyes in the Dark

2009-10-23T09:31:00.002Z

Its Friday so why not share something from my past. I have had a few visits to the Himalayas and India over the years. Back in 97 i took part in a three week trip down the River Karnali in Western Nepal. This is a river which rises in Tibet near the holy mountain of Mount Kailas. this mountain is holy to both Budhists and Hindus. The four sided mountain is known as the navel of the world, from here four major rivers flow. The Karnali, Indus,Sutlej and the Brahmaputra (Tsangpo).

This part of Nepal was known as the wild west, for a time after our visit, trips were not recommended due to the nature of politics in the area.

The full adventure is another story altogether, as are other trips to the region. Including a wedding in Bhutan with our kids who were 8 & 10. Remember there is no place not worth going, only then can you speak with knowledge.

Anyway heres a piece that appeared in White Water Nepal by Peter Knowles. Known by many as Green Slime. It has been edited from my original piece.

Eyes in the Dark

Going to the toilet in the third world, posed no great fear for me in the early winter of ’97, having spent some months in India a few years earlier, or at least this is how I felt until my first evening on the banks of the mighty Kanarli River in the remote hills or Western Nepal.

By the time of my first visit to the camp toilet, darkness had fallen, so a head torch was needed.

The ‘Groove” as it was known to the members of the expedition, seemed far away from the camp, the glow of the campfire resembled nothing more than flicker of a cigarette in the distance. Just me, the jungle and my desire to carry out my ablutions.

Shorts down, squatting comfortably, back straight, straining gently, pondering the moment, then in mid motion, a noise in the bush disturbs my thoughts, my head spins round, the beam from the torch cutting through the darkness in the direction of the sound, no more noise, just a small yellow glow picked out by the light “Oh, a glow worm, how nice”. More rustling, quite a lot of noise for a small insect, now there’s two of them. Insect? I think with apprehension. Bright yellow, elongated diamonds on their sides, as they move out of the light, they disappear to reveal the silhouette of an animal, larger than a cat, much larger than a cat, with pointed sticking up ears.

My bowels open with terror and at the same time I desperately scrabble for a rock that I throw at this beast, just a few feet away. Forget saving wildlife I’m looking after me! Blimey its not moving, it just turns and looks at me again. Id quit and run for my life, but I'm in a right mess still squatting over the groove with mess everywhere. I throw another rock in the beast’s direction, this one seems effective and it slopes off into the jungle, mind you, not in a hurry. But I am, I know the meaning of hurry, clean up and I’m off. I’m amazed how quick, even when the whole body is shaking with fear.

Once back at the camp, I sit with a rum punch to calm the nerves and tell my tale to our guide, who looks really worried and says “Sean, that’s a leopard!” The rest of the group don’t believe me and start ribbing, so we take some powerful flash lights and go to investigate, and there in the sand, 5 yards from where I was squatting are these huge leopard prints in the sand! Its now the rest of the expedition is looking worried and constipated.

Published in the UK by Rivers Publishing and Menasha Ridge Press in the USA

No pictures I'm afraid.

There is a tale about the time four of us motorcycled over the Highest motorable road in the World world.

Just a great find from looking up in Maastricht

2009-10-20T11:28:00.000Z

Why do I love a double post box?

2009-10-20T11:26:00.000Z

Walking the next walk

2009-10-20T11:04:00.005Z

Walking the next Walk

Its been a week now since some idiot managed to delete my website. Not just delete it to a space where it could be pulled back into orbit. No somehow my site has been sent into hyperspace and straight down a black hole. Never to be seen again. However many questions I ask, there is no direct answer. We have the technology but we will have to rebuild it.

So after a year since the first holding page went up, back to the start again with out passing go.

It will be back soon, encouraging travellers to take a wander around a number of cities in the Lowlands.

No point in waiting for things to happen. Head down with a new walk and a personal deadline of getting it finished, recorded and online before Christmas.

London is my home city. Something I am very proud of. When growing up there I dreamt of being somewhere else, now having lived away from it for 18 years I love it even more.

That is not to say that with my fickle disposition I would want to be someplace else if I based there. Just the nature, of the curious.

I had a couple of reasons to be in London. Wandering around the walk I am currently working on seemed sensible.

London looked magnificent as I strolled across the footbridge from Waterloo Station. The Palace of Westminster. My final destination, shimmering in autumn sunlight. the best-known clock face in the world, letting all know how far away 5.o’clock was.

Something is different these days. Sights I had not seen for many years. A man, wearing a snake round his neck, standing on the bridge. Touting for tourists to take a snap with a snake.

A group of rather large men in leather jackets hustling tourists with the old trick of betting under which box out of three an object would appear after some shuffling around.. Coaxed and encouraged from the leather jackets. Twenty-pound notes were changing hands. Hang on to your notes folks and walk past; you will be mugged in non- violent way.

Trafalgar square was my destination. I need to solve a mystery; something my London Research had thrown at me. Questioning something I had always taken for granted.

I have stood in the centre of Spain, and the centre of France. Madrid and Paris where plaques are mounted into the pavement, the point where distances are measured.

Throughout my life, this point in London has always been outside Charing Cross Station, at the currently scaffold covered St Eleanor’s Cross. So I had been led to believe

This is not so.

It is at St Eleanor’s cross, but the original site. On a traffic island south of Trafalgar Square is a bronze statue of a mounted Charles 1^st. His gaze facing Whitehall, it was here outside the banqueting house where he was executed. The statue was cast in 1633. Said to be the oldest bronze statue in Britain, also the first equestrian statue.

After he was beheaded the statue was given to a brazier whose instructions were to melt it down. Rather than carrying out his orders he hid the figure, claiming he had melted it down. Making a large amount of money selling bronze trinkets allegedly made from the statues bronze.

Strangely the statue reappeared in 11675 and was mounted where it now stands.

Mounted into the pavement behind the statue was the answer to the mystery to the lie I had been living out and dining on for many years.

The original cross was here. Until demolished by the Puritan Parliament in 1647.

The replica positioned in front of the station in 1863. Surely not a true replica as it has a truly gothic feels to it.

Mystery solved. Not quite, who was Eleanor and why the cross?

Eleanor was the wife of Edward the First. She died away from London in 1290, in Lincoln. The body needed to be return to London for burial. A journey of 12 days. Each night at the location the cortège stopped a cross was erected.

These were known as the Eleanor Crosses. There were twelve throughout the country. Trafalgar Square, which became a new public space in 1830, was Eleanor’s final resting place before burial at the Place of Westminster.

The story of Eleanor’s Cross

Wandering, around my London Walk proved a thoroughly fulfilling experience. Research had been successful with very few points missed. Curiosity never stops, the day finished with a jaw-dropping discovery plus a great anecdote from an armed policeman guarding the rear of 10 Downing Street.

These I will share to some extent in my next blog, keeping a few back of course for those who download the walk when it goes live.

Signing off now. Heading back to London for a university visit with my son, this afternoon. Still going to take the walking shoes.

Oh and tonight will find us in the Herbert Chapman pub on the Holloway Road watching Arsenal play away in Europe.

Who knows the website my be on again in some form when I get back.

Love and Cuddles Sean

2009-10-14T08:39:00.002Z

Apologies, I'm afraid the Head to Foot site is currently down. Normal service will be resumed as soon possible.

Why Antwerp?

2009-10-08T09:49:00.003Z

WHY ANTWERP?

Antwerp in my imagination was a city full of tattooed sailors, red lights, and brothels full of cartoon style hookers straight out of Belgium adult comic books. Bars full of smoke, dubious schemes, involving contraband goods, along with knife wielding sailor suited men of the sea.

I guess that I have had it in my mind as somewhere I would get a tattoo if I decided to do so, either here or Marseille rather than my local high street shop

One vision I have always carried with me has now been shattered as I write this. I have always had a song in my mind from the singer Michelle Shocked that I heard on her campfire album some time in the 80s. I had a song called Red Lights in Antwerp as my reference point for this city.

Rather than trying to find the original album in a rather embarrassing and sizeable collection, I clicked on I-Tunes and give the tune a quick listen, and hey ho, how dreams are shattered, Michelle was singing about 5am in Amsterdam, in fact the red lights of Antwerp was sung by curly haired middle of the road folk artist Richard Digance, who used to do something on TV once.

To be honest I have seen him perform at a festival somewhere.

SO MUCH FOR MY IMAGES OF THE CITY

These images were those that I carried to the city in the spring of 2007. How wonderfully were they blown straight away and washed out into the North Sea on the tides of the Scheldt.

I was there in my professional role, to create a team building challenge for a small group who were having a meeting in the city.

They were to be spending a couple of days under death by PowerPoint, covering future strategies and where they were to fit into the scheme of things. If, of course they were to fit into the scheme.

Senior managers and trainers attempting to change, or guide the delegates through this process.

Fortunately for me, the brief given was the kind of brief I love. Get the delegates away from the meeting room so they could spend three hours having a look round the city, whilst at the same time getting a feel for the place.

It was to be a competition and a winning team would be found. They would do this by locating as many of the destinations I'd chosen, then take a photograph, which had to meet four criteria.

The delegates were from a Dutch based multinational. Therefore a number of nationalities were involved. The conference language was English.

I had already been involved in creating a number of similar challenges always with the same brief for this company, and many others, across Europe.

In the end I didn't run the challenge on the day. I created the challenge, and produced it.

Someone else ran it on the day.

I was running a similar one in the Dutch town of Maastricht, for a larger group, from the same company.

The delegates in Antwerp had some rain, their numbers dropped to nine and the amount of time they had dropped to around an hour as presentations over ran.

Not much time to have a look at a town, for the delegates.

But for me the two days spent there was enough to make me want to go back and find out more.

Oh and yes the weather was fantastic in Maastricht, for my event.

My next visit to the city was with a different set of objectives and brief. One set by myself, rather than that of a multinational corporation.

Although I could still do so if asked.

Create a three hour walk round the town which can be downloaded and used before a visit to the town or during a walk to highlight the sights, sounds and senses that will greet the listener.

Flying with VLM from Manchester, direct to Antwerp, the flight gets there for 11.00am. There are not many flights to Antwerp. Rail connections are very good from Amsterdam and Brussels.

Every time I have flown with this airline I have found them to be one of the most efficient coming out of Manchester.

Totally business like, they know their role is to get you to your destination. And you know what it's like flying used to be you get something to eat and a drink included in the cost of your ticket.

Later flights need a change at London City airport. There are many daily flights to Antwerp from London.

A train from Brussels will take around an hour, and will be an enlightening joy for those used to trains in the UK. My trains have always left on time.

I have recently flown to Amsterdam and then taken the train direct to Antwerp, this only takes around two hours.

I must point out here that any service that I mention in the guide has no idea that they are there. Of course I would like them to find out of their mention, but they have not paid to be here and I will only recommend services that have carried out their service, in my opinion well.

The airport is not to far away from the city and seems to be in the middle of a housing estate, and a short taxi ride will take you to the centre of town. Otherwise get to your hotel and drop your luggage, before heading off around the town, get your bearings whilst sipping on a small local beer.

There is also a bus that will take you to the city centre. Recently I have been taking a fold up Brompton bicycle as luggage to get around on.

In Britain, Belgium has a reputation for being boring, this I can assure you is a myth spread around more than likely by non visitors to the country.

These are those people who will run off a list of Famous Belgium's, their list will start with possibly a Hollywood based marshal arts exponent and end with a cartoon boy journalist/ detective created in the 30s.Throwing in a cyclist and a plastic punk if they are old enough.

Cast all this right out of your head there is something very pleasant, and civilized about this flat country.

Up to now I have not managed to put my finger on it, although I have visited well over thirty times in the past few years. On occasions, with a nice expense account. Recently with me paying the way. There are some nice campsites.

I am still trying to drive cross-country from Holland to the ferry at Calais. Not managed it yet.

I love the café culture of the place, once the weather is good the tables and chairs come out onto the pavement, coffees, and beers or vividly coulered syrup based soft drinks are ordered. There seems to be never a rush to head off to the next appointment, time is taken to read a paper, jackets hung over the back of the chair. Even the waiters here allow time to stand still till the grouts of your chosen drink have congealed and gone very cold.

The UK now has the coffee shop thing going on, but waiting in line to get your coffee, then the hunt for a seat. Working your way past those already prowling for a seat. Looking for the bottom of the cup to become visible then pouncing and intimidating the seated.

That's another blog.

The appearance of those going about their business has a well pressed casually smart presence. I would love to develop this look, but for some reason this never seems to happen even if I'm clad totally in Belgium couture. My trousers seem to drop out of shape the moment that I pull the belt together.

From a very personal point one of the great joys of Belgium is the way they hold on to their not so distant past, embracing their own modern culture. By this I mean that there are some of the greatest second hand shops I've ever come across.

These are, retro clothes shops, but book, record, cartoon, movies even down to post cards, and of course there is a good number of antique shops.

For the collector of modern culture Belgium is a honey pot. My particular downfall is vinyl, and in this country I can while away hours trawling for odd bits of music. Sometimes its something that will disappear into the shelves at home never to be seen again as its rubbish, other finds will have me spending ages upon my return trying to find out more of what I feel is a potential gem, shame no one else does.

I have discovered that in the 60's, a number of old and historical buildings were ripped down. But lets face it have a look at the most cities in Europe the same thing happened at that time. Look at all those 70's concrete office buildings.

I have returned a number of times in 2008/09 to run or rather walk through the tours. Once with gill my wife and ultimate critic. This was over a couple of glorious spring days, it was her first visit and she bought right into city.

Before going live, I took another visit to meet an old friend who now lives in the city. I took Jan around two walks, the historic one and the Meir.

Although he had been living there for a number of years I managed to expose him too much about the place that he was unaware of. He did need to buy a comfier pair of shoes for the second walk though

He did introduce me to a number of places, history and local anecdotes which are now included in the walks.

This is a large buzzing cosmopolitan city that needs to visited and enjoyed.

It should be able to satisfy every visitor's expectations

Get your shoes on and let's go for a walk.

I can keep going back and find something new.

I will be there again before Christmas.

That is why Antwerp.

So why not take a stroll with Head to Foot.

2009-10-06T12:05:00.002Z

Why Maastricht?

Why was Maastricht be the second city that I have decided to cover in the Head To Foot series?

My first visit to the city was just before Christmas 2007 this was early December and the Christmas spirit was definitely in full swing.

The square Vrijthof, in the centre of town had been turned into a winter wonderland, and market place, complete with ice bar, reindeer, enough outlets for sausage and mulled wine to keep me busy.

With of course the big wheel. Having turned up at short notice in my professional role, to create a team building challenge for a small group of people who were attending a meeting in the city.

They came from a company based in Amsterdam.

I was enchanted the moment I stepped off the train.

As was normal the brief was to get them out into the city, get a taste for it and have some fun in the process. For me the most perfect brief, understanding the need to have some shared experiences and fun for a group of people to bond.

The challenge was to create a photographic tour of this compact city, which could be completed on foot. Delegates would collect points by visiting streets and locations. Once there a Polaroid photo, with four criteria that had to be met at the location, would be taken.

Being Holland there would be beer, cheese and bikes involved. Nothing in the criteria would offend Dutch delegates or their national pride.

I took a flight on a cheap airline to Amsterdam and then a train from the airport to Maastricht, this is the moment when things about Holland began to impress.

It all works, something in the region of 40 Euro return for nearly five hours of train travel, involving a number a changes at towns whose names I’d only seen on TV during European football fixtures.

No missed connections, when advised that the train would be the best way to get there I had visions of Derby station at 10.30pm on a rainy, damp night whilst fellow travellers played some strange mating ritual dance oblivious to those around them. If not that then, delays seemed guaranteed, as al those who take the West Cost line north will acknowledge.

Arriving at the expected 23.00, and with no hotel booking, when travelling on my own and with a bit of a budget I never like to book advance, and to be honest it’s like some kind of personal challenge.

Hotel hunting, seeking out a hotel, creeping stealthily up to the reception, seeing if they will accept me, whatever piece of plastic I'm armed with.

The way I see it is if it’s a lousy hotel there will always be another the next day that might be better.

Most of the time its good fun, let me down once when travelling from central London to a festival near Southwold, Suffolk.

Dressed in a suit and driving a nice car, I must have visited 25 hotels till I ended up in Lowestoft, checking in at 3.15am, having to pay for a breakfast, knowing that I would never make it.

Leaving the Station at Maastricht it was only a short walk till I found a hotel that would take me, hey the first one. Hotel Beaumont.

The next morning, I had gone for a walk around midnight after checking in just to get my bearings for the next day. Beginning my exploration of the town.

First thing get a map and find the tourist office, along with any information that might be written in English, from then on you are on your own. Armed with camera, notebook, solid shoes and imagination. I was due out on the train that afternoon around 15.30, so no opportunity to sit back and enjoy the scenery. Covering all the locations in maps and information pamphlets picked up in the tourist information. Across the river and to the Wyck area, trying a raw herring in the market, managing to get a couple of local CDs and a quick lunch in a trendy theatre bar.

Here I was questioned as to whether or not I was English.

Always a result, in my head.

By the time I sat on the double- decked train (upstairs of course). I had been bitten by Maastricht and looking forward to my return visit in 10 days, the week before Christmas. This time it would have to be for a couple of nights as the event I was putting together had a time table which gave no option.

I was back before to long, the event was a complete success, one of the delegates was from the city and complemented as to how I’d gotten under the skin and pointed her towards parts of her home city she had forgotten about. I had only been there 16 hours.

I have been fortunate as in May 2007 the same client decided to do the same challenge for a larger group.

I was on a site visit in Antwerp and added extra time to take the train to Maastricht returning on the same day. This is quite an adventure as you end up on a very small train that seems to only be used for crossing the Belgium-Dutch border, here passports and ID’s are inspected on board.

Seeing the city in spring the day after the Queens Day was uplifting. Expectations I had begun to develop about the city were compounded and doubled.

The event ran for forty delegates headed by a very cynical marketing director. It became obvious during my introduction to the event was not keen on this kind on team building. However un-intimidating.

By the time it came to giving out prizes, local gin and spirits. He was wrapping his arms around me as if he had known me for years, trying to pour another Amstel beer down my throat.

Of course the whole day had been his idea in the first place.

I have since found a comment on a web site claiming “ once you have visited Maastricht you will keep wanting to come back till you end up there”.

Well its happening, I’ve been back again found out more about the city, experienced Queens day and May 1^st. Walked, watched, listened, danced, drunk, eaten and found much more out about the place and its easy going inhabitants and their enviable lifestyle.

I have returned a number of times now, on my own distributing Head to Foot flyers in hotels. Taking the web designer, who is now ready to move there. In the summer 09 I took my daughter on a tour of all the cities in the Head to Portfolio. Visiting the point where the three countries meet.

Forget John Major and drab visions of treaty signing. This is a town that knows how to let go and have a party.

Get there and fall in love with it.

That is why Maastricht.

2009-10-05T17:14:00.000Z

Who is Head to Foot?

2009-10-05T14:50:00.004Z

WHO IS HEAD TO FOOT?

Head to Foot is the dream of Sean Eatherden.

Who?

Sean Turned 50 in 2008. This is when he decided to get on with the launch of a project, which had been kicking around in his head for a number of years.

Born in Woolwich, South East London in 1958, and that is where he stayed attending schools in Eltham, where he lived and New Cross for secondary school, achieving not much other than managing to get there most days, there were many days when he stayed on the bus till London Bridge. Wandering the city till it was time to go home.

This led to pretty unimpressive academic achievements. He had become very curious about the world.

The highlight of his education was staying on to repeat what was then O-Levels after gaining nothing on his first attempt.

Even to this day he has no idea as to what the second attempt resulted in as giving the school a stamped addressed envelope so results could be returned. After being at school for so long, he questioned why? Surely the school will send them on, the test proved negative as results, pass or fail, never arrived.

Becoming involved with the schools young explorers club, who in 1975 were organizing a trip to Canada, the top of the Hudson Bay in Northern Quebec.

The trip lasted six weeks, it was an expedition rather than a trip, leaning how to inject morphine, fire a gun, recognise a timber wolf, and speaking basic Inuit.

It was life changing. Realising there was a world way beyond South East-London. The imagination was kick-started. Well started, but the fuel was not there, a hitchhiking trip to Biarritz, and trips to England’s mountains for some climbing

Working at a no future job, or least a future, which wasn’t looking bright and exciting.

The job was in the west end, at the time every thing was grey, damp or on strike. Barely noticing this as he was soaking up London, it was bands, pubs and more bands.

Seeing more bands than he could possibly remember, there were mornings when he could not remember the band seen the night before.

At first it was the pub rock scene, hippies with a country twang, then the alcohol-fuelled power of Dr Feelgood and R’n B. Then punk witnessing the Sex Pistols supporting Joe Strummers 101er’s at the Nashville.

Hair cut off and more nights were spent waking at the end of the line out of Charing Cross station

In 1978 was time for a change, not only in employment but also in scenery. Midsummer’s night 1978 found him on the night train to Glasgow then onto Inverness, Lairg and then a post bus, half bus half post van, to the tiny village of Durness, next to Cape Wrath, on the North East coast of Scotland. Next pub North, Iceland.

Learning to fish, for lobster and crabs, lay a fishing line across a beach, pick raspberries, recognise wild cat tracks, creep up on deer, hide from shooting party’s in remote private glens, catch salmon and get them on the fire within moments, and look after himself for weeks on end in the mountains.

These days’ people do this on gap years to the other side of the globe, times were different then.

Coming back to London as winter sets without a job is never great. Various manual jobs followed, but before long he was off to Germany to catch up with some girls met in the summer.It was even colder there.

Back seeing bands with money earned working for a builder, enjoying London again, but the feet were itchy again and fresh faces needed to be seen. He didn’t need his own spot at any bar for the rest of his life.

It was during this period he met the girl who he would eventually marry. Still married.

May 1979 saw Mrs Thatcher become Prime Minister, Madness were breaking, and a six week contract for an English activity holiday company, based in the South of France.

There was no way he was coming back after six weeks, he was off to find Bridget Bardot.

The role which was cleaning toilets and emptying bins, changed before long. It was 18 months before leaving this company. Canoeing down the Ardeche Gorge one of Europe’s most stunning locations followed.

The summer came to an end, three guys were asked to stay on and do maintenance on the sites. That time with the builder was not wasted.

A cook was needed, calls went out and the girl meet at a party, and had caught up with on a week visit back to England, made her way out.

Gill was 17 although she lied about her age to get the job, travelled from London via numerous trains to arrive early on a late September morning at Monteliemar station.

Monteliermar being the home of nugget the Beatles name check.

They got married in June 1982, a few months after finally returning from France. To this day they still have no idea why they didn’t go back. They don’t regret it, but just wonder what if.

They moved locations from inland to work on a site near the town of Sete.

Gill was site secretary working at her desk in the sun in her bikini.

Sean was honing the skills that would pay bills in the future, talking, running games and windsurfing.

Grape picking at the end of the season saw them blow everything over a week in Paris, most of it on clothes and fun.

The following summer found them once again in the South of France working as couriers on coaches taking trips from a site near Hyeres to Monte Carlo, St Tropez and sites along the Cote D’Azur.

Gill had managed to learn to drive in the winter; Sean just about managed to sign on.

A car had been bought for £100, two weeks after passing her test Gill 19 drove an oil leaking, smoking monster, it was a Hillman Hunter.

After 12000 miles it was left with some gypsies and never returned to England.

Sean proved to be a reasonable navigator. Being a non-driver it was always a scenic route. It was only when he learnt to drive that the scenic routes stopped and direct prevailed.

Lot’s of windsurfing took place, giving lessons on the beach in free time, and the all important, in those days, tans were burnt into the skin.

The season ended with more grape picking back at the previous site Pinet. Home to the Picpoul de Pinet.

A couple of months in Germany on the way home, ending up with a stall in the flea market in Stuttgart, selling toys they had made.

Qualifying as one of the United Kingdoms first windsurfing instructors, using all those hours on the beaches to good use, in April 1982.

The next ten summers were spent running, teaching and being a journeyman wind surfer, developing a good profile in the industry.

This of course involved a fair amount of travel, culminating in a winter in India, traveling across the sub continent.

This came around as an instructor had come over from Goa, to gain teaching practice before opening a school in his hometown.

Flights to Bombay, the instructor had told them that getting to Goa from Bombay was just like going to Leeds from London on the bus.

19 hours later and two bruised coxics later, they knew never to believe him again.

This was the start of numerous trips to India, which would follow, in later years.

Continuing with the windsurfing, growing his hair and operating from a brick like Motorola phone till October 1992.

Oddly enough October 92 saw the birth of the first child. A son.

This tied in nicely with a change of life, a move to the Cumbria and a full time job

Sean was approached by a fledgling team building company based in Cumbria. There were six people involved with Sean being the sixth.

This was to be the start of a sixteen-year roller coaster ride. Designing, creating and delivering team-building challenges for the corporate market across not only Britain but also the globe.

Describing his occupation as running games for grown ups, which were un-intimidating, and the delegates would never get their feet wet, and nor would he.

There is barely a conference venue in the UK that has not visited, nor a metre of the M6 that he is not familiar with.

For the first three years it was possible to keep a record in his head as to how many countries he had visited and how many nights abroad had taken place, 51 trips is when he lost count.

Visits to Kathmandu, New York, and Rio were highlights. The Rio trip was for 29 hours tour managing a group of Samba drummers to perform in front of conference delegates.

There were numerous calls to create photographic challenges, around cities.

The brief on nearly all occasions was to get the delegates out of the meeting room and away from death by PowerPoint. Make sure those taking part in the activity would get a taste for the city and country they were visiting and have some fun.

To ensure the objectives would be met, a visit each city in advance was arranged. Spending a couple of nights there, tramping the streets for those unusual locations.

By the time it came to introduce the event the largest being just under 500 delegates working in 50 teams.

A comprehensive knowledge of many cities was gathered. Allowing to introduce the city with a passion.

Joint Managing Directorship beckoned, the trips to write continued, the company grew into a global organisation with operators in 15 countries across the world.

During these years the family traveled, driving across Europe for month long trips. Southern Spain, Numerous trips to the spiritual home of the Ardeche in France, Croatia, taking his 71 year old mother on a 9 country tour of Europe in the process. Where the family enjoy being taken for Dutch.

1993 a daughter arrived

The words of Paul Theroux “ there is no place not worth going”. Have always been a mantra followed.

There have been several visits to Nepal , first through work we he wrote a team challenge based around the city. The sight of 200 local people in Durbar square pointing to an imaginary UFO has always stuck with him.

In 2002 the family went to Bhutan to attend a wedding, via Kathmandu which at the time was involved in a General strike, lots of barbed wire guns and a couple of kids.

A week crossing Bhutan to get to the wedding and back, kids sitting in the cockpit as they flew over Everest. The trip finished in southern Nepal on elephant safari

Unfortunately the marriage never worked out, and the overdraft is almost paid off.

The kids reminisce about the trip only when a campfire is lit or when meeting others who have experienced such things.

2002 also saw Sean take a show to the Edinburgh Festival, an audience participation show, based around the Carnival in Rio. Sean was David Dove the sambatastic lord of love.

The show received two reviews that were found, 3stars and 4 stars. The show was called Sambadroma. He wont is doing it again as on occasions the family made up 50% of the audience.

One last big trip before it became obvious that a new kitchen could be put off any longer. This was a motorcycle trip across the Himalayas taking in the highest moterable road in the world. The trip was from Manali Northern India to Leh, allegedly the home of the highest fuel station in the world.

The highest road heads off to Tibet, its 18500 feet at its highest. Heres a tip don’t take your I-pod to such a height as they are partial to splitting open at altitude.

Somewhere along the way the idea of downloadable city walks implanted itself in his head embedding deeply and not going away.

Having written games for numerous cities and it felt like the time was right for a new adventure.

Oh one more thing, he is obsessed with second hand vinyl and new pressings. Really its not just vinyl its any kind of music there is, his collection is vast and there is not a city visited where at least an hour has been spent enquiring about local music.

This has of course led to a few, well more than a few buys that have only seen a CD player once. But of course it ahs led to wonderful surprises and magnificent conversation piece when in foreign parts

November 2007 saw Sean ask the board for a two-month sabbatical, beginning in Mid January.

During this period he was going to explore the possibilities of developing the then unnamed project. He also had another project a record label Sicknomore Music. Releasing limited edition 7” singles by local artists, and promoting the occasional gig. There was a single released in August 2008 by Kendal based bane Seven Seals.

The Sabbatical began as he left a grand hotel in Lisbon, the rest of the crew were flying home, he was off to the Station.

Taking the train to Porto spending some time there taking port and eating in working mans bars.

Back to Lisbon then train to Amsterdam, as he needed to fly to Liverpool as the car was there.

Night train to Madrid, bus tour a coupler of galleries nice meal then back on the train hotel to Paris, nice bottle of wine in the dining car and the best sleep for year. Pressure and stress, almost forgotten.

Rush Hour in Paris and a walk across the city to Gare de Nord, stepping with a fresh spring in his step. Some lunch a look round shops, then a train to Amsterdam.

Pouring rain greeted his evening arrival, a chap but nice hotel close to the station was found. Two days walking the city jumping on and off canal buses. Flea markets, chips, beer, stodgy food, avoiding places frequented by tourists in tracksuits and some amazing second hand bookshops.

Then home.

By the end of the week Sean and Gill were off to visit New York, where they went uptown, downtown and fell down. Only four days.

Within a week all the family off to Egypt, relaxing in the winter sun, Father and son windsurfed, so did Sean for the first time in years. The picture of him in the wet suit still embarrassing him each time he reaches for the fridge door.

During this period he decided to go for it and leave the business he had for so long been involved in.

Straight off to Antwerp to complete the first two tours.

Why Antwerp? It’s a wonderful European city with a great feel. Get yourselves there. Why not down load a walk and get acquainted with the place.

A few days later, Sean was off to Nice, a city visited many times; catch up with an old friend, of 30 years, to discuss his plans.

Once home he told the board it was time to move on after 16 years, to concentrate on From Head to Foot.

The reason for this introduction is to give you an idea as to why you should trust Sean and the walks he will be putting together.

There are years of experience you can take advantage of not only as an independent traveller, but also more importantly as a creator of city challenges in and across the corporate world. Where the details have to be exact.

The point where he felt that this knowledge and skill should be taken of advantage was when he was introduced as an expert on cities by the host to an audience from 30 countries as they were about to hit the streets of spring time Vienna.

On another occasion it was a resident of Maastricht speaking to him after an afternoon in her own city, telling him that he had got right under the skin of Maastricht.

He had only spent one night there and six hours to research it before heading back to the station.

So take a trip with Head to Foot