A few days away exploring Middle England was a welcome relief from muggy London. And so much more pleasant than sitting in an airport lounge.

In Yorkshire we stayed in Sheriff Hutton, twice mentioned in the Domesday Book, now with a decent cricket club, a privately owned 12th century castle and other ancient monuments, and easy access across the North Yorkshire Moors and thence to Whitby Abbey, noted for Dracula and Goth parties, and to quaint places like Crayke.

Moving a few miles west to Harrogate we found the stunning RHS Garden at Harlow Carr, a Theakston Brewery at Masham and the Oldest Sweet Shop in the world at Pateley Bridge.

Onwards to Oswestry – with fine dining at Pant-yr-Ochain (the Hollow of Lamentation), where we learnt about Chirk Aqueduct and Castle, which required a brief foray into Wales. Chirk is a 13th century fortress, until recently a private residence, but now owned by the National Trust and the home of five Mortlake Tapestries.

Finally we spent a couple of nights in Lichfield to explore granny’s birthplace, in a local farming area owned by seven generations of famers.

Returning to city life we stayed in Lichfield, famous for having the only three spired cathedral in Britain. It was the scene of battles in the English Civil War. The main spire was bombed by the Parliamentarians but quickly rebuilt by Charles II.

Who needs the beach?

Perhaps most remarkable in a city of 35,000 is Lichfield Live. It manages to produce an informative, apolitical, fortnightly newspaper of 32 pages with no more than three given over to advertising. Something that Richmond with six times the population does not have.