The top four places to visit for a weekend break in Great Britain

It's only this last year that I've really come to appreciate what is on my doorstep. For years I had dismissed Great Britain in favour of far away lands. I'm hoping to explore more too with Glasgow and Cardiff on the agenda for next year. While we don't have the weather we most certainly have the beauty. Here are my top four places I've visited in Great Britain - I think you should visit them too!

Oxford
I was whisked away to Oxford for a birthday treat last year and it fast became one of my favourite UK city. Even on a cold February day it was beautiful. I loved wandering around the colleges from Harry Potter, eating afternoon tea at a grand hotel, climbing to the top of a church tower and wandering around the independent shops. There's so much to take in and see, whether you fancy a weekend away with the girls or a romantic few days with a partner. We stayed at the Malmasion which I highly recommend!

Plymouth
Plymouth is my first venture into Devon and now I'm desperate to visit more. It's not the prettiest of cities but it offers the calming sea, good food and a whole lot of history. Plus a gin distillery! It's a fantastic base to explore more of that world thanks to being only an hour boat journey from Cornwall. It's a place I can definitely see myself seeing more of.

Bristol
If you love food, you'll love Bristol! Go on a wander down to the harbour, take a self-guided Banksy tour, mooch over to Clifton, enjoy the brunch scene and wander through the town centre. It has such a cool, fun vibe and is quite a young city thanks to the university. It's also a cracking night out if you fancy packing your dancing shoes!

The Highlands
The Highlands had been on my bucket list for a long time so when a friend moved there, I quickly organised a visit. Well quickly might be a lie - it took me two years! It is honestly one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. I really couldn't believe this was on my doorstep. To get the best out of Scotland, you really should hire a car and drive around all the little towns and villages. We saw castles, seals, lochs, waterfalls and lighthouses. I never knew I loved the outdoors so much!

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Restaurant review: Cooper & Wolfe, Clapton, north London

Clapton isn't a place I'd visited before and nor was it really on my radar but Hannah suggested we make the trek for her birthday to try a Scandi inspired cafe. Keen to relive my Copenhagen memories, I couldn't be happier to try it. Based a fair walk from Lower Clapton station, Cooper and Wolfe is located on Chatsworth road - a hustling main road connecting Hommerton and Lower Clapton.

The rustic cafe was full of yummy mummies and a warm, cosy atmosphere. It was welcoming and felt like the type of place where you could mill away for hours over cake and coffee. Which is exactly what we did! Having skipped breakfast I decided to opt for the traditional Swedish meatballs with creamy mash potato, topped with a creamy gravy sauce, pickled cucumber and fresh lingonberry jam. It was delicious. The tender meatballs were a generous size and the lump-free mash melted in my mouth. The perfect rainy day treat! No lunchtime outing is complete without a sweet treat though. After lots of deliberation, I decided to end the meal with a slice of the chocolate guinness cake topped with cream cheese icing. It was very rich but just the ticket.

Cooper and Wolfe was a delightful find. The staff were great, portions fantastic and the food delicious. We didn't feel rushed in the slightest making it a fab place to hang out for the afternoon for an almighty catch up. I paid around £12 for a drink, meatballs and slab of cake which I didn't think was too bad for an area that is fast becoming hipster central. Definitely somewhere to keep an eye out for if you ever find yourself in Clapton!

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My top 5 favourite places to eat in London

Dishoom
Having tried both their brunch and their main dinner menu, Dishoom is up there as one of my favourite places to eat in London. The varied menu is exciting and pushes the boundaries of what we expect to have from an Indian restaurant in the UK. The sharing menu encourages everyone to dig in and try a little bit of everything. The service is always great and the food never disappoints. There's a branch in quite a few areas of London with my favourite one being the Kings Cross restaurant. Personal favourite dishes include the black dal, bacon naan, okra fries and gunpowder potatoes. It's so easy to over order which is part of the fun!

Honest Burger
I've tried a hell of a lot of burger joints in London but I still keep coming back to Honest. Brixton has to be my favourite branch but I'll go anywhere. Still need to try their brunch though! The burgers are juicy and flavoursome paired with the most addictive rosemary fries. It's such good value for money and you never have a dud. Definitely the first place I recommend in the city if anyone needs to have a burger fix.

Shackfuyu
If I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life it would have to be those Korean fried chicken wings above. I just can't get enough of that spicy sauce. I would go time and time again just for those. It's not the cheapest of places to eat but they do a cracking brunch deal that is a great introduction to the menu. And it's unlimited Prosecco. Need I say more?

Duck & Waffle
For our anniversary we headed up to the top of the Heron tower to have an unforgettable brunch. Sadly it was raining but that didn't take away from the incredible views of the city from the 40th floor. Open 24/7, we decided to opt for brunch. I had the signature duck and waffle and it was a dream to eat! It's definitely not a cheap eats option but somewhere I think everyone should visit at least once.

The Barbary
A recent find, this Covent Garden gem is the sister restaurant of the Palamor. Inspired by the north African coast, it's an electric mix of small sharing plates. The signature dish of Pata Negra Neck (pork neck) came drizzled with honey and a sprinkling of sea salt. So tender and juicy - a real star of the meal. It's set around an open kitchen so the atmosphere is great - a great place for a lazy lunch.

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