by Karen Warren | Last updated Jun 1, 2018 | Cyprus
One of the things that surprised me about Cyprus was how ancient and multi-layered its history was. The island was occupied not just by the Romans, but by the Greeks and the Egyptians as well, to say nothing of the waves of invaders who followed them. And I was...
by Karen Warren | Last updated Jun 1, 2018 | Ireland
Ireland may be modern and vibrant, with a lively social scene, but it is also an ancient country. The first people arrived almost 10,000 years ago, travelling by boat from the continent of Europe. They soon began to leave their mark and today you will find evidence of...
by Karen Warren | Last updated Dec 18, 2017 | United Kingdom
I went to the Isle of Man in search of Viking rune stones. I’d seen runes in Sweden last year, and wanted to explore them further. But it wasn’t long before I realised that the story was much more complicated than I thought. The Manx runes were part of a much bigger...
by Karen Warren | Last updated Mar 16, 2019 | United Kingdom
I visited lots of medieval castles on my recent trip to Wales. However, the one that I enjoyed the most was Pembroke Castle. It has an enviable waterside location, and is designed to appeal to both families and history-lovers. And, although the history of Pembroke...
by Karen Warren | Last updated Aug 12, 2018 | United Kingdom
The Norman castles and fortifications of North Wales are one of the area’s major tourist attractions. And rightly so: the buildings are majestic and offer spectacular views of the Welsh countryside. But why were all these fortifications necessary in the first place?...
