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Set in the heart of the Kent countryside, Denton is a village not far off the A2, between Canterbury and Dover, and the Jackdaw is is a great place for a family meal or a quiet pint.
I went there recently for a birthday celebration and we were allocated the Spitfire Room, which as the name suggests, is dedicated to the famous WWII aircraft and those who flew them. The Jackdaw was used in the 1969 film 'The Battle of Britain’ including a scene featuring Christopher Plummer and Susannah York.

The Food
One word to describe it - excellent! There is a good range of dishes to choose from, the roasts being particularly good value (£8.95) with generous portions so leave room for the fantastic home made puds. Children are offered half adult dishes. The service was attentive and nothing was too much trouble.

The beer
Again a good choice and with Shepherd Neame the brewer, only one pint to have - Spitfire of course!

Beer’s good and so is the food. OK, it’s attractive to (American) tourists but that doesn’t detract from the ambience and you can normally find somewhere in the labyrinth of connecting rooms to hide away. Not a bad place to go for a pint after work.

Many people who have experienced a visit to the death camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau recommend that it is something you shoud do if you get the chance. I didn’t think I would ever go back after a trip in 1991 but last year I returned during a short break in Poland.

It is without doubt a deeply moving experience and there is much to see and absorb so it is not recommended for younger children (U14). The scale of the horror is unimaginable. Much of the site is devoted to a museum and the displays are informative but chilling all the same, especially the countless photographs of inmates.

The exhibit which really got to me, with a young child of my own, was the display of children’s shoes and toys.

Fabulous service, great food and wide choice of in flight entertainment. Ground staff and cabin crew very efficient, courteous and helpful in both London and Dubai.

I’ve travelled through the airport to and from Schipol several time in recent months. If you have only hand luggage, check in online and print out your boarding pass, which means you can walk through to the plane in minutes. I left the office in Central London at 2.30, caught the DLR and was at the gate in 45 mins for the flight at 4.00. Much less stressful than Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted.

First of all this aquarium is 20 minutes’ drive from Glasgow but the system did not recognise the local town of Balloch!

The idea is the same at any of the Sea Life Centres you can visit in the UK. You go on an underwater journey through tunnels where sometimes you feel as though you are the exhibits and the fish are the visitors (especially when you come face to face with the sharks).

There is a knowledge trail for kids to follow to identify the numerous species of fish and other animals. The main attraction for me were the otters and we were fortunate to be there for feeding time.

There is a special new feature shown at the in house cinema about Predators which leads you through an account of the lethal hunters of the sea.

Also of interest is the seahorse breeding and conservation centre which tells you all about this fascinating creature.

Your hand is stamped on entry so you can leave, have lunch and go back for another look later.

Set in the Kent countryside near Folkestone in Kent, Port Lympne is the sister park to Howletts and run in exactly the same way with conservation in mind and return of animals to the wild. Where Howletts is largely flat, this park is undulating to say the least, and pushing a pram can be hard work up and down the hills. The Gorilla enclosure is a lot of fun. Take a picnic and avoid the cost of lunch in the cafe. Look out for discounted deals for enrty tickets.