Correspondent

Savour the real taste of France

FRANCE is one of those destinations that draws you back time after time - there is always something new to discover - from glorious scenery to cultural treasures or regional cuisine.

In a league of her own

What has 103 teams, over 1,000 women participants and is approaching its 40th birthday? Gina Macgregor, MBE, knows the answer. It is the netball league she started in May 1971.

Swifty on and off track

Having done many of the nice low-incline bike rides in the Slough and Windsor area, Mike Swift, Berkshire Media Group's chief photographer, decided it was time to re-start his regular 'Mike on a Bike' feature in the Reading Chronicle and Bracknell News. In retrospect, an un-researched route and a January morning did not make the ideal opener to a new cycle of cycling articles, but resilient Swifty, in his inimitable fashion, came out smiling. Just.

A room with a view

I've always felt the need to holiday abroad to be able to switch off completely, but have recently discovered I don't need to leave British soil to find the perfect getaway.

Learning the ropes

THERE is nothing like the thrill of reaching 40ft off the ground and then looking down. While there is no chance of falling from the dizzy heights of a climbing wall once the top has been reached - thanks to safety ropes - it is a kick to know that you managed to scale what initially seemed like a difficult challenge. And now climbers in Berkshire have a state-of-the-art climbing centre to practise their skills right on their doorstep in Reading.

Seat of justice or a more contemporary convenience?

It is probably London's most unusual upmarket hotel. On Great Marlborough Street, close to Carnaby Street, the Courthouse has a rich history, and the Grade II listed building, in its original capacity as magistrate's court, has seen many colourful characters pass through its portals. John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Marianne Faithful and Keith Richards have all had reason to appear at the Great Marlborough Street Magistrate's court in the 1960s and 70s, as did author and playwright, Oscar Wilde in 1895.

Neo miss or fisher queen?

Like most people in a demanding job, a 10 hour day is not unusual and 'me time' is spent checking my to-do list - so escaping the confines of our office in west Reading and arriving in Theale for my first fly-fishing lesson, I immediately felt relaxed and the weight of hundreds of emails, phone calls and deadlines evaporated as I stepped into the tranquil grounds of Sportfish.

Fifteenth revisited

We call him the Twig and he's the golf equivalent of the Stig. On a mission to visit every golf course in Berkshire, and neighbouring counties, his first stop is Reading Golf Club where the going gets tough and the rewards are bliss

Princely courses with aristocratic links

Standing on a links course with the wind blowing you off your feet and the whipping rain chilling you to the bone is golfing heaven…to a deranged masochist.

Crane sailing

Take a large aluminium alloy tube, add a couple of engines and a good supply of highly inflammable kerosine, cram the void with as many seats, with people strapped into them, as is physically possible, and let it hurl through the air at around 500 miles per hour. This is what we, in the 20th century, consider to be flying.

Mission accomplished

Closeted away in a Maiden's Green garage workshop, off and on, for the last two years, Oliver Bettison and his son Alexander, emerged in the early summer, triumphant, with a pristine Mark II Dellow. It was a labour of love and a fabulous achievement.

Mission accomplished

Closeted away in a Maiden's Green garage workshop, off and on, for the last two years, Oliver Bettison and his son Alexander, emerged in the early summer, triumphant, with a pristine Mark II Dellow. It was a labour of love and a fabulous achievement.

On and off track

My dad, John Swift, is a member of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust and I asked him how far it was to ride the canal towpath from Newbury to Reading. About 10 miles or so, he said. It was 22 miles and having not ridden any serious distance for six months, after doing the ride I was walking like John Wayne for a couple of days.

Can't stop the dance

Waiting in the Penta Hotel in Reading's Oxford Road for Ian Waite, I had no idea what to expect. Part of me was expecting the 6ft 5in diva from my Saturday night television screen, covered in fake tan, glitter and that blue outfit from series two, but when Ian arrives - he is down to earth, charismatic and truly charming.

Royal retail success story

SITUATED IN the winding rural roads of Old Windsor and with the castle in the distance, the Royal Farm Shop is the only one in the country to be situated within a Royal Estate. The setting is both picturesque and regal. Driving through the prominent gates, with the undulating hills in the background, some of the shop's produce is sourced from the Windsor Estate. By Tessa Watkins

Downton Abbey effect is a Highclere winner

AS MILLIONS await the second series of Downton Abbey later this year, one family is enjoying front row viewing. The cast and crew of the phenomenally popular ITV drama series have returned to Highclere Castle and will be filming there, on and off, until May. Unlike many of Britain's manor houses, which provide stunning backdrops to countless TV programmes and films, the 19th century castle, on the Berkshire Hampshire border, is first and foremost, a family home.

You have reached your destination

A Pristine state-of-the-art clinic has the ability to instill a feelgood factor in its clients - and keep them returning for more. The bright white reception area of Destination Skin is reminiscent of a Hollywood-style cosmetic surgery and the clean-cut and minimalistic design is perfectly complemented by the innovative machines used for treatments. The clinic is the 11th of it's kind, with other branches based in House of Fraser stores in Cardiff, Birmingham and Guildford.

Fashion design on the move

CARS AND fashion have a natural affinity, and nowhere is this more evident than in a design project which has seen the pairing of Bentley Motors and the Royal College or Art (RCA).

Creative Instincs

In general, a career starts when education finishes, yet there are exceptions - among them teenage entrepreneurs - but with lifelong learning more prevalent, the patterns and rules of study and work are changing.

Driving safely by the book

A POOR understanding of The Highway Code is compromising road safety, a new survey has revealed.