A little context

My WHY…

Because women deserve to believe that life can get bigger, not smaller, as they get older.

I’m interested in what happens when we get curious, try something new, look after ourselves, admit we’re struggling, change our minds and realise we’re not finished yet.

This is my story of strength, weakness, reality and utopia, four sides of a life still being written.

Why I exercise and what I really want from a fitness instructor

Featured story

Why I exercise (and what I really want from a fitness instructor)

A personal take on fitness, confidence, ageing and why I keep showing up at the gym, even when my body has other ideas.

Family adventures & travel

Places we’ve been, things we’ve tried

Family escapes, hotels, adventures and the places that give us something to talk about when we get home.

Crete, Greece


Celebrating 50 in Crete

Nine days at the Mitsis Royal Mare, with family beach days, moussaka, cats and a little midlife indulgence.


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Strathyre, Scotland


A family escape to the woods

A log cabin, Loch Lubnaig, canoeing, cycling, Persian barbecue and an unreasonable number of wasps.


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Rhodes, Greece


Atrium Prestige, Rhodes

A family stay in Rhodes, looking beyond the glossy photographs to see what a hotel actually feels like with a child.


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Yorkshire


A gourmet getaway

Can a boutique hotel deliver grown-up luxury when you have a small child in tow? The Burgoyne makes a convincing case.


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For travel PRs & tourism teams

Planning your next travel campaign?

I’m interested in thoughtful family travel, hotels, destinations and experiences that give readers something worth talking about.


More from Saffron & Cyrus


A few more things I’ve been writing about lately.

Great North Elmer Parade Newcastle: a fun family day out …

As a new mum over 40, I’ve learnt the importance of keeping moving, not just for me, but for little legs Cyrus too. So when this year’s St Oswald’s Hospice…

Jurassic mini golf in Morpeth: fun family day out for …

I never thought I’d be wielding a mini putter in my mid-40s with my son, but here I am. This week, we ditched the usual weekend routine and headed to…

How I found happiness in grief, words, and throwing punches

Grief does not arrive with a timetable. Mine arrived the day before I was due to start a new job, when my mum died at 65. I did what I suspect many women do. I carried on. I went back to work, answered emails and tried to be useful, while quietly falling apart. It took me rather longer than I care to admit to realise that keeping busy is not the same thing as coping.

Handbag essentials for the working mum of a toddler

Handbag essentials tend to change when you have a toddler in tow.

A toddler’s guide to going wild in the countryside

Find out why our family loves the great outdoors with our toddler’s guide to going wild.

Mummy guilt, it comes with the day job

Mummy guilt, it really does come with the day job.

Mummy guilt, it really does come with the day job.

Rainy day in Newcastle? Discover the museum that turns learning …

There’s nothing like an unexpected downpour to ruin a family day out during Bank Holiday weekend. Luckily, there is still plenty to do in Newcastle when it rains.