Mary Miers

Cobblers Cove, Barbados: A paradise of palms and pastels, with sparkling beaches and British interiors

Mary Miers visited a beautiful Caribbean oasis, designed by a theatre designer and Lulu Lytle of Soane Britain.

Bruges, Belgium: The city of arts and crafts, a cultural hub for the last 700 years

Mary Miers visited all the artisanal wonders Bruges has to offer, from Flemish Masters to chocolate-makers.

Hacienda La Caravedo, Peru: The oldest working distillery in the Americas, talented horses and a lasting memory of peace

Mary Miers visited the lesser-known side of Peru for a lesson in relaxation. She found nature reserves, geoglyphs and a jolly good pisco sour.

The book that combats disposable culture with tips and tricks for the perfect restoration

Mary Miers applauds an evocative portrait of a group of London Georgian houses cherished back to life.

When small is beautiful: 10 types of cottage you’ll find in Britain

Dream cottages come in many forms, from the half-timbered to the stone-built. Mary Miers casts her eye across the country and looks at the full panoply of rustic beauty they have to offer.

In Focus: The wild visions of Scotland which made it 'a playground for the rich' as the native Gaels faced typhoid, famine and eviction

HOME, Leeds: A restaurant with authenticity, passion and homespun touches — and how to make one of their finest dishes

Mary Miers visited HOME, a Leeds restaurant with authenticity, passion and homespun touches — and also found out how to make one of their finest dishes.

A unique tour of Bolivia, from cathedrals and markets to the world’s first salt hotel

It's often overlooked, but the South American country of Bolivia holds all manner of wonders for the discerning traveller, as Mary Miers discovered.

In Focus: The vast trove of watercolours documenting the world as it looked before photography

The explosion in watercolour painting in the 18th century came not from artists' studios but rather from the unbeatable practicality of this medium prior to the birth of portable cameras. Mary Miers explains how these pictures are now being put to use once more.

The stained-glass maker: 'It's powerful, volatile... too overwhelming for domestic settings'

Thomas Denny is one of the few people left in Britain making stained glass for churches. He spoke to Mary Miers.

The wool-spinner still using an 1899 loom and a method handed down for 230 years

Toby Tottle embraces the traditional process of textile production in Mainland Britain's only surviving district woollen mill.

Curious Questions: How do the genuine experts go about tasting whisky?

Developing a true appreciation of whisky is both a serious art and a delightful science – but how do the experts go about it? We spoke to Charles MacLean, the world's foremost whisky expert, to get his tips.

The Royal Academy at 250: 'It's like a wonderful Bentley that you discover unused in a barn'

The artist and President of the Royal Academy on its 250th anniversary year.

The Glassblower: 'When something goes wrong you can't fix it – you just sling in into the bosh bucket and start again'

Ian Shearman's team of glassblowers are still making glass using a technique that's 2,000 years old. Mary Miers found out how it's done.

Tweed is good. Tweed works – even in the era of GoreTex

Tweeds are woven into the very warp and weft of the Scottish landscape, as Mary Miers discovered during a visit to a tweed house that’s been making this versatile fabric for 160 years. Photographs by Roddy Mackay.

Torosay Castle: The Hebridean shooting lodge that stayed in one family for 150 years

Mary Miers tells the story of a Victorian shooting lodge owned by the same family for 147 years – with photographs by Simon Jauncey taken by Country Life shortly before the house and its contents were sold.

Two middle-aged ladies, one beautiful Fiat, and a magical week in Umbria

Mary Miers teamed up with an old friend as she visited one of Italy's most enchanting regions.

Extreme eating: remote restaurants worth the journey

Whether reached by foot, ferry or clever map-reading, they’re all well worth the trek.

Exhibition: The Fabric of India

Mary Miers is enthralled by the dazzling highlight of the V&A's India Festival.

Norman Ackroyd at Eames Fine Art Gallery, London

Norman Ackroyd is never happier than when sketching remote islands in stormy weather. Mary Miers joins him.