One of the less charming aspects of living in a rural area is the lack of public transport. Even the simplest task—like collecting my motorbike from the garage—can turn into a logistical headache when you can’t just hop on a bus. Rather than inconvenience friends for a lift (and assuming they’d all be busy on a weekday anyway), I decided to make a trip of it and walk to Banbury. Using the OS Maps app, I plotted a route that favoured country footpaths over roads—partly for the scenery, partly for the challenge.

What an event! I had been looking forward to the wedding of my half‑brother, Ian, and his fiancée, Alex, for months. From the moment they announced their plans, it was clear this wasn’t going to be an ordinary celebration. They had envisioned something spectacular, something memorable, something uniquely them — and it absolutely lived up to every expectation. The legal ceremony took place a week earlier at a small registry office in Manchester, where they live.