The road to romance

Our honeymoon special prompted plenty of fond recollections. Plus: a warm welcome in Spain

on her arm who stood by us in the churchyard – but, as we momentarily looked away, she disappeared.

We have lived in Scotland for more than 40 years so will not be going back to the Isle of Wight for our golden wedding.

Instead we have selected a small bed and breakfast in Yorkshire to do some walking: this time I think we will take the car. JEAN AND TONY COOK

On track for conjugal bliss

Forty years ago, my husband and I set off on honeymoon in Italy. We had a hotel booked for the first night in Rome but when we turned up they denied any knowledge of the booking and we ended up in a pensione near the station.

This unexpected setback set the tone for a fortnight’s nomadic bliss as we used our runabout railway tickets to explore the length and breadth of the country, heeding recommendations from fellow passengers and discovering some lovely places to stay.

When we enjoyed what a place had to offer, we stayed longer; when we found it too crowded or expensive, we caught the next train out. Pensione Bartolini in Florence, the inspiration for EM Forster’s Room with a View, was a highlight. The succeeding years have been every bit as adventurous – and we still love trains. DIANA JONES

The rail thing

“I intend to be married by the time I’m 30,” said my friend Grahame, to which I replied that he would marry when he found the right woman, regardless of his age. My closest confidante, my dearest friend, but that was it, I was newly engaged to someone else, Grahame was working in Oman.

Fast-forward three years, a change of heart, (another) proposal, a wedding at home in Yorkshire, then a honeymoon with a man I had never been on holiday with, never lived

Cornish coves

We married in 1957 and, after a small reception, set off for St Ives in a 1932-reg two-seater MG soft-top.

In those days, one did not splash money on huge receptions. We were only interested in being together, on our own and exploring quiet Cornish coves. AUDREY FREEMAN with, loved but wasn’t quite in love with…

We started in style, overnight at The Ritz in London. Next day we boarded the Venice Simplon-Orient Express. Returning from dinner we found our cabin had been transformed intobunk beds. The only washing facilities were a tiny basin in a cupboard, so I had to wash in a confined space with a man I didn’t really know.

Venice was magical, then we caught a train to Munich. We sat in a compartment for six, my new husband conversing with a fellow passenger.

Driving in Spain

We suspect Rod Danes (Travel views, May 6) was affected by the blast of political hot air around Brexit and Gibraltar down the road from Marbella. We are just home after three weeks and 1,800 miles in our GB-reg car from Santander via Salamanca to Extremadura and back via That’s when I fell in love with him – a feeling that lasted until his passing last year, 32 years on.

We drove around the Bavarian Alps, Wagner blasting from the cassette player as we visited three of Ludwig’s fantastic castles. Such happy times, and the start of a lifetime of travelling and exploring places together.

And where were we on Grahame’s 30th birthday? On our honeymoon of course, drinking champagne in Paris – that man always did what he said he would! FELICITY HEY WINS A £250 RAILBOOKERS VOUCHER Avila and Leon. Unlike Mr Danes, on this trip we again enjoyed the friendliness of the Spanish, the excellent standard of good-value small hotels and restaurants and terrific birding experiences – majestic imperial eagles in Monfrague, all the European herons at Almoraz and flocks of great bustards in the Tierra de Campos. RICHARD AND JULIE BIRCH