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Britain’s No.1 fortnightly
yours.co.uk
ISSUE 326
latest advice
The superfood
health
hero
Prevent diabetes
Lower cholesterol
DOWNTON SECRETS
Behind the
scenes at
Highclere
Castle
Meat-free feasts
Cut cancer risk
New tour
LULU
‘The family
have moved in
and I love it!
home & away
june 18-
july 1, 2019
£1.59
tasty new
veggie
recipes
PLUS: Teetotal
summer tipples
◗ Discover the best
UK waterfalls
◗ Explore Milan’s
hidden magic
Summer
party
looks
Head to
toe outfits
from £37!

Welcome... Win £100!
Find Sammy Squirrel…
For how to join the search see page 115
I’ve found the secret to getting my husband
to help in the garden. He’s not terribly
interested in flowers and frippery but, as
a keen cook, he is quite enthusiastic about
growing our own herbs and vegetables. In
fact, he was so taken with the idea of being
able to pop out the back door and grab
fresh produce to cook, that last
weekend he helped me build a
tiny raised bed planted up with
onions and carrots,
along with some pots for peas and beans.
Here’s hoping the weather is kind and
we get to eat the fruits of our labours before
the slugs! After reading the feature Why
fibre is your friend (p40), I’m even more
acutely aware of how important fruit and
veg is for our health. If you’re inspired to
eat more greens we also have some great
veggie recipes to tempt you on page 69 – we
promise you won’t miss the meat!
Write to
Yours magazine, Media House,
Peterborough Business Park,
Peterborough PE2 6EA
Get Yours
£1
for just
cover PIC: Grant Sainsbury/Contour by Getty Images
Get in
touch
…only when
you subscribe
See page 62
See you next issue…
Email
yours@
bauermedia.
co.uk
I could make a
feature of a plain
brick wall with
these felt planters
from Wilko. Easy
to put up, each
pocket takes one
9cm plant.
£6 for two
Wilko.com
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Yoursmagazine
This raised
planter would
be ideal for
growing cut-andcome-again
salad
leaves... out of
reach of the slugs
perhaps?
£79
Dunelm.com
Sharon Reid, Editor
editor’s choice
Let’s get some more growing space
Join us online…
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This three-tier
planter is a great
choice for growing
those sweet little
tomatoes suitable
for hanging
baskets.
£59
thefarthing.co.uk
0344 567 2400
Yours magazine ISSN 770957 985248 (USPS 8720) is published fortnightly by Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, PE2 6EA, United
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Inside this issue…
Real life
18 Cover Downton secrets
22 ‘I’ll always be a mum
of three’
24 ‘I became a celebrant!’
27 How to get a
quieter life...
Star chat
12 Cover Lulu
14 Life Lessons with
Joanna Trollope
16 Lesley Nichol: Mrs
Patmore turns posh!
28 Casualty star
Cathy Shipton
128 Our pick of the best TV!
Your best life now!
32 Cover Party looks
37 Hair and make-up tips
40 Cover Why fibre
is your friend
32
43 Breast checks
45 Improve your health now!
47 ‘Horse treatment
helped heal me’
Good to know
49 Cover Get confidence!
61 How to help your
grandchildren get on
the property ladder
Nostalgia
87 Where are they now?
89 Beatles special
93 Teens on holiday!
49
Leisure time
69 Cover Go meat-free!
73 Cover Teetotal
summer tipples
74 Coastal delights
79 Knit a book cover
101 Days out diary
102 Cover Visit Welsh
waterfall country
104
104 Cover Explore Milan
Your favourites
8 Meeting Place WIN
84 Short story: Part 2! a luxury
95 Roy Hudd
stay
97 Friends of Yours p119
108 Carers in touch
115 Puzzles to test you &
prizes to win
122 Cover FREE: send
for our pretty scarf
130 Horoscopes and
what’s in our next issue
28

talking point
As the world gets increasingly
noisier, we take a look at some of
the ways to escape the din and
find some much-needed peace
How to
get a
quieter
life
By Katharine Wootton
From the roar of traffic
to the constant hum of
machines, the racket of
toilet hand-dryers to the
‘muzak’ piped out in cafés
and restaurants, there’s no denying
that life is getting noisier. Not only is
this constant hubbub a little annoying,
recent research has shown this regular
exposure to loud sounds could impact
on our health, contributing to hearing
loss, high blood pressure and longterm
illness as noise triggers the stress
hormone cortisol in our bodies.
But, the good news is that recently
there’s been a counter movement to
this increasing noise as more people
have come up with clever solutions
to allow all of us to enjoy a quieter
life. We explore just some of these
different schemes…
Bring hush to
your home
Here are a few
of the quietest
household gadgets
on offer as voted
for by consumer
expert Which?
The ‘quiet’ hour
Shops, including Morrisons and the
national toy store The Entertainer, have
introduced a ‘quiet hour’ where for an
hour each week – usually on a Saturday
morning – the music is switched off,
there are no Tannoy
announcements and
check-out beeps are
turned down. Mainly
aimed at people with
autism, it provides
a calmer shopping
environment.
Morrisons’ quiet hour
runs on Saturdays from 9am to 10am,
The Entertainer store also runs one on
Saturdays for the first hour of opening.
But it’s not just shops… The taxi
firm, Uber, earlier this year launched
the option of a ‘Quiet Mode’ for
passengers who prefer their journey in
silence without music or chat.
n AEG X Silence VX8-2-BM-P vacuum – emits less than
60 decibels on carpets, which is much quieter than many vacs.
Available from AO.com. Rrp £249
n Asda George Home 900W blender – make a quick smoothie
without the normal headache. Rrp £45
n Hoover HBWM814TAHC washing machine – has a washing
sound level under 50 dB, which is considered very quiet for a
washing machine. Available from Currys, rrp £360
Did you know?
Northumberland recently
topped a survey of the
quietest counties in England
due to its quieter roads,
smaller population and
ample remote retreats
Peaceful gardens
Quiet Gardens is a scheme that
provides access to outdoor spaces
for prayer, reflection and rest. There
are roughly 200 gardens in the UK in
a variety of settings, such as private
homes, churches,
schools and hospitals.
The idea is to create
opportunities for
people to experience
silence, restfulness
and tranquillity. They
open on select days or
by appointment.
n To find your nearest garden call
01494 578909 or visit quietgarden.org
Campaign for calm
The Noise Abatement Society (NAS)
campaigns against unnecessary
noise. Some of its latest projects
include getting lorries to make
night-time deliveries quieter and
encouraging the Government to take
up new technology for emergency
service vehicles that uses directional
white noise so that only those who
need to hear the sirens are alerted to
the approaching vehicle.
n If you’d like to find out more,
call 01273 823850 or visit
noiseabatementsociety.com
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
27
pic: jumpfoto

As Highclere Castle, the real-life
Downton Abbey, opens to the public
for the summer, the Lady of the
house chats to Yours about living
on a film set – and the magic of this
beautiful country estate
By Katharine Wootton
From the elegant saloon
to the morning room
that bursts with sunlight,
everywhere I walk in
Highclere Castle I keep
expecting to run into Lady Mary
or catch a glimpse of the Dowager
Countess making a cutting remark
to some unsuspecting butler.
For this is the place that for six
series was the magical Downton
Abbey. It’s not surprising, then, that
its rooms feel soothingly familiar
as the place we loved to settle into
every Sunday night to immerse
ourselves in the lives of the fictional
Crawley family.
Today, four years after the last
series ended, you can still feel
Downton’s presence here, not least
because the cast have not long
finished making the long-awaited
Downton film at Highclere, due for
release on September 13.
But this place is not just a film set
or an austere stately house. It is also
the much-loved home of the 8th Earl
Lady Carnarvon looks out from the
first floor balcony often featured in
the Downton television series
At home in
Downton
18
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

eal life
and Lady Carnarvon, whose family
have been in residence since 1679.
With around 275 rooms and an
estate of 5,000 acres, Lady Carnarvon,
who mucks in with everything from
doing the accounts and writing
guidebooks to helping deliver lambs
on their working farm, says it’s both a
huge privilege and a big responsibility
looking after Highclere.
“There are never-ending jobs
to do,” she laughs. “But what I love
most about this place is the stories of
people that it has to tell. About the
generations that have lived, worked,
loved and laughed here.”
After all, Lady Carnarvon joins
a long line of hands-on, hard-working
Highclere countesses, such as Lady
Almina who transformed the castle
into a hospital during the First World
War and Lady Catherine who saved
the castle from being sold as a result
of financial ruin in the Twenties.
Over the centuries, the house
has seen so much, but nothing has
thrust it into the spotlight quite like
Downton Abbey – which made the
castle an international screen star.
It all began as a result of Lady and
the Earl of Carnarvon’s longstanding
friendship with writer Julian
Fellowes, who they regularly invite
to stay for weekends.
As Lady Carnarvon puts it, “We
won Downton Abbey through good
food, good wine and good company.”
Since then, every year between
2010 and 2015, Downton took over
the castle, filling the lawns with
catering tents, while inside the cast
The Drawing Room at Highclere Castle
transported Highclere’s first and
second floor rooms into a whole new
world for television.
“We were always on hand during
filming to ensure they got the scenes
they wanted and to make coffees,”
says Lady Carnarvon.
“We’d sometimes help with the
practical aspects such as where
cameras could go, or providing towels
for Lord Grantham’s ulcer incident.
After a while Downton just became
part of everyday working life.”
Some of Lady Carnarvon’s
favourite memories of Downton
filming are the Christmas specials
– always filmed on a sweltering hot
summer’s day. “I remember watching
“We were always on hand
during filming to ensure
they got the scenes they
wanted and make coffees”
Mrs Patmore, the cook, doggedly
singing Silent Night wrapped in furs
in the baking heat and thinking how
funny it was.”
Lady Carnarvon also enjoyed the
lunches she’d often have with the
cast and crew, who she got to know
well. She even gave Dame Maggie
Smith her Morning Room to use as
her personal dressing room.
But Downton wasn’t just
an amazing experience. Lady
Carnarvon says she’s also grateful
for what it did for her home, as the
tourism resulting from it is helping
to fund urgent repairs to Highclere.
However, as the revenue raised
from visitors looking to see the
Downton set is not enough to
maintain the expensive upkeep
of this historic house, Lady
Carnarvon is not resting on her
laurels. That’s why this enterprising
businesswoman is always coming
up with new ways to support her
beloved home, from writing books
to creating a special Highclere gin.
“I want to create a business
platform to sustain the castle going
forwards, not just constant pedalling
to maintain it,” she says.
“We’re so lucky to have
this place of amazing
history, we now
just want to make
it thrive because
it means so
much to people.”
pics: highclere castle, focus features
n Highclere Castle is
open to the public from
July 3 until September 3. Visit
www.highclerecastle.co.uk
or call 01635 253210 for
more details
Main photo, Lady Carnarvon with her husband, the 8th Earl,
and inset above a scene from the new Downton film
Egyptian treasures
If the name Carnarvon sounds
familiar you probably heard it
in school history lessons. For
the current Earl is the greatgrandson
of the 5th Earl of
Carnarvon who funded the
discovery of Tutankhamun’s
tomb by the archaeologist
Howard Carter in the Twenties.
This exploration uncovered
remarkable Egyptian artefacts,
which were later showcased in
museum exhibitions, including
the landmark 1972 show at the
British Museum.
But for all the collection’s
success, it came at a high
price. Carnarvon, Carter and
a number of people associated
with the exploration died
not long after the discovery,
setting off rumours of a curse
cast upon those who dared
break into a pharaoh’s tomb.
Today the cellars of Highclere
tell this incredible story as well
as showcasing Egyptian artefacts
lent to them by museums, and
items found by the current
Earl and his butler in 1987 in
YOURS one n EVERY of the FORTNIGHT
castle’s cupboards. 19
PIC:

Take
a trip
Exotic
Britai n
Welsh
waterfall
country
Discover the tranquil surroundings
at Henrhyd Falls as you take this
adventurous walk to the
highest waterfall in South Wales
Plunging 27m (90ft)
into the wooded
Graig Llech Gorge,
you’d expect
Henrhyd Falls to be
situated in some hot and leafy
South American rainforest. But
this jaw-dropping cascade is
located on our doorstep in the
Brecon Beacons National Park.
It’s so awesome it was used as
the entrance to the Batcave in
film The Dark Knight Rises.
Henrhyd is one of the easiest
falls to reach in the region,
accessible by some short –
albeit steep – steps from a
National Trust-run car park.
As you weave your way
through the dappled green
oak trees, the peaceful
woodland chorus
slowly transitions
into a thundering
crescendo of
crashing water.
Concealed by
steep, jagged
rocks and
the dense forestry
above, its serene
location feels much
like stepping into a top-secret
hideaway, away from the
hustle and bustle of daily life.
The sure-footed can test their
nerve by walking into an alcove
behind an unbroken veil of
sparkling water. Tread carefully,
though, as the water spray can
make the rocks slippery!
For those keen to dust off
their walking shoes and soak
up the surroundings, the Nant
Llech valley walking route is
rich in flora and fauna. The
gorge, with its thin soils and
steep rocky slopes, is also a
haven for shadeand
moistureloving
plants, so
keep your eyes peeled
for mosses, liverworts
and lichen. Walk quietly
and you may be able to
spot woodpeckers (left),
tree creepers, warblers
and wrens. Along the
river, dippers and
wagtails often hunt
for insects, and trout
have also been sighted
jumping their way up
the smaller, lower falls.
TOP TIP!
Waterfalls
are at their most
spectacular after a
heavy downpour of rain
and will be well worth a
visit, but do take care
as paths will be extra
slippery
102
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

Travel back in time
Dating back to the 13th Century, Carreg
Cennen Castle rarely ceases to amaze.
Surrounded by glorious working farmland,
there are few former fortresses in Wales
which can boast a more spectacular location.
Its stout, weather-beaten ruins crown a sheer
limestone crag overlooking the remote Black
Mountain (Mynydd Du) and the River Cennen
in the western corner of the Brecon Beacons
National Park, around four miles south-east
of Llandeilo. You can only reach the castle
by way of a stiff uphill climb, but the reward
for your effort is wonderful views across the
surrounding countryside.
If you’re feeling particularly
adventurous, a series of
steep stone steps lead
down to a deep, cavernous
tunnel running below the
castle, opening up to reveal
a limestone cave. Torches can
be bought from the ticket desk
to allow visitors to explore the
depths of the cave in detail. For
those that can’t face the ascent
to the castle, there is a small
picnic area close by where you
can enjoy spectacular views.
High on a craggy hilltop, Carreg
Cennen Castle was sited to make
the most of natural, sheer cliff
defences, and designed and built
to intimidate would-be attackers
Visit Llandeilo for its shops and
garden and antiques centre
Journey to the
underworld
Just a ten-minute drive from
Henryhd Falls is a 17km-long (ten
miles) cave system, Dan-yr-Ogof.
You feel like an intrepid explorer
as you enter a wonderland of
underground lakes, waterfalls and
colourful hanging cave formations.
The caves are well lit so you can
admire rock textures and the many
stalagmites and stalactites, as
recorded music and commentaries
play in the background, adding to
the mystical atmosphere.
Highlights include The
Cathedral Cave, which is 150m
(490ft) below ground and 10m
(33ft) high at one point, lit up in
golden glory, and the Bone Cave,
in which 42 human skeletons were
The Cathedral Cave was discovered in
1953 by a local caving club
discovered – many dating back
to the Bronze Age. Above ground,
little ones (and big ones!) can come
face to face with life-sized dinosaur
models, learn about our ancestors
from the Iron Age and enjoy the
company of some friendly giants in
the Shire Horse Centre.
Top tip!
Be sure to stop off in
the Castle’s tea room in
a large oak frame barn. It
serves warming cawl (Welsh
soup) and homemade cakes
and boasts ever-changing
views down the
beautiful Cennen
Valley
Handy contacts
n Visit Wales – 0333 006 3001/www.visitwales.com
n National Showcaves Centre for Wales –
01639 730284/www.showcaves.co.uk
n Carreg Cennen Castle – 01558 822291/
www.carregcennencastle.com
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
103
compiled By Gabrielle Albert. PICs: Alamy stock photo,
getty images

With the lazy hazy days of summer here
we take a look at some fabulous photos of
animals taking a nap
Time to
chill!
n Legs straddled across the branches
of a tree in the Serengeti National Park,
in northern Tanzania, this lioness looks
purrfectly relaxed. It doesn’t look like the
most comfortable place to take a cat nap but
she doesn’t seem to mind.
n Koala bears sleep between 18 and
22 hours a day to conserve energy as
their diet of mainly eucalyptus leaves
requires a lot of energy to digest.
This little fella pictured in Australia’s
outback certainly looks contented.
6
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT

in the picture
n Hang on tight... this giant panda has
managed to nod off while gripping a tree
branch. The cute creatures sleep for about twoto-four
hours in between meals.
n Do not disturb! This red panda looks
very relaxed. Native to the eastern
Himalayas and southwestern China
and similar in size to a domestic cat,
they spend most of their time in trees,
eating and sleeping.
n Perfect spot for a nap! Caught
on camera in South Africa’s Kruger
National Park, this leopard found
himself an ideal pillow to rest his
weary head.
n This Australian Green Tree Frog
looks like he’s having a good
rest. Unlike most frogs these
nocturnal creatures aren’t very
good jumpers, but are excellent
climbers, using their sticky
fingers and tummy to climb steep
surfaces including tree branches.
n In disguise... blink twice and you could miss this sleepy owl
catching 40 winks perched on the edge of a hole in a tree trunk.
The bird’s feathers merge with the tree colours to provide
excellent camouflage.
YOURS n EVERY FORTNIGHT
7
PICs: shutterstock, alamy stock photo

Hats and hatinators
Up-dos don’t work well with traditional hats, so instead
style your hair down or try a half-up-half-down style.
Whichever style you choose, use a volumising product
before styling and go for loose curls which will help give
volume and bounce when you remove
your hat. Hatinators like this one
are bigger than a fascinator, but
secure onto the head with a
head band. Like hats they
give a classic look, but
help avoid ‘hat hair’ later
in the day!
Large disc hatinator,
£30, Roman Originals
Easy
A touch of
glamour
If you don’t want to wear
a hat or fascinator, then
a sparkly or beaded hair
comb or clip will add a
subtle touch of glamour.
Clip-in flowers also look
great, particularly if
your special occasion
is a little more relaxed.
Like a fascinator, loose
and unfussy styles work
perfectly with pretty
clips. Finish with a
good hairspray to keep
flyaway strands in place –
whatever the weather!
looking good
Bead hair clip,
£10, ASOS
summer
party hair
Choose the right finish for your
special occasion with pretty and
classic accessories, says Beauty
Editor Michelle Nightingale
Navy fascinator hair
clip, £12.50, M&Co
Try these
if you have
short hair…
Diamante slides, £8
(4 slides), Accessorize
Luella flower
fascinator, £35,
Phase Eight
Fancy fascinators
Fascinators are great for
quickly dressing up your look
and you can wear your hair
in any style, so they’re more
versatile than a hat. Whether
you go for your hair styled up
or down, keeping your look
soft and informal will flatter
your fascinator best of all. Our
model is wearing her hair in
a low side chignon, but low
buns work well too. Loosening
a few strands helps frame the
face and the style is finished
with a shine spray for glossy,
smooth locks.
n Turn to page 49 for our
Confidence special
Stockists: Accessorize 0203 372 3052; Asos www.
asos.com; John Frieda and Lee Stafford available
from Boots 0345 070 8090; M&Co 0333 202 0720;
Phase Eight 0208 877 4001; Roman Originals
0121 636 0701; TreSemmé available from Boots.
Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee availability and
prices of items featured on this page
You’ll need these…
John Frieda
Root Booster
Blow Dry Lotion,
£6.99/125ml
TRESemmé
hairspray,
£4.99/
400ml
Lee Stafford
Shine
Spray,
£5.99/200ml
pics: ruth jenkinson