The Daily Mail's Derek Lawrenson anticipates a golf year to remember in which Hoylake in Wirral will play a leading role.

The announcement of Royal Liverpool Golf Club at Hoylake as the venue for the 2014 Open Championship means it will be a summer when the imagination of the world's leading players will be tested more than usual. Not just an Open venue where the baked fairways - it will be another scorcher, I take it? - allow for a wide variety of strokes, but a United States Open stage in Pinehurst that is one of the most mentally demanding on the rota.

Victoria Jones discovers why the thriving village of Hale is now the place to be
Photographs: Chris Tofalos

Sitting back, gently sipping a coffee, reading the morning newspapers. This is the life.
And the residents of Hale will know this feeling all too well, because this is what many the locals seem to do. A quick wander through the village and it’s clear that the café culture is thriving.  Rob Whittle, who runs a fish shop in Hale said: ‘It has got a really good café culture, especially during the summer. It’s really laid back, there’s no rushing around.’

The village of Port Sunlight has a fascinating history just waiting to be explored, writes Victoria Jones
Photographs: Jacqui Cordingley

IT doesn’t take long to realise that there’s something special about Port Sunlight. Nestled on the Wirral between Lower Bebington and New Ferry, the village is now a picturesque conservation area with a strong community spirit. And it’s all thanks to the hard work of a Lancashire soap maker.