On the Luce was founded by UK-based travel writer and editor Lucy Dodsworth in 2011 to share her love of travel, and has grown into a successful business, with a local spin-off site Explore the Cotswolds.
I’m Lucy – the writer, photographer, website admin and pretty much everything else behind On the Luce. I grew up in the beautiful Wye Valley in the UK, and after 10 years working in publishing in London I gave up the day job and moved to Cheltenham to go freelance to develop a more flexible lifestyle and indulge my love for travel.
I fell in love with travel when I headed to New York aged 18. Stepping into this new country, new city and new world blew me away, and I’ve been exploring ever since.
In my 20s I spent 16 months exploring Asia and Australia. And in my 30s I was visiting a new place practically every month. But now in my 40s I mix up trips around Europe and beyond with local travels and life at home with my friends, family and cats.
I started On the Luce in 2011 to share my travel stories, with no clue where blogging would lead me. Back then I’d never have guessed it could even be a career, let alone one that’s let me work with destinations and brands as I travel around the world.
The blog’s got a bit more professional along the way – I’m now a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, have an MSc Tourism, Heritage and Sustainability from the University of Glasgow, and have written the guidebook Auld and New in Edinburgh for Hardie Grant Publishing and co-authored another book for Lonely Planet.
Love Edinburgh?
My award-winning book, Auld and New in Edinburgh, is available to buy now. Part of the Curious Travel Guides series, it features over 100 amazing places to eat, drink, shop and sightsee to help you plan the perfect Edinburgh trip.
Sustainable travel is important to me – though it’s a work in progress. I try to minimise flights and travel by train when I can, take longer, slower trips rather than lots of short trips, stay and eat in locally owned places rather than big chains, reuse and recycle.
I also work as a freelance writer and editor – and started a local website Explore the Cotswolds to share my love of my home region in 2020 when lockdown put paid to international travel, and it’s continued to grow since. And when I’m not travelling I love to read, walk, take photos and curl up by the fire with a good glass of wine.
Find out more
- Looking for a list of destinations the site covers or don’t know where to start?
- Have a travel question? Get in touch on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram or at [email protected]
- Or if you’d like to work with me or partner with On the Luce, see my Work with me page.