Last updated: 19th August 2026
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They’re used to make sites work, to remember preferences, and to measure how a site is used.
Under UK law (the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, alongside UK GDPR), non-essential cookies require your consent. That’s what the banner is for — and you can change your mind at any time.
The cookies used here
Strictly necessary
Needed for the site to function — page delivery, security and remembering your cookie choices. These don’t require consent because the site can’t work without them.
Functional
Set if you leave a comment and tick “save my details”, so you don’t retype them next time. Set by WordPress and stored in your browser.
Analytics
Help me understand which guides people read, how they arrive, and where they get stuck, so I can improve them. Data is aggregated and doesn’t identify you personally. Provider: Google Analytics 4
Affiliate tracking
When you click an affiliate link, the retailer or their affiliate network may set a cookie so a resulting booking can be credited to this site. This is how the blog is funded. These cookies are set by the retailer, not by me, and they typically expire after a set period — often between 7 and 30 days. Details in the affiliate disclosure.
Advertising
If the site displays ads, advertising partners may set cookies to limit how often you see the same ad and to measure performance.
How to control cookies
On this site: use the cookie banner when you first arrive, or the “cookie settings” link in the footer to change your choices at any time.
In your browser: every major browser lets you block or delete cookies. Look under Settings → Privacy. Blocking all cookies may stop parts of this or other sites working properly.
Useful links:
- Your online choices — opt out of advertising cookies from many providers
- ICO guidance on cookies
Third-party cookies
Some cookies are set by other companies whose services appear here — analytics, affiliate networks, advertising, or embedded content such as YouTube videos or maps. I don’t control those cookies, and you should check the relevant company’s own privacy policy for detail.
Questions about any of this? Get in touch.
A note on this template
Prepared as a starting template for a small personal blog, not legal advice. Update it to name the services you actually use, and make sure your cookie banner genuinely blocks non-essential cookies until consent is given — a banner that only informs isn’t compliant.