Journeys are about so much more than getting from A to B, as our writer found when he ditched flying for the train and ferry between Dublin and London There’s always a moment in the journey from Dublin to London – which I make every month or two, taking the land-and-sea route via Holyhead instead…
The excitement of the voyage itself grabbed our tipsters as they delighted in riding trains, ferries and buses across Europe to as far afield as Norway and Turkey Instead of a four-hour road trip from Koman to Fierzë, relax and enjoy the Albanian fjords via the Drin River. We reversed on to the Berisha ferry,…
Too many of us bypass the closest part of France to the UK – those who linger enjoy soaring chalk cliffs, vast beaches, superb seafood and verdant marshes ideal for exploring by boat With the tide out, it is a magical moment, rivulets of water swirl and eddy through the sand, the white cliffs of…
Walking a 26-mile stretch from Hertfordshire, our writer witnesses how a neglected artery of the city has been transformed into a recreational and cultural hub For centuries the Lea has been a vital artery for London, carrying drinking water and grain into the city and servicing the factories and gunpowder mills that grew up along…
Share details of a visit to a wild area that’s great for wildlife and plants – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break There are more than 500 national parks in Europe covering an astounding variety of terrain, from the wild taiga of northern Finland to the coastal dunes and wetlands of the…
A popular circuit round Scotland’s wild north coast draws thousands of drivers – but there’s so much more to experience by public transport and on foot There’s a party atmosphere round the lighthouse on Chanonry Point near Inverness, the UK’s best place to see dolphins from land. It’s an hour after low tide and there…
When ill health took away my freedom to roam, searching for beach treasure gave me a vital connection to my island home and more distant shores Before I had children, my work as a research scientist meant frequent travel. I specialised in nature conservation and discovered that I was pregnant with my first child on…
If you want to know what makes the Spanish capital tick, head for its back-street bodegas, tiny tapas bars and neighbourhood food markets Freshly fried churros, golden and crisp; a cup of velvety hot chocolate alongside; circles of aubergine striped from the griddle; mushrooms silky with chorizo; a jumble of potatoes smothered in spicy sauce;…
From the John Bunyan trail to Silbury Hill, these short “pilgrimages” offer a chance to soak up myths and legends Start Housesteads Fort Finish Brocolita Roman TempleDistance 4¼ miles (use regular AD122 bus to shorten, if needed)Those who walk the whole 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall in a week may refer to it as a…
You don’t need to do a multi-day hike to benefit from the healing powers of pilgrimage – this 14-mile route in Cornwall proves just as magical It’s dawn when we step off the train at Lelant, a village tucked into a bay near St Ives. The early morning light is still intensifying as the distinctive, repetitive shrill of…