Category Archives: Travel

English Countryside: Peak District National Park

The air in the Peak District feels different. It’s softer; thicker even — one friend compared it to ‘butter’ (a good thing, I think) — and certainly cleaner than any air in London. Maybe it was the feeling of freedom: it was the farthest any of us had travelled in months, following months of respective lockdowns in the capital and in Devon (where the air is lighter, and salty). 

We had few expectations. Several people had said that the Peaks couldn’t compare to the Lake District (spoiler alert, they are wrong and have likely never been), several more couldn’t even point them out on a map. But change is afoot and the Peaks look set to become one of the UK’s most popular destinations with the arrival of several new, exciting hotels. Buxton Crescent Hotel (Buxton of bottled water fame) opened last year; The Tawny — a collection of rooms, tree- and boathouses — and Wildhive Callow Hall join it this summer. 

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Walks: Aix-en-Provence – South Of France (4K)

Aix-en-Provence is a university city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of southern France. It was the birthplace of Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne. A walking trail links sites including his childhood home, Jas de Bouffan, and his former studio, Atelier Cézanne. The white limestone mountain Sainte-Victoire overlooking the city as well as the surrounding countryside were frequent subjects of his works. 

Village Walks: Admont – Central Austria (4K Video)

Admont is a town in the Austrian state of Styria. It is historically most notable for Admont Abbey, a monastery founded in 1074. Gesäuse National Park, in which Admont lies, is an area of outstanding beauty. The town is situated in the middle of the Ennstal Alps, in the valley of the Enns River. 

Top Drives: Hardknott Pass & Cumbria, England

Hardknott Pass is a hill pass between Eskdale and the Duddon Valley in the Lake District National Park, Cumbria, England. The tarmac-surfaced road, which is the most direct route from the central Lake District to West Cumbria, shares the title of steepest road in England with Rosedale Chimney Bank in North Yorkshire.

Cumbria is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria’s county town is Carlisle, in the north of the county. 

360° Hikes: Table Mountain In Alberta, Canada (Video)

Immerse yourself in Alberta’s wide-open spaces in this 360-degree experience as National Geographic Travel Photographer Kahli April hikes to Table Mountain in Castle Provincial Park. Follow her as she takes the trail through lush Aspen forest, up rocky scrambles and past waterfalls. At the summit, the wide flat table-like plateau (from where the mountain gets its name) opens up panoramic views from the vast prairies on one side to the peaks of the Canadian Rockies on the other.

Aerial City Views: Dubai – United Arab Emirates (4K)

Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. On artificial islands just offshore is Atlantis, The Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.

Walks: Oia – Island Of Santorini, Greece (4K)

Santorini is the most spectacular island in Greece and one of the geologic treasures of Europe. Perched at the northern tip of this volcanic island and built into the rocky cliffside, Oia is the most picturesque and romantic village in Santorini.

Video Timeline Links: 00:00 – Oia, Santorini Walking Tour Intro 09:08 – Saint George Church (Agios Georgios) 19:37 – Virgin Mary Church (Panagia Platsani) 23:57 – Oia Blue Dome Viewpoint 33:17 – Castle of Oia (Agios Nikolaos) 34:17 – Oia Lookout Panoramic Viewpoint 44:30 – The Windmills

The village extends for almost 2 km (1.2 miles) along the northern edge of the caldera, at a height of between 70 and 100 m (230 and 330 feet) above sea level. It is built on the steep slope of the caldera and the houses and restaurants are built into niches carved into the caldera on the seaward side. Oia paths are very narrow and hence gets congested during the tourist season. The idyllic surroundings of the village have a complex of white washed, blue domed churches and charming, traditional Cycladic houses. Oia has some of the island’s best hotels and restaurants as well as high-end shopping. Our guided walking tour is about 1.86 miles (3 km) long, starts at Saint George Church (Agios Georgios) and covers most attractions and historic sites of Oia, Santorini.

Bike Tours: Janiculum Hill In Rome, Italy (4K Video)

The Janiculum, occasionally the Janiculan Hill, is a hill in western Rome, Italy. Although it is the second-tallest hill in the contemporary city of Rome, the Janiculum does not figure among the proverbial Seven Hills of Rome, being west of the Tiber and outside the boundaries of the ancient city.