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This flight of fancy is one of my favourite places in London. It's a few moments from bustling Hampstead but feels like something from another time.
The red brick Victorian pergola is a delight, crammed with plants and trees, the twisting paths and ornate walkways are a joy to discover. Each flight of steps leads to something new. I love this place in winter when the frost outlines the hanging vines and the sun sparkles on the pond.
North End Way, Hampstead, NW3
Google map: bit.ly/Vp3Izx
Book an 5am trip from Yogjakarta to Borobadur Unesco site, an amazing 9th century temple and arrive in time for a romantic sunrise. A photographer's dream! We were rewarded with amazing views and a vast temple to discover. Such a welcome relief from the hustle and bustle backpacking across Java. Remember to take a picnic breakfast!
whc.unesco.org/en/list/592
Google map: bit.ly/RksHqx
A bar at the very top of what some say is the ugliest building in Aswan. Set on its own island the top level bar has a spectacular view over the entire city: sipping delicious (and seriously dangerous!) cocktails with a floor to ceiling view of the sun going down and the lights coming on over this bustling Egyptian city, while hearing the call to prayer, is something I'll never forget. And to top it off - your view isn't spoiled by the ugliest building in the city!
Elephantine Island, Aswan, Egypt
+20 97 230 34 55
Google map: bit.ly/ViW7Ao
Ocean Beach Hotel in Cottesloe, the "swanky" part of Perth with a super beach. Have a lazy day at the beach then get into OBH for a cold, cold Hahn beer or something similar. Fridges full of chilled glasses ensure this is a cold beer. Ignore the TVs and the sport. Just take a seat at the open bar front and enjoy the sunset over the Indian Ocean. Sydney may have its harbour, but it doesn't get the sunset. Enjoy the multitude of colour across the ocean as the sun dips behind the horizon ... then order another beer.
www.obh.com.au/
Ocean Beach Hotel, 140 Marine parade, Cottesloe, WA,
+61 8 9384 2555
Google map: bit.ly/Sux2UY
The absolute authentic Caribbean island bar!
Utila is one of the small islands off the coast of Honduras, and is largely isolated from many of the current problems facing that country. The island is famous for its good-value scuba diving, and has a great, relaxed, slightly hippy vibe. And, undoubtedly, THE place to go after a day under the water is Coco Loco's.
Built on a wooden pier extending out over the sea, it is exactly what you would imagine: open air, weathered wood, cold beer and a great laid-back vibe. It also provides a spectacular spot to watch the sun set over the sea. Probably my favourite bar in the world!
www.facebook.com/pages/Coco-Loco-Utila-Island-Honduras/138983786188934
Google map: bit.ly/VfWaxl
There is a small cave near the top of Monte Urgull which is just large enough for a bar. As well as having beautiful views (covering all of San Sebastian, town, harbour and beaches) it serves one of the best G&Ts in town (and it has some quality competition!). To top it all off it is under a giant statue of Jesus. What more could you want?
A perfect way to end the day, after sunning yourself at the beach, and to start the evening, partying in the old town (which is a short walk away below.)
Walk up Monte Urgull (the hill in east San Sebastian) to the giant statue of Jesus. You will find this hidden bar near to the old fort on the west side of the hill. If in doubt, ask a local.
Google map: bit.ly/11wzKOp
Simply the best views in town, on the 60th floor of the Lebua Hotel the keyboard offers 360 degree views of Bangkok and the Chao Praya river, get there before sunset and watch the city change from day to night in front our eyes, cocktails are amazing, dress to impress and don't forget your camera, not for people that suffer from vertigo!
1055111 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, Thailand
+66 2 624 9999
Google map: bit.ly/Tt8Vaj
Built in the 14th century, the 67m high, nine storey Galata Tower dominates the Istanbul skyline and has recently been completely refurbished to include a bar/restaurant and viewing balcony on its top storey. It was the tallest structure in Istanbul at the time, and now you can see the city that straddles two continents in a 360-degree panorama from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace to the Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara. Enjoy a cappuccino and quick snack throughout the day, or book a table for a lively evening of fine international cuisine, great beers and wines and exotic but tasteful belly-dancing.
www.galatatower.net/
Sishane, PK 34420, Istanbul
+90 212 293 81 80
Google map: bit.ly/XT1wG0
On the top floor of the cerulean tower lies a cafe-by-day, bar-by-night space ideal for a first date, an indulgent coffee, or a moment alone with a cocktail and your thoughts. Here you are at once secluded from the city and it’s enchanted voyeur as it sprawls below you like a miniature model village.
The live evening jazz at the weekend is so soothing as to seduce you into a sweet sleep, with the soft lights of the city the only thing discernible against an impenetrably back sky.
The drinks from this dazzling vantage point overlooking Shibuya and Shinjuku don’t come cheap, so save this place as an inspired pre or post dinner drinks location for a date you want to impress.
26-1 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, 150-8512
+81 33476 3398
Google map: bit.ly/S6FoTO
* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle
There’s something about the word “Roppongi” which makes most expats in Tokyo shudder. It’s notoriety as a roaring, rowdy night spot is a reputation you approve of when you’ve had a beer or two and deplore when you’re sprawled on the pavement the next morning hoping you wont add any unwanted decoration to the pavement.
The Roppongi Hills Public Art and Design Project has seen to it that no more decoration is required here. Dotted around outside the glamourous Hills building (famous for the Mori art museum and high class boutiques) lie giant, endearingly haphazard sculptures which are spectacles worthy of tourist attention in themselves.
I’d recommend going at night when the backdrop of the office-light stars help create a perfectly melodramatic mood for viewing the giant spider, who rests his spindly, monstrous legs over one of the entrances of the Hills. Behind this, an enormous rose emerges from the ground, reminiscent of something from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
The fantasy world of art and sculpture follows this theme of random bursts of creativity through to the street outside. Rather than sit on a traditional wooden, plastic, or often as the case may be, no bench at all, the public seating areas surrounding the hills have also been transformed with a pinch of imagination. Choose from a giant ice cube, an ice chair, modern white and black seating pebbles or a marble sofa.
Morning or night, pavement or majestic marble couch, Roppongi is designed with going out in style in mind.
Google map: bit.ly/Tc6ERx
* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle
How do you turn a three night break into a week long holiday? You can't, but The Glenuig Inn in Glenuig on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula in Scotland came close. With a restaurant serving local food so fresh it slaps you in the face, simple but classy en-suite rooms and an en-suite ocean with a landlord come walking/kayaking guide to boot it is easy to fill long summer days and cosy winter nights feeling quite isolated from the world. It's also close to the gateway to the Ferries and Islands.
You can kayak with basking sharks, walk to deserted crofting villages and inaccessible bays or just sit and watch the golden eagles soaring. The finest kippers I have ever eaten from a local smoke house started the days with a mouthful of heaven and I even managed to catch my own supper. It has also been built, and is run, to the highest eco friendly standards. Everything is recycled except for the experience.
www.glenuig.com
Lochailort, Inverness-Shire, Scotland PH38 4NG
+44(0)1687470219
Google map: bit.ly/UP1aOT
One of the great pleasures of historic central Riga (Vecrīga) is aimless wandering, and you’ll find some of the most evocative streets and lanes at the northern end of the Old Town. Don’t miss the narrow, intimate Trokšnų iela, and the Swedish Gate at Aldaru iela. Close by are the equally photogenic Mazā Pils iela and Klostera iela.
Trokšnų iela, Aldaru iela, Mazā Pils iela & Klostera iela
Google map: bit.ly/SGH96M
Ok, this has to be one of the most famous upmarket shopping streets in the world, but don't let that put you off taking a look round. Window shopping can be almost as much fun as carrying handfuls of bags home with you. This incredibly manicured street is the best place in town to do a little people watching. Enjoy a coffee in one of the many uber-chic cafes along the strip or simply wander at your leisure taking in the elegant ambience of it all. Horse chestnut trees line the streets, snipped and buffed within an inch of their life and of course everything around you is neat, polished and perfectly ..well.... perfect! That's 1.91 km of perfection - rather impressive, I'd say.
Check out the famous Arc de Triomphe at the western end of the street while you are here. It's bigger than you ever imagined.
Google map: bit.ly/U65Lbe
Just wanted to share some knowledge on skiing and ski areas in the mountains of England. A few years ago when I stumbled upon an online forum discussion on the topic I thought it was some elaborate joke. However, having now skied at all bar one of the centers operating in the English mountains I can safely say that I have been proved wrong!
Operational Ski Tows:
1. Raise
2. Yad Moss
3. Weardale
4. Harwood
5. Allenheads
Raise
Vertical: 110m
Top Station: 830m
Bottom Station: 720m
Price: £20 membership (compulsory) £15 for a day lift pass (members only)
Raise is wild and rugged, sitting in the midst of some of the tallest peaks in the Lake District. The ski tow itself sits in a high bowl serving a snow-holding gulley on Raise, which is one of the summits on the ridgeline leading to Helvellyn. The hike in is a tough one, regular members can conquer it in under an hour, but be warned, attempting this on a hangover carrying more kit than you absolutely need can easily double the time it takes and the pain you will go through. Once you get up there the views are fantastic. The skiing is rough and ready, the tow track dug out by hand, and the “pistes” maintained solely by nature. If the conditions are good it is an epic day out, but not for the fainthearted. In good conditions talk to the club committee members who run the tow about routes to descend. Off the back of the summit there is a long snowfield followed by a gulley that holds the snow incredibly well. Descents of up to 500 vertical metres are possible. For the more adventurous there are several serious freeride descents within striking distance of the ski area, but be aware of snow conditions. Last time we were there (December 2012) we saw debris from a slab avalanche, so treat these mountains with respect.
My advice would be if you’re fit, and not scared to earn your turns, hike up to the ski area and check it out. Talk to the locals and if the ski conditions are stable then go exploring, if not then just hit up the small, but fun area served directly by the tow.
www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/
Yad Moss
Vertical: 125
Top Station: 725m
Bottom Station: 600m
Yad Moss is a banging place. The longest single lift in England (650m) serves wide open pistes in the heart of the Pennines. They have a piste basher and when the snow is good you can be ripping up perfect corduroy. There is a hardy crew of locals, some of whom are enthusiastic about freestyle. There has been talk of building some rails and some jumps over the previous years. However, the downside is the area is not that steep, and any jumps that are built by locals end up having flat (or when we visited, uphill) landings. The advantage to Yad Moss is that it’s very easy to get to. The ski area starts around a 100m hike from a main road. On days when the conditions are good, get there early to ensure you can park, and bring a shovel in case you need to dig out a parking space.
My advice on this one would be it’s a good introduction to skiing in England, friendly locals and an easy to access area. There is also a good variety of runs when conditions permit. However, if you are looking for more than just laying out some chilled out turns in beautiful surroundings on home soil then look elsewhere. The cost is around £20 for a day lift pass.
www.yadmoss.co.uk/facilities
Report from our trip to Yad Moss in ’09: www.winterhighland.info/publicreports/index.php?50,1308
Weardale
Vertical: 167m
Top Station: 655m
Bottom Station: 488m
When the conditions are good, Weardale is dope. It sits on the East side of the Pennines approximately level with Durham. Two lifts (the F1 and F2) provide runs of over 1km. The club has a piste basher which they use to good effect, and a large club-house with decent facilities. The F1 serves a number of shallow wide pistes which are similar to (but less extensive than) those at Yad Moss. The F2 is a short lift (perhaps only 200-250m long) but it takes you to the fell top, where the terrain is far more undulating and varied. In ride anywhere conditions it’s simply awesome for England, and there are a load of spots prime for shaping kickers. For those prepared to hike the gullies about 600m to the right of the top lift can be awesome.
My advice, if it’s absolutely dumping head here! It’s the best place in England when the snow is good! Last time we went it was £20 for the day.
www.skiweardale.com/
Harwood
Vertical: 79m
Top Station: 686m
Bottom Station: 607m
Located in the same valley as Yad Moss it, Harwood provides a quieter area with shorter runs (500m) served by a rope tow. A day ticket is around £15. The members are friendly and the ski area, whilst smaller than Yad Moss, is equally fun.
harwoodski.webs.com/
Allenheads
Vertical: 60m
Top Station: 539m
Bottom Station: 479m
Allenheads is a small area about an hour from Newcastle, served by two rope tows. It is sheltered, and the grass is short, so needs very little snow to open and be running. Often locals will shape a small jump. Not somewhere to go for adventure, but definitely a place to go if you want a couple of casual runs followed by a pint.
Cost is £20 per day.
www.ski-allenheads.co.uk/
The web addresses are all in the above
An amazing contemporary cedar clad, copper roofed eco B&B built entirely by the owners. It is highly insulated with an air source heat pump supplying the underfloor heating. It is beautifully sited in a woodland paradise. Fluffy towels, duck island toiletries, biscuits, real coffee, smart TV, six-foot bed and absolutely amazing breakfasts in the comfort of your own room. There is even a fridge for wine and the terrace, overlooking the wood, is as big as the room. I can't understand why they don't have star rating it is so amazing. The beach has excellent surf and there are three pubs all offering food. I am not sure if I even want to tell people about it as it is the sort of hidden treasure you want to keep to yourself. Only two rooms, absolute quiet and tranquility. Really wonderful!
www.copperhouseportreath.co.uk
Primrose Terrace, Portreath TR164JS
+44(0)1209 843283
Google map: bit.ly/SGNvTR
In Rajasthan we took private trips by both camel cart and jeep to explore the timeless culture of the villages on the fringes of the Thar desert. We had lunch with a farmer and his 13 daughters, who shared their simple home and invited us to join them in an opium ceremony; then travelled to a Bishnoi village across scrubland and shallow dunes dotted with khejri trees and graceful chinkara gazelle. Both the chinkara and the trees are revered by the Bishnoi tribe, who are even known to bury dead gazelles and mark their graves. Bishnoi translates as ‘twenty-niners’, which refers to the number of principles they live by, two of which are to protect trees and ‘all living beings’. Their fierce affinity with nature, and their aggression in its protection since 1485, has led them to be thought of a the first environmentalists.
A great family walk, with stunning colours at the moment, is up by Brockle Beck to Castlerigg and across to the Stone circle. From there head down the former railway line along the banks of the river Greta and back to Keswick. Currently there is also a good exhibition on the history of the Greta at The Theatre by the Lake.
www.theatrebythelake.co.uk/
Lakeside Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5DJ
+44(0)17687 74411
Google map: bit.ly/SmpX7J
A breathtaking autumn walk to the summit of Helvellyn, the third highest mountain in England at 3117 feet, 950m. On a crisp, clear autumn day the walk to the summit is truly exhilarating and awe-inspiring.
A moment to escape from the busy world, lose oneself in your own thoughts and marvel at the incredible views and landscape: the 360 degrees panorama of the Lakeland fells; the mist gently hovering over the tranquil lakes and lower fells and crags below.
The ascent to the summit, starting from Wythburn car park, one of the shortest routes, is steep yet extremely rewarding and this return walk, suitable for families, can be accomplished in less than four hours. On reaching the summit, the lofty heights above the clouds truly take your breath away, along with the cold, crisp air. If you’re lucky you might experience snow underfoot, allowing for a quick snowball fight and a well deserved cup of coffee (from your flask – no tea shops up here!) before beginning your descent.
For the keen walkers, ready for a bit of a challenge, the walk can be extended with a return via Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon Pike followed by a descent to Grisedale Tarn and a return to Thirlmere.
Helvellyn, starting at Wythburn car park, Thirlmere. Wythburn Car Park
A591
Google map: bit.ly/UfXu2u
My perfect autumn walk begins at the romantic ruins of Llanthony Priory in the Ewyas Valley 10 ½ miles north of Abergavenny. From here it’s a steep climb up the wooded hill side, which gets the blood pumping, warming you up in the crisp autumn air. As you get higher rising above the tree line, you walk among the rust coloured bracken, sharing the views with mountain sheep and wild ponies. The scale and glorious colours of the Black Mountains dazzle all around. At the very top you finally reach Offa’s Dyke and have a top of the world view of the neat rolling landscape of Herefordshire and it’s cider orchards on the eastern side and the majestic coloured mountains soaring to the west. Walking back down to the valley the blazing colours of the trees and scenery looking down into the valley are seen at their best – without panting for breath! But the icing on the cake is back in the valley at a tiny pub hidden in the vaults of the Priory, where you can warm up, rest your feet and revive with a pint of local ale. Bliss.
Llanthony Priory 10 1/2 miles north of Abergavenny. Nearest hotel is The Abbey Hotel www.llanthonyprioryhotel.co.uk
Llanthony, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, NP77NN
+44(0)1873 890487
Google map: bit.ly/TQQIjd
North Wales is simply stunning in autumn. Nestled in the hills and forest above Llanrwst and Betws-Coed are the beautiful lakes of Llyn Geirionydd and Llyn Crafnant.This walk covers varied terrain, forest, rocks, rolling hills and lakes, perfect for adults and children (age six plus). A disused slate mine, wonderful views, tranquil lakes edge, made up our walk. Refreshments were at hand at a delightful little cafe on Llyn Craftnant that sells scrumptious cakes, hot chocolates and local real ale and the owner told us tales of local folk!
Take the B5106 from Conwy or Betws y Coed to Trefriw, then follow signs for Llyn Crafnant.
Google map: bit.ly/PhJQPe
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