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A beautiful village in Sleat, the garden of Skye, boasting an art gallery, a lively pub, a whisky shop, and a lighthouse that seems to have been painted on by Monet.
We took a boat to Eigg and got followed by a whale that stuck its head out of the water to see us better. The next day we caught 12 mackerel while boating in the sound and had them with mussels bought from a local fisherman. Just ask in the pub.
Also: you must go roamin’ in the gloamin’ on the Old Man of Storr, further north.
The Longhouse at Tokavaig on Skye was pretty quickly like home from home, only we felt a million miles from anywhere, which was exactly what we were hoping for.
The decking, set to look out over Loch Slapin, is perfect for lounging about and admiring the
Cuillin mountain range - what an outlook, especially with a dram or two.
The walk to the shore is recommended. We saw an otter and, to the delight of our teenage girls, you can actually get a signal on your mobile if you scramble to the top of the castle ruins!
Experience a chunk of Harry's trip to Hogwarts by going over Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland railway line between Fort William and Mallaig.
Better still, stop and visit the viaduct itself - you can walk up to it easily from the visitors centre, which also has information about the nearby Bonnie Prince Charlie's monument, set amidst some of the most spectacular scenery on the west coast.
After working up an appetite, head to Glenfinnan Station's Dining Car - a cafe in a converted carriage - for afternoon tea of homemade scones with jam and thick cream.
While you're there, don't miss the fascinating Glenfinnan Station Museum - a real labour of love containing displays about the building of the railway and viaduct, along with ephemera from the railway age. If all that tires you out, you can always overnight at the Glenfinnan Sleeping Car, too...
Glenfinnan Railway Station
Station Road, Glenfinnan
Inverness-shire PH37 4LT
Tel: 01397 722 300
www.visitglenfinnan.co.uk/
www.road-to-the-isles.org.uk/glenfinnan.html
Recently re-opened cafe and B&B in splendidly isolated position on Rannoch Moor. Only accessible on foot or by train to its own station!
Great food and drink (lots of venison-based dishes from the local estate) and within walking distance of beautiful lochs and hills. Equally brilliant Loch Ossian eco-Youth Hostel close by.
Corrour Station House, Corrour Estate, Fort William, PH30 4AA
- at Corrour Station.
Don't expect 5-star service for 3-star prices ($108 a night). The service here is mediocre, but who cares? The architecture is one-of-a-kind (envision lots of dark, twisting tunnels) and the view from your balcony is stunning at any time of day. I highly recommend HC if you're staying in Punta del Este: it's charming and full of character. Rent a car. Full report, with pictures, at www.travelmusings.net
One of the best sights in Rhodes with the famous spa, amazing Italian architecture, pebble mosaics, arcades and domes, palms and bougainvilleas completing the decoration.
The place has been used as location for many films, among them Escape to Athena, The Guns of Navarone, Triangle at Rhodes and many others.
If you stay longer in Rhodes, visit Lindos with the famous temple of Athena.
The train journey to Harlech from Dyfi Junction is beautiful as is the car journey, either along the coast past Barmouth or inland and then over to the coast.
The castle is beautiful to look at from the beach or sea level but is not that spectacular from the inside. On a nice day the area between Barmouth and Porthmadog is lovely to experience.
A walk that starts from the picturesque village of Azóia and takes you through the forest to Peninha, a castellated fort-like building, on top of the mountain as you look up from Cabo da Roca. This historical site stands on the ruins of a medieval chapel - Ermida de São Saturnino and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Pena. At the top there are superb views of Lisbon, the Tagus estuary and the Atlantic Ocean.
Distance about 7.3km (1h 50 min.)
Start early in the morning and take some water, as in the summer months it can be rather hot.
This is the original of Holly Howe, the farm around which Swallows and Amazons was set. For some reason while your correspondents have acknowledged Beatrix Potter they have ignored the other great Lakes writer of children's books, Arthur Ransome. B&B accommodation is in the main house, and self-catering in the farm buildings - all to a high standard.
You can walk in the famous field down to the lake, where Roger (who grew up to be the asthma doctor who developed Intal) practiced his tacking.
At Windermere you can visit the Windermere Steamboats and Museum where the original Amazon, and Captain Flint's houseboat are preserved.
There are a number of pubs in Coniston village - a walk round the head of the lake - which do good evening bar meals.
Bank Ground
East of Lake Road,
Coniston,
Cumbria LA21 8AA
Tel 015394 41264
info@bankground.com
www.bankground.com
Nearest station Windermere
A camp ground which is just a sand dune away from a fabulous deserted beach for surfing, swimming, fishing.
Turn right down a dirt track once you get to Seal Rocks. The road is a bit rough in places but it is well worth the drive.
www.treacherycamp.com.au/
Google map: tinyurl.com/ltde82
Drumkeerin guesthouse in Cushendun is particularly good value - the breakfasts are made with organic and homemade produce, there's a hostel that was once a barn and self-contained apartments as well as the guesthouse.
The couple who run it are both artists who run their own painting school. The view out over Cushendun towards Scotland is stunning.
201a Torr Road, Cushendun, Co Antrim BT44 0PU
Tel: 028 217 61554
www.drumkeeringuesthouse.com
It is in the perfect spot for taking on the Buttermere Circuit or the gentler option of walking around the lake. It’s a small and friendly site with great views and is away from the road so nice and quiet, bar the lambs whose barring might wake you up early doors. Get your revenge on them by tucking into the delicious spring lamb, the best thing on the menu at the Bridge Inn just two minutes from the site. It’s a hikers' pub with a garden and good selection of ales.
017687 70222 , www.lakedistrictcamping.co.uk, £5pp
Building the enormous gothic Seo cathedral began in 1230 and has been going on, more or less, ever since.
Gaudí contributed some typically modernista interiors in the early 20th century but even that has been upstaged by the vast ceramic tableau of cracked mud, fish and skulls in St Peter’s chapel. The work of Mallorca’s foremost contemporary artist Miquel Barceló, it is loosely based on the miracle of the loaves and fishes and was officially opened in February this year.
I fell in love with Merano over 15 years ago and have been living there permanently since 2000. It is particularly delightful in spring and autumn and also has a pleasant winter climate with many crisp sunny days.
The old medieval town and the 19th century spa buildings still give the town a special character, despite the efforts of the local building developers to spoil it. But come soon before they do!
The summer can be very hot and humid with evening thunder storms, and the clear blue skies of spring and autumn are lacking. The town fills up with badly dressed tourists and day trippers and there are noisy events such as third rate rock concerts. Outside this period Merano still has much of the atmosphere of an imperial spa with elegant promenades full of exotic plants.
It is not as trendy as it would like to think it is, thank goodness, despite the new thermal baths. It still makes an ideal holiday destination for older active people with an interest in nature, art, architecture and classical music, and going for walks at all levels of difficulty from mountaineering to gently strolling.
The name Merano, by the way, was given to the town after the first world war as part of Mussolini's policy of forced Italianisation. You will get better service from the majority of the population (of Austrian descent) if you call it Meran.
Meran, South Tyrol, Italy www.meran.eu
This hotel, formerly knew as Nevsky 22, is comfortable, if you desire to spend your stay in the city centre of Petersburg.
In fact, it takes just a few minutes to get to the Hermitage (what a museum!). What is more, Nevsky Prospect is amazing: this boulevard was built in the 18th century and it is full of Italian and French influence: Saint Petersburg is really the union of two different cultures!
10 Bolshaya Konyushennaya St, 191186 St. Petersburg.
Tel: +7 812 3123131
Fax: +7 812 7033861
Website: www.nevskygrandhotel.com
This is the most gorgeous romantic bolthole. It has stunning views, is on Gold Hill which was used in the famous Hovis advert and is a real tardis! It has 4 bedrooms for 6 people which all come with White Company bedlinen and smart little bottles of White Company shampoo, etc. The top bedroom is a cool space - really inviting low built-in bed, flat screen TV, etc and ensuite shower. They even provide choccies in a sort of swirly marble run! Downstairs there is a separate music room with baby grand piano, wet room and log burning stove. The basket of yummy goodies was very useful.
Just the place for a lazy getaway with a special person!
www.updowncottage.co.uk
Updown Cottage
12 Gold Hill
Shaftesbury
Dorset
SP7 8HB
Tel: 07710 307202
I've lived in Valencia for six months now and this is one of my favourite places to go for a coffee.
Choose a table outside in the sun and you can look at the view of the Neptuno fountain and the cathedral, it's lovely.
The cafes around the square can charge a higher than average price for a coffee but this one doesn't and you also get the best view of the square.
From the ramparts of this huge prehistoric hill fort, the view opens up to the Somerset Levels below - mile upon mile of fields and hedges, and twelve miles away, the isolated shape of Glastonbury Tor. Whether in golden sunlight or winter mist, this is a magical view. This may or may not be King Arthur's Camelot, but it does sometimes feel as if it's on the frontiers of another world.
Five miles north west of Yeovil
The line between the High- and Low- lands is amazingly beautiful. You look down into a river valley with massive hills on either side. Green as I've only experienced in Scotland with a train going by on the ridge. Breathtaking.
walking.visitscotland.com/walks/perthangusfife/loch-faskally-pass-killiecrankie
This is a suberb spot. In the winter, a visitor is able to walk around the lake in around 45 minutes and can then have coffee/cake/beer (delete as
appropriate) at the restaurant at the end of the lake.
In the summer, this same restaurant serves a schwimmbad situated on the grassy banks of the north side of the lake, with excellent children's facilities, pedalos, etc. A modest fee is charged for entrance.
Fishermen can also try their luck on the lake and row boats are available for rental. I once watched a local haul in one of the other locals, a pike.
About ten minutes' drive from Kufstein.
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