Travel Topics
On a trip to Scotland’s northerly region Robert Spellman discovers in Aberdeenshire holidays the most wonderful wildlife, great castles and whisky galore. In 2017, an eminent travel publication conducted a…
Hampshire will be reminding everyone in World Cup year exactly why the county is known globally as the “cradle of cricket”. The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup will be held…
Staffordshire’s award-winning Trentham Gardens will burst to life – and riot of colour – for its first ever Spring Festival to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the historic…
Visitors to the UK’s 2017 City of Culture can turn the clock back to the heyday of European trade, forged between seafaring nations centuries ago, on a new walking tour…
The ancient Leeds Castle in its 500 acres of grounds and gardens, is worth visiting at any time of the year, but most especially in 2019 during its 900th Centenary…
England’s largest single estate vineyard is converting its existing farmhouse accommodation into what is being billed as the UK’s first vineyard hotel. Set on the Denbies Wine…
Newchurch, in the centre of the picturesque Isle of Wight, nestling amidst sloping hills, is the perfect location for a festival. It is here that every year in August the Isle of Wight Garlic…
February 2019 sees the highly anticipated opening of Belmond Cadogan Hotel, a 54-bedroom property in the heart of Chelsea. Belmond’s first London property…
A walking food tour is a great way to explore a new area. Find a local guide with a good reputation who knows their home turf well and enjoys sharing…
For railway connoisseurs, there can be few experiences more alluring than the chance to enjoy sights not normally seen by the average passenger. This two-week, ‘access… …
Now officially transformed into the Bingham Riverhouse, the month long overhaul has seen each of the 15 guest rooms transformed, alongside the dining rooms and bar; with a wash of…
From ancient civilisations in Orkney to a steam train trip on the Jacobite, and from lavish castles to historic whisky distilleries, McKinlay Kidd’s new itineraries promise…
Inspired by Random Acts of Kindness Day (17 February) to make a difference on your next holiday? From a beach clean-up to helping conservation efforts, here are some…
The Isle of Wight, and the English Heritage flagship property Osborne, will be marking the bicentenary of Queen Victoria’s birth in 2019. Having built Osborne on the Isle of Wight…
It is the time of year when traditionally we make our predictions for the ensuing 12 months. So, Travel Begins at 40 has gazed into our collective crystal ball to…
While people around the UK are celebrating the approach of Lent by tossing pancakes in the warmth of their own kitchen, the gentlefolk of one Buckinghamshire town take to the…
The self-guided walking holiday specialists at Celtic Trails have chosen a collection of ‘Significant Walks for 2019’, each with an extra compelling reason to undertake this year…
The new series of Winterwatch, based in the wilds of the Cairngorms National Park, starts on 29 January on BBC2. Experience this rugged landscape on a six-day photography holiday focusing…
Great Rail Journeys, the UK’s leading escorted group rail tour operator, has released their top five Scottish tours in celebration of Burns Night. Burns Night, or Burns Supper, is held…
It’s never too old to fall in love, nor to show you love that special someone. So, to provide some romantic inspiration, Travel Begins at 40 has rounded up a few…
There is something in our DNA about feeling a need to rehydrate, rejuvenate and restore not only after an indulgent Christmas but also the dark days of winter. What better…
With the big freeze and heavy snow expected in the coming weeks, people are clamouring to book their holidays in the sun, and while vacations are usually simple to arrange…
In recent years, the Roundhouse has done a little mid-winter shapeshifting. The great Victorian hemisphere in Camden Town, now one of London’s most cherished rock venues…
If someone uttered the words ‘road trip’, you could be forgiven for automatically thinking of America’s Route 66, or Australia’s East coast. However, we shouldn’t forget the amazing offerings on…
The UK has so much to offer with its rich history, galleries, theatres and concert halls, its commercial and scientific enterprise and its varied and undeniably scenic countryside.
UK National Parks
There are 15 National Parks in the UK, ranging from coastal areas to mountainous regions in England, Wales and Scotland. There are currently none in Northern Ireland. Unlike National Parks in other countries, in the UK parts of the designated, protected areas can be owned by private landlords. Such areas as the Lake District, Yorkshire Moors, Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, Snowdonia and the Cairngorms draw hikers and naturalists to them like a magnet.
UK Weather
The British never tire of the weather as a talking point. Broadly speaking it is a temperate climate, although winters are becoming wetter and summers warmer, probably from climate change. Warmer in the South, wetter in the West and colder in Scotland and Northern Ireland, the UK climate can be subject to diurnal change on a sudden basis, although, with the advent of satellites, the weather forecasts are more accurate. It is wise to take a waterproof with you on an extended trip.
Northern Ireland
Since the Good Friday Agreement brought greater stability to this previously troubled land, visitors are on an increase. The Titanic Museum displaying memorabilia regarding that renowned disaster and Ulster Museum looking at 3,000 years of Irish culture and history, are well worth a visit. Outside of Belfast, the Mountains of Mourne in County Down and the Giant Causeway, 60 miles outside Belfast, are not to be missed.
