If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to be part of a community that is gradually crumbling into the sea, then you need to visit Happisburgh – and quite soon, too. This village and its famous lighthouse are falling into sea. Norfolk? In autumn? Isn’t it a bit cold? If you don’t like hunkering down in your own seaside mansion after a blustery coastal walk, then yes. But if you don’t go in the autumn, you will be missing out on so much. From November, some of the best seal-watching in the world can be found here. Colonies gather at nearby Horsey Beach for breeding season, so it’s the best time to see pups. There are also beautiful displays of autumn colour. If ever there was a time to pack your fleece and walking boots and head off for a blustery UK break, it’s now. So where do I find my own mansion? August House (or Happisburgh Manor, as it’s known locally) is one of the few so-called “butterfly houses” in the UK, … [Read more...] about Why you should visit this crumbling Norfolk seaside town before it’s too late
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Australia’s island paradise with a dark and curious history
An island of sand and lush rainforest beauty sounds like just the ticket for newlyweds – and now parents to be – Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as they pause to take a breath during their whirlwind tour of Oceania, their first ever as a royal couple. Their 16-day adventure to the Antipodes includes stops in a number of familiar spots – from the Kiwi capital of Wellington to Auckland, New Zealand’s most populous city, and Australia’s holiday heavyweights Sydney and Melbourne. But the island where they will be touching down tomorrow is an altogether more curious destination. Not that they are going there for pure R&R (that will surely come ahead of the birth of their expected child next spring). Lying just off the southeastern coast of Queensland, Fraser Island is a Unesco World Heritage-listed landmass formed entirely of sand. And at more than 75 miles long and 15 miles wide (nearly the same size as Tenerife) it is the … [Read more...] about Australia’s island paradise with a dark and curious history
Selfies in the Korean DMZ – and other unusual border travel experiences
Such is the political turbulence that has come to define this second decade of the 21st century that it seems we can go from the worrying - and uncomfortably plausible - prospect of global nuclear warfare to selfies on the frontline in the space of less than 18 months. The saying that "life comes at you fast" is a relatively recent, internet-fuelled addition to common parlance. But even so, this pithy directive is about the only expression you can use to sum up the announcement that tourists will soon be able to pose for photos at a spot that, barely minutes ago, seemed sure to be a flashpoint for the death of us all. This is the news emerging from South Korea that, soon, travellers will not only be able to visit the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) which divides the two not-so-good neighbours of the Korean Peninsula - they will be able to hop back and forth across the precise "Demarcation Line" in the middle of the Joint Security Area (JSA) that, for more than 40 years, has been … [Read more...] about Selfies in the Korean DMZ – and other unusual border travel experiences
Seven cruises to Alaska that are perfect for families
Take the family cruising in Alaska and you’ll give your child ultimate playground bragging rights. While classmates can only chat about the hotel kids club, your brood will be boasting of epic adventures from walking on a glacier to coming within a few metres of a bear. The 49th state is one of the world’s great wildernesses. Visit on a cruise and you can enjoy all that raw nature from a comfortable, convenient floating home. And, if you pick a ship with a kids club you can still take the odd, richly-deserved day off from parenting too. Princess Cruises It’ll be puppy love at first sight when you take the family to Alaska with Princess Cruises. All its sailings feature Puppies in the Piazza, where dog handlers bring junior huskies on board in Skagway for cuddles and photos. To see their parents in action, book a Dog Sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier excursion from Juneau and mush your own team through the snow. Book it: A seven-night Voyage of the Glaciers … [Read more...] about Seven cruises to Alaska that are perfect for families
The hidden history of the Lake District
There’s a lot more to the Lake District than meets the eye. Yes, we love its hills, fells and beautiful stretches of water, but The Lakes with Paul Rose, a new four-parter beginning tonight (Friday October 19) on BBC Two, delves a little deeper into the region’s history and people. For the last 20 years, the Lake District has been the place that the ebullient explorer Paul Rose has called home. “I originally come from Romford in Essex and have spent my life in wild places at sea or in the Polar regions,” says Rose. “The Lakes have been important to me since I was a kid when I came here in the Seventies on an outward bound course. It was here that I first realised the true value of wilderness.” The series certainly celebrates the beauty of a region, which last year, after a long campaign, was awarded Unesco World Heritage status. But it also reveals its hidden history with fascinating stories, far from what you might usually pick up around the … [Read more...] about The hidden history of the Lake District