Catching up with the Americans, including a vice president, in the Cotswolds
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Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cumbria spot crowned among 'the most ridiculously beautiful little seaside villages'
An area in Cumbria has been highlighted among 'the 17 most ridiculously beautiful little seaside villages' in the UK. Lauren O'Toole, writing for The Express, said: "The heyday of British seaside resorts began in the 18th century when the health benefits of sea air and bathing became popular. "Two classic symbols of a traditional British seaside town are the humble promenade and pier full with your favourite arcade games. "To this day England still has more seaside piers around our coast than any other country in the world. British beaches are extremely beautiful, with some boasting golden sands and others having dramatic cliffs and coves." Arnside They said: "Arnside, a village and civil parish in Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, offers incredible diverse landscapes and wonderful walking trails. "Along the beach front you will find an array of cafes, restaurants and ice cream parlours, perfect for a typical day at the beach." Average house price: Average price: £367,629 The Times said last month: "The magnificent vista along the wooded shore of the Kent estuary is one of the best estuary views — an ever-changing spectacle of glowing sand, sparkling water and wonderful wildlife." Recommended reading: Dalton garden centre named as best North West retailer Historic sites in the Lake District, Millom, Barrow 'at risk' Arnside and Silverdale among 10 best destinations for spring They continued: "Try to bag a room or two with a view and ideally a garden, perhaps at sea level on the Promenade or High Knott Road and Redhills Road closer to the panoramic summit of Arnside Knott. "A handful of larger, grander homes might top the £1 million mark but there are plenty of good houses on the market for £500,000. Visitors descend on the village on a summer's evening to watch the sunset while tucking into cod and chips from the famous chippie. "But the social scene remains lively all year at the friendly sailing club and a variety of other groups and classes."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why ‘extreme day trips' are the new horrendous holiday trend
Reading the words 'extreme day trip' conjures, for me, the vision of an adrenaline-fuelled excursion somewhere in the UK. You know: skydiving in St Andrew's, say, or bungee-jumping in Bangor; coasteering in Cornwall or paragliding in the Peak District. It turns out I'm woefully behind the times. The term refers to the latest heinous holiday concept – one that I'm convinced may be the single worst trend to ever grace the world of travel. The idea is simple, albeit horrifying: travellers fly to a destination, tick off a jam-packed list of activities, and fly back again, all within the space of a day. It has gained traction on social media, where, for example, the hashtag #extremedaytrip has clocked up thousands of posts on TikTok. A Facebook group called Extreme Day Trips, meanwhile, has attracted more than 327,000 members ready to swap experiences for just how far a person can reasonably fling themselves in a 24-hour period. And then there's a site where community members share their one-day itineraries from the UK, including timings, tips, tricks and prices. Now, the practice has officially gone from fringe to mainstream: tour operator Tui has launched an extreme day trip to Lapland for its winter 2026 programme, departing from 11 UK airports. Read more: Tui launch 'Search for Santa' day trip to Lapland amid climate concerns The 'Search for Santa' itinerary is, for want of a better word, ambitious. Holidaymakers will be served a full English breakfast during the 3h 30m (approx) flight before arriving in Kittila, Finland, around midday. They'll grab snowsuits and boots, head to an 'ice village' to see the ice hotel and ice bar, hop on a sleigh ride pulled by reindeer, switch to a husky-led sled ride, go for a trip on a snowmobile, meet a Lapland local who'll impart stories and legends about the area, engage in some arts and crafts, take a journey through snowy woodland to meet Santa and his elves, and warm up with a hot juice by the campfire before returning to the airport. Oh, and on the plane home, they'll be served Christmas dinner. I'm exhausted just writing it, let alone doing it; God knows when you're supposed to fit in going to the toilet. It's like they took all the elements that make up a brilliant, bucket-list adventure and condensed them down and down until what's left is the vacation equivalent of an undiluted Ribena. It is too strong, too intense – and no, it does not taste good. As an adult, the prospect is headache-inducingly overstimulating. The very notion of subjecting a child to all that in under 12 hours makes me want to lie in a darkened room. Yes, each activity sounds fun in and of itself. But it won't be when suffocatingly stacked atop the others, like too many sardines squished into a single tin. In fact, I'll 'fess up: I've even been on an 'extreme day trip' myself, many years ago, whizzing to Qatar and back in under 24 hours for work. Please believe me when I say it was one of the least pleasurable travel experiences of my life thus far. Read more: Why we ditched the Canaries for a more sustainable trip to Paris And then there is, evidently, the climate factor in all this. We know by now that flying is far from green – taking just one long-haul flight accounts for more carbon emissions than individuals in many countries will be responsible for in an entire year. In 2023, aviation accounted for 2.5 per cent of global energy-related CO2 emissions, and the sector is only set to grow: the number of annual flights in Europe is expected to increase by 52 per cent in the next 25 years. Efforts to de-carbonise flights, meanwhile, are moving at a glacial pace – though perhaps that's a poor analogy, given the rapid speed at which glaciers are now melting due to global warming – with little sign of improvement. In fact, planemakers Boeing and Airbus both recently suspended the development of next generation, low emissions airliners – a fact that has further called the promise of 'net zero aviation', already exceedingly sketchy, into question. I stopped flying at the tail-end of 2019 due to the climate crisis. While I don't expect everyone to follow suit, and nor can I swear I'll never get on a plane again, my research and experience over the past five years has taught me one key principle: if you are going to catch a flight, make it count. Taking fewer trips and staying for longer is the sustainable name of the game if we're considering people and planet when arranging our travel plans. Travel with intention, take your time, explore more, spend more – you'll have a better experience personally, and your holiday will be of far greater net benefit to the destination you're visiting. Extreme day trips are the very antithesis of this: in and out, with few of your tourist pounds making it into the hands of locals. Meanwhile, that return flight to Swedish Lapland will have dumped 822kg of CO2 into the atmosphere, according to Atmosfair's carbon calculator – the equivalent of 205 round-trips from London to Paris via the Eurostar. Look, I know we're time-poor – but having a rich experience doesn't come from trying to cram a week's worth of holiday into a single day. It means slowing down enough to appreciate every moment; luxuriating in the sights, sounds and smells; and, yes, leaving enough time in the schedule to occasionally go to the toilet. Read more: The benefits of wild camping and why everyone should experience it
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Weekend walk: The iconic North York Moors walk you need to do at least once
Weekend walk: Roseberry Topping on North York Moors ROSEBERRY Topping is one of the most recognisable sites in the North York Moors. It is certainly the most recognisable hill. At 320m, just over 1,000 ft, it is not high but the steep sides and rocky summit stand out from miles around. Driving along the A173 it is impossible not to notice the steep sided hill of Roseberry Topping. The hard sandstone on its upper slopes has created its distinctive conical shape. Nearby the vast North York Moors plateau stretches for miles but Roseberry Topping is separate. Park in the official car park at Newton under Roseberry, it is a reasonable price. There are plenty of information boards describing the walking alternatives, of which there are many! I prefer walking in an anti-clockwise direction and I think it suits this walk well. Head from the car park to join a lane heading east towards the hill. After 2,400m and just before the trees a bridlepath heads left, ignore it and pass through a gate into the woods. You are greeted with a multitude of paths. I chose one heading largely south and gradually uphill. Newton Woods is an area of attractive woodland of ash, oak and birch. The path climbs steadily for 500m until it emerges through a stile on to the open hillside. Turn around and the sea is now in view near Saltburn, a surprise to me it seems so close. Just after the trees is a surprise, a stone Victorian folly is perched across some flat land, offering shelter on a windy day. The conical peak is now directly ahead. The path initially heads straight towards it. However after passing a stile it bends a little to the right before turning back to the summit after 200m. This is to avoid the steeper direct climb. Roseberry Topping map Emerge on to the rocky summit and trig point. The summit is an impressive place (although covered in flies when I was there last week) with good views in all directions and an intriguing rocky set up. To the south are the North York Moors, look carefully and the tower is Captain Cook's Monument. The north west side of the summit is sheer and broke away in 1912 when the old mines weakened the rock creating a rock fall. I took the path to the right of the sheer slopes and joined a steep path heading north. More walks: Weekend walk: Discover the beauty of the Fryup Dales from Danby Weekend walk: Climb to the summit of this hill for spectacular 360 degree views Weekend walk: Try this short walk to iconic landmark perfect for all the family Weekend walk: enjoy a riverside walk and superb views on this route The path is in good condition and the descent towards the woods very quick. On entering the woods bend towards the left and follow the track through the woods to return to the gate which marked the end of the lane from the car park. If in doubt there is an information board at its entrance. The 400m back to the car offers plenty of opportunity to ponder the name Roseberry Topping. The original name was Viking in origin, 'Odin's Hill' but there was a number of versions since Viking times (Odin, Ouseberry, Roseberry) that led to the name Roseberry Topping. Back at the car park turn left for the car but better, right for the pub. Fact Box: Distance: Roughly 2.5 miles Height to Climb: 320m (1,049 feet) Start: NZ 570128. Parking in the south end of Newton under Roseberry (National Trust) is also the start of the walk. Difficulty: Medium. The paths and tracks are very good but it is a steep climb and descent. Refreshments: The Kings Head in Newton Under Roseberry is the obvious place to go. Be Prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer OL26) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass. You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk. * Jonathan runs Where2walk, a walking company based in the Yorkshire Dales: He has written three books on walking in the Dales; 'The Yorkshire 3 Peaks', 'The Dales 30' mountains and the 'Walks without Stiles' book. Buy them direct from Where2walk Jonathan also runs Navigation Courses. The next available course date is September 14 (Hill Skills) in Long Preston. He also leads walking days over the 'Dales 30' mountains, check for details of forthcoming guided days. features hundreds of walks with descriptions across Yorkshire and beyond, from easy strolls to harder climbs. Visit the website for details of all these walks, guiding days and navigation courses.
