A Walking Tour Worthy of a Jane Austen Novel
To make the same pilgrimage to Bath by train takes just over an hour. By foot, it is eight arduous days. Macs Adventure, a tour planner headquartered in Glasgow, mapped out our 'easy-to-moderate' route, arranged our accommodations and transferred our luggage each day. We felt we could easily average about 13.8 miles a day, even while chatting.
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New York Times
5 days ago
- New York Times
An Inn-to-Inn Walk on Scotland's Idyllic East Coast
After days of North Atlantic gloom, the sky was an unblemished blue, and frothy waves crashed on the rocks edging the Fife Coastal Path in eastern Scotland, sending flocks of ruddy turnstones wheeling over farm fields inland. The Fife Coastal Path stretches 117 miles from Kincardine to Newburgh, following basalt shores and linking fishing villages to the golf mecca of St. Andrews. It's a walk for nature lovers, popular with through-hikers and my chosen destination for testing the value of surrendering control. As an independent traveler, I spend hours plotting itineraries. This time, I'd entrusted Macs Adventure, which plans self-guided walking trips, with the details. Macs and companies such as Inntravel and InnWalking handle hotel reservations and route planning in walking trips designed for individuals rather than groups. Luggage transfers between lodgings sweeten the deal, freeing travelers to tote only their day packs. For my test run last fall, I chose a relatively short trip from the Macs portfolio, which is primarily Europe-focused, with a few itineraries in Japan and New Zealand. The four-night itinerary on the Fife Coastal Path, which included lodging, breakfasts, luggage transfers and access to the Macs app, which has a detailed map, starts at $795 a person sharing a double room; as a solo traveler, I paid $965. A reasonable price, I thought, figuring that if I planned it myself, I would have paid only about $165 less. But ceding planning meant accepting someone else's idea of a perfect trip. Could my inner control freak let go? A Good Start I began my trip on a Saturday in Kirkcaldy, a roughly 40-minute train ride from Edinburgh. Macs reserved a room for me at the Strathearn Hotel, a former 1880s villa opposite the coastal remains of the 15th-century Ravenscraig Castle where I would begin walking the next morning. At the hotel pub, I met Graeme Mitchell, the owner of the Strathearn, nursing a Tennent's Lager while his wife, Loraine, pitched in behind the bar on an afternoon busy with birthday and anniversary parties. Few in the packed pub were staying in the 15 rooms upstairs, but many locals offered their advice on my route, including where to have a bowl of soup (Crail Harbour Gallery and Tearoom), visit a farmer's market (Ardross Farm Shop) and find the best fish and chips (the village of Anstruther). Since the Macs itinerary didn't include meals, I relied on substantive hotel breakfasts and trail snacks to see me through each day of walking. The Strathearn set a high bar with its generous offerings — I chose two poached eggs on avocado toast — the next morning. Afterward, I entrusted my backpack to the front desk clerk for the handoff to a taxi that would transfer it to the next hotel, and set out with little more than a water bottle. Caves and Castles Below Ravenscraig Castle at low tide, fingers of seaweed-covered rock extended from a rocky beach into the placid sea, allowing me to set out on the sand for Leven, roughly 10 miles ahead. At times, rising tides would push me onto higher ground where parallel trails were edged with white and purple asters. Towns dot the Fife Coast, providing a continual diet of discovery. It wasn't long before I reached Dysart and its 18th-century stone-walled harbor where skiffs rested in the shallows. Stacks of lobster traps leaned against stone buildings, and the nameplates of boats such as Nauti Buoy, Dubbie Braes and Breadwinner decorated a corrugated metal shelter. With an entire day to travel just 10 miles and no bag to slow me down, I often wandered from the path, ducking into a cafe in West Wemyss for tea and diverting far from the trail for ice cream at the Perfect Scoop in East Wemyss. Back on track, I passed the Wemyss Caves, concealing 1,500-year-old carvings by the ancient Picts people. Above them, I scrambled up a steep path to the ruins of MacDuff's Castle, built by the Earls of Fife in the 14th century, and magnificent sea views. In Leven, the path became a paved sidewalk along the oceanfront, busy with dog walkers and strollers on a cloudy but bright day. Just past the town center, I turned a block inland to reach the Lomond Guest House, where I was welcomed by the innkeeper and reunited with my backpack in a cozy second-floor room. Tired by the five-hour walk, I called a cab to go three miles up the shore for dinner at the Crusoe inn (hake with creamed potatoes was £21.95, or about $29) and a chance to stare out to sea from a stationary spot. Tees and Tides From Leven, the beach path traversed soft dunes and then grassy banks that delivered me to the edge of a golf course. A worn groove across a fairway indicated my course despite a warning sign: 'Extreme care is required if using this access way. You are at risk of being injured by golf balls.' Hands over head, I dashed to the far side of the Lundin Golf Club. Scotland has a tradition of open access to private land for walkers — details can be found in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code — and in the next agricultural stretch signs reminded hikers not to make excessive noise or disturb the animals. One farm posted a picture of an angry bull to deter entry. Gradually the path, uncrowded in the shoulder season, climbed a series of cliffs crowned by the ruins of World War II lookout posts. Descending a hill beside the Elie Golf Course, I helped a player search for his ball on a rocky beach. Another cliff-top view introduced the tidy town of Earlsferry and its neighbor, Elie, linked by nearly a mile of golden sand. Since the Victorian age, travelers have visited the area, known as East Neuk, where picturesque villages are nestled in valleys and quarried jetties quell the churn of the sea. Elie's harbor walls curl around to protect the beach and its dunes, site of the Elie Seaside Sauna, with a picture window framing tranquil views of dune grass. I booked an hourlong session (£12) at the end of the day's walk and found myself in a stifling chamber where the thermometer read 95 Celsius, or 203 Fahrenheit. It was enough to drive me and my seven sauna mates into the North Sea despite chilly waters. Booked at the nearby Ship Inn, a stylish, six-room hotel in a series of waterfront cottages, I put my feet up on the bay window of my oceanfront room and, using supplied binoculars, watched oystercatchers foraging at low tide. The inn's restaurant highlights locally grown, raised and caught food (at dinner, wild mushroom stroganoff was £21.95, and lobster linguine £29.95), another Macs win for ensuring that, after a long hike, I could explore the region's locavore culinary scene without leaving the hotel. A Wild Coast Coastal erosion has pushed the first two miles of the trail leaving Elie to the A917 roadway. But at low tide, I found the beach route open and left town via the coastal ruins of the 1770 Lady's Tower, built for the wife of a local industrialist who, when she wanted to skinny-dip, would have a servant ring a bell warning the townspeople to stay clear. As a pod of dolphins swam past, a bird-watcher offered me a close-up through his high-powered scope. The most scenic stretch of the walk, the 10.5-mile route to Crail, passed the Ardross Farm Shop filled with locally raised foods, intriguing tide pools, flocks of pink-footed geese and the moody 13th-century ruins of Newark Castle. Lobster traps lined the stone wharf of St. Monans, and beyond it a windmill marked the location of former salt pans. I wandered into art galleries in tidy Pittenweem, admiring the whitewashed walls and terra cotta roofs that reflect the town's historic trade with Belgium and the Netherlands. In the next village, Anstruther, I heeded the advice of a Strathearn regular and ordered crispy haddock and chips (£14) at Anstruther Fish Bar facing the harbor. Reluctant to give up the last isolated section of the trail, I lingered over the final four miles as the wind rushed waves onto driftwood-strewed shores. The route eventually reached the walls of Crail that buffered the town from the sea, not far from the homey Honeypot Guesthouse, where I again claimed my bag. The next morning, as I hoisted my eight-pound pack for the bus trip to St. Andrews nearby, I realized Macs had inserted itself into the love-hate relationship I have with luggage, in which I love the wardrobe refresh but hate the weight. Unencumbered, I saw more and ached less, two priceless outcomes. Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2025.
Buzz Feed
30-07-2025
- Buzz Feed
I Took A Mini 'Reading Retreat' Instead Of A Pricey Holiday – I've Already Planned My Next One
It's been 250 years since Jane Austen was born, and everyone who knows me is all too aware that I've been re-reading the author's classics to celebrate the event. As it happens, the anniversary coincided with another book-lover's dream: ' reading retreats,' which involve spending much of your holiday with your nose buried in a novel, are all over my TikTok FYP. Some of them are run by official companies, which offer days-long, themed stays with trips, reading lists, and hotel stays; you can take part in groups, and they look incredibly fun. Personally, though, I didn't want to use any time off for my own version (nor did I particularly want to spend too much money on the break). So, I enjoyed a quick couple of days at a family member's house and decided to explore the author's iconic scenes – and now, I think it's going to become the basis for my next 'big' holiday. What is a 'reading retreat'? A reading retreat involves immersing yourself in books for a couple of days solid, but it doesn't mean you have to read nonstop. You can also visit the places the author may have stayed at, lived, or written about, or simply soak in the 'vibe' of a novel (I used mine as an opportunity to get an 'Austen walk' in). You don't have to stick to a particular author or theme. Some people just read a lot on their 'reading retreats' – you can go alone or with others, and I plan to try both. Professional reading retreats can be fully prepared with food, planned excursions, and set discussions, but publisher Penguin notes that if you don't want to leave your house to try the trend, you don't have to. Simply refresh your own space, invite people over if you want (possibly cooking a book-themed meal), choose your books, and set an itinerary if you want to. I found my 'reading retreat' really relaxing I usually hate overly-structured breaks, but I don't love worrying that I'm constantly wasting my time while away. For me, a reading retreat – which involved reading, walking, and going to appropriately gorgeous houses – was the perfect combination: I had a list of stuff I wanted to do, but no set time to do it. Plus, almost everything was cheap or free, and I could recreate a lot of the fun I had (walking, reading, and visiting spots Austen had mentioned or been to) just as well at home as I did away. I'm already planning two follow-up reading retreats: one on my own, and another group saunter around Bath (with Catherine Moreland-level delusions of Gothic drama, hopefully). Speaking to HuffPost UK, Dr Pamela Walters, a consultant psychiatrist, said: 'Unlike the more structured types of wellness getaways, they allow for more of a deep mental rest. 'This can be valuable for people experiencing chronic stress, burnout, or symptoms of anxiety and depression,' she added. 'I think it's wonderfully restorative and frankly overdue. We often overlook the psychological power of slow, intentional activities like reading because they don't appear 'active' in the typical wellness sense. 'But this trend reflects a shift toward more sustainable forms of self-care. It recognises that wellness doesn't always have to mean doing more: it can also mean doing less.' Having tried it, I couldn't agree more.
Hamilton Spectator
18-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
A walking holiday together saw us travelling to Austria for Salzburg's Lake District
We asked Star readers to tell us about trips they have taken and to share their experience and advice: Where: Salzburg Lake District When: May 2025 Trip rating: 4/5 What inspired you to take this trip? Friends for more than 50 years, Kate and I started hiking after early retirement 20 years ago, sometimes with other gal friends and sometimes just the two of us. In 2005, our first adventure was to trek Ontario's Bruce Trail. The rest of Canada and Europe's hiking trails beckoned. After that, through two-week adventures, we could be found on any number of them. Our May 2025 walking holiday saw us travelling to Austria to walk the Salzkammergut, Salzburg's Lake District; but not before we walked the streets of exquisite Vienna and Mozart's Salzburg over a five-day period to enjoy the history, art and music both cities had to offer. Kate and I booked a self-guided, eight-day Salzburg lakes walk with Macs Adventure. The company arranges accommodation, moves luggage and provides a recommended route with an app to download to phones. Our first night saw us in Fuschl am See, with subsequent nights in St. Gilgen, Strobl am Wolfgangsee, the spa town of Bad Ischl and Bad Goisern am Hallstättersee. Our walks took us on river and lake pathways, ascents up forest- and foliage-covered hills, for panoramic views of lakes, and down along pastoral animal scenes, by iconic Austrian architecture, as well as on cable car and ferry rides. What was the best sight? In the lakes region, the waterscape was jaw-dropping, traversing the shores of Wolfgangsee and Hallstätter See. The panoramic mountain peak views at the station stop of the Katrin Cable Car were breathtaking. We enjoyed exploring the quaint villages of Bad Ischl, St. Wolfgang, Strobl and St. Gilgen, as well as a scenic start to one hike in the very picturesque but tourist-filled Hallstatt. In Vienna, the Gustav Klimt exhibit and gardens at Schloss Belvedere, and in Salzburg, the Fortress Hohensalzburg , were highlights. What was your favourite activity? We were on a walking trip, so we appreciated navigating our way from one hotel stop to the next using the Mac app, as well as coordinating with ferry and train schedules. One walk saw us on St. Wolfgang's pilgrimage; another on a part of the BergeSeen Trail. We met friendly people every place we visited, and English was prevalent. We walked another 76.88 kilometres during our time on the Salzburg lake journey to add to our 83 kilometres in the two cities. What was the most delicious thing you ate? Breakfasts were a buffet offering of everything from eggs, meats and smoked fish to cheeses, yogourts and pastries. For dinners, we enjoyed turkey schnitzel, pepper veal meatballs with veggies, watermelon and Caesar salads, lake salmon, apple strudel, and ginger cookies from Wallner's Geschichte in St. Wolfgang, famous for its ginger products, dating back to the 1500s. What was the most memorable thing you learned? On this walking adventure, we saw the political history and grandiose lifestyle of the Habsburg monarchy, its subsequent republics, Austria's involvement in wars, the importance of salt as a currency, the cleanliness of villages and trails, a myriad of well-used cycling trails, and the importance of the traditional dirndl dress and of lederhosen. What is one piece of advice you'd give? Get out there and walk! Prepare well for a hiking holiday; take the appropriate safety, medical and walking gear and boots. Study your journey and the logistics before departure. Leave with an itinerary in your hands. Plan around temperatures and bugs in the season you want to hike. In cities, book your accommodation in the historic centre to make for more interesting exploration. Donna McMillan, Port Dover, Ont. READERS' TIPS We've launched a series that invites Star readers to share places they've visited recently and would recommend, whether it's a weekend getaway in Elora, a Banff canoe trip, or a jaunt to Paris or Rome. If you've been, loved it and want to tell us about it, we'd like to hear from you. Email us with 'TRAVEL TIPS' in the subject line at travel@ . Please include brief responses to these questions. If your holiday experience is chosen, we'll be in touch. 1. Where did you go and when was it? 2. Where did you stay? 3. What was a highlight of your trip? Why? 4. Any travel tips?
