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Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Iconic Scottish spot with breathtaking hike named among UK's best panoramic views
CEWE and photographer Bella Falk ranked the UK's best panoramic views, with an iconic spot on Isle of Skye fifth From sweeping coastlines to dramatic peaks, the United Kingdom is home to countless breathtaking vistas. A new study by photo printing company CEWE has revealed the country's best panoramic views, placing the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye in fifth position. To help people make the most of these scenic locations, CEWE teamed up with award-winning travel photographer Bella Falk, who compiled the ranking based on visual impact, elevation and scale. Importantly, all chosen spots can be enjoyed without specialist equipment or technical skill. The list features a mix of iconic landmarks and lesser-known gems, from the rugged Pennine Way and Jacob's Ladder to the London skyline as seen from Greenwich Observatory. The summit of Yr Wyddfa, better known as Mount Snowdon, also ranks highly. Falk describes panoramic scenes as offering the chance to 'capture nature's beauty and otherworldly moments like nothing else.' The Old Man of Storr is perhaps the most famous walk on Skye and certainly its busiest. Known in Gaelic as Bodach an Stòr, the 55-metre-high basalt pinnacle is the remnant of a volcanic plug thought to be around 2.8 billion years old. The wider Trotternish Ridge, which reaches its highest point at the Storr (719 metres), was shaped about 60 million years ago when volcanic lava flowed onto softer Jurassic rock. This caused massive landslips that created the dramatic cliffs and weathered pinnacles seen today. From the summit, walkers are rewarded with views stretching across the Isle of Harris, the Cuillin Mountains and the Scottish mainland. The out-and-back trail to the site begins and ends at the car park, covering 3.8 kilometres and typically taking just over an hour without breaks. Ninth on the list is the view from Blackford Hill, one of Edinburgh's famed seven hills. Rising to 164 metres, it offers sweeping views north towards the city and south towards the Braid and Pentland Hills. Near its summit sits the green-domed Royal Observatory, home to a university astronomy research group and a visitor centre. Blackford Hill is largely open ground, though mature woodland grows nearby in the Hermitage of Braid, a leafy strip following the Braid Burn and connecting with the hill's base. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Rounding out the top ten is Eilean Donan Castle, one of the most recognisable buildings in Scotland. The fortress is a perennial favourite for photographers and features on countless shortbread tins and calendars. Its dramatic location, on a small island at the meeting point of three sea lochs, framed by the forested mountains of Kintail, has made it one of the Highlands' most visited attractions. Eilean Donan overlooks the Isle of Skye and has stood in various forms for centuries, though its current structure was restored in the early 20th century. Visitors crossing the stone bridge to its stout gates are greeted by a view that has become synonymous with the Scottish Highlands.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Drinking used to get me through bad dates. When I quit alcohol, I also stopped using dating apps.
Drinking used to help Bella Falk, 46, get through bad dates. She decided to quit both booze and dating apps. She's happier making the most of what she has rather than worrying about what she doesn't. When my ex-partner moved out, among his parting words were: "You're amazing. You'll meet someone else in no time." But as anyone who's braved the world of dating apps will know, meeting someone you really like, who likes you back enough to show up reliably and not ghost you after a couple of months, is soul-crushingly hard. At least, it has been for me. Getting matches wasn't a problem, but surviving the tedious small talk without dying of boredom or the conversation fizzling out before we'd arranged to meet seemed next to impossible. But if by some miracle we did make it to an in-person date, what did we do? Of course, we went for a drink. Going for a drink was the default first date. It's cheaper than a meal, quick, and low-pressure, and avoids the potential torture of enduring a three-course dinner with someone who turns out to be duller than a six-hour delay at an airport. I would grab a casual wine after work, and if there was no spark or the guy turned out to be 10 years older than his profile pictures (yes, this happened), I would make my excuses after a glass or two. Not only was drinking helpful, but it was often expected. While there is talk that the younger generation is less interested in alcohol, many of my peers still see teetotallers as boring and no fun, hardly the impression you want to give when you're just getting to know someone. First dates are hard. I relied on booze to make them easier. If there was no spark, wine made me chattier and able to fill the awkward silences. If the guy was a bit creepy, it made me brave enough to face the awkward goodbye and leave early. On the rare occasions when I did meet someone I fancied, having alcohol in my system gave me the courage I needed to flirt, instead of blushing and running away like a nervous teenager. But as years passed by, the whole routine became a Sisyphean cycle of hope and disappointment. I would wake up with a mild hangover and another story to amuse my coupled-up friends. I tried coffee dates, but the concept didn't really work in London, where I live. Many people live out of town, so it makes sense to grab a drink at the end of the working day. And I had no desire to do full hair and makeup and drag myself downtown on a Saturday. So, a year and a half ago, I quit. Not just the booze, but the dating apps too. Searching for "The One" had become a full-time job. Hours of swiping and tedious chitchat, for it to either fizzle out or end in an excruciating evening wishing I was back home watching Netflix in my PJs. It was an emotional roller coaster, especially when I met someone I liked, allowed myself to get my hopes up, and then ended up dumped or ghosted. I realized it wasn't being single that made me miserable. It was the constant effort of trying not to be single. The apps were taking up so much of my time — I must have spent days of my life chatting to people I never even met. The number of words I'd typed into Bumble, I could have written a novel — and then at least I'd have had something to show for it all, apart from RSI in my thumbs. Without the apps and the booze, I'm sleeping better, I'm healthier, and most importantly, my mental health has improved. I haven't cried in over a year (it used to be a fairly regular occurrence — always caused by a man). When I think about downloading the apps again, I feel that sick dread in my stomach, usually only reserved for my triennial smear test. Now I focus on enjoying life and making the best of what I do have, instead of worrying about what I don't. I'm a travel writer and photographer, so I'm abroad a lot, exploring the world and having incredible experiences. When I'm home, I go out with friends, attend networking events, or pitch for my next trip. If I do meet someone, it'll be because we've met through shared interests and have already decided we like each other before we go on an actual date. Maybe I'll even agree to dinner. Read the original article on Business Insider
