3 days ago
Where can one read about the Trans-Siberian railway?
Q A friend of ours wants to go on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Can you recommend a book for him?
Graham H
A The great railway that stretches from European Russia through the vast emptiness of Siberia to the Pacific Ocean provides one of the world's great travel adventures. But along with the rest of the Russian Federation, it is firmly on the Foreign Office no-go list: 'The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises against all travel to Russia due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine, including security incidents, such as drone attacks, and Russian air defence activity.'
The official travel advice warns of only 'limited ability for the UK government to provide support' and says: 'There is also a high likelihood terrorists will try to carry out attacks, including in major cities.'
Travelling against Foreign Office advice renders standard travel insurance policies invalid. Having said that, there is no legal obstacle to travelling to Russia; plenty of flights are still going in and out (for example via Belgrade and Istanbul) and tourist visas are still being issued. But I urge your friend simply to seek information and inspiration for a future journey.
The twin constraints of Covid travel restrictions and the Russian invasion of Ukraine mean that up-to-date guidebooks simply don't exist. Bryn Thomas's comprehensive Trans-Siberian Handbook is still on its 10th edition, published by Trailblazer in 2019 – with some updates online at the Trailblazer Guides site.
The latest Lonely Planet guide, Trans-Siberian Railway, was published in 2018; while it is packed with information, much will inevitably be outdated by the time your friend travels.
For the time being, my recommendation is The Trans-Siberian Railway: A traveller's anthology, published by Signal Books in 2009. This elegantly edited collection includes stern warnings from Intourist brochures forbidding photography along the way, along with extracts of superb writing by Eric Newby and Paul Theroux. The latter ends his journey from Moscow in the far eastern city of Yaroslavl thus: 'I felt, after 6,000 miles and all those days in the train, only a great remoteness.'
Q I have a big birthday coming up this month, and some friends from Germany are heading over on the ferry. But they want to explore the Peak District along the way for a few days. Where do you advise they go? They are keen cyclists.
Jennifer McK
A The Peak District – Britain's first national park – contains much to appeal to visitors, from pretty villages to wild moorland in northern Derbyshire and surrounding counties. But I have three particular recommendations: one on foot, one by bike and one that is more of a scenic indulgence.
The first is the southernmost stretch of the Pennine Way, which winds along the spine of northern England to the Scottish border. You can reach the starting point, Edale, easily by rails and the long-distance pass is well signposted. Initially drystone walls carve up the countryside, but as you climb the landscape hardens to barren rock, with boulders casually strewn across the moor. You reach the top of Kinder Scout, at 636m, the highest point in the park. You can return the same way or make more of a circular trip – ask for details locally.
Further south, the trackbed of the former Cromford and High Peak railway has been turned into the High Peak trail: a 28-km cycle route that, as a former rail line, makes for relatively easy riding amid spectacular scenery. There are several options for renting bikes; you could do so at Buxton, an interesting spa town that is outside the national park borders, if you are happy with a steep climb up to the trail.
Finally, Dovedale is the valley that marks the southern end of highland Britain. The River Dove carves a lovely course through limestone cliffs. While it is not exactly the Grand Canyon, Dovedale makes an excellent conclusion to an exploration of the Peak District. The market town of Ashbourne is the place to start and end your excursion.
Q I am taking my son to Japan to celebrate his 21st birthday. We are keen to climb Mount Fuji. We want to make it a two-day trip, staying overnight at 'Station 8'. Tokyo Gaijins seems reasonably priced at 25,000 yen (£125) per person for a self-guided climb, and about 50,000 yen (£250) for a guided tour with a group of 24. Which do you recommend: self-guiding or taking an organised tour?
David S
A Climbing Japan's highest peak is an enthralling element of exploring the nation. It has been a while since I scaled Mount Fuji, and plenty has changed. With more tourists, especially foreigners, seeking to ascend the sacred mountain, and a short season (1 July – 10 September), there are many more controls. With limits imposed on the number of trekkers on the key routes, going through an operator like Tokyo Gaijins is a good choice. Whether you choose the self-guiding option or the organised tour, you get a direct bus early in the morning from Tokyo to 'base camp' and a relatively relaxing first day, ending with dinner and a dorm bed at one of the 8th station mountain huts. As this is over 3,000 metres above sea level (nearly two miles high), it is a good location to acclimatise.
Very early the following morning – around 2am – you start crunching your way to the 3,776m summit along the trail of volcanic rock. You should arrive in time for sunrise, though if a cloud descends, you will see nothing. I recommend walking around the crater before you descend. To help you relax after all that effort, the bus makes a stop at an onsen – Japanese spa – for a couple of hours.
All of this is included in the much cheaper self-guided tour, and I cannot see much benefit in paying twice as much to have a guide; you are not likely to get lost, since there is a constant procession of climbers. Indeed, the idea of being in a group of 24 people, all of different abilities, does not appeal to me. So go for the cheaper option – but bear in mind that from this year, you must also pay a 4,000 yen (£20) entrance fee when you arrive, in addition to the trip cost.
