Latest news with #outdooradventures
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
'True treasure' near Bolton named among UK's best areas for staycations
A popular area near Bolton has been named among the best places for UK holidays in a list by Conde Nast Traveller. The travel publication said: 'Though our daily daydreaming usually sees us travelling to far-flung, exotic atolls, in reality, the UK has a vast and varied roster of holiday possibilities on offer without ever having to step foot off the island. 'Not only is this music to the ears of those trying to cut down on their carbon emissions, but it's also a godsend for those short on time, big on bringing their four-legged friend along or keen to keep travel costs low. 'With that said, we've rounded up a clutch of our favourite forms of staycation, from surfing on the enchanting Cornish coast to horse riding across the rugged landscapes of Scotland. So, leave the passport at home and head off on one of the many types of holidays that this island has to offer.' The Peak District features in the list and was labelled the best spot for climbing holidays. Conde Nast Traveller said: 'Our fair isle is dotted with outdoor rock climbing and bouldering spots that could compete with those all over the world. 'From the dramatic coastlines of Cornwall, which span over 300 miles and include the tors and quarries of Bodmin Moor, as well as the popular bouldering spots of Cheesewring and Carn Brea Quarry, to the rugged mountain ranges of Scotland, there is a cliff face to suit everyone here, whether you count yourself as a novice climber or an experienced boulderer looking to put their skills to the test. 'The Peak District also offers some of the UK's best climbing spots, with over 10,000 different route options and their gritstone edges (particularly those of Stanage and Burbage) drawing climbers here year after year.' Conde Nast Traveller suggested the best time of year to explore the Peak District: 'The end of May through September is the best time to go on a climbing holiday in the UK due to the warmer weather and longer days.' If you're looking for somewhere to stay, it recommends the Tawny Hotel in Consall: 'Though not the nearest to the key climbing routes in the Peak District, the Tawny Hotel is worth the 25-minute drive to be able to really relax at the end of a tiring day of bouldering. 'Treat yourself to a muscle-soothing treatment at the spa, stretch your legs out in the swimming pool and refuel with a relaxed dinner at their flagship restaurant, The Plumicorn.' Peak District National Park has impressed its visitors, with some sharing their experiences on Google Reviews, where it has a 4.8/5 rating from 33,516 reviews. One visitor said: 'Peak District National Park is absolutely stunning—rolling hills, peaceful trails, and breathtaking views at every turn. It's perfect for walking, cycling, or just relaxing in nature. 'The wildlife is a treat to watch, especially the sheep and lambs! A brilliant destination for all ages, and a true escape into the countryside.' Recommended reading: Peak District walks with 'breathtaking scenery' among UK's must-visit valley trails Lancashire coastal spot with 'amazing sunsets' among UK's best secret beaches Lancashire beauty spot with 'beautiful natural vistas' among England's hidden gems This person commented: 'The Peak District is a true treasure! We went in the summer, which was the ideal season to explore this gorgeous national park. With stunning views at every bend, the walks are amazing. There is a trail for everyone, regardless of your level of hiking experience or preference for a more relaxed walk. 'Don't pass up the opportunity to view the vast moorlands, charming villages, and undulating hills. I strongly advise planning your next summer vacation to the Peak District!' Have you been to the Peak District? Let us know in the comments.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Bluegrass-Loving Mountain Town Is One Of Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets
Tucked into the quiet folds of Southwest Virginia, far from the hum of the interstates, Independence is a small but spirited mountain town where outdoor adventures meet deep-rooted Appalachian heritage. Hike to spot sturdy wild ponies, pedal along a rail-trail or two, or tap your toes to the twang of old-time fiddle music. It may catch you off guard, but this grounded authenticity is part of the charm. This is the kind of place that invites you to press pause—to slow down and truly appreciate what's around you. When you're ready to explore Independence and the surrounding beauty of Grayson County, here's where to begin. At Grayson Highlands State Park, set off on a scenic hike to spot its famous free-roaming wild ponies. Introduced in the 1970s to maintain the open grassy balds, these stocky, sure-footed ponies have become beloved icons. For your best chance at a sighting, start at Massie Gap and hike north toward Wilburn Ridge on the Appalachian Trail. For a more summit-focused hike, head south on the Big Pinnacle Trail to two of Virginia's highest peaks: Big Pinnacle and Little Pinnacle. 829 Grayson Highland Lane, Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363; 276-579-7092 Nature lovers and birding enthusiasts will find quiet refuge at Matthews State Forest. The 0.9-mile Birding Trail winds through hardwood forest, white pine groves, and grassy meadows. Interpretive signs call out oft-spotted species, like red-eyed vireos, brown thrashers, and pine warblers. Download the free Merlin app before you go. It can recognize birds by their songs and calls, making it a great companion on your hike. 106 Forestry Lane, Galax, VA 24333; 276-236-2322 One of the oldest rivers on Earth, the New River flows northward through this mountainous region. Rent a kayak, canoe, or tube from New River Outdoor Adventures and get out on the water. Choose a relaxing two-mile float for a mellow afternoon or go for a longer 8.5-mile trip with mountain vistas and gentle rapids. A shuttle service lets you focus on the experience without worrying about logistics. Be sure to pack sunscreen. 5785 Fries Road, Galax, VA 24333; 276-237-8823 Saddle up for a scenic trot with Shoal Creek Horse Adventures, which is located on a 400-acre working farm on the New River. Guided trail rides that last 60 or 90 minutes run from May through October and are suitable for all skill levels, even beginners. Explore rolling pastures, shaded woods, and riverfront paths that make it easy to soak in the quiet beauty of the landscape and the agricultural heritage. 1358 Battlefield Drive, Independence, VA 24348; 276-768-0864 Virginia's highest point, Mount Rogers, sits at 5,729 feet. While the summit itself is forested with no panoramic views, the hike to get there is nothing short of spectacular. Starting at Massie Gap at Grayson Highlands State Park, the nine-mile round-trip hike winds across open highland meadows, past grazing ponies, and into a mossy spruce-fir forest ecosystem. The white-blazed Appalachian Trail guides you for most of the way on this moderately challenging hike. 829 Grayson Highland Lane, Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363; 276-579-7092 Bring your bike—or rent one locally—and enjoy the region's scenic rail-trails. The 57-mile New River Trail and the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail are two of the most beloved routes in the state. Both offer gentle grades, restored trestles, and beautiful river or forest views. Shuttle services allow you to take advantage of one-way rides. In 2024, Hurricane Helene damaged some sections of these trails, including the now-closed stretch between Whitetop Station and Damascus on the Virginia Creeper Trail. Always check for trail updates before setting out. Matthews Living History Farm Museum is a 22-acre working farm that brings the early 1900s to life. Wander through authentic buildings, including a barn, spring house, and blacksmith shop, and learn about time-honored Appalachian trades like quilting, soap-making, and woodworking. From late May through early September, weekly music jams with fiddles and banjos celebrate the area's musical heritage. Farm animals, like sheep, cows, and a beloved donkey, roam the grounds. 476 White Pine Road, Galax, VA 24333; 276-773-3080 The Historic 1908 Courthouse is an architectural gem with stories to tell. Designed by renowned architect Frank P. Milburn, the structure features octagonal towers, arched windows, spiral staircases, and bricks shipped by rail from Maysville, Kentucky. The courthouse served as the county's judicial hub until 1979 and today houses the Grayson Crossroads Museum, the Grayson County Historical Society, and Baldwin Auditorium. On Wednesday nights, stop in for the Old-Time Mountain Music Jam from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. 107 East Main Street, Independence, VA 24348; 276-773-3711 For a deeper dive into Southwest Virginia's musical roots, don't miss the Grayson County Fiddlers' Convention. Held annually in Elk Creek since 1967, this two-day music festival takes place the last full weekend of June. Bring your folding chairs for a twangy celebration of old-time and bluegrass music, complete with youth competitions, flatfoot dancing, and toe-tapping performances set against the Blue Ridge Mountains. For a filling, no-frills breakfast, Aunt Bea's in Independence hits the spot with classic Southern fare like scratch-made biscuits, pancakes, and fluffy omelets—all served all day long. In nearby Mouth of Wilson, Corner Market & Café features breakfast staples like French toast, cheesy scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon. Fuel up for a day of mountain adventures. 529 East Main Street, Independence, VA 24348; 276-773-2100 4013 Troutdale Highway, Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363; 276-579-4440 In Fries, just a short drive from Independence, settle in at Windy River Café and dig into comfort foods like country-fried steak, pork chops, and fried okra. If you're craving more elevated dining, Fries Dam Steakhouse serves up bourbon-glazed salmon, filet mignon, and fried green tomatoes, with a side of New River views. 335 Firehouse Drive, Fries, VA 24330; 276-744-0137 439 West Main Street, Fries, VA 24330; 276-313-0916 A picnic beside Powerhouse Falls—also known as Peach Bottom Falls—can be a relaxing mid-day break. Picnic tables overlook the cascades, and a short trail allows for easy exploration. Grab lunch to go from Angie's Sip & Taste on Main Street, where the fresh-made sandwiches, hearty soups, and garden salads are a great choice for a light picnic lunch to enjoy outdoors. 310 East Main Street, Independence, VA 24348; 276-768-1035 Indulge in a sweet treat at the end of the day. In Mouth of Wilson, the Grayson Highlands General Store & Inn serves hand-dipped Hershey's ice cream in classic flavors like Moose Tracks and Cookies 'n Cream. Windy River Café in Fries offers a line-up of sundaes and banana splits, while The Frosty Monkey in Independence is the stop for milkshakes, shaved ice, and signature ice cream creations, like ice cream nachos. 4249 Highlands Parkway, Mouth of Wilson, VA 24363; 276-579-4602 335 Firehouse Drive, Fries, VA 24330; 276-744-0137 305 East Main Street, Independence, VA 24348; 276-773-2228 Dream Rock Silo is a creatively restored 1950s dairy barn turned boutique lodging. The four-story structure features three one-of-a-kind suites, including the circular Silo Suite with a round king-size bed and wrap-around mountain views. Outside, rock gardens and the soothing sounds of nature set the tone for peaceful exploration. It's no surprise this spot has earned a place among Airbnb's most wish-listed stays in Virginia. 664 Saddle Creek Road, Independence, VA 24348; 276-768-6350 For riverside charm, book a room at The Washington Inn in Fries. This beautifully restored inn dates to 1902 and offers easy access to the New River Trail. With 11 individually coded ensuite rooms—including a spacious Hideaway Suite that sleeps up to eight—it's a comfortable and convenient spot for couples, families, and solo travelers alike. 509 West Main Street, Fries, VA 24330; 704-778-7734 Read the original article on Southern Living
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
8 U-Pick Farms In The South For A Sweet Summer Outing
For Southerners, fresh fruit is best enjoyed outdoors with grass under our bare feet and sunlight overhead. It's easy enough to grab a container from the air-conditioned grocery store, but there's something far more rewarding about picking it yourself. Whether it's biting into a juicy peach or balancing a slice of watermelon bigger than your plate, the experience can transport you back to childhood. If you're looking to spend a day under open skies, with stained fingertips and the scent of ripening fruit in the air, these eight farms offer just that—plus beautiful views and memories worth savoring. Blue Ridge, Georgia Surrounded by mountain views in beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia, this four-generation, family-owned orchard has been a local treasure since 1943. Mercier is best known for its 50-plus varieties of apples—but fruit picking stretches nearly year-round. Late spring kicks off with the Blueberry U-pick, inviting guests to gather bright, sun-ripened berries destined for jams, cobblers, or straight-from-the-bucket snacking. By August, guests can pick the coveted apples. Both experiences begin with a scenic tractor ride through the fields, but you haven't seen it all until you've visited the on-site market and bakery, where fried pies, apple fritters, and more are all made with the farm's bounty. 8660 Blue Ridge Dr, Blue Ridge, GA 30513; 706-632-3411 Explore Blue Ridge Tuskegee, Alabama This 46-acre plot is home to four acres of specialty crops and 40 acres of mixed hardwoods and pines, but it's the two-acre blueberry patch—lovingly tended by Josie Gbadamosi—that turns this place into a beloved summer ritual. Each summer, the gates of Shady Grove Road Blueberry Patch swing open, inviting neighbors and travelers to grab a bucket, brave the sun, and gather ripe, plump berries straight from the bush. Make the most of your visit by planning around the farm's biannual Rhythm and Blueberry Festival, a two-day celebration packed with live music, arts, horse rides, food demos, giveaways, and a bustling farmers market. 690 Co Rd 81, Tuskegee, AL 36083; 334-521-6006 Hendersonville, NC It's not every day that you get to pick your own thornless Navaho blackberries, but this family-run orchard in Hendersonville invites you to do just that starting in early July. (Exact ripening dates depend on the weather, so be sure to check the schedule.) Pick blackberries and select varieties of apples, then celebrate your hard work by unwinding at the on-site Taproom, where you can sip on house-made hard ciders, local beers on tap, and regional wines. For the kiddos—or anyone with a sweet tooth—stop by the bakery for fried apple pies, cider donuts, and more seasonal treats. 187 Garren Rd, Hendersonville, NC 28792; 828-974-1232 Explore Hendersonville Lucedale and Wiggins, Mississippi Fruit picking gets all the love, but vegetable picking is just as fun. What began with a single newspaper ad—'Pick Your Own Tomatoes, $5 Bucket'—has grown into a beloved summer tradition across southern Mississippi. At Charlie's U-Pik, now run by the children and grandchildren of founder Charlie Eubanks, families can snag watermelons and warm-weather vegetables like tomatoes, peas, peppers, sweet corn, and the list goes on. The farm's two locations in Lucedale and Wiggins offer a no-frills, deeply rewarding kind of harvest. Produce is charged by the five-gallon bucket (bring your own), so it's easy to load up and linger. 257 Charlies Ln, Lucedale, MS 39452; 3787 MS-26, Wiggins, MS 39577; 601-530-0548 Crozet, Virginia As you drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway, this farm near downtown Crozet is the perfect roadside stop for fresh fruit mountain views. From blackberries to blueberries to peaches, the property is bountiful in the summertime. Visitors pre-pay by container size, with at least one container required for every two to three people. After your time in the fields, head to the farm market and bakery for creamy soft-serve ice cream. Order a waffle cone outside or enjoy a milkshake inside the 'Clubhouse,' and don't forget to try their homemade hot fudge and fresh cider donuts, both local favorites. Related: 15 Must-Visit Vineyards In Virginia For Wine Enthusiasts Long Creek, South Carolina Set on 200 acres in the Blue Ridge foothills, Chattooga Belle Farm doubles as a lively event space, known for everything from sunset dinners and outdoor weddings to whiskey tastings at its on-site distillery. There's plenty of room to roam, with wide-open views and U-pick fields that shift with the season—blueberries ripen in June and July, followed by early apples in August. As summer winds down, you'll find more unexpected treasures, like crisp Asian pears and sweet Brown Turkey figs. 454 Damascus Church Rd, Long Creek, SC 29658; 864-647-9768 Enigma, Georgia Summer's at its sweetest when the blackberry brambles are full and the muscadine grapes are just starting to blush at this family-run U-pick farm. Blackberries are typically ready from May through mid-July, with muscadines following from July into September. Pick by the quart or the gallon (containers are provided) and when you're done, cool off with a scoop of homemade ice cream or a brightly colored slushie, both made with the farm's Georgia-grown produce. 3131 Vickers Church Rd, Enigma, GA 31749; 229-533-4314 York, South Carolina This family-owned farm in the heart of South Carolina's Piedmont has been growing peaches for more than a century. July is prime time for picking the Southern stone fruit, but early June offers the last of the season's bright-red strawberries. After your harvest, stick around for lunch at the farm café, where meals are made with fresh produce and grass-fed beef. For dessert, there's house-made ice cream, and the farm store is stocked with honey, jams, jellies, and pantry favorites sourced from across the region. 1800 Black Hwy, York, SC 29745; 803-684-2333 Read the original article on Southern Living
.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Condé Nast Traveler
3 days ago
- General
- Condé Nast Traveler
Women Who Travel Podcast: How to Choose a National Park
You can listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify each week. Follow this link if you're listening on Apple News. There are over 60 national parks in the United States—and they're never more popular than at the peak of summer. This year, however, might look a little bit different as a result of sweeping budget cuts that impact everything from how the trails are maintained to the park rangers who guide you. To help us understand what to expect—and plan our next trip—associate articles director and podcast regular, Megan Spurrell, joins host Lale Arikoglu to parse the nuances of the national parks, like which ones are lesser-trafficked and why, to how to be a thoughtful visitor, and shares the best things to do at some of her favorites. Lale Arikoglu: Hi there. I'm Lale Arikoglu, and with me in the Women Who Travel studio today is Traveler's associate articles director, Megan Spurrell. Megan Spurrell: Hi. LA: My travel partner, my hiking partner. My surfing partner. MS: It's true. LA: Oh, and desk partner, I'm going to say. MS: We sit a foot away from each other every day. LA: We never part, we never part. Megan, we kicked off the year talking about our best places to go in 2025. I know listeners loved it. And this time we're focusing on all things summer, more specifically how to get the most out of US national parks this summer and how to choose them and where to go. Planning a parks trip, as we know, can be overwhelming at the best of times, thanks to so many choices, but this year is unique due to the funding cuts that have resulted in staff reductions that are impacting everyone from workers at visitor centers to those who are maintaining the trails and even the park rangers. You've been overseeing a ton of our national parks coverage and you also cover so much of the outdoors for us. But before we talk about this summer and why it's different, I want to know what your top three national parks are and whether you can choose. MS: There's over 60 national parks, which I'm not sure the average American even knows, but top would be Arches in Utah, just the crazy red rock formations, big red sandstone arches, that very iconic, dramatic Utah scenery. LA: I'd kind of argue what, at least for me as a foreigner who moved to America, kind of what I thought of as the national parks, that's what I envisioned was going to a national park, was going to those landscapes. MS: Yes, very traditional, driving through sort of desert lands, big blue, open sky, and just these crazy rock formations that almost look like petrified waves. So that's Arches. And then, okay, so I love Acadia. I know we both love Acadia National Park.
CBS News
5 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Chicago Adventure Therapy uses the city's urban wilderness for grounding, bonding and learning
There are many ways to approach therapy, but Chicago Adventure Therapy takes young people outside and into the city's urban wilderness for lessons straight from Mother Nature. The organization's mission statement says it uses outdoor adventure sports like cycling, kayaking, camping, hiking and rock climbing to teach children, teens and young adults in Chicago to "have a lasting positive impact on their communities." The activities also teach them social skills and leadership skills, the group says, and fosters a "sense of empowerment and personal responsibility." "We use adventure sports as the modem to provide therapeutic experiences for young people, to be able to provide that healing space for folks, but also that bonding for folks," said executive director Zorbari Nwidor. "Honestly, at any age that someone is, there's healing that needs to happen. There's re-grounding. There is re-connection to the outdoors." The organization offers programming for individuals and families alike. Some programs, called Adventure Communities, bring together youth from different background in Chicago to build community across barriers. Family adventures allow the opportunity for youths and their families to bond, at no cost. Chicago Adventure Therapy also has after school programming, and participate in block parties, festivals, and other community events. Click here to learn more. CBS News Chicago has partnered with Strides for Peace as the media sponsor for Chicago's Race Against Gun Violence in Grant Park on June 5. Click here for more information on the fundraiser, how to sign up and our coverage of participating nonprofits.
