7 Unusual Walks in Britain

If you are looking for some new walking ideas and fancy something a little bit different we’ve found some quirky and interesting ideas spread out over Britain, that we hope might be of interest.

Walking doesn’t always have to be about climbing the highest hill or rambling through forests, sometimes we all fancy a change to keep things fresh and fun and there is absolutely no harm in that.

1.Glasgow School of Art walking tour

The Glasgow Miracle Tour takes you from the 1970’s to modern day looking at how artists, designers and architects have helped to shaped Glasgow and have contributed to its cultural regeneration.

The tour takes you through some of the city’s most amazing buildings, including the Charles Rennie Mackintosh building that was rebuilt after a fire four years ago.  Definitely an unusual walk but also really very interesting and really quite educational.

2.Manchester’s Wonder Women 2018 Guided Tour

This year sees 100 years since women first gained the right to vote, and to celebrate this there a whole host of interesting things going on in Manchester, the birthplace of the suffragette movement back in 1903.

The Wonder Women Guided Tour will educate you in the lives of the many women who campaigned for equality over the last two centuries, with a special guided tour of the People’s History Museum.

3.Alice in Wonderland and Harry Potter tours, Oxford

These book related tours in Oxford are just perfect for all of the family, so if you’ve little ones in tow you won’t be disappointed.

Oxford was the birthplace of Alice in Wonderland and on this unusual walk (there wasn’t much normal about Wonderland let’s face it!) you’ll tour the same hallways and gardens that Alice once walked. See the door in the Cathedral that is said to be the very one Alice went in to Wonderland through, and after the tour head for Alice’s shop where you’ll find all manner of Alice related products.

Along the way you’ll also get to see all of the Oxford film locations for the Harry Potter movies and can imagine yourself being right there in the action.

4. The 'kingdom' of Piel Island

Piel Island is a tiny little place quite like no other. Home to a castle, a couple of houses and of course a pub, this island lies half a mile off the southern tip of the Furness Peninsula in the administrative county of Cumbria, and can be reached by ferry.

The ‘king’ of Piel Island is the pub landlord due to old traditions that are still very much alive today.

Many people come to Piel Island and camp over for super cheap rates and a fabulous experience, quite like no other.

The island is very chilled, children can roam about freely, it’s lovely to walk around and see the old castle and of course end the day in the pub, perfect!

5.A History of Terror, Belfast

This award winning non-partisan, non-political walking tour in Belfast was set up by a resident to highlight the lost human stories of the troubles the city has seen.

The tour lasts for about two hours and you’ll see several of the attack sites that took place between 1971 and 1976. Because of the nature of this unusual walk it’s really more for adults and older children.

If you’ve a group who would like to go along they will certainly taylor tours to your requirements, often doing the same for schools and universities.

6.The End of The World, Foula

It is easy to see how Virgil, an ancient Roman poet, once called Foula the end of the world.

Foula Island is one of Britain’s most remote inhabited islands and  lies within the Shetland islands in Scotland.

There are about 30 people living here who are mostly sheep and pony farmers, and as you can imagine there are some simply beautiful walks in this location.

Many people come specifically to see the amazing variety of birdlife including puffin, skuas, razorbills and gannets, but whilst walking the beautiful, rugged coastline do watch out for seals.  

This wild, rugged and stunning island will fill you will calmness and peace and is certainly an unusual walk and one that you won’t ever forget.

7.Britain’s deadliest path

If you fancy an unusual walk that will also mean you taking your life into your own hands then be brave and head for Britain’s deadliest path in….Essex of all places!

There is a churchyard nearby where 66 people lie buried, all victims of the same killer, the footpath from Wakering Stairs, seemingly out to sea before making landfall again on the Foulness Island.

This route makes it way over the Maplin Sands mudflats on the northern banks of the Thames Estuary, once marked by twigs that have since washed away. If you make it it’s a beautiful experience that at times feels a little like walking on water, but the big problem is getting the tide timings wrong. Get caught short and the tide sweeps in far faster than you can run and has claimed many lives.

The risk of encountering ‘unexploded ordnance’ from Ministry of Defence activities on Foulness Island if you stray too far from the Broomway route, adds an extra excitment to this walk.

If you do decide to give this route a go then please always use a local guide who knows the area well and will guide you safely there and back.

Kent’s Beautiful Coastline

When you think of the best beaches in Britain and the most beautiful rugged coastline it usually conjures up images of Cornwall, Devon or Norfolk perhaps. However head for south, eastern part of the country and you’ll find yourself in Kent, complete with simply beautiful beaches, gorgeous coastal walks, cute little bays and its famous white cliffs. The Kent coastline stretches for 350 miles and is a fantastic place to holiday, pick one of a number of its lovely seaside towns or head this way for a day trip. Kent’s coastline is perfect for all ages and abilities and there are more blue flag beaches than in any other county. We’ve picked our favourites below.

Dungeness Beach

This first of Kent’s beaches is not the rolling sand that you would imagine but is actually a vast expanse of shingle beach that has a really atmospheric feel to it.

Dungeness has one of the most unique habitats in the country and is technically classed as a desert, that said though it is still home to a number of rare insects and around 600 species of plants.

You’ll also notice the wooden cottage sat on the beach with its driftwood garden, once lived in by film director Derek Jarman.

The imposing sight of the flat land with two lighthouses jutting up and the eerie looking nuclear power station just add to the surreal vibe at this one of Kent’s beaches, it is definitely worth a stroll around if you are in the area.

Minster Leas Beach

The village of Minster is home to the next of Kent’s beaches. Minster is a lovely village that has a Saxon Abbey on the only high ground of the Isle of Sheppey. The Isle of Sheppey is a small island just off the northern coast of Kent which offers lovely beaches, some fantastic places to eat and stay and a little bit of island life just off 46 miles to the east of London.

Minster beach is a really tranquil spot, it has a grassy area that leads down to a long, shingle beach and when the tide is out you’ll be treated to sand as well.

There is a lovely promenade that is very popular with dog walkers and families taking their children out on bikes and it has amazing views over the North Sea, The Swale and The Nore.

St Mary’s Bay

St Mary’s Bay is a lovely sandy one of Kent’s beaches. It is located between Viking Bay and Stone Bay, in the coastal village on the South East Kent coastline. It is gorgeously sandy with flat rocks around the low water mark, there are loads of rock pools for children to explore and it has a promenade linking all of Broadstones beaches so is really easy to get to.

Botany Bay

This is probably the most famous of Kent’s beaches, with the most beautiful views of the white cliffs and chalk stalks and gorgeous sandy beaches, you’ll see why its so popular.

Botany Bay is a great place to come to relax or if you have little ones and relaxing out of the question then wait for low tide and go fossil hunting and exploring in the rock pools. It is safe to swim here if you are heading to this one of Kent’s beaches in the summer time or just chill out and enjoy the peace and tranquility on one of the quiet expanses of soft sand.

The area around Botany Bay is great for golfing, so if this floats your boat then definitely bring your clubs. If not then be sure to explore the unique heritage of nearby Broadstairs with its abundance of independent shops.

Margate Main Sands

The Main Sands at Margate offer your typical British seaside resort and make for a brilliant day out, especially if you have kids in tow.

The beach itself is a wide expanse of lovely golden sand and has a tidal pool, children’s rides and amusement arcades to keep you happy all day long.

There are loads of restaurants, bars and stalls selling lovely fresh seafood just a walk away in the Old Town.

As the sun sets on Margate’s Main Sands the colours reflect on the water and make for a beautiful spot to see the end of the day. During the summer months we’d recommend grabbing some fish and chips and finding a space on the beach, bring some jumpers and blankets too.

St Mildreds Bay

This one of Kent’s beaches is a small sandy bay near to the seaside town of Westgate and not far from Margate.

This lovely beach is backed by cliffs and has a tidal pool at the far end, a promenade to stroll and a handful of places to eat.

St Mildred’s Bay is a good middle ground between the more secluded and quieter beaches in Kent, and the hustle and bustle of the seaside beaches of Margate.

Whichever of Kent’s beaches you decide to head for, have a wander, see the sights, dip your toes and then grab a deckchair and take some time out listening to the waves coming in and the seagulls playing.

7 Great Reasons to Visit Ireland Right Away

Sometimes Ireland can get a little over looked. If you are planning a trip away you might lean towards sunnier climes and far off destinations and all but forget about lovely Ireland. I for one am more than guilty of this, with family over there and with it always being on my ‘must go back soon’ list, I definitely haven’t made it to Ireland nearly often enough. If ever I’ve had the time and money for a break away I’ve chosen hot and sunny countries that are a million miles away from the motherland, the rainy UK.

However once you delve into Ireland’s stunning and varied landscapes, buzzing cities, amazing history and culture, you’ll wonder why you never visited before. 1.The Great Outdoors

If you love being outside in the elements, feeling the sun on your skin or the wind in your hair then Ireland may be perfect for you. With rugged countryside to explore, hiking and walking spots in abundance, opportunities to go surfing, sea kayaking, rock climbing, caving and mountain biking, you’ll be totally spoilt for choice.

If you want to be outside everyday then there will be something new waiting for you each morning when you visit Ireland.

2.The Cities

Dublin is the most obvious city to mention here, it is vibrant and buzzing, friendly and welcoming, you’ll struggle not to fall in love with Dublin and if you visit Ireland you must make a point of stopping here.

Ireland’s other cities are full of personality, from the colourful, arty, harbour city of Galway to the medieval Waterford city, the oldest in Ireland.

Whichever of the eleven cities you pick to visit you’ll have a very warm welcome from the locals who will happily share their stories with you over a pint of Guinness.  

3.The Food

Irish food might not be the first thing that springs to mind when you are choosing to visit Ireland, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Traditional Irish dishes like irish stew, soda bread and colcannon can still very much be found, but there is definitely a new era of eating now. Think fresh, locally grown produce and catch of the day in the coastal locations including wild atlantic salmon, poached lobster and Dublin bay prawns. Seafood heaven!

4.The Castles

If history is your thing then you absolutely must visit Ireland to see the castles; gothic, stately or haunted, there are dozens to view.

Blarney Castle in southern Ireland is a favourite for many and gives you an opportunity to climb the ten storeys and kiss the Blarney stone at the top to get the ‘gift of the gab’ as the legend goes.

Doe Castle in County Donegal is a must see also simply because of its beautiful architecture and positioning right on a peninsula that has been completely surrounded by water via a moat cleaved into the rockside.

5.The Festivals

If anyone knows how to have a knees up and good time, its the Irish, and their festivals prove that. If you visit Ireland when a  festival is taking place then grab tickets and go along, we assure you it will be fun.

From the famous St Patrick’s day celebrations to Galway Arts Festival and Cork Sailing Festival, there is something for everyone spread across all genres; music, food, film, comedy and literature.

6.The pubs

The pub are the coroner stone of Irish community, you’ll find bustling city pubs, upmarket gastro-pubs and cute and cosy village pubs, all as welcoming as each other and all with a fantastic range of stouts and lagers.

There really is nothing quite like an old-fashioned pub, sink into a big armchair in front of an open fire and forget the time, just enjoy the moment.

7.The beaches

You may now be thinking we’ve gone a little mad, Ireland, beautiful beaches? Yes, yes and yes. Ok we can’t guarantee you the sunshine but you will love them all the same.

Banna Strand beach in County Kerry is probably our favourite, think beautiful sand dunes for its entire 7 mile length, the Atlantic Ocean and amazing views out to the mountainous Dingle Peninsula.

Strandhill beach in county Sligo is another fine example of Irish beaches. This is a great beach for surfing but not as good for swimming. The area is really beautiful and has panoramic views of Knocknarea and Benbulben. There are some great walks around here too.

6 Best Places to Visit in the UK This March

We’ve waved goodbye to the start of the year, the darkest and most gloomy months are behind us and we’ve the Spring and lots of sunshine (hopefully!) to look forward to. So why not take a mini UK break or even a day trip to one of the many beautiful parts of the UK. Days are getting lighter and thoughts are just starting to turn to packing away that heavy winter coat and wellies for the summer months, making it a great time to travel with a positive and happy mind. We’ve picked our top UK destinations for you to visit in March this year.

1.Yorkshire

Located in the North of England, whatever the season the weather isn’t something you can depend on, so although a visit in March means the end of winter and spring on the cusp, its best to prepare for rain, sunshine, wind and even snow, just to be on the safe side!

March is a fabulous time to visit the North York Moors, a national park in North Yorkshire covering an area of 554 square miles of beautiful ancient trees, abundant wildlife and so many walking opportunities.

If you’re lucky you’ll get to see newborn lambs playing on the dales, hares performing their mating ritual called ‘sparring’, frogs and toads aplenty and possibly the odd adder coming out of hibernation.

2.Cotswolds

Let’s face it, most places look good as spring moves in and this is so true of the Cotswolds. A visit in March will coincide with the annual and very, very popular Cheltenham Gold Cup. This horse racing festival takes place over a week in March and draws in crowds from all over the UK. Cheltenham and its surrounding areas will be buzzing, busy and fun whilst the festival is on. Even if you don’t have tickets for the races you can enjoy soaking up the festival atmosphere, but if your visit to the Cotswolds is geared towards a quiet and relaxing break then avoid this time at all costs.

Aside from the races, March time in the Cotswolds is wonderful with so many gorgeous walks to be done, gardens to visit, hills to be climbed and traditional English pubs to take a break in, you’ll love it.

3.Cornwall

Cornwall boasts some of the best of the UK beaches, with beautiful golden sands, rock pools and cliff walks. It’s not hard to see why we love Cornwall, but visit in the peak of summer and you’ll certainly not be alone, visit in March and you’ll have beaten the summer crowds and will likely be able to have beach time alone without another soul about. Of course the weather will certainly not be as warm and we doubt you’ll be donning your bikini and sun cream, but there can be some really pleasant spring like days in March that will warm your skin and get you super excited for the impending summer ahead. With it being as far South as you can go in the UK it is often treated to the first glimpses of spring before the rest of the country.

March is also a great time to spot seals along the Cornish coastline as you stroll the rugged cliffs and sandy beaches.

4.Lake District

The Lake District is a mountainous region in North West England that is famous for its beautiful lakes and dramatic mountains. However such beauty can of course draw in many people when the weather gets warm and people feel more confident to brave the elements. This is why a visit in March is actually the perfect timing, you’ll miss the crowds and get to take in the sheer beauty of the Lake District all on your own.

Pack wisely since during the months of January through to March there is a 50% chance of rain or snow on any given day and the days are a lot shorter. Plan longer walks well, you really don’t want to get caught short in these areas as fog can sweep into higher grounds very quickly making walking conditions extremely hazardous. That said, as long as you are prepared and have done your research then you will really reap the benefits of travelling at this time of year when you find your very own little slice of the Lake District.

5.London

If you’re planning a trip to the Capital then definitely consider a visit in March. London never really has a ‘quiet time’ but the quietest months are usually at the beginning of the year and March marks the end of this. St Patricks Day is widely celebrated across the city and bars and restaurants are filled with the usual hustle and bustle of this amazing city.

Catch a boat trip down the Thames, wonder around Soho, stroll though Hyde Park enjoying the colourful flowers starting to unfold or take a walk up Hampstead Heath and take in the city from above.

Weather wise temperatures should be warming up a little but do pack sensibly because a lot of rain isn’t uncommon at this time of the year.

6.Bath

Bath is really always a lovely place to see, set in the rolling countryside of South West England, it is a world heritage site and it’s easy to see why. Beautiful Georgian architecture at every turn, one of the worlds best-preserved Roman bathhouses, stylish and sophisticated hotels and cool and quirky bars make Bath a really fabulous place to visit. March is vibrant as ever with students filling the city and bringing it to life. There are loads of beautiful gardens and nature attractions to visit as well. Less than a mile from the city centre you’ll find the Botanical Gardens which are home to many trees, shrubs, a rock garden and pool, a scented walk and loads of beautiful space to stroll or just chill out.

6 Fabulous Family Walks in Ireland

What better day out for a family then going for a walk. You’ll immerse yourself in nature, get the away from the TV and get some fresh air into your lungs whilst getting some exercise. Children love exploring nature and as long as you don’t pick a very difficult or long route then you’ll keep them interested and entertained throughout  family walks.

There are just so many family walks to choose from in Ireland which boasts some breathtaking scenery that you may not know where to start. Don’t worry, we’ve handpicked six of our favourite walks that we think hold something for all of the family.

1.Lough Key Forest Park, County Roscommon On the Southern Shore of Lough Key you’ll find a beautiful 800 hectare forest park.

There is a self-guided walk around the park so your children can take the lead and go discovering amongst the vast woodland. There are many types of trees, flowers and wildlife such as deer, fox, hare, rabbit and squirrel.

There are also underground tunnels which the children will love playing in and a nine meter high canopy walk, electric bikes, segways to bomb around the forest on and a brilliant adventure park.

2.Glengarriff, West Cork Glengarriff is located right at the heart of West Cork and is a great spot for family walks. The area is stunning and is set right where the mountains meet the sea at Bantry Bay.

You’ll find a beautiful nature reserve that is great for all of the family to walk around, forming one of the best examples of oceanic sessile oak woodland in Ireland. The woods are nestled in the sheltered glen opening out into Glengarriff harbour.

Also in the area is the Ewe Sculpture Garden which is only a short walk but is always a favourite for the children with amazing sculptures, waterfalls and little bridges.

3.Bray to Greystones The Bray to Greystones trail is simply gorgeous for family walks. The walk itself is relatively easy but does involve some scrambling which children will find a real adventure. The coast line is stunning and if you’re lucky you may even see barking seals hidden within the coves.

4.Causeway Coast, Antrim The Causeway Coast is a beautiful route that can be seen in full via a roadt rip, but if you’re on foot then a great spot to head to is the Giant’s Causeway. The walk down to the causeway is quite long for little ones, but hang in there because its’ well worth the effort. Once you’re down there you’ll have fun jumping, steping and hopping on the interlocking basalt columns that total around 40,000 and make for a giant playground.

There are also some lovely National Trust walks along the causeway which would be suited to family walks.

5.The Great Western Greenway If you’ve a young train enthusiast in the family then this walk is sure to please because it follows the disused railway line from Westport to Achill and for this reason is fairly flat all the way, which is great for little walkers.

During the summer months the route can get quite busy with other people and is a popular spot for family walks.

Along the way you’ll pass by some of the West of Ireland’s most dramatic mountains and magnificent views of Clew Bay and its islands.

6.The Connemara Way The Connemara Way might not strike you straight away as a place for family walks as the difficulty levels vary greatly, but certain parts of this route are simply perfect for little feet.

The best spots to choose are the parts of the walks that go alongside the beach, these sections are flatter and mean the kids can play on the beach along the way, plus who doesn’t love walking alongside the beach?

This section of the Wild Atlantic Way is home to so many beaches we won’t list them all but three of our favourite spots include Omey Strand at the access point to the island of Omey. The beach here is huge which means plenty of space to let the kids run free. Coral Strand, Ballyconneely is another great beach for exploring since it is covered in coral rather than soft sand - no good for sandcastles but great for exploring and collecting pieces of coral in a bucket. Finally we love Glassilaun, Renvyle, one of the most famous beaches in the area because of its gorgeous soft sand and beautiful blue waters. This beach really shows the West of Ireland’s coastline at its most beautiful and provides family walks that you will adore.

7 Ways to Get Motivated to Take a Walk

Maybe your New Year Resolutions are going strong and you’re starting to reap the benefits or perhaps you gave them up after a week, you could be doing well but starting to wonder how you’re going to maintain them for the whole year?

Whatever your feelings are, a little bit of motivational help always goes a long way, that’s why we’ve come up with 7 ways to get you inspired to be active and find your walking motivation.

Most of our resolutions are based around eating healthier and being more active and walking is such a fantastic way to burn calories, give your a body a less pounding workout whilst still enjoying the benefits of exercising and being out in the fresh air.

1.Get an App

Fitness App’s are a great tool, there are many to choose from and each has a slightly different function, but essentially they are there to help keep you on track with your eating and exercise and can provide excellent walking motivation.

Many app’s will use the step count from your phone (if you have enabled this function) which is great to see how many steps you’re taking each day and can inspire you to try and beat your personal best. You’ll be surprised how many steps you clock up if you go for a nice walk or just make the effort to walk to the shops/school/work rather than driving.

2.Register for a Walking Event

Registering for a charity event can give you some great walking motivation. First of all you are walking for something other than yourself which will encourage you because you won’t want to let down your chosen charity. Secondly it will also be really good for your walking motivation because it means you have a date and a goal to work towards.

3.Get some walking friends

Sometimes when its raining, grey and cold outside it is near impossible to find walking motivation, even though we know that getting out there will end up making us feel happier and more energised. This is where walking friends are great. If you can encourage friends to get their walk on with you and plan regular sessions, then you can motivate each other.

It’s likely that somebody in the friends group will be feeling really unmotivated on one day and another member will be feeling pretty up for it and it’s such a help when this person spurs on the rest of the group.

4.Join a walking club

Joining a walking club works on a similar premise to walking with friends except this way you will meet  new like minded people and perhaps even make new friends.

The advantage of walking in a specific walking group is gaining access to great route ideas from other members, heaps of walking advice and loads of moral support and motivation.

5.Treat yourself to new walking gear

If your drive is lagging then perhaps it is time to treat yourself to some new walking gear. Get to the shops and buy some new, specific walking clothes and shoes if your budget will allow. Walking gear is absolutely not essential to walking, a good pair of walking shoes is about the only necessity. If though you do feel like spending a little hard earned cash then we can promise you that new gear will get you excited about walking again and will make you feel good as you walk, always great for walking motivation.

6.Combine your walk with another activity

If it is possible then combine your walk with something else that you are doing. If you need to pop out to the shops and would normally drive then think about walking instead, don’t drive to places that are within walking distance.

Maybe you are meeting friends at the pub for lunch? Walk there. You’ll have earned your food/drinks and can eat with less guilt, and what could be better for walking motivation than the end result being the pub!

Perhaps you could hop off your bus/the tube a stop or two earlier and walk into work, or if you drive then find a place that’s a little distance away to park, you’ll be surprised how much difference these short walks make to your step count, diet plan and general health.

7.Set goals and tell people about them

Decide what your walking goals are and talk to people about them. Once you’ve put it out there you’ll feel less likely to chicken out since you’ll have friends and colleagues asking how your walking is going and giving you a hard time if you’ve ducked out!

Be realistic with your goals, start small and work up. You could choose by walk length or time yourself and see if you’re getting quicker. Perhaps hills are starting to seem less like hell to climb, so set yourself hill walk goals. Sometimes all we need is something to aim towards to help us with our walking motivation.

Hopefully some of these tips will help you with your walking motivation, but do keep in mind that walking is meant to be fun, so just enjoy yourself whilst walking, take in the views, smells, sounds and wildlife and enjoy breathing in that fresh air in the knowledge that you are improving your health. You are doing a great job, keep up the good work!

Beautiful Walks in Holmfirth, Yorkshire

If you haven’t been to, or even heard of Holmfirth before then you’re really missing out. Holmfirth is a small town that sits in the Holm Valley in West Yorkshire. With beautifully hilly streets, boutique stores, pubs and restaurants galore and a really creative, arty vibe, it’s definitely worth a visit. Most famous for being the setting for the TV series Last of the Summer Wine, Holmfirth also plays host to a music festival, folk festival, film festival and art markets. But look beyond the lovely town itself and you’ll find rolling countryside just waiting to be discovered on foot, and so we are going to list our favourite places to go walking in and around Holmfirth.

Three Reservoirs

If you don’t have a whole lot of time, or you’re walking in Holmfirth with children or those less able then this is a great track as its nice and short at 1.5 miles.

If takes you around Ramsden Reservoir with gorgeous views of the Holme Moss moorland in the background.  From here you’ll also walk past Riding Wood and Brown Hill Reservoir, all abundant with local wildlife if you keep your eyes peeled. There are a couple of steep sections along the way but nothing too difficult to negotiate.

There is a car park which also has a lovely picnic area if you’re walking in Holmfirth in the warmer months.

Digley Reservoir, Blackpool Bridge and Goodbent

This walk is just over 5 miles and starts in Digley, leading onto Blackpool Bridge and Goodbent and is a circular walk so you won’t need to worry about transport for the other end.

Walking in Holmfirth on this route takes you along stone walled lanes and moorland paths.

Starting at the beautiful Digley Reservoir you’ll head towards the Blackpool Bridge located above the Reservoir with brilliant views. The peace and quiet in this area will draw you in as you walk down into the valley.

You’ll find a carpark and small picnic area in Digley and the walk itself is of moderate difficulty.

Hepworth Bluebell Walk

If you’re walking in Holmfirth then this beautiful route can be taken on at any time of the year but is particularly lovely in May when the bluebells are out in force. The Morton Woods come alive with these stunning flowers and its a real feast for the eyes.

This walks is just over 3 miles so not too taxing and there is a great pub, The Butchers Arms in Hepworth to end up in if you fancy a treat after all of your hard work!

The Morton Woods have a length of 3.32 km and are very quiet and tranquil, you may even find yourselves the only people walking in Holmfirth in this particular area if you’re lucky.

Last of the Summer Wine Walk

If you have time to do some walking in Holmfirth then it wouldn’t be quite right not to do the Last of the Summer Wine, 5 mile walk.

This circular walk takes you past some of the landmarks that you’ll recognise from the TV series (if you’re old enough to remember it!). You’ll start out in Holmfirth and head out into the valleys and countryside surrounding this gorgeous town.

The walk is of medium difficulty and follows good paths and a few stiles along the way.

The River Ribble Ramble

On this stunning, near 7 mile walk around the valley you will explore old lanes, woods, ruined villages and cobbled town paths. It’s a really varied walk that will keep you interested the whole way along.

The River Ribble, a tributary for the River Holme, bounces down from the moors until it reaches the Nook in Holmfirth.

Expect uphill climbs and wonderful views.

Walking in Holmfirth is a lovely experience, people you meet along the way are generally super friendly and will help you if you need route advice (or knowledge on where the nearest pub is!). The peace and quiet will astound you and the views out across the vast valleys and moors provide some fabulous head space and great spots to sit for a while and just be.

5 Amazing Night Walks

Perhaps you’ve never really thought about going on a walk in the night rather than the day, or maybe the idea makes you nervous or you feel that wouldn’t really see anything anyway, so what’s the point right? Well think again. Taking a night walk can allow you to see familiar areas in a totally new light. City streets are quiet, country walks can feel like you’re totally alone, and on a clear night looking up to the sky can be reason enough for a night walk.

We’ve selected some fabulous night walks below that might wet your whistle and change your mind about walking in the dark of the night.

1.Exmoor National Park

This area was the first ever park in Europe to be designated an International Dark Sky Reserve which means its a brilliant place to watch the stars.

If you walk around the Dunkery Beacon in the Holnicote Estate you’ll reach the 1700 foot summit and will have uninterrupted views of the whole sky. It’s really quite a humbling experience to be able to see out so clearly.

2.Keswick, Cumbria

A gorgeous night walk starts in lovely Keswick and takes you down to Friar’s Crag. This trail is fairly easy but do remember to take torches.

The end of the trail winds up at a viewpoint that overlooks the length of Derwentwater right into the Borrowdale Valley. This is a beautiful spot to sea the night sky and is about as peaceful as it gets.

Along the way you may be lucky enough to hear tawny owls if you are very quiet.

3.Stackpole, Pembrokeshire

Stackpole is home to a designated Dark Sky Discovery site and provides access to the beautiful stretch of coastline in this area.

A night walk here would offer immense tranquility, beautiful views to watch the sun go down if you fancy walking into the night and a spectacular chance to star gaze.

You’ll definitely need to take a torch with you and do watch out when crossing the lake on the narrow bridges; these will be harder to negotiate in the dark with only a torch and the moon to guide your way.

4.Hampstead Heath, London

You might think London an odd choice for a night walk, perhaps you’d see it as too dangerous or just too light polluted for it to make any sense, but if you take yourself on a walk through Hampstead Heath at night you’ll see London in a whole new light.

Hampstead Heath is the highest point in London and the best spot to stargaze in the capital. But not only that, it provides wonderful views out across London at night.

If you fancy taking your star gazing to the next level yo/#’u could head to Lower Terrace to the Hampstead Observatory where you can use the telescopes for free some evenings during the winter months.

5.Hook Peninsula, Wexford

There are many places to enjoy a night walk in Ireland of course, and a vast amount of the country lies in complete darkness in the night which makes for absolutely amazing stargazing.

A great spot to start is the Hook Peninsula in Wexford.

This beautiful area of coast line juts out into the Irish sea with perfect beaches to show by day. At night though the sky comes alive here because it is such a remote location. The star gazing is second to none and is set against the relaxing sound of the waves rolling onto the beaches.

If you still have some reservations about taking a night walk we do get it. Night walking is kind of the opposite to what we are conditioned to do. We like to get cosy and batten down the hatches once the sun has gone down, but there is still a whole world out there and night brings many differences; nocturnal animals come out to play, the sky lights up with stars and generally you’ll have night walks completely to yourself whilst everyone else locks themselves indoors.

Play it safe and walk with someone else or even start a night walking group and always be prepared with torches and warm clothes. Plan your routes before setting out so you can avoid any notoriously unsafe areas, you really don’t want to put yourself at risk and spend the whole walk worrying about who’s around the next corner, but do get out there at night and see what it’s all about - we think you’ll love it.

8 Adventure Walks and Activities in Scotland

Scotland is a land made to have adventures in, with natural beauty all around including rugged coastline, magnificent mountains, glistening lochs and deep glens, its a country that beckons you outside to explore.

We’ve picked some of our favourites Scottish adventure walks and activities that are sure to get the heart pounding and the blood pumping.

1.Glenfinnan Viaduct Trail

You might be familiar with the Glenfinnan Viaduct from its feature in a certain Harry Potter movie! So a visit here will tick the Scottish adventure box if you have children with you too.

Many people just come along to have a look and take a snap of the famous and very beautiful viaduct, but if you hang around for a while there is a lovely short walk that offers amazing views of Loch Shiel. Some of the trail is pretty steep so young children probably wouldn’t be advised.

2.Arthur’s Seat

This extinct volcano lies within Holyrood Park and the view from the top is quite wonderful offering brilliant views of the city of Edinburgh from the top. You don’t have to be a mountaineer to enjoy this Scottish adventure either, this 3 mile walk is pretty pleasant with a bit of a rocky climb to the summit but nothing too taxing and definitely worth the effort.

There are also six other hills around Edinburgh that can be climbed within two hours, all offering fantastic views over the city where you’ll get a peaceful moment away from the hustle and bustle.

3.Coire Gabhail

The Coire Gabhail is also known as the Lost Valley, and when you arrive you’ll see why. With its atmospheric peaks and vast mountainous scenery it is really striking and quite the Scottish adventure.

The hike through the Coire Gabhail is a two to three hour trek that is really rough and rugged with very dramatic scenery.

The paths can be steep and rocky in places with some mild scrambling needed along the way. If you are a seasoned pro then you could tackle this route in the winter when there is snow lying on the ground when you’d need  an ice-axe, crampons and a lot of prior preparation on the area. For those who would be a little nervous at this prospect the warmer months are for you when there is no snow on the ground.

4.Munro Bagging

‘Munro Bagging’ as the locals call it is certainly a Scottish adventure, definitely a challenge and is not for the faint hearted.

To complete this you’ll need to climb Scotlands Munro’s, a list of mountains that have been named after Sir Hugh T Munro.

The highest Munro is Ben Nevis at 1345m tall, and although lower than some of the other peaks they present their own challenges. The Black Cuillin offers a truly Alpine walking and climbing  environment with rocky peaks rising out of the sea and so many wonderful trails of all difficulty levels. Some peaks can be reached by a tough walk whilst others will involve ropes and climbing.

There are 282 peaks in total so this is more of a project to work on and you won’t be alone, many people strive to complete this list and over 6000 ‘Munroists’ or ‘compleatists’ have done it so far.

5.West Island Way

The West Island Way walk is a real Scottish adventure that covers 96 miles starting from Milngavie and finishing up in Fort William.

The beauty of this trail is the iconic attractions you’ll see along the way; Mugdock Country Park, Loch Lomond, Ben Lomond, Glen Falloch, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, Devil’s staircase, Lairigmor, Glen Nevis and more.

You won’t be alone in your walk here though, some 30,000 walkers each year take on the West Island Way because of its stunning scenery of dramatic mountains, lochs and panoramic views.

The trail can be walked in a week and there are campsites along the route. If your preference is more on the wild side and you are planning on wild camping then just be aware of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code that will have rules and information that you’ll need to be respectful of.

6.Highland Perthshire Bungee Jumping

As well as amazing walks in the Highland Perthshire area there is also an opportunity to bungee jump if you’re feeling brave. This was the UK’s first static bungee jump and takes place on a specially constructed platform suspended below the Garry Bridge over the beautiful River Garry near Pitlochry.

If you a brave enough for this Scottish adventure, the bungee workers will tell of finding a connection with the dramatic and inspiring landscape through the exhilaration of the jump. If you manage to keep your eyes open you might well experience this!

If you’ve always wanted to try a bungee then this is a really special place to do it.

7.Glentress Forest Mountain Biking

If you fancy something a little different than walking for a change then why not hire out a mountain bike and head off into the Glentree Forest. This is perfect place for a Scottish adventure and you’ll ride with obstacles, dips and jumps all set into the beautiful landscape. At the Glentree Forest site there are trails for all levels so the whole family will be happy. Ride the family friendly, easy green trail while you soak up the views, or hit the severe black trail that includes huge climbs and even bigger descents - you won’t have much time to notice the view on this ride.

8.Isle of Tiree Kite Surfing

Finally, we head to the coast. Scotland has a divine coastline ranging from rugged rocky coves to beautiful pristine sandy beaches, it would be wrong not to pay them a visit.

But rather than a nice chilled stroll why not up the pace and try your hand at kite surfing.

Kite surfing takes a little bit of wakeboarding, paragliding and surfing, and combines them into one, really fun adrenaline sport.

The Isle of Tiree itself is home to Gott Bay, a beautiful horseshoe in shape with flat, shallow water, perfect for kite surfing.

Definitely use the school there for this Scottish adventure. You’ll learn more, pick up the sport more quickly and can start enjoying it faster.

Once you’re suitably exhausted then head for the Tiree Lodge Hotel for some chill time.

6 of the Best Walking Apps

Generally people seem to swing one of two ways when it comes to a walking app, they either find them super useful and would use them on most walks, or they like an old-fashioned route map and wouldn’t touch a walking app with a barge pole. Whatever your stance on them, it can’t be denied that they are a useful tool when it comes to walking and have encouraged many people to get into hiking who may not have headed out otherwise.

Below we’ve picked our top six.

1.RouteBuddy

RouteBuddy is for iPhone and iPad and supplies topographical, aerial, road and Ordnance Survey mapping.

This mapping system works really well, the downside is you do have to pay for each map that you want to use.

If you like to print out your maps you can do this from RouteBuddy and take the hard copy with you.

Maps are stored offline so you don’t have to worry if you are in the middle of the countryside and have zero internet connection.

2.OutDoors GreatBritain

This walking app offers the full range of ordnance survey maps and although downloading them can be quite pricey you do get to keep them for life.

You can choose maps according to your favourite walking locations and they will work wherever you are with or without reception. This app is used by walkers, runners and cyclists alike and is dedicated to outdoors enthusiasts.

3.GD Nat Parks

This is a great app for the iPhone costing £7.99 and allowing access to maps of all of Britain’s national parks for no extra costs once the app has been purchased.

You’ll have complete access wherever you are which saves loads of planning time. The only thing to watch out for is the detail on the maps perhaps not being as fine as some of the other apps.

4.MapMyWalk

A great walking app for encouraging you to get out and about encouraging healthy habits with an intuitive design, this app is function loaded and easy to use.

If you pop in your height and weight details it’ll count your steps and calories burned as you walk, always a nice treat to see how many cals have been burned after all of your hard work.

With this app you can plan a walk or you can simply walk and let it track your distance, elevation, time, speed and so on. This is a great benefit if you’re new to walking and want to try and improve certain areas with each walk.

There are also routes, worksout and nutrition advice among other things. You can also share your journey on Facebook if you fancy a little brag!

5.Viewranger

This walking app will inspire you with thousands of great route guide ideas and detailed ordnance survey maps that you can download. These will work even if you’re offline in the middle of your walk so no need to worry about being lost in the wilderness with no phone access. ViewRanger see themselves as an all-in-one trail guidebook, navigator and adventure hub in your pocket.

6.Abvio

Last and by no means least is Abvio, a stunning walking app for iPhone and Android. This is a powerful walking accomplice which maps, graphs, intervals, laps, announcements, zones, training plans and even more, in fact there isn’t much this app can’t do.

It’ll monitor your time, altitude and speed whilst you walk and break your walk down for you.

The functionality is extensive and the app comes highly recommended.

Walking in the Lake District

The Lake District is an area in the North West of England that is famous for its lakes, mountains and forests. Many people visit the Lake District for peace and tranquillity, countryside, nature and walking.

15 million people head there annually and it’s not hard to see why, if you’ve not been we’ve some top tips below on where to stay and what to do.

The Lake District covers 885 square miles so first of all you need to decide what you want from your break. Do you want to be near a town so you can go out for dinners and drinks or do you want to be as remote as it gets and hide away in a log cabin somewhere in the depths of the countryside?

The biggest towns are Windermere and Ambleside and have all of the amenities you would want whilst being close to the main sights of the central lakes. To the north of the Lake District lies Keswick which makes a great base for exploring the Northern Lakes and some of the beautiful valleys in the area including Borrowdale, Newlands and Buttermere.

To the west of the Lakes you’ll find Wasdale; this area is home to the highest fell in the Lakes, Scafell Pike.

Finally to the east of the Lakes lies Kendall (where Kendall Mint Cake originates!) from where you can explore Ullswater and the Eden Valley.

It’s a hard choice when picking where to stay as you can’t really go wrong, the whole of the Lake District is outstandingly beautiful with plenty of walks for all abilities.

For beginner walkers Ambleside is a great place to start. It is easily accessible by bus, train or car and has many accomodation types, pubs, restaurants and shops. Wansfell Pike is a fabulous walk and if you get a clear day the views of Lake Windermere from the top are incredible.

If you want to push yourself a little more than why not head for the west and climb Scafell or Scafell Pike. These are the two highest mountains in England and are not to be attempted without prior preparation. The two mountains are separated by the pass of Mickledore and although the second highest of the two, Scafell has arguably the best views in all directions.

Scafell Pike has rocky and rugged paths that are very steep and seem almost never ending as you reach the top. The Pike is often misty and can quickly disorientate even the most experienced of walker.

Lower paths are much more well defined and gentle but still need to be approached sensibly.

The weather in the Lake District is extremely unpredictable and can turn very quickly, if you are walking you need to keep in mind the forecast for the day and keep a watch out. Its much better to turn back and save that walk for another day than press on and become lost in the mist and dropping temperatures. No walk is worth putting your own life at risk and those who may come out to search for you.

Generally though walking in the Lake District is a wonderful, awe-inspiring experience. The fresh air will fill you entirely and you’ll find some head space to clear your mind and gather your thoughts. Yes, in peak times you will come in contact with other walkers, but from our experience you’ll find them to be very friendly, like minded people.

5 Winter Walking Tips

There is absolutely no need to let the cold weather stop you from taking those walks that you love, winter walking just means being a little bit more prepared. Some of the most beautiful days can be found in the winter when the sun is glowing low in the bright blue sky, there is a crisp frost and everything looks bright and colourful. Granted days like these are often really, really chilly, but make the right preparations and you’ll enjoy your winter walking just as much as any sun soaked summer stroll.

1.Wear breathable layers

Breathable layers are just about the best clothing to wear during any hike, including chilly winter ones. Although it’s freezing cold, as you walk your body will get warm and produce sweat. If this sweat isn’t drawn away from your body it’s going to sit on your skin and get really, really cold.

Breathable fabrics wick sweat away from your skin, and if you layer up the heat will get trapped between the layers and keep you really toasty.

2.Stay warm when you stop for a break

When you take your much needed water/food/taking in the view stop, make sure to stay warm. Your body will have generated some nice heat for itself whilst you’ve been on the move and you don’t want to lose that precious heat.

An insulated jacket within your backpack is a great addition and you can pop it on for your pit stops to really help retain your body heat.

3.Wear mittens

Mittens aren’t just for looking cute, these fluffy accessories will also keep your hands super snug. With all of your fingers together they can benefit from the heat produced by all four and keep nice and toasty on even the coldest of days spent winter walking.

4.Wear the right footwear

If you’re out for some winter walking be sure to wear the right shoes. You will absolutely need waterproof boots and they need to feel really snug and warm. Its also a good idea to have boots with good grips as the conditions may be snowy or icy. You can also get traction devices to go over your boots which are brilliant if you do anticipate walking in these slippery conditions.

5.Allow 10 mins to warm up

Warming up when you’re going out in the cold to walk is vital since a cold body takes a lot longer to warm up and a few lungs and stretches just won’t be enough.

We’d recommend a ten minute warm up to make sure your heart and other muscles are ready for your winter walking ahead. The aim is to get your core temperature slightly up, which is of course harder on a colder day. Aerobic exercise is key to getting this temperature rise and will guarantee a good warm up ready for your chilly winter walking.

7 Christmas Traditions that you'll only know about if you're from Ireland

Although many christmas traditions are celebrated across the board; christmas trees, father christmas, stockings and so on, each and every family have their own little traditions that make christmas unique to them.

The Irish celebrate christmas in much the same way as the UK, USA and so on, but in typical Irish style there are certain little quirks and chritsmas traditions that the Irish do differently.

1.December 8th   

December 8th is the official start of christmas as per Irish christmas traditions. Once this date arrives you can expect decorations to go up, christmas markets and shopping to commence, parties to be had and plenty of christmas cheer to experience.

2.Christmas day swim

For the brave (or slightly crazy) one of the big Irish christmas traditions is the christmas day swim where all over Ireland’s coastline people take the plunge into the chilly, chilly waters, usually for charity. Head for Forty Foot, Sandycove, County Dublin or Portstewart in County Londonderry on christmas morning and you’ll be sure to catch these brave swimmers.

3.Mistletoe

One of today’s christmas traditions is having a cheeky kiss under the mistletoe, however the ancient Celts believed that mistletoe had healing powers. Soon after mistletoe was banned from being hung in houses as it was felt a sign of paganism.

Today mistletoe is once again hung, as a sign of goodwill and peace, and of course the occasional kiss is still welcomed.

4.Midnight Mass

Midnight mass is one of the strongest of Irish christmas traditions and for even the lesser church goers it’s a time to visit church and attend a beautiful christmas eve midnight mass service.

Often family and friends congregate at midnight mass services, catching up and welcoming in christmas together so they often have a fabulous, festive atmosphere with much merriment and cheer.

5.Guiness for santa

So we all know that it’s only right to leave out mince pies and perhaps a glass of something for santa and some carrots for the reindeers, but one of the Irish christmas traditions requires a Guinness to be left out for santa. Yep that’s right, a  big red can of Guinness waiting for santa to consume in each and every house!

6.The Wexford carol

One of the oldest known christmas carols was thought to originate from Enniscorthy, County Wexford. This carol dates back to the 12th century and tells the nativity story though song. Christmas traditions the world over include carols, what would christmas be without carol singers and traditional christmas music.

7.January 6th

In Irish christmas traditions the 6th of January marks the end of christmas and is also known as women’s rest day where traditionally women don’t participate in any kind of house work and the men take down all of the decorations, sort the house out after the christmas period and cook all of the meals. Woe betide any men who don’t abide by this tradition, its very bad luck apparently!

Whether you celebrate a very modern christmas or are a stickler for tradition, we all have our own christmas traditions that make christmas what it is to us and special in its own way.  Enjoy your christmas traditions whatever they may be.

5 Peaceful London Walks

When you think of London you think of a huge, bustling, vibrant city with noise, traffic, people everywhere and anything but peace and quiet. But if you delve deeper into London you will find little pockets of beauty, peace and quiet which are just perfect for getting away from the craziness and taking a London walk. 1.Morden Hall Park

Morden Hall was built in the 1770’s and is now owned by the National Trust. The 125 acre park is home to beautiful, peaceful gardens with many types of birds and over 2000 roses. The river Wandle meanders through the gardens and makes for a stunning London walk. If you have done your London walk and fancy getting crafty then they are running workshops throughout the festive period and if you’ve got little ones they can meet father christmas or browse the christmas goodies in the shop.

2.Little Venice to Camden

This London walk takes you along the canalside from Little Venice to Camden and is surely the prettiest canal walk in London. It’s a two mile route that passes through Regent’s Park and Little Venice before reaching Camden. This is a surprisingly quiet route and you could be fooled into thinking you were in the countryside at times, not central parts of London. On arrival into Camden you’ll notice things get busier (particularly if its a weekend!) and we’d advise a visit to the markets for a refresh, some food and a drink after your a stroll.

3.Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage Site with the largest and most diverse collection of living plants in the world. For this reason it is absolutely beautiful and a world away from the bustle of London. There is so much to do at Kew aside from  the walks; visit the Hive, an incredible multi-sensory experience designed to highlight the life of bees or the treetop walkway 18 meters above the ground with breathtaking views across the gardens. Christmas also brings delights when the trails are lit with over a million twinkling lights, turning the gardens into a magical wonderland. This is a London walk not to be missed.

4.Inner Temple Garden

The Inner Temple Garden lies within one of the four Inns of Court. This three acre garden is home to wide lawns sweeping towards the river and hosts many rare and unusual trees. This place will astound you, right in the middle of London you will be overwhelmed by the peace and quiet to be found here. It is also home to a variety of wildlife including robins, thrushes, coal-tits and blue-tits. You may even catch a glimpse of a heron by the pond side. This is the perfect place to just come and stroll or even just sit and chill, eat your lunch and gather your thoughts, especially on a lovely summer’s day, but you might have to wait a little while for that!

5.Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath nature reserve is wild and untamed and offers a walking experience within London like no other. There are 30 pond’s on the heath which attract a variety of wildlife. The hidden gem of Hampstead Heath is the open space on the northwest side called the Heath Extension and was originally farmland. Head here and you’ll feel a world away from the hustle and bustle of London. The beautiful thing about the Heath though is that you can sneak glimpses of the whole of London as you look down from your peaceful spot, and that’s really quite special.

London is a magical city for its vibrant feel and buzz that you can’t quite explain, but just occasionally, especially if you live here, you feel the need for some quiet time and these little places of peace are just fabulous locations to go for a London walk.

How to avoid Blisters when Walking

 

Getting blisters when walking has to be the number one annoyance that is sure to completely ruin your walk. Having a blister will put a quick halt to your walk pretty quickly and you out of action until the blister has healed. The best advice when it comes to blisters when walking is prevention, prevention, prevention. Sometimes though these things happen, so how do we go about avoiding blisters when walking?

The first way to keep your feet happy is to choose the right pair of shoes. Go into a variety of walking stores and try on all shapes and sizes until you are perfectly sure that you’ve found the most comfortable pair for your feet. What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another so don’t go on recommendation, just go and find out for yourself. Don’t be lured into thinking the old ‘they’ll be great once I’ve broken them in’ - this almost never works. In order for them to be comfortable whilst walking they need to feel comfortable in store right from the get go. Chose a pair with a good sized toe box because toes rubbing into each other and toenails in the picture too can make for the perfect recipe for blister when walking. Also if shoes are too big and sloppy then your feet will move around inside them and make for lots of rubbing and potential blisters.

Now, having said not to rely on ‘breaking them in’ the next piece of advice is actually to break them in. Although they should feel super comfortable in the shop and around the house, when they’ve been on your feet for hours on end during a hike they may tell a different story. So do wear them around the house or out for short walks at any given opportunity to get your feet used to them and them to your feet before you embark on your first big hike. This should set up a good foundation to avoid blisters when walking.

If you look after your feet you can actually toughen them up whilst taking care of them. If you start getting calluses don’t be tempted to file them away, they may not look great but they are a walkers friend since they toughen up the skin making them far less blister prone. You don’t have to ignore them though, moisturising them will help avoid painful cracks which will hinder your walking nearly as much as blisters themselves. Some professional long distance walkers and runners actually toughen up their feet by soaking them in tannic acid or tea soak which toughens up the skin and helps avoid blisters when walking. Lubricating your feet with vaseline is a good idea too, this reduces the friction that results in blisters. Rub it on your feet under your socks and you’ll feel the difference. It’s worth noting though that Vaseline doesn’t easily come out of socks.

During your walk make sure to keep your feet dry. Sweaty or wet feet are far more prone to blisters so if your shoes get very wet then make sure to take them off, and your socks, and air your feet. Keep spare pairs of dry socks in your bag to replace wet ones. Some people swear by using antiperspirant on the feet before walking to keep sweat at bay. If you know you are prone to blisters then you can cover them before you walk. There are all sorts of option of plasters and tape to pop over the spot and make sure you avoid blisters when walking.

Whatever measure you go to to stop blisters there will always be times when you just can’t avoid it, but if you are prepared and do the best you can to stop the little blighters showing up then you will notice a marked difference and will really have much more enjoyable walking experiences.

3 City Walks in Ireland

When you think of going walking in Ireland you immediately think of beautiful uninterrupted countryside, mountains, rivers and lakes, but did you know that there are some really fantastic city walks in Ireland too? These can often be overshadowed by countryside walks which is understandable, the Irish countryside is simply beautiful, but we think you’ll love these three city walks too. 1.Dublin Dublin is a bustling city on Ireland’s east coast at the mouth of the River Liffey. Primarily people visit Dublin to check out its array of shops, pubs, restaurants, hotels and tourist attractions, but hidden amongst the hustle and bustle you’ll find some fabulous city walks that even the most avid hiker will love. Being a relatively small city you can do some self-guided city walks that will allow you to see some of the major attractions without having to walk for miles and miles. O’Connell Bridge is a great central starting point and did you know it is reported as being the only bridge in the world that is as wide as it is long? From here you are bang in the middle to walk to all parts of the city, with the affluent southside on one side and the once slumsy northside on the other. Check out the O’Connell memorial and the angel crushing a serpent, plus the Irish wolfhound that is complete with bullet holes from the fighting in 1916. The Garden of Rememberance and Moore Street Market are great to visit plus the Ha'penny Bridge, Temple Bar and the Bank of Ireland. Trinity College is a beautiful, impressive building which can then follow along to Grafton Street, St Stephen's Green and Merrion Row. There is a lot to see in the city centre and it depends how much time you’ve allowed as to how far you can go and what you can see, so pick your wishlist and crack on with your city walk.

If you’d like to get away from the hustle and bustle a bit then head down to the docklands where you’ll find stunning modern architecture, historic buildings, art galleries and river trips. If you fancy a little peace and quiet you could head up to the Hellfire Club / Montpelier Loop trail which starts near Montpelier Hill, north of Dublin’s Marlay Park and Edmonston and loops around. At the top are the ruins of Mount Perlier, now known as the Hellfire Club.

2.Galway Galway is a harbour city on Ireland’s west coast sitting where the River Corrib meets the Atlantic Ocean and is the second largest city in Ireland. Think festivals, beautiful coastline, independent book stores, pubs, aquariums and museums. Since you’re on foot you could do what many have done before you and take a pub walking tour, you’ll get to see the city whilst enjoying a beer or two in traditional Irish pubs where the log fires are lit and the locals are welcoming. If pub city walks aren’t your thing though we are sure the Salthill walk will be. With one of the most beautiful panoramas in Galway, Irish countryside stretched for miles and sandy beaches at your fingertips you are sure to enjoy this walk. You could also have a horse ride on the beach, play golf or even go diving.

3.Cork Cork is just inland from Ireland’s southwest coast and is centred around the river Lee. This is a university city so is busy and vibrant whilst having Irish countryside on its doorstep. You could easily do a whistle stop tour of the city in 60 to 90 minutes and if you’ve got longer then pick your must-see areas and wander around soaking up the atmosphere. Many people who live here will tell you that Cork holds the real essence of Ireland so take in the culture, chat to locals and enjoy your city walks. Places of interest to visit might include Cork City Goal, the English Markets, Farmgate Cafe perched on a balcony overlooking the markets is a great place to grab a coffee, Cork Opera House, Market Lane and Triskel Arts Centre are to name but a few.

If you fancy exploring the areas that surround Cork then you could try the Tracton Wood Walk. Tracton Wood is a long narrow V shaped wood in a river valley. Walks here are really beautiful but the wood is quite steep in parts so best to bear that in mind. In the lower parts of the wood the pine trees are dense which means this area is often quite dark which can feel like a real adventure, especially for little ones. There are some lovely, relatively flat trails by the river.

Ireland is a country with many faces, from luscious countryside, to beaches and mountains, there is so much to explore but certainly don’t overlook their fabulous cities and the city walks that these offer.

5 of the Most Luxurious Hotels in Ireland

We all want to get the most for our money and read about bargain hotels and how to travel on a budget, but sometimes you might just want to splash out on a bit of luxury - perhaps you’re celebrating an anniversary or have been saving hard for an exciting trip. Ireland has many a magnificent luxury hotel to offer if you are looking for that really special experience and we’ve listed our five favourites below.

1. Dromoland Castle, Hotel and County Estate, Clare

Dromoland Castle Hotel is a stunning, majestic castle which was previously home to the O’Briens of Dromoland who were the Kings of Thomond. This luxury hotel is everything you would want from a stay in a castle; think antique chandeliers, sweeping staircases, huge welcoming log fires and luxurious plush sofas. The castle boasts a 400 acre estate that you can spend time exploring, with a lake to wander around and activities on offer like archery or a falconry experience. The luxury hotel has its own Golf and Country Club and beautiful Spa for some proper rest and relaxation. Located Conveniently close to Shannon International Airport if you are flying in and don’t want to waste precious time travelling then this is ideal.

2. The Europe Hotel & Resort, Killarney

This is one of the most popular 5 star luxury hotels in Ireland. Located in Killarney overlooking the beautiful lakes with the McGillycuddy Reeks mountain range as the backdrop, it is really breathtaking. The Europe Hotel has a real elegance, with modern meeting warm and welcoming. There are a range of activities on offer here including golf, horse riding, boating and fishing, walking and hiking, tennis, swimming, gym activities and spa treatments. You will certainly have enough to fill your time, that’s if you don’t just want to spend it sipping wine in the panorama restaurant with views that are out of this world.

3. The Marker Hotel, Dublin

The Marker Hotel is a modern, luxury hotel in the lively and wonderful city of Dublin with views out across the city. With a stunning rooftop bar and terrace serving locally sourced ingredients with innovative ideas and excellent service. If your looking for a luxury hotel in the city you can’t go far wrong with The Marker. The rooms are light and fun with fantastic views. Bespoke armchairs and sofas create the perfect space for chilling out while long console desks provide loads of space for catching up on some work if you feel inclined.

4. Hayfield Manor, Cork

If traditional, beautiful elegance is your thing then you’re going to love this  family owned, boutique luxury hotel in Cork. This is  an oasis of calm in the vibrant city of Cork nestled in private walled gardens so you really feel away from the hustle and bustle. With a number of places to dine on delicious food you can be sure you’ll eat well. They also cater for vegan and vegetarian diets. The Spa has treatment rooms for total pampering, plus an indoor heated pool with a relaxation room overlooking it. Thi hotel has luxury and relaxation at the heart of it and you can really feel that during your stay.

5. The Savoy, Limerick

This is a boutique, luxury hotel in the heart of Limerick. Situated at the gateway to the Wild Atlantic Way there are some great places to visit nearby including the Cliffs of Moher and King John’s Castle. The hotel itself is elegant and luxurious with varying room types, if you fancy splashing out a little more you could book an Executive King Room which has access to the superior executive lounge on the 7th floor. Here you can enjoy complimentary light snacks, tea and coffee. Ayurvedic spa treatments are on offer if you’re looking for some pampering and they also offer an extensive list of laser light treatments.

Ireland is abound with many a luxury hotel, please get in touch if you’d like any further information. Whatever your taste we’re pretty sure we’ll find a luxury hotel for you. From castle’s in the middle of the countryside to luxury city break hotels, Ireland is a fabulous place to visit in the winter months. Log fires are lit, hearty meals are on offer and the locals are so welcoming and friendly you’ll probably not want to go back to the daily grind.

Spooky Travel Destinations you will Love this Halloween

The end of October brings darker evenings, autumn in full flow, orange and brown leaves littering parks and streets, warm winter woolies pulled from cupboards, and of course it brings Halloween.This is an excellent time to wrap yourself up and get outside walking, the autumnal scenes are breathtaking and you could find yourself a spooky travel destination to spice things up a little. Here are our recommendations:

Whitby, England

Whitby is a beautiful town on the coast of Yorkshire, in the summer Whitby comes alive as a seaside town but in the darker, colder months Whitby has a secret; Bram Stocker spent a month staying here in July / August 1890 and it was during this time that he wrote pivotal parts of his famous book, Dracula.

During the last week of October, Whitby Abbey is illuminated and is incredible to see. This eerie light show illuminates the whole skeletal abbey and is a must see for a spooky travel destination.

There are so many wonderful walks to do in and around Whitby you will be spoilt for choice, with the Yorkshire and Cleveland Heritage Coast to the North and Robin Hood’s Bay and Ravenscar to the South, plus the North York Moors National Park inland.

The Lake District, England

Moving on from Whitby, but not by too far, lies the Lake District, a stunning region of lakes and mountains that are so serene you can really revitalise and re-energise here. Aside from the area’s natural outstanding beauty though, there lies a darker side to The Lake District that would make it a definite spooky travel destination contender.

Cumbria has its own type of ghostly ghoul labelled a boggle which are known to be more prevalent than just normal ghosts. They can come in all shapes and sizes; Whitehaven's New Town Boggle is a howling dog that if heard outside your house predicts tragedy and disaster, whilst another boggle they have in New Town is a the tall lady who stands as tall as the church steeple who wanders the towns streets and mysteriously has a stunningly beautiful face yet no head….She was supposedly murdered by her lover and if young girls see this boggle they are doomed to live their lives as spinsters.

Derry, Northern Ireland

Halloween was first celebrated in Ireland around a thousand years ago and is believed to have its roots in the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, with around 80,000 people celebrating the festival last year in Derry.

As far as spooky travel destinations go, this one is up there.  Samhain was the division of the year between the lighter half (summer) and the darker half (winter). At Samhain the division between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to pass through, and hence where the festival came from. Nowadays you can expect to find a hug Halloween parade, fireworks, music and much, much more.

Northern Ireland

Stretching on from Derry, Northern Ireland holds a whole host of reason's to make it our spooky travel destination list. Because it is steeped in a long history of conflict and bloodshed, Northern Ireland is the perfect location for some of most serious ghosts with negative energy making itself known frequently according to locals.

The Crumlin Road in Gaol, for example, has an exceptionally large amount of reported paranormal activity with the most recent being a ghostly girl walking a former jail of IRA terrorists. Newcastle Harbour is another hot-spot for ghostly sightings, the area is said to be haunted by a banshee, locals claim that this manifestation of a small woman shrieks and wails with a high-pitched voice. York Road Railway Station would also be worth a visit. There have been a number of reported sightings including that of a ghostly figure reportedly sat in the station’s canteen at night, which is locked by staff at closing time, and also reports of a figure spotted in the station’s running sheds.

If you haven’t been scared off already than we hope our spooky travel destinations have provided some inspiration and you manage to get a break this Halloween season. We’d love to hear about your spooky tales….that is if you make it back alive.

Happy Halloween!

England's beautiful South Coast

We might live on a relatively small island but England’s countryside is definitely varied which is fantastic news for us walkers, as provides us with many different opportunities to find walks that suit our mood. The South Coast of England is a beautiful part of the world ranging from sandy beaches to rocky cliff edges and all in between, which means there are too many stunning walks to cover, so I’ll hand pick some personal favourites.

Ramsgate Let’s start over in the East of the south coast of England in Ramsgate. Walking the Ramsgate, Kent coast is a beautiful experience steeped in over 300 years of history and offering some wonderful natural wildlife and manmade architecture along the way. There are many ways to see this area of the south coast of England, be it along the beaches from Ramsgate to Margate, the cliff top walk from Ramsgate to Broadstairs or the Contra Trail from Ramsgate to Pegwell Bay; all really different walks offering quite different scenery and showcasing different aspects of the area. You’d be best to decide what sort of walk you’re after, sand between your toes, café lined cliff tops or nature reserve walking from the hustle and bustle of Ramsgate through to the natural peace and tranquillity of Pegwell Bay.

Sussex Moving a little West along the south coast of England brings you to beautiful Sussex, and we think you’ll love the Eastbourne to Seaford walk. This is a dramatic cliff walk starting at Eastbourne’s promenade and passing through Beachy Head as the South Downs meets the sea, Cuckemere Haven and Seven Sisters. In the summer months there are opportunities to have a dip in the ocean along the way and during the colder months the coastal views will be more than enough to keep you happy The area is on a well serviced bus route so there is no need to worry about the linear nature of this walk, you will easily find your way back if you’re happy to hop on a bus once your walk is complete. The beauty of this south coast of England walk is the undulating and magnificent cliffs that you will meet along the way. You can’t fail to be in awe, these cliffs are thought to have been formed by glacier meltwater at the end of the last Ice Age which carved steep sided valleys that became eroded by the sea and formed the beautiful cliffs we see today.

Dorset Following the south coast of England to the west we reach Dorset and the breath taking Lulworth Cove area. This is England's first natural world heritage site, and it is said that in 95 miles you can walk through 185 million years of history in just one week. If you don’t have a week, don’t worry! There are plenty of shorter walks that will equally take your breath away. The obvious highlight of this area is the Durdle Door, a natural limestone arch on the Jurassic coastline that can be reached by a walk down to a sand and shingle beach. A short but reasonably steep walk will bring you to Lulworth Cove, a beautiful little village set in a remarkable, almost full circle cove with quaint tea rooms, pubs and a scattering of shops to enjoy. The water is blue and calm here and at low tide there are some wonderful rock pools to explore. The Studland Heath nature reserve is also important to mention and well worth a visit. These dunes and heathland support threatened species such as the nightjar, sand lizard and ladybird spider. Some of the best views of the heath sweeping down to the shores of Poole Harbour are from the Agglestone – a 400 tonne rock sitting up on a hill alone, it’s very dramatic. There is wide range of habit here including sand dunes, bogs and fresh water lagoons. This is a beautiful part of the south coast of England that is not to be missed.

Cornwall Moving west again we reach the undeniably picturesque Cornwall, which offers rugged windswept landscape through to stunning sandy beaches. We love the Porthcurno to St Ives walks in West Cornwall on the landsend peninsula and about as far West as you can get on the South Coast of England. This whole route will take you a few days but can certainly be broken down into small walks, depending what you are after. Porthcurno offers a beautiful, sweeping bay with some of the clearest waters you’ll find in Cornwall and during summer months if you’re lucky you may find seals and basking sharks, a real treat. Along the route you’ll pass through Sennen Cove and on a summers night the open air Minack Theatre is a magical experience. St Ives is treat in itself too, being Cornwall’s most famous town this seaside is seemingly a subtropical oasis where the beaches are golden and beautiful vegetation surrounds.

These walks are just scratching the surface of the striking south coast of England and I could continue to waffle, but the best thing to do is to go along and find out for yourself, you really won’t be disappointed.

Is Walking a Good Form of Exercise?

We all know that if we want to burn calories and look amazing and trim we need to run a million miles a day or jump on an evil spin bike or something equally painful and horrible, but what about walking; is walking a good form of exercise?

Well according to The Stroke Association a brisk 30 minute walk every day will help to prevent and control high blood pressure that can cause strokes, in turn reducing the risk of having one by up to 27%, certainly not to be sniffed at.

Walking is also great for strengthening your heart and reducing the risk of heart disease. Findings from a large health study told that our bodies use the same amount of energy for moderate intensity walking as you do during vigorous intensity running, resulting in similar reduction in risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

So let’s say you want to lose some weight, is walking as good as hitting the gym? Well supposedly all we need to do is walk faster and longer than we currently do to shed some pounds.  A two minute walk to your local shop isn’t going to shred body fat, but a brisk 30-60 minute walk a few times a week will definitely burn calories and get your metabolism going. Walking is a low-impact cardiovascular exercise, metabolism is the process of substances (i.e. food) being broken down and used for energy. So when walking, how much you burn and how fast your metabolism works is down to how fast you walk, for how long, whether you walk up hill and so on. You could certainly use walking as a form of exercise to lose weight though without any doubt, you just need to increase your personal effort so that your metabolism burns those calories.

If you are young and fit and want to push yourself when walking then uphill is a great way to do this. Uphill walking has been proved to increase fat metabolism to keep blood glucose levels high. Less able people may want to be cautious with the hill walks though, heading upwards brings with it worse weather and more chances of accidents happening. If you selected a hill walk setting on a treadmill you’d still achieve the desired results, but let’s face it who really wants to do that when you could be walking outdoors?

An interesting piece of research found that women who walked for nine hours per week experienced an overall lower body fat percentage and an increase metabolic rate. This compares to those who walked for just one hour a week and did not enjoy these benefits. However, one longer five hour brisk walk seemed to achieve the same results and in less time.

We are sold on the fact that walking is a good form of exercise, alongside the health benefits and the weight loss help if that’s your aim, it is also worth noting that walking has been found time and time again to positively boost mental health and help clear your mind.

Time to dig out those walking boots and breathe in some fresh air!