The 2014 hot list: which destination has the most buzz?

Persepolis, Iran

Need a little holiday inspiration for the new year? We’ve scoured the weekend supplements to see what the top tips are for 2014. From brave new frontiers to hot beach destinations, there’s a good spread of new horizons to tackle. Not enough recommendations below? Then check out the Manchester Evening News’s list of the best places to take a selfie in 2014, which is either … [Read more...]

Placecrush: Walk the picturesque Boudicca Way in Norfolk

St Mary Magdalenes church Pulham Market Norfolk

Getting a boat to explore the Norfolk broads is a well-documented pasttime - but have you ever thought about exploring the county on foot? The Boudicca Way takes up 36 miles through south Norfolk, the ideal size for two or three days’ walking as a quick city break. The picture above is from the picture-postcard village of Pulham Market. The route takes in others like … [Read more...]

Placecrush: Explore the wintry forests of Thuringia

Thuringia Forest

While Britain has spectacularly failed to shift up the season gear from autumn to winter, the massive forests of Thuringia in central eastern Germany provide a beautiful way to get into the wintry spirit (or toilet cleaner label spirit, depending on your disposition). The pine and beech trees are vast and dense, and the 1200-year-old Wartburg castle helps to complete the … [Read more...]

Placecrush: Hike through Japan’s Kiso valley

Kisoji

Walking holidays and Japan aren’t the most obvious of bedfellows, until you consider Kiso Valley. A 70km trade route, the Kisoji, ran the valley on the western side of the Japanese Alps - part of a longer 500km route developed in 1600, if you have particularly itchy feet. You won’t be the first to walk the route: shogun rules mean that there are post towns all along the … [Read more...]

Five amazing European places to stay on Canopy and Stars

Milandes treehouse

We’ve already rounded up five of the best UK places to stay at treehouse/yurt/tent AirBnB-alike Canopy and Stars, but they also have loads of sites across Portugal, Spain and France. We’ve picked out five of the most interesting ones we’ve not been to – but hope to get to soon… Enter a castle treehouse near Bergerac Not one but three different treehouses that look ready … [Read more...]

Comet-chasing and Saturn spotting at the UK’s first dark-sky park

A picture of a lunar eclipse captured by Mike Alexander

Comet Ison may have hit the headlines with its close encounter with the sun but it isn't the only heavenly body you can spot this winter. With auroras, meteor showers, planets and galaxies whirring overhead, Tim Clark headed to the Galloway Astronomy Centre to delve into deep space... The knock on the door is so muted it seems almost embarrassed to break the silence. Being … [Read more...]