One of the great pleasures of life is discovering new places either abroad or closer to home. Choice travels both the world and Britain for superb picture features on great places to experience. As well as big features we also bring you news of travel bargains, new travel developments and offers. Our Cruise News pages will keep you up to date on these popular holidays.
There's something special about Dent Station. It’s the highest main line station in England, nestling 1150ft up in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. On the Settle-Carlisle line, it was built in 1877 and over the years has witnessed huge changes to Britain’s railways. And there’s another thing that makes it special: the station building has been converted to luxury holiday accommodation, sleeping up to six.
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Early morning, and the drains and reed beds of Avalon Marshes live up to their mythical name. A light mist drifts over the flat fen landscape, while a couple of miles away Glastonbury Tor looks out over this legendary domain of King Arthur and his Knights of Camelot.
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As the sun rises over the Mount of Olives, the first rays of sunlight flash across the Kidron Valley and illuminate the rooftops of Old Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is like a magnet for the sun, the golden dome gloriously reflecting the start of a new day. Jerusalem wasn't on my plan for today; my main visit will be later in the week. I'm in Israel staying in Tel Aviv and day-tripping out from there.
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Old Father Thames, muddy-grey and rolling through at top speed today, is certainly the key to the tale of our oldest royal borough – a story of the crowning of ancient kings, medieval markets and Tudor hunting parties, through to pioneering warplanes. Kingston upon Thames has exactly the sort of history that Kipling’s poem imagines. Its bridge, however, can tell a few tales of its own. For hundreds of year it was one of the most important crossing points – the first upstream of London Bridge from Saxon times until Putney Bridge was opened in 1729.
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There can be few drives anywhere that can match the Antrim coast route in Northern Ireland, and it’s even better when you can enjoy the ever-changing seascapes from the elevated viewing platform of a luxury coach.
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On Choice for a recent family cruise was the seven-night Western Med fly/cruise on Norwegian Epic, departing from Barcelona, with visits to Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Marseille, Palma and back to Barcelona.
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Northern Arizona is where nature meets neon. Standing on the rim of the Grand Canyon is like looking over the edge of the world, but that dizzy precipice is not far from another world – the jukeboxes and vintage Cadillacs of Historic Route 66.
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THERE ARE two ways to cross the mouth of the River Reuss in the centre of Lucerne. You can join the trams, taxis and traffic on the new concrete bridge, or step on to the geranium-bedecked medieval covered wooden footbridge and stroll across to the old town admiring both the view and the paintings on the eaves of the roof at intervals along its diagonal route.
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Kings Lynn: Ancient port, close neighbour to the Royal Family at Sandringham and gateway to the fabulous North Norfol coast. I'm staying for a couple of nightss at the King's Lynn Knight's Hill Hotel & Spa, BW Premier Collection for an off-season break to explore the area.
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A huge bull buffalo rolled over in the dusty wallow then with surprising agility rose to survey his domain – the seemingly endless high plains of Colorado to the east and, to the west, the snowy peaks and grey crags of the Rocky Mountains. We had just driven through the Rockies up over Wolf Creek Pass where we crossed the Great Continental Divide. Now we were seeing for ourselves the country we knew only through Western films and books, the land of Indians, cowboys, waggon trains and, of course, buffalo.
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It was a grey, overcast morning on Salisbury Plain and patchy rain drifted across the rolling landscape, but the moody day only heightened the mysterious shapes of Stonehenge. I’d not been to see the stones for a few years and was keen to see the new visitor centre and visitor access to this true wonder of the world.
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Certain British TV dramas have a big appeal to audiences, especially overseas, due to their use of iconic filming locations that show off our country’s best assets to the full. The BBC’s latest historical heavyweight, Wolf Hall, the hugely successful dramatisation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning tome, could become the inspiration for a tour just as Inspector Morse has done for Oxford and Downton Abbey for many of our stately homes, including the location at Highclere Castle in Berkshire.
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Twilight crept up on the domes and roofs of Budapest and, as the clear blue sky darkened to star-studded midnight blue, thousands of lights on the bridges and classic buildings along the banks of the River Danube flickered on.
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IN 1914 a small bridge in Sarajevo was the scene of an event that would change the course of history. The Latin Bridge, older than most, and certainly on the pretty side of plain, was in other ways an unremarkable bridge – that was until June 28 in this fateful year.
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Standing astride the summit of windswept Kinder Scout, looking down vertiginously on the valley below, you really feel you’re on the rooftop of the realm. What had started out as a gentle stroll from Edale over a partly paved path had ended with clambering over rocks made slippery by a stream – as I found to my cost – then scrambling up scree to the peat-layered peak.
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The view from the top of the ski jump is mesmerising. The whole of Innsbruck is spread out before me and the Austrian Alps form a dramatic backdrop to this beautiful, historic city. The take-off slope looks unbelievably steep and I must admit I’m in awe of the sportsmen (and women) who have the bottle to launch themselves down the hill at 60mph, fly 200 yards and then crashland into packed ice before the safety fence stops them injuring the spectators.
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Steam rose from the water of the Roman baths in the lights that were brightening against the incoming December evening. Floodlights picked out the magnificent tower of the abbey while below it the bustle and excitement of the Christmas market grew with the crowds.
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GET YOUR motor running, head out on the highway.” When Steppenwolf’s driving beat and lyrics to Born to be Wild launched the title sequence of the film Easy Rider in 1969, it encouraged a generation around the world to dream of taking to the road – the road to freedom.
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There can be few experiences more memorable than a short break to Amsterdam, one of the most vibrant and historic cities in the world. Amsterdam has many attractions and is renowned for its world-famous museums, art galleries, Dutch masters, historic cathedrals, Anne Frank House, diamonds, tulips, cheese, canals, red light district and much more.
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As you look down on the wide golden beach at Tenby and along to the pastel-coloured buildings of the old town clustered around the harbour, it’s easy to see why Pembrokeshire is recognised worldwide as one of the loveliest areas in Britain. Beautiful old seaside towns like Tenby and its near-neighbour Saundersfoot as well as smaller coastal villages are just part of the story of this, one of the most westerly of our counties.
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SITTING HIGH above the mighty Ebro River, the village of Miravet clings to the rock face like a barnacle to a boat hull. Swallows swoop low over the water as they feed in flight while a heron looks to have fallen asleep as he waits for the river to deliver his lunch. The grand Templar Castle looks down on this sleepy yet hauntingly beautiful village in this largely undiscovered region in southern Catalonia.
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It'still dark when I arrive at the cable car station, but by the time the gondola has whisked me up to its final stop at 6000ft (1850m), the sky has already started to lighten. I need to press on: I’ve got about a mile to walk and 1000ft (300m) to climb before I’m where I need to be. It’s hard not to keep stopping to take pictures, but I’m on a deadline – I want to be at the summit. I make it just in time.
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Sitting on the top deck of a gently-swaying tramcar, trundling along a cobbled street next to a grand, balustraded red-brick pub, you could be travelling through an industrial town in the Fifties. This, however, is the 21st century – and at the foot of a sheer rock face in a former quarry on the edge of the Peak District.
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The Independence of the Seas is a majestic sight in the docks at Southampton as she prepares for the start of a two-week Mediterranean cruise. The 15-deck Royal Caribbean ship is 1112ft long and 185ft wide, and accommodates 4375 passengers.
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Cries of suppressed fear pierced the tranquil air and heads turned to witness the extraordinary sight of two people side by side, in skydiver pose, suspended below zip wires swooping down past the famous domes of Cornwall’s Eden Project.
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JUST A mile out from Pigeon Point, the sea shallows rapidly. The boat skipper hauls the big outboard out of the water before the propeller hits the bottom and we glide over the seabed just two feet below.
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ACROSS EUROPE and further afield, security has had to be tightened, particularly at major sports and entertainment events in order to safeguard the public.
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Plank floors, peeling paint ceilings and an ancient lift big enough to take a car – this building is preserved just the way it was when it changed the world and brought liberation to succeeding generations of ordinary men and women.
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With hardly a breath of wind the rain-laden clouds hang over Chichester Harbour. The rain starts, not heavy driven rain, but light and gentle, like that from a fine rose on a watering can.
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THE LAST time I visited Moscow, it was in the middle of a bitter winter nearly 30 years ago, as the first stirrings of Mikhail Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost presaged the looming collapse of the Soviet system. This time it was at the height of summer, with temperatures around 30°C – and the Russian capital’s Western-style shopping streets could have been in Manchester or Minneapolis, apart from the Cyrillic store signs.
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It may be best known for it's thrilling theme parks, thriving potteries and beautiful gardens, but Staffordshire also offers a chance to indulge in award winning glamping too. While it may have just five luxurious yurts, Secret Cloud House Holidays, with uninterrupted views across the Staffordshire Moorlands and Peak District beyond, also offers some quirky treats for the luxury camper.
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AS THE coach threads us through the narrow streets from the ferry terminal and out into the winding coastal roads, we get an elevated view of Guernsey – an island of contrasts. Compare the glass office buildings that house the city slickers of the multi-billion pound financial industry, which makes up nearly half the island’s economy, with the ‘hedge veg’ stalls by the rural roadsides selling produce and flowers with honesty boxes making just a few pounds.
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The Mountains are hauntingly beautiful, the lake is deep and serene and the town is pretty as a picture. I’m in Zell am See on the shores of Lake Zell and in the shadow of Austria’s Kitzbuhel Alps, with mountains so high that even in the summer the peaks are topped with snow. It’s a special place.
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Whether you are waking up in the master bedroom, cooking breakfast in the kitchen or relaxing with the newspaper on the sofa,, you're always bathed un light from a two-storey tall stained glass window. This is a holiday cottage like no other. Livin gin a converted church for a week was an intriguing prospect. The fact that it was on the beautiful Isle of Wight made it perfect.
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I arrive in Hyderabad at the peak of the evening rush hour. All my senses are in overload. The sights, the noise, the colour and even the spicy smell… all seem larger than life.
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Do they match up with the top 10 revealed in research by holiday cottage website cottages.com ? More than 1000 respondents voted for the British sights and experiencces they most hope to see in their lifetime, from standing atop great peaks in the Lake District to sitting in suspense at Wimbledon. The top 10 were: 1. Stonehenge
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Do they match up with the top 10 revealed in research by holiday cottage website cottages.com ? More than 1000 respondents voted for the British sights and experiencces they most hope to see in their lifetime, from standing atop great peaks in the Lake District to sitting in suspense at Wimbledon. The top 10 were: 1. Stonehenge
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This summer, you might be taking a much-anticipated trip to a European city and, undoubtedly, the best way to immerse yourself in the culture, discover the local gems, and meet the most incredible people, is to act like a local. According to a survey carried out by language-learning app Babbel, (babbel.com) , 74% of over 55s feel that they have missed out on something because they can’t speak the local language while on holiday.
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My ice cream dribbles down the side of the cone and over the back of my hand. My tongue comes to the rescue.
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Narrow veins of water, bright against the dark rock faces, fell hundreds of feet before tumbling through a bright green band of meadows and plunging into the impassive depths of the fjord. The falls moved seemingly endless supplies of white water from the melting snows high up. The mountain tops still had their patchwork of snow and bare rock so there was still plenty to melt, even though it was only a week away from midsummer.
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Sheffield was once an industrial powerhouse, internationally renowned for the steel forged in the factories that once dominated the city. Now most of the chimneys have gone (although the Sheffield steel trade does still exist) but the city has forged itself into something new- a modern metropolis with a friendly yet independent spirit.
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For a child from the provinces, growing up in the Sixties, London was a magical place, full of fog, beefeaters, guardsmen in funny hats and people, lots of people. In those days, a trip to the capital was a major event, from choosing a bundle of comics to read on the train journey that seemed to last forever to the thrill of riding on the tube for the first time.
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I woke to see a glorious sunrise across the waters of the River Rhone just ripple gently by the wake of our cruise ship. Already a cloudless sky heralded another beautiful day. Herons and egrets lined up every few yards and rival fishermen wih tents and camping stoves on the go were dotted along the banks.
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It's still dark when my train rumbles into Hospet Station. It's running late but that's normal- timetables are flexible here. I'm really excited as I get on board, not because the train is he height of luxury- it isn't- but because I'm travelling with the locals for a few hundred miles, and can watch real life unfold as we rumble through tons, villages and open countryside on my way to Madgoan (Goa) in the west coast of India.
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the girls that chat excitedly as they dash up the steps of the church. A proud mother, dressed to the nines, shares the moment with her daughter. The church that they are going to is a bit special; it's the church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and stands over the spot where Jesus was born.
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The grand piano falls silent and an expectant hush descends over the magnificent great hall in the railroad depot on the outskirts of Vancouver.
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With more than 460 ships sailing the world's oceans and 200 plying navigable rivers around the globe, cruise holidays are ever more popular. So popular that those ships took an estimated 25.8 million people afloat in 2017- 1.89 million of them from the UK. Thirteen new ocean liners have 13 river ships were due to have come into service last year and 15 ocean ships and two river vessels are on the order books for 2018
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The big nine-cylinder Pratt & Whitney engine up front turns over and fires up with a reassuring roar. My pilot, Sean, lets the seaplane drift away from the pontoon as he warms up the engine. We taxi a short was into the harbour then, throttles opened, we skim across the water and the six-seater de Havilland Beaver is airborne. I'm flying in a design classic- this aircraft is more than 50 years old but is so rugged and so perfect for the job it's doing that no-one has been able to improve on it yet.
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Snow drapes the surrounding fells and a freshening breeze chases through the streets of Ambleside, but we are settled in comfortable chairs next to an open fire choosing out gourmet dinner with a glass of red wine in hand. The Lake district in winter? We're all for it.
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The enjoyment of a coach tour is the same whether you're island-hoping on Scotland's wonderfully scenic west coast, sampling tranquillity in the Black Forest or traversing the Flinders Ranges in South Australia heading for Alice Springs and Kakado. Holidaying aboard a coach in 2018, wherever in the world, is far removed from the old-style seaside outing on a biscuit-tin bus coughing and spluttering up the hills. Nowadays you will usually get:
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The air is filled with a wondrous sound as the orchestra fires up in the townsquare. Nearby a pop group bells out the best of Abba from another stage and in the distance I can hear a brass band wringing out every ounce of emotion form its saxophone line up.
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The leaden skies can't diminish the beauty of the small harbour. Fishing boats gently bobbing in time with the faintest of ripples, couples strolling hand-in-hand,, seagulls floating lazily on the water, historic buildings bleached by the simmer sun framing the idyllic scene. Then, suddenly it just gets better.
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Sometime the summer sun that draws us to the Mediterranean can be a touch too powerful. So if you are baking on a Spanish beach or sweltering in an Italian or Greek city the antidote could be a peaceful garden, dappled by shade with fountains and waterfalls making you feel cooler. There are gardens to visit near many of the most popular tourist destinations.
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The tall white cross stands proud on the hilltop above the village of Hakahau. The walking trail up to the cross is steep but manageable and, taking it steady, I'm there in 20 minutes. It's not the cross I've come to see, however. It's the view across Hakahau Bay- and it's simply stunning. Blue sky, fluffy clouds, turquoise sea, yachts bobbing on the gentle breeze and the star of the show, the cruise liner-cum-supply ship, Aranui 5, alongside the pier.
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Summer in the city can be a great experience. London has wonderful parks and open spaces, river walks and plenty of things to do for the whole family. Whether you're on a tight budget or able to splash the cash, we have some ideas for days out in the capital.. Free attractions
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As dusk turns to nightfall the mountaintops merge into the darkening sky. It is very serene, very beautiful, with only the hum of the hot tub that I’m relaxing in breaking the silence. I pour a glass of wine and decide to enjoy these magic moments a few minutes more.
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Towering above the Liver building at Liverpool's famous Pierhead we had a wonderful view across the city from deck 18 as, with a mighty blast from the ship's horn, our liner gently drifted away from her berth and moved slowly downriver towards the Irish Sea. Astern, the brightly coloured Mersey Ferry nipped past and headed for Birkenhead on the oposite side of the river.
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With its tales of sunked treasure ships, piract, fast living, hard drinking, big game fishing, wealth and the literary genius of Ernest Hemingway, Key West has always had a slightly racy image. And it's all true. It has mellowed with time but as you enter Key West it's hard not to feel that excitement. Key west is at the southernmost tip of the islands of Florida Keys, all linked y the most beautiful stretch of US Highway 1.
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Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, St James’s… they sound like names from a Monopoly board, not real places in the heart of London, one of the greatest cities in the world. Steeped in history, with world-leading museums and galleries, theatres that rival the best on Broadway, and some of the finest restaurants on the planet, London has it all. And the best thing is, it’s just a train ride away – an hour and a quarter from my home in Lincolnshire.
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My plane landed in Ajaccio on the western side of Corsica. My destination: Sunêlia Perla di Mare resort in Ghisonaccia in the east on the Tyrrhenienne coast of France’s island outpost in the Mediterranean.
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Autumn in the Baltic states usually features mild temperatures that allow travellers to explore forests, wetlands, islands, gardens and cities, with the bonus of vivid seasonal colour. In autumn, Estonian dishes revolve around nature's bounty: forest mushrooms are foraged, wild game like elk appears on tables, apples are picked from orchards and root vegetables mature.
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Now here's question. If you inherited a vast fortune, would you (a) organise an expedition and climb Mount Everest, (b) buy one of the world’s most beautiful houses in a dream location on Lake Como or (c) trek to the North Pole? For me, Everest and the North Pole sound a bit cold, not to mention a touch dangerous, but the house on Como – now you’re talking.
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The last time I was on the promenade between Folkestone harbour and Sandgate was 40-odd years ago; now, as I strolled on a lovely wintry afternoon, I wondered why I had left it so long. On that occasion I was reporting on a big fishing match for Angling Times and was more concerned about not missing a winning catch than enjoying the scenery.
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As we strolled through Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens with the freshly fallen leaves rustling beneath our feet, we could imagine Regency bucks in nankeen breeches accompanied by bonneted young women doing just the same two centuries earlier In a captivating combination of greenery and town planning, the mellow-stoned Georgian and Victorian architecture is complemented by the acres of parkland between the buildings – and, of course, the Peak District panoramas all around.
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Scotland's richest jewels are found in its rugged beauty. Shining out from the overflowing treasure chest is the Isle of Skye- one of the brightest of gems. Thanks to The Skye Boat Song, which most of our generation probably sang in primary school, Skye is not only-spectacularly beautiful but also one of the best-known corners of Scotland.
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It's still dark when my guide Larry picks me up. Just a mile down the road we are soon where we want to be. The sandy soil is crisp underfoot as a sharp frost binds the surface together. Larry, a full-blown Navajo American Indian, checks his watch, nods and within seconds the first rays of sun break over the horizon and cast a wondrous light over the scene before me. This is so much more than sightseeing – it’s almost spiritual and, amazingly, we have the place to ourselves.
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Some of the world’s greatest scenic drives criss-cross the Highlands of Scotland, especially beautiful in the long hours of summer daylight. But what about in the dark month of January As we skirted the Cairngorms on our way from Perth to Inverness we got our answer.
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I'm weaving through the narrow streets of Ragusa in my little hire car. At every junction, I take the turn that looks like it will take me further uphill. Common sense tells me that at some point I’ll find a spot where I can get a view over the old town. It’s difficult to navigate; buildings press in close on my wing mirrors and I really don’t want to meet a dustcart that wants to share the road – even a bike would be a problem.
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I'm weaving through the narrow streets of Ragusa in my little hire car. At every junction, I take the turn that looks like it will take me further uphill. Common sense tells me that at some point I’ll find a spot where I can get a view over the old town. It’s difficult to navigate; buildings press in close on my wing mirrors and I really don’t want to meet a dustcart that wants to share the road – even a bike would be a problem.
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Profile: Julie Christie
Special: The New Forest
Your Money and Your Rights
50 years of Monty Python
Plunder Nature's larder
Idyllic Tuscany Walking
Tiffany glass in Accrington
Are you over-insured?
Cholesterol: the good, the bad and the ugly
SAVE: White Xmas in Austria
