Quirky Traveller's Tales

Ernest Hemingway wrote, “Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bull-fighters.” In the same spirit, I believe that as life goes by so fast there are only a few moments that you really live to the max. Walking the Camino de Santiago, as opposed to bullfighting which is not for me, was one of those times where I felt truly alive. For a few days, weeks or months, I was able to extract myself from my day to day routine and focus on myself.

Camino Frances sign – photo c/o Follow the Camino

Lately, I walked the Camino Frances from St Jean de Pied to Pamplona with a company called Follow the Camino, which organises accommodation, meals, maps and heavenly luggage transfers. They have added a twist to the Camino that really attracted me and made my journey so much easier.  This twist was to link one of my favourite authors, Ernest Hemingway, to the Camino. The American author based his first and most celebrated novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’ during the Pamplona Festival, the San Fermin, which he used to attend regularly.

Bull-running Monument in Pamplona – photo by Владимир Шеляпин

The storyline follows a group of American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. The setting was unique and memorable, showing the seedy café life in Paris, and the excitement of the Pamplona festival, with a middle section devoted to descriptions of a fishing trip in the Pyrenees and end sections in San Sebastian and Madrid.

Follow the Camino therefore launched a new walking holiday called the Camino Heming-Way where you walk in the footsteps of Jake and Bill, two of the main protagonists of the book, from Saint St Jean de Pied in France to Pamplona in Spain. It is undoubtedly one of the most scenic, challenging and rewarding of all the Camino routes and a unique journey through time and literature.

Vierge D’Orisson in French Pyrenees - photo c/o Follow the Camino

The Camino Operator booked me into charming 2-3* hotels along the Way, which was a very welcom comfort. The staff were simply lovely and so typically French and Spanish! I did not want to try walking the Camino without pre-booking hostels etc. Although this option might suit some, I find it difficult to cope with the stress of not knowing where I am sleeping and if I will find a dorm before arriving in a town. Not to mention the snoring, little levels of comforts and the smell… No, I was more than delighted to pay the tour operator services so I had my own room, bathroom and all I needed to rest and refresh after a hard day’s walk. And then was I ready for a few tapas and vino! I never had to use their 24/7 emergency phone, thank God! 

St Jean Pied de Port – photo c/o Follow the Camino

The route departs Saint Jean Pied de Port, a quaint French market village in the heart of the Pyrenee. There are lots of things to see including the ancient bridge, historic buildings, full of history and a lovely old Church for pilgrims. In only five days,  I crossed the Pyrenees (tough but so exhilarating having achieved it), experienced French gastronomy - think yummy cheese, locally-produced charcuterie and traditional baguette, discovered the legendary Basque country and finally arrived in beautiful Pamplona. En route I stayed in the small quiet village of Burguete, on the Irati River where the two friends (from the book) fished.

Hemingway’s house at Burguete – photo by Phillip Capper

In Pamplona, they treated me to a Heming-Way style city tour. Thanks to Mickel, our lovely Spanish guide I found the Cafe Iruna and had a drink beside Hemingway’s statue.  I also had the chance to try a special Hemingway favourite: trout stuffed with chorizo.  I recommend this tour to Hemingway enthusiasts and anyone looking for an alternative to the last 100km of the French Way, the most popular section. So why not follow this route and take the walk from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona?  And if you are able to make it for the San Fermin Festival in July, you’ll be able to celebrate this famous Festival in true Heming-Way style!

Hemingway at Cafe Iruna Pamplona  - photo c/o Follow the Camino

This post is brought to you by Follow the Camino, a world-wide leading tour operator specialising in organising walking, cycling and horse riding holidays along the Camino de Santiago since 2006.  They created a new approach to this ancestral pilgrimage, respecting its spirit and enhancing its values, whilst making it more accessible, enjoyable and achievable for all. Find out more about the Camino Heming-Way here.

Via de la Plata Santiago de Compostela – c/o Follow the Camino

If you like walking you will enjoy ‘Fell Wandering – Slow Travel at its best’ and also

When writer and entrepreneur, Martin Dunford and his family went travelling round Australia, they discovered a haven of natural beauty in the heart of Queensland.  In our latest World Travel Blogger article, he describes some of the highlights of that trip.

Before we arrived at Rose Gums, Queensland we had thought there was only one kind of kangaroo. In fact there are several and, as Peta has promised, we are lucky enough to see several musky rat kangaroos the morning after our arrival at the rainforest.  They emerge from the bushes to feast on the corn she has put out for them, before being chased off by the omnipresent brush turkeys that roam everywhere around the compound. Afterwards, we sit on the terrace and watch hoards of rainbow lorikeets fight it out for food – a gloriously colourful sight that keeps my daughters rapt with attention.

Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat is an eco-friendly place in the heart of the rainforest in tropical Queensland’s Atherton Tablelands – a mixed highland area an hour inland from Cairns that varies from dense rainforest to green rolling pasture to bare outback sprinkled with banana groves and orchards. Peta and John bought the 230 acres that makes up Rose Gums almost 20 years ago, replanting much of its indigenous plant life and building themselves a dream home in the process, the first of the stunning treehouses that hide among the trees at Rose Gums.  It’s beautifully done, the houses comfortable yet rustic and close up to nature. They’re also well spaced out; indeed you could come here and barely notice any other buildings at all.

Peta provesto be a knowledgeable and genial host, pointing out the best walks and chances to spot wildlife. We are on a quest to spot platypus, and go off in search of them our first morning, following a well-marked path down to a creek, where we swim in crystal clear waters below overhanging trees.

We are disappointed on the platypus front – not just that morning but every morning; but perhaps we had been a little spoilt on a previous trip, when we witnessed a multitude of the little critters happily splashing about in a highland creek at the fabulous Yungara park to the south of here.

No matter: the rain-forest walk we do is gorgeous , the canopy alive with life and movement as we tread carefully along the path like pith-helmeted explorers of old, desperate for a glimpse of a snake or exotic birdlife.

We catch a glimpse of a large grey monitor lizard on the path in front of us, but he’s gone in a flash as he clocks our approach; down by the water there are turtles and enormous frogs, and something slithers up the bank as we approach – who knows what? We shush each other and the excitement builds as our eyes try to pierce the dense forest undergrowth and see deep into the muddy waters; but as Peta reminds us, although Aussie wildlife is fabulously abundant, most of it was hunted by the Aboriginals for centuries, some species to the brink of extinction, and most creatures don’t hang about long enough to discover whether we’re friend or foe.

Our lodge is, in any case, reward enough, its balcony facing a magnificent stage-set of forest birdlife, which we fixate on over drinks early evening, accompanied by the constant call of the well-named whipbird and chattering kookaburras. We never see either of these, but the host of other birdlife more than make up for it – honeyeaters of myriad colours and varieties feasting on the flowers that overhang our treehouse, blue-chested drongoes, red-faced king parrots and shrieking white cockatoos – the unruly hooligans of the rainforest – before the cicadas raise the volume to number 11 just after dark – an extraordinary loud and rhythmic sound that we mistake at first for a kitchen alarm.

The immediate area is full of interest, too – we swim in the clear waters of volcanic Lake Eacham, afterwards spotting the amethystene pythons that bask on its banks, snakes that we spot from a boat-trip on nearby Lake Bureen, along with forest dragons, erect and alert on overhanging tree branches, more turtles, ranks of cormorants arranged on logs, and big black eels which emerge from under the boat hoping for scraps of food.

Afterwards we repair to the balcony of the elegant boathouse for a cream tea of scones of jam – a peculiar juxtaposition you could only find in Australia. Nearby are one-horse towns like Yungaburra and Malanda – large villages, really, which cluster around vintage hotels, and where we come across the extraordinary sight of Yungaburra’s magnificent Curtain Fig  – actually a majestic turpentine tree, strangled by the tendrils of a strangler fig years ago, in its full triffid-like glory.

The platypus remain resolutely in the burrows, but who cares? We have our treehouse to go back to with its glorious views and, as we stroll up to our front door, our resident big-bottomed bandicoot scuttles by in shy, silent greeting ….

Martin Dunford is one of the co-founders and the former publisher of Rough Guides, and now works as a writer and independent consultant and investor. Find out more about his two digital travel businesses at Cool Places and Tripbod.

Other articles you might like about Australia include Sunrise at Uluru, Aboriginal Bush Tucker Walk and Best Beaches around Sydney.

The UK is home to a number of unique travel destinations, which means it’s ideal to consider if you have a wedding coming up and are looking for an unusual location. Of course, the traditional “destination wedding” generally aims at a tropical beach setting or something of that nature, but if you want to make your wedding particularly distinctive or fun, you may want to consider one of the many beautiful, popular and culturally interesting places the UK has to offer.

Brides at Leighton Hall, Lancashire

Having a wedding away from your home town is not without its complications. However, the important thing to remember is that this is your wedding and people can help you to make it happen.  You can order all the food and drink, the cake and other essentials from Marks and Spencer, book accommodation in advance, and trust that with excellent planning it will all fall into place by the time the wedding day arrives! So, instead of worrying too much about the details in the early stages, concentrate first on picking a fun and interesting destination. Here are a few examples to consider.

The Lake District

Champagne is served at The Gilpin

One of the UK’s most beautiful, well-known and more remote destinations, the Lake District offers you the kind of getaway that most locations only aspire to offer. It is very common to host weddings in countryside settings or by lovely bodies of water, but in the Lake District you can have both and truly feel as if you are in the loveliest place on earth.  And it’s absolutely perfect for the smaller, more intimate marriage ceremony.

Stratford-upon-Avon

Anne Hathaway’s Cottage – photo by MW Errikson

If you are looking for something a bit more quirky, why not host a Shakespearean themed marriage in or around Stratford-upon-Avon, the playwright’s birthplace? This popular tourist destination offers a wide variety of venue and accommodation options for both small and large gatherings for the kind of unique, more unusual wedding that many people long for.

Medieval Castles

Leighton Hall in Lancashire

Similarly, if you want a different sort of themed wedding, or a historical backdrop to your ceremony, there are entire regions full of medieval castles in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.  Can you imagine how impressive the wedding photos will look?  Many of these places have convenient accommodation and can offer complete packages for a truly memorable occasion for the happy couple, family and guests.

Blackpool

Blackpool Tower & Beach – photo by Visit Blackpool

Finally, if you like the idea of a seaside wedding and more fun than the typical tropical setting, consider Blackpool. This famous resort offers an almost carnival-like atmosphere with its sea views, iconic Tower, three Piers and Pleasure Beach that is quintessentially English.  This type of destination offers you a great blend of the traditional and unique, with a guaranteed British twist to your special day.

This article is brought to you by Marks & Spencer

It takes a smart traveller to realise that you don’t have to jet off to exotic locations, battling check-in and the dreaded jetlag to experience a little luxury. If it’s wonderful spas you are looking for, boutique hotels like no other, or truly top class food, it is all here hidden away in the UK. Well we think it’s a good idea to keep much of it a secret so shh! Don’t tell anyone and here are a few of the luxury spots that we have discovered which are too good to tell everyone about.

Treglyddins Cottage by Latitude 50

1. Stay in a Luxury Holiday Cottage in Cornwall

Whether you are sneaking away for a luxury weekend with your other half or taking the whole family, you will be able to find a great luxury holiday cottage in Cornwall. We love Latitude 50, who have some great holiday cottages on offer like Treglyddins is a wonderful house that sleeps 8, has its own swimming pool and is a pleasant 5 minutes walk from the shops in Rock. It boasts a beautiful garden, decked patio area for al fresco eating on warm summer evenings and for cooler nights, an inglenook fireplace with wood-burning stove. If you are a smaller party try the cute Pentire Cottage, which is a fairytale cottage with all modern luxuries and the most gorgeous of gardens. And the real luxury? There is no one to disturb you and you’ll never miss breakfast not matter how late you decide to lie in!

Daylesford Organic Farm Shop

2. Visit Daylesford Organic Farm, Gloucestershire

Treat yourself to some delicious organically grown goodies in the Daylesford Organic Farm Shop, from artisan baked bread to freshly cut flowers, to jams pickles and preserves and so much more.  For the best deep relaxing massages, heavenly facials and some simply divine yoga and Pilates classes we recommend you get booked in at the Hay Barn Spa, which is just next door. Daylesford does have everything  – treat yourself to a cookery course and take that luxury feeling home with you as you recreate delicious seasonal dishes for years to come.

3. Stay in ‘Rosie’ the Gypsy Caravan in Dorset

Rosie the Gypsy Caravan

Surrounded by horses and chickens and stunning views of the Dorset countryside you can enjoy this beautiful restoration of a 1934 Gypsy Caravan at The Old Forge. Rosie is cosy and romantic and everything is set out to cater for your every comfort. Breakfast is included and the hosts Tim and Lucy have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming and helping guests to feel most at home.

4. Dine at The Ledbury, ranked 14 in the World’s Best Restaurants.

The Ledbury Restaurant

 It is no small accolade to be ranked as number 14 in the world and for that we are very grateful to have The Ledbury here on home turf. It is a truly world class restaurant guaranteed to give you a proper fine dining experience. Head Chef Brett Graham is both talented and creative and it shows through in huge measure in his food.  From Roasted Scallops with Fennel, Liquorice and Elderflower, to Dover Sole with Thyme Milk Skin, Mussels and Roast Cauliflower, to the Brown Sugar Tart, with Poached Grapes and Stem Ginger Ice Cream, we are sure you will savour every mouthful.

5. Charter Your Own Motor Yacht for the Day

Yacht Charter – Outrun Sailing, Lake Windermere

Live the lifestyle of the Riviera right here in lovely Britain and charter your own yacht for a day and maybe even a night too. You will have everything you need on board so you can just enjoy lapping up the ultimate of luxury, whilst your very own skipper takes care of everything. Step off for lunch and even stay overnight to make the experience one to truly remember.

These are just a few of the many wonderful luxury experiences just waiting to be discovered throughout the UK.  Get out this summer and see what others you can uncover …

This post is brought to you by Latitude 50, who have a wide  selection of great holiday cottages in North Cornwall.

When you think of London you think Big Ben, the Queen, Hyde Park, maybe the Imperial War Museum– not an underground movement of urban art slowly crawling its way across the city like a politically colourful Japanese Knotweed. It’s time to see London differently, so set up base in a hotel in central London and head out into the ever-changing world of urban art. 

London Street Art (Stock Images)

The street art scene is slowly but very surely taking over the pavements, walls and tube stations of the city – in almost every corner of every road and building you’ll be rewarded by Space Invaders and miniature heroes, political statements and Banksy wannabes (and Banksy himself, of course).  Street art in London has only recently been recognised as art, probably thanks to Banksy and his blossoming worldwide fame, and is steadily progressing from being an impermanent and uncontrollable pest to a force to be reckoned with. However, this art of recklessness and anti-establishment is being lost behind panes of Perspex and a rise in legal walls around the city – it’s good to see that creativity is being appreciated, but can it really be controlled? 

To get a glimpse of the originality that lurks in London Town, head to a dark alley called Blackall Street just off Old Street. You’ll find yourself under the glaring eyes of neon monsters, blushing whilst passing by an embracing couple and giggling at Stik men childishly scrawled on shutters. The remains of an Invader casually surveys the scene like a surreal CCTV camera and BOREDOM IS COUNTER REVOLUTIONARY loudly remarks the statement this street once subtly claimed.

Shoreditch is the place to go to find a mixture of London most appreciated al fresco art – from the weird and the wonderful, political and sickly sweet to outright rude, Shoreditch is a melting pot of imagination and vulgarity. Look out for samurais, Mickey Mouse and a giant hedgehog to get you going – and remember to keep an eye on the ground; you never know who you’ll see lurking on street corners.  For the Banksy fans out there, London’s Shoreditch is the ideal starting point – you’ll find the evolved Pulp Fiction, the Rat Race and the Chopper all at home here, as well as designated graffiti areas around most corners and prying policemen fading and failing to stop the art revolution.

London Street Art (Stock Image)

However, street art doesn’t have to be limited to 2D paintings on out-of-reach walls – Covent Garden is home to the Big Smoke’s best street artists. Here you can find a bunch of loud performers offering many laughs and gasps, all competing for your attention (and change) whilst you shop, eat and drink. To enjoy some in-the-flesh art in London, find a table outside one of Covent Garden’s hotels, sip on a cocktail, and be prepared to part with any loose change in your pocket.

Juggler 'The Great Dave' Covent Garden by Aqwis

‘This post is brought to you by ‘Grange Hotels’.

Here is the second in our series of interviews with very special Holiday Homeowners from around the world.  They share with you their reasons for loving where their holiday homes are situated,  best-kept quirky travel secrets and top tips for making the most of your stay.  

Helen and Andrew O’Donoghue, originally based in Dublin, had always dreamt of having a place by the sea; although they knew central Algarve well, they had never been further east than Faro. Neighbours told them about Fuseta, a Portuguese village on the eastern coast of the Algarve with spectacular views of the Ria Formosa lagoon.

In 2009, after exploring the area, they bought a two-bedroom apartment  in Fuseta, right by the sea, in the Formosa Village development.  Last June, they sealed their love of the area by getting married in nearby Tavira.  Now in their 40s, Andrew works in IT and Helen is a corporate fundraiser for a charity. Here, they talk about their love of Fuseta and offer some tips and advice for visitors.

What first made you fall in love with Fuseta and why should people come here?

When we first came to Fuseta it felt like stepping back in time. The area is very unspoilt and the village is an old fashioned, traditional fishing village where everyone knows everyone. The locals speak just enough English to get by, but they welcome tourists with open arms. They work mostly in restaurants or in the fishing trade and are very family oriented. The beaches are very beautiful and the restaurants serve delicious food at a fraction of what it costs anywhere else on the Algarve. And, of course, there’s guaranteed sunshine from mid April through  to mid October!

What’s the ‘best kept secret’ you would tell any visitors not to miss?

There are beautiful villages in the mountains surrounding the area. Our favourite one is Estoi, a colourful little town about 10km from Fuseta. The place is home to the Palace of Estoi, which was originally built in the 19^th  Century as the ancestral home of the Viscount of Estoi, but has now been converted into a high-end pousada (hotel). Non-residents are welcome to wander around, have a coffee or lunch and admire the magnificent mountain views.

Estoi Palace – Simoni Marco

Close by you can find the Milreu Ruins, one of the most important remains of the Roman presence in the Algarve and an imposing archaeological site, which has been classified as a national monument. What is to be found here today is the remains of a manor house, farm buildings, a wine press, baths and a temple, as well as an open courtyard and garden.

Where’s the place to go to just hang out, people watch and generally soak up the atmosphere?

The square in Fuseta is where the locals come together every morning after doing their shopping, going to the bank and buying their paper. It is a great place to feel part of the community; just grab a coffee and a  Pasteis De Nata (custard tart) and watch the people  go by. The houses around the square are typical of the area, Moorish cubic style, roof terraced buildings with high, ornate chimneys and decorative doors.

What would you recommend visitors either treat themselves to while they’re there, or take home as a souvenir?

Cataplana is a traditional seafood dish, very popular in the area. It is also the name of the dish used to prepare it. Traditionally made of copper, it is shaped like two clamshells hinged at one end and is perfect for steaming. In restaurants, the food  is always served in this beautiful cookware. You should be able to find one to buy in Fuseta.

Finally, what are the most ‘quirky’ things to do, see, eat, visit or experience in this place?

The amazing beaches are amongst the biggest attractions in the area. They have plenty of facilities like sun beds, restaurants and toilets, and are incredibly unspoilt, uncrowded and perfect for long walks and water sports. The area is characterised by  ‘sandspit’ beaches, meaning they are separated from the mainland by a lagoon and have to be reached by a ferry boat or water taxi.

A 10 minute drive from Fuseta is Barril Beach which is accessed by a little locomotive train. The area used to be a tuna village and the buildings are still standing but have now been converted into cafés, restaurants, shops and other facilities for tourists. The beach is strewn with anchors each one commemorating a fisherman who lost his life to the sea. A more romantic alternative is to get a watertaxi from Fuseta Harbour, bring a picnic and enjoy a deserted beach for the day!

Owner Helen on Barill Beach

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Holiday Homeowner Q&A is brought to you by Home Away, the UK’s leading holiday rentals website with over 320,000 properties worldwide. From cute studios and city apartments to rural cottages and country homes, large luxury villas, quirky conversions and more, there are thousands of unique places to enjoy a more authentic and unusual holiday.