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TRAVEL WRITING
COMPETITION 2021
Do you have a way with words? Are you forever
regaling your friends and family with tales from
your travels? If the answer’s yes, then our Travel
Writing Competition’s just the thing for you.
Submit your 500-word entry before 19 September
to be in the running to win an eight-night luxury
tour of Kenya, courtesy of Kuoni and Governors’
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your travel writing career in our pages
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ENTER
NOW!
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CALLING ALL ASPIRING
TRAVEL WRITERS
TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION 2021
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
For your chance to win, simply write up to
500 words on an inspiring travel experience,
which could be anything from horse riding
in Patagonia to a hike in Pembrokeshire. The
editors of National Geographic Traveller want
to see flair and finesse in your entry. This
should be a well-crafted ‘snapshot’ narrative
with an original, impactful beginning and
ending. Don’t forget to capture the essence
of our award-winning storytelling: a strong
sense of place, authentic and immersive
experiences, and an emphasis on local voices.
THE GRAND PRIZE
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So, what are you waiting for? Enter now at
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Competition closes 23:59 on Sunday 19 September 2021. Entrants must be residents of the UK and Ireland aged 18 or over.
Winners announced in the December 2021 issue. Full T&Cs: nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel-writing-competition-2021
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September
2021
Contents
64
64 Iceland
Escape the tourist trail and
explore the hidden highlights of
this wild, elemental isle
96 Wye Valley
Ruins, raptors and one great,
winding river in the ‘birthplace
of British tourism’
118 New Orleans
With new bars and a mixology
museum, there’s something astir
in the US cocktail capital
84 Uganda
Conservationists are striving
to protect the wildlife of the
country’s national parks
108 Colombia
In the country’s Zona Cafetera,
growers have been harvesting
coffee beans for generations
130 Dresden
The German city has re-emerged
from the wartime rubble as a
thriving, elegant cultural capital
I N AT I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C T R AV E L L E R I S T H E U K ’ S # 1 T R AV E L M A G A Z I N E B Y S U B S C R I P T I O N S
Issue 95
Aerial view of Iceland’s
geothermal Blue Lagoon,
Reykjanes Peninsula
IMAGE: Alamy
September 2021
7
September
2021
Contents
32
54
58
SMART TRAVELLER
37 The word
Six of the best new guidebooks this season
TRAVEL GEEKS
17 Snapshot
A close encounter in Laos
18 Big picture
Seeing purple in Provence
21 Seeing stars
The lowdown on Hollywood’s newest star
23 Access all areas
The Open House festivals not to miss
25 Food
Flavours from the French Caribbean
27 On the trail
An architectural amble through Rotterdam
29 Rooms
Rooms with a view on Kos
30 Family
A grand new opening in Nottingham
32 Inside guide
The lowdown on Fez’s magical medina
35 Stay at home
What to do in Weardale, County Durham
38 Kit list
Ethical accessories for a trip to the beach
41 Competition
Win a four-night stay in a luxury treehouse
43 Author series
Catrina Davies on Portugal
44 Meet the adventurer
Conservation pioneer Kristine Tompkins
46 Online
Weekly highlights from the website
INSIDER
48 Weekender: Maribor
A guide to Slovenia’s leafy second city, where
food and festivals take centre stage
54 Eat: Kent
The Isle of Thanet is cementing itself as one
of the UK’s most exciting dining destinations
148 Travel Geeks
The experts’ travel manual
154 National parks
How travellers can get involved with the
hands-on preservation of our green lungs
GET IN TOUCH
160 Subscriptions
Make the most of our latest offer
161 Inbox
Your letters, emails and tweets
162 Your pictures
This month’s best travel photos
DON'T MISS
152 Reader Awards 2021
Vote for the chance to win an incredible prize
159 Events
Dates for your diary this autumn
58 Sleep: Brisbane
A string of hot new hotels are helping breathe
new life into the Queensland capital
G O O N L I N E V I S I T N AT I O N A LG EO G R A P H I C .C O . U K / T R AV E L F O R N E W T R AV E L F E AT U R E S DA I LY
8
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
London,
August,
2021
Dear 2019,
This is the year 2021 writing to you.
T
T
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T T
T T
.
__________
won t sugar oat it e ause the onths ahea
ight e the toughest you e e er a e .
are going to
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e an e e an
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onths. any wi
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egin to o en again.
it together an you
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with great green shoots it
an t te you how to ee how to i e. ut
an reassure you that you wi
get through this. The eo e you re ose to wi
e o e a who e ot oser.
you
sti
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o ents to s i e an augh.
n when you e erge ro the other si e you
e ore. resher newer righter o er.
see the wor
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tri . ou wi tra e again. n e ore the i er o the e artures oar . The
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ro the ane s oor. The sight an soun o an
un a i iar ity i ing an
reathing.
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now this i you were going through the
you won t ta e it or grante this ti e.
otions
e ore then
e ie e
t s ate 2021. The iew ro here is oo ing u . n e en though there are
i i u t ays ahea the wor is eginning to ee ho e u again. ou wi go
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into the wor . ith ur ose in your ste an ire in your heart.
The wor
the est.
is out there waiting.
n
it won t go away.
y rien
wish you a
with hope,
2021
see the world, differently
a
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ato. o
Contributors
National Geographic Traveller (UK)
Ben Olsen
With the emergence of towns like
Margate as hotbeds of new ideas
coupled with Kent’s already excellent
produce, the Isle of Thanet is
transforming into a paradise for
food-lovers. KENT P.54
Jamie Lafferty
I spent eight packed days in Iceland in the
height of summer, and yet I came away
feeling I’d only scratched the surface. Its
population might be modest, but Iceland
has a wealth of things to discover, including
a new volcano. ICELAND P.64
Editorial Director: Maria Pieri
Editor: Pat Riddell
Deputy Editor: Amelia Duggan
Commissioning Editor:
Connor McGovern
Senior Editor: Sarah Barrell
Executive Editor: Glen Mutel
Associate Editor: Nicola Trup
Digital Editor: Josephine Price
Deputy Digital Editor: Nora Wallaya
Content Editor:
Charlotte Wigram-Evans
Assistant Content Editor:
Angela Locatelli
Project Editors:
Jo Fletcher-Cross, Zane Henry,
Farida Zeynalova
Project Assistant: Sacha Scoging
Head of Sub Editors: Hannah Doherty
Sub Editors: Chris Horton,
Ben Murray, Karen Yates
Operations Manager:
Seamus McDermott
Head of Events: Natalie Jackson
Digital Marketing Manager:
Prabbie Kaur
Art Director: Becky Redman
Art Editor: Lauren Atkinson-Smith
Senior Designers: Lauren Gamp,
Liz Owens, Dean Reynolds,
Kelly McKenna (maternity leave)
Picture Editor: Olly Puglisi
Commercial Director:
Matthew Midworth
Head of Campaigns: William Allen
Campaigns Team:
James Bendien, Bob Jalaf,
Kevin Killen, Gabriela Milkova,
Adam Phillips, Mark Salmon
Head of National Geographic
Traveller — The Collection:
Danny Pegg
APL Media
Chief Executive: Anthony Leyens
Managing Director:
Matthew Jackson
Sales Director: Alex Vignali
Head of Commercial Strategy:
Chris Debbinney-Wright
APL Business Development Team:
Adam Fox, Cynthia Lawrence
Office Manager: Hayley Rabin
Head of Finance: Ryan McShaw
Credit Manager: Craig Chappell
Accounts Manager: Siobhan Grover
Accounts Assistants:
Ramona McShaw, Rekin Patel
Production Manager: Daniel Gregory
Production Controller:
Joe Mendonca
National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Limited,
Unit 310, Highgate Studios, 53-79 Highgate Road, London NW5 1TL
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Editorial T: 020 7253 9906. editorial@natgeotraveller.co.uk
Sales/Admin T: 020 7253 9909. F: 020 7253 9907. sales@natgeotraveller.co.uk
Subscriptions T: 01293 312 166. natgeotraveller@subscriptionhelpline.co.uk
Sarah Marshall
Over the years I’ve watched Uganda emerge
as a leading force in conservation. Meeting
the heroes who help protect the nation’s
wildlife was uplifting and inspiring — a
reminder of just how much can be achieved
with passion and dedication. UGANDA P.84
National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published by APL Media Ltd under license from
National Geographic Partners, LLC. For more information contact natgeo.com/info.
Their entire contents are protected by copyright 2021 and all rights are reserved.
Reproduction without prior permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling
the contents of the magazine, but the publishers assume no responsibility in the
effect arising therefrom. Readers are advised to seek professional advice before
acting on any information which is contained in the magazine. Neither APL Media Ltd
or National Geographic Traveller magazine accept any liability for views expressed,
pictures used or claims made by advertisers.
National Geographic Partners
International Publishing
Chairman: Gary E. Knell
Editorial Director: Susan Goldberg
General Manager, NG Media:
David Miller
Senior Vice President: Yulia P. Boyle
Senior Director: Ariel Deiaco-Lohr
Senior Manager: Rossana Stella
Headquarters
Ben Lerwill
International Editions
The Wye Valley may not attract as much
attention as the big-name UK destinations,
but its riverscapes are glorious, its history
fascinating, and my meal at The Whitebrook
was quite possibly one of the best I’ve had in
my life. WYE VALLEY P.96
Editorial Director: Amy Kolczak
Deputy Editorial Director:
Darren Smith
Editor: Leigh Mitnick
Translation Manager: Beata Nas
Editors: CHINA Sophie Huang;
FRANCE Gabriel Joseph-Dezaize;
GERMANY Werner Siefer; INDIA
Lakshmi Sankaran; ITALY Marco
Cattaneo; LATIN AMERICA Claudia
Muzzi; NETHERLANDS Arno
Kantelberg; POLAND Agnieszka
Franus; ROMANIA Catalin Gruia;
RUSSIA Ivan Vasin; SOUTH KOREA
Bo-yeon Lim; SPAIN Josan Ruiz;
TURKEY Nesibe Bat
1145 17th St. NW, Washington, DC
20036-4688, USA
National Geographic Partners returns
27% of its proceeds to the nonprofit
National Geographic Society to fund
work in the areas of science, exploration,
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Charlotte Wigram-Evans
I explored a thriving, modern regional
capital brimming with culture that the
locals share with a newfound sense of civic
pride. The shadows of history might linger
in Dresden, but the city’s darkest days are
behind it. DRESDEN P.130
10
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Copyright © 2021 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. National
Geographic Traveller and the Yellow Border Design are registered trademarks of
National Geographic Society and used under license. Printed in the UK.
M
asters
of reativity
“The X-S10 is an easy
camera to recommend for
photographers of all kinds”
-Photography Blog
-Amateur Photographer
FUJIFILM-LOAN.COM
-DP Review
Editor’s
letter
Covid-19
The ongoing pandemic continues
to affect travel. Please note,
prices and travel advice are
subject to change. Contact your
travel provider for the most upto-date information. For the latest
news on safe travel and border
restrictions, visit gov.uk/fcdo
I
n the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and the
eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010, Iceland
experienced a tourism boom that transformed the
country. A steep depreciation in the Icelandic krona and
an increase in the number of airlines flying to the country
saw travellers arrive in their thousands to experience the
spectacular landscapes, geothermal activity and endless
possibilities for adventure.
Visitor numbers peaked just before the global
pandemic, but many eyes had already turned to
attractions beyond the popular Golden Circle route, Blue
Lagoon and capital Reykjavík. So, as travellers return to
the Land of Fire and Ice, we shine a spotlight on its most
spectacular unsung attractions and adventures.
Whether it’s getting up close and personal with an
active volcano, exploring ice caves, diving between
tectonic plates, relaxing in geothermal pools or kayaking
in fjords, Iceland’s wealth of off-the-beaten-track
experiences — all just a three-hour flight away — aren’t
ones you’ll forget in a hurry.
A fixture on the UK’s green list since it launched this
May, Iceland has forged ahead as one of the most
desirable destinations for UK travellers this year. Fingers
crossed it stays that way.
DON’T MISS
Travel Writing Competition 2021
Whether it’s a far-flung escape or a trip on
your doorstep, share your travel tales for a
chance to see your name in print — and win
the trip of a lifetime with Kuoni. (p.4)
SPECIAL OFFER!
PAT RIDDELL, EDITOR
@patriddell
@patriddell
AWARD-WINNING NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER
LATA Media Awards 2020: Online Consumer Feature of the Year Award • BGTW Awards 2020: Travel Feature
of the Year — Non UK • Travel Media Awards 2020: Consumer Writer of the Year • Visit USA Media Awards
2020: Best Consumer Travel Magazine Feature • British Travel Awards 2019: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine
SEVEN ISSUES FOR JUST £20!
natgeotraveller.
imbmsubscriptions.com/SEPT21
or call 01293 312166 and quote ‘SEPT21’
• BGTW Awards 2019: Best Travel Writer • BGTW Awards 2019: Best Europe Travel Feature • Travel Media
Awards 2019: Young Writer of the Year • Travel Media Awards 2019: Specialist Travel Writer of the Year • AITO
Travel Writer of the Year 2019 • AITO Young Travel Writer of the Year 2019 • BGTW Awards 2018: Best Travel
Writer • Travel Media Awards 2018: Consumer Writer of the Year • BSME Talent Awards 2018: Best Designer
• British Travel Awards 2017: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine • BGTW Awards 2017: Best Travel Writer
• BGTW Awards 2016: Best Travel Writer • British Travel Awards 2015: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine
SEARCH FOR
12
NATGEOTRAVELUK ON
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FACEBOOK
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PINTEREST
Icelandic Museum of Natural History
WATER in Icelandic Nature
Welcome to our exhibition
in Perlan, Reykjavík
Iceland is blessed with abundance of freshwater,
crystal clear spring water, hot and cold, silty glacial
water, geysers, glaciers and myriads of waterfalls.
The exhibition aims to promote respect and
admiration for the nature of water, informing
visitors about its wonders and importance for
the future prosperity of humankind.
nmsi.is | perlan.is
South Estonia
A Hidden Gem in Europe
@EOMAP
Folk wisdom.
Agu Hollo, elder of the Hartsmäe
eco-farm in the dome landscape of the
Haanja Upland, keeps Hereford beef
cattle with his sons and perpetuates the
traditions of the ancient Haanimaa.
PHOTOS: TERJE ATONEN
Travellers looking for hidden gems – it is time to head to Estonia, more
precisely to Southern Estonia, located on the outskirts of Northern
Europe, next to Russia and Latvia. Near Lake Peipus, one of the largest
inland water bodies in Europe, there is a very special region where different cultures and worlds meet. But it’s hidden treasures reveal themselves
only to those with curious eyes!
The Haanja Upland, together with Suur Munamägi, the highest peak
in the Baltics, rises 300 metres above sea level and marks the birthplace
of Estonia, where the natives have lived for thousands of years. For
many explorers and conquerors, the area was part of the mystical and
distant north, Ultima Thule, located beyond the borders of the known
world. For the Vikings, however, the place marked a transit corridor,
Anu Taul,
Wild cre
a singer
ativ
a
Willendo nd musician, fou ity.
rf Sound
, picks in nder of the creati
spiration
v
from natu e company
re.
Novel approach.
sing
, a fashion student, pas
Toomas Samuel Silbaum
.
ycle
bic
c
ctri
ele
an
the University of Tartu on
itions.
Ancestral trad rsi Farm wearing
Ki
of
s
es
st
ho
e
Kaidi Kerdt, th costume in her backyard.
a Seto folk
or Austrvegr, the Eastern Route, on their commute to the Byzantine
Empire in the south.
More important than the material wealth of Southern Estonia are its
vibrant communities, which continue to carry on the traditions of their
ancestors. The real treasures of Southern Estonia are its preserved local
language, culture, and intangible heritage. The UNESCO list of intangible
cultural heritage includes the smoke sauna traditions of Vana-Võromaa,
as well as the Seto leelo – the unique folk singing tradition of the Seto.
Tartu, which is considered the capital of Southern Estonia and has been
an internationally known university town since 1632, will be the European
Capital of Culture in 2024.
See you in Southern Estonia!
www.visitsouthestonia.com
SMART TRAVELLER
What’s new // Food // On the trail // Rooms // Family // Inside guide // Stay at home // The word
SNAPSHOT
Phongsaly province,
Laos
The remote mountain villages of Laos’
northernmost province are home to the
Akha-Noukouy people. While visiting
the region, I met this teenager wearing a
traditional indigo dress embroidered with
various designs. She talked me through
the embellishments, each of which has its
own cultural significance: the colourful,
chequered headdress is worn by younger
tribeswomen who are ready for marriage,
while the coins pinned to their garments
indicate the wealth of their families.
NICO AVELARDI // PHOTOGRAPHER
nicoavelardi.com
@nico.avelardi
September 2021
17
SMART TRAVELLER
BIG PICTURE
Valensole, Provence,
France
Every July, the fields surrounding the small
town of Valensole in the Alpes-de-HauteProvence department of southwest France
are ablaze with violet shrubs. I picked this
spot between the rows of lavender, as they
roll gently over the hill and lead your eye to
the perfectly placed tree on the horizon. I
hadn’t been shooting long before a brightly
dressed photographer named Marco turned
up and started snapping away too. He
politely asked if he could get a little closer
if he was quick, and I immediately noticed
the contrast of his yellow T-shirt against
the purple lavender, and happily agreed.
JORDAN BANKS // PHOTOGRAPHER
jordanbanksphoto.com
@jordanbanksphoto
18
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
SMART TRAVELLER
September 2021
19
A Lot of Wonder
Explore it Better
Imagine the feeling when you find a magnificent paradise to escape from your routine.
You can feel it in Bali. Aside from the beauty of nature, Bali offers serenity and peace
through the authenticity of a tourist village. Here, you can also find the best local creation
for your collection. The combination of nature and culture enrich the story of this place.
Now, we are preparing to implement a set of standardized practices based on Cleanliness,
Healthy, Safety, and Environmental Sustainability (CHSE) aspects to ensure the safety
factor for everyone so that we can welcome you back soon.
Ubud - Bali
www.indonesia.travel
indonesia.travel
Indonesia.Travel
indtravel
SMART TRAVELLER
W H AT ’ S N E W
SEEING
STARS
Lights, camera, action! Hollywood’s
cinema museum is finally set to open
after a decade of delays
IMAGES: WHY ARCHITECTURE; JWPICTURES
Following a string of setbacks, many film fans may still
be wondering if they’ll ever see the new James Bond flick,
No Time to Die. Thankfully, a release date has been set: 30
September — the same day the red carpet will be rolled
out across the pond for another of Hollywood’s most
exciting new releases. Despite similarly slow progress
— funding and construction issues, plus a pandemic all
playing their part — the Academy Museum of Motion
Pictures is finally set to open its doors on Los Angeles’
Wilshire Boulevard.
This is a blockbuster of a development that’s been a
decade in the making. The museum is housed in a former
1930s department store that’s been spruced up by architect
Renzo Piano; he’s topped it with a huge glass dome, where
visitors can marvel at views across the Hollywood Hills.
This is more than a collection of movie memorabilia,
this is a 300,000sq ft celebration of filmmaking. Its core
exhibition, Stories of Cinema, will explore everything from
screenwriting and special effects to casting and costume
design. The multi-floor display features a 1,000-seat
screening theatre, installations by the likes of director
Pedro Almodóvar, a room devoted to The Wizard of Oz
(featuring a pair of Judy Garland’s ruby slippers) and a cast
of celluloid icons, including E.T., Snow White and Bugs
Bunny. The museum isn’t shying away from uncomfortable
truths, either; a case in point is the Regeneration: Black
Cinema 1898-1971 exhibition, which will open in 2022
and shine a timely spotlight on African Americans’ often
unsung contribution to filmmaking.
After a year and a half like no other, this month’s
opening is a milestone for the entertainment industry.
But until then, fans can get their fix with the museum’s
range of virtual events, including screenings and
interviews with directors, composers and actors.
academymuseum.org CONNOR MCGOVERN
Stories of Cinema exhibition,
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
ABOVE: Facade of the Academy
Museum of Motion Pictures
MORE MOVIE MAGIC
THE HOTEL
THE EXHIBITION
THE FESTIVAL
You might be used to in-room TVs, but what about
With immersive exhibits and eye-popping
Film & Food Fest 2021 will be making four-day
your own cinema? Dubbed the world’s first ‘cinema-
virtual reality experiences, Alice: Curiouser and
stops at major parks in 15 cities across the UK,
hotel’, Hotel Paradiso has made its debut near Paris’s
Curiouser, at London’s V&A, goes down the rabbit
from Bournemouth to Leeds. Cinephiles can expect
Place de la Nation. As well as 36 plush rooms, each
hole and beyond to explore the various interpretations
outdoor film screenings — ranging from Dirty Dancing
with a huge projector screen, there’s also a karaoke
of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,
to Joker — as well as plenty of street food, with craft
room, plus bagels and vegan apple pie at Bob’s Juice
from Disney’s 1951 adaptation and shows by The
beer and cocktails to boot. The festival runs over
Bar. Head to the rooftop for cocktails and show-
Royal Ballet to a fashion collection from Vivienne
selected weekends throughout the summer, with the
stealing views of the City of Light. From €224 (£193),
Westwood and works by Salvador Dalí.
final event at Heaton Park, Manchester from 23-26
room only. mk2hotelparadiso.com
Until 31 December. vam.ac.uk
September. filmandfoodfest.com
September 2021
21
THE
GREAT
INDOORS
FORD TRANSIT CUSTOM NUGGET
Spacious sleeping for four adults, fully equipped kitchen, shower
facility and onboard WiFi.* It’s your mobile home from home.
Model shown is a Ford Transit Custom Nugget 2.0 185PS Manual EcoBlue Diesel with optional Orange Glow metallic paint,
Trailer Tow, Visibility Pack and Bi-Xenon headlamps. Fuel economy mpg (l/100km), (Combined): 39 (7.2). CO2 emissions: 204g/km.
Figures shown are for comparability purposes; only compare fuel consumption and CO2 figures with other cars tested to the same technical procedures. These figures may not reflect real
life driving results, which will depend upon a number of factors including the accessories fi tted, variations in weather, driving styles and vehicle load.
*Onboard WiFi is available at extra cost and requires FordPass and a connection to a network provider. Wi-Fi hotspot includes complimentary wireless data trial that begins at time of activation
and expires at the end of 3 months or when 3GB of data is used, whichever comes first. Afterwards a subscription to Vodafone is required (please refer to their website for details of data packages).
ford.co.uk
SMART TRAVELLER
TWO TO TRY
TOP TOURS
FOR GOURMETS
Food is the theme for this year’s
Heritage Open Days, England’s
largest festival of history and
culture, led by the National Trust.
Nine days of nationwide events
offer novel experiences and access
to private venues, both in person
and online, including a culinary roam
around Grainger Town in Newcastle
upon Tyne. 10-19 September.
heritageopendays.org.uk
FOR ART-LOVERS
Step inside the workspaces of over
300 artists across the county as part
of Somerset Open Studios 2021,
from watercolourists to scrap-metal
sculptors. Through a programme
of guided tours, demos, workshops
and talks, you’ll discover where the
artists get their inspiration.
18 September to 3 October
somersetartworks.org.uk
FROM LEFT: The Grand Staircase at
the Foreign Office, featured as part
of Open House London; Ceramics by
Somerset artist Richard Pomeroy
OPEN HOUSE
ACCESS ALL AREAS
IMAGES: ALAMY; RICHARD POMEROY
Step behind the doors of private buildings this autumn
with a bevy of open-house events
Open House London, which marks its 30th birthday this
year, offers the inside track on around 800 architecturally
interesting buildings usually closed to the public. This
year’s festival offers a mix of walking tours, open-house
venues and live events, as well as podcasts, online talks
and some enticing new architectural publications (see
right). London’s post-Covid recovery is a key theme this
year: Local London, a partnership of eight boroughs, will
highlight the places that have been highly valued during
lockdown, while language and culture group Global
London will celebrate the capital’s boroughs as centres
of global culture and diversity. Book ahead for visits to
venues such as the Reform Club, designed by Charles
Barry; Grade II-listed Hackney Town Hall; and the
Centre Building, Richard Rogers’ sustainable addition
to the London School of Economics. 4-12 September.
open-city.org.uk/open-house SARAH BARRELL
DID YOU KNOW?
BUY THE BOOK
Public House: a Cultural and
Social History of the London
Pub is a new guidebook that
explores the colourful role
pubs have played in London
life, from 1388 to 2021. shop.
openhouselondon.org.uk
A total of 49 cities form the
Open House Worldwide
network, with annual
architecture festivals taking
place throughout the year in
Athens, Atlanta, Helsinki, Taipei,
Zurich and beyond. Next month:
Dublin hosts its Open House,
Ireland’s largest architectural
festival, from 15-17 October.
openhouseworldwide.org
September 2021
23
SMART TRAVELLER
A TA S T E O F T H E
FRENCH CARIBBEAN
From patties to plantain, Vanessa Bolosier selects her
favourite flavours of Guadeloupe and Martinique
IMAGES: CLARE WINFIELD
The word ‘Creole’ makes lots of people think
of New Orleans. But Creole represents the
convergence of many different peoples and
cultures; it’s a word associated with those
who were born in a former colony, as opposed
to those who migrated there as adults.
The islands where I grew up — Guadeloupe
and Martinique — have seen many
cultural influences over the centuries. The
Amerindians cleared land on which to grow
cassava and maize, and lived near rivers and
on the coast, so fish and seafood were staples.
Native plants included chillies, pineapple,
pomme cannelle (sugar-apple), guavas and
coconuts. Cassava, sweet potato, pumpkin
and various peas and beans also grew wild.
The Spanish introduced onions, garlic,
oranges and more. Other Europeans came
later, bringing culinary trademarks such as
the use of saltfish and pickling, as well as
foods from their trade with Asia, including
rice, limes, ginger and mangoes.
Most Creole cooking is a legacy of the
slaves and indentured servants, and when
it came to meat, they were left the parts of
the animals the Europeans didn’t want;
pigs’ tails, cows’ feet and offal are frequently
found in Creole single-pot stews. The
tradition of slow-cooked food was reinforced
by the lifestyle of slaves on plantations,
with stews simmering throughout the
day as they worked. If fish or vegetables
were available, slaves would use them
in quick-fried foods such as fritters.
Several dishes introduced during
colonisation have also been integrated
into Creole cuisine, among them beef
patties, black pudding and rice pudding.
After slavery was abolished in 1848,
plantation owners still needed low-cost
labour. Immigrants from India arrived,
and after serving their years of indentured
servitude, many decided to make a go of it
and built a small community of farmers.
Their descendants still own plantations, and
they herd the best goats to make Colombo
curry — now considered one of the ‘national
dishes’ of the French Caribbean.
This is an edited extract from Sunshine
Kitchen: Delicious Creole Recipes from the
Heart of the Caribbean, by Vanessa Bolosier,
published by Pavilion Books (RRP: £12.99).
VANESSA
BOLOSIER
is a food writer
and the author
of Sunshine
Kitchen
THE INGREDIENT
Piment végétarien is
similar to the habanero,
but without the heat.
Its popularity has
grown in recent years
and it’s the star of many
contemporary French
Caribbean dishes.
MUST-TRY DISHES
BOKIT
DOMBRÉS
PLANTAIN GRATIN
Travelling to Guadeloupe without trying a bokit is
considered a sin. This superstar ‘sandwich’ is simply
deep-fried dough, split in half, and filled with fillings
such as saltfish, charcuterie or smoked chicken. It’s
generally available from roadside food trucks.
These small dough balls are a staple in the French
Caribbean. The simple way to enjoy dombrés is with
red kidney beans and cured meats, while the five-star
version is a large bowl of them in a tomato-based
sauce with shellfish (crayfish, prawns, lobster or crab).
The mother of all French Caribbean gratins, this
side dish is both sweet and savoury. Plantain is a
local favourite and this gratin can be made in myriad
ways. Whether the plantain is pureed or sliced with
bechamel sauce, it never disappoints.
September 2021
25
htps:/w .yout be.com/watch?v=_z vMacgHs
VIDEO LINK
CLICK HERE
SMART TRAVELLER
ON THE TR AIL
ROTTERDAM
The Dutch city has long been
pushing architectural boundaries
— from a 1930s functionalist
house to a futuristic art depot,
1
these are the buildings to
see. Words: Chris Schalkx
1 CENTRAAL STATION
Even if you’re not arriving by
train, start at the Centraal
Station for a primer on
Rotterdam’s architectural
ambitions. Redesigned in 2014,
this glass-walled giant heralded
the renaissance of a once-dicey
district. Thanks to the steel
cladding of its soaring roof,
locals dub it ‘Kapsalon Station’
— a nod to the aluminium
takeaway trays Rotterdam’s
poutine-like signature snack,
kapsalon, is served in.
2
3
4
5
2 MARKTHAL
ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE
Next, hop on a tram to Blaak
Markt, the city’s biggest street
market, for a bite to eat and
a gander at the Markthal, a
striking, horseshoe-shaped
residential and dining complex
designed by a local architecture
firm. Under its arched ceiling,
swathed in artwork by Dutch
artists Arno Coenen and Iris
Roskam, the food court dishes
up a multicultural buffet that
spans syrupy stroopwafels
(waffles), baklava and nasi
goreng. markthal.nl
6
3 KIJK-KUBUS MUSEUM-HOUSE
4 SONNEVELD HOUSE
5 MUSEUM BOIJMANS
6 DE ROTTERDAM
Just across the square is
Rotterdam’s most emblematic
architectural marvel. Designed
in the late 1970s by Dutch
architect Piet Blom, this housing
estate comprises 38 apartments
shaped like tilted Rubik’s Cubes,
each perched on a hexagonal
concrete column. One of the
cubes doubles as a museum and
an Airbnb, offering the chance
to experience life between these
geometric walls. kubuswoning.nl
Head two Metro stops west for a
Dutch take on the functionalist
architecture movement
that swept through Europe
in the early 20th century.
Commissioned by a local family
in the 1930s, Sonneveld House
was meticulously restored
in 2001, down to the original
furniture. It’s now a museum;
tickets also allow entry to design
hub Het Nieuwe Instituut, across
the street. sonneveldhouse.com
VAN BEUNINGEN
Few designers defined 21stcentury architecture like Rem
Koolhaas, the Rotterdam-born
architect. In 2013, he added De
Rotterdam to his portfolio: this
gravity-defying behemoth is the
Netherland’s largest building.
End your day here with a drink
next door at Gastrobar Elvy,
whose seventh-floor rooftop bar
looks out over Erasmus Bridge,
another of the city’s architectural
icons. derotterdam.nl
Even though this fine
art museum is closed for
renovations until 2026, just
west of the museum entrance,
you’ll find its giant, bowl-shaped
depot, covered in 1,664 mirrors,
which reflects the city’s skyline.
When it reopens in November,
you’ll be able to browse through
almost all of the 151,000
artworks and artefacts in the
museum collection. boijmans.nl
September 2021
27
SMART TRAVELLER
W H E R E TO S TAY
KOS
IMAGES: GEORG ROSKE; IKOS ARIA
Views of the Aegean take pride and place
in the Greek island’s crop of stylish hotels
OKU KOS
IKOS ARIA
Kos has long been a destination well-catered to couples,
its coastline lined with classy ‘boutique-style’ allinclusives. OKU Kos, which opened last summer on the
island’s north coast, has taken things up a notch. Sure,
it’s adults only and has the same beachside vibe, but this
is rather more boho than the cookie-cutter aesthetic
elsewhere on the island. This was an outpost of Casa Cook
(formerly Thomas Cook’s millennial-orientated brand)
and OKU has taken its photogenic bones and turned it
into an Ibizan-style retreat, inspired no doubt by its sister
hotel on the White Isle. There’s a laidback indoor-outdoor,
shack-style restaurant, To Kima, serving Mediterranean
food with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, and a
focus on regional produce and a farm-to-fork mentality
overseen by Mark Vaessen, who’s come from Amsterdam’s
SUSHISAMBA to keep things upmarket. The spa,
meanwhile, uses local ingredients in its treatments, and
there are daily yoga and Pilates classes right on the beach
in the shaded shala, as well as wood-framed, designfocused NOHrD cardio equipment in the gym.
The rooms are equally chic: again, think boho Balearic
rather than classic Greek island. Hessian drapes float
from floor-to-ceiling windows, woven straw lamps dangle
beside the beds, and balconies and terraces are shaded
by woven roofs. It’s a space to recharge, but very much
a couples’ retreat, with lazy hammocks threaded along
the balconies and semi-private pools if you upgrade to
a swim-up room. The ultimate? Two-bedroom villas,
complete with private pools. From £160, B&B.
okuhotels.com
All rooms here have sea views but some
overlook a tiny church-topped island. The
small Ikos chain, which opened this property
in 2019, does all-inclusive, but on a boutique
level. Floor-to-ceiling windows and breezy
seaside decor are standard, but with 374
rooms, there’s a choice of everything, from
beachside retreats to suites with private
pools. From £222, all inclusive. ikosresorts.com
MICHELANGELO RESORT & SPA
Infinity pools don’t get much better than the
Michelangelo’s yawning 525ft stretch melting
into the Aegean, complete with swim-up bar.
There’s also a beach with extraordinary views
of neighbouring islands and the Turkish
coast beyond. It’s a good bet for families,
with a kids’ club and sea-view playground.
From £106, half board. michelangelo.gr
HOTEL SONIA
If you’re just stopping over in Kos en route
to another island, this lovely little familyrun hotel in Kos Town is just a block from
the harbour, with Roman ruins in between.
Simple but stylish rooms run the gamut
from twins to family suites, and breakfast
is served in the lovely, jasmine-fringed
courtyard. From £85, B&B. hotelsonia.gr.
JULIA BUCKLEY
FROM LEFT: Deluxe
Bungalow Suite at Ikos
Aria; olive tree in the spa
area at OKU Kos
September 2021
29
SMART TRAVELLER
FA M I LY
KING OF THE CASTLE
A new generation of Robin Hood fans has plenty
to get excited about this summer, as Nottingham
Castle reopens after a £30m transformation
The castle
The caves
The brawls between Robin Hood
and the Sheriff of Nottingham
are well known, but the city’s
forbidding fortress has seen its
own fair share of clashes, from
royal rebellions to devastating
fi res. It was burnt to the ground
by rioters in 1831 and, almost 50
years later, was rebuilt with a
grand, manor-like replacement.
Now, it’s had a 21st-century
sprucing-up to ensure its
turbulent history is kept alive.
Key to the castle’s popularity
are its gloriously green grounds
— the city’s leafy heart is dotted
with information panels and
nature trails, and is set to host an
array of family-friendly events,
from battle reenactments to
outdoor fi lm screenings.
The action isn’t solely focused
in and around the castle’s moats
and mounds. Below ground, the
castle’s subterranean passages
and caves — from former
dungeons to wine cellars — have
reopened for eerie, dimly lit
guided tours, and are well worth
exploring. The 25-minute walks
explore the intriguing stories of
both Robin Hood and the city of
Nottingham itself. The caves are
part of a much wider network
of more than 500 sandstone
passageways running beneath
Nottingham’s streets, dating
back to the Dark Ages.
The playground
Nottingham Castle gatehouse,
built in the 13th century
ABOVE: Children explore the new
Robin Hood’s Hideout playground
30
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Built into the old castle moat is
Robin Hood’s Hideout, a new
adventure playground with
a jumble of slides, climbing
frames and wooden castle
turrets. It’s strung with tree
walkways, so kids can scurry
to loft y heights pretending to
be in the band of Merry Men
or attempt to penetrate the
castle and fight off the Sheriff
of Nottingham. For local myths
and stirring tales, there’s
also a storytelling chair just
beyond the moat.
The exhibition
Don’t leave without visiting the
temporary exhibition exploring
the works of fashion designer
Sir Paul Smith, one of the city’s
most famous sons. Hello, My
Name is Paul Smith is made
up of over 1,500 objects that
span Smith’s long and colourful
career, including a recreation of
his fi rst shop on Byard Lane and
his iconic, multicoloured Mini.
For something a little more
historic, many of the city’s
museums and galleries tell the
story of Nottingham’s industry
and its rebellious history.
Exhibition until 20 February
2022. nottinghamcastle.org.uk
HELEN WARWICK
IMAGES: GETTY; TRACEY WHITEFOOT
The legend of Robin Hood looms large over Nottingham, a
city that has re-embraced its storied past in recent years.
The 450-acre Sherwood Forest, which opened a new visitor
centre in 2018, hosts the annual Robin Hood Festival,
returning this year with a slimmed-down programme.
The big news for 2021, however, is the reopening of
Nottingham Castle after a £30m restoration. A new
playground, cafe and galleries have brought the site up to
date, offering an immersive way to explore the legend of
the infamous outlaw. visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk
Chalets that make coming home
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and experience a five-star superior service. Concierge, chauffeurs,
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SMART TRAVELLER
INSIDE GUIDE
FEZ
Lose yourself in the Moroccan city’s maze-like medina and discover
crafts, cafes and age-old mansions awash with colourful tiles
LIKE A LOCAL
AIN NOKBI
NEJJARINE MUSEUM
GUIDED TOURS
Kate Kvalvik’s favourite
art & architecture hotspots
This district, just outside
the medina, is home to
a group of workshops
specialising in clay tiles
(zellige) and pottery.
Moroccan zellige has an
extensive colour palette
and complex geometry.
In the workshops, you
can observe the whole
tile-making process.
My favourite museum
in Morocco is in an
impressive building built
in the early 19th century
as an inn for visiting
traders. Today, it houses
a private collection of
wooden arts and crafts
from across the country.
There’s also a peaceful
rooftop cafe.
My architect husband
offers private tours of
Islamic architecture
in the city. They focus
on private houses in
residential areas, with
an opportunity to see
some undergoing
restoration, as well
as completed homes.
darseffarine.com
Kate Kvalvik and her
husband Alaa Said
restored an ancient
former palace in the
medina and now run
it as the guesthouse
Dar Seffarine.
darseffarine.com
32
— a good way to get a handle on Moroccan cuisine.
cafeclock.com
The nearby DAR BATHA MUSEUM tells the story of the
unique architectural and interior features you’ll spot all
over Fez. Dedicated to Moroccan arts and crafts, from
zellige tiles (a handcrafted Moroccan style) to tadelakt
plasterwork, the museum is housed in the former summer
palace of a sultan and has a beautiful garden. Many of its
exhibits were rescued from derelict houses in the medina,
and there’s a similar atmosphere of faded grandeur at the
PALAIS GLAOUI, 10 minutes away. The elegantly timeworn,
18th-century residence is a warren of terraces and
courtyards, no less impressive for its dilapidation.
But Fez’s craft scene is very much a living tradition,
with everyone, from coppersmiths to carpet-makers
perfecting their creations in tiny workshops. One of the
city’s most famous products is its leather goods, and no
trip to Fez should skip the CHOUARA TANNERY. Leather
hides have been washed and dyed in this extraordinary
complex of baths since at least the 16th century.
So pungent is the smell of the tannery that you might
need to scrub the experience from your skin. There
are public HAMMAMS, or steam baths, across the city,
including the marble-lined HAMMAM MERNISSI & SPA .
Many riad hotels have their own private hammams,
marrying traditional methods with products such as
aromatic oils to create a more luxurious experience. The
tiled spa at LA MAISON BLEUE is one of the best.
facebook.com/hammam.mernissi maisonbleue.com
Suitably restored, tuck into dinner at THE RUINED
GARDEN . Set in a former merchant’s house, the restaurant
serves dishes such as beef tagine and roast lamb
alongside vegetarian options in a courtyard garden.
Afterwards, watch the sun set over the Atlas Mountains
as the muezzin’s call to prayer rises above the city from
the terrace at RIAD FÈS , close to the Ruined Garden.
ruinedgarden.com riadfes.com AMANDA CANNING
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
IMAGES: GETTY; 4CORNERS; AWL IMAGES
To step into the Fez medina is to enter one of the greatest
medieval cities in the world. Its tangled network of lanes
is home to extraordinary Islamic architecture — elaborate
mosques, palaces and madrasas (theological schools)
— but it’s the magic of the everyday that enchants most:
artisans hammering patterns into brass, donkeys ferrying
sacks of spices between the souks, the waft of fresh mint
tea drifting from a doorway. It may seem like a vision from
Arabian Nights, but this is no fantasy — Fez is a living,
working city rather than one preserved largely for tourists,
and it’s that character that makes it so bewitching.
Spend time getting lost in the labyrinth of the
MEDINA , a UNESCO World Heritage Centre, making
new discoveries every time you set out — perhaps an
elegant courtyard or a decrepit palace, its tiled floors and
creaking colonnades awaiting renovation. First, order a
fresh fruit smoothie and admire the views of the old city
from the rooftop of NAGHAM CAFE , close to the BAB BOU
JEOUD gate that leads into it. restaurantnagham.com
Apart from the odd donkey, the medina is traffic-free
and made for ambling. A fine starting point is the TALA’A
KEBIRA , a long street winding through the old city. There
are numerous sites of architectural interest along the
way, marked by two medieval madrasas at either end: the
BOU INANIA MADRASA in the south west and AL-ATTARINE
MADRASA in the north east. Both are fine introductions to
Moroccan craftsmanship, with every surface decorated in
intricate tiling, plasterwork and carved cedar wood.
It’s best not to be in too much of a hurry to get between
those two points — hours can be lost meandering
through this city. Stop to sample snails or fava bean soup
from a street stall, but if you’re after something more
substantial to eat, head up to the rooftop of CAFE CLOCK ,
near the southern end of Tala’a Kebira. There are some
interesting local dishes on the menu, including camel
burger, and the cafe also hosts cooking classes that
include a tour of a local market to pick out ingredients
SMART TRAVELLER
Traditional Moroccan mint tea
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Bab Bou
Jeloud gate; Chouara Tannery;
a man sits in the doorway of the
Palais Glaoui, in the medina
September 2021
33
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DON’T MISS
S TAY AT H O M E
WEARDALE
Long walks and industrial heritage
await in this area of County Durham
Why go
Where to eat
Some destinations display their heritage in
museums and art galleries, but Weardale
wears its past on the landscape. This was
once a hunting ground for the county’s
prince-bishops and, later, a hub for
mining and quarrying. It’s currently only
accessible via roads that weave through
moorland, although a campaign by charity
The Auckland Project to fully restore the
seasonal Weardale Railway could link up
villages with towns such as Stanhope and
Bishop Auckland and entice more visitors
to this bucolic corner of the North East.
discoverweardale.com
Head to Cross Keys, in Eastgate, for pub
classics such as beer-battered fish and chips
and homemade burgers. Alternatively, try
Che Restaurant, in honey-hued Stanhope, for
a Spanish-inspired menu of tapas and paella.
crosskeyseastgate.co.uk cherestaurant.co.uk
IMAGE: GETTY
What to do
Pack a pair of walking boots because this
is a landscape best explored on foot. The
Weardale Way is a 75-mile trail linking
villages, historic railway stations and,
occasionally, fields grazed by alpacas. You
can find maps at the Durham Dales Centre in
Stanhope, Weardale’s biggest town. Linger
here a little longer for paths along the River
Wear, arty shops, cafes and pubs and the
12th-century St Thomas the Apostle church,
home to a 250-million-year-old fossilised
tree stump. durhamdalescentre.co.uk
Running for almost
10 miles, the Waskerley
Way is Weardale
in microcosm. Join
the trail at Parkhead
Station, a B&B and
tearoom tucked off
the steep Crawleyside
Bank, and wend your
way past woodland
and moorland. The
route is part of the
epic Sea to Sea Cycle
Route, so can also be
tackled on two wheels.
parkheadstation.co.uk
We like
Explore the region’s heritage on the twomile circular walk around Ashes Quarry in
Stanhope, where, from the 1870s to the 1940s,
limestone was hammered and blasted from
the land. You can also learn about the area’s
lead-mining history at Killhope, a mostly
open-air museum with a working waterwheel
and guided tours of its underground mine.
killhope.org.uk
Where to stay
A converted, two-person shepherd’s hut
and hot tub make up Weardale Retreat
— an idyllic place to bed down between
hikes. From £125, room only, minimum
two nights. For a grander address, opt for
the Lord Crewe Arms, housed in a 12thcentury priory near Blanchland. Doubles
from £169, B&B. weardaleretreat.co.uk
lordcrewearmsblanchland.co.uk ELLA BUCHAN
Lunch in front of the
fire at the Lord Crewe Arms
ABOVE: Wildflowers along the banks of
the River Wear near Bishop Auckland
September 2021
35
Bespoke Experiences in Tuscany
Italy & Joy is a one-of-a-kind experience that
aims to introduce curious travellers with a
discerning palate to the most hidden
treasures of a lesser-known Tuscany,
with a spotlight on remarkable Tuscan
craftsmanship. Italy & Joy brings together
culture, history, art, wine, gastronomy and
the most exclusive and finest handmade
luxury goods (jewellery, precious leather
accessories, tailoring and bespoke lingerie,
artistic perfumery, bespoke shoes, cashmere,
bespoke glasses, millinery, glassware etc)
created by Tuscan artisans in order to provide
explorers with an authentic and uncommon
experience to allow them to discover Florence
and Tuscany off the beaten track.
It’s an emotional and sensorial journey to
the very heart of a hidden reality where real
luxury is crafted, using ancient traditions and
precious raw materials to create unique items
of design and of outstanding quality, defining
the highest standards of the renowned
made-in-Tuscany exquisiteness, in the magical
setting of the Cradle of the Renaissance.
Italy & Joy — Bespoke Experiences in Tuscany
italyandjoy.com Tel: +39 393 334 5041 booking@italyandjoy.com
SMART TRAVELLER
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
at Whitesands, near St Davids
T H E WO R D
GET THE GUIDES
We select this season’s best new guidebooks to help you head back
out into the world and explore with expert assistance
Sassy Planet
Featuring interviews
with local characters,
descriptions of littleknown hideaways and
nuggets of regional
culture, this queer
guide to 40 cities aims
to uncover the less
obvious LGBTQ+-friendly destinations.
The writers, including The New York Times’
David Dodge and video artist Nick Schiarizzi,
draw on the expertise of local DJs, artists,
activists, drag performers, DIY historians and
long-time residents, such as RuPaul’s Drag
Race star Alaska, who shares her Pittsburgh
recommendations. (Prestel, £18.99)
IMAGE: GETTY
Take the Slow
Road: France
Author Martin Dorey
hits the road once more,
this time in search of
inspirational journeys
around France via camper
van and motorhome. Dorey,
the author of multiple
camper travel books and
presenter of BBC Two’s One Man and his
Campervan, takes it slow around our crossChannel neighbour, finding plenty of scenic
spots to park up and put the kettle on, as well
as highlighting the top destinations for all
kinds of travellers, from climbers and skiers
to wine-lovers and walkers. (Conway, £20)
52 Great British
Weekends
Travel journalist
Annabelle Thorpe offers
up inspiration for a
year’s worth of mini
adventures, with ideas
for exciting staycations
that take in everything
from ballooning in Bristol and summiting
Snowdonia to watersports on the River Wye
and a theatrical trip in Cornwall. Find out
the best spots for dolphin-watching, winetasting, bike riding and more, and plan each
escape based on what suits your areas of
interest, as well as your chosen travel season.
(IMM Lifestyle Books, £14.99)
Epic Hikes of Europe
The Pembrokeshire
Coast Path, Shetland’s
Ness of Hillswick circuit,
the Causeway Coast Way
and Helvellyn’s Striding
Edge are among the 31
UK walks mentioned in
this new guide, which
taps into our recently discovered appetite
for exploring close to home. Further afield,
there are epic trekking tours in places as far
and wide as Andalucia and the Arctic Circle.
The guide packs in 50 first-person narratives
from travel writers out in the field, along with
a further 150 suggestions of great places to
explore on foot. (Lonely Planet, £24.99)
A Field Guide
to Larking
Slow Trains
Around Spain
This is a lyrical journey
by rail as much as a guide.
If you need insight or
encouragement to plan
your next trip by train,
then Tom Chesshyre’s
book detailing a 3,000mile adventure on 52
rides is surely it. Such hubs as Madrid, Seville
and Granada are covered, along with routes
along the Atlantic coast and into Spain’s
lesser-known interior, including the wilds of
Extremadura and the plains of Aragon. It’s a
riveting read for those keen to plan their next
no-fly adventure. (Summersdale, £16.99)
From the author
that brought us the
bestselling Mudlarking,
which extolled the
joys of looking for lost
treasures in and around
the muddy banks of
rivers, this is a practical,
illustrated guide for larkers everywhere.
Learn how to take joy in the small things
uncovered by beachcombing, fieldwalking
or even ‘gardenlarking’ — all mindful
activities that can be enjoyed whatever
the weather. (Bloomsbury, £14.99)
SARAH BARRELL
September 2021
37
SMART TRAVELLER
K IT LI S T
BEACH ESSENTIALS
Get ready for the coast with
some sustainably minded and
ethically produced beach gear
Words: Stephanie Cavagnaro
1 LACK OF COLOR PALMA
4 ODYLIQUE NATURAL SUN SCREEN
WIDE BOATER
Fairtrade and family-owned
Odylique’s bodycare products
are handmade in Suffolk using
organic ingredients. Its 100%
natural, broad-spectrum SPF30
uses a non-nano zinc oxide fi lter
alongside UV-protective karanja
oil. Hypoallergenic and reef-safe,
this plant-based formula is so
gentle on sensitive skin it’s even
safe for babies. £15. odylique.co.uk
This boater is a summer staple.
An inner elastic sweatband
provides a more personalised
fit, while a 50+ UPF rating
guarantees ultimate sun
protection. Aussie brand Lack
of Color’s workshops maintain
fair wage standards and its
headquarters runs on solar
power. £93. lackofcolor.com
2
3
2 DENYS & FIELDING STOWAWAY
5 STAY WILD SWIM THEA ONEPIECE
BEACH CHAIR
These swimsuits are made from
recycled plastic. Stay Wild’s line
includes the minimalist Thea
Onepiece; a classic shape with
a square neck cut, double-lined
fabric and adjustable straps.
This made-to-last essential is
available in shades of ocean
blue, red or black, and arrives in
recyclable packaging, too. £110.
staywildswim.com
Built in Kent, these chairs
weigh just five kilos and fold
flat, making them easy to carry
around. They’re made from
sustainably sourced Indonesian
merpauh wood and cotton
canvas that’s GOTS-certified,
meaning it’s not just organic but
also responsibly produced. £68.
denysandfielding.co.uk
4
5
3 BOHEMIA DESIGN ARIZONA
6 BIRD EYEWEAR KAKA HONEY
HAMMAM TOWEL
Devon-based Bird Eyewear is
the UK’s fi rst B Corp eyewear
brand. This pair is manufactured
from biodegradable acetate
and slips into an eco-cork case
with a cleaning cloth made
from recycled plastic bottles.
Each pair purchased funds
a solar light for a family in
Malawi, Zambia or Uganda. £99.
findyourbirds.com
Working in ethical partnership
with artisans worldwide,
Edinburgh-based Bohemia
Design’s lightweight and
quick-drying Turkish
hammam towels are
handwoven using wooden
looms and super-soft cotton
and bamboo fibres. £36.
bohemiadesign.co.uk
6
THREE MORE
PLASTIC-FREE ACCESSORIES
38
NAE BAY BLACK PIÑATEX VEGAN SANDALS
PLAN TOYS SAND PLAY SET
HASTSHILP MARLOW WOVEN BAG (LARGE)
This durable, leather-effect pair of vegan
Little ones will love this wooden bucket and
Sturdy and spacious, each bag is a unique piece
sliders is made in part from pineapple leaf fibre,
spade set, ethically and sustainably made in
woven by hand from natural water reed (kauna)
providing a much-needed income boost for
Thailand from the recycled sawdust of rubber
grass by artisans in northern India earning a fair
Portuguese farmers. £78. nae-vegan.com
trees. £29.95. naturalbabyshower.co.uk
and stable income. £50. hastshilp.co.uk
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Discover
your secret paradise
for your next holidays
Atlantis Gardens is located at a quiet and secluded beach in Larnaca region, Cyprus. Just
10 min from the airport, the guest can enjoy safe and relaxing holidays, explore the island
at his own pace, taking advantage of the resort’s central location.
There are a common pool, kids pool, snack bar, gym, Spa facilities and villas with private
pools and direct access to the beach. The spacious 3-bedroom apartments & villas are
waiting for you to come and fall in love with Atlantis, as we all do.
CYPRUS
www.atlantis-gardens.com
use the voucher code: IL21ATL to get an extra 10% discount for any reservation of 2021
10 Lefkadas str., 7577 Mazotos, Larnaca // Cyprus // Tel.: +357 24 3339 34 // email: info@atlantis-gardens.com
COMPETITION
WIN
A FOUR-NIGHT STAY AT A LUXURY
TREEHOUSE IN SCOTLAND
National Geographic Traveller (UK) has teamed up with
The Treehouses at Lanrick to offer a luxurious four-night
break for two people in Perthshire
THE DESTINATION
This corner of Scotland offers a wealth of
outdoor experiences: just four miles away
from The Treehouses at Lanrick — itself only
an hour from Glasgow and Edinburgh — is
Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National
Park, where adventurers can go mountain
climbing and wild swimming. Doune Castle,
Blair Drummond Safari Park and Deanston
Distillery are all a short drive away, while the
famous Gleneagles and Loch Lomond golf
courses are also within easy reach.
ABOVE: Nuthatch, one of The
Treehouses at Lanrick’s properties
BELOW: Bedroom in Treecreeper,
another of the properties
TO ENTER
Answer the following question
online at nationalgeographic.
co.uk/competitions:
IN WHICH SCOTTISH COUNTY IS
THE TREEHOUSES AT LANRICK?
Competition closes on 30 September
2021. The winner must be a resident of
the UK and aged 18 or over. Full T&Cs at
nationalgeographic.co.uk/competitions
IMAGES: DAVID F COOKE
THE PRIZE
The winner and a guest will spend four
nights at one of The Treehouses at Lanrick’s
five individually designed properties, with
a stay up to the value of £800, on a selfcatering basis. Built from local timber, the
treehouses feature handcrafted furniture,
freestanding bath tubs and barbecues.
Prize must be redeemed by 31 December
2022. lanricktreehouses.co.uk
September 2021
41
YO U.
B E
NAT U R AL,
the se ns ere s or t. it
B E
C o m e a n d fi n d o u t t h e b e s t E x c e l l e n c e s o f M a r e m m a Tu s c a n y
in the newest resor t on the coast. A luxur y sea facing resor t
with a private beach club. The ideal star ting point
t o v i s i t B o l g h e r i a n d t h e i n l a n d b e a u t i f u l Tu s c a n d e s t i n a t i o n s .
SMART TRAVELLER
NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR // CATRINA DAVIES
PORTUGAL
A return visit to the surf-battered Costa Vicentina throws up memories of
a formative solo journey on foot, when freedom was more easily found
ILLUSTRATION: JACQUI OAKLEY
M
y boyfriend and I are in sleeping
bags on the tiled floor of a disused
swimming pool, counting shooting
stars and drinking Vinho do Alentejo from
a plastic water bottle, which we filled up in a
bar for €2 (£1.72). The pool is in an overgrown
garden — one of many picturesque ruins
along the Rota Vicentina, a long-distance
hiking trail connecting Santiago do Cacém,
two hours south of Lisbon, to Cabo de São
Vicente, outside Sagres.
Fifteen years ago, when I was 26, I busked
here from Nordkapp in Norway. Twenty
thousand miles, from one end of Europe
to the other, it was the adventure that
inspired my first book, The Ribbons are for
Fearlessness. I spent a month unwinding at
Praia do Amado (‘beach of the beloved’), near
Carrapateira. There were several of us there
living in vans, from all over Europe. I surfed
so much my eyes burnt. I’d never experienced
such waves, sunshine and simplicity.
Protected by the Parque Natural do
Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, the
Rota Vicentina takes in Southern Europe’s
last wild coast — miles of raw, west-facing,
sandy beaches, much of it only accessible via
dirt tracks with four-wheel-drive vehicles.
The trek offers a choice of routes: hug the
rugged coast or wander inland through a
rolling landscape of cork oaks, umbrella
pines and sun-soaked fields ringing with the
sound of sheep and goats with bells around
their necks. This time around I choose the
inland route walking with my boyfriend
to the small town of São Luis where we say
goodbye. I’m to spend the winter finishing
my third book, in a wooden cabin set in
the garden of a friend’s house that sits on
the outskirts of a village that seems largely
populated by dogs and chickens. Then,
Portugal enters lockdown. Borders close.
Brexit fosters uncertainty. The internet
curdles my shrunken world. Unable to write,
I seek comfort outside, in the open spaces of
the Alentejo.
Less known than the neighbouring
Algarve, and less developed, Portugal’s
largest region covers a third of the country
— about 10,000sq miles — yet is home
to around 700,000 people, roughly the
population of Leeds.
Back in rural Alentejo, I
find a subculture of young
people reversing a decadesold trend of depopulation,
choosing to live close to
nature and grow their
own vegetables, instead
of pursuing the glittering
rewards of capitalism
I explore the surrounding fields, where
majestic cork oaks seem to stand outside
of time. The only evergreen oak, with a
fire-resistant outer bark that’s used to
make corks for wine bottles, the leaves
are constantly falling and regrowing,
simultaneously giving a sense of spring and
autumn. Farmers must plough around the
trees as they can only be cut down if they’re
dead or diseased — and even then, only with
written permission from the authorities.
I ride through acres of eucalyptus on my
mountain bike, emerging on the shores of
hidden lakes and snaking rivers. At the coast,
when storms permit, I paddle into the cold
Atlantic, often the only person in the water. I
make a pilgrimage to Amado when lockdown
ends, just after the Portuguese government
announces a new law banning wild camping
in vehicles. There are too many people trying
to escape the constraints of civilisation, and
not enough toilets or rubbish bins. I get it,
but I’m sad, too. It strikes me that freedom is
more complicated than it used to be.
Back in rural Alentejo, I find a subculture
of young people reversing a decades-old
trend of depopulation, choosing to live close
to nature and grow their own vegetables
instead of pursuing the glittering rewards
of capitalism. There are conversations
about the drastic consequences of intensive
farming in polytunnels, the problems
associated with non-native eucalyptus trees.
I pick up the Rota Vicentina along high
cliffs south of Praia do Malhão, where a pair
of white storks nest with their chicks on a
narrow pillar of rock, about 30ft offshore.
It’s an impressive spot they’ve chosen,
battered by wind, surrounded by crashing
waves. At Vila Nova de Milfontes, I sit with
my notebook at my favourite cafe, recalling
those storks nurturing new life in the face
of such wild and ever-changing emptiness.
Here I am again, staring at the sun, burning
my eyes, making my sentences, word by
word, and hurling them into the void.
Fearless, by Catrina Davies details a solo journey
busking across Europe, and is published by
Summersdale (RRP: £9.99). It is a re-release of her first
book, The Ribbons are for Fearlessness.
catrinadavies.co.uk
September 2021
43
SMART TRAVELLER
MEET THE ADVENTURER
KRIS TOMPKINS
We talk to the business mogul-turned-environmental leader who’s established
13 national parks and numerous rewilding projects across Chile and Argentina
What are some of the most memorable
experiences you’ve had exploring Chile?
The adventures you remember are when everything goes
wrong! Doug and I certainly had a lot of those, especially
in the deep south, among volcanoes in southern Tierra
del Fuego or in the Darwin Range on a two-week
horseback ride into a completely trail-less region.
Ultimately, it’s about the people you meet along the way.
In January, Tompkins Conservation helped
reintroduce three jaguars to Argentina’s Iberá
Wetlands, where the species had been absent for
over 70 years. Why was this project important?
Keystone species are the ones that lay the foundation for
all others. When we first got to Iberá in 1997, the place
was crawling with capybaras, alligators and other species
who’d just gone mad because there was no predator. The
ecosystem was out of balance; that’s the main change we
were addressing. But the other aim, just as important, is
to see communities all throughout the province be proud
to have jaguars back. It’s invigorated tourism, too. It’s
been a great model for the social, cultural, economic and
local-level benefits of rewilding species.
My husband Doug [the late Douglas Tompkins, who cofounded the North Face and Esprit clothing companies
before becoming a full-time conservationist] and I’d
begun to see what was happening to the natural world.
It was his idea to find opportunities where we could
buy large tracts of land, aggregate them and turn them
back over to the country in the form of national parks.
It was obvious to us that it’s not enough just to conserve
the land — it’s important to get people onto the land, to
begin to love these places, so they can look after them
long after we’re gone.
What were the initial challenges?
We were the first to do something like this, and we were
foreigners, too, so were met with a lot of suspicion.
Also, there’s always conflict between those who want
to protect the jewels of a place and those who’d like to
cut the forest down. Two things happened that turned
it around. One, we just decided we’d keep working and
build infrastructure to welcome everyone. People started
visiting the parks and they were shocked to see that
everything we’d said we were doing was true. Two, the
presidency of Chile changed: one president who wasn’t
in favour of conservation rolled out, while the following
president was very enthusiastic about our project. And we
were learning: by then, we were four or five years into it.
44
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Many of the areas you’ve nurtured have become
hot-ticket travel destinations. Any favourites?
We’ve been really involved in creating the Route of Parks
in Chile, and I’d absolutely recommend that. If you’re
hardy, go all the way from north to south — or you can
start in the middle then go south. The thing about it
is — and I’m not kidding — the whole 1,740 miles are
varied: you go through pristine forests, then Patagonian
grassland and so on. I could work for the tourist bureau!
If you were able to change one thing in the world
of travel what would it be?
There’s an enormous gap between what the tourist
industry is and where its responsibilities lie. The idea
of travel companies going into fabulous places and
skimming the cream off the top without leaving anything
behind is a real moral issue, in my opinion. Travel
companies have to help protect the very places they take
tourists to. If the tourist industry isn’t contributing to the
wellbeing of the ecology and communities, then it’s like
fishermen overfishing the sea: you’re not going to have
many places left. If we love something, we have to find a
consistent way to participate in its wellbeing.
INTERVIEW: ANGELA LOCATELLI
Satopia Travel, in partnership with Journeys with Purpose, offers
travellers the chance to meet Kris, co-founder and president of
Tompkins Conservation, on a Hosted Experience in Argentina.
tompkinsconservation.org satopiatravel.com
RE AD THE FULL
INTERVIEW
ONLINE AT
NATIONAL
GEOGR APHIC.
CO.UK/ TR AVEL
IMAGE: RAFAEL ABUIN AIDO
Until the 1990s, you were the CEO of outdoor
clothing brand Patagonia. What led you to move
to Chile and devote your life to conservation?
An enchanting, unique and friendly resort with a beautiful reef, white sandy
beaches surrounded by swaying palms and crystal clear waters. Perfect for
couples and families seeking an idyllic tropical paradise escape, with endless
possibilities of dining, activities, and celebrations.
www.kurumba.com
reservations@kurumba.com T: +960-664-2324
W H AT ’ S O N L I N E
THE 10 BEST BRITISH LIDOS
TO VISIT THIS SUMMER
With summer in full swing, we look at Britain’s love affair with outdoor swimming and
celebrate the historic lidos that have survived to the present day. Words: Christopher Beanland
A delicious dip in water that’s sometimes
toasty, sometimes cool and sometimes
absolutely freezing is a daily pleasure for so
many of us. Outdoor swimming is firmly in
vogue. Our most popular participation sport
has waxed and waned though, but when
the great lidos of Britain opened, mostly in
the 1920s and 30s, an outdoor dip was what
everyone did. This was before all homes had
bathrooms and cheap flights abroad were
within everyone’s grasp — it was a way to relax
and socialise, and offered a taste of the exotic.
Somewhere between then and now we
lost our love of lidos. Indoor pools, computer
games, holidays abroad, council cutbacks
— all manner of things conspired to push out
our outdoor swimming pools, and so many
were lost, like those in Birmingham and
Barry and across London too, in Chiswick,
Muswell Hill and Tottenham. Those that
remain are cherished by their communities
and regular swimmers. And some of those
that closed down are making a comeback
— like Grange in Cumbria.
For me, that time spent swimming every
day is just the half of it. Catching some sun,
eating a slice of cake after your lengths,
chatting with friendly fellow swimmers,
escaping from the grind for an hour — these
are all part of the lido’s appeal. Exploring the
different architecture (and temperatures) of
Britain’s varied outdoor pools inspired me
to write a book, and in that book, I pondered
something more primal, too — how water
reminds us of being babies, how a cleansing
daily dip is something akin to religious
immersion for the secular swimmer, how
time in the water is immensely powerful as a
mental self-help tool. As well as clear evidence
for swimming’s power to fight depression and
anxiety, recent reports suggest cold water can
even stave off dementia.
As lockdowns ease, along with memories
of lidos being bolted shut, there’s never been a
better time to dive into the joys of an outdoor
swimming pool.
READ THE FULL STORY ONLINE NOW AT
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL
TOP
STORIE S
Here’s what you’ve
been enjoying on the
website this month
UK
FOOD
INTERVIEW
The UK’s best vintage
vans and trailer hotels
The best croissant in Paris
In conversation with
Tristan Gooley
In the market for a quirky
staycation? Look no further
46
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
The journey to awarding one
bakery — Pâtisserie Colbert — a
prestigious French culinary prize
The ‘Natural Navigator’ reveals
how to read the weather
ONLINE
E V E R T H O U G H T A B O U T C O N V E RT I N G
A VA N I N TO A C A M P E RVA N ?
B E YO N D T H E
T R AV EL S EC T I O N
IMAGES: ALAMY; THE VAN CONVERSION BIBLE; EMMA STEWART PHOTOGRAPHY;
HAY FESTIVAL; JIM HOLDEN; PETER YEUNG; THE SAMLING; ILLUSTRATION BY CHUANG ZHAO
The authors of The Van Conversion Bible, a new how-to guide for campervan
connoisseurs, discuss the perks and pitfalls of #VanLife. Words: Sarah Barrell
Offering the chance to get outdoors, live
off-grid and take less-frequented back roads,
travel by campervan allows the journey to
be as important as the destination. But with
high costs and long waiting lists for new
campervans and bespoke conversions, more
people are choosing to convert regular vans
into mobile holiday homes themselves.
The National Caravan Council reports
threefold increase in sales since 2000, while
demand for commercial vehicles is up 57%
year on year, according to Auto Trader, whose
2020 survey found that more than half of all
new van buyers wanted a van for personal use,
travelling and converting into campervans.
An Instagram search using #VanLife
reveals around 10 million posts, most of which
give a sense that campervan trips today equate
to something akin to mobile glamping — with
all the show-off home comforts to hand. It
seems the lifestyle is increasingly appealing
to those working remotely; campervans have
proved to be excellent mobile home offices.
Today, companies offering van conversions
or purpose-built vehicles are reporting wait
lists of up to 18 months. So, an increasing
number of people are doing it themselves. It’s
the lockdown project that’s launched a litany
of lifestyle blogs — but is the process as easy
as social posts suggest?
“Planning is everything,” says Dale Comley,
who co-authored The Van Conversion Bible
with his partner, Charlie Low. “No single
task is that difficult or technical — YouTube
is helpful for tutorials. The hard part is
understanding the order in which things
need doing. We know people who have spent
lots of money converting and ended up with
a van that doesn’t work. It’s crucial to look at
potential pitfalls at the drawing-board stage,
weighing up all options before you build.”
|
H I S T O R Y
|
‘Dragon Man’ skull may be
new species, shaking up
human family tree
Hidden down a well for decades,
the stunningly complete cranium
is stirring debate about the
increasing number of fossils that
don’t neatly fit in the classic
human origin story
READ MORE ONLINE
|
E N V I R O N M E N T
|
26 ways to live lighter on
the planet, starting now
To mark the launch of National
Geographic’s new initiative Planet
Possible, we look at sustainability
ideas that begin with the most
important changemakers of all: us
|
A D V E N T U R E
|
Searching the icy oceans off
Norway for sperm whales
Close encounters with the world’s
largest toothed predator remain
rare. These hardy researchers not
only want to find them — they
want to dive with them
S E A RC H F O R
N ATG E OT R AV E LU K
FAC E B O O K
I N S TAG R A M
T WITTER
ACTIVE
BOOKS
FAMILY
Five of the best cycling
day trips from London
Putting fiction on the map
Ultimate ‘glampsites’ in
England and Wales
Gear up for two-wheeled
adventures beyond the city limits
From New York to Colombia, the
travel destinations that inspired
this summer’s hottest novels
Rustic-chic roundhouses and
glamorous safari tents await
September 2021
47
WEEKENDER
MARIBOR
Against a backdrop of a restored old town, the Slovenian
city is embracing its cultural identity, from colourful
festivals to age-old winemaking. Words: Jessica Vincent
O
n the banks of the Drava River,
Slovenia’s second-largest city cuts a
handsome dash. A riot of colour, the
medieval, red-roofed houses and turquoise
church spires of Maribor stand against a
forested backdrop of the Pohorje Mountains.
As the seasons change, so too does the
landscape, shifting from green to orange to
brown and then snowy white.
The city itself is no stranger to
transformations, either. After decades of war
and occupation, Maribor has been revitalised.
It’s no clearer than in the car-free centre,
where restored baroque buildings are now
home to fine dining restaurants and boho
48
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
cafes serving speciality coffee and vegan ice
cream. With six of its restaurants receiving
Michelin stars for the first time in 2020 and
now the 2021 European Region of Gastronomy,
Slovenia is enjoying its culinary moment in
the sun — palpably so in Maribor, where the
streets smell of freshly baked rye bread and
tarragon-filled dumplings, and restaurants
serve buckwheat stews, and Slovenian ales are
sipped kerbside on candle-lit Poštna Street.
The country’s largest wine region is right
on the doorstep, too. Here, family-run
vineyards age their wines just as the Romans
did, with the finest bottles appearing on
tables across the city.
TOP 5
Vineyard visits
VADHUBER
The Vadhuber family have
been producing dry white
wines in the Slovenian Hills,
close to the Austrian border,
since 1931. Today, they
host guided wine-tastings,
which you can enjoy with a
selection of cold cuts and
homemade bread. Don’t
want to leave? Stay the night
in one of the vineyard-view
apartments. valdhuber.si
DUCAL
The design of Ducal justifies
a visit in its own right.
Modern touches — floorto-ceiling windows, various
interesting sculptures — sit
alongside a century-old wine
cellar. Wine here is aged
using qvevri, Georgian-style
vessels made from clay.
ducalwines.com
HIŠA JOANNES PROTNER
This award-winning winery
in the Šempeter Hills, just
above Malečnik village, is
most famous for its Rhine
Riesling, but also produces
excellent Pinot Noir,
Sauvignon and Chardonnay.
Wine-tastings come with
home-made pate and
DAY ONE OLD TOWN & OLD VINES
cottage cheese drizzled
IMAGES: SUPERSTOCK; GETTY
with pumpkin seed oil.
MORNING
AFTERNOON
EVENING
Glavni Trg, Maribor’s main square,
in the old town, was once a
marketplace. Second World War
bombing badly damaged many of
its pastel-coloured, 14th-century
buildings, but most have now been
restored to their former glory,
and there are plans to reintroduce
a farmers’ market — a tradition
dating back to medieval times.
Take it all in from the terrace
of Nana, a cafe serving brunches
made using local ingredients such
as pumpkin seeds and honey.
Afterwards, head to Gosposka
Ulica and Jurčičeva Cesta,
the main shopping streets, to
browse Idrija lace in Slovenski
Zakladi or handmade souvenirs
at ARTmijeMAR. Refuel with
homemade vegan ice cream at
Slaščičarna Ilich, a cafe dating back
to 1909.
It would be remiss to visit Maribor
without experiencing its wine
culture. A five-minute walk from
Glavni Trg is Vinag Wine Cellar,
one of Slovenia’s largest and
oldest underground wineries.
Walking through dimly lit tunnels
lined with bottles and barrels
is an adventure in itself, but the
wine-tasting, which takes place
inside a room-sized concrete tank
and involves squeezing feet-first
through a metal hatch, is quite the
experience, too. For an extra fee,
you can enjoy local cheeses with
more wine, all by candlelight.
Afterwards, cross the river to
the Lent area to visit the Old Vine
House. Home to the world’s oldest
productive vine (at the ripe old age
of 400), this small museum tells
the story of Slovenian winemaking
and offers tastings and purchases.
There was a time when the
neighbourhood of Lent
didn’t have a great deal to tempt
visitors, but the growing number
of wine and cocktail bars are
slowly pumping life back into
this historic riverside hangout.
Vinoteka Maribor, housed in a
former 16th-century fortress
known as the Water Tower, has an
extensive list of ecological wines
from the Podravje region, plus
views over the Drava.
A few minutes’ walk away,
the recently revamped Piranha
Cocktail Bureau serves some
of the city’s best cocktails from
a menu of 277 spirits, while
Kavarnica Rokaj, a bar where
posters of Queen and AC/DC
grace the walls, is the place
for Slovenian craft ales with a
generous side of rock ’n’ roll.
joannes.si
LEBER-VRAČKO
Eco-conscious Leber-Vračko
has been cultivating Styrian
white wine varieties since
1795. Today, the family
estate is largely solarpowered and pesticides
and herbicides, are banned.
The wines are aged in oak
barrels and amphoras.
leber-vracko.si
FRESER
In the hills of Ritoznoj,
seventh-generation
winemakers Matjaž and
Andreja Freser are at the
helm of this family vineyard,
which has been producing
wine since 1832. Sommelierled tastings include a tour of
the winery. freser.si
September 2021 49
YOUR
GREEN
ADVENTURE
AWAITS
FRESH TROPICAL AIR
CLEAN SPARKLING WATERS
HIKING TRAILS TO EXPLORE
AMAZING MOUNTAIN VIEWS
www.visitmontserrat.com
#islandofmontserrat
WEEKENDER
DAY TWO WINE COUNTRY & ROMAN RUINS
MORNING
AFTERNOON
EVENING
Maribor is the ideal base for
exploring Podravje, the largest
of Slovenia’s three wine-growing
regions. Family winemakers here
preserve age-old viticultural
traditions, such as using amphoras
to age wine underground, or using
all-natural methods. You can hire
a car in Maribor and explore the
many vineyards yourself — most
are best-known for their white
varieties. Call ahead for tastings.
Alternatively, take a half-day
tour with local sommelier Jernej
Lubej, who focuses on boutique
ecological wineries near the
Austrian border, such as Ducal,
Doppler and Kušter. Be sure to
make time for Dreisiebner, a
guest house, winery and
restaurant in Špičnik with great
views of a much-photographed
heart-shaped road nearby.
Take a short detour on your way
back to Maribor to visit Ptuj,
Slovenia’s oldest settlement. The
ruins of Roman temples discovered
here suggest this riverside town
has been continuously inhabited
since the first century AD. Today,
Ptuj is a picturesque mix of
medieval churches, Roman ruins
and cobbled streets lined with
cafes, wine bars, art galleries and
craft shops.
Climb to the top of Ptuj Castle to
look out over the Drava, then head
down to its 700-year-old cellar for
a peek at Slovenia’s oldest vintage,
bottled in 1917. Afterwards, indulge
in some of the 100 beers served at
Kavarna Bodi, or fuel up on coffee
and a slice of gibanica (a pastry
made with cottage cheese and
eggs) at Kavarna Kipertz, a cafe
roasting its own beans since 1786.
The east of the country played
a key role in securing Slovenia’s
title as European Region of
Gastronomy, with a focus on
sustainable, experimental, yet
traditional, cooking. It’s the sort of
cuisine you’ll find at Mak, a menuless Maribor restaurant that was
recently awarded the Michelin
Plate. Maverick chef David Vračko
is bold with his choice of flavours,
but his interaction with guests
— theatrical and memorable
— is even bolder.
If you finish your meal early
enough, dive back into the town
centre for a nightcap along
Poštna Street. It’s Maribor’s
liveliest thoroughfare past 8pm,
with wine bars such as LeVino
Wine Bar and Kavarna Isabella
often spilling out onto the
pavement at weekends.
TOP 3
Culinary
souvenirs
PUMPKIN SEED OIL
If you notice something
unusual about your salad in
Maribor, it’ll be the pumpkin
seed oil. This nutty, almost
spicy, dark brown elixir is
produced in the regions
of Styria and Prekmurje,
and often replaces olive
oil in salad dressings and
marinades. Pick up a Kocbekbrand bottle at the Old
Vine House’s on-site shop.
staratrta.si
BOROVNIČEVEC
Crimson borovničevec is a
sweet liqueur made from wild
Pohorje blueberries. Homedistilled by families in eastern
Slovenia for centuries, it’s
a popular aperitif served
before an evening meal,
particularly in the cold winter
months. You’ll find it served
in most restaurants, and you
can buy a bottle at Zadruga
Dobrina. zadruga-dobrina.si
HONEY
There are more than 10,000
beekeepers in Slovenia,
producing a range of honey
varieties, from acacia and
spruce to chestnut and
linden. In Maribor, you can
buy local honey-based
products in Medičar in
Svečar, or, for a more handson experience, visit nearby
apiary Čebelarstvo Vogrinčič.
facebook.com/Lectar-medi
apicebelarstvo.si
IMAGE: GETTY
LEFT: The famous heartshaped road, viewed
from Špičnik
PREVIOUS PAGES, FROM
LEFT: Maribor Town Hall and
Plague Monument, Glavni
Trg; Old Bridge over the
Drava River
September 2021 51
WEEKENDER
GOING GREEN
Maribor has
embraced
sustainability
when it comes to
public transport,
with free electric
taxis that whizz
visitors around
the Old Town.
E-bikes are also
available for
hire, with selfguided cycle
routes listed
on the Visit
Maribor app
Folk dancers celebrate the
Old Vine Festival
FIVE OF THE BEST MARIBOR FESTIVALS
Locals will tell you that there’s no bad time to visit Maribor because there’s always something
to celebrate. The city hosts dozens of events throughout the year, from classical music
concerts and puppet shows to grape-picking ceremonies and street food festivals
LENT FESTIVAL
Hosting more than 500,000
visitors each summer, the Lent
Festival is one of the biggest
multi-genre performance
events in Central Europe. For
two weeks at the end of June,
a number of venues operate in
the neighbourhood, including
a floating stage on the Drava
that hosts jazz concerts, ballet
performances, theatre shows, folk
music, comedy and much more.
Street food stalls, meanwhile,
serve regional delicacies from
around the country. festival-lent.si
THE OLD VINE FESTIVAL
This festival in late September
serves as a tribute to a local vine
that’s said to be the world’s oldest.
Celebrations include wine-tasting
events led by the region’s vintners.
52
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
There are also food stands, brass
bands and folk dancing. The event
concludes with the ceremonial
harvesting of the 450-year-old
vine, followed by a public tasting of
the freshly picked grapes in front
of a crowd of hundreds.
FESTIVAL MARIBOR
Slovenia’s most famous classical
music event sees the country’s
biggest chamber and orchestral
music stars come together for two
weeks of nightly performances
in September. The shows are
staged in venues across the city,
including the fin-de-siècle Union
Hall and the Slovenian National
Theatre Maribor. festivalmaribor.si
SUMMER PUPPET PIER
For over a century, puppet
theatres have been a popular
form of entertainment in
Slovenia. Every August,
Maribor Puppet Theatre hosts
national and international
puppeteers, who stage shows
for adults and children alike.
Puppet-making workshops
and exhibitions are also on the
programme. lg-mb.si
INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF
CHILLI AND CHOCOLATE
It was Trappist monks who first
introduced chocolate-making to
Slovenia, in the late 19th century,
yet few people outside the
country have tasted Slovenian
chocolate. This festival, held in
October, aims to raise the profile
of independent chocolate-makers
in the country. Expect spicy
chocolate cocktails, chilli-eating
competitions and live music.
HOW TO DO IT
EasyJet flies from Stansted to
Ljubljana year-round, while
British Airways offers summer
flights from Heathrow.
Maribor is then around a
two-hour bus or train ride
away. easyjet.com ba.com
Hotel City Maribor offers
doubles from €185 (£159),
B&B. hotelcitymb.si
IMAGE: DEJAN BULUT / MARIBOR TOURIST BOARD
MORE INFO
Nana. nana-bistro.si
Zadruga Dobrina.
zadruga-dobrina.si
ARTmijeMAR.
artmijemar.si
Old Vine House.
staratrta.si
Vinoteka Maribor.
facebook.com/
vinotekavmaribor
Piranha Cocktail Bureau.
facebook.com/
piranhacocktailbureau
Kavarnica Rokaj.
facebook.com/rokaj.maribor
Jernej Lubej’s Big Guy’s
Wine Tours.
bigguyswinetours.com
Doppler Winery.
doppler.si
Dreisiebner. dreisiebner.si
Ptuj Castle.
pmpo.si
Kavarna Bodi.
kavarnabodi.si
LeVino Wine Bar.
levino-wine-bar.business.site
Visit Ptiuj. visitptuj.eu
Visit Maribor. visitmaribor.si
@tahinewzealand
Tahi New Zealand
MADE IN NEW ZEALAND
E AT
KENT
I
t’s just turned midday and, with the sun
winning its battle against a lingering
sea mist, day-trippers start to stream
from Margate station, past the Dreamland
amusement park and towards the beach.
I sidestep the crowds and bag a table at
Dory’s — a sophisticated spot with sea views
and a just-updated chalkboard of seafood
dishes. While weighing up the wine list, I
watch as staff hurry past delivering plates of
Whitstable oysters to neighbouring tables.
It’s not the obvious image of a county
known as ‘the Garden of England’. For anyone
who’s passed Kent’s orchards, vineyards
and farmland to reach Margate, the county’s
rural reputation is obvious, but the Isle of
Thanet has an identity all its own. Once
separated from the mainland by a now siltedup channel, this peninsula on the county’s
north-eastern tip is defined by its cluster
of Georgian seaside resorts — Margate,
Broadstairs and Ramsgate — which, until
recently, had seen better days. Previously
a fashionable destination for Londoners
seeking a salty-aired retreat, the European
54
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
package holiday boom of the 1960s signalled
a change in fortunes. But, following decades
of decline, a recent influx of optimism and
fresh ideas means Thanet is starting to
thrive again.
Margate’s revival was jump-started in 2011
by the arrival of the Turner Contemporary art
gallery, swiftly followed by a growing roster of
hip new studios, cafes, shops and restaurants.
Often, these new businesses were launched
by enterprising newcomers, lured by the
prospect of a fresh start by the sea — a life
decision that seems increasingly convincing
as I sit in the sun, dipping smoked prawns
into aioli. After a leisurely lunch, I’m joined
by art director-turned-restaurateur Lee
Coad, who opened seafood hotspot Angela’s
in Margate’s newly restored Old Town in
2017, with Dory’s — it’s no-reservation sister
restaurant — following two years later.
“You could see that Margate was this
untouched gem, and launching a seafood
restaurant located by the sea made sense to
me,” he says, recalling his decision to move
to Thanet. “Whatever arrives from the day
CLOCKWISE FROM
ABOVE: Quirky shop
and boutiques clustered
around King Street in
Margate; boats docked
at low tide off the beach
at Broadstairs; Bulgarianborn, Thanet-based
Alexander Taralezhkov
making bread at his
restaurant, Dolma
Bar; torta ricotta e
pera dessert served at
Bottega Caruso
IMAGES: DOLMA BAR/KATIE HAMMOND; BOTTEGA CARUSO; VISIT THANET
At the northeastern edge of the county, the Isle of Thanet is attracting a wave
of creative chefs whose fresh ideas have transformed the peninsula into one
of the UK’s most dynamic dining destinations. Words: Ben Olsen
September 2021 55
EAT
Five food finds
BEER
Margate-based Northdown
Brewery’s cans have won over the
CAMRA brigade and craft market
alike. The hazy Tidal Pool pale ale
and crisp Northdown lager are
particularly worth tracking down.
northdownbrewery.com
COFFEE
The single-origin coffees at
Curve Coffee are brewed at
many local restaurants as well as
at Curve’s own Storeroom cafe
in Margate. Standouts include
the citrusy Gitesi from Rwanda
and the chocolatey Colombian
Montebonito. curveroasters.co.uk
ASPARAGUS
Sea breezes and a sunny climate
provide perfect conditions to grow
these hefty, hand-picked spears
from Sevenscore Farm just south
of Ramsgate. See them on menus
across Kent between April and
June. sevenscoreasparagus.co.uk
SHELLFISH
Thanet’s commercial fishing
industry may have dwindled but
its seafood huts remain, with
both Cannon’s in Ramsgate and
Manning’s in Margate your port of
call for crevettes and cockles.
GELATO
With all its seaside resorts, ice
cream in Thanet is a strong suit;
the expansive offerings at Morelli’s
in Broadstairs and Melt Gelato
in Margate more than justify
the queues. morellisgelato.com
instagram.com/melmargate
56
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
boats that morning — skate, turbot, bass,
mackerel — is on your plate at lunchtime.”
Both Angela’s and Dory’s work in tandem
to share ingredients and minimise waste,
with the former featuring fresh fish cooked
over charcoal, and the latter placing an
emphasis on raw, pickled or cured dishes.
“We source well and try not to use any
plastic. I think that’s part of the reason why
we’re popular,” says Lee. It’s worked — earlier
this year, Angela’s picked up one of the
Michelin Guide’s inaugural ‘Green Stars’.
Aiming to create a neighbourhood
restaurant with a lasting legacy, Lee remains
inspired by Margate’s evolution. “There’s a
wonderful spirit of creativity here,” he says,
gesturing at his chefs as they blowtorch
mackerel fillets in the open kitchen.
“Whether it’s the photographers, the artists,
the restaurants or the community groups,
there’s a desire to do something good in the
area. And I’d much rather be doing this by the
sea, which gives you a wonderful backdrop.”
It’s a vista that also inspired Bulgarian chef
Alexander Taralezhkov to switch London
for Margate, as he explains on a walk along
the coast. He’s just opened Dolma Bar at
Cliftonville’s Tom Thumb Theatre, where his
Ottoman-inspired concept of dolma (stuffed)
and sarma (wrapped) dishes allows him to
experiment with local produce.
“The English language is very good at
creating concepts like ‘cold-water swimming’
or ‘foraging’,” he says, as we watch swimmers
at Walpole Bay. “But in Eastern Europe, we
just swim or pick things.” With the tide at its
lowest, he points out the seaweed species he
often puts to good use in his cooking. There’s
bladderwrack, thrown over fire to impart the
flavour of the sea onto grilled food, and sea
lettuce and kelp, used to make umami-rich
stocks. “I also pick a lot of sea purslane for
pesto,” he adds, pointing to the shoreline
shrub that lines the coastal path, “and there’s
wild peppery rocket here, too.”
Having made the jump from high-flying
hospitality jobs, his latest venture benefits
from Thanet’s long growing season, which
allows his allotment-grown vegetables to
shine. “Dolmas are often a celebratory dish
as they’re time consuming to make — I
liken them to Balkan dim sum,” he says
of these intricately assembled parcels.
“Whether that’s Mangalitsa pork wrapped
with cabbage, or stuffed artichoke or smoked
mussels, there’s a real artistry to these
EAT
A TASTE OF THE
Isle of Thanet
FLOTSAM & JETSAM
A hugely successful idea during
the pandemic saw the founders
of Broadstairs institution Wyatt
& Jones launch this charismatic
‘seafood and frites’ takeaway just
seconds from Viking Bay. Pairing
chips made with local potatoes
with elevated fish dishes, the
new set up became an instant
hit. Expect fritto misto cones, half
lobsters, and monkfish scampi
in squid-ink batter — as well as
upwards of 15 dips, including
seaweed mayo. Now a permanent
fixture on Harbour Street, its
beautiful take on a seaside staple
is worth defending to the last from
the bullish local seagulls. Mains
from £6. wyattandjones.co.uk
IMAGES: STARK; GETTY; VISIT THANET
Customers at Mannings Seafood in Margate,
which serves a variety of fresh shelfish
FROM LEFT: Fresh asparagus is a seasonal
highlight of the region; a dish of kormaspiced hake, grape, cashew, korma sauce
and coriander oil, served at Stark
dishes.” Not that the concept will be too alien
to the locals, with Cliftonville’s significant
Balkan population likely to ensure
Alexander’s craft connects with more than
just the DFL (down from London) crowd.
I follow the Viking Coastal Trail
eastwards, past fields of brassicas and the
dramatic chalk outcrops at Botany Bay, to
the town of Broadstairs. My first port of
call is Morelli’s, a perfectly preserved 1950s
throwback, complete with soda fountain and
pink leatherette booths, for a silky-smooth
scoop of pistachio gelato. The Morelli family
arrived in the UK from southern Italy at the
turn of the 20th century before settling in
Broadstairs in the 1930s. Even as the area’s
fortunes have changed, this storied parlour
remains one of the town’s most iconic spots.
More recently, however, Broadstairs has
seen a growing amount of restaurant hype,
yet not all of the chefs fronting up new
ventures are newcomers. Ramsgate native
Ben Crittenden opened Stark with his wife
Sophie in 2016 and says the area is changing
fast. “There are a lot of people moving down
from London to start businesses here, which
is great,” he says while prepping for evening
service. “Broadstairs was always seen as the
nicest town of the three, while Margate has
definitely become the trendy one. Ramsgate’s
a bit further behind but if someone was
willing to take a chance on launching
something new, I think people would go
there, too.”
STAPLE STORES
To set Stark apart from other restaurants
in the area, Crittenden decided to offer a
six-course tasting menu. “We wanted to do
something that no one else was doing and
knew that a set menu would be unique,” he
explains. “I simplified my approach, with the
aim of maximising flavours and making them
stand up against each other.” It’s an approach
that clearly paid off, with Stark being awarded
a Michelin star in 2018 — a first for Thanet
— and the couple moving to a slightly larger,
16-cover spot on the same street, with frosted
windows and quirky, ski-lodge decor.
Later that night, he’s hard at work behind
the stoves, sending out immaculately
presented dishes against a buzzy, indie-rock
soundtrack: squid and asparagus in a smoky
bisque; halibut dressed with fronds of wild
fennel; and a wonderfully balanced salt-sweet
goat’s curd dessert. While far-removed from
the image some might have of a Michelinstarred venue, it’s a compelling formula
underpinned by excellent food. “Winning the
star made us surer than ever of who we are,”
says Ben. “Stark probably isn’t for everyone
but we do it how we like it — and that’s
important for us to keep the passion alive.”
HOW TO DO IT: Thanet is easily accessible with
Southeastern’s frequent high-speed services from
London St Pancras to Margate, Broadstairs and
Ramsgate, with slower trains departing from London
Victoria. southeasternrailway.co.uk
MORE INFO: visitthanet.co.uk
Thanet boasts an impressive tally
of first-rate sourdough bakers.
Among them is chef Steve Gadd,
who opened Staple Stores cafe
and bakery last year on the pretty,
flint-fronted Reading Street
in St Peter’s. Just a 20-minute
walk from Broadstairs town
centre, it has swiftly become
a weekly pilgrimage for many
thanks to its great coffee, cakes,
pastries and loaves, made from
organic, heritage-grain flours.
Gadd recently opened a second
site in the nearby town of
Westgate-on-Sea. Pastries from
£1.80, sandwiches from £5.50.
staplestores.co.uk
BOTTEGA CARUSO
Starting life as a deli at Margate’s
Old Kent Market, Harry Ryder
and Simona Di Dio’s love letter
to regional Italian cuisine moved
into this corner of the Old Town
in 2018. With its walls lined with
jars of homemade sauce, bottles
of Primitivo and bags of dried
pasta, Bottega Caruso specialises
in dishes inspired from Simona’s
native Campania. Alongside
plates of imported meats and
cheeses and freshly made pasta,
its menu specialises in cibo povero,
or ‘food of the poor’, with the
restorative verdura e fagioli stew
and rustic, herby polpette di pane
just two reasons why it’s become
one of Margate’s most prized
reservations. Mains from £10.
bottegacaruso.com
September 2021 57
SLEEP
BRISBANE
Always the bridesmaid, but never the bride — travellers in search of a city break
have often overlooked Brisbane in favour of Melbourne or Sydney, while those
making the visit have often stayed only as long as it took to escape to the beaches
of the Sunshine Coast. But that’s history. With its sights set on hosting the 2032
Olympics, Brisbane is all about the future, with a wave of new hotels, restaurants,
bars and cultural venues transforming Australia’s third-largest city into a
destination that rivals its southern siblings. There’s the Galley of Modern Art, the
eye-popping street art on Fish Lane and the nightlife of Howard Smith Wharves,
plus Fortitude Valley’s heady mix of rock, queer, glam and pub culture. As for the
hotels, the choice has never been better, ranging from New Age razzle-dazzle to the
quieter charm of refurbished historical stays. But the city’s reasonably compact
size means no matter where you rest your head, you’ll never be far from the action.
58
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
ALL RATES QUOTED ARE FOR STANDARD DOUBLES, ROOM ONLY, UNLESS
OTHERWISE STATED. IMAGES: GETTY; SEAN FENNESSY
With mammoth regeneration projects underway, change is afoot in
Queensland’s capital — and a stylish crop of new hotels, restaurants and
cultural spaces means it’s never looked better. Words: Justin Meneguzzi
Best for the stylish set
THE CALILE HOTEL
A lack of beaches in Brisbane hasn’t stopped
The Calile Hotel from introducing its own
subtropical vibes to the city. Every detail
— from the pink granite to the geometric
lamps — has been carefully selected, resulting
in rooms that feel warm and elegant. Drag
yourself from the poolside cabana and you’ll
find Ada Lane, where global fashion brands
are squeezed between local boutiques and
gelaterias. Book a table for Greek-inspired fare
at the in-house restaurant, Hellenika.
ROOMS: From A$329 (£180). thecalilehotel.com
September 2021 59
SLEEP
Best for design aficionados
W BRISBANE
The diamante-studded pineapple in the
foyer tells you all you need to know about
W Brisbane. It’s flamboyant and fun, with
the interior design a visual love letter to the
serpentine Brisbane River: carpets inspired by
light-dappled water, floodwater marks etched
onto walls and nary a straight line to be found.
The 312 guestrooms are kitted out with wacky
Australiana, from boomerang-shaped coffee
tables to golden crocodile skulls styled as
light pendants. The hotel’s prime location
on North Quay means the Queensland Art
Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art are within
easy walking distance, and the three onsite
restaurants will keep visitors well-fed. But the
highlight? The zebra-patterned pool and bar,
which converts into a floating cinema.
ROOMS: From A$369 (£201). marriott.com
Best for sports fans
60
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
IMAGES: RALF TOOTEN; PAUL EWART; KIRSTY SYCZ
BRISBANE CITY YHA
With Suncorp Stadium just across the road,
the Gabba cricket ground a short ride away
and breweries and distilleries scattered all
around, Brisbane City YHA is a hub for fans
of cricket, rugby and Australian football.
The rooms come with a choice of shared
bathrooms or private en suites, while reduced
occupancy during the pandemic means guests
can maintain a safe social distance. Families
or groups can stay together in private rooms.
Eye-catching murals from Drapl, one of the
artists who painted Victoria’s famous regional
art silos, add a pop of colour to the rooftop
pool and bar, which offer five-star views of the
CBD, Brisbane River and Mount Coot-tha.
ROOMS: Private rooms from A$70 (£38).
yha.com.au
SLEEP
Best for location
HYATT REGENCY BRISBANE
The sleek, newly refurbished Hyatt Regency
Brisbane has an enviable central location,
leading right onto the hustle and bustle
of Queen Street Mall. While the mall’s big
names may be irresistible to shopaholics,
a sneaky back entrance onto Brisbane’s
oldest laneway reveals a world of street art,
hideaway cafes and heritage-listed cocktail
bars inspired by the underground bars of
London and Paris. After a day beating the
pavements, the hotel’s mezzanine-level
infinity pool and bar await. Alternatively,
retreat to the comfort of your room with
comfy bed, large TV and walk-in shower.
ROOMS: From A$259 (£141). hyatt.com
Best for rock ’n’ rollers
OVOLO THE VALLEY
Mix two parts whimsical with one part
nostalgic, add a sprinkle of Ziggy Stardust
and you end up with Ovolo The Valley. Set on
the edge of Brisbane’s live music district, the
hotel frequently hosts musicians and their
entourages. An obsession with David Bowie
means it has references to the icon at every
turn. The rooftop pool is the place to nurse
a hangover after a night at nearby venue The
Zoo, and foodies will delight in the onsite
vegetarian restaurant Ta Za Za. Unleash your
inner Ziggy with a stay in the Rockstar Suite,
featuring ’70s-inspired decor and art.
ROOMS: From A$253 (£138), B&B.
ovolohotels.com.au
September 2021 61
SLEEP
Best for history buffs
ADINA APARTMENT
HOTEL BRISBANE
Best for night owls
SAGE HOTEL
Rubbing shoulders with the historic QA Hotel pub, Sage
Hotel is a gateway to Fortitude Valley’s boho cafes
and restaurants, boutique fashion outlets and fine art
galleries. Guests are welcomed by a towering vertical
indoor garden, with black-and-white streetscapes
adding a tinge of urban grunge. A complimentary
chauffeur is on hand, but the hotel’s prime position on
James Street means walking is a great way to explore.
Pop into Gnocchi Gnocchi Brothers, enjoy a pint at
Sixes and Sevens or join a wine tasting at City Winery.
ROOMS: From A$140 (£76). nexthotels.com
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Best for art-lovers
THE JOHNSON
Set in the heart of heritage neighbourhood Spring
Hill, and named for Australian artist Michael Johnson,
the hotel is chock-full of the abstract artist’s colourful
creations. Aesthetes can join the in-house art tour,
browse the art library, watch the dedicated art TV
channel or make use of the hotel’s bikes to ride to South
Brisbane’s art precinct. Each of the 97 family-friendly
suites comes with kitchen facilities and neighbourhood
views, while the sprawling three-bedroom penthouses
offer spectacular 180-degree views of the skyline.
ROOMS: From A$179 (£98). mantrahotels.com
Best for naturalists
SANCTUARY BY SIRROMET
Wake to the sound of cockatoos and whistling ducks
before stepping out onto the deck of your private
tented pavilion to see wallabies hopping past. Located
at Mount Cotton, a 30-minute drive from Brisbane
Airport, Sanctuary by Sirromet is a winery glamping
experience set on 560 acres of natural bushland.
Visitors can sample wines at the Cellar Door, take a
behind-the-scenes winery tour, dine al fresco at its
Tuscan-inspired terrace restaurant or book a tour to the
nearby islands of North Stradbroke and Moreton.
ROOMS: From A$237 (£129), B&B. sirromet.com
IMAGES: MAURO RISCH; JUSTIN NICHOLAS;
Built in 1922, and having variously served as
the state bank, tax office and the national
radio broadcaster, this heritage-listed dame
of Brisbane’s hotel scene is looking grand
for her age. You’ll find plenty of nods to her
storied past, from the Queensland Coat of
Arms mosaic at reception to the giant musical
notes suspended over the pool. Each of the 170
rooms feels stately yet modern, with kitchens,
in-room laundry and separate living areas
that make them ideal for families, too. Nearby
Queen Street Mall is perfect for exploring
on foot, but be back in time for an evening
cocktail in the Boom Boom Room, housed in
the building’s original bank vaults.
ROOMS: From A$215 (£117). adinahotels.com
SLEEP
Best for fashionistas
HOTEL X
It seems fitting there’s a little black book of
quotes from Karl Lagerfeld on the bedside
table at Hotel X. Brisbane’s newest hotel
— the architectural embodiment of the
late master of couture — landed on the
scene decked out from head to toe in casual
glamour, from the foyer’s marble-and-goldtrimmed opulence to the outrageous, glitterbombed fashion photography in each room.
Guests are encouraged to be equally bold:
indulge on caviar at the in-house French
bistro, sip curious gem elixirs (sparkling
water positively charged in the moonlight)
by the rooftop pool or stroll to the nearby
hubbub of Howard Smith Wharves for a
seafood banquet by the river.
ROOMS: From A$214 (£117). hotelx.com.au
September 2021 63
ICELAND
a symphony
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Iceland has captured the global imagination like few other countries
its size. Its natural treasures range from mineral-rich hot springs to
sprawling glaciers and whale-rich fjords, while its stylish settlements
thrum with modern music and new riffs on traditional cuisine. Although
visitor numbers have swelled over the past decade, Iceland has retained
its distinctive identity — forged amid the drama of the seasons in the
high North Atlantic, on the tectonic frontier of Europe. It’s easy to lose
the crowds and sample the best of the country, if you know how.
Come with us, off the beaten track, into the Land of Fire and Ice
WORDS
JAMIE LAFFERTY
of elements
September 2021 65
ICELAND
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ICELAND
west of
the Westfjords
Of the small number of travellers who make the journey to this far-flung northwestern
peninsula, fewer still reach the wildlife-rich western corner of Látrabjarg — one of many
highlights on the country’s newest touring route for intrepid drivers, The Westfj ords Way
Multi-tiered Dynjandi
waterfall, known as the
‘Jewel of the Westfjords’
IMAGE: GETTY
PREVIOUS PAGES, FROM
TOP: View towards
Kirkjufell mountain on
the north coast of the
Snaefellsnes Peninsula;
a puffin on Látrabjarg,
Iceland’s largest sea cliff
For a ruthless killer, the Arctic fox is a cute
little rascal. The razorbills, puffi ns and
northern fulmars who have their eggs and
young stolen may not agree, but it’s hard not
to side with the mammal when the birds
are so abundant here at Látrabjarg. My only
complaint is that the vixen I see out raiding
enormous sea cliffs at Iceland’s westernmost
point doesn’t hang around for a photograph.
Instead, she regards me brazenly, with an egg
in her mouth, then turns her bushy tail and
bounds off into the long grass.
It seems fitting that this kind of intimate
wildlife encounter would happen somewhere
like Látrabjarg, the most distant end of
one of Iceland’s most remote regions. Only
around 7% of visitors to the country come
up to the Westfjords — and that was before
the pandemic hit. Numbers at Látrabjarg are
lower still.
Travelling in the early days after Iceland
reopened to tourists, this seems like a
blessing. Over the course of three days spent
driving around in the long days of the boreal
summer, it often feels like I have the whole
place to myself. Covid may be partly to blame,
but the Westfjords is also a region where the
population has been in decline for a century
(just over 7,000 people call it home).
Ísafjördur has the region’s only airport
and car rental companies, making it a
natural base. Even on the fl ight in from
Reykjavík, the landscape’s extraordinary
beauty seems to call out from below. It looks
like somewhere people should be running
towards — to travel, to live — not leave.
“They say we’re cut off up here, that it’s
impossible to drive or you need some kind of
super jeep,” says Birna Jónasdóttir, from the
local tourism office, when we speak by the
town’s dock. “But I drive around here all year
in all conditions in my little Suzuki Swift.”
The land, she insists, is not as formidable as
its remote geography might suggest.
She’s not wrong. But travelling in the
unyielding light of summer, it’s perhaps
easy to have a favourable view of the driving
experience up here: I feel like I’m behind
the wheel in a Hollywood road trip caper,
dramatically turning the wheel this way and
that, paying more attention to the scenery
than the snaking, fjord-side roads, whistling
and grinning all the while.
This is an ancient landscape, a natural
home for the many myths and legends born
here, but it has, in fact, recently been changed
significantly. In essence, the Dýrafjardargöng
Tunnel is just a hole through some rock, but
for residents and visitors in the Westfjords,
it’s a revelation. The opening of the 3.4-mile
passage, which replaces a mountain road
often closed during winter storms, lets drivers
complete a loop of the region — even in the
coldest months. No longer does it have to feel
distant and inaccessible. Dýrafjardargöng
only opened in October last year, and
as tourism in the country resumes, few
people have had a chance yet to drive the Ring
Road 2 — now known as the Westfjords Way.
As the fulmar flies, it’s only 50 miles from
Ísafjördur to Látrabjarg, but even with the new
tunnel, the drive takes three glorious hours.
The first half is characterised by the high
mountains of the fjords and humpback whales
— visible from the road — breaching the
dark waters. The midsection is all waterfalls,
including Dynjandi, a three-tiered monster,
at the top of which the water fans out like a
peacock’s tail. And then to the sandy south,
where rivers bisect beaches and the land
briefly flattens before building once more
to those sensational cliffs in Látrabjarg. The
Vikings sailed west from here to Greenland,
but for me, this is far enough, for now.
It’s 9pm when I start my retreat to Ísafjördur
and while the sun is still above the horizon,
clouds keep it hidden almost the whole way.
I don’t want the journey to end, and decide
to follow the headland, through yet another
tunnel to Bolungarvík, and emerge into
sunshine so dazzling I have to pull over. It’s
one of the near-magical moments this part
of the world can gift you. Extraordinarily, the
clock reads one minute past midnight.
HOW TO DO IT: Iceland Air has flights from Rejkjavík
to Ísafjördur year-round. Europcar, Avis, Hertz
and Budget operate from Ísafjördur Airport.
Rooms at Hotel Ísafjördur start at £109, B&B.
icelandair.com europcar.co.uk avis.co.uk
hertz.co.uk budget.co.uk isafjordurhotels.is
westfjords.is
September 2021 67
ICELAND
Icelandic art with
Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir
When we meet in the Ásmundarsalur art gallery and
coffee shop in central Reykjavík, Nanna Bryndís
Hilmarsdóttir has only recently returned from a cabin
retreat in the Icelandic wilderness, where she spent
time writing songs, playing music and walking her
dog. While this has helped give a sense of creative and
personal renewal, the pandemic has meant the band
hasn’t played a gig for well over a year. “I really miss it
now,” explains Nanna, touching a spot in the centre of
her chest. “I really feel it. I think the next time we play,
I’m going to cry and be emotional.”
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the release
of her band’s hugely successful debut album, My Head
Is an Animal. Its lyrics teem with nods to Iceland’s
myths and sagas: you’ll hear lines about kings,
mountains and forests of talking trees. Nanna admits
the link between the country’s culture and landscapes
and the band’s music wasn’t always obvious to her but
is something she’s becoming increasingly aware of as
she gets older: “I hear it more now, with every year I get
it more.”
For such a small country, Iceland punches well above
its weight musically — Björk and Sigur Rós are household
names, while rockers Kaleo and composer Ólafur
Arnalds command impressive followings. Nanna is quick
to agree the nation’s creative lineage helped her. “As a girl
growing up making music, I did have Björk,” she says.
“It didn’t feel like it was impossible.”
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This is a country of novelists and bookworms, too:
it’s believed that more books are written, published and
read per capita here than anywhere else in the world.
I wonder out loud what makes Icelanders so artistically
inclined. Nanna has been asked this before, but still
isn’t sure of the answer. “I think maybe creativity is
encouraged here — it feels like having a third arm,” she
says. “We have long, harsh winters and quite a lot of
isolation, so maybe that has something to do with it, too.
When you go out, there’s a community feeling with other
artists. Then, of course there’s the magic water.” She
can’t quite keep a straight face as she makes this joke.
“Honestly, I’m not sure.”
So, there’s really no great Icelandic secret? “Well, people
are listening,” Nanna says, looking around the cafe, her
eyes flitting side to side conspiratorially. “I don’t want to
be the one to spill the beans.” ofmonstersandmen.com
Book it now
ICELAND AIRWAVES, REYKJAVÍK
Iceland’s biggest music festival isn’t held in a muddy field,
but right in the heart of the capital. attracting international
artists and Icelandic acts. 3-6 November 2021
NANNA SAYS: “If you visit Reykjavík during Iceland
Airwaves, there are a lot of cool things happening
everywhere. There are off -venue shows where artists can
book their gigs in cafes or record stores, so there are things
happening all over the city.” icelandairwaves.is
IMAGES: GETTY
The lead singer of Icelandic folk/indie band Of Monsters and Men reflects on the country’s prolific creative output,
including otherworldly music from the likes of Björk, and recommends the ultimate festival for music-lovers
ICELAND
Road trips to remember
Driving is the best way to explore Iceland.
From serpentine fjords in the north to
smoking volcanoes and calving glaciers in
the south, there are weeks’ worth of
natural spectacles to take in
Golden Circle
Starting and ending in Reykjavík, the popular
155-mile loop can be comfortably driven in
a single day. Many people choose to take
their time, however, as highlights include
Thingvellir National Park and the sensational
Gullfoss, a multi-tiered waterfall that thunders
into a canyon, shooting out rainbows like
fireworks. south.is
Arctic Coast Way
Opened in 2019, this 560-mile route
connects two villages, Hvammstangi and
Bakkafjördur. In between is a coastline
comprising seven peninsulas — each with
its own distinct charms. Extend the trip by
lingering in Iceland’s second city, Akureyri,
or its whale-watching capital, pretty Húsavík.
arcticcoastway.is
Ring Road
This is the big one, the mother road around the
entire nation. Most drivers aim to complete
this 825-mile route in around 10 days to take
in the major sites along the way. Expect scenic
fishing villages and yet more fjords, as well as
the chance to visit East Iceland, a region very
few travellers explore. It may not have as many
banner attractions as the west of the country,
but the hiking opportunities, beautiful
landscapes and lack of crowds all make for
a memorable trip. visiticeland.com
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: Nanna Bryndís
Hilmarsdóttir, of the
band Of Monsters
and Men; humpback
whale near Húsavík,
the country’s oldest
settlement; the blacksand beach at Stokksnes,
beneath Vestrahorn
mountain in southeast
Iceland; the view from
Hallgrimskirkja church in
Reykjavík; hikers reach
the Kerid Crater Lake, a
stop on the Golden Circle
ICELAND
top 10
Ultimate Iceland adventures
Many of the country’s blockbuster travel experiences are shaped by the seasons. We round up the best tours, from summer
hiking in a volcanic national park to enjoying aurora-painted night skies in the icy depths of winter
VOLCANOES
For budding geologists, the Vestmannaeyjar
archipelago is a dream destination — the
frequency of volcanic eruptions means they
can study events like the 1963 appearance of
Surtsey, a new island that rose from the chilly
waters of the Atlantic. For the people living on
these southern islands, the volcanoes are more
of a daily concern. To get an understanding
of what it’s like to live in the shadow of
a potentially deadly peak, hike Eldfell, a
volcanic cone, in summer with a local. Tours
from £35. visitwestmanislands.com
SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS IN
EAST ICELAND
Despite lying just outside the Arctic Circle,
Iceland is a dream location for spotting the
Northern Lights. A clear sky and high solar
activity are required for the aurora to be at its
best. February, March, September and October
are regarded as the best months, with East
Iceland arguably the best region for sightings,
due to minimal light pollution. Tours from
£94. guidetoiceland.is
TRY A MIDNIGHT SUN QUAD BIKE TOUR
Quad bike tours are available almost
all year in Iceland, but if you’re arriving in the
height of summer it’s possible to combine
this distinctly local experience with another
popular Icelandic pastime. Safari’s Midnight
Sun ATV Tour starts in Reykjavík and takes
in Hafravatn lake and the excellently named
Wolf Mountain. Driving the ATVs may seem
daunting at first, but expert guides will make
sure you have all the training you need before
heading out. Tours from £119. safari.is
RUN A HUSKY TEAM
While it’s technically possible to run
huskies all year round, the dogs get the most
benefit in the depths of winter. Head up to
Akureyri, in the north, to meet the mutts at
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Go Husky, then spend a few hours mushing
through the snowy woods. The only time
you’ll see the dogs looking anything less than
enthusiastic is when they’re in their kennels,
desperate to get out into the wilderness. Tours
from £130. gohusky.is
HIKE IN SNAEFELLSJÖKULL
NATIONAL PARK
The caldera of Snaefellsjökull, the remarkable
volcano on the Snaefellsnes peninsula, has
long been covered by an ice cap, making for
some extraordinary hiking. So otherworldly
is this environment that NASA sent 32 of its
astronauts, including Neil Armstrong, here to
train in preparation for landing on the moon.
A century earlier, the same peak captured
French novelist Jules Verne’s imagination, too
— it’s the gateway to the centre of the Earth in
his 1864 science fiction classic Journey to the
Centre of the Earth. Tours from £115. gowest.is
TRY HELISKIING
For a proper taste of adventure, jump
in a helicopter. Needless to say this isn’t
for amateurs, but those confident on skis
or a snowboard will have an unforgettable
experience in the country’s remote slopes.
The best heliskiing is to be found in the north
of the country, with the season typically
running from February to June. Perhaps
unsurprisingly, this James Bond-like
experience doesn’t come cheap. Four days
from £6,360. arcticheliskiing.com
DIVE BETWEEN TECTONIC PLATES
There aren’t many dive sites around
the world where there’s close to no chance of
seeing any animal life and yet the prospect
still seems irresistible. Then again, there aren’t
any other dive sites like Silfra. Located inside
the Thingvellir National Park, just an hour
east from Reykjavík on the Golden Circle, this
rift offers extraordinary visibility at depths of
up to 300ft and the unique opportunity to dive
between the North American and Eurasian
Plates. Dives from £166. dive.is
EXPLORE ICE CAVES
Mighty Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest
glacier, was one of several filming locations
in Iceland to benefit from a Game of Thronesrelated tourism boost. The show may
have since finished, but the glacier and its
eponymous national park have remained
popular. Guided hiking on the ice is one
option, but if you’ve got a bigger appetite
for adventure, then head into the sapphireblue ice caves. Still not enough? Then
enquire about ice climbing. Tours from £175.
adventures.is
KAYAK IN THE WESTFJORDS
On a calm summer’s day, kayaking
in the Westfjords offers a chance to leave all
the drama on shore. The sheer canyon walls
surrounding Ísafjördur make a spectacular
backdrop as eider ducks and northern
fulmars glide across the glassy water. That’s
not to say these pleasant excursions always
play out without incident — families of grey
seals are often spotted among the kelp and,
once in a while, pods of orca come into the
bays looking for them. Half-day tour from £87.
boreaadventures.com
TREK BETWEEN HUTS
In the Fjallabak Nature Reserve in
the Icelandic Highlands, it’s possible to hike
in the wilderness from hut to hut. These
rudimentary dwellings are akin to the
bothies in the UK and have similarly
offered shelter to those in the wilderness
for decades. The occasionally spiteful
weather means they often come in handy,
but in calmer conditions, these week-long
hikes offer the chance to enjoy some of the
country’s most scenic and raw landscapes,
far from the crowds. Tours from £2,845 per
week. wildlandtrekking.com
IMAGES: RYAN NEWBURN; AWL IMAGES; JAMIE LAFFERTY
EXPLORE THE WESTMAN ISLANDS
ICELAND
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Northern Lights over the Skaftafellsjökull Glacier
in east Iceland; Thingvellir National Park, an hour east from Reykjavík on
the Golden Circle; northern fulmars nest at Látrabjarg, in the Westfjords
September 2021 71
ICELAND
in the business of
Saddle up to learn about Iceland’s equine obsession at Torfh ús Retreat, off ering
turf-roofed cabins and private geothermal pools on a working horse ranch, just
a short detour from the geological drama of south Iceland’s Golden Circle route
The dust from Siggi’s car is still settling
on the road as a dozen young stallions
approach. They look not unlike The Cure in
their heyday, all big hair and inscrutability.
These boys don’t cry, either — not even when
they’re biting each other and stampeding
around the field. As they edge towards us,
owners Siggi Jensson and partner Alex Hoop
watch on with something like parental pride.
We’re just outside their couple’s
remarkable Torfhús Retreat, a luxury hotel
that could also be called a ranch. The horses
spend their formative years in fields around
the site before going into proper training.
The couple explain that these Icelandic
horses are all three or four years old, but are
yet to really start their training. The next 12
months will represent a steep learning curve
for the horses, as they go from untamed
animals to athletes fit for show. “Some
people think it’s somewhat controversial that
we wait until they’re four,” says Alex. “But
really, they’re only ready by then.”
By contrast, on mainland Europe some of
the most successful racing thoroughbreds
have their most prominent seasons as threeyear-olds. It’s not uncommon for them to
be retired to stud after that. The horses in
front of me certainly don’t look like they’re at
retirement age.
How best to describe their appearance?
For an total equine ignoramus like me,
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it’s pretty hard to say. They’re not unlike
Shetland ponies, but scaled up. Their
temperament is, generally, much more placid
and affable than the average thoroughbred,
too. When they run, especially in
competition, perhaps their most singular
quality is their tölt, a particular type of gait
during which their front legs thunder down
onto the turf as though trying to crush the
heads of a thousand snakes. Their manes are
uniformly extraordinary, and their winter
coats are so thick and cosy as to look like
knitted jumpers.
Siggi and Alex take great pains to explain
to me that there are plenty of specifics, too.
In fact, the world of the Icelandic horse is
as involved and complex as that of their
counterparts on the European mainland.
Speaking of those foreigners, they’re banned.
“Yes, it’s true,” explains Siggi. “No other
horses can come here to Iceland.”
“And if ours go outside of the country, they
can’t come back,” adds Alex. “It’s important
to keep the bloodline pure.”
The couple have a neat habit of dovetailing
their conversation like this.
Alex is from Austria via Liechtenstein,
and Siggi is Icelandic through and through.
“More or less all my life, I’ve had Icelandic
horses,” he says. The couple live in what was
once just a summer house on the edge of
their ranch and the wider Torfhús property.
IMAGES: GETTY; JAMIE LAFFERTY
horseplay
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT:
One of the attractions of
south Iceland’s Golden
Circle, Strokkur geyser
blasts water to heights
of around 56ft every five
to 10 minutes; Icelandic
horses are distinct
from their European
counterparts; two of
the horses at Torfhús
Retreat, which offers
traditional turf-roof
cabins on a working
horse farm
ICELAND
September 2021 73
ICELAND
IMAGE: TORFHÚS RETREAT
ABOVE: The traditional
huts at Torfhús Retreat are
crafted from local stone,
reclaimed wood and turf
Built in the style of traditional Icelandic turfroof houses, it’s a retreat just off the muchvisited Golden Circle, the popular tourist
route offering a sampler of some of Southern
Iceland’s easiest-access attractions. Each
of these beautiful cottages has its own hot
plunge pool — in the dark months of winter,
guests can lie in the soothing water and
watch the Aurora Borealis flickering in the
sky above.
“Many of the guests are interested in the
horses and some want to ride as well. We can
also arrange for them to go to Gullfoss if they
want,” says Siggi, referring to the region’s
most popular waterfall.
“Or further, if they like,” adds Alex. “We
leave it up to them, depending on what
they’re comfortable with.” In any case, the
Hold your horses // Experienced riders can book
a tour to help farmers herd hundreds of semi-wild
horses in from the hills of north Iceland, ending
in a spectacular mass corralling event known as
Laufskálarétt, taking place on the last weekend
of September in Skagafjördur. riding-iceland.com
horses are often in fields surrounding the
cottages, adding to its sense of belonging to
a different era.
On my final night in Torfhús, the couple
bring an iPad to dinner in the hotel’s
outstanding onsite restaurant. The menu
changes every night and though tonight’s
meal is a spectacular symphony of Asian
fusion food, the owners are focused on the
screen. One of the country’s Icelandic horse
shows is on and the couple have entered
three of their animals. While Siggi and Alex
watch the live stream, I watch them. It’s clear
their eyes see things mine can’t — almost
imperceptible movements of the horses’
heads seem like crushing disappointments.
Conversely, when the tölt is precise, they
both beam with pride. Regardless, none of
the judges’ scores seem entirely satisfactory.
“We won’t lose any sleep over it,” says Alex
with a wave of her hand, but for once, Siggi
has nothing to add.
HOW TO DO IT: A three-night stay at Torfhús Retreat
starts at £,1395 per person based on two people
sharing a Torfbaer Suite on a B&B basis, including a
light lunch each day and gastronomic dinner on the
arrival night, international flights with Icelandair and
four-wheel-drive car hire for the duration.
abercrombiekent.co.uk torfhus.is
September 2021 75
ICELAND
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Travellers watching the lava
flow from Fagradalsfjall, which started erupting in March;
a photographer shoots an eruption from a safe distance;
lava has pooled across an area of one square mile in the
Reykjanes Peninsula, an hour from the capital
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ICELAND
lava light shows
& dark descents
IMAGES: GETTY; JAMIE LAFFERTY
Earlier this year, the world was transfi xed by images of Fagradalsfjall, Iceland’s newest
volcanic fi ssure, spewing molten lava (and swallowing drone cameras) in the Reykjanes
Peninsula, south of the capital city — ushering in a fresh wave of tourism to the area
Separate clouds of smoke rise from either
side of the road to Grindavík. On the right,
steady while plumes emanate from the
famous Blue Lagoon. Long before Iceland
became a poster child for mass tourism,
this was one of its main attractions — those
stopping over en route to or from America
could come to these soothing waters just 20
minutes from Keflavik Airport. Today the
experience has been refi ned to become one
of the sleekest spa experiences in Europe.
On the left, the smoke is coming from
something altogether newer and less
polished. Around three miles from the Blue
Lagoon, Iceland’s newest volcanic arrival,
Fagradalsfjall, has had a spectacular birth.
I’m visiting just three months into its fiery
delivery, witnessing terraforming in real
time; some scientists suggest it’ll continue to
erupt for several years to come.
The mountain cracks opens again and
again during my visit, thousands of gallons
of bright orange lava crashing down the side
of the ever-growing volcano. From a safe
distance, watched by rangers, I join a few
dozen visitors to witness this subterranean
light show as it goes off, geyser-like, every 10
minutes or so.
People have been drawn like moths from
all over the world to this subterranean flame.
If Fagradalsfjall (the name translates as ‘Fair
Valley Hill’) keeps going and tourists return
en masse to Iceland, authorities will have a
lot of work on their hands to keep the site
safe and accessible.
Nonetheless, it represents an incredible gift
for the country at a time when global tourism
is reopening after the Covid-19 pandemic
— an elemental pull for adventurous tourists
and a welcome boost for Icelandic coffers.
“People were mesmerised by the material
we were putting out online,” says Eythor
Saemundsson, whose job promoting the
Reykjanes Peninsula has got a lot easier with
the new arrival. “But in the beginning, we
were overwhelmed just trying to grasp the
whole thing. The entire nation of Iceland
came hiking to see it, along with a few
tourists who were in the country at the time.”
In a way, the Covid-19 controls helped
manage the number of visitors. In the
volcano’s infancy, images of locals playing
around Fagradalsfjall went viral. Some cooked
food over the lava; others played volleyball.
There was plenty of nakedness. At least a
dozen drones were lost in the molten rock.
This behaviour — and worse — would have
been exacerbated were it not for the pandemic
limiting the amount of global travel.
Whatever becomes of this newest
addition to the country’s volcanic roster,
it’ll likely be handled with the sort of smart
entrepreneurship Iceland has learned to
master. The Blue Lagoon is a good example
of what’s possible when time and money
are added to natural volcanic phenomena
— even the infamous, ash-spewing 2010
eruption of Eyjafjallajökull was quickly
turned into a marketing opportunity.
Elsewhere, near Reykjavík, there’s the
incredibly rare opportunity to climb into a
volcano, albeit one that’s been empty and
dormant for millennia. Thríhnúkagígur was
discovered by accident by cave enthusiast
Árni B Stefánsson in 1974. Its potential as a
tourism site wasn’t immediately obvious.
“When I first got down there, I was so
disappointed. It was nothing more than a
quarry,” he says, preparing for our tour. He
was so underwhelmed, he didn’t reinvestigate
the site for another 17 years.
Yet since 2012, visitors have been getting
lowered inside the volcano, all the way to the
bottom of its pristine magma chamber. Now
lit dramatically, it looks like a subterranean
cathedral, safe if not entirely tamed. The best
guess is that unlike most of Iceland’s other
volcanoes, here the magma simply drained
away, creating an unusually welcoming
environment in the heart of a volcano.
Its pioneer now talks about it with a sense
of wonder, though hearing his words, he
could be talking about almost any of his
nation’s volcanos. “I want people to come
here and feel humble,” he says.
HOW TO DO IT: Fagradalsfjall is currently free to
approach along a clearly marked path. Guided tours,
including a bus from Reykjavík, are available from £49
per person. re.is
Day tours to Thríhnúkagígur, including transfers from
Reykjavík, start at £257. insidethevolcano.com
September 2021 77
A PLACE WITH SPACE.
Stay at our family-run luxury lodges
in the HEART of THE ICELANDIC WILDERNESS.
the perfect BASE for exploring SOUTH ICELAND.
Photo credits:
@sieon aer
@arni sae er
@follow ath
+354 419 1400
www.seljalandsfoss.is
info@seljalandsfoss.is
@seljalandsfosshorizons
ICELAND
Sky Lagoon, a geothermal
spa that opened near central
Reykjavík earlier this year
In hot water
IMAGE: CHRISTOPHER LUND
While the Blue Lagoon, just outside Reykjavík, is world-famous for its warm, milky waters, you’ll find plenty more idyllic swimming
spots around the country, from a modern spa with a swim-up bar to remote hot springs reached via a countryside hike
Mývatn Nature Baths
Sky Lagoon
Hveravellir Nature Reserve
Seljavallalaug
Lying 50 miles east of Akureyri,
in the north of the country, the
Mývatn area is best known for
its eponymous lake, created by
a volcanic eruption more than
2,000 years ago. The swimming
facilities here make the most of
the natural setting: expect slick
Scandinavian design, open pools
and a gigantic sky — when you
can see it through the steam.
myvatnnaturebaths.is
The new Sky Lagoon bathing
spot may have plenty of
competition around Reykjavík,
but few places offer a more
polished experience. Completed
in the spring of 2021, it offers a
seven-stage cleansing treatment,
as well as incredible views from its
elevated position at the end of a
peninsula. Order a chilled blonde
beer at the swim-up bar tucked
into a cave. skylagoon.com
This reserve in the country’s
western Highlands is home to lava
fields, glaciers and fumaroles,
as well as geothermal pools that
appear like volcanic welts on
the skin of an alien planet. While
some of the pools are cooled and
designated for bathing, others
are said to be hot enough to
use for cooking. Hveravellir is
also a great spot for seeing the
Northern Lights. hveravellir.is
Built in 1923, the 25-metre
Seljavallalaug pool in southern
Iceland is one of the country’s
oldest. It’s set at the end of a milelong trail, offering a refreshing,
back-to-nature experience. The
pool isn’t far from the mighty
Eyjafjallajökull volcano, but to
help you avoid struggling with the
pronunciation while asking for
directions, the website lists the
coordinates. nat.is/seljavallalaug
September 2021 79
DISCOVER
ICELAND
WE BUILD THE PERSONALIZED
TRIP OF YOUR DREAMS
CONTACT US TO START PLANNING TODAY!
www.activityiceland.is
+354-5336003
info@activityiceland.is
ICELAND
the rebirth of
icelandic cuisine
IMAGES: JAMIE LAFFERTY; ZOE SARSANEDAS
Near Reykjavík’s harbour, housed in a former
cod-processing plant, restaurant Matur og Drykkur
(meaning simply ‘Food and Drink’) takes a novel
approach to traditional Icelandic dishes —one that’s
been recognised by the Michellin Guide. Head chef
Helga Haraldsdóttir explains her culinary style
CAN YOU DESCRIBE SOME TRADITIONAL ICELANDIC DISHES?
HOW DO YOU THINK THE INFLUX OF TOURISTS HAS
We have something similar to black pudding and haggis,
and a smoked horsemeat sausage called bjúga. There
are lots of foods connected to Thorri [the fourth month
of winter, according to the ancient Icelandic calendar],
when we eat Greenland shark, dried fish and all sorts of
fermented produce. A lot of our national nostalgia relates
to these foods.
We’ve thought about selling traditional Icelandic foods
like whale, seal or horse, but the global opinion on
those is different to the local one, so we take that into
consideration when making our menu. But, of course,
having people arrive from all over the world has also
given us a more versatile, diverse culinary culture.
HAS TRADITIONAL ICELANDIC FOOD ALWAYS BEEN POPULAR?
OTHER THAN MATUR OG DRYKKUR, WHERE WOULD YOU
I don’t think so. I got the impression it wasn’t very
fashionable when I was training 10 years ago. Back
then, there was a big trend for Asian fusion food, and
everyone wanted to be doing that. People sometimes
think foreign things are more exciting than what we
have right here.
HOW DID THE PANDEMIC AFFECT THE RESTAURANT?
Previously, our restaurant was mostly for tourists
wanting to try Icelandic food. We had to close because
of the pandemic, but when we reopened, locals started
showing up. They were very excited about the food
and the nostalgic feeling of the restaurant. I got a lot of
requests for traditional dishes.
AFFECTED ICELANDIC CUISINE?
RECOMMEND EATING IN ICELAND?
In Reykjavík, my first recommendation would be
Baejarins Beztu Pylsur — it’s a staple of the downtown
area. The ‘hot dog with everything’ is the best. For fine
dining, of course, you’d have to consider Dill. It has a
Michelin star and sets the standard that other restaurants
try to follow. It’s done a lot for Icelandic cuisine.
Outside of Reykjavík, I’d recommend trying seafood
from a waterfront restaurant. What we have [in Iceland] is
always very high-quality. Sjavarpakkhusid, overlooking
Stykkishólmur harbour, is one of my favourites.
MORE INFO: en.maturogdrykkur.is
bbp.is dillrestaurant.is sjavarpakkhusid.is
FROM LEFT: Soft-boiled
black-headed gull eggs
with lemon zest, chives
and smoky lamb chips,
served at Matur og
Drykkur; head chef Helga
Haraldsdóttir in her
Reykavík restaurant
September 2021 81
ICELAND
LEFT: Húsavík Harbour, a popular
launching pad for whalewatching trips in Skjálfandi Bay
ESSENTIALS
Ísafjördur
Húsavík
Dynjandi
Akureyri
WESTFJORDS
LÁTRABJARG
Lake Mývatn
SNAEFELLSJÖKULL
NATIONAL PARK
THINGVELLIR
NATIONAL PARK
ICELAND
GULLFOSS
REYKJAVÍK
BLUE
LAGOON
VATNAJÖKULL
FAGRADALSFJALL
VESTMANNAEYJAR
ARCHIPELAGO
AT L A N T I C O C E A N
ICELAND
50 miles
GETTING THERE
Iceland Air flies to Reykjavík from
Glasgow, Manchester, Gatwick and
Heathrow, while EasyJet has flights from
Edinburgh, Manchester, Gatwick and
Luton, and Play flies from Standsted.
icelandair.com easyjet.com flyplay.com
The inside guide to Húsavík
GETTING AROUND
Book a boat tour
It would be inconceivable to describe
humpback whales as boring, but as anyone
who has regularly watched them — possibly
right here in Húsavík — will tell you, their
behaviour is predictable. The town is set on
northern Iceland’s Skjálfandi Bay, whose
relatively shallow waters mean the creatures
tend not to stay submerged for more than
10 minutes at a time, sometimes breaching
as they frolic or communicate with other
whales. Between May and September each
year, it takes considerable misfortune to
not catch sight of these behemoths while
out in the bay.
This abundance would be extraordinary on
its own, but humpbacks are just one of a score
of cetacean species to frequent these waters.
Lucky visitors might also spot dolphins, orcas,
sperm whales and blue whales.
The easy access to marine mammals has
built Húsavík a reputation as probably the
finest whale-watching location in Europe.
Gentle Giants and North Sailing are two
established operators in town, and also offer
summer puffin-watching trips to the nearby
island of Flatey. gentlegiants.is northsailing.is
Check out the museums
To flesh out your knowledge of cetaceans,
visit the excellent Húsavík Whale Museum,
based in an old slaughterhouse (although the
focus today is very much on living creatures).
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The Museum of Exploration, dedicated to
the history of human exploration, is also well
worth a visit — the area around Húsavík is
thought to have been the first to be settled by
Vikings. hvalasafn.is explorationmuseum.com
Beer and a bite
Hats off to the entrepreneurial locals,
who, drawing on the success of Will Ferrell
and Rachel McAdams’ 2020 film Eurovision
Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, have
hastily opened Jaja Ding Dong, a cafe-bar
named after a song from the film’s soundtrack.
Elsewhere, the family-run Naustid restaurant
has won plenty of admirers for its clever
use of locally caught seafood. And, perhaps
surprisingly for a town of this size (population:
2,300), there’s also a microbrewery:
the better-than-it-has-any-right-to-be
Húsavík Öl. facebook.com/jajahusavik
facebook.com/naustid facebook.com/husavikol
Take a dip
Húsavíkurkirkja, a distinctive wooden church
built in 1907, is a popular visitor attraction, but
the town’s crowning glory is a much newer
addition. Perched on a hilltop, and offering
peerless views across the bay, is Geosea,
a luxurious thermal spa complete with
mineral-rich infinity pools and a swim-up bar.
husavikurkirkja.is geosea.is
MORE INFO: visithusavik.com
WHEN TO GO
Iceland lies just outside of the Arctic
Circle, but still enjoys midnight sun and
long summer days averaging 12C. Winter
months average a chilly 1C, and sports
snowmobiling and skiing are popular.
From late August until mid-April, it’s
possible to see the Aurora Borealis.
HOW TO DO IT
DISCOVER THE WORLD offers a
three-night, self-drive, tailor-made
Reykjanes Peninsula and Volcano
Explorer package, starting from
£568 per person, with accommodation
at the Northern Light Inn. discover-theworld.com
G ADVENTURES offers a seven-day Best
of Iceland small-group tour from £1,936
per person, taking in the highlights of
the Ring Road, including Lake Mývatn.
gadventures.com
ARCTIC ADVENTURES offers a
seven-day hiking tour of the Highlands,
including hut-to-hut hiking and glacier
trekking, from 234,990 IKr (£1,387) per
person. adventures.is
MORE INFO
visiticeland.com
RE AD MORE TR AVEL
GUIDES FOR ICEL AND AT
NATIONALGEOGR APHIC.CO.UK/
TR AVEL
IMAGE: GETTY. ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
Boat tours of Skjálfandi Bay explore the migration paths of more than 20 species of
cetacean, including blue and humpback whales. But there’s plenty to explore on land, too
While an extensive bus network covers
large parts of the country, the best way
to see Iceland is on a self-drive tour.
Reykjavík’s Keflavik Airport is home to a
large fleet of rental cars. straeto.is
You deserve it.
www.northice.is
CHAMPIONS
of the
WILD
Behind the scenes in Uganda’s national parks, an army of
conservationists works tirelessly to defend the country’s natural
treasures from the threat from oil pipelines, hydro dams and poaching.
With elephant numbers stabilising and lion tracking programmes in
place, tourism numbers are returning, not least to the dense,
misty forests that shroud the south of the country, home to
more than half the world’s mountain gorillas
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS
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SARAH MARSHALL
September 2021 85
UGANDA
W
aves swell with the force
of five oceans as water
charges and tumbles over
rocks. Foaming with fury
and roaring with rage,
jets explode from every crack and crevice,
clouding the area in white smoke.
Spilling over an escarpment at the
northernmost tip of Africa’s Western Rift
Valley, Uganda’s Murchison Falls has forever
been in a state of turbulence. This mighty
bottleneck in the Nile has swallowed bridges,
thrown light aircraft off course and narrowly
escaped a hydro dam development.
A boiling pot of controversy, where
disagreements continuously bubble away,
today her mood is darker than the depths of
hell. Skittish butterflies skirt over the surf
and rainbows fail to reconcile their arcs as
the cataract consumes everything in its path.
Heavy rains have caused water levels to
surge but her anger could be down to other
reasons, suggests my guide, George, as we
hike from the car to a nearby viewpoint.
Termite mounds sparkle with flecks
of mica and the quartzite rocks shimmer
like jewels. But other riches are currently
determining the future of Uganda’s oldest
conservation area and biggest national park,
which sprawls across a section of land larger
than Cornwall in the country’s north west.
“Oil is like a curse,” complains George as
we reach the top. “Countries with it never
do well.”
A decision to drill for black gold in
Murchison Falls and build a pipeline to
Tanzania has been met with mixed responses
in Uganda, a nation wealthy in natural assets
but economically poor. While French oil
company TotalEnergies has promised to
minimise its footprint, lodge owners, guides
and environmentalists remain sceptical.
Any concern is testimony to the
value Uganda places on its wild spaces.
Historically, the country has been praised
for its environmental efforts, and behind the
scenes of its 10 national parks and multiple
reserves are individuals working hard keep
them safe. Meeting them is as rewarding as
viewing big cats on a game drive or tracking
great apes in a primordial forest — something
I learn first-hand on an itinerary exploring
some of the most important conservation
projects accessible to tourists.
Although the oil extraction is a done deal,
with most infrastructure in place and the
construction of a pipeline due to start this
year, only 1% or the park will be directly
impacted. Exploring by dirt road and river,
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I encounter a precious Eden: waterways
heave with crocs and hippos; papyrus
reeds twitch with the stealthy tiptoe of shy
shoebills; and rare Rothschild’s giraffes
stride across sweeping savannahs and hills.
NGO Uganda Conservation Foundation,
in collaboration with the Uganda Wildlife
Authority (UWA), works diligently to
protect this paradise. On a tour of its newly
completed Law Enforcement and Operations
Centre, founding trustee Mike Keigwin
proudly shows off a complex where every cog
of a well-oiled anti-poaching mechanism
— from satellite-linked surveillance screens
to temporary prison cells and a police station
— whirs away under one roof. One hundred
young people from the fringes of Murchison
Falls were contracted for the construction,
with many now training as rangers for UWA.
“It’s the first of its kind in Africa,” beams
Mike, a sharp-thinking British problemsolver who ditched a job with consulting firm
Deloitte to work in conservation. Detaining
poachers on site speeds up the judicial
process, he explains, while computers
mapping incidents of crop raiding help
rangers swiftly deal with problem animals
straying from the park into community land.
From the late 1970s until 2000, elephant
numbers in Murchison Falls — once the most
visited park in Africa — crashed from 16,000
to 500, but in recent times the situation has
stabilised, and tourism is returning.
An armoury packed with confiscated
weapons, which are safer under lock and key
than discarded, is a chilling reminder that
illegal activity is still a threat. “Under every
building in this complex, there are another
20-30,000 snares,” sighs Mike, picking
through wire coils and hefty wheel clamps,
some still with tufts of animal hair in their
jaws. “We were running out of space.”
The cost of protecting Africa’s wild areas
is enormous, but the potential losses are too
overwhelming to contemplate. Although
the trade in animal parts has largely
been brought under control, the biggest
threat now lies in the conflict between
communities and wildlife, as populations
grow and habitats shrink.
Into the woods
Budongo Forest, a 45-minute drive south of
the falls along a newly paved, Chinese-built
road, is ever-threatened by illegal logging and
encroachment. A strict set of hunting rights
issued by the King of Bunyoro safeguarded
the tropical rainforest in the past, but now
chimpanzee tourism is its key custodian.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A gorilla
trek with Nkuringo Walking Safaris,
on the southwestern side of Bwindi
Impenetrable Forest, traverses local
plantations; the peaks of the volcanic
Virunga Massif, seen from Nkuringo
Bwindi Gorilla Lodge; a resident of the
Batwa community of Sanurio village,
high in the hills of Nkuringo
PREVIOUS PAGES: A gorilla trek in
Buhoma, home to Dr Gladys
Kalema-Zikusoka’s research lab
UGANDA
UGANDA
88
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
UGANDA
LEFT FROM TOP: Chimpanzee trekking
from Budongo Eco Lodge offers a
window into the lives of the animals;
Dr Ludvig and his team from Uganda
Carnivore Program search for collared
lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park
Setting off at 7am, I join Amos Wekesa, owner
of the Budongo Eco Lodge, for a full day
chimp ‘habituation’ experience — providing
an opportunity to discover how these great
apes are acclimatised to humans. His simple
wooden lodge and cabins, once used by the
Jane Goodall Institute as a field base, sits at
the mouth of several trails.
Silenced by thick walls of spiralling ferns
and a canopy of latticed branches, human
voices quickly drift away as we tumble into
a fairytale forest beyond the imagination of
even the Brothers Grimm.
Ancient mahogany trees form a colonnade
of Corinthian pillars, supporting a temple
more sacred than any man-made place of
worship. Epiphytes balance on borrowed
altars, while strangler figs grip their victims,
performing a slow act of sacrifice. On the
soft, spongy ground, decaying trunks sprout
with wisps of ghost white fungi.
Alongside a stream, Amos picks up
a freshly discarded seedpod. “Chimps
use these as drinking cups,” he explains,
indicating they must be nearby. On cue, we
hear the thundering of ironwood buttress
roots, followed by grunts of joy.
Perched contentedly like a Buddha on his
plinth, 43-year-old chimp Jacko is munching
on the ripe fruits of a fig tree.
“Watch out or you’ll be hit by the wadge,”
warns Amos, as we narrowly avoid a bombing
of chewed up pulp.
Sociable or otherwise, behaviour of the
Kaniyo Pabidi chimp community has been
studied since the 1960s, and now tourism
revenue generated by visits to the habituated
group guarantees their future.
Amos and his tour company Great Lakes
Safaris, which manages the Budongo
concession on behalf of the National Forestry
Authority, helped generate US$300,000
(£217,000) per year before the pandemic
struck — funds used to employ a team of
forest rangers on the ground.
Equally impressive is Amos’s own rags
to riches story, which he shares with me
over dinner back at the lodge. Born into a
destitute family on the Kenyan border, he
was smuggling goods by the age of six.
An educational grant from the Salvation
Army provided a stepping-stone out of
poverty, but it was determination and
tenacity that paved his way. Despite
earning only $10 (£7) a month as a sweeper,
progressing to $1 (£0.70) a day as a tour guide,
he still managed to stash some savings,
starting Great Lakes Safaris 20 years ago with
only $200 (£145) in his pocket.
Amos is extremely likeable: a businessman
whose heart lies in conservation. When the
Ugandan government considered plans to
dam Murchison Falls, Amos threatened to
protest naked, and his Facebook page (with
more than 75,000 followers) functions as a
platform to educate young minds.
“We’re not the last generation,” he
complains, scrolling through a deluge of
social media comments that could put some
of the biggest influencers in the shade. “We
can’t live like we’re the last people to leave.”
Amos owns three lodges in Uganda,
including the newly revamped Elephant
Plains Lodge in the northern section of Queen
Elizabeth National Park (QENP). It takes me six
hours to reach the long, thin park, which shares
Lake Edward with the Democratic Republic
of the Congo (DRC). But driving through the
country’s wildly varying climatic zones is an
experience, enlivened by a cast of daredevil
drivers and sideshow attractions on the way.
Swathes of green forest fan out into
grasslands and settlements rise from fields of
orange dust. Boda boda electric bikes carry
cargo ranging from sacks of bananas to a
three-piece suite. One ambitious driver has a
longhorn cow strapped to the back.
“That’s so Uganda,” laughs my guide and
driver, Robert, shaking his head.
Rising up to the Albertine Rift Escarpment,
we reach the lakeside lodge, a collection
of eight elegant cottages built to some of
the highest Ugandan standards, gazing
out on the Blue Mountains of the DRC and
the Ruwenzoris — a range of other-worldly
peaks aptly described by ancient geographer
Ptolemy as ‘mountains of the moon’.
It’s a short drive to the park gate the
following morning, where I have an
early appointment for lion tracking with
conservationist and vet Dr Ludwig Siefert
from the Uganda Carnivore Program. Initially
created in response to a feared outbreak of
a distemper virus killing the park’s lions,
the project subsequently switched focus to
community intervention when it became
clear poisoning was causing the deaths.
Tourists can pay a $110 (£80) fee, which
goes towards law enforcement and the
community, to join Dr Ludwig and his team
as they track collared lions and leopards,
offering a rare opportunity to game drive offroad in the park. Seeing big cats in the wild
is always exciting, especially in a setting of
crater lakes and curious cacti bursting from
Martian-red soil, but the real highlight is an
opportunity to learn about the challenges
facing conservationists in QENP.
September 2021 89
UGANDA
Silverback safari
Taking ownership of wildlife has
been crucial to the success of gorilla
conservation, focused mainly around the
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a 90-minute
drive south in a cool, damp, high-altitude
environment a world away from the dry,
scorching savannahs of QENP.
When I arrive at Sanctuary Gorilla Forest
Camp in Buhoma, the only property inside
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the park, mist has already wrapped the
treetops in a loose-knit shawl. Built by
Geoffrey Kent, founder of tour operator
Abercrombie & Kent, after he convinced
now-president General Museveni to set
aside Bwindi as a national park, the safaristyle tented camp cascades down Bwindi’s
famously steep slopes.
The following morning, I set off at 7am
to trek to the gorillas with researchers
from Conservation Through Public Health
(CTPH). Founded by former UWA vet Dr
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, the NGO stresses
the interdependence of community and
wildlife wellbeing. After linking an outbreak
of scabies in gorillas with human clothes
left on scarecrows, Dr Gladys proved how
easily diseases can jump to some of our
closest cousins. The pandemic has made
her message even more pertinent, and in
cruel twist of fate, she’s isolating at home,
recovering from Covid-19 when I visit.
Unable to trek, she leaves me in the
capable hands of her team who visit all 22
habituated gorilla troops once a month to
collect faecal samples for testing. Searching
for nests belonging to the Rushegura family
of mountain gorillas, we hike into the belly of
the dense forest, where branches tangle like
entrails and roots thread a network of veins.
After measuring faeces deposited at every
nest (a silverback’s is around 7.4cm long,
for anyone keen to make a comparison), lab
technician Annaclet Ampeire uses a spatula
to gather scrapings into a pot.
Continuing with the gorilla trek (fully
masked), we’re surprised to find the group
are only a few minutes’ walk from their
vacated nest — an indication, I later learn,
that something’s wrong.
“That wasn’t there yesterday,” exclaims
one of the trackers, pointing to a newborn
gorilla clinging to silverback Kabukojo’s
chest. As time passes, it becomes apparent
the vulnerable bundle has been rejected
by its mother, a wild gorilla who’d recently
joined the troop. Watching a tiny hand grip
at the chest of a creature 50 times its size is
heartbreaking, especially after I’m told the
baby stands almost no chance of surviving.
Back at CTPH’s lab in Buhoma, in sombre
mood, we analyse the pieces of faeces under
a microscope to check for signs of parasites.
Stored at -20C, the remaining samples will
soon be sent away for Covid-19 testing,
providing a clearer picture of the impact of
the virus on gorillas in Uganda for the first
time. In the absence of a park buffer zone,
social distancing with gorillas is hard.
Searching for
nests belonging
to the Rushegura
family of
mountain gorillas,
we hike into the
belly of the dense
forest, where
branches tangle
like entrails and
roots thread a
network of veins
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Murchison
Falls, one of the world’s most powerful
waterfalls, spilling over an escarpment
at the northernmost tip of Africa’s
Western Rift Valley; farmer Deo
Karegyesa, who launched a Save Our
Lions campaign this year, uses chillies
to keep predators away from his crops;
a giraffe in Murchison Falls National
Park, Uganda’s oldest and largest
protected area
IMAGES: SARAH MARSHALL; GETTY
Dr Ludwig holds aloft a telemetry device
from the roof of his four-wheel-drive vehicle
as we weave through prickly candelabra
trees whose embracing stems often provide
beds for leopards. There are around 40,000
people living in the park, and 90,000 on the
periphery, with numbers swelling daily as
refugees seek solace from armed conflict in
neighbouring DRC and South Sudan.
“The mindset of the Congo is different;
they eat more things,” states Dr Ludvig.
Illegal fishing and bushmeat poaching are
exacerbated by superstitious beliefs, he
explains, citing a custom for women eating
hippo meat to become fertile. But the biggest
issue is crop interference and retaliation
killings, carried out by lacing carcasses with
poison. As animals and humans continue to
battle for space, there’s no easy solution.
“Sometimes I want to leave this planet,”
sighs the exasperated vet, his brow furrowed
by several decades of frustration. “It’s so
difficult.” Having located his lions, Dr
Ludwig can at least rest easy for another few
hours, knowing they’re a good distance from
danger zones. But it’s a never-ending job.
In March 2021, six lions were found
dead and dismembered after a suspected
poisoning in the southern Ishasha section
of the park. To get a better understanding of
what happened, I visit farmer and herbalist
Deo Karegyesa, who’s started a Save Our
Lions campaign in response. Working with
tour operators, he invites tourists into his
homestead to see the various methods he’s
deployed for keeping wildlife at bay.
Short and slight, he hardly looks a
match for elephants and predators, but his
inventions are working: a straw hut where
he sleeps to ward off bush pigs, a treehouse
to keep an eye out for elephants and a deep
trench to prevent any invaders from crossing.
“I teach the people in this community
how to live with the animals without hurting
them,” he proclaims, scrambling up a ladder
to his leafy watchtower. “They think the
animals are devils, but we need to teach
them that these animals are theirs.”
UGANDA
September 2021 91
UGANDA
Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka picks
ripe berries on a coffee safari,
visting a farm benefiting from the
Conservation Through Public Health
Gorilla Conservation Coffee scheme
ESSENTIALS
MURCHISON FALLS
NATIONAL PARK
UGANDA
BUDONGO ECO LODGE
BUDONGO FOREST
50 miles
U G A N D A
KAMPALA
ELEPHANT PLAINS LODGE
QUEEN ELIZABETH
NATIONAL PARK
SANCTUARY GORILLA FOREST CAMP
BWINDI IMPENETRABLE
NATIONAL PARK
Lake
Victoria
Getting there & around
Kenya Airways flies to Entebbe
International Airport via Nairobi and
Emirates via Dubai, both daily.
kenya-airways.com emirates.com
Other operators include Egypt Air via
Cairo, Ethiopian Airlines via Addis
Ababa, Qatar Airways via Doha, Turkish
Airlines via Istanbul and KLM via
Amsterdam. egyptair.com.
ethiopianairlines.com qatarairways.com
turkishairlines.com klm.co.uk
Average flight time: 11h.
Few internal flights operate in Uganda,
so travel is mainly by road. Link runs
buses between major towns. link.co.ug
92
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torch a star-studded sky. Borrowing Lydia’s
words: “This is where the world ends.”
At nearby Rushaga Gorilla Lodge, I’m given
a walking stick engraved with my name,
something every guest receives as part of an
initiative to support local craftspeople. The
chance to spend longer with the gorillas here
(costing $1,500/£1,090) was launched in 2014.
Only available in Uganda, these extended
sessions aim to generate more revenue for
conservation while also helping to familiarise
gorillas with foreign faces and give visitors an
insight into the work involved.
The extra time is worth every penny.
It allows me to settle into the gorillas’
rhythm, noting behaviour from nuanced to
crude by human standards. Grunting is an
expression of happiness, while farting, I’m
informed, is a sign of feeling comfortable.
Most of all, the experience opens my eyes
to the difficulties rangers face: the danger
of falling trees or the threat of a charging
silverback. “If a gorilla ran at you, you
wouldn’t like them anymore,” insists Miel.
Joking aside, his words ring true.
The reality of protecting animals and
communities is neither glossy nor glamorous,
and anyone interested in the natural world
should understand what’s involved. Eternally
complex, it’s a constant struggle. But
Uganda’s conservation heroes — from rangers
and hoteliers to academics and farmers
— are glittering examples of what’s possible.
When oil wells dry out and dams eventually
collapse, these are the prized natural assets
that will be worth their weight in gold.
When to go
Uganda’s dry seasons run from
December to February and June to
September with average temperatures
of 26C. January can be extremely hot,
reaching 40C in the north.
More info
Uganda Conservation Foundation.
ugandacf.org
Uganda Carnivore Program.
uganda-carnivores.org
Conservation Through Public Health.
ctph.org
Nkuringo Walking Safaris.
nkuringowalkingsafaris.com
Uganda Tourism. visituganda.com
Where to stay
Budongo Eco Lodge, Murchison Falls.
Doubles from $250 (£183), full-board.
ugandalodges.com
Elephant Plains Lodge, Queen Elizabeth
National Park. Doubles from $315
(£231), full-board. ugandalodges.com
Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp,
Buhoma, Bwindi Impenetrable National
Park. Doubles from £300, full-board.
sanctuaryretreats.com
Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge,
Nkuringo. Doubles from £215,
full-board. mountaingorillalodge.com
How to do it
AUDLEY TRAVEL offers a 16-day trip to
Uganda from £8,245 per person (based
on two sharing), including flights,
transfers, accommodation and wildlife
activities. audleytravel.com
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
In 1991, Batwa tribal communities were
forcibly and controversially removed from
Bwindi when it became a national park,
although many are desperate to return.
Ostracised, bullied and beaten, the ‘pygmy
people’ have struggled to find a new home.
On a four-hour hike across the forest with
Nkuringo Walking Safaris, using a trail
originally built during Idi Amin’s regime, I
understand why they were so reluctant to
leave. Vines finer than angel hair flow into
waterfalls creating a heavenly setting, and
a peppery rush of fresh ginger mingles with
the earthy scent of recent rain.
“I miss the honey most and the meat,”
reminisces elderly Batwa lady, Jerlina, when
we sit together later that afternoon. The 244
residents of Sanurio village, high in the hills
of Nkuringo on the southwestern side of
the forest, greet me with celebratory songs
and dances, once used to welcome hunters
returning from the forest. Supported by
the Nkuringo Bwindi Gorilla Lodge, the
community has learned to weave baskets,
stitch clothes in bright kitenge fabrics and
make their own honey — although they
insist it’s not the same.
Owned by dynamic Ugandan Lydia
Nandudu, the eco-lodge is a champion of
community healthcare, education and arts
projects. It’s beautiful too, with cottages
floating above the forest and offering views
of the eight peaks of the Virunga Mountains.
At night, I fall asleep listening to drumming
and singing in the village, watching the
glowing tip of the Congo’s Mount Nyiragongo
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P A I D C O N T E N T F O R G R E E K N AT I O N A L T O U R I S M O R G A N I S AT I O N
Greece
Sailing around the
Ionian Islands
With light winds, reliable sunshine and a plethora of idyllic beaches, the
Ionian islands of Corfu, Paxi, Kefalonia and Ithaca off the west coast of
mainland Greece make for the perfect island-hopping getaway
KEFALONIA
The largest of the Ionian islands, Kefalonia
is home to beautiful Myrtos and Petani
Beaches. Guiding crews across azure seas
towards the island is 5,341ft Mount Ainos, the
Ionian Peninsula’s tallest peak — protected
within a national park studded with rare
black pines. The Port of Sami became
globally famous when it appeared in the
2001 film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, but it
can’t compete with the Venetian architecture
and cosmopolitan vibe of Fiskardo, the pick
of harbours on the island’s east coast.
On Kefalonia’s western side, pray that
the prevailing winds grant you access to
the crescent-shaped cove that shelters the
village of Assos, arguably the island’s most
photogenic location. Also on this side of the
island is the lively capital, Argostoli — some
of its historic buildings were destroyed by
an earthquake in 1953, but the town has
been sensitively rebuilt and its quayside
restaurants will draw you in for delicious
seafood. Don’t leave the island without
trying its Robola wines and fruity olive oils.
DON’T MISS: Platia Ammos, near cliff top
Kipouria Monastery, is a beautiful beach
accessible only from the sea.
CORFU
The artist Edward Lear described Corfu’s
seas as ‘peacock-wing-hued ... tipped with
lines of silver snow’. Discover the secondlargest island in the Ionian Sea by sailing
through its waters in search of Venetian
fortresses, royal palaces and stunning
beaches. Corfu is mountainous in the
north, low-lying in the south, and its main
yachting harbour is Gouvia Marina, on the
east coast, four miles from the international
airport. Sail south to the Old Town of Corfu,
a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and drop
anchor at Mandraki Harbour beside the
stone walls of the 15th-century Old Fortress,
the manicured lawns of Spianáda square
and the French-built Liston promenade.
Then, hike up to the New Fort, where
tunnels and passages lead up to ramparts
with views across the city. Protected from
northwesterly winds, horseshoe-shaped
Kalámi Bay on Corfu’s northeast coast is a
lovely spot for waterfront dining.
TOP TIP: Cape Drastis, Corfu’s most northerly
point, is home to sheer white cliffs and other
dramatic rock formations. Achilleion palace
(built in 1890 for Empress Elizabeth of
Austria) is also a must-see, in Gastouri village.
IMAGES: SAILINGHOLIDAYS.COM; GETTY; GNTO
|
P A I D C O N T E N T F O R G R E E K N AT I O N A L T O U R I S M O R G A N I S AT I O N
PAXI
According to Greek myth, Paxi was
created when Poseidon slammed down his
trident on Corfu, chipping off this eightmile-long chunk of chalky, olive-grovecovered rock. Although it flies under the
radar of many visitors to the Ionians, on a
sailing itinerary it’s the obvious next stop
on a route south from Corfu. The seaward
approach to Paxi’s picturesque capital,
Gaïos — through a fjord-like channel
— is spectacular. On one side is the wooded
islet Agios Nikolaos, crowned with a 14thcentury Venetian fortress; on the other,
colourful neoclassical villas.
If you’re looking for even quieter spots,
then the smaller resorts of Loggos and
Lakka at the island’s northern end are worth
checking out. The scenery is most wild
on the west coast, where limestone cliffs
descend into aquamarine waters. Here, near
Erimitis Beach, you’ll find the ‘blue caves’, so
called because of the vivid colours reflecting
on the rock walls.
DON’T MISS: Anchor off the tiny island of
Antipaxi, and you’ll have gorgeous Vrika
and Voutoumi Beaches to yourself long after
the day-trippers have departed.
Cape Drastis, Corfu’s most northerly point, is home to
sheer white cliffs and other dramatic rock formations
Ithaca
FROM LEFT: Myrtos
Beach, Kefalonia; Cape
Drastis, Corfu; Paxi
ITHACA
Ithaca is essentially two islands linked by
the Isthmus of Aetos. It’s easy to believe this
unspoiled island, with its verdant mountain
roads and turquoise seas, was the home of
the mythical warrior king Odysseus from
Homer’s epic poem Odyssey. The approach
to the capital, Vathy, on the island’s east
coast, is likely to be one of your most
treasured memories of sailing around the
Ionians. Tumbling down green hillsides
at the end of a cerulean bay, this town is
guarded by the wooded islet of Lazaretto.
Cream- and mustard-painted houses are
reflected in clear waters at the village
of Kioni, an alternative anchorage in
northeast Ithaca.
Step ashore to hike up to Anogi, the
highest village on Ithaca, at 1,804ft, before
continuing on to historic Kathara Monastery.
On the island’s west coast, stunning Polis
Bay provides access to the colourful village
of Stavros. Nearby is an archaeological
site that might just be the remains of
Odysseus’s palace.
TOP TIP: Take a boat to Gidaki Beach for a
day of sunbathing on smooth white pebbles
and cooling off in turquoise waters.
R E A D MO R E O N L I N E AT
V I S I TG R EEC E .G R
WILD IN
THE WYE
WORDS BEN LERWILL
PHOTOGRAPHS GREG FUNNELL
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The river-veined valley that bills itself as the birthplace of British tourism
is an ageless scene. The Wye’s simple pleasures — chattering birdlife,
slow-moving boats and walking trails weaving through steep, squirrelly
beechwoods to views of the castle-studded Welsh borders
— have long had the power to seduce, inspiring authors,
artists and even a poetic tribute from Wordsworth
September 2021 97
WYE VALLEY
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: Symonds Yat Rock at
dawn; a nuthatch goes about
building a nest; naturalist
and zoologist Ed Drewitt on
Symonds Yat Rock enjoying
the dawn chorus, keeping an
eye out for peregrines
PREVIOUS PAGES: Canoeing
on the River Wye near Welsh
Bicknor with Stuart Wyley
of Wye Canoes
98
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WYE VALLEY
IT’S 4.30AM AND
THE HEREFORDSHIRE
DAWN HAS ARRIVED.
Far below me, the River Wye is a silver
swathe through high-banked woods. The
sky is soft and peach-coloured, the forest a
dense, dark jade jungle. Through it all, filling
the scene, is a crescendo of squawks, tweets
and hoots. “Cup your ears,” says Ed Drewitt,
as we face the natural amphitheatre in front
of us. “What you’re hearing is the sound of
hundreds of birds singing at the same time.”
I’ve met birdwatching guide and local
resident Ed on Symonds Yat Rock, a 400fthigh outcrop of cliff-flanked limestone
looming over the Wye Valley. On my last visit
here, the viewing platform had been packed,
but at this hour it’s empty — of humans, at
least — and under Ed’s commentary, the
wash of birdsong becomes an orchestra of
identifiable parts: chiffchaff, firecrest, coal
tit, nuthatch. And then something different.
“Hear that?” he says, his eyes lighting up
with excitement. “Peregrine.”
Within minutes his telescope is trained on
the bird, resting on a rockface. I see a flecked
breast, a black hood, pointed wingtips. The
peregrine falcon is the world’s fastest bird,
able to spot prey from a mile away — pity any
wood pigeon in the wrong place at the wrong
time. I watch the raptor while it scans the
view as a citrus sun swells over the hills. On
a morning like this it’s hard not to wish for
wings of your own to unfurl.
Visitors have been wowed by the
panorama here for hundreds of years. The
Wye Valley bills itself as the birthplace of
British tourism, or the original staycation
spot (as they definitely wouldn’t have said
in the Georgian era). From 1770 until at
least 1830, the so-called Wye Tour attracted
poets, artists and regular carriage-loads of
other sightseeing ladies and gents. Turner
came. Lady Hamilton and Lord Nelson, too.
Wordsworth visited twice. For the leisured
classes, a trip here was the must-do travel
experience of its day, a domestic alternative
to the European Grand Tour at a time when
the Napoleonic Wars had made continental
journeys all but impossible. I can’t help but
feel a little pandemic-era symmetry.
The Wye Tour centred not just on a river,
but on a book. Reverend William Gilpin’s
Observations on the River Wye, which gave
a first-person account of the author’s
two-day boat trip between Ross-on-Wye
and Chepstow in 1770, is considered the
first tour guide to be published in Britain.
It’s fair to say it caused a splash. Gilpin,
who lived in South London, was an artist,
cleric and schoolmaster, and his guidebook
championed the then-radical idea of finding
artistic beauty in the outdoors. Initially only
circulated among his London acquaintances
(this being an era when sharing your travel
journals with friends was the done thing:
a kind of old-time blogging), the book was
eventually published widely. Stride forward
a few decades and an entire industry had
September 2021 99
WYE VALLEY
sprung up around replicating Gilpin’s trip,
with some 20 rival guidebooks now in print.
So, why the Wye? The simple reason is
that the winding stretch of river between
Ross-on-Wye and Chepstow — a distance
of 38 miles by water, though only 19 miles
as the peregrine flies — is shudderingly
handsome, and not just at sunrise. The Wye
rises in the Cambrian Mountains in Wales
and flows down to Chepstow and the Severn
Estuary, twisting, turning and crisscrossing
the England-Wales border at will. By the time
it reaches Ross-on-Wye, the waterway is a
wide, chuckling thing, passing crumbling
castles, wild green escarpments and the
kind of pastoral, sheep-chewed scenery that
belongs to a slower time. Symonds Yat is
today the route’s most celebrated viewpoint,
but it’s one of many that conform to the
notion of nature as something to marvel at.
“Gilpin promoted the idea of the
picturesque. It was a new way of looking at
the landscape,” says Anne Rainsbury, the
curator at Chepstow Museum, based in a
grand, 18th-century townhouse befitting the
grandeur of this historic port town. Anne
is showing me round a permanent display
room dedicated to the Wye Tour. “It wasn’t
long before this that people on the European
Grand Tour would pull the blinds down in
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their carriage as they were crossing the Alps.
Mountains were seen as unnatural.”
The display room is dominated by a replica
of one of the smart canopied boats that
carried tourists down the Wye, stopping
off at key points of interest, historical and
scenic. “Three guineas, which was a lot of
money at the time, would get you hire of a
boat, two oarsmen and a steersman, who
doubled as a guide,” explains Anne. “Gilpin’s
book became a kind of bible. People wanted
to experience it themselves.”
Some 250 years after Gilpin’s landmark
trip, what joys does the region hold for
today’s visitors? This portion of the Wye
Valley doesn’t draw the kind of attention that
falls onto other UK destinations — and sadly
you’ll find no more oarsmen or steersmen
— but there’s plenty here to make a noise
about. And not just the dawn chorus.
DYKE TO DEVIL’S PULPIT
‘If you’ve never navigated the Wye,’
wrote Gilpin, ‘you’ve seen nothing.’ It’s
a dazzlingly warm midweek afternoon
and I’m travelling along the river in a
more modest form of watercraft than the
early tourists used: a lightweight canoe.
The scene in front of me is ageless. Oaks,
beeches and alders throng the banks in a
WYE VALLEY
IF YOU’VE NEVER
NAVIGATED THE
WYE,’ WROTE
GILPIN, ‘YOU’VE
SEEN NOTHING’
FROM LEFT: Rosson-Wye seen from
across the River Wye;
a waymarker in the
countryside outside
Ross-on-Wye, crossed
by trails including the
John Kyrle circular walk,
the Wye Valley Walk and
the Herefordshire Trail;
Stuart Wyley of Wye
Canoes on the River Wye
chaos of different greens; a salmon leaps, a heron stands
in the dappled shallows. Looking up and down the river,
nothing else is astir. When I trail my hand in the water,
it’s icy cold to the touch.
I’m making the eight-mile journey downstream from
Kerne Bridge to Symonds Yat with Stuart Wyley, owner
of Wye Adventures. The stretch we’re paddling is very
much the go-to spot for self-guided canoe hire — busy at
weekends, deliciously quiet on this spring day — and the
wide, woody-hilled surroundings make it simple to see
why. It’s also an activity conducive to easy conversation.
Stuart talks about otters (present, if rarely spotted), and
anglers (parts of the Wye are prime fishing territory), and
the benefits of homemade nettle soup. “I moved here to
escape the corporate world,” he smiles at one point, as we
follow the looping meanders of the river. “Working here
in the valley is a way of not having a real job.”
It takes four unhurried, smartphone-free hours for us
to paddle the route, in which time we pass a few swans, a
herd of butterscotch-coloured cows and a group of daytripping canoeists who have decided to stop paddling
and are simply allowing the current to carry them south.
To be fair to them, if there’s anywhere that promotes the
idea that life is best unrushed, it’s the Wye Valley on a
hot day. By the time we haul the canoe from the river,
it’s early evening and Stuart’s words are like gospel: the
nine-to-five feels like another world altogether.
I’m staying a short distance north of Kerne Bridge
in Ross-on-Wye, one of the three historical towns that
served as overnight calls on the old Wye Tour route.
September 2021 101
WYE VALLEY
The tourists of yesteryear traditionally began their trips
with a stay here before sailing south past Symonds Yat
to spend the night in Monmouth — then and now, a fine
little Welsh county town — and finishing their travels the
next evening in Chepstow, where Britain’s oldest stone
castle still hogs the skyline. And the sections in between?
Save for the occasional hamlet, stately home and age-old
ruin, today you’ll find just rambling countryside and a
river that shimmers in the sun like cut crystal.
The towns themselves retain plenty of period charm.
Ross-on-Wye still has a 370-year-old market arcade, a
clifftop public garden and at least two hotels that hosted
Wye Tour visitors: The Royal once welcomed Charles
Dickens and gives a deep view out across the borderlands,
while The King’s Head, where I’m staying, is all twisty
staircases and oak-beamed dining rooms. The lady in a
high-necked blouse who reputedly haunts the inn doesn’t
cross my path — not visibly, at any rate — although if she
has any sense, she’ll be enjoying the outdoors.
If you’re not in a canoe or kayak, or taking one of the
40-minute pleasure cruises that depart from below
Symonds Yat several times a day, the best way to explore
the valley is on foot. Short walks can be found almost
wherever you go, but there are also two key long-distance
paths that snake alongside the river. One is the Wye
Valley Walk, which begins right back at the source. The
other, and the one I’m sampling, is the Offa’s Dyke Path
National Trail, a long-distance hiking route that traces
the valley for its southernmost 17 miles.
“There’s a lot of speculation around King Offa,
since we have no written information from the time,”
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WE HIKE PAST ANCIENT YEWS,
BEDS OF WILD GARLIC AND
CENTURIES-OLD BADGER SETTS
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
The view of Tintern
Abbey from the Devil’s
Pulpit; St Mary’s Church
spire looms over the town
of Ross-on-Wye; boots
planted with flowers at
The Filling Station Cafe
in Tintern, which is run by
cycling enthusiasts
WYE VALLEY
says trail officer Rob Dingle as we climb
through the squirrelly beechwoods above the
river. With the canopy closing in overhead,
we hike past ancient yews, beds of wild garlic
and centuries-old badger setts. Then Rob
stops. “This is part of the dyke right here,” he
says, pointing in front of us to an innocuous
bank of earth around 18ft high, overgrown
with trunks and holly.
Constructed some 1,200 years ago on the
orders of the enigmatic Offa of Mercia, the
dyke loosely follows the England-Wales
border, making it Northern Europe’s longest
ancient monument. The theory is that the
earthwork was designed to protect Offa’s
kingdom from attacks from the west. The
National Trail, which clings where it can to
the dyke’s course, border-hopping numerous
times, celebrates its 50th anniversary this
year with a campaign to begin much-needed
safeguarding and repair. Running for 177
miles from the Irish Sea to the Severn
Estuary, it aims to give people a taste of
local landscape, culture and history — as
evidenced here in the Wye Valley.
The trail route cuts right through the
heart of Monmouth, for example, crossing
its medieval gated bridge and passing the
now-ramshackle castle where King Henry
V was born, although up here in the woods
the path is all about being somewhere that’s
pleasing on the eye. In the days of the Wye
Tour, dedicated panoramic viewpoints were
set up along the length of the valley — some
of them requiring a serious slog to reach,
presumably doubly so in tight Georgian
breeches. Rob leads me to one of the choicest
spots. “This,” he says, as the tree cover clears
to reveal the yawning green of the valley
spread before us, “is the Devil’s Pulpit.”
I clamber onto a large rock wedged into
the hillside. The sight it reveals is special.
More than 800ft below, on a sweeping bend
in the river, stands what was the Wye Tour’s
most popular set-piece attraction: the
roofless relic of Tintern Abbey. Legend has
it that from where I’m standing, Satan used
to holler down and try to tempt the monks
from their holy ways. I don’t know whether
he succeeded, but you can’t fault his choice
of location. I suspect it was just an excuse for
him to take in the view.
September 2021 103
WYE VALLEY
Tintern Abbey from above
BELOW FROM LEFT: Tintern
Abbey, which was founded in
1131; Cornish plaice cooked
in jack-by-the-hedge butter,
violet artichoke, brown
shrimp and hop shoots at
The Whitebrook restaurant
WYE VALLEY
ESSENTIALS
Hereford
ENGLAND
Off
D
a’s
yk
eP
Ross-on-Wye
at
h
Na
ye
na
lT
rail
Monmouth
Kerne Bridge
Symonds Yat
W
tio
WA L E S
TINTERN ABBEY
W
ye
Riv
Chepstow
er
WHITESTONE WOODS
5 miles
Getting there & around
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
SACRED SECLUSION
Up close, the abbey is a sandstone colossus.
For visitors on the Wye Tour, the sight
of the abandoned gothic church, with its
soaring arches and traceried windows, was a
celebrated one. The building dates from the
second half of the 13th century and has now
spent longer as a ruin (blame the Tudors)
than as a place of prayer. In its pomp, around
60 monks and some 150 lay brothers made
it a busy place, and the remains of their
cloisters, kitchens and infi rmary can still
be explored.
The site was chosen for its seclusion. Gilpin
himself described it as ‘occupying a great
eminence in the middle of a circular valley,
beautifully screened on all sides by woody
hills, through which the river winds its
course. A more pleasing retreat could not be
found.’ Well, quite. The years have taken their
toll on the church, however, and incidents of
falling masonry mean it’s now undergoing
serious conservation work. On my visit, the
resulting lack of footfall along the nave has
left the grass inside overrun by a riotous
confetti of daisies. Here, the message seems
to be, that nature can’t be bossed around.
It’s very easy to romanticise what Gilpinera tourists would have made of their trips to
the Wye Valley, but of course it wasn’t always
a pleasant experience. “In those days, travel
really wasn’t something you’d undertake
lightly,” Anne Rainsbury at Chepstow
Museum had told me. “Journals from the
time moaned about surly landlords, boulders
on the road and poor food.”
The last point is a pertinent one (I’m
shown an old hotel tariff offering the less
than appetising ‘Chop, potatoes and cheese’),
so I’m making the most of being here in 2021
by wrapping up my trip with lunch at The
Whitebrook. Hidden away down a narrow
single-track lane near Tintern Abbey, and
half-hidden by vegetation, this Michelinstarred restaurant isn’t so much based in the
region as forming a living, breathing part of
it. The produce is organic, often foraged and,
where possible, sourced from within three
miles of the kitchen.
It’s one of those meals where you fi nd
yourself savouring each forkful. The menu
uses unusual local ingredients like maritime
pine, butter made with jack-by-the-hedge
(wild garlic mustard) and Tintern mead
sauce — mysterious on the menu, delicious
on the plate. They elevate the more familiar
likes of asparagus and plaice into dishes
that feel gloriously simple and wildly
complex at the same time. There’s even a
Monmouthshire Chardonnay, which turns
out to be just the thing to cue up a threepart dessert featuring the likes of dandelion
honey, Wye Valley rhubarb and oak-andjuniper fudge. The Georgians can keep their
mutton and spuds.
On his second visit to the valley, in
July 1798, the Wye’s biggest Georgian fan,
William Wordsworth headed into the hills
and penned his famous poem ‘Lines Written
A Few Miles Above Tintern Abbey’. In it, he
revels in returning to the region (‘Once again
do I behold these steep and loft y cliffs … O
sylvan Wye! thou wanderer thro’ the woods,
How often has my spirit turned to thee!’),
and ponders the power that the scenery has
held over him even in his absence.
I make my own way to the spot where
he’s believed to have written the poem,
the Whitestone Woods high on the west
escarpment of the valley. A bench has been
set up beneath some sycamores, looking
out over the countryside. The river furls out
in the distance, lazy in the heat, flowing
down to Chepstow. I’m alone up here
— but not for long. While I’m sitting, a
heft y buzzard materialises from the void
below and comes to rest on a branch no
more than 50ft away. It stares out at the
land for a few seconds, shift s its weight,
then disappears back into the valley. For
the second time in as many days, I fi nd
myself wishing I had wings.
Chepstow railway station has direct
services from South Wales and the
Midlands, connecting to London, the
West Country and onwards. Ross-onWye and Monmouth are both close to
the A40.
In the valley itself, bus 34 runs
between Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth
(also stopping near Symonds Yat), while
bus 69 runs between Monmouth,
Tintern and Chepstow.
When to go
With warmer temperatures, spring
through to early autumn is the best time
to enjoy the area’s natural attractions.
Places mentioned
Ed Drewitt Dawn Chorus Walks.
eddrewitt.co.uk
Chepstow Museum. monlife.co.uk/
heritage/chepstow-museum
Wye Adventures. wyeadventures.com
Offa’s Dyke Path National Trail.
nationaltrail.co.uk/offas-dyke-path
Tintern Abbey. cadw.gov.wales/visit/
places-to-visit/tintern-abbey
Where to stay
The King’s Head, Ross-on-Wye. Doubles
from £85, B&B. kingshead.co.uk
Tintern Abbey Cottage, Tintern.
Three-night stays from £440.
monmouthshirecottages.co.uk
Where to eat
The Whitebrook, near Tintern.
thewhitebrook.co.uk
The Saracens Head Inn, Symonds Yat.
saracensheadinn.co.uk
More info
Visit the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley.
visitdeanwye.co.uk
Observations on the River Wye, by
William Gilpin (Pallas Athene, £14.99)
How to do it
WYE ADVENTURES offers two-person
canoes, to paddle from Kerne Bridge to
Symonds Yat, from £55. The Whitebrook
has set lunch menus from £47.
wyeadventures.com
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P A I D C O N T E N T F O R K E N YA T O U R I S M B O A R D
KENYA
Meeting the Maasai
Perhaps Kenya’s best-known tribe, the Maasai traditionally live in and around
the country’s game parks and are renowned for their red robes, nomadic
lifestyle and deep respect for nature. We talk to Rose and Sabore, two prominent
members of the community who offer an insight into what it means to be Maasai
WORDS FROM A WARRIOR
Sabore Oyie
We have about 45 tribes in Kenya now,
and I’m one of the Maasai. I grew up in
the jungle, in the Maasai Mara reserve, and
from a very young age I learnt how to live in
harmony with nature.
In our culture, we don’t have anything
that’s written. Everything is passed on
verbally, and you learn from the whole
village: from your peers, your brothers,
your friends and your neighbours, as well
as your parents.
We can tell the difference between a lion,
a hyena and a leopard footprint. If we find
elephant poop, we can tell how many hours
old it is, and we always know which way the
wind is blowing, in case we need to run away
from wild animals. These are the things you
learn as a young Maasai.
When I was young, we used to go out at
night to hunt wild hares and train to be
strong. We’d also hunt birds to turn into
headdresses for ceremonies. Traditionally,
when you become a warrior, you kill a lion, but
because of conservation we no longer do this.
As a Maasai, nature is us, and we are
nature. We depend on the trees, from its roots
to its fruits, and we use natural herbs to treat
illnesses. My parents only trust medicine
Maasai warriors carry spears and
shorts swords, and are in charge of
protecting the community
RIGHT: Beadwork is a sign of
beauty, strength and social status
from the forest. Younger generations are
turning more towards modern doctors, but I
don’t see why the two can’t go hand in hand.
I always tell people that you can hold
a pen in one hand and still hold a spear
in the other; you can practice and protect
your culture, and embrace education and
modernisation at the same time.
I’ve travelled all over the world, but I
always return to the village I grew up in.
For me, that will always be home.
|
P A I D C O N T E N T F O R K E N YA T O U R I S M B O A R D
THREE MORE
MAASAI
CRAFTS
KIONDO (WOVEN
BASKETS)
Basket weaving begins
IN CONVERSATION WITH A BEADWORKER
Rose Sairowua
in the field, where the
sisal plant is harvested.
Its fibres are extracted
IMAGES: GETTY
A
s a child, Rose Sairowua spent
hours tinkering with glass beads,
looping them onto wire before
slipping the bangles onto her
arm, following the direction of her mother,
who taught her the generations-old tradition.
“Beadmaking is a huge part of our culture
and my background as a Maasai,” says Rose,
“It’s a skill that I hope will never die out.”
In recent years, there’s been a shift in the
story for Maasai beadmakers. Rose is one of
a collective of Maasai women who now work
with the non-profit social enterprise The
Maa Trust, selling their pieces to travellers
passing through the Mara’s camps.
What was once a skill mastered in
childhood to create intricate accessories for
members of the family is gradually evolving
into a flourishing enterprise, empowering
Maasai women and handing them a
sustainable income while still maintaining
their artisanal traditions.
Rose’s work could involve stringing beads
onto wires or smoothing pieces of leather
for chokers and thick bracelets. “We do
everything by hand; it’s a real skill,” she says.
Buy any of The Maa Trust’s beautifully
colourful pieces, and you’re helping to keep
an age-old practice alive, while bringing
opportunities and financial freedom to the
women involved in the enterprise.
Sales have, predictably, taken a hit
with the ongoing pandemic but The
Maa Trust has now launched an online
shop to help tide them over until safari
camps again buzz with the chatter of
international visitors. There are dainty
necklaces crafted from turquoise stone,
brass beads fastened with elephant
clasps; traditional tassel earrings; and
monochrome stacking bangles. Even bolder
are the embellished necklaces that cover
your décolletage in beaded glory.
“We want to make women feel good about
themselves,” Rose says, “I feel bare without
my statement necklaces. Traditionally, we
Maasai wear beads every day, as an indicator
of power, age or marital status.”
What does Rose consider good beadwork?
“It usually comes down to the design — how
complex it is, the colours used, and whether
they’ve chosen the best leather,” she says.
“This is a skill learnt over many years. Not just
anyone can pick up some beads and create our
designs. It’s easy to spot a novice.”
“What do I love most about being a
member of the Maasai? We’re a proud group;
how can we not be when we have such an
enduring culture? We’ve worked hard to
keep our traditions alive and will continue
to pass them onto the next generations.”
and crushed before
being dried and dyed
with natural colourants.
Eventually, the weaving
process begins,
transforming the fibres
into colourful baskets,
ideal for storage or plant
pot coverings.
WOOD CARVINGS
Wood carvings are
also widely available
everywhere from markets
in the centre of Nairobi to
roadside stalls. It’s a skill
that’s earned the Maasai
a worldwide reputation.
They typically take pieces
of olive wood and shape
them into faces, animals
and masks.
SHUKA (BLANKETS)
The Maa Trust has its HQ in the Maasai Mara,
You’ll likely recognise
where you can meet the Maasai ladies behind the
the distinctive cotton
beads and browse their jewellery. themaatrust.org
blankets worn by the
Maasai, with their red
hues and colourful stripes.
Designed to wrap around
the body and protect the
skin from the elements
and terrain, the blankets
are now taking the fashion
world by storm.
R E A D MO R E AT
M AG I C A L K EN YA .C OM
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COLOMBIA
In the lush central hills of Colombia lies the Zona Cafetera — or the
‘coffee axis’ — where the majority of the country’s world-renowned coffee
beans are grown. Since it was introduced to the region in the early 18th
century, coffee has become more than a mere crop or commodity in this
corner of the Andes — it’s the lifeblood of communities, especially in the
departments of Caldas, Risaralda, Quindío and Tolima, where whitewashed,
working fincas dot the landscape and generations of farmers harvest
the bitter gold from a landscape of endless green
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS
KAROLINA WIERCIGROCH
September 2021 109
COLOMBIA
Fertile volcanic soil and a subtropical highland climate make this part of the country perfect
for growing arabica coffee. The farms are a hive of activity, especially during the two main
harvesting periods, between April and May and from October until December. Many
plantations welcome visitors, who come to learn about the growing process. At the Hacienda
Venecia, a large plantation near the city of Manizales, Harold offers tours of the estate. A
grandson of coffee growers, farming is in his blood and he’s passionate about the business.
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COLOMBIA
September 2021 111
COLOMBIA
Nando picks coffee beans at Finca El Poema, a small coffee farm near the town of Palestina. He’s in
charge of the farm in the absence of the owner and, along with his wife, also takes care of any visitors. In
the morning, travellers are served a typical farmer’s breakfast of corn arepas (patties), rice and eggs.
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COLOMBIA
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COLOMBIA
Set among lush green hills, the
picturesque town of Filandia is
full of characterful cafes,
restaurants and quirky shops. At
Helena Adentro, a bar strung
with garlands and hanging
baskets, the menu celebrates
Colombia’s varied culinary
traditions and highlights the
area’s produce. Snacks include
croquetas with cassava; arepas
with sour cream and hoago (a
rich tomato sauce); or roasted
Salento trout with coconut rice
and shavings of fried plantain,
and there’s an excellent
selection of coffee and cocktails.
September 2021 115
COLOMBIA
For years, coffee culture among Colombians was virtually nonexistent — the growth of tourism in the
Zona Cafetera brought with it a caffeine revolution. Now, it’s much easier to enjoy a good brew, with
numerous cafes in the Zona’s towns and cities serving locally grown and roasted coffee.
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P A I D C O N T E N T F O R S WA R O V S K I O P T I K
Five places to spot
UK wildlife
Wildlife journalist Simon Barnes shares some great wildlife-watching experiences to have on British shores
T
here’s
wildlife
everywhere,
but it’s only if you know where
to look that you’re likely to
see the sort of animals that
makes you gaze open-mouthed. Read
on for five spots that will increase your
chances of seeing true British wildlife.
1
GANNETS IN THE FIRTH OF FROTH
At first sight, the steep, black sides
of Bass Rock might seem to be covered in
snow; look closer, and you’ll make out the
silhouette of countless white birds. More
than 150,000 northern gannets pitch camp
on this volcanic island during the warmer
months — the world’s largest colony of
Britain’s largest seabird — although you’ll
be able to spot them throughout most of the
year. These Arctic birds can dive into the
sea from astonishing heights; to learn about
them, head to the Scottish Seabird Centre
in North Berwick or join a boat trip to the
island to glimpse them up close.
2
IMAGES: SWAROVSKI OPTIK; GETTY
OSPREYS AT RUTLAND WATER
Ospreys became extinct in England in
the 19th century before making a comeback
to Scotland in the 1950s and later being
reintroduced to Rutland Water Nature
Reserve, where they’ve thrived (since 2001,
when the first healthy chick hatched, over
150 of these birds of prey have fledged from
nests in the area). Visit the Lyndon Visitor
Centre, on the south shore of the reservoir
(open mid-March to early September). To
view the birds, head to one of the hides in
the meadows or join a guided wildlife cruise.
3
SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES IN
THE NORFOLK BOARDS
You may have thought insects were the
preserve of specialists, but swallowtails
can make entomologists of us all. The UK’s
largest and rarest butterfly — with yellowand-black wings pointed like a swallow’s tail
— is only found in the Norfolk Broads. To see
it, visit Strumpshaw Fen or Hickling Broad
in the early morning on a sunny, still day
from late May to mid-July, when the adult
butterflies emerge, keeping binoculars at
hand (swallowtails are fast-flying creatures,
and rarely sit still). A few tips: before you
visit, learn how to identify milk parsley, the
host plant where the females lay their eggs,
and keep an eye out for yellow and purple
flowers: their food of choice.
4
DOLPHINS IN NEW QUAY
Cardigan Bay is home to Britain’s
largest population of dolphins, and in the
Welsh town of New Quay you’re almost
guaranteed a sighting. Go in the summer,
when you can sometimes spot them from the
harbour wall. Otherwise, the charter boat
trips out into Cardigan Bay will increase
your chances of seeing them break the
surface, and spotting other marine species,
including harbour porpoises, Atlantic grey
seals, razorbills and guillemots.
5
EAGLES IN THE ISLE OF MULL
Mull is home to fantastic birds of
prey, with the eagles arguably the most
impressive. White-tailed and golden eagles
— both of which had become extinct across
the UK by the early 20th century — are now
thriving in this Highland habitat. They’re
easy enough to see, on boat trips and at
observation points.
Swarovski Optik manufactures long-range optical
instruments of the highest precision.The new NL Pure
32 premium-class binoculars (part of the NL family
range) combine a wide field of view with a compact
mechanism, helping everyone appreciate nature.
R E A D MO R E O N L I N E AT
S WA ROVS K I O P T I K .C OM
CIT Y LIFE
NEW
ORLEANS
Slick new drinking dens, booze festivals and a
mixology museum are stepping things up in America’s
cocktail capital. WORDS: Jonathan Thomson
PHOTOGRAPHS: Susanne Kremer & James Breeden
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119
NEW ORLEANS
O
ver the years, plenty of plaintiffs
have toasted victories on the steps
of the Louisiana Supreme Court, but
few like this.
“Congratulations, you made it!” says
Elizabeth Pearce, our tour guide, as we stand
in a slightly sloshed semicircle near the
entrance. “If you look across the street, you’ll
see the exact spot where apothecary Antoine
Peychaud first mixed his famous bitters,
and the sazerac cocktail began. Now grab
the green container in your bag, and let’s all
drink a sazerac in his honour.”
This is our third delicious, cooling
cocktail on a sweltering summer afternoon
in New Orleans, as we wind towards the
denouement of The Cocktail Tour, which
zigzags through the city’s hectic French
Quarter. Over the past couple of hours, we’ve
explored the historic, labyrinthine lanes
at the heart of this city, with their squeeze
of Creole townhouses, hidden courtyards
and cast-iron balconies with intricate,
filigree detailing — walking with increasing
confidence as we slip each pre-prepared
drink from our ingenious, tool belt-style
cocktail carriers. To be frank, we look like
a bevy of boozy builders — all we need is a
few screwdrivers to complete the look — but
nobody seems to mind in the slightest. After
all, this is the Big Easy, famously America’s
most laid-back city.
But New Orleans isn’t just renowned for its
relaxed attitude; it’s also the spiritual home
of the cocktail, a fact that Elizabeth — a
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drinks historian and author, as well as the
owner of the Drink & Learn tour company
— is at pains to point out between her
captivating tales of rum and rebellion.
“We’ve been a celebrated destination for
drinking, partying and generally having
a good time since the early 18th century,”
she says, as we drain our sazeracs and sway
down the court steps together. “The French
ruled Louisiana back then, and they had a
certain laissez-faire attitude to the rules
here in New Orleans, which created a psyche
that’s still alive and well today. We’re a port
city too, of course, which means all kinds
of different influences — and all kinds of
different spirits — were arriving from all
over the world, all of the time. Particularly
every type and taste of rum, from places
like Jamaica, the Bahamas and Barbados.
People used to joke that New Orleans was the
Caribbean’s northernmost city.”
Throw in the invention of the first icemaking machine right here in Louisiana’s
biggest city, plus the presence of innovators
like Peychaud — ready to mix ‘restorative’
herbal bitters with booze to help the
medicine go down — and you have the
perfect environment for the birth of one of
the world’s finest cocktail scenes.
Now that legacy has a new focal point
— a magnificent new temple to the art of
cocktail-making, located on the edge of the
French Quarter: Sazerac House.
A palatial, three-story edifice, the grand,
airy museum, on the corner of Canal and
Mardi Gras // New
Orleans hosts the
biggest Mardi Gras
celebrations in the
US, with parties and
parades lasting for
two weeks before the
grand bead-spangled
finale on Shrove
Tuesday, centred on
the French Quarter
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Streetcar
on Canal Street, a Downtown
thoroughfare; Bourbon Street, the
raucous heart of the French Quarter;
Kiah Darion, general manager of Bar
Marilou, serves a la luz cocktail through
a hatch in the wall of the ‘speakeasy’
room; neon sign on Bourbon Street
advertising po’ boy sandwiches
PREVIOUS PAGES: Early evening revelry
on Bourbon Street
NEW ORLEANS
September 2021
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NEW ORLEANS
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NEW ORLEANS
Magazine Streets, contains all manner of
interactive exhibits exploring the beloved
rye whiskey sazerac itself — which became
the official cocktail of New Orleans by
state decree in 2008 — as well as the city’s
revered bar culture. Lifesize, hologrammatic
bartenders help you to select cocktails, while
interactive displays allow you to delve deeper
— sampling flavours and smells to create
your perfect blend. Meanwhile, there are
demonstrations to observe — and tastings to
enjoy — on every floor, a working distillery
to explore and a reconstructed apothecary
to visit, actively blending and using
Peychaud’s famous bitters (still seemingly
the foundation of half the cocktails in this
city) using his original secret recipe from
the 1830s.
The museum is a game-changing addition
to New Orleans, and a major milestone in
an ongoing resurgence of cocktail culture
here, in the aftermath of 2005’s devastating
Hurricane Katrina.
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
If you ask those in the know which
establishment was the trailblazer for the
city’s current cocktail renaissance, the
majority will point you towards a renovated
former fire station in Uptown, about a
15-minute drive south west of the boisterous
French Quarter. Here, in the eight-block
neighbourhood of Freret, you’ll find what
many consider another bona fide sanctuary
of mixology: Cure.
The man behind this extraordinary
(and multi-award-winning), cavernous bar
— vaulted of ceiling and vaunted of
reputation — is local entrepreneur and
lifelong New Orleanian, Neal Bodenheimer.
“There’s an entire category of cocktails
that originated right here in New Orleans,
including the sazerac, the gin fizz, the la
louisiane, the grasshopper and the hurricane
— and that gives us a completely unique status
among American cities,” says Neal. “We’ve
always had this deep-rooted appreciation of
spirits, fortified wines and cocktails, and after
Katrina, that all came back with a vengeance.
Cocktail culture became an integral part
of the city’s attempt to rediscover its own
identity, and that makes a lot of sense, because
cocktails unite us in a very real way. They’re
a simple luxury we can gift to ourselves and
to each other, in good times and in bad. And
that’s a belief we built Cure upon.”
Cure proved an effective shot in the arm
for Freret, which was desolate and down on
its uppers a decade ago but is now a bustling
corridor boasting 15 booming bars and
restaurants that attracts a stylish evening
crowd of well-heeled young professionals.
Then Neal went a step further, founding an
international festival, Tales of the Cocktail.
Held each July at bars, hotels and event
venues, and serving also as the world’s largest
cocktail conference, it attracts thousands
of leading mixologists and industry figures,
further cementing the city’s status as the
world’s cocktail capital.
Easy does it //
New Orleans has no
shortage of nicknames,
but stories abound as
to how it earned its
best-known moniker,
‘The Big Easy’. One
theory is that it came
from The Big Easy,
a former music hall,
and soon began to be
used to refer to the city
as a whole, thanks to
its ‘gentle pace of life
and lax morals’, as
one newspaper put it
in 1887
LEFT: Coffee shop Café du Monde first
opened in 1862
ABOVE: Café du Monde’s beignets are
famous city-wide and are best served
with a café au lait
September 2021
123
NEW ORLEANS
“In many ways, we’re the bearers of the
torch now,” says Neal. “This is a festival
that’s grown out of the new craft cocktail
movement in New Orleans, but we now
have 96 countries involved and counting,
so it’s become way, way bigger than we ever
dreamed. Before the pandemic, the event was
bringing 15,000 visitors into the city every
year. And we hope that we’re going to pick up
exactly where we left off post-Covid.”
It’s not just Tales of the Cocktail that’s
successfully muddled mixology and
tourism, either. Plenty of other festivals
have emerged in its wake, including a winter
counterpart, Tales of the Toddy, and Love in
The Garden, held in the stately grounds of
the New Orleans Museum of Art. The hotel
industry is getting in on the act too, with a
raft of stylish new boutique hotels popping
up across town, complete with their own
craft cocktail bars. These include the
decadent Bar Marilou, at Maison de La Luz,
in the Warehouse District; the eclectic,
tiki-inspired The Elysian Bar, at Hotel Peter
and Paul, in the Marigny (set in a converted
church complex); and the newest of them
all, the creation of adored hipster hotelier
Liz Lambert — the breezy, effortlessly cool
Paradise Lounge, at the Hotel Saint Vincent,
in the Lower Garden District.
All of these disparate, colourful
neighbourhoods are laced together by a
single steel ribbon — the Mississippi River
— which winds and weaves itself through
New Orleans. It’s near the gleaming banks
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of the Ol’ Man River, where the water gently
kisses the French Quarter by Jackson Square,
that Elizabeth’s cocktail tour finally ends.
“The Mississippi informs this whole city, as
does death,” she states dramatically, as we sip
our fourth cocktail — a spicy rum hurricane
— in the swollen heat of early evening. “This
entire town was hacked out of a snakeinfested swamp, and that breeds a certain
macabre mentality; if you could drop dead at
any moment, why not have another drink?”
Elizabeth’s logic makes sense, particularly
in a city obsessed with voodoo and
otherworldliness, where the bayou landscape
means the cemeteries must all be built above
ground, becoming grisly yet exquisite tourist
spots in their own right. Not to mention the
fact that one of New Orleans’ most popular
attractions is the Museum of Death, set on the
French Quarter’s celebrated Dauphine Street.
Laissez les bons temps rouler (‘let the
good times roll’) is New Orleans’ unofficial
slogan, and that decadent, to-hell-withit attitude jumbles together many of the
city’s obsessions, including its rampant
rediscovery of cocktail culture.
There’s an old Creole proverb you’ll often
hear in these parts too: ‘Tell me whom you
love and I’ll tell you who you are’. The people
here (in a city most Americans consider to be
a national treasure) truly love their cocktails,
and that’s because they’re from the new
New Orleans; the light-hearted, fun-loving
post-Katrina city that can’t wait to get the
post-Covid party started.
INSIDER TIPS
The locals love their sugar-dusted
beignets (square doughnuts).
Head to Café du Monde, on
Decatur Street, for the perfect
example — ideally served with
chicory coffee — to start your
morning with. cafedumonde.com
Leave at least two to three hours
for The National WWII Museum.
It’s particularly strong on the
D-Day landings and the final push
to Berlin. nationalww2museum.org
Few drinking establishments in
the French Quarter open early,
but Erin Rose, a cosy Irish bar on
Conti Street, serves its famous
bloody mary and moreish frozen
Irish coffee from 10am, whether
you’re recovering from the night
before or starting early on the
night ahead. erinrosebar.com
New Orleans is famed for its po’
boy sandwiches; an alternative
Creole lunch is a hot muffuletta,
a cross between a multilayered
sandwich and a pizza slice.
Enjoy one in all of its delicious,
gooey glory at the Napoleon
House in the French Quarter.
napoleonhouse.com
NEW ORLEANS
FROM LEFT: Saint Louis Cathedral
in Jackson Square, French Quarter;
Dominican musician Fermín Ceballos
performs at the rooftop bar of the Ace
Hotel New Orleans
Q&A with Chris
Hannah, Jewel Of
The South Bar
WHEN DID NEW ORLEANS’
Top 8
COCKTAIL RESURGENCE BEGIN?
COCKTAIL BARS
CURE
CAROUSEL BAR & LOUNGE
BEST FOR: TOP-DRAWER DRINKS
BEST FOR: SPINNING TALES
Housed in a magnificent Edwardian former
fi re station, Cure opened its doors in 2009,
reigniting the Freret neighbourhood and
sparking New Orleans’ current cocktail
renaissance. Still considered one of the fi nest
mixology spots in town, the cocktail menu
here seeks to reinvent the classics while
rebooting long-forgotten gems. The elite
‘reserve cocktails’ (referred to informally
as ‘baller cocktails’) are a particular treat,
particularly the 1980s martini, made with
genuine vintage Plymouth Gin from this
decade. curenola.com
Part drinking establishment, part
fairground ride, the Carousel Bar at
the Hotel Monteleone has been a New
Orleans staple since 1949. Its centrepiece
is a 25-seat, circular bar built into a grand,
gold-and-red merry-go-round, which takes
15 minutes to make a complete turn. Famed
for its Vieux Carré cocktail (rye whiskey,
Cognac, sweet vermouth, Benedictine and
bitters). The trick is to make each drink last a
full two turns — and to recognise when your
head starts spinning faster than the bar.
hotelmonteleone.com
JEWEL OF THE SOUTH
THE CHLOE
BEST FOR: RESURRECTED CLASSICS
BEST FOR: PORCH SUNDOWNERS
An elegant tavern tucked into an old
Creole cottage in a tranquil corner of the
French Quarter, Jewel of the South is a
treat just to sit in, never mind drink in.
The brainchild of co-owner Chris Hannah
— one of the doyens of the city’s cocktail
scene — its menu changes monthly, but
always contains the house special, brandy
crusta: a refreshing blend of Cognac and
citrus, garnished with lemon peel and a
sugared rim. jewelnola.com
Lying on an oak-lined avenue in the city’s
bucolic Garden District, boutique hotel The
Chloe opened in October 2020. At its heart
is an understated but outstanding cocktail
bar, where you should grab a delicious predinner drink (ask bar manager Matt Sorbet
to mix yours, but don’t let him hustle you
at dominoes), before moving to the rocking
chairs on the picture-perfect front porch. It’s
a great spot to toast a New Orleans sunset in
true Big Easy style. thechloenola.com
I’d say around 2005 or 2006,
after Hurricane Katrina, when
the Tales of the Cocktail
festival really took off. The best
bartenders from all over the
country would travel here for
that — and then they started
staying. When I first came to
New Orleans, I was floored by
the amazing amount of options
in terms of drinks here.
HOW ENTWINED ARE COCKTAILS
WITH LOCAL CULTURE?
Very. We’ve had more drinks
invented here than in any other
city in the country. This place has
an old soul, and many of these
cocktails have old souls too. It
all ties together beautifully with
the architecture, the jazz and
the unique sense of romance
and nostalgia here. Everything
sits together perfectly: the
backdrop, the soundtrack — and
the cocktails.
WHAT MAKES A GREAT COCKTAIL?
The balance of ingredients:
spirits that were thought about
before they were put together,
and carefully considered
proportions. Plus, a good
cocktail always needs to have a
good story to tell.
September 2021
125
NEW ORLEANS
ESSENTIALS
New Orleans
Museum of Art
U N I T E D S TAT E S
OF AMERICA
LOUISIANA
MARIGNY
FRENCH
QUARTER
Museum of Death
Sazerac House
WAREHOUSE
DISTRICT
FRERET
GARDEN
DISTRICT
ver
Ri
M i
s sissippi
NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans
1 mile
Getting there & around
FRENCH 75 BAR
PEYCHAUD’S
BEST FOR: OLD-WORLD CHARM
BEST FOR: OUTDOOR DRINKING
Oozing historical elegance, drinkers flock
to this refi ned establishment — part of
feted French restaurant Arnaud’s — for
its eponymous signature French 75
cocktail: a delicate blend of Cognac and
Champagne. The whole place, right down
to the bar staff in their immaculate,
white tuxedos, feels like throwback to a
sophisticated Parisian brasserie of the
1930s. Meanwhile, the bar is also home
to a little-known secret: upstairs is a
quirky museum of ornate Mardi Gras
gowns, collected over the past century.
arnaudsrestaurant.com
This sleek, stylish establishment — the
latest French Quarter cocktail bar — from
the team behind Cure is situated in the
former home of Antoine Peychaud, the
father of the sazerac. Just a few yards from
the bacchanalian bombardment of Bourbon
Street, its hidden, fountain-adorned
courtyard (part of the Maison de Ville hotel)
feels like a genuine oasis. The cocktails
— conceived by award-winning mixologist
Nick Jarrett — are of the understated
blockbuster variety. Perhaps start off with a
peychaud’s fi zz, a deliciously refreshing twist
on a Pimm’s cup. maisondeville.com
HOT TIN
THE SAZERAC RESTAURANT
BEST FOR: SHOWSTOPPING VIEWS
BEST FOR: SOLO DRINKERS
The Hot Tin rooftop bar boasts one
of the most astonishing skyline
views you’ll fi nd anywhere in New
Orleans. Situated atop the stylish
Pontchartrain Hotel in the Garden District,
it’s adorned with a wonderfully eclectic
selection of paintings, photographs and
objets d’art (apparently, the designers
drove here from Chicago with an empty
van, stopping at every thrift store they
passed on their 925-mile journey). Hot
Tin is indisputably a party bar (one of
its best sellers is a feisty tequila number
called chasing sunrise), but it also boasts
an impressive selection of delicious
mocktails. hottinbar.com
The list of distinguished names who’ve
enjoyed drinks at the bar of The Roosevelt
New Orleans’ The Sazerac Restaurant over
the decades — from Orson Welles and John
Wayne to Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley — is
borderline ridiculous. But this grand dame
of New Orleans’ cocktail-making remains a
remarkably relaxed establishment, dominated
by its long, curved, walnut counter. A
combination of affable, laid-back staff and
the fact that pretty much everyone sits at
the bar itself, makes this a superb spot for
drinking solo. The smart money, of course, is
on the sazerac itself or the silken ramos gin
fizz — shaken (and shaken and shaken) to
perfection. therooseveltneworleans.com
126
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When to go
February-May is the best time to visit
New Orleans — coinciding with many of
its biggest festivals (including Mardi
Gras) and before the heavy humidity of
summer. Alternatively, September and
November are excellent bets — you’ll
still get the heat but none of the
heaviness. Whenever you visit, always
pack an umbrella; only the foolhardy bet
against southern Louisiana showers.
Where to stay
Doubles at The Chloe from $247 (£178),
room only. thechloenola.com
Doubles at The Roosevelt New Orleans
from $155 (£112), room only.
therooseveltneworleans.com
More info
neworleans.com
drinkandlearn.com
talesofthecocktail.org
Wildsam Field Guides: New Orleans.
RRP: £14.49
How to do it
ABERCROMBIE & KENT offers a
seven-night trip to New Orleans from
£2,999 per person based on two people
sharing. Includes flights, transfer and
accommodation at the Four Seasons
Hotel New Orleans, B&B, plus guiding,
and is covered by Abercrombie &
Kent’s flexible booking policy.
abercrombiekent.co.uk
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
Head bartender Brooke Flaherty mixes a drink
at Erin Rose, an Irish bar in the French Quarter
British Airways is the only airline flying
direct between London and New
Orleans, with six flights a week during
peak season. ba.com
Average flight time: 9.5h.
It’s easy to cover the French Quarter on
foot, but if you’re planning to visit the
city’s other neighbourhoods, it’s wise to
use an Uber or Lyft account (especially
if you’re drinking cocktails).
Alternatively, anyone can ride the public
streetcar with an exact fare of $1.25
(90p) each way, or you can buy an
official Jazzy Pass, which allows
unlimited rides for one, three or five
days. These can be bought at local
convenience stores or via the New
Orleans Regional Transit Authority’s
app. norta.com/fares-passes
|
P A I D C O N T E N T F O R I T S I TA LY
THE NEW
Italian revival
Italy’s ancient villages are the cradle of local culture,
yet many have suffered from a dramatic depopulation.
Now, thanks to a wave of international residents, these
villages are being regenerated by several new initiatives
IMAGE: GETTY
GINOSA
PUGLIA
Perched on a rocky ledge above the instep
of Italy’s boot, the historic hill town of
Ginosa is a pebble-throw away from the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Matera
city and Ginosa Marina on the Ionian Sea.
The deep ravine that envelopes the town is
honeycombed with ancient cave dwellings
and rock churches, while the Greek influence
can be seen in the maze of narrow alleyways
and whitewashed buildings. Topped off by
a clock-tower, Piazza Orologio is Ginosa’s
beating heart — but delve into the town’s
back alleys to discover a laboratory of awardwinning tailors, which are reviving the
town’s craftsmanship and providing jobs for
the whole community.
MONTEDINOVE
LE MARCHE
Nestled between the Sibillini Mountains and
minutes from the Adriatic Sea, Montedinove
is encircled by sixth-century walls and
offers some of the most majestic panoramas
in the region. Duck through cobbled
streets and stone passageways to discover
a place pulsing with history — there’s a
convent, church and watchtower bearing
the hallmark of the Knights Templar. Now,
thanks to an enlightened administration
and community effort, Montedinove has
risen from the effects of the past earthquake
and reinvented itself as a quality lifestyle
destination, welcoming back families,
artists and gastronomes, both from Italy
and across the globe.
ABOVE: Petralia Sottana, Sicily
ITS ITALY
PE TR A LI A S OT TA N A
SICILY
Mount Etna is the undisputed queen of
eastern Sicily, but travel further west to
the Madonie Mountains to witness some
of the island’s most idyllic landscapes and
medieval villages. Enter Petralia Sottana, a
soft-stone town located some 3,409ft above
sea level, which charms year-round with its
cafe-lined Corso, fresco-adorned churches
and a plethora of outdoor pursuits — from
hiking among spring wildflowers to skiing at
Piano Battaglia in winter. Made up of snaking
alleyways and frenetically stacked houses
spilling photogenically down a wooded
hillside, the town is now regenerating most
of its properties to welcome a new influx of
international visitors attracted by its laidback pace and quality of life.
London-based ITS ITALY
hopes to turn the tide by
regenerating a number
of these authentic
villages, preserving
their historic properties
and reinvesting in
local businesses.
Having signed a
partnership with over
50 municipalities across
the country — from
Tuscany to Puglia, Sicily
to Sardinia — ITS ITALY
not only simplifies the
process of buying and
managing property,
but also offers concrete
opportunities to invest
and integrate with the
local communities and
their revitalisation. For
more information, simply
register online. itsfor.it
R E A D MO R E O N L I N E AT
IT S F O R . IT
|
PA I D C O N T E N T F O R T H E O M N I A
The Omnia
A taste of
the Alps
The Alpine surrounds of The Omnia hotel, set at the foot of the
Matterhorn, not only offers dramatic views, but head chef Hauke
Pohl finds it a constant source of inspiration for ingredients, too
T
he Swiss resort of Zermatt is best
known for its expansive hiking
and ski regions, encompassing
picturesque Alpine landscapes
that unfold in hundreds of miles of varied
pistes and walking paths. For executive
chef Hauke Pohl, the creative mind behind
The Omnia’s Michelin-starred restaurant,
Zermatt’s wild surrounds also provide him
with an abundant supply of sustainable
and seasonal ingredients. For Pohl, finding
unique and interesting flavours is about
more than simply using what nature has
provided; it’s an opportunity to elevate the
region’s cuisine and bring Alpine ingredients
to the fore, really letting them shine.
FIVE ALPINE INGREDIENTS
TO ELEVATE EVERY MENU
1
GREEN JUNIPER BERRIES
Juniper grows all over Zermatt. We pick
the young, green berries and although using
them dried is more common, when fresh,
they produce a pure green juniper paste,
which we use to season various dishes. It
goes well with mushrooms, apricot and
game, of course, but also regional fish like
Arctic char. The taste can be intense, so you
have to use it carefully. The flavour reminds
me of walking through the Swiss stone pine
forest. I know that sounds cheesy but we
normally pick it while hiking or after a good
climbing session, so the taste really triggers
those memories. This is the super local
taste that we try to capture on the plate at
The Omnia.
2
MOUNTAIN POTATOES FROM
THE ALBULA VALLEY
Back in 2017, I tried my first mountain potato
from the Albula Valley in Graubünden.
The texture and taste were just amazing
— everyone in our kitchen who tried it
got really excited. We put it on the menu
straight away, working some dishes around
it. The variety of potatoes is simply amazing:
|
PA I D C O N T E N T F O R T H E O M N I A
GO ONLINE
for a recipe using
Alpine ingredients.
nationalgeographic.
co.uk/travel
ROOM WITH
A VIEW
At 5,250ft above sea
level, The Omnia is the
gateway to Zermatt
and Switzerland’s
iconic Matterhorn,
whether basking in the
Alpine vistas through
the Ali Tayar-designed
lodge’s floor-to-ceiling
windows or with each
mouthful of chef
Hauke Pohl’s Michelinstarred regional
fare. No two rooms
of the 30 elegant
creamy, soft, yellow, blue, red, big, small
— and every type has its own character.
I really appreciate the work of Marcel and
Sabina [Heinrich, of organic mountain
farm Las Sorts] and Freddy [Christandl, a
renowned top chef and potato connoisseur],
who are utterly dedicated to this great
local product.
to season sauces, for example, or clear soups
like our vegetarian Swiss ramen. It brings a
smooth and round, yet intense flavour. And
there really is a big difference between hay
as most people might know it and this hay.
Ours, supplied by local, Ruedi Julen, is from
an amazing sunny wildflower meadow and
is dried in late summer.
3
MILK AND DAIRY
The winters here have lots to offer,
too, when the local sheep and cows are in
the stables waiting for spring. This is when
we get the fresh cream to produce our
own butter. Our breakfast yoghurts at The
Omnia also come from Horu Käserei, a local
producer and cheesemaker here in town.
We use regional cheeses too — the younger
ones for breakfast, the riper ones for dinner
service or cooking, for example, in barley
risotto, not to mention raclette cheese and
the classic cheese fondue.
accommodation
options available
(including 12 suites)
are alike.
A library and a
multifunctional glassand-steel ‘cavern’
space utilising the
IMAGES: GETTY; THE OMNIA
cliffside rocks to create
BARBERRIES
You can find barberries growing just
about everywhere here, sometimes even
at 6,560ft above sea level. We pick the ripe,
red berries in autumn. The taste is sweetsour and tart. Since the seed is quite hard,
we normally squeeze the berries and then
extract the juice by pressing them through
a sieve. This very flavourful essence can be
used to season sauces or beurre blanc. At
The Omnia, we’ve served it with everything
from mountain potatoes, fish and venison
and even desserts.
5
a stylish underground
lair offer a retreat from
the elements after
a day on the slopes.
That is, if you can resist
the pull of just a little
more time outdoors in
the heated whirlpool
before exploring the
wellness centre.
ROOM RATES:
Seasonal pricing starts
at 350 CHF (£275) per
4
MOUNTAIN HAY
(NOT ONLY FOR SHEEP)
In summer in Zermatt, the locals produce
hay for their winter stables, where the local
black-nosed sheep and cows wait for spring.
One speciality here in Zermatt is to cook a
creamy hay soup. We use it in different ways,
night for two sharing,
including transfer
service, use of the spa
and breakfast.
R E A D MO R E O N L I N E AT
T H E- OM N I A .C OM
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CIT Y LIFE
DRESDEN
Z
ZZ
After decades spent rebuilding from the rubble, the
eastern German city is thriving, with beautifully reconstructed
architecture, a hip art district and rolling Riesling vineyards
WORDS: Charlotte Wigram-Evans PHOTOGRAPHS: Uta Gleiser
A
s sure as the River Elbe runs through
Dresden, so too does an undercurrent
of dignity and stoicism. Even without
prior knowledge of the city’s history, you
can feel it like a physical force emanating
from Dresdeners, who, I learn, have plenty of
reasons to be proud of their home. Located
in eastern Germany, 30 miles from the
Czech border, the Saxon city was bombed to
near-oblivion by Allied forces six months
before the end of the Second World War.
Its baroque edifices were reduced to rubble
and, under the Soviet control that followed,
even more of the city was left to crumble
and decay.
“We always say the Russians destroyed
buildings more efficiently than any bombs,”
says my guide, Susanne, with a wry smile.
“Since the wall came down, we have rebuilt
our city brick by brick.”
Perhaps the most pertinent example is
the Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady), a
beguiling sandstone masterpiece softly
glowing golden in the sunlight. Until 1994,
it remained a blackened ruin, but in the
aftermath of German reunification in 1990,
Dresdeners appealed to the world for funds
to help resurrect their beloved church.
“We picked up every stone and worked
out where it would have been,” Susanne says.
“Like the world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle.”
Reconstruction took 11 years and, in a
moving denouement, Britain donated the
new cross that now stands proudly on its
domed roof. Among the team of craftsmen
commissioned to create it was a goldsmith
whose father had taken part in the air raids.
Hardship has seemingly bred not only
determination, but also a rebellious spirit and
artistic vigour — and nowhere is this more
evident than in Neustadt, an area once so
dilapidated it was destined to be bulldozed.
But in the years following reunification,
creative types moved in, squatting in
buildings and creating the street art for
which the district has become known. Today,
Neustadt is a bastion of independent bars and
lunch spots, but its art scene still thrives, with
galleries such as Galerie Holger John hanging
witty, subtly political prints in their windows.
As dusk falls, I climb the winding walkway
to the Frauenkirche’s dome and look out over
the rooftops. Dresden unfurls beneath me,
most of it restored — a phoenix risen from the
ashes. Now it’s rebuilt, this isn’t a city to stand
still; both place and people are ready to fly.
September 2021
131
DRESDEN
SEE & DO
ZWINGER: To visit the Zwinger is to
dive into Dresden’s baroque heyday. Built
as a party pad for royals in the 1700s, when
Augustus the Strong sat on the throne (his
own residence, Dresden Castle, stands behind
the Zwinger and is also worth visiting), the
lavish, sculpture-studded palace complex
surrounds an enormous courtyard filled with
fountains. It now houses three museums: the
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Old Masters
Picture Gallery), in which hang celebrated
artworks including Raphael’s Sistine
Madonna; the Porzellansammlung (Porcelain
Collection); and the MathematischPhysikalischer Salon, which displays a
curious collection of telescopes, clocks and
globes. gemaeldegalerie.skd.museum
PROCESSION OF PRINCES: This 335ftlong mural presents Saxony’s rulers as a
procession of riders. The 24,000 porcelain
tiles adorn the outside of the Stallhof, part of
the Dresden Castle complex, and were among
the only items in the vicinity to survive the
bombing of February 1945. Porcelain can
withstand temperatures of up to 1,000C, so
while much of the city burned, Augustus and
his ancestors rode on.
KUNSTHOFPASSAGE: After the Berlin Wall
came down, Kunsthofpassage, in Neustadt,
was taken under the wing of a group of
artists. The result: a series of refreshingly
original street art. The most famous features
interlinked drainpipes twisting and turning
against a turquoise backdrop; when rain
trickles through them, it produces a musical
tinkle. Another building is adorned with a
giant relief of a giraffe, plus monkeys swinging
from window to window. Murals and art can
be found all around the area, and a walking
tour with guides like Susanne Reichelt offers
an insider’s perspective. tourguide-dresden.de
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GROSSER GARTEN: In Dresden’s biggest
park, sprawling east from Altstadt, paths
are overhung with horse chestnut trees
and a small train chugs around the border.
The real draw, though, is the crumbling
baroque summer palace, built in 1680.
In spring, a flower festival sees its rooms
filled with plants, while each winter a local
theatre company performs A Christmas Carol
— Ein Weihnachtslied by candlelight.
GERMAN HYGIENE MUSEUM: This museum
was founded by Karl Lingner, best known
for manufacturing the mouthwash Odol.
Far from focusing just on sanitation,
however, the purpose of the space was to
examine trends in science and culture.
There are sections on life and death,
nutrition, sex, movement and beauty, and
recent exhibitions have included a thoughtprovoking look at the future of food. dhmd.de
ON YOUR BIKE: As Dresden is fairly flat, cycling
is an easy way to cover lots of ground. Cycle to
Blasewitz, a residential area full of pastelhued 19th-century villas, before turning
towards the river, where you’ll get a great view
of the city’s three palaces — Albrechtsberg,
Lingner and Eckberg — on the opposite bank.
Many hotels provide bikes, or you can join a
tour. Private guide and Dresden local Cosima
Curth offers a four-hour cycle with multiple
stop-offs for £150. cosima-curth.de
TAKE A HIKE: The Saxon Switzerland National
Park lies to the east of Dresden, and trains to
the picturesque town of Pirna — the park’s
entry point — take less than 20 minutes. From
here, you can explore a fairytale landscape
of epic proportions, where sandstone peaks
puncture a forest of pine, oak and fir trees.
Consider a culinary hike with BrotZeit Tour;
founder Kristin knows the area like the back
of her hand and will even rustle up a picnic of
local cheese, meat and wine. brotzeittour.de
Sister cities //
Dresden is twinned
with Coventry,
reflecting the intense
bombings both cities
were subjected to
and as a gesture
of solidarity and
reconciliation. A cross
from Coventry resides
in the Frauenkirche,
while its German
counterpart is in
Coventry Cathedral
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Veal fillet
served with bacon-wrapped green
beans at Kulturwirtschaft; view from the
Hausmannsturm, the oldest remaining
part of Dresden Castle; crafting
bespoke shoes in Innere Neustadt;
trendy event spaces-cum-cafes
like Altes Wettbüro are a fixture of
modern Dresden
PREVIOUS PAGES: A cyclist passes by
the Stallhof, part of the Dresden Castle
complex, where — just out of sight
— the tiled Procession of Princes mural
can be found
DRESDEN
September 2021
133
DRESDEN
Vintage glassware at Kulturwirtschaft
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Schloss
Wackerbarth winery and its vineyards;
Christiane Spieler, the cellar master at
Schloss Wackerbarth; the eye-catching
interior of Pfunds Molkerei dairy shop
134
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DRESDEN
Gender pioneer // In 1930, Lili Elbe — the
inspiration behind David Ebershoff’s novel The
Danish Girl — was one of the first people in the world
to undergo gender reassignment surgery. She’s buried
in Dresden’s Trinitatisfriedhof cemetery
BUY
PFUNDS MOLKEREI: Hand-painted tiles
featuring dancing angels, cherubs, cows and
woodland creatures adorn this dairy shop
from floor to ceiling. After purchasing some
cheese, head to the upstairs cafe for a lactoseladen snack (the cheesecake is particularly
good) and a spot of people-watching. Cheese
and wine (or milk) tastings are available, as
are tours of the dairy — just be sure to book
in advance. pfunds.de
HAUPTSTRASSE: This tree-lined boulevard
in Innere Neustadt, known as the baroque
quarter, has shopping opportunities aplenty.
Ignore the chain stores and keep your eyes
peeled for the passages full of independent
shops: try Goldschmiedewerkstatt
Barbara Oehlke for handmade jewellery or
Blumengalerie Dresden for plants and vases.
Afterwards, head to Neustädter Markthalle
for pop-up stalls, cafes and a supermarket
with an excellent confectionery section.
barbaraoehlke.de markthalle-dresden.de
MARKETS: Most famous for its Christmas
markets (including Striezelmarkt, the
country’s oldest), Dresden also has plenty of
year-round offerings. Elbeflohmarkt (open on
Saturdays, pre-pandemic), sells everything
from antique furniture to retro posters, while
music fans could spend days rifling through
records at Schallplattenbörse, a second-hand
vinyl market. elbeflohmarkt.de
EAT
OSWALDZ: This is a cafe that takes
pride in its coffee. Compact, cosy and with
a courtyard looking out across the Elbe,
Oswaldz stocks several blends from local
roastery Phoenix, plus an excellent array of
cakes. Come for the flat white and stay for
the pastrami sandwiches and raspberry-andbeetroot cheesecake. But be prepared to wait
— it’s a popular place, and queues regularly
snake down the street. oswaldz.de
KULTURWIRTSCHAFT: Opened last
year in Kraftwerk Mitte, a disused factoryturned-cultural hub, Kulturwirtschaft does
decadence better than any other restaurant
in Dresden. If you can tear your eyes away
from the chandeliers, silver vases, velvet
armchairs and two grand pianos for long
enough to peruse the menu (German with a
nod to wider Europe), try the beef roulades
with red cabbage and dumplings, or the
goat’s cheese tart with roasted vegetables.
RESTAURANT ATELIER SANSSOUCI:
Michelin-starred Restaurant Atelier
Sanssouci serves classic French cuisine
in a neoclassical villa surrounded by two
acres of manicured gardens. Enjoy your
meal with a local Riesling, and then, as
the restaurant belongs to the Hotel Villa
Sorgenfrei, consider splashing out on an
overnight stay and saying yes to that second
bottle. hotel-villa-sorgenfrei.de/restaurant
LIKE A LOCAL
VINEYARD VISITS: Dry whites from
Dresden are among the country’s finest,
but as a wine region, Saxony’s small size
means it’s often overlooked. Its vineyards
are as wonderful as the wines themselves:
charming, often family-run affairs that
serve up mulled white wine in winter and
glasses of Goldriesling in summer. Head
first to Hoflössnitz estate, with its halftimbered house, before moving on to Schloss
Wackerbarth winery for a glass of Bacchus
— both are in the suburb of Radebeul,
only a 30-minute tram ride from the
centre. hofloessnitz.de schloss-wackerbarth.de
FEINBÄCKEREI REBS: At this popular bakery,
local favourites include bauernbrot bread,
glazed pastries and stollen. The latter is
said to have originated in Dresden in 1329
and now has PGI (protected geographical
indication) status. Only a select number
of bakeries, including Feinbäckerei
Rebs, can create these ‘official’ versions,
which beat any supermarket imitations
hands down. feinbaeckerei-rebs.de
ELBE VALLEY: Head downstream from
the Loschwitz Bridge towards the sleepy
meadows of the Elbe, and suddenly the thrum
of the city fades away. Crowned by Pillnitz
Castle and lined with centuries-old villas, this
sprawl of grassland is a prized dog-walking,
sunbathing and picnicking spot for locals.
September 2021
135
DRESDEN
ESSENTIALS
Radebeul
2 miles
Albrechtsberg Palace
NEUSTADT
R
iv
e
r
b e Lingner Palace
E l
Eckberg Palace
Zwinger
Dresden Castle Frauenkirche
GERMANY
Dresden
ALTSTADT
D
R
E
S
D
E
N
Grosser Garten
500 yards
Saxon Switzerland National Park
20 miles
Getting there & around
AFTER HOURS
BLUE NOTE: Small, dimly lit and cosy,
with a drinks menu as long as your arm,
this local gem plays live jazz into the early
hours to an enthralled crowd. Bands range
from small-time outfits to national and even
international artists, but whoever’s on stage,
you’re guaranteed to have a good time. Arrive
around 8pm to bag a choice seat by the bar.
BAUTZNER TOR: On entering this pub,
you’ll be forgiven for wondering if you’ve
accidentally walked into a museum, as its
large central room is stuffed full of defunct
East German gadgets. In fact, this is the
official brewery tap of craft beer company
Neustädter Hausbrauerei. Local beer in
Dresden is excellent, so try whatever special
is in season, as well as sampling the Rot,
Helles and Hanf options, available yearround. bautznertor.de
FRAUENKIRCHE: The Frauenkirche’s
cavernous domed ceiling makes for
compelling acoustics, and the church
regularly holds evening concerts. Many
acclaimed classical musicians, including
oboist Albrecht Mayer, have performed
here, playing moving renditions of works by
world-famous German composers like Bach
and Beethoven. frauenkirche-dresden.de
136
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Z SLEEP
ZZ
AM SCHILLERPLATZ BED AND
BREAKFAST: This B&B has spotless rooms
in the characterful environs of a 400-yearold home. It offers views of the Loschwitz
Bridge, also known as the ‘Blaues Wunder’
(‘Blue Wonder’), a sky-hued steel structure
connecting the districts of Blasewitz and
Loschwitz. Don’t miss the farmers’ market
that sets up outside on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays. bb-schillerplatz.de
PENCK HOTEL DRESDEN: Local painter
and sculptor A R Penck gained international
recognition for his neo-expressionist pieces,
reflective of tribal art. This design hotel
houses countless artworks by the artist,
including a gigantic sculpture rising from its
rooftop. Rooms are ultra-modern, minimalist
and sleek, and the location is ideal for innercity wandering, located just five minutes
from the old town. penckhoteldresden.de
SCHLOSS ECKBERG: As the country
with the greatest number of castles, nowhere
does sleeping in a fairytale tower seem more
apt than in Germany. Schloss Eckberg sits
above the Elbe, all crenellated walls, marble
columns and sweeping lawns. The castle also
has its own vineyard, bringing a whole new
meaning to ‘local wine’. schloss-eckberg.de
When to go
The ideal time to visit Dresden is in
winter, when bars sell steaming
glasses of mulled wine, the smell of
stollen wafts from bakeries and
Christmas markets spring up across
the city. For its annual wine festival,
however, go in September — dates
vary, but it’s normally held towards
the end of the month.
More info
dresden.de
germany.travel
Cosima Curth. cosima-curth.de
Susanne Reichelt.
tourguide-dresden.de
How to do it
KIRKER HOLIDAYS offers three
nights at the Bülow Palais hotel,
B&B, from £596 per person,
including flights. kirkerholidays.com
ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
A view across the Elbe to the
Dresden Academy of Fine Arts
and the Frauenkirche
You can reach Dresden by train from
London St Pancras, changing in
Brussels and Frankfurt. There are no
nonstop flights from the UK; instead,
fly to Berlin and travel onwards by
train (a two-hour journey). Berlin is
typically served from various UK
airports by British Airways,
Lufthansa, Ryanair and EasyJet.
ba.com lufthansa.com
ryanair.com easyjet.com
Average flight time: 2h.
The easiest way to get around the
city is by bike or tram. Many hotels
offer bicycles, or you can rent one
from Roll on Dresden. The Dresden
City Card covers tram and bus
travel, as well as offering discounted
entry into some museums.
rollondresden.de dresden.de
CHARTER | LEASING
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Fly into the Undiscovered.
Exceptional private jet solutions
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK; AZERBAIJAN TOURISM BOARD
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
Once upon a time in
Azerbaijan
Woven into Azerbaijan’s beguiling history is the bygone era of the
legendary Silk Road, a wine culture dating back millennia and ancient
mountaintop villages best explored on foot.
Words: Emily Lush & Mark Elliott
Traditional kelaghayi scarves
LEFT: The city of Sheki
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
72 hours in
Sheki
A waypoint on the Old Silk Road, Sheki,
in northwest Azerbaijan, is a place of boisterous
spice markets, handicraft workshops and
heritage architecture. Words: Emily Lush
I
t wasn’t all that long ago that a visitor’s first glimpse of
Sheki would be from the back of a camel. Today, it tends
to be from the window of a marshrutka, the nostalgic,
Soviet-era minivans that trundle almost as laboriously
up and down the time-worn trade route between Baku and
Tbilisi. Those who prefer a smoother ride can board the
direct train from Baku, reaching this ancient city in around
seven hours. Sheki’s location roughly halfway between the
Azerbaijani and Georgian capitals is your first clue to the
city’s historical significance. For as long as a tributary of the
Silk Road ran through the South Caucasus, this was a place
for merchants to bunk down at stone caravanserais (roadside
inns) to sip tea, barter cargo and swap stories. It was this
meeting of minds that helped shape Sheki into the diverse,
cosmopolitan city it is today.
More than just a thoroughfare, however, Sheki was a major
producer of silks in its own right. The art of kelaghayi (silk
scarves intricately decorated using wooden stamps dipped in
a mix of rosin, paraffin and solid oil) is but one craft tradition
in an oeuvre that spans everything from shebeke (stained
glass mosaics) to Sheki halva, a saccharine dessert favoured
by the locals, who are known for having a sweet tooth.
Visit Sheki to wander Azerbaijan’s newest UNESCO World
Heritage Site — the historic centre of the city with the Khan’s
Palace — and take a hike to see ancient monuments nestled
in the foothills of the Caucasus mountains.
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
IMAGES: AZERBAIJAN TOURISM BOARD; SHUTTERSTOCK
D A Y O N E : PALACES & PITI
MORNING: Go straight to the Khan’s Palace,
commissioned by Muhammed Hasan Khan
in 1797. A masterpiece of craftsmanship, its
exterior showcases Ottoman ceramics and
Iranian mirror work. The real knockout,
though, is the shebeke — timber lattice inlaid
with thousands of pieces of coloured glass.
Pause to admire the facade ahead of a guided
walk through the palace rooms, the walls of
which are adorned with vivid paintings.
The nearby Three Saints Church houses
the Museum of History and Local Lore,
where you can view traditional takalduz (silk
embroidery) and papags (lambswool hats),
and watch shebeke artisans at work.
AFTERNOON: A 20-minute stroll takes you to
Mustafa Bey, a restaurant set among apple
and pear trees. Order the piti, a lamb, chickpea
and chestnut stew that’s an appetiser and
main in one — first, drown pieces of bread in
the broth, then devour the rest.
Head back through the Gilehli district,
using the 18th-century minaret as your North
Star, and stop off at Aliahmad Shirniyyat,
the finest purveyor of Sheki halva. The local
take on baklava sees layers of dough, ground
hazelnuts, walnuts and spices finished with a
web of sugar reminiscent of shebeke.
EVENING: Visit the Winter Palace an hour
before dusk, when the sun hits the shebeke
and paints the floorboards with a carpet-like
kaleidoscope. Tuck into a plate of khangal
(flat noodles topped with ground beef and
garlic yogurt) at Buta Restaurant, then retire
to the elegant Buta Bar cocktail lounge in the
atrium of the Sheki Saray Hotel.
D A Y T W O : THE SILK ROAD
MORNING: Explore Sheki’s Silk Road past
with a trip to the New Bazaar, where
merchants peddle produce, spices and
halva. Grab a bite at one of the kebab stalls
or duck into a chaykhana (tea house) for a
finger or two of bamiya (deep-fried dough
gilded with syrup), washed down with a
warming drink from the samovar.
Sheki’s old town, Yukhari Bash, beckons
you back up the hill to tread the cobbled
streets beyond the fortress walls. Admire
the 18th- and 19th-century houses with
their ornamental brickwork and gabled
roofs, once owned by the merchants who
made their fortune breeding silkworms. The
Juma Mosque, with its 90ft-high minaret, is
impossible to miss.
AFTERNOON: If you’ve developed a taste
for Sheki’s signature stew, break for lunch
in the garden of Restoran Qaqarin, famed
for its piti and dolma (stuffed vine leaves).
Afterwards, make your way to the perfectly
preserved Sheki Caravanserai, one of the
largest in the region. Push through the
heavy doors and let the sliver of sunlight
guide you through the dim antechamber
towards an inner courtyard, where you’ll
Sheki halva, a local take
on baklava
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP: Kurmuk Church;
an artisan’s wooden
stamp; the Church of Kish;
colourful scenes inside
the Khan’s Palace
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
MEET THE
CRAFTSMAN
Amiraslan
Shamilov
67-year-old Amiraslan’s
family have been
decorating kelaghayi
scarves for over 200 years
The perfectly preserved Sheki
Caravanserai still functions as a hotel
HOW IMPORTANT IS
KELAGHAYI TO SHEKI?
Sheki has been famous
for its silk for centuries.
Traditional kelaghayi
find sanctuary beneath a palm tree. Drink
in the history as you conjure images of
merchants dashing through the doublestorey arched arcades. The caravanserai
still functions as a hotel, and walk-in visits
to the courtyard and tea house are welcome
between 12.00 and 19.00. The stone cells of
the building’s lower portion, meanwhile,
have been given a new lease of life as cafes
and souvenir boutiques.
Continue down M.F. Akhundzadeh,
Sheki’s main trading street, passing the
ruins of an arched bridge. You’ll see a
number of small workshops, where artisans
carry out tasks as varied as stringing tars
(long-necked lutes) and block-printing
kelaghayi. At the crossroads of F.K. Khoyski
and M.E. Rasulzadeh streets, the spools of
Sheki’s last silk factory — built in 1829 — still
turn. Drop into the adjoining boutique to
buy colourful scarves or a hand-knotted silk
carpet small enough to fit in your suitcase.
EVENING: Sheki was once divided into
mehelle, or districts, which each had
their own mosque and hammam. Visit
Abdulkhalig Hammam, the city’s oldest
functioning public bathhouse, for a
traditional kise body exfoliation (note that
the bathhouse is open to men and women on
different days of the week).
D A Y T H R E E : CHRISTIAN ROOTS
& HEALING WATERS
MORNING: Fuel up for the day with a quick
breakfast ahead of the 45-minute marshrutka
ride northwest to Gakh. A former province
of Caucasian Albania (an ancient state
that was established in the fourth century
BC and incorporated parts of modernday Azerbaijan and Daghestan), Gakh is a
testament to this region’s religious diversity.
Stop off at Kurmuk Church — perched on a
rocky outcrop — before continuing to Ilisu,
a small village whose name comes from the
Kipchak (an extinct Turkic language dating
back to the Middle Ages) word for ‘warm
water’, and whose hot springs, geysers and
waterfalls entice visitors. Slip into one of the
rock pools to unwind after a short walk along
the Hamamchay River.
AFTERNOON: Once suitably reinvigorated,
find a table at a riverfront restaurant in
Gakh. Make sure to order the local speciality,
surhullu (flat pasta served with a rich sauce
of mutton, herbs and garlic), alongside a
pitcher of delicious wine cultivated in the
valley by Georgian Ingiloys.
After lunch, travel back to the village of
Kish, just outside Sheki, where the echoes of
Azerbaijan’s Christian past ring out clearly.
The Church of Kish is built on what’s thought
to have been a Pagan ceremonial site dating
back to the first century. Crane your neck to
admire the domes overhead and peer down
through the glass-covered portals underfoot
to view the burial crypts.
EVENING: A 30-minute walk will take you
to Garatepe Mountain, where the ruins
of the medieval Galarsan-Gorarsan (‘Come
and See’) fortress provide the perfect
backdrop for sunset. After a 20-minute van
or taxi drive back to Sheki, indulge in one
last pot of piti, and be sure to pick up a box
of Sheki halva from Aliahmed Sweetstore
to savour on tomorrow’s journey to the
capital, Baku.
scarves started here and
spread to other regions
across Azerbaijan. I’m 67
and every day, I come to
the workshop, put on my
boots and apron and start
working. I’m very proud of
my craft.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE
ABOUT YOUR JOB?
When I see the demand
for old-fashioned styles
and colours and the use
of antique techniques.
Most of my designs
and tools were used by
my predecessors.
AND YOUR FAVOURITE
THING ABOUT SHEKI?
The ancient crafts,
like shebeke, halva,
pottery and takalduz.
WHAT’S A MUST-TRY?
A pot of our traditional
dish, piti. There are other
delicious meals, but if
I had to pick just one,
that would be it.
Amirsaslan’s workshop on
M.E. Resulzadeh street is
open daily, 10.00-17.00.
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
A taste of
Azerbaijani wine
From well-rounded vintages to specialist bars,
plus a winemaking history dating back millennia,
homegrown wine is interlaced with local Azeri life.
Words & interviews: Mark Elliott
IMAGES: AZERBAIJAN TOURISM BOARD
F
Kefli Local Wine & Snacks bar in Baku
ABOVE: Savalan Aspi Winery in
Gabala, northern Azerbaijan
or the first-time visitor, Azerbaijan abounds in
surprising discoveries — and few are as unexpected
as the booming wine industry, with its selection of
grapes, fascinating history and undulating seas of
emerald-green vineyards backed by white-topped peaks.
Wine has been produced in this part of the world for
millennia. The earliest evidence of grape winemaking
comes in the form of pottery jars containing residual wine
compounds, dating back to around 6000 BC. They were
discovered in the villages of Gadachrili Gora and Shulaveris
Gora, then part of the Shulaveri-Shomu culture, which
occupied territory in the South Caucasus. Fragments of the
oldest-known wine press and fermentation vats, dating back
to 4000 BC, were detected in the valley of the Arpa River,
which waters Azerbaijan’s Sharur region. In 1860, German
colonists in Helenendorf (now Goygol) founded what’s
now the country’s longest-running winery. And by the
1970s, large swathes of Azerbaijani foothills sported scenic
vineyards. In the 1980s, however, over 80% of Azerbaijan’s
vines were ripped up in Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol drive, and
some native grape varieties were almost annihilated.
Fortunately, winemaking has rebounded with vigour
over the past decade. Both small-scale, family-run wineries
and state-of-the-art industrial complexes are once again
producing powerful rounded reds and crisp, fruity whites. The
country has three major wine-making areas: expect robust,
earthy tones from the mid-altitude terroirs of north-central
Shamakhi, home to the indigenous Madrasa red grape; soak
up the history in western Azerbaijan’s Lesser Caucasus zone,
cradle of the country’s viniculture traditions; and sample the
distinct minerality of wines from the Caspian coast, whose
grapes are planted at lower elevations and on salt-rich soils.
Such is the boom in winemaking that Azerbaijan has
proposed a new system of eight smaller appellations,
to include potential wine regions like semi-arid Nakhchivan,
lush Lankaran in the south and Karabakh, with its own
distinctive wine history.
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
NASIMI SADIGZADE
FOUNDER OF NASIMI’S WINE TOURS
What should the world know about Azerbaijani wine?
Our wines have a specific story of struggle, from the
seventh-century Arab invasions to 1985, when Gorbachev
ordered the destruction of vineyards. We had to start over
at the beginning of the 21st century, meaning every sip of
wine you have in Azerbaijan is a sign of never giving up,
of new beginnings and of our passion.
What’s your favourite wine?
We have some really nice wines made from international
grape varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Syrah
and Alicante Bouschet (Savalan’s 2016 take on the latter is
fabulous). But it’s my duty to highlight favourites made from
our local grapes, like Chabiant’s dry red Madrasa (the 2016
vintage), Terra Caspea’s Madrasa and Chabiant’s Bayan
Shira (2017’s dry white). AzGranata’s Rubai dry red Madrasa
(2014) is an amazing option if you want great wine at a
surprisingly cheap price.
Where are your favourite wineries around the
country?
That’s a tough one. The Chabiant winery has created a
great ecosystem that benefits locals as well as visitors.
AzGranata has an amazing tasting hall with its own little
museum. Goygol Sherab is Azerbaijan’s oldest, founded
by German settlers in 1860; it also has an amazing cellar,
which is the biggest in the country. Savalan was the first
domestic winery to really introduce quality wines to the
post-independence Azerbaijani market. Firelands is unique
for its proximity to the Caspian Sea, which gives its wines
a remarkable minerality. And Shirvan, the country’s first
certified organic producer, offers wonderful views, a tasting
room and a restaurant.
What local dishes do you like to pair with wine?
I prefer wine with cheese, but our national meal — aubergine
dolma — goes well with local Madrasa reds. Afterwards, try
an Azerbaijani pakhlava with a Savalan Merlot dessert wine.
winetours.az
Chabiant winery in the district
of Ismayilli
ABOVE: A selection of wines from
Savalan winery
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
WINE BARS
IN BAKU
ENOTECA MEYDAN:
Within the UNESCOlisted Walled City
of Baku, you’ll find
Enoteca Meydan
— part wine shop, part
tasting bar. The owner
is an expert winemaker,
and you’ll find some of
his own creations amid
a brilliant collection
of Azerbaijani drops.
A great place to
learn about local
wine. facebook.com/
enotecaMeydan
KEFLI LOCAL WINE
& SNACKS: With its
reverence for local
products, Kefli hits the
sweet spot between
specialist Azerbaijani
wine advocate
and understated,
fashionable cafe. Winelovers leaf through
the extensive list of
I VA N U VA R OV
OWNER OF KEFLI LOCAL WINE & SNACKS, BAKU
vintages, hip locals
chat over inexpensive
IMAGES: AZERBAIJAN TOURISM BOARD
regional options and
Which wines are the most popular
in your bar?
A lot has changed in the past couple of years.
Many expats have left, and there are almost
no tourists due to Covid-19 restrictions. As
a result, we’ve refocused on local guests.
Firstly, I’m happy to see locals drinking
more dry wine. Over the past two years, the
consumption of dry wine has surpassed that
of sweet ones — and that’s a big leap forward
for Azerbaijan. However, pomegranate wine
is still leading the way. In the past, it was a
favourite among tourists from Russia and
Ukraine, but now it’s mostly popular among
Zoomers — those who are just starting
their wine journey. Five years ago, young
Azerbaijanis tended to avoid rosé, but now
it’s increasingly popular, even in winter. In
general, Azerbaijanis are raising the bar when
it comes to their expectations of wine.
If you could only have one type of
Azerbaijani wine, which would it be?
I don’t want to offend anyone, but if I had
to choose only one white wine, it’d be a
Chabiant made from the indigenous Bayan
Shira grape. It’s light, versatile and perfect
for enjoying daily. For a red, I’d pick a Savalan
Nobel. It’s very Azerbaijani — masculine,
rough and straight-cut.
Which Azerbaijani wine would you
recommend for a first-timer?
Try wines made from indigenous grapes,
like Bayan Shira (white) or Madrasa (red).
We have a very well-preserved 2010 Madrasa
made by Absheron Sharab. For something
rarer, try an Azerbaijani port wine, like
Agdam made from Rkatsiteli grapes; it was
a legendary wine brand in the former USSR.
a blackboard displays
the ever-changing
selection available by
the glass. facebook.
com/kefliwinebar
ROOM BAKU: In
the capital’s central
nightlife area, Room
Baku offers high-
What are your favourite Azerbaijani
wine-and-food pairings?
Kebabs pair amazingly well with local
Sauvignon Blancs. It really is a mindblowing combination!
quality food and
the atmosphere of
a jovial wine bar. The
wine list includes
offerings from around
the globe, plus
What makes Baku great for wine-lovers?
As Azerbaijan is a mostly Muslim country,
tourists are often surprised to discover
such a long winemaking history and a mass
culture of wine-drinking. Before around
2016, it was hard to find a good range of
local vintages. Recently, however, wine is
everywhere in the capital. In downtown
Baku alone, there are at least a dozen wine
bars and specialised wine restaurants. And
good local wine has become a symbol of the
new generation of Azerbaijanis who want
to live in their country and drink what’s
produced on local soil.
selections from five of
Azerbaijan’s betterknown producers. Its
quirky outpost at Baku
airport, meanwhile, is
a marvellous spot at
which to savour one
last glass while you’re
waiting for your plane
home. facebook.com/
RoomFineArtWineDine
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PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
FOUR OF THE BEST
Hiking trails
This quartet of hiking trails take in some of Azerbaijan’s wildest landscapes,
winding past magnificent peaks, ancient fortresses, picturesque villages
and thundering waterfalls. Words: Emily Lush
1
N O R T H : GALAKHUDAT TO KHINALIG
DISTANCE/DURATION: 5 miles/3 hours
Revel in the bewitching scenery and cooler temperatures
of northern Azerbaijan on this trek from Galakhudat to
Khinalig, one of the country’s highest inhabited villages.
Covering five miles of marked paths cast in the shadow
of Bazarduzu, Azerbaijan’s tallest peak, this route can be
completed in three hours and is suitable for any skill level.
Set out from the village of Galakhudat, served by taxis from
the centre of Guba. From there, it’s a steady climb to the pass
before you reach the wide, flat road that forms the main part
of the trail. You’ll be treated to a glut of Azerbaijan’s most
magnificent topography along the way, from Gizilgaya’s
milky cliffs to terraced farmlands and the seemingly neverending Gudyalchay valley, tinted 50 shades of green in the
summer months.
The high point comes when you first cast eyes on Khinalig,
a cluster of stout houses sprinkled along a narrow ridge.
Pause at the spring that marks the entrance to the village,
then continue on to visit the mosque and decompress over a
compensatory chai at the local tea house.
The trail is verdant in the warmer months, but for
exceptional winter scenery and views of snow-capped
mountains, set off between December and February. Carry
plenty of water with you and avoid drinking from the river.
Guest houses at either end offer food and a warm bed.
2
N O R T H W E S T : ILISU TO GASHGACHAY
DISTANCE/DURATION: 10 miles/9 hours
With the Greater Caucasus as a backdrop, this 10-mile route
traverses forest and pasture before finishing in the village of
Gashgachay. This is a physically demanding hike, albeit one
with plenty of chances for reprieve at the ancient ruins and
shepherd’s huts along the way.
Start in the village of Ilisu, reachable by taxi from Gakh in
under 30 minutes. The former axis of the 18th-century Ilisu
Sultanate, it’s home to remnants of strategic glory in the
form of the Ulu Bridge, the Ulu Mosque and the charming
red-tiled houses. Make a brief detour to visit Galacha, a stone
fortress, before bracing yourself for the most challenging
part of the hike: an ascent up to an elevation of 7,400ft.
After conquering the mountain pass, you’ll descend into
a ravine before embarking on a gentler climb and the final
passage into the Gashgachay river valley, where the water is
usually low enough to safely cross on foot. You can conclude
your hike in the village, or continue on to Sheki via Gumukh
and Kish.
The Ilisu to Gashgachay route demands nine hours or
more, so take advantage of the longer days between May and
September to tackle this trek. Be vigilant of shepherd dogs
and note that as there are only a handful of freshwater springs
en route, it’s important to replenish at every opportunity.
3
You’ll be treated to a glut of Azerbaijan’s
magnificent topography, from Gizilgaya’s
milky cliffs to terraced farmlands and
the never-ending Gudyalchay valley,
tinted 50 shades of green
W E S T : JAVADKHAN TO AZGILLI
DISTANCE/DURATION: 8 miles/6 hours
This trail winds through the highlands of Ganja and the
foothills of Murovdag — home to some of the highest peaks
in the Lesser Caucasus — to link Javadkhan peak with
the village of Azgilli. As you trek down sloped paths and
backroads, transfixing views of Mount Kapaz abound.
To reach the trailhead, you’ll need to charter an off-road
taxi from Goygol bus station to just outside Togana village,
at the monument to Javad Khan — the last ruler of the Ganja
Khanate, and Azerbaijan’s national hero.
|
There are several forks in the path, so follow the markings
to stay on course. A swift hill climb is the only ascent, and it’s
well worth the burn for the mountain panorama at the top.
This all-season route can be done in either direction.
Shops are in short supply in Azgilli, so bring your own
provisions and refill your water bottle at the many natural
springs along the way.
IMAGES: AZERBAIJAN TOURISM BOARD
4
S O U T H : SIM WATERFALL LOOP
DISTANCE/DURATION: 4 miles/3 hours
In the Talysh language, Sim means ‘slippery rock’ — a fitting
title for a hamlet set a stone’s throw from a towering waterfall.
This small village is the departure point for an easy four-mile
roundtrip to the cascades of the same name. The gentle path
hugs the periphery of Hirkan National Park, granting ramblers
a brief encounter with the enigmatic Talysh Mountains.
Before you set off, admire the ancient trees and mossy
boulders that give Sim its fairytale-like appearance. Once
you reach the outskirts, you’ll plunge into deciduous broadleaf forest — a playground for wolves, brown bears and the
elusive Persian leopard. The high humidity of subtropical
Astara makes the climax of this hike — a refreshing dip in
Sim waterfall — even sweeter. Along the way, you’ll pass
mandarin orchards burdened with heavy fruit and humming
bee hives. If you’re feeling up to it, press further into the park
and tackle one of the higher peaks for views all the way to the
Caspian Sea.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The village of Khinalig; a hiker on the Sim
waterfall route; view of Ilisu village; hiking the Galakhudat–Khinalig trail
R E A D MO R E O N L I N E AT
A Z ER B A IJA N .T R AV EL
PA I D C O N T E N T F O R A Z E R B A I J A N T O U R I S M B OA R D
T R AV E L G E E K S
ASK THE EXPERTS
Q // I’d like to visit a
European winery to
coincide with the
harvest this autumn.
Are there any tours
you’d recommend?
ABOVE: A winemaker picks
grapes for the harvest,
which generally begins at
the start of autumn
RIGHT: Half-timbered
houses in Lavenham, Suffolk
148
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Cross the Channel and you’ll
encounter some of the world’s
best-known vineyards, but it
pays to go beyond the classic
French wine regions of Burgundy,
Bordeaux and Champagne.
Corsica, for instance, has been
making wine for millennia, and
the vineyards are spectacular.
Wine Paths can organise tours to
meet the winemakers and taste
their output; the most spectacular
tour, by far, includes a flight over
vineyards set on high slopes (the
island has more than 20 peaks
over 6,500ft). winepaths.com
Another lesser-known option
is Switzerland, which is the best
place to try Swiss wine, not least
because the Swiss drink most
of it — very little gets exported.
Hire bikes in Chippis in Valais and
cycle along the Rhône, stopping
to taste wines as you go. There’s
also the Valais Wine Museum, and
the Caveau de Saillon, a restaurant
with a wide selection of the
region’s wines, including Fendant,
made from local Chasselas grapes.
museeduvin-valais.ch
The city of Porto, in northern
Portugal, meanwhile, is the
gateway to the Douro region.
This has long been the place
where port is made, but there
are really good unfortified Douro
red wines, too. The easiest and
most pleasurable way to visit the
more interesting vineyards is to
stay in the region itself. The Six
Senses Douro Valley hotel can
organise visits to the best-known
quintas (estates) or a tour of
lesser-known, small wineries.
sixsenses.com
Alternatively, Vienna is a great
option for wine-lovers as there
are vineyards just outside the city.
Better still are the city’s heurigen:
old-fashioned taverns that serve
local wines with hearty Austrian
food. In the northern suburbs of
Strebersdorf or Stammersdorf,
take the ‘little train’, the Heurigen
Express, which is, in fact, a
train-shaped vehicle that stops
at lots of wine-focused spots, as
well as the Beethoven Museum,
two minutes from Mayer am
Pfarrplatz — the composer’s
former house, which is also a
heurige. pfarrplatz.at
You don’t have to go abroad
to enjoy the harvest, however. In
Kent or Sussex, Jamie and Steph of
Vine and Country Tours will pick
you up from your accommodation
(or the train station) and show
you the vineyards on a bespoke
tour, pausing for a delicious feast
they make from local ingredients.
They work with some of England’s
best wine producers, including
Gusbourne, Wiston Estate and
Simpsons, so this is a lovely way
to discover our finest wines.
vineandcountrytours.co.uk
NINA CAPLAN
IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY
NEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP? ARE YOU
AFTER RECOMMENDATIONS, TIPS AND GUIDANCE?
THE TRAVEL GEEKS HAVE THE ANSWERS…
Q // I’m
hoping to
travel to Spain
this year.
What’s the
best type
of travel
insurance?
Travel insurance has changed
dramatically during the pandemic
and travellers should take out
insurance that meets specific
travel needs. For much of the year
the Foreign, Commonwealth &
Development Office (FCDO) has
advised against travel to most
parts of Spain. Travelling against
FCDO advice could invalidate
emergency medical cover on
many travel insurance policies,
so it’s important to seek out the
right cover. Spanish regions,
including Andalucia and the
Balearic Islands are trying to
tempt back visitors by offering
insurance policies that cover
Covid-19 infection, with varying
benefits. In most cases visitors
must stay in ‘regulated tourist
accommodation’ and as these
policies only relate to Covid-19
they’re not a replacement of
normal travel insurance cover.
As part of the Brexit deal,
European Health Insurance Cards
will remain valid until expiry,
when UK travellers should apply
for a Global Health Insurance
Card. As this is for medical cover
only, travellers should still ensure
they have relevant insurance in
place for their trip. KATIE CROWE
Q // I love the
charm of the
Cotswolds,
but I’m
looking for
somewhere
different for a
short break
this summer.
What are
some good
alternatives?
If it’s that harmonious, honeyhued aesthetic you crave, head to
Stamford, a historic Lincolnshire
town on the River Welland.
Its centre is full of Georgian
architecture, and has excellent
pubs (try the Tobie Norris) and a
vibrant shopping scene. Lincoln,
with its warren of medieval streets
and enormous cathedral, is an
hour away, while Rutland Water
is even closer. A man-made lake
that’s now a nature reserve, it’s
known for its partially submerged
church and rich birdlife. Rooms
at the George of Stamford, in the
heart of town, start at £270, B&B.
georgehotelofstamford.com
Alternatively, Hampshire’s Test
Valley has a chalk river famous
for its trout fishing and lush banks
that inspired Richard Adams’
classic, Watership Down. Wend
your way along the 44-mile Test
Way, stopping in chocolate-box
villages such as Longparish,
Chilbolton and Mottisfont, where
the highlight is the historic priory
and gardens. Rooms at the 17thcentury Lainston House, just
outside Winchester, start at £238,
B&B. exclusive.co.uk
Otherwise, trace the River Stour
as it forms the border between
Essex and Suffolk in Dedham Vale.
The area has a timeless beauty,
and its quiet waterways and
rolling fields inspired the work of
local boy John Constable. Some
of the most picturesque towns in
the area are easily explored on the
Suffolk Threads Trails, including
Lavenham, Clare and Long
Melford. The walks showcase
these 15th- and 16th-century wool
towns in all their well-preserved
glory, passing churches, market
squares and half-timbered
houses. Rooms at the historic
Swan at Lavenham start at £116,
B&B. theswanatlavenham.co.uk
CONNOR MCGOVERN
Q // I want to take my
children to see Santa
in Lapland this winter.
Where offers a less
commercial
experience?
The Finnish town of Rovaniemi
is considered ‘Santa central’, and
while there’s no doubt that most
kids get a kick out of this Disney
on Ice-style experience, exploring
beyond the theme parks — and
into the Sami regions of Finland,
Norway or Sweden — offers more
authentic experiences.
With many families postponing
trips last season, operators are
aware of a potential scrum for
tickets in whatever windows
of travel the pandemic allows,
particularly with parents keen to
book before children get too old,
and the Santa spell wears off.
Inghams’ most popular Lapland
destination is Levi, two-hours
north of Rovaniemi, but for the
most remote feel, the operator
recommends a stay at Muotka
Wilderness Lodge. Set deep
in Finnish Lapland, this is an
adventurous destination best
suited to children aged five and
over. This family-run property
on the edge of Urho Kekkonen
National Park has minimal light
pollution, which means increased
potential for aurora viewing. Also
on the agenda are snowmobile
safaris, along with gingerbread
baking and a visit from Santa
himself. Seven nights all-inclusive
from £2,738 per person. inghams.
co.uk SARAH BARRELL
THE EXPERTS
NINA CAPLAN //
WINE AND TRAVEL WRITER
KATIE CROWE // DIRECTOR
OF COMMUNICATIONS,
BATTLEFACE INSURANCE
BATTLEFACE.COM
CONNOR MCGOVERN //
COMMISSIONING EDITOR,
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
TRAVELLER (UK)
SARAH BARRELL //
SENIOR EDITOR,
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
TRAVELLER (UK)
September 2021
149
TRAVEL GEEKS
THE INFO
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HEATHROW
SINCE OPENING FOR CIVIL AVIATION 75 YEARS AGO, HEATHROW AIRPORT HAS GROWN INTO A GLOBALLY
RECOGNISED GATEWAY. WE SHARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM ITS HIGH-FLYING PAST. WORDS: SACHA SCOGING
IN NUMBERS
FAST
FACTS
£15,000
The amount aero-engineer
Richard Fairey paid in 1930 for
150 acres of land, on which he
built the Great West Aerodrome
(the precursor to Heathrow)
TERMINAL 5 HAS A VAST,
DESERTED UNDERGROUND
STATION. BUILT IN 2008, AS
PART OF THE TERMINAL’S
ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION,
IT’S THE LENGTH OF AROUND
33 LONDON BUSES
In 2019, Heathrow was the world’s
second-busiest airport by
international passenger numbers,
with a record 80.9 million
passengers travelling through the
hub — that’s an average of 221,644
passengers per day, with a plane
landing or taking off every
45 seconds
1946
The year Heathrow Airport
opened for commercial air
travel, with military marquees
serving as the terminals
9.5 million
Heathrow offers a
private VIP service
for the rich and
famous, costing from
£3,300. As well as
giving access to the
airport’s Royal Suite
and Windsor Suite,
the service includes a
chauffeur, concierge
team, private
security and a lounge
complete with
personal shopper
and luxury menu
The number of cups of
tea served to travellers at
Heathrow each year
50
The number of football pitches
you could fit inside Terminal 5
alone. At 3,799,900sq ft , it
covers a space as large as
London’s Hyde Park
2.6 million
The number of perfume bottles
sold at Heathrow every year.
One bottle of Chanel No 5
is sold every nine minutes
FREDDIE MERCURY WORKED
AS A BAGGAGE HANDLER AT
HEATHROW IN THE 1960,
BEFORE GOING ON TO
FRONT THE ICONIC ROCK
BAND QUEEN
In March 2020, A THIRD of
the UK’s imports of medical
equipment to fight Covid-19
arrived via Heathrow.
This included PPE, medical
oxygen, swabs and test kits
7 FEBRUARY 1952
22 FEBRUARY 1964
1 APRIL 1986
7 FEBRUARY 1996
2003
13 JULY 2016
The Queen lands at
Heathrow following
the death of George
VI — her first steps on
UK soil as monarch
The Beatles return to
the UK from the US as
global superstars and
are greeted by more
than 10,000 fans
Terminal 4 is opened
by the Prince and
Princess of Wales and
becomes the home of
British Airways
Concorde’s fastestever New YorkLondon flights takes
two hours, 52 minutes
and 59 seconds
Love Actually’s scenes
of travellers being
met by loved ones at
Heathrow are filmed
on hidden cameras
British ESA astronaut
Tim Peake arrives
at Heathrow from
Houston, following
his trip to the ISS
SOURCES: BBC; BEATLESBIBLE.COM; BRITISHAIRWAYS.COM; EXPRESS.CO.UK; FORBES.COM; HEATHROW.COM; INDEPENDENT.CO.UK; REUTERS.COM
150
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
IMAGES: GETTY; SHUTTERSTOCK
Timeline of iconic moments
TRAVEL GEEKS
HOT TOPIC
I READ MORE AT NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/TRAVEL
WHY DO AIRFARES VARY SO WILDLY?
FLIGHT PRICES HAVE BECOME MORE VOLATILE THAN EVER DURING THE PANDEMIC.
IS IT STILL POSSIBLE TO BOOK A BARGAIN? WORDS: SIMON CALDER
How has the pandemic
affected air fares?
The balance of supply and
demand, on which air fares are
modelled, has disintegrated.
Demand from passengers swings
wildly, depending on government
action. When Portugal became the
only major, accessible nation on
England’s quarantine-free green
list, a surge in demand for flights
saw fares quadruple. Just 17 days
later, moving the country to amber
triggered an even steeper rise in
fares for return trips in the 100
hours before self-isolation became
obligatory upon arrival.
Supply, too, is turbulent.
Some passengers sign up early
to attractively priced flights, but
a few weeks before departure,
a tranche are likely to be axed.
Conversely, if a location suddenly
opens up to travellers, airlines will
add capacity overnight, flooding
the market with empty seats.
When should I book?
With market forces confounded
by the pandemic, conventional
wisdom on booking early for the
best fare doesn’t apply. All the
signs indicate that fortune favours
the late booker. In early July, for
example, just after Malta had been
placed on the UK’s green list, the
island’s government placed British
arrivals on the Maltese red list
— with very specific vaccination
requirements. As a result, you
could spend more on a couple of
drinks at the airport bar than on
the flight.
As the airline industry struggles
back on its feet, prices will slowly
return to the good old days (from
the airlines’ perspectives), when
they would hold a few seats back
to sell for a fortune to people with
a sudden need to travel.
Flex fares — how good
are they?
Two years ago, the idea that
passengers who’d paid the lowest
fares would be able freely to
change their flight would seem
absurd: in addition to paying
any fare difference, there
was typically a hefty fee. This
summer, airlines are falling over
themselves to offer the chance to
change your mind. You won’t get a
cash refund, but you’ll be able to
postpone your trip.
Fares are increasing before
my very eyes, what should
I do?
Be patient. Usually, when a new
destination is placed on the
green list, buyers pile in and
the fare soars. But airlines are
getting nimbler and can readily
lay on extra flights. As soon a
carrier sees its rival commanding
disproportionately high prices, it
will add capacity. When Majorca
was given quarantine-free status
at the end of June, for example,
fares initially rocketed — but
within a few days they’d subsided
again as more planes were
deployed to Palma.
My flight has been
cancelled. What are
my options?
The vast majority of travellers
believe it’s a straight choice
between a different flight on
the same airline or a full cash
refund (ignore the voucher
option unless there’s a healthy
incentive). Airlines seem to
overlook the fact that for many
passengers, the best option will
be rebooking on a rival carrier.
Under European air passengers’
rights rules, when an airline
cancels your flight — for any
reason — and can’t get you to
your destination on the same
day, it must buy a new flight for
you. Hard-pressed carriers won’t
want to be reminded of this, but
as they know: it’s the law.
Simon Calder is a travel journalist
and broadcaster, and The Independent’s
travel expert. For the latest travel
restrictions and requirements, visit
gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
FLEX FARES:
CURRENT OFFERS
EASYJET
Change to any other
departures on any current
routes, up to two hours
before the original trip
is supposed to leave,
for flights up to 30
September. easyjet.com
BRITISH AIRWAYS
Trade your booking for a
voucher up to the close of
check-in, on all trips up to
30 April 2022. ba.com
RYANAIR
Offers a ‘zero change
fee’ on all bookings up to
30 September for travel
before the end of the
year. You must make the
change at least a week
before the original trip.
ryanair.com
September 2021
151
READER AWARDS
READER AWARDS
2021
THE PRIZES
A WEEK’S STAY AT A TRULLO
VILLA IN PUGLIA, ITALY
You and five friends can spend a week at
beautiful Trulli Olea, one of Puglia’s distinctive
conical-roof houses, complete with a private
pool. Near the hilltop town of Cisternino, Olea
has hammock-strung terraces, a farmhouse
kitchen, three apartment bedrooms and a shady
gazebo for al fresco dining. relaxpuglia.com
A THREE-NIGHT GUIDED UK
WALKING BREAK
Enjoy a three-night guided walking holiday
with HF Holidays. Go on up to three walks a
day, ranging from easy, medium to hard, and
on your return, refuel in comfort with fullboard accommodation at your chosen HF
country house. hfholidays.co.uk
WE WANT TO HEAR
FROM YOU!
Looking back at a year like no other, the Reader
Awards 2021 asks you to vote for the destinations
that kept your spirits up — virtually or otherwise
— and had you itching to travel again. We want
to reward the companies that gained or retained
your trust and the TV shows and books that
inspired you, as well as innovative online visitor
experiences, standout attractions and unique
stays around the country. Visit the website, have
your say and help your favourites get recognised.
Cast your votes for a chance to win
one of 23 fantastic prizes. Vote today at
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/READER-AWARDS
152
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
£300 CITALIA VOUCHER
Citalia’s carefully curated trips span 300 handpicked hotels, bespoke cultural itineraries,
beach breaks and exclusive train journeys. So,
whether you’re dreaming of a Tuscan road trip
or a Sicilian beach break, these travel vouchers
will help you get there. citalia.com
20 FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS
Fancy a year’s worth of National Geographic
Traveller (UK) for free? Well, we’ve got 20
subscriptions to give away — so get voting.
THE WINNERS
Winners will be announced in the Jan/Feb
2022 issue. Voting and prize draw close on 30
September 2021 at 23:59 GMT and are open
to residents of the UK and Ireland aged 18 and
over. Prizes subject to availability. Full T&Cs:
nationalgeographic.co.uk/reader-awards
IMAGE: GETTY
VOTE
ONLINE
TO WIN ONE
OF THESE
FANTASTIC
PRIZES!
PROMOTIONS
IMAGE: GETTY
SPOTLIGHT
AQUAZEAL
VISIT ESSEN
FISH PARTNER
This luxury yacht specialist offers a host
of charters worldwide, from motor to sail.
Destinations include the Caribbean, the
Med and an array of exotic locations in
between. aquazeal.com
One of Germany’s greenest cities, Essen
rewards exploration. Try canoeing in
a nature reserve, cycling through ecominded urban districts or visiting the lavish
Villa Hügel. visitessen.de
Catch Atlantic salmon, brown trout and
Arctic char and explore Iceland’s vast,
watery wildernesses on a customised
sailing with the island’s premier fly fishing
operator. fishpartner.com
ORLEBAR BROWN
VISIT QUITO
TAHI MANUKA HONEY UMF 15+
Get tropical with this Travis Into the
Jungle collared, button-through capri
shirt, evoking ’60s poolside style. It’s new
from tailored British beachwear brand
Orlebar Brown. £195 orlebarbrown.com
Ecuador’s capital was one of the very first
urban UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It
has layers of culture to discover, spanning
pre-Columbian sites to contemporary art.
visitquito.ec/en
Sustainably produced by Tahi, this 100%
pure New Zealand manuka honey is free
from GMOs and GEs and carries UMF
certification — guaranteeing quality and
purity. 250g for £56. panzers.co.uk
TARTU, ESTONIA
MEET THE MAASAI IN KENYA
ULTIMA GSTAAD
Southern Estonia is home to Tartu, a
European Capital of Culture for 2024.
Surrounded by wild nature, the city is
home to inspiring landscapes, a diversity
of flora and fauna and fascinating Baltic
culture. visitsouthestonia.com tartu2024.ee
Kenya’s red-robed Maasai tribe have
retained their traditional ways despite
the pull of modern life. Learn about their
respectful relationship with nature on
tours to meet local Maasai communities.
magicalkenya.com
Experience Ultima Gstaad, a wellness and
ski retreat in the Swiss Alps. This superior
five-star hotel is home to a leading Swiss
clinic and spa. Choose one of its ultraluxe apartments for elegant evenings in
complete privacy. ultimacollection.com
Stanage Edge, a distinctive
gritstone escarpment in the
Peak District National Park
RIGHT: Conservationists
planting trees, one of
the ways volunteers can
support national parks
154
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
PARKS & RECREATION
SEVENTY YEARS SINCE THE UK’S FIRST NATIONAL PARKS WERE CREATED, THEY’RE RECEIVING MORE VISITORS THAN
EVER. BUT WITH RISING TOURIST FOOTFALL AND DECLINING BIODIVERSITY, HANDS-ON HELP TO PRESERVE OUR
PARKS IS VITAL. VOLUNTEERING, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAINING THESE WILD LANDSCAPES,
OFFERS A UNIQUE AND REWARDING WAY TO EXPLORE THE GREAT OUTDOORS. WORDS: SARAH BARRELL
S
IMAGES: GETTY
ince the first national parks
were created in 1951 — the
Peak District, Lake District,
Dartmoor and Snowdonia
— they’ve been joined by 15
others across England, Wales
and Scotland. And they’re more
popular than ever. Last year saw
record numbers of visitors, many
first-timers. Designated for their
unique or special qualities, our
national parks are the stuff of
lockdown cabin-fever dreams.
They take in such diverse spots as
the Cairngorms — the UK’s biggest
national park, home to five of
Scotland’s six highest peaks — and
Snowdonia, where you’re treated
to magnificent coastal landscapes
in addition to Wales’s loftiest
mountain. Free-roaming animals
are encountered in all parks, from
New Forest ponies to deer, red
squirrels and myriad bird species.
Each park also offers trafficfree terrain for hiking, biking
and day-tripping, along with a
growing smorgasbord of outdoors
pursuits, from caving, coasteering
and trail running, to horse-riding,
kayaking, paragliding, rock
climbing, skiing and more. Natural
playgrounds they may be, but
they’re also among the UK’s most
fragile ecosystems — landscapes
that volunteer work has long been
crucial to help safeguard.
“Not all forms of volunteering
require long-term commitment,
and tourism doesn’t always have
to sit at odds with caring for and
protecting the environment,”
says Tom Hind, chief executive
officer at the North York Moors
National Park Authority. He’s
responsible for a site that saw
some of lockdown’s most
notorious littering incidents.
“Simply following the Countryside
Code — never dropping rubbish,
keeping dogs on leads and keeping
to footpaths — is a huge help, as is
planning ahead to do simple things
like borrowing a litter-picker or
downloading an app to record
wildlife while you visit,” he adds.
Look Wild, a microvolunteering project launched
this summer across all 15
national parks, is one of the most
accessible ways to get involved
with park conservation. At its
heart is a free app that identifies
plants, animals and fungi while
simultaneously contributing to
the largest-ever national park-led
citizens’ science project.
But the most basic piece
of conservation work visitors
can do is take litter home. This
message, being conveyed loud
and clear to visitors in the past
18 months, includes an appeal to
use #LoveYourLitter to share their
‘work’ on social media.
“There were volunteers
before there were staff,” says
Caroline O’Doherty, head of
marketing and development at
Northumberland National Park
Authority, noting that staff roles,
and the national park network
itself only exist today because
of the work of volunteers in the
very early years. “Many of the
things that we do today as an
integrated staff and volunteer
team have their foundations as
voluntary activity,” she says. “We
have a stronger conservation
and education element to
volunteering now, whereas in
the early years it was all about
managing with an emphasis on
policing rather than welcoming
visitors to the countryside.”
Northumberland National Park,
like many of the other national
parks, was heavily reliant on
volunteers even in its early years.
As far back as the 1960s, it could
count 100 volunteers among its
ranks, including mountain rescue
teams and full-time wardens.
Today, it has more than 300
volunteers, who, collectively,
do around 4,000 days of work a
year. In 2017, it awarded special
recognition to seven of its
longest-serving volunteers who
between them had clocked up a
staggering 250 years’ service.
Volunteer for change
“Our volunteers tell us that
volunteering is life-changing and
improves not only their physical
health but their wellbeing too,”
says Richard Austin, training and
mentoring coordinator at New
Forest National Park. “It gives
people the chance to visit areas
they haven’t seen before, as well
as to make new friends, discover
new skills and learn about, and
become custodians of, this
historic landscape.”
The New Forest, like many
national parks, offers a range
of volunteering opportunities.
They include countryside access
(maintaining public rights of way),
archaeological tasks (restoring
ancient monuments), practical
conservation (restoring woodland,
meadows and hedgerows) and
working as a cycle guide.
“I started volunteering about
three years ago, mainly to get me
outside in the winter,” says New
Forest local, Deborah Gordon.
“I hate that season and find it
difficult to motivate myself to do
much. Volunteering encouraged
me to spend days outdoors in all
weathers and had a positive impact
on my mood. I also developed so
many new skills. Who knew I could
learn how to coppice hazel and sow
a wildflower meadow!”
A New Forest resident of
30 years, Deborah says she
previously had little knowledge
of the conservation issues facing
the park — something that now
drives her volunteering. “The park
attracts millions of tourists each
year and educating them — in
particular, around the freeroaming animals [ponies, cattle,
September 2021
155
NATIONAL PARKS
donkeys, pigs and sheep] — is a
difficult one. Animals are essential
to keeping the forest in its natural
state, but they’re owned by
‘commoners’ rather than the park.”
The New Forest’s commoners
(people who occupy land or
property with grazing rights
attached) are just one of many
human communities that coexist
within national parks. At any
one time there can be around
half a million people populating
the UK’s national parks. They
include farmers, villagers and,
controversially, a growing number
of mining communities, alongside
staff from resident organisations
such as the National Trust,
Forestry Commission, RSPB, The
Wildlife Trusts, Woodland Trust,
English Heritage and NatureScot.
The inevitable push-and-pull of
their contrasting agendas aside,
these diverse organisations
offer myriad volunteer projects,
making them a good port of call
for tracking down opportunities
to suit particular interests.
Rewilding Britain, the
organisation that works for the
mass restoration of the nation’s
ecosystems, has partner projects
across several national parks.
Among them, Wild Ennerdale, in
the Lake District, is an initiative
that aims to help natural
processes reclaim and shape
the Ennerdale Valley landscape
after years of sheep-grazing and
the cultivation of non-native
tree plantations. Volunteer
work with Wild Ennerdale has
involved fence removal, tree
planting and footpath and wetland
construction. The 10-year-old
project has worked with local
farmers to introduce grazers like
Galloway cattle to the region; they
clear land naturally, helping reset
ecosystems. It’s an approach that’s
seen nature return in abundance:
salmon restored to rivers and
thriving populations of the at-risk
marsh fritillary butterfly.
“Despite some superb
conservation initiatives, our
national parks are naturedepleted and ecological shadows
Red squirrels, a native species in decline
in the UK, are thriving in the Cairngorms
National Park RIGHT: Cyclists in Roydon
Woods Nature Reserve, part of the New
Forest National Park
of what they could be,” says
Rewilding Britain in its current call
on the UK government to make our
national parks wilder. It notes that
decades-old laws are hobbling the
ability of national parks to ‘lead
the way in tackling the extinction
crisis and climate emergency’.
In October 2020, a Friends of
the Earth report revealed that
several of England’s most iconic
national parks contain a lower
percentage of woodland cover
than our large cities; the Yorkshire
Dales has just 4.1% compared to
London, at 4.5%, for example.
In September 2018, Natural
England — the government body
that oversees our national parks
— reported that barely a quarter
of its sites of special scientific
interest were in good condition.
Last year, prime minister
Boris Johnson pledged to boost
biodiversity by protecting
It was our ‘untamed’ places that inspired
Wordsworth to wander ‘lonely as a cloud’ in the
Lake District and add his voice to the growing
call for the creation of a national park network
156
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
30% of Britain for nature by
2030. National parks and other
protected areas make up 26% of
land in England. Rewilding Britain
says that ‘it’s not credible for
government to claim that national
parks, in their current state, can
count towards this commitment.’
Moorland, marshland, downs
and dales, woodland, lakes,
peat bogs and heaths: our parks
encompass diverse ecosystems.
In 2019, a State of Nature report,
which compiled data from more
than 50 organisations, including
the RSPB and Wildlife Trusts,
ranked the UK as one of the most
nature-depleted countries in the
world, with 15% of its wild species
facing extinction.
Rewilding Britain is urging the
public to sign a petition calling on
the government to give national
parks greater powers to tackle
biodiversity loss and climate
change, and to create core
rewilding areas on public land
across 10% of the national parks.
Green-space champions
Providing people with access to
nature-rich wilderness areas is one
of the principles the national parks
were established to uphold. It was
our country’s ‘untamed’ places that
inspired the English poet William
Wordsworth to wander ‘lonely as a
cloud’ in the Lake District and add
his voice to the growing call for the
creation of a national park network
back in the fast-industrialising 19th
century. And in the wake of Public
Health England’s 2020 review,
highlighting the positive effects
access to green space has on our
health and wellbeing, it’s clear our
national parks remain as vital as
ever.
“The proximity of three national
parks was very much part of my
decision to move to the North of
England,” says voluntary ranger
David Bream, who began walking
in the North York Moors, Yorkshire
Dales and Lake District National
Parks before becoming aware
of volunteering opportunities
through a friend and signing up to
become a ranger.
David’s volunteer work has
included riverfly monitoring,
peat-depth mapping, ancient
tree surveying and dark-sky
mapping. Having completed over
NATIONAL PARKS
PICK OF THE
PROJECTS:
Three great ways to get
out and volunteer in the
UK’s national parks
BECOME A FRIEND
Almost every national
park has a society or
‘friends of’ group that
helps care for and
connect people to their
local park. Activities
could include organising
volunteer litter-picks,
leading guided walks
or creating informative
magazines or campaigns.
Find your local group at
cnp.org.uk/our-council
SPEND TIME IN
IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; 4CORNERS
THE GARDEN
3,000 hours of volunteering since
2013, David was one of several
volunteers commended at this
year’s Park Protector Awards,
which recognise the work of
national park staff and volunteers.
The awards are organised by the
Campaign for National Parks
(CNP), a charity that champions
national parks in England and
Wales (the Scottish Campaign for
National Parks is the equivalent
north of the border).
The CNP played a crucial role
in working for the creation of the
first four national parks, which all
celebrate their 70th anniversary
this year. Its latest campaign calls
on the government to enable
national parks to be at the centre
of a green recovery.
“It’s a critical time for national
parks,” says CNP campaigns and
communications manager Laura
Williams. “They’re limited by
another year of cuts to their
budgets, and by mixed
messages from a government,
which talks about nature
recovery while giving the go-ahead
for mass road-building, airport
expansion and high-speed rail.”
The CNP champions the
volunteers that national parks
have relied on to help look after
their protected landscapes
— citing the Moors for the Future
partnership as a success story
that’s restored 10sq miles of
peatland, securing it a runner-up
prize in this year’s Park Protector
Awards. Elsewhere, volunteers at
Be Wild Buckfastleigh, another
prize winner, helped connect
hundreds of local people with
Dartmoor National Park through
videos, socially distanced nature
walks and wildlife activity packs
distributed via local food banks.
“Anyone can engage with
volunteer work,” says Denise
Dane a national parks volunteer
of five years. “Park staff offer
a lot of support for training
and help tap into your life
skills to find out where they
might apply. Everyone has
skills that can be used in some
way.” With a background in
education, Denise has done
everything from ancient tree
surveys to collecting and
documenting oral histories as part
of the Ryevitalise project based
around the River Rye in North
York Moors National Park.
“One of the highlights has
been meeting two sisters whose
father was a river keeper on the
Rye,” says Denise. “There isn’t
a memory from their childhood
that doesn’t relate to the river,
and they believe that national
parks — working alongside
farmers, locals and keepers
— have allowed the river to
remain largely unchanged.”
National parks as living,
working landscapes is a concept
Denise thinks people are
beginning to better understand,
along with the need for
balance between footfall and
conservation. “There’s a lot of
emphasis on signage in the parks
currently, encouraging respect
for them as natural working
environments. For example, being
aware of when birds are nesting,
or keeping dogs on leads in
lambing season.
“The more you engage the
public with volunteer work like
nature surveying and hands-on
conservation, the more that
understanding increases.”
Fancy getting out into
one of the National
Trust’s estates? The
organisation has roles
for gardeners, guides
and even dog welcome
assistants. Almost half
the land in the National
Trust’s care sits within
national parks, and
its volunteers have
varied roles working
to ‘conserve precious
natural environments for
people and for wildlife’.
nationaltrust.org.uk
GET OUT INTO THE
WOODS
A key issue facing
our national parks is
nature depletion, a
chief aspect of which
is a lack of woodland
cover. Conservation
charity The Woodland
Trust, has opportunities
for volunteers, with
activities including tree
planting, woodland
upkeep, warden duties
and tree seed collecting.
woodlandtrust.org.uk
MORE INFO
nationalparks.uk
cairngorms.co.uk
lochlomond-trossachs.org
GET INVOLVED
nationalparks.uk/
look-wild
wildennerdale.co.uk
rewildingbritain.org.uk
cnp.org.uk
scnp.org.uk
moorsforthefuture.org.uk
bebuckfastleigh.co.uk
September 2021
157
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September 2021
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