Imagine staying in a 13th-century monastery where Cisterian monks lived for hundreds of years? That’s exactly what a small group of us did when we discovered the Aragon region in northeasterly Spain. We explored Huesca in the foothills of the Pyrenees and the Teruel region provided us with distinct Mudéjar architecture and gothic-style buildings. But in Nuévalos, part of the Zaragoza province, we got to experience the Monasterio de Piedra, its exquisite gardens and spectacular birds of prey display.
Continue Reading…Hands up if you’re missing autumn already! We certainly are what with the abundance of colour and those contrasting blue skies. It might be a little crispier but those red, orange and yellow hues make time outdoors blowing away the cobwebs even more satisfying. Here are just a few of the best places to see autumn colour in Surrey.
Continue Reading…Built between 1951 and 1965, the Grande Dixence Dam in the Swiss Alps is the tallest gravity dam in the world with a width the equivalent of two football pitches. The dam retains a whopping 400 billion litres of water collected from 35 Valaisian glaciers in the area surrounding Zermatt and up to Val d’Hérens.
Continue Reading…This summer we popped our camping cherry, staying at the most wonderful campsite in the Swiss Alps. The three of us are more than used to glamping but this was our first family outing pitching and staying in a tent. But it was an epic trip! We honestly couldn’t have stayed anywhere more idyllic and the Valais region exceeded all expectations.
Continue Reading…Puglia is a delightful region in southern Italy that borders the Adriatic Sea. With all-year-round sunshine, curious conical Trulli and whitewashed towns, this lesser-known part of Italy is certainly somewhere to have on your family travel list.
Continue Reading…Evolène, with its mountain peaks, is ideal for hikers. Located in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps, there are more than 250 kilometres of paths, 100 kilometres of cycle trails and spectacular alpine scenery including the magnificent Dent Blanche. For the more adventurous, there’s always Via Ferrata!
Continue Reading…We’ve been saying we must camping for ages but it was only recently we finally committed to sleeping beneath the canvas. JD and I camped as kids but since then it’s been all about the glamping – aside from the days we had in the Venezuelan jungle. We had the best time camping in Switzerland. Lots of you asked to see more of the beautiful Camping Molignon campsite so here it is!
Continue Reading…The sun-kissed Valais region in the Swiss Alps is ripe for exploration what with its lush countryside, snow-capped mountains and magnificent alpine lakes. It truly is a hikers paradise with more than 8,000 kilometres of marked trails. Our trek to the strikingly beautiful Lac Bleu of Arolla took us through the forest, which is home to red squirrels, marmosets and chamois (goat-like antelope) while offering the most breathtaking scenery.
Continue Reading…On the hunt for a good quality tent suitable for family camping trips and group weekends away? The Vango Winslow 600 could be exactly what you’re looking for if our first outing under the canvas is anything to go by. Find out how we got on when we camped out for the first time as a family in the Swiss Alps.
Continue Reading…If you love the great outdoors as much as we do, you’ll appreciate the importance of a good picnic mat. The PACMAT range from Rubbastuff is waterproof, compact and easily portable so it’s ideal for families and as we discovered, for hiking!
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