Lisbon
The capital of Portugal, and westernmost city in Europe, Lisbon is a gem but sadly not an unknown one anymore. In the middle of summer it was heaving with tourists,…
Author: jontycrane
North Downs Way – Dorking to Oxted
Running for 246km from Farnham to Dover, the North Downs Way is one of 16 long distance National Trails in Britain. On a sunny summer day I walked sections 3…
Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle
A wonderful couple of examples of 17th century grandeur relating to Bess of Hardwick, the second richest woman of the Elizabethan age, after the Queen herself. She married four times,…
York
The capital of one of Britain’s most historic counties, and the most important city in the North during the Middle Ages, York was the perfect base from which to spend…
Harewood House
One of the most enjoyable and impressive of the many historic houses I’ve visited over the years, Harewood Hall was one of the highlights of my trip to Yorkshire. I’ve…
York Cold War Bunker, Yorkshire Air Museum, and Eden Camp Modern History Theme Museum
A trio of fascinating WW2 / Cold War themed museums in Yorkshire, must visits for anyone interested in the history of that period. The York Cold War Bunker is run…
Whitby
A good place to try and escape the worst of the heat on one of the hottest days ever in the UK, there’s more to Whitby than most English seaside…
Fountains Abbey, Studley Royal Water Gardens, and Brimham Rocks
A varied day exploring north west of York, starting with the World Heritage site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens. The Cistercian abbey was one of the largest…
Castle Howard
A distinctive grand house in the Yorkshire countryside, one of the largest country houses in England, Castle Howard has been the home of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family…
Rievaulx Abbey and Terrace, Helmsley Castle, and Nunnington Hall
A heritage packed day exploring north of York, starting with Rievaulx Abbey. Founded in 1132 it was one of the largest Cistercians abbeys in England, until it’s dissolution by Henry…
Wrest Park and Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Couple of stops from the journey north from Surrey to York, along the mostly uninteresting M1 motorway. Home to one of the most significant gardens in Britain, Wrest Park is…
Tour du Mont Blanc v Walker’s Haute Route
The Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) and the Haute Route are two of the best known multi day walks in the Alps. They both start from Chamonix, with the TMB…
Highlights of the Walker’s Haute Route
The Haute Route is one of the most spectacular multi day walks in the Alps, ~200km through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Longer, harder and more…
Walker’s Haute Route accommodation
One of the highlights of walking in the Alps is the quality and variety of accommodation available, quite different to my usual experience in the New Zealand backcountry. On the…
Walker’s Haute Route – Stage 14 Europa Hut to Zermatt
Final day walking the Haute Route, which I had mixed feelings about. After nine days it was getting a bit routine, though there were a few nice surprises today, but…
Walker’s Haute Route – Stages 12a & 13 St Niklaus to Europa Hut
For it’s final two stages the Haute Route follows the Europaweg, a 31km high altitude mountain path running along the Mattertal Valley. In places this is the most dangerous part…
Walker’s Haute Route – Stages 11 & 12 Cabane Bella Tola to St Niklaus
My seventh day on the Haute Route, not the most enjoyable but the scenery still continued to surprise and impress. It was also the last of my double stage days.…
Walker’s Haute Route – Stages 10 & 11 Cabane de Moiry to Cabae Bella Tola
The quietest day walking the Haute Route, other than a truely memorable start. I woke at dawn in the Cabane de Moiry to find that six inches of snow had…
Walker’s Haute Route – Stages 7, 8 & 9 Cabane des Dix to Cabane de Moiry
A hugely varied day, it’s amazing how much adjacent valleys in the Alps can differ. I started the day crossing a rocky glacier, then explored a lush green valley, before…
Walker’s Haute Route – Stages 6 & 7 Cabane du Mont Fort to Cabane des Dix
An absolutely epic day, possibly the most spectacular I’ve ever walked, and certainly the most technically demanding. There were narrow tracks with sizeable drops offs, fields of boulders to navigate,…