Antigua is full of colour, populated with beautiful buildings in the Spanish Baroque style, and surrounded by volcanoes – some even active.
Feel on top of the world at Trolltunga
The hike to Norway's famous Trolltunga Rock is no easy feat. It's 22km of mud, snow and waterfalls - but it's worth it.
Skydive, raft and hike your way around Queenstown
Following a trip to beautiful Costa Rica trying everything from bungy jumping to rappelling down the side of a waterfall, I was looking to go one better and do something even more exciting and adrenaline pumping.
I decided there was only one way to do that. Jump out of a perfectly good plane, of course. And I chose to do it in New Zealand’s adventure capital, Queenstown.
Skydiving had been high on my bucket list for a long time but I wanted to do it somewhere special – somewhere with unparalleled views and where I knew I was in good hands.
Queenstown proved to be just the place on a brilliant summer’s day. As deep blue skies lit up over Queenstown without a cloud in sight and not a breath of wind, I knew luck was on my side and I had picked the perfect day to skydive.
As I headed out to the NZONE Skydive dropzone from Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu shone a brilliant blue with the Remarkables mountain range towering majestically above them. I couldn’t wait to see them from above.
The NZONE Dropzone is located about 15 minutes out of townf. You have a choice of jumping from 9,000, 12,000 and 15,000 feet. On a budget but wanting to have a reasonable amount of freefall I opted for the happy medium of jumping from 12,000 feet, which has a freefall of 45 seconds.
You’re quickly suited up with your jumpsuit and goggles and introduced to your tandem skydiving partner. There’s not much time to back out before you jump on a plane and up you go, flying over the lake and the Remarkables. We got up to an altitude of 9,000 feet and one person jumped up. We climbed a little higher over the next few minutes, and then it was my turn.
Swinging my legs over the side of the plane, balancing precariously on the edge as the wind rushes past, and knowing any second I was going to be falling through the air was probably one of the scarier moments of my life (I think bungee jumping was worse because it’s up to you to take the leap but this was pretty close).
You’re on the edge of the plane for about 10 seconds and then your tandem guide pushes you out and you’re falling. Scary but thrilling at the same time – words cannot totally describe the feeling.
In about two seconds after your body settles into the skydive and you don’t have that stomach in your throat feeling, you actually feel like you’re floating through the air. It doesn’t feel like you’re falling – just casually hanging out a few hundred metres above Queenstown.
The magical Isle of Skye
If you’re looking for a unique place off the beaten path in the UK, then consider visiting the Isle of Skye.
The Isle of Skye is part of the Inner Hebrides chain of islands off Scotland’s west coast and is only a couple of kilometres from the Scottish mainland. This unique part of the world is full of breathtaking landscapes perfect for hiking or simply a road trip.
How To Get There
The closest major airport to the Isle of Skye is in Glasgow. You can reach the Isle of Skye by flying into Glasgow and hiring a car for the journey, or there’s a CityLink bus that leaves from Glasgow Airport twice a day – once at 10.20am and another at 4.20pm. A bus also leaves three times a day from the Glasgow Bus Station at 7am, 10am and 3pm. Go to www.citylink.co.uk to book online.
Day hikes on Lofoten Islands
Do you like beautiful landscapes, road trips and hiking? If you answered yes, then you owe it yourself to make the journey to Norway’s Lofoten Islands – before everyone discovers one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.
The Lofoten Islands – located within the Arctic Circle – offers kilometres of spectacular mountain landscapes scattered with quaint fishermen cottages and bridges spanning azure water. And one of the best ways to reach them is by pulling on your hiking boots and navigating muddy and steep mountain sides to see them. You won’t be disappointed.
Reinebringen Peak
If you only have time to do one hike in the Lofoten Islands, make sure it’s the Reinebringen hike.
The Reinebringen peak is 448 metres high and getting there is pretty much straight up. It’s very popular these days so expect crowds.
If you’re scared of heights, don’t do this hike. I’m not scared of heights but there were a few moments when I looked down and realised the sheer drop below me and if I put a foot wrong I was going to end up all the way down a steep cliff. But I continued on with the help of a Portuguese hiker I met on the trail who helped me get up some of the slippery rock sections.
I made it to the top in about an hour, but it was a hard slog. But the views were absolutely worth it – they actually take your breath away! You get a spectacular view over Reine – seeing how the bridges link up all the islands. There’s also a brilliant crater filled with water.
If you keep going up to the peaks on your left and right, you can get 360 degree views but it’s a very steep and tricky climb to some of higher peaks.
Kvalvika Beach
The Kvalvika Beach hike starts opposite a small parking space, but get there early as the hike is popular.
The start of the trail can get pretty muddy – but you’ll get used to all the mud after a few days on the Lofoten Islands! The first section is well marked and the muddiest sections have wooden planks laid over them.
Be warned, the trail itself is not that well marked once you’re clear of the trees and on the hillsides. I had to double back a couple of times, particularly making my way across the pass as you start the descent down to the beach.
The descent down to the beach is steep and slippery. It’s very slow going and hard to keep to any sort of trail. But even if you don’t make it all the way down, you can catch a good view of the beach from about halfway down the pass.
Plan the hike to take about 90 minutes to two hours each way depending on how well you can stick to the trail and negotiate the downward hike to the beach.
Offeysoykammen Peak
The Offeysoykammen Peak starts just off the E10 Highway. The hillside overlooks the Nappstraumen waters and a hillside with small lakes. If you get a summit free of cloud though – you’re very lucky.
To get to the starting point, look for the road named Skreda. Coming from the south, it’s just past the Nappstaumen tunnel on your right. Park at the end of this road, cross the E10 and look for a small opening that marks the start of the trail.
The climb starts off fairly easily but once you’re out of the trees – it gets steeper and steeper and then it’s pretty much straight up. It’s also one of those peaks where you think you’re nearly at the summit, then you realise you have much more to go.
In the information I read, the trail is marked as easy. I would say it’s moderate at a minimum as it’s fairly steep. But it’s a good short hike with panoramic views. Expect the trail to take about 90 minutes up.
Another hike you can do is the Bunes Beach trail. The trail starts from the Vinstad village. You’ll need to take a ferry there from Reine – ferries leave several times a day during summer and the timetable is posted on a signboard at the Reine harbour.
The return Bunes Beach hike will take around three hours.
A few Americans I met out hiking also said the hike starting from the row of fish heads (you’re sure to spot them) across the road from the carpark serving the Å township has rewarding views but features a whole lot of mud. Maybe bring a spare pair of shoes and socks.
How to get to the Lofoten Islands
I reached the Lofoten Islands from Sweden’s Stockholm Arlanda Airport, but you can also fly in via Norwegian cities. I flew into the town of Leknes via Bodo, and I exited also via Bodo to Stavanger.
You can also take a ship from Bodo to Moskenes on the southern tip of the islands but I’m told it’s a rough crossing – so if you get sea sick like me, stick to flying.
There’s regular flights offered by the airline Wideroe to reach Lofoten Islands from Bodo. You can fly into either Leknes or Svolvaer.
Leknes is a small town and there’s not much to see, but there’s a couple of car rental agencies represented at the airport and in town. It’s best to book ahead.
Accommodation is limited and can be on the expensive side, so I opted for an AirBnB accommodation near the Fredvang Bridge and it was an excellent choice. I stayed with a lovely family who made me feel incredibly welcome and helped me find hikes to do.
The Lofoten Islands is easy to get around. The main highway is the E10 and goes the length of the islands. The main towns are well marked.
Things you should know