Adventure

Great Britain: Sporting Britain

A guidebook article for Lonely Planet, July 2023

"During the 18th and 19th centuries, Britons codified major sports including tennis, cricket, golf, field hockey, billiards, bowls, netball, water polo, baseball, horse racing, squash and boxing..."

Great Britain: Divided Kingdom?

A guidebook article for Lonely Planet, July 2023

"Two historical referendums, one on Scottish independence (result: remain) and another on Brexit (result: leave), have revealed deep divisions between Britain's three member nations..."

Great Britain: Meet the British

A guidebook article for Lonely Planet, July 2023

"For many Britons, their identity is specific to their country, their region or even their city. For me, it’s more general than that. The conclusion I've come to is this: I am British, not English..."

England: Hadrian’s Wall and the Northeast

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, May 2023

"England's Northeast has wide-open spaces, curiously charming fishing towns and villages, and ancient abbeys and castles that are all the more romantic for their often-ruinous state..."

England: Canterbury and the Southeast

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, May 2023

"Surrey, Kent, and Sussex form the breadbasket of England, where bucolic farmland stretches as far as the eye can see, dotted only with great historic castles and beautiful stately homes..."

Essential England: Experience Chapter

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, May 2023

"Whether you are rooting for Liverpool, Man City or Newcastle, attending a game or watching at a pub, a football (soccer) match is a great way to observe locals at their most passionate..."

Scotland: Northern Highlands & Islands

A travel guidebook chapter for Lonely Planet, May 2023

"The most popular route through Scotland’s northern Highlands is the coast-hugging NC500, a 500-mile loop of spiky mountain peaks, dune-fringed beaches and brooding castle ruins..."

Scotland: Edinburgh

A travel guidebook chapter for Lonely Planet, May 2023

"It all began with fire and rock. The rugged, rangy landscape of modern-day Edinburgh was formed by three great volcanoes, which rose together here around 350 million years ago..."

DK Eyewitness Prague

A travel guidebook (extract) for DK Eyewitness, September 2022

"A long and rich history has bequeathed Prague a wealth of unique artistic treasures, from Gothic sculpture and Baroque painting to interwar design and contemporary installations..."

Scotland: Skye and the Outer Hebrides

A travel guidebook chapter for Lonely Planet, March 2022

"Skye's jaw-dropping landscapes and time-honoured castles are popular tourist draws, while those seeking solitude – and stunning sandy beaches – venture out to the Outer Hebrides..."

Budapest Guidebook: Side Trips From Budapest

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, August 2021

"As one of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Budapest naturally hogs the limelight. But those who venture just a bit farther afield find themselves rewarded with a host of Hungarian highlights..."

Austria: Innsbruck, Tyrol and Vorarlberg

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, July 2021

"The provinces of Tyrol and Vorarlberg make up the western tip of Austria with Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, as the historic and economic center. Come in winter to find unrivaled skiing..."

Austria Guidebook: Salzburg

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, July 2021

"From the Mirabellgarten to Nonnberg Convent, it is hard to go anywhere in Salzburg without hearing someone humming The Sound of Music's How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?..."

Austria Guidebook: Day Trips From Vienna

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, July 2021

"The area along the Danube and around Vienna unfolds like a treasured picture book, with its vast Roman ruins, medieval castles and Baroque monasteries perched high above the river..."

England: Hadrian’s Wall and the Northeast

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, March 2021

"Winding through the wild and windswept Northumberland countryside, Hadrian’s Wall once formed the northern frontier of the Roman Empire, and it remains an important Roman relic..."

England: Canterbury and the Southeast

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, March 2021

"Gardens are a real English specialty - and at Sissinghurst, Wisley, Chartwell and even Hever Castle, you can easily while away a long afternoon wandering through acres of exotic flora..."

Essential England: Experience Chapter

A travel guidebook chapter for Fodor's Travel Guides, March 2021

"A true afternoon tea consists of cakes, pastries, finger sandwiches, and scones with jam and clotted cream displayed on a tiered stand and served with steaming pots of loose-leaf tea..."

Europe by Foot: Carpathian Mountains

An article for Unforgettable Journeys: A DK Eyewitness Book, October 2020

"Emerald forests, medieval castles and wildflower-dusted mountains - explore the continent’s last great wilderness on a four-day hike through Romania’s incredible Carpathian Mountains..."

Europe by Water: Island Hopping in Croatia

An article for Unforgettable Journeys: A DK Eyewitness Book, October 2020

"Scattered all around Croatia’s sun-drenched coastline are more than 1,000 idyllic islands and islets. Take to the water on this laid-back voyage to explore five of the prettiest by sail boat..."

Europe by Foot: Julian Alps Peak Walk

An article for Unforgettable Journeys: A DK Eyewitness Book, October 2020

"This alpine amble through Slovenia's spectacular Triglav National Park guarantees sweeping mountain scenery, ancient fir-tree forests, glistening glacial pools and enchanting waterfalls..."

Europe by Bike: Transylvania

An article for Unforgettable Journeys: A DK Eyewitness Book, October 2020

"Transylvania isn’t all about Dracula; this in-the-saddle adventure bypasses the mythology and explores the reality of this remarkable Romanian region and its beautiful, time-worn villages..."

Europe by Foot: Tatra Mountains

An article for Unforgettable Journeys: A DK Eyewitness Book, October 2020

"Skirting the mountainous border between Poland and Slovakia, this circular hike to and from Kuznice takes in the park's most spectacular scenery, from its craggy cliffs to its thick forests..."

Chimp-Spotting on the River Gambia

An article for Lonely Planet, October 2019

"Alpha males confidently chomp on their bananas, fretful mothers clasp their young as they scoop water into their mouths, and hyperactive adolescents swing between the branches.."

Tracking Bison in Europe’s Last Primeval Forest

An article for The Independent, September 2017

"Belovezhskaya Pushcha in western Belarus marks the last remnants of a primeval forest that once shrouded the entire European Plain, from the Pyrenees in the west to Urals in the east..."

Adler Mountain Lodge: All-In Dolomites Luxury

An article for Private Air Magazine, January 2016

"The incredible beauty, drama and otherworldliness of the Dolomites make it one of the most spectacular and rewarding natural landscapes in the world. And it isn’t overrun with tourists..."

Six Uniquely Scottish Experiences

A blog post for VisitScotland, September 2015

"From scuba diving among German warships to hiking between curious Highland Cows, from gigantic viaducts to deep vaults, here are six of my favourite uniquely Scottish experiences..."

My Guard: Terror in Transnistria

An article for PureTravel, October 2013

"My finger is deep inside my right sock when I spot Him. Furtively glancing over the headrest in front of me, I spy the dark uniformed figure holding out an imperious palm to halt the bus..."

Experiencing Exclusive Resorts in Costa Rica

An article for Private Air Magazine, July 2013

"I hear a rustling overhead. Tentatively, I look up into the shadowy tree canopy overhanging the cliff edge, to discover a wrinkled pink face staring right back at me, A Capuchin monkey..."

Morocco sans Marrakech

An article for Overland Magazine, May 2013

"Despite a recent influx of tourists, there remain many attraction-filled Moroccan destinations tucked off-the-beaten-path. During a 10-day trip, I discovered five of the best hidden gems..."

The Flight to Everest Base Camp

An article for National Geographic Traveller, May 2013

“I heard the plane before I saw it. Sitting mutely in a pallid departure lounge, the dirty put-put-put of the engine trickled its way into my subconscious. It's a peeling, patched-up biplane…”

East China to Kyrgyzstan

Proofreading and editing for Overland Magazine, March 2013

"The driver swerved violently to avoid it, but as we skidded on the snow-covered road the lump bounced off the bonnet. My blood ran cold as I realised what it was. A human being..."

Peru-Bolivia-Chile Tour Itinerary

A 13-day tour itinerary for Viventura, January 2013

"Spanning Peru, Bolivia and Chile, the Altiplano region features some of the most spectacular scenery in South America: thermal geysers, high mountains, and the largest salt flat on earth..."

Magical Morocco (Women Only Worldwide)

A tour itinerary for Indus Travel, August 2012

"Inhale the exotic spices at the souks, explore the captivating landscape of the desert, gaze in amazement at the snake charmers of Marrakech, and dine at Rick’s Café in Casablanca..."

Off Everest’s Beaten Path

An article for Shoestring Magazine, February 2012

"I feel like throwing up. My head is spinning, my stomach churning, my joints throbbing. I suck in a lungful of icy air but there isn't enough oxygen. Yet still I ignore the thought to turn back…”

The Search for Ischia’s Seaside Spa

An article for The Telegraph (Travel Supplement), February 2012

""Have you got the eels?” I ask, teeth chattering, as my girlfriend steps off the yacht and onto the jetty. She nods. “And the mullet? And the calamari?” She holds the bag of seafood aloft..."

The Search for Ischia’s Wild Seaside Spa

An article for Amateur Traveler, January 2012

"The steam spirals into the sky, pirouetting beneath the delicate winter sun, as the blistering spring water trickles, lathers, into the salty sea. A seagull swoops from the frosted cliff top..."

Ischia’s Wild Winter Warmers

An article for Shoestring Magazine, February 2011

“It was one of those bitterly cold December days in southern Italy, when the chill wraps itself around your bones and draws you into winter, and I was freezing to the seat of my scooter..."

Transnistria: Europe’s Last Kid on the Bloc

An article for Shoestring Magazine, October 2010

“As the 1990s rolled in, and the world watched Poland and co. march forwards to a bright new dawn, no-one seemed to notice that one corner of the Eastern Bloc had been left behind…”