Ten Questions Answered about the Beautiful Thames Path

Thames Source – closest train station is Kemble

Walking the Thames Path from the source of the River Thames to the engineering marvel of the Thames Barrier is a flat, well marked, picturesque walk of about 300km. Here are some questions I had before starting and the answers learnt by actually walking it!

  1. Are some seasons better suited to walking the Thames Path?
  2. How far do I have to walk everyday?
  3. Do I need to walk it all in one go?
  4. Can I get food and water along the path?
  5. Do I need to pre-book my accomodation?
  6. What are the costs for doing the Thames Path?
  7. Will my phone have signal along the Thames Path?
  8. Will I get lost?
  9. What are the best tips for walking the Thames Path?
  10. Is it worth the effort?
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The Noisy and Colourful London Lunar New Year Parade 2024

Squeals of delight from the kids as the dragons made a point of swooping and interacting with the crowd!

Happy New Year! It is the year of the dragon and London has once again hosted a colourful and festive Lunar New Year parade. What a fun parade with beautiful multicoloured floats, traditional costumes and dancing, a few lion dances and many, many dragons of all shapes and sizes. This year’s parade was better than last year’s and seemed much more well attended.

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Is Japan the Ideal Travel Destination?

Shinjuku, Tokyo

What drives you travel? Why brave horrible airport security and cramped hours on a plane to go to a new place? Is it to immerse yourself in a different culture? Is it to see wonderful sights that you cannot find closer to home? Is it to taste a cuisine where it originated? After a recent trip to Japan, I’d like to argue that Japan is comprehensively the ideal travel destination when considering all the needs and the wants of a curious traveller.

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10 Fascinating Facts Discovered when Holidaying in Iceland

Víkurfjara black sand beach – formed by the erosion of volcanic rock

1) There were once a lot more trees in Iceland!

When the first Viking settlers came to Iceland 1100 years ago, the island was a lot more forested. These were cut down to build homes and boats. Iceland is finding it hard to regrow their forests because of the harsh weather and because of the sheep which graze all over the island causing erosion and making it difficult for trees to establish.

The landscape of Iceland includes a lot of wide open spaces, windy barren vistas, the evidence of volcanoes like old lava fields, black beaches, geothermal areas, geysers, waterfalls and moss. It’s so unusual, distinctive and in parts, truly spectacular.

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Reykjavik, the Small, Charming, Windy Capital of Iceland.

Harpa Concert Hall

Reykjavik with its small population of about 140,000 is comparable to Darwin in size. Most of the population in the rugged, barren country of Iceland live in the capital. It has an interesting history, an abundance of geothermal energy and some striking architecture.

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Money Saving Tips for a Holiday in Iceland

Skógafoss Waterfall Hike.

Iceland must be one of the most expensive places to have a holiday. Despite that, it is worth a visit for its striking and stark natural beauty, geothermal hot springs, majestic waterfalls and distinctive volcanic landscape. It is expensive, but with that affluence comes a place with a high quality of accommodation and services. It is also very safe for travelers from a crime perspective. The biggest risk to tourists is underestimating the unpredictable weather.

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Hiking Behind the Magnificent Icelandic Skogafoss Waterfall

Skogafoss

This hike goes by several names: Waterfall Way, the Skógá Trail, and the Skógafoss Waterfall Hike. This trail is also part of the spectacular Fimmvörðuháls trail. The Fimmvörðuháls trail starts at Skógafoss, follows the Skógá River along Waterfall Way, continues on to Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull, finally ending 25 km (15.5 miles) later in Thórsmörk. You don’t have to hike the whole thing We hiked for 1 hour and then turned around. Even that was enough to see some of the most jaw-dropping scenery. This was the highlight of our trip to Iceland.

In every direction, the vista compels you to grab your camera. The beauty is breaktaking. Iceland is blessed with so many waterfalls and such distinctive rugged scenery. Hiking the trail made me one of a tiny minority of the world lucky enough to see it. It was a privilege of a lifetime.

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Bristol, Cardiff, Liverpool and Manchester

What are these regional cities like compared to London? We journeyed by train to each of these to get a feel of their vibe.

Bristol city has a youthful student buzz about it due to it being the home of two major universities. Colourful terraced houses catch the eye and Banksy, the satirical street artist is based in Bristol.

The cheerfully brightly painted houses of Bristol.
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