Just a 45 minute boat ride . . .

FITZROY Island Resort will undergo a $2.5 million refurbishment and expand its Great Barrier Reef experiences to include diving and sunset cruises. Rainforest-clad Fitzroy Island is just a 45-minute boat ride from Cairns city and where you will find secluded Nudey Beach, Australian’s Best Beach for 2018. 

A National Park with rainforest walks and a summit hike to the lighthouse, the island is home to the volunteer-run Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre where visitors can meet Jet, an eight-year-old green sea turtle rescued off Fitzroy Island in July 2017. Fitzroy Island Resort is also supporting the Reef Restoration Foundation with the establishment of the Great Barrier Reef’s first offshore coral nursery in the island’s waters. 

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Things to do in Skagen

THE most northerly tip of North Jutland is not only home of the picturesque village Skagen but also a hot spot for many migratory birds, and one of Europe’s best bird migration sites. The Skagen Grey Lighthouse has opened in May to take enthusiastic visitors on a virtual tour to discover and experience the many migratory birds that stop off in the region and surrounding areas.

Whilst September is the month for walkers to gather and lace up their hiking boots for the launch of the Skagen Hiking Festival. Open to everyone, regardless of age or hiking experience, the festival offers the chance to explore some of Denmark’s most magical scenery in the company of other walking enthusiasts.

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Picture Credit: pintrest

Celebrate Hawaii

THE annual Koloa Plantation Days festival on Kauai, July 21-30, 2017 commemorates the various cultures and people who immigrated to #Hawaii and contributed their traditions, music, dances, and foods to the rich melting pot that is Hawaii today. 

The event celebrates the present-day vitality of Koloa and Poipu areas, major visitor destinations on Kauai. Resorts and businesses welcome visitors and residents alike to enjoy guided walks and talk stories, outdoor sports and a variety of themed keiki activities, as well as live entertainment. The annual festivities also showcase watch top rodeo competitors from the state and mainland. 

koloaplantationdays.com

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Westonbirt Arboretum opens UK’s longest treetop walkway

THE LONGEST treetop walkway in the UK has opened to the public at the National Arboretum at #Westonbirt, Gloucestershire.

The walkway starts and finishes at ground level using the topography of the land, rising 42ft as it follows the valley floor.

c. Paul Groom

The sinuous elevated 320-yard route meanders through the arboretum, offering the chance to get up close with trees and the canopy, as well as views across the historic landscape.

Architect Glenn Howells said: ‘We are very proud to have designed this unique treetop walkway for the historic and internationally renowned arboretum at Westonbirt. The walkway allows all visitors, regardless of age or ability, to experience the site from the treetops for the first time. Focusing on visitor needs and materiality, the walkway is designed to disappear as a sinuous silver ribbon that meanders between trees and canopies. The aim is that this new feature will greatly enhance visitor experience and help to ensure Westonbirt's popularity for many years to come.’

www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt

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Take a walk in Australia

THE GREAT WALKS OF #AUSTRALIA has announced its first venture in Western Australia (WA) … the #MargaretRiver Cape to Cape Walk.

It’s a four-day experience showcasing WA's turquoise ocean, white beaches, coastal cliffs, towering forests, and the food and wine of the Margaret River Region.

The walk offers guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the natural landscape, get up close with the flora and fauna, swim in the ocean, and enjoy sunsets over the Indian Ocean. Operating throughout autumn and spring, the highlight is undoubtedly spring (September to November) when the region’s wildflowers are in full bloom.

Chair of Great Walks of Australia, Geoff Dixon said: ‘We're delighted to welcome the Margaret River Cape to Cape Walk into the portfolio.  We know from our trade and media partners that there's a strong interest in this region, so when Walk into Luxury approached us with this four-day itinerary that captures the unique beauty of Australia's South West, it was obvious that they were a perfect fit for the Great Walks of Australia brand.’

#GreatWalks of Australia is a collective of nine privately-owned walks that highlight the guided walk experiences in Australia – with coastal, inland and outback trails, high-end accommodation, local food and wine, and guides.

www.greatwalksofaustralia.com.au  


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Picture Credit: www.greatwalksofaustralia.com.au

Tickets on sale for the Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival

TICKETS are now available for events in the first Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival (April 2-10).

The festival celebrates the 150th anniversary of the publication of Toilers of the Sea, Hugo'novel inspired by and set on Guernsey, where he spent 15 years in exile from 1855.

The festival will explore some of the historic events that influenced the book and celebrate the writer’s life and work.

Exhibitions, paintings, talks, walks, films, performances, photographs, and a one-day seminar with four experts on Victor Hugo will all feature over the eight days, taking place at Guernsey landmarks, Hugo's favourite haunts, and places that provided the inspiration for Toilers of the Sea.

The Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival is part of the wider Channel Island's Heritage Festival 2016 (March 25-May 10), which this year has a maritime focus, celebrating Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Herm, and Sark's relationship with their coastline and their seas.

Getting there … Return flights from London Gatwick to Guernsey with Aurigny during the Victor Hugo in Guernsey Festival are priced from £100. www.aurigny.com

Tickets for all events are available to purchase at www.Guernseytickets.gg. For more information on the festival, visit www.victorhugoinguernsey.gg 

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Take a walk in Ireland

READY to explore #Ireland on foot, asks walking and cycling specialists IrelandWays.com. It suggests these three #walkingtours in Ireland … 

The coastal paths of The Burren Way will take you to the Cliffs of Moher. Towering over the Atlantic, they’re one of Ireland's most iconic natural features. Ancient monuments such as dolmens and ring forts dot the landscapes of The Burren (which means big rock in Irish). Take a rest day in Doolin on the Wild Atlantic Way to allow you to cross by boat to the Aran Islands.

Follow in the footsteps of the giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill (pronounced Mc-Cool) walking the Causeway Coast Way and Moyle Way in Northern Ireland, a trail of legends and scenery. According to the myth, this epic landscape formed by more than 40,000 geometric rocks was the creation of giant Fionn Mac Cumhaill, who built to reach Scotland when he was challenged to a battle by a Scottish giant. 

The UNESCO-listed causeway is a must-see if you are visiting Ireland in 2016. If you are scared of heights, avoid the 65ft-long Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, built by local fishermen more than 200 years ago to take them to a small island where they could catch salmon.

The St. Cholmcille Way takes walkers to the Donegal coastal village named after St Cholmcille (or St Columba), an important pilgrimage destination for many centuries. On this trail, walkers will also reach some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, the Slieve League Cliffs.The village of Ardara and panoramic views from the Glengesh Pass are two other unmissable stops on this tour.

http://irelandways.com

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In the footsteps of St Francis

A GUIDEBOOK re-tracing the steps of St Francis of Assisi across #Umbria, #Italy, has been launched by Cicerone Publishing. 

Stretching over 28 days and 340 miles, ‘The Way of St Francis: From Florence to Assisi and Rome’ connects significant places and dusty paths from the life of the saint and makes them available to pilgrims and walkers seeking to follow in his footsteps.

Sandy Brown, from Seattle in the US – an ordained minister and long-distance walker – has re-traced the path of the patron saint of animals and the environment to produce a 288-page guidebook.

The walk gives travellers the opportunity to experience the places where the saint lived, prayed, and worked, as well as venturing into the green heart of Italy.

The guide highlights the region’s lifestyle and focuses on its tranquillity, history, culture, and the hospitality of its people.

Each Umbrian town, says Reverend Brown, on the route has treasures of art, history, culture, tradition, and cuisine waiting to be discovered.

‘I've walked many pilgrim trails in Europe,’ he says, ‘and none are quite as magnificent as the path from Assisi to Rome. 

When I walked this route in 2013, I knew instantly that I wanted other walkers from all over the world to share in the experience of this fascinating trail, so I took pen to paper and wrote the first English copy of The Way of St Francis.’

‘The Way of St Francis: From Florence to Assisi and Rome’, £16.95, is published by Cicerone – a specialist travel publishing house.

www.cicerone.co.uk www.umbriatourism.it

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Picture Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15979685@N08/14333907108">Castelluccio di Norcia - Umbria, Italy</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">(license)

Winter walks

#RAMBLERS groups will be leading hundreds of free walks in England and Wales from December 19 to January 3 … from short strolls to heartier hikes. 

Ramblers’ chief executive, Benedict Southworth, says: ‘Winter is one of the best times to go out for a walk. There’s something truly magical about putting on your hat and gloves, heading out and perhaps even being the first person to leave footprints in the snow. Our Festival of #WinterWalks is our Christmas gift to the nation, so that everyone can enjoy the wonders of a winter walk.

‘The Festival of Winter Walks is free and open to everyone. Anyone who gets the walking bug can visit www.ramblers.org.uk/become-a-member to find out more about becoming a Ramblers member. Our members enjoy access to more than 45,000 group walks led by our volunteers each year, as well as exclusive walking routes that can be downloaded. Membership will also be helping to protect the

www.ramblers.org.uk/winterwalks

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