Promoting well-being for men and supporting our community
North Portugal in May was sunny and mild but breezy. Porto is an interesting city and 3 days are easily filled looking around and sampling the local produce. Viana is a smaller town within easy striking distance of the Spanish border (20 minutes by train), with enough to see and do to occupy another three days.
We spent a week @ self catering on St Mary’s ~ very much the main island in the Scillies. Along with most of the other visitors, aka tourists, we took day trips to the other wee islands. All 5 of the islands can be covered on foot in a day, though quite a long days for St Mary’s. The islands are very geared up for visitors, with many fine cafes, and lots of “honesty box” roadside stalls selling vegetables (eg freshly cut asparagus), flower bulbs, crafts etc. The pace of life is pretty laid back. On St Mary’s one can hire electric golfing type buggies for getting round the roads; these are very popular, and a great aid for those who are not so keen / able to walk around. I’m sure it is heaving with visitors in the school summer holidays, a time to avoid if you can. We were probably a couple of weeks early for the best of the wild flowers which grow in profusion. The hardest part is the travel to / from the Scillies, and not least the huge cost of the travel.
A short break based near Rothbury, stopping off at the Hirsel near Coldstream en route (well worth a visit). We stayed inland this time and visited 2 of the National Trust’s “flagship” properties, Cragside and Wallington. The cost of maintaining these places must be astronomical! Cragside, the country home of William Armstrong (probably the Elon Musk of his day insofar as his innovations and wealth are concerned) was the more interesting. Engineering and hydraulics, largely a self-taught pioneer; I now plan to read his biography.
Recommended area and locations!
A great place to spend New Year. Great 2-person accommodation, fantastic food (2 dinners and 3 breakfasts included per person as part of the 3 night New Year package). Dogs allowed in some of the accommodation. It’s a long way, but well worth it!
Fabulous weather (weren’t we lucky!) and very long hours of daylight. Self catering. Wonderful beaches and sea swimming, though maybe a tad chilly for some. Good to take bicycles, both islands are pretty flat, and little traffic. No theme parks or suchlike, so we really needed to do our own thing; but there’s masses to see and do, not least the wildlife / birds. Regularly heard the croaking corncrake, but didn’t see one
Amazing 4 destination holiday. Montreal (2 nights), Halifax (4 nights), Calgary (7 nights), Banff (3 nights). Air Canada flights – excellent! Fantastic scenery, wildlife watching, city experiences. Beer cheap, other booze expensive. Great food – prices vary widely.
