Our guide to travelling to and around the New Forest National Park without a car. The unique geography of the New Forest National Park is linked to the rest of Britain via fast mainline train connections: once there, the fragrant woods and heaths are a cyclist’s paradise, and there's the wonderful New Forest Tour to help you make the most of this magical landscape. A. Getting to the New Forest National Park without a car: By Train: Getting to the New Forest by train can be easy: Brockenhurst station is right in the middle of the National Park, and is served by over one hundred mainline trains every day. South West Trains operate regular services from London Waterloo (just over an hour and a half), Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton, Bournemouth, Poole and Weymouth to Brockenhurst; Cross Country Trains connect the North and Midlands (Birmingham), Oxford and Reading to Brockenhurst. In and around the New Forest, there are additional railway stations at Ashurst (New Forest), Beaulieur Road, Sway, Hinton Admiral, Lymington (Town and Pier stations), New Milton, and Totton; many of these are served by additional stopping services. By Coach or Bus: Both National Express and Megabus link destinations across the country to major hubs such as Ringwood and Bournemouth, just outside the New Forest – and with great connections into the National Park; there are also some National Express services to Lyndhurst and Lymington. Additionally, several other bus services serve the New Forest from the surrounding region: The Bluestar 6 service from Southampton The More X1/X2 from Bournemouth The More X3 from Salisbury and Bournemouth The Salisbury Reds X7 from Salisbury to Southampton. If you intend to make onward travel in the New Forest using the New Forest Tour (more information below), you can purchase your Tour ticket on the connecting service, and enjoy free travel into the New Forest. By Ferry: If you are visiting from the Isle of Wight, Wightlink operates ferry services from Yarmouth to Lymington, on the southern edge of the New Forest. You can also make the crossing from Southampton to Hythe (on the eastern edge of the New Forest) by ferry with the Hythe Ferry. You can find a full public transport access map, showing how services to the New Forest link in with the New Forest Tour services (see below) here. B. Getting around without a car: By Train: If you are making a short hop across the National Park, the railway line runs from the north-east via Ashurst (New Forest), Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst, Sway, New Milton and Hinton Admiral before continuing on to the south-west: various local services connect these stations. A branch line connects Brockenhurst to Lymington, linking to ferry services to and from the Isle of Wight at Lymington Pier. By Bus: The New Forest Tour By far the most convenient and comprehensive way to travel around the New Forest National Park by public transport is the New Forest Tour. Running across the key summer season of 29 June to 15 September, its three inter-connecting circular routes link many of the major sites, accommodation centres, towns and villages of the National Park. Operating a hop-on, hop-off service, tickets cost £13 for one day (£6 for children), with considerable discounts for longer durations (£26 for five days, for example). There is a 10% discount if you book the New Forest Tour online. This ticket allows you unlimited travel on all three routes across the Forest. There are also spaces to take your bikes on the buses (more information on cycling below). The three colour-coded routes are as follows: The Red Route loops around the wild north of the Park: Lyndhurst - Holmsley - Burley – Crow - Ringwood - Fordingbridge – Sandy Balls Holiday Centre - Brook - Cadnam – Bartley – Ashurst The Green Route links many of the south-west New Forest’s key attractions: Lyndhurst – Hollands Wood - Brockenhurst - Lymington - Beaulieu – Exbury Gardens - Beaulieu – Denny Wood The Blue Route links the Forest and coastal towns to the south-east: Brockenhurst - Setley - Lymington - Everton - Keyhaven – Milford on Sea - Shorefield – Barton on Sea - Naish - Walkford – New Milton – Bashley – Thorney Hill – Burley – Holmsely The Beach Bus During the school summer holidays until the 1st of September, the Beach Bus links Hythe with Lymington, calling at popular attractions including Bucklers Hard, Exbury Gardens and Lepe Country Park. Services during the summer holidays run hourly, seven days a week. Other buses: The New Forest tour is supplemented by year-round local bus services run by Bluestar and More Wilts & Dorset. The X1 and X2 link Lymington, Everton and New Milton, continuing on to Bournemouth. The X3 skirts the west of the National Park between Fordingbridge and Ringwood, with onward connections north to Salisbury and south-west to Bournemouth. Bluestar’s services 8 and 9 skirt the east of the park, but the most useful services is the 6, which links Lymington, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst, and Ashurst; continuing on to Totton and Southampton. Cycling The New Forest offers a landscape criss-crossed by quiet country roads, as well as a fantastic network of way-marked cycling routes. The terrain is largely flat, making cycling an easy and enjoyable way to get around for people of all ages and abilities. There are several cycle providers in the New Forest National Park, most providing bike hire and often with lots more besides: from handy local tips and advice to accessories, maps and guides. These include: Cycle Experience Country Lanes Forest Leisure Cycling AA Bike Hire Sandy Balls Cycle Centre There are dedicated bike spaces on almost all mainline train services (and many local ones), but to avoid problems or disappointment, it is always best to reserve a space for your bike in advance. To do this, you can either call the train operator, or head to your local railway station’s ticket office. For no extra cost, you can take your bike on any of the New Forest Tour buses (space for four bikes per bus), allowing access to many of the National Park’s great cycle paths and quiet lanes. On other bus services, generally only folding bikes can be carried, and decisions are at the discretion of the driver. There is a network of over one hundred miles of dedicated traffic-free gravel tracks in the New Forest, and you can find a detailed map of New Forest cycle routes on the Forestry Commission visitor website. Sustrans offers great information and route ideas for cyclists and sustainable travellers in the New Forest and beyond, and for more information you can have a look at Greentraveller’s Guide to Cycling in the New Forest. If you’re looking for maps of the New Forest, you can purchase a range of maps, guides, leaflets, and more from the New Forest e-shop; and there is an interactive map of the New Forest on the official visitor site. If you want more maps, information, guides and local advice, make your way to one of the New Forest’s friendly and informative visitor information centre in Lyndhurst, at the heart of the forest. This is complemented by several useful local information points across the National Park, plus annually updated visitor information panels (with maps) at nineteen different locations. The following are useful websites for visitors to the New Forest: www.newforestnpa.gov.uk www.thenewforest.co.uk www.thenewforesttour.info

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the Dyfi Biosphere, David Atkinson visits the Dyfi Osprey Project near Machynlleth in the Dyfi Biosphere, Wales, for a day of bird watching, and meets Monty and Seren, two of the nature reserve's finest feathered friends. Monty has the makings of a Hollywood heartthrob. He flew thousands of miles from West Africa to Mid Wales in search of his mate and, having sat on the nest for a few weeks in eager spring-mating anticipation, found himself in a three-way love tussle with a new female suitor. Monty may be an osprey but, as part of just three breeding pairs in Wales, he’s rapidly going A-list. We’ve come to the Dyfi Osprey Project, located just outside Machynlleth in the heart of the Dyfi Biosphere, to watch Monty in action from the high-definition nest cameras in the tower-hide, equipped with telescopes and binoculars. Ospreys became extinct in the UK in 1916 but returned to Mid Wales in 2008. Baby ospreys arrived in 2011. “When the female, Seren, arrived in late March, Monty put on a fine sky dancing courtship display, climbing and diving for trout to take to her in the nest,” says project volunteer Alwyn Evans, talking us through the migration and mating cycle of the Dyfi ospreys. “But, after a couple of years, there’ll be no more wining and dining,” he smiles. “It’s a bit like being an old married couple.” First-time breeders, we learn, generally lay two eggs and the incubation period in the nest is around 36 days. The baby ospreys fledge after around 55 days and will return to the nest after three years. Monty winters in the Gambia but returns each spring to his Mid Wales home. Einion, the first osprey born on the Dyfi for more than 400 years in 2011, will hopefully return this summer. But just as we are admiring the elegance of these birds of prey on the wing, a moment of high drama develops as a third bird swoops in and makes a play for a spot on the nest. Cue a frenzied walkie-talkie exchange in Welsh from the hide as the females jostle for Monty’s affections. A new purpose-built observatory is due to open later this year, enabling the project at Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust’s Cors Dyfi reserve to open year round from next spring. The RSPB nature reserve at Ynys-hir feels tranquil and calm after the soap opera of the osprey hide. The reserve, the base for the BBC Springwatch programme this May, showcases the rich variety of habitats that attract a large variety of species to the region. We stroll through the reserve, following the gentle Saltmarsh trail to the Saltings hide, close to where the swallows nest in spring. Spring migrants chirrup their greeting, red kites soar above and bluebells form a patchwork through the wooded areas. Close by, kingfishers are bringing their young to practice fishing in estuary pools. After walking for a mile or so, we skirt back round the visitor centre on the wetland trail towards a new blanket bog region. The local team is hoping to develop this area to counter the effects of climate change. “A blanket bog”, explains RSPB Engagement Officer Roger White, “is one of the world’s few carbon-neutral environments. It provides an fantastic habitat for insects.” We finish the day at Glandyfi Castle, an imposing Grade II-listed gothic castle re-imagined as an eight-room boutique guesthouse, for a spot of afternoon tea. As we tuck into sandwiches and homemade scones in the library with sweeping views across the Dyfi estuary, owner Maureen Holmes describes the labour of love to bring the property back to life. “It was a damp, derelict Gothic fantasy when we bought it,” she says, pouring the coffee. “But we loved the sense of history and five acres of grounds. We used green building, insulation and biomass-heating principles to turn it back into a homely place to be.” Glandyfi Castle is located close to both the Osprey Project and the Ynys-hir reserve on the Aberystwyth road, making it easy to combine a visit to all three on a car-free day by bike, foot or bus; more details at www.traveline-cymru.info. The Dyfi Osprey Project currently opens April to September with free entry; the RSPB Ynys-hir Nature Reserve opens year round and is free to RSPB members (£5 non members). Glandyfi Castle has doubles from £100 per night; more information at www.visitmidwales.co.uk.

As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to the Dyfi Biosphere, Paul Bloomfield spots kites, a Roman fort and soaring peaks on a 15-mile stretch of the Glyndŵr’s Way, a glorious National Trail linking Welshpool and Knighton via Machynlleth. One kite. Two kites. A buzzard on a gatepost. Three kites. Four kites. Meadow pipits, or larks, perhaps. Five kites. Six. Any day in which I see more birds than people counts as a good one – so my first hours walking Glyndŵr’s Way were blissful indeed. When the number of red kites I spotted got into double figures, I became almost blasé about seeing these magnificent predators circling on the thermals above the rolling hills of mid-Wales. Almost – but not quite. It’s impossible to be anything but captivated by the natural wonders of this route, whether airborne or at eye level. The 135-mile-long national trail named after Wales’ near-mythical 15th-century revolutionary hero Owain Glyndŵr traces a meandering loop across the middle of the country, from Knighton to Welshpool, through the Dyfi Biosphere Reserve. As the path links at both ends with the Offa’s Dyke Path, it would be possible (and pretty spectacular) to complete a circuit over a couple of weeks of wonderful walking. But if you don’t have that much time, it’s also straightforward to do as I did – pack a microadventure into a long-ish weekend, using the hub of Machynlleth, with its train station and ample facilities, as a launchpad for a two-day taster. One of the glories of the trail is that it traverses remote stretches of mid-Wales, often with fair distances between accommodation and other services, so a bit of planning is required – but just a bit. I’d caught a taxi from Mach (as the locals thankfully abbreviate the town’s name) to Dylife – pronounced ‘Duh-lee-va’ – for a night at the newly reinvigorated Star Inn, a 17th-century drovers’ hostelry brought up to date with comfy beds, wholesome fodder and even a sauna to ease the bones of weary walkers. After a slap-up Welsh breakfast graced by excellent local sausages and laver bread, I was hiking up through the hazy sunshine to the lonely moors above, where that first red kite welcomed me to the trail. Evidence of human occupation lay scattered sparsely around, from distant farmhouses glimpsed on the surrounding hillsides to the faint outline of a Roman fortlet at Penycrocben and the ruins of abandoned mineworkings. This section of moorland trail is almost eerie in its isolation, such that the bleating of lambs came as a reassuring reminder that I hadn’t tripped back in time. To the south lay the wind-scoured slopes of Pumlumon, where in 1401 the recently proclaimed Prince of Wales Owain Glyndŵr claimed his first major victory at Hyddgen. My path, though, led west to the mirror-like waters of Glaslyn and the scree-clad slopes of Foel Fadian, at 564m the highest peak on the trail. At each turn new vistas were revealed, first heather-clad moorland, then patchwork fields grazed by ewes and their mini-me lambs learning the art of gambolling. The 15 miles of trail to Machynlleth provided plenty of climbs and descents to work up an appetite, along farm tracks and quiet backroads, through forestry plantations and across the high common above Mach where, just a mile or two before the end of my day’s walk, I came across the only other hikers I met all day. In Mach I sated hunger for history at the compact Owain Glyndŵr Centre, a lively exhibition housed in the 15th-century stone building on the site of the rebel’s first Welsh parliament. Then I stocked up with ingredients and headed for my base that night, the wonderful converted stables at Yr Hen Stablau, a mile or so out of the centre. With the woodburner roaring and dinner steaming on the kitchen table (made from one of the old stable doors!), I raised a glass of Cwrw Glyndŵr (Glyndŵr Ale, brewed on the nearby Llŷn Peninsula) to the man who’d inspired the trail. Owain disappeared after his rebellion fizzled out, reputedly dying 600 years ago this year, though nobody knows for sure where or when. Legends persisted that he lived on, and lives still. But even if his body lies in the ground, his spirit surely imbues this glorious trail that reveals the beauty of the Powys countryside he so loved. Plan your Glyndŵr’s Way microadventure Information on the trail and planning tips are on the Glyndŵr Way National Trail website. The Star Inn, a drovers’ inn dating from 1640, has been recently refurbished with four fresh, bright en-suite bedrooms, a welcoming bar and wholesome, locally sourced food. It’s just a couple of hundred metres from the Glyndŵr’s Way. Single/double occupancy from £48/72. Luggage transfers can be arranged. Yr Hen Stablau is a charming, cosy self-catering cottage sleeping six converted from a 19th-century stable, using slate and other materials from the original stalls. It has a strong green ethos, with solar-heated water and many other eco elements, and is also wheelchair-accessible. Short breaks from £275 for four nights. Owain Glyndŵr Centre is worth visiting to learn about the rebellion that harried Henry IV’s men in Wales. The next-door café and gift-shop Siop Alys is a fine place to relax with a coffee; it sells Cwrw Glyndŵr beer, from which a proportion of profits helps fund the centre.

Salt-marsh, limestone pavement and lush green valleys: Jo Keeling experiences a wealth of landscapes in one day, on a bike ride through the Arnside & Silverdale AONB Fuelled by a hearty cooked breakfast and armed with a wealth of recommendations from Jason of Silverdale Cycle Hire, I set out from Arnside on a warm but breezy day in June, whizzing past clusters of birdwatchers and train spotters, scopes and lenses at the ready, on the Arnside promenade. Although this was only my second visit to the AONB, I was already beginning to love the unhurried charm of this Victorian seaside resort. Mostly I enjoyed the sense of expectation behind its easy going atmosphere, and I was coming to realise that if you spot lines of visitors looking out over the estuary, it usually means something exciting is about to happen: the tidal bore is approaching or a steam train is due to cross the bridge. The viaduct at Arnside nips the Kent Estuary in like a belt, and it’s here that the tidal bore is most impressive, crashing in to the bridge’s 50 stocky supports with a roaring fuss, as it has been doing since the line opened in 1857. But now, turning left under a railway bridge and heading north towards the aptly-named Sandside, I noticed the estuary broaden and unwind. I passed a row of ten or more anglers casting their lines into the incoming tide. On the far side, the foothills of the Langdales and Coniston Old Man beckoned. On the corner at Sandside, I paused at a knot of white cottages by the enviably well-set Ship Inn, which dates back to 1671. But it was too early for the pitstop, so I pedalled on until I reached a limestone bridge over the River Bela and picked up a track (NCP Route 6) through Dallam Tower deer park. I’d heard tell of the diversity of landscapes in this pint-sized AONB, but as I pedalled up the slow incline towards Beetham, catching glimpses of fallow deer sheltering beneath ancient trees, it struck me that I could quite easily be in the Forest of Bowland. Moments earlier, I had been enjoying the salt-marsh and wader-rich mudflats of Morecambe Bay, while I had awoken to views of Arnside Knott, which feels far closer to the landscape of the Lake District. Here be fairies Beetham is one of those pretty-as-a-postcard villages that will stop you in your tracks. You have a choice of pitstops: afternoon tea at the Old Post Office Tea Room or a pint at the wood-clad Wheatsheaf Inn, which has been welcoming guests since 1609 - first as a farmhouse providing meals to local farm labourers and later as a coaching stop for folk travelling from Lancaster to Carlisle. After re-fuelling, I took a detour to Heron Corn Mill, just a few minutes from the village. It’s a fascinating insight into the mechanics of an 18th century mill. Once the volunteers have the water rushing through the old mill wheel, you can lose yourself in a clunky cacophony of wooden cogs turning, conveyor belts clattering and a giant sieve spinning like a tumble dryer. With the day still young, and cake and tea in my belly, I decided to seek out the rather intriguing Fairy Steps, which are about 25 minutes walk south west from the village. I found the route to the steps almost as enchanting as the final destination, as I picked up a winding path through woodland littered with ruins, moss-drenched dry stone walls and scars of lowland limestone. At first, it felt like I was following a path deeper into Tolkien’s Mirkwood; then later, as I stumbled upon yew trees ripping through limestone grykes with roots that spilled down like melted wax, perhaps a British version of Angkor Wat. The ‘steps’ refer to a rough-hewn stone staircase between a narrow cleft of limestone. Legend has it that if you can walk through the passage without touching the sides then you will be granted a wish by the fairies. I failed, as I’m sure most have before me. Lady's Slipper Orchid Clints and grykes Hopping back on the saddle, I knuckled down on the first real hill of the route, through the village of Slackhead, then followed quiet leafy lanes until I saw a turn off for Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve, a mosaic of limestone habitats spanning 121 hectares and an unmissible highlight of the AONB. This is one of the best sites to explore the limestone pavement that makes this area of the country unique. Lowland limestone has an entirely different character to its upland counterpart. At Malham Cove and Ingleborough, it’s epic and exposed, while here it’s otherworldly and hidden within woodland, creating a moonscape of clints and grykes. Stunted ash and hazel trees push up through the gaps (many of which are 100s of years old, although they still look like saplings), while rare limestone-loving plants such as the rigid buckler fern, dark-red helleborine and limestone fern find homes within the sheltered grykes. If you could explore deeper, you’d find liverworts and mosses thriving in the deeper fissures. This unique wilderness is home to an array of woodland birds, rare butterflies and wildflowers. Look out for brimstone, high brown fritillary and the elegantly-named Duke of Burgundy butterflies, which thrive in the sheltered conditions, while marsh harriers display mid-air acrobatics over Hawes Water. If you visit in spring, you might even be lucky enough to spot the Lady’s Slipper orchid – Britain’s rarest flower. A low tide treat After a giddy downhill section (followed, inevitably, by the second stretch of hills on the approach to Silverdale), I found myself ready for lunch. Wolfhouse Kitchen, which is fast becoming a social hub provided the necessary fuel. I somehow managed to resist choosing one of their 20 varieties of cake and opted for a delicious and energising kedgeree. Having recharged my legs, I took a detour to Jenny Brown’s Point. At high tide, you can watch flocks of waders roosting on the salt marsh towards Leighton Moss, but low tide had a charm of its own. Here I found absolute silence and an ever-changing web of shimmering channels. After an afternoon pootling around Silverdale, I pushed through the final slow burning hill to the east of the Knott, then free-wheeled back into Arnside with only one thing on my mind: fish and chips from the renowned chip shop on the prom. As I was coming to realise, Arnside is a place to enjoy life’s simple pleasures and a well-deserved portion of fish and chips is certainly one of them. == Words by Jo Keeling

Birds, butterflies, bramble and birch... Jo Keeling enjoys the wildlife of the varied, beautiful landscape of the Arnside & Silverdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Considering it’s one of the country’s smallest AONBs, Arnside & Silverdale offers a surprisingly diverse landscape. In just one day you can gaze over salt-marsh, watch avocets preening in the estuary shallows, dip into green wooded valleys that wouldn’t feel out of place in the Forest of Bowland and stride up to the summit of rocky outcrops. Perhaps it’s not surprising considering the area’s location, nestled between the Lake District foothills and the upper reaches of Morecambe Bay. Here you will find flavour of both, along with an extra quality that makes this part of the world unique. That little extra something all comes down to the limestone, which underpins a host of habitats and shapes the character of the whole region. At Warton Crag and Trowbarrow Local Nature Reserve, the limestone is sheer and formidable; home to circling ravens, jackdaws and peregrine falcons. On Arnside Knott it breaks through the moor-grass in ragged peaks and slopes of scree while, perhaps most charmingly, at Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve and Fairy Steps, it hides within woodland and creates an almost otherworldly atmosphere. No wonder tales of fairies abound. Opportunities to explore the area’s wild side are plentiful and there’s much more to experience than we have space to show you! Here are just a handful of highlights so you can start exploring… Leighton Moss is top of the agenda for most visitors – and rightly so. If you’re arriving by train, you’ll get the first tempting glimpses of the reserve as the line skims the reed beds just south of Silverdale. It might look like a well-established landscape, but rewind only a hundred or so years and all this would have been drained farmland – known locally as the Golden Valley, as it was so productive for grain. In fact, it was only allowed to return to its natural wetland state towards the end of the First World War, when there wasn’t enough fuel to power the pump. Managed for the last 50 years by the RSPB, Leighton Moss is now the largest reed bed in the north of England and home to an impressive array of waterfowl and waders. Whatever time of the year you visit, there are wildlife spectacles on offer that will keep twitchers and casual visitors rapt. In spring, you can hear bitterns booming in the reed beds and watch the arrival of the first avocets to nest. In summer, once you’ve recovered from the cacophony of squabbling black headed gulls, you can see marsh harriers performing acrobatic mid-air food passes, while red deer graze the meres (you might even catch them swimming across the dykes). Autumn brings parties of bearded tits picking up grit from the paths, while murmurations of starlings wheel overhead. Winter is the best time to actually see bitterns as they venture out onto the frozen meres, and to catch sight of great flocks of greylag geese on the saltmarsh. Don’t miss the new interactive family area, immediately outside the visitor centre. Here young nature lovers can build dens, pond dip, learn how to build a bug hotel, explore a sensory garden and make a racket on a wooden drum kit. Trowbarrow Local Nature Reserve There’s something delightfully eerie about the footpath to Trowbarrow, a disused limestone quarry just a short walk from Leighton Moss. If the woods surrounding Fairy Steps are populated with fairies, then ‘The Trough’ at Trowbarrow, with its looming pines, tumble down ruins, twisted boughs and moss-covered boulders must surely have once been home to giants. What waits at the other end of this winding path is rather unexpected – a great amphitheatre of rock, with a web of sandy bike tracks and the calls of circling jackdaw echoing in the air. Note the Shelter Stone – a huge boulder, worryingly close to the quarry edge, where workers would shelter after hand drilling holes into the limestone and packing them with dynamite. Quarrying ceased in 1959 and, over the last 40 years, a rich patchwork of habitats has developed: species-rich limestone grassland, juniper scrub and coppiced woodland. Look out for rare orchids, but also more common plants such as hawkweeds, coltsfoot, willows, ash and birch. You might even spot wild strawberries, which are regularly nibbled by the resident rabbits. The cliffs are home to kestrels, bats and a colony of jackdaw. Even the mountain bike trails are popular with solitary bees and digger wasps. Immerse yourself in limestone geology at Gait Barrows
Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve is one of the best spots to really explore the limestone pavement that makes this area of the country unique. Lowland limestone has an entirely different character to its upland counterpart. At Malham Cove and Ingleborough, it’s epic and exposed, while here it’s otherworldly and hidden within woodland, creating a moonscape of clints and grykes. Stunted ash and hazel trees push up through the gaps (many of which are 100s of years old, although they still look like saplings), while rare limestone-loving plants such as the rigid buckler fern, dark-red helleborine and limestone fern find homes within the sheltered grykes. If you could explore deeper, you’d find liverworts and mosses thriving in the deeper fissures. This unique wilderness is home to an array of woodland birds, rare butterflies and wildflowers. Look out for brimstone, high brown fritillary and the elegantly named Duke of Burgundy butterflies, which thrive in the sheltered conditions, while marsh harriers display mid-air acrobatics over Hawes Water. If you visit in spring, you might even be lucky enough to spot the Lady’s slipper orchid – Britain’s rarest flower. Seeking out butterflies at Arnside Knott The Knott is a popular spot with locals and visitors, but with a vast web of footpaths, it’s possible to enjoy its solitude and never walk the same route twice. It’s a fascinating landscape. Sculpted by glaciers in the last Ice Age, then skimmed with thin limestone soil, the hillside supports a mosaic of shrub, wind-sculpted yew and juniper and tussocks of grassland. Look among the clumps of distinctive blue moor-grass and you might spot tormentil, tiny yellow four-petalled flowers, which were once used in folk medicine as a cure-all remedy. The area is renowned for butterflies – too many to list here so pick up an ID guide from the AONB office at Arnside station if you’d like to find out more. You should keep an eye out for a few species of note, however: the Scotch argus, one of only two colonies in England, is on the wing late July and early August; while the Knott is also a stronghold of the rare high brown fritillary, which has suffered the swiftest decline of any British butterfly. If you miss the first two, the bright yellow brimstone should be easier to spot – they hibernate in the ivy and will be on the wing in early spring. Look out for roe deer and other mammals in the lower woodland – a tangle of bramble, bracken, dog rose and grown-out coppiced hazel and oak. This is also an ideal place to just stop and listen to woodland bird song: listen out for the calls of marsh tits, wrens, nuthatches, willow warblers, chiffchaffs, blackbirds and blackcaps. Watching nesting peregrine falcons at Warton Crag At 163m, Warton Crag is the highest point in the AONB and walkers are rewarded with impressive views over a patchwork of farmers’ fields and salt marsh, before the shining intertidal expanse of Morecambe Bay. Inland, you might be able to pick out Clougha and Hawthornthwaite in the Forest of Bowland, and Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. The reserve offers a sharp contrast to the lowland pavements at Gait Barrows; here the limestone has been eroded to form natural cliffs, scars and outcrops. Many birds make the crag their home: peregrine falcons nest on the quarried crag face, while kestrels hover in search of small prey. In the woodlands, you might see (or at least hear) green warblers, willow warblers, blackcaps, and bullfinch and marsh tit. Between spring and autumn, wildflowers add colour to the grassland and shrub: look out for the rich yellows of kidney vetch (small clusters of yellow flowers atop little woolly cushions) and Bird’s Foot Trefoil (yolk-coloured flowers with reddish buds and claw-like seed pods), purple mats of thyme and bluebells, primroses and wood anemones in the woodlands.     
Warton Crag is also another important breeding ground for moths and butterflies. Seek out the warm, sunny corners and you could spot such rarities as the nationally threatened high brown fritillary – their caterpillars feed on the leaves of violets beneath the shade of the bracken. You never know, those sunny spots might reveal the odd slow worm as well, so keep your eyes peeled. == Words by Jo Keeling

As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to Nidderdale, Jane Dunford overcomes her fear of heights to cross deep gorges and scale steep cliffs at spectacular How Stean Gorge, a 1km-long limestone chasm in the Nidderdale AONB. I’ve never had much of a head for heights, so as I prepare to step onto the metal beam that crosses How Stean Gorge I fix my eyes on the rockface opposite, determined not to look down. My heart’s thumping and my legs are a little weak, but slowly I inch my way across, ignoring the rush of the river below – and it’s with a definite sense of relief that I reach the other side. In the heart of the Nidderdale AONB, How Stean Gorge is a spectacular limestone chasm almost 1km long and 20m deep, and the on-site outdoor centre offers various ways of exploring. I’m trying out the Via Ferrata – a network of beams, ladders and cables set in the rocks that will have you traversing the cliffs, crossing the gorge and scrambling up boulders. First developed in the Italian Dolomites to help troops cross the mountains during the WWI, there are just two ‘Iron Roads’ in the UK. ‘It’s not your standard going for a walk,’ says Monty, Head of Outdoor Education and our guide for the day. ‘It’s all about overcoming your fears, trying something new, having fun, and seeing the gorge in a different way.’ Though a tad challenging, you’re thoroughly safe – a metal rope runs the length of the course and you clip yourself on as you move around. I’m feeling pretty brave and pleased with myself for not giving into vertigo, until Monty mentions he had an eight-year-old doing it the other day. Hmmm. There are lots of different adventures offered at How Stean. Go for the Gorge Scramble and you’ll abseil 20 metres off a bridge and then head upstream, climbing over rocks, sliding down waterspouts, sitting under waterfalls and swimming through deep rock pools. You can go canoeing on one of the reservoirs in Nidderdale, or try rock climbing at Brimham Rocks, a weird and wonderful collection of rock formations not far away. Caving is another option too. As it’s a wet and cold day in November, being underground seems to be the best choice – and, dressed in orange all-in-one caving suits, we head off to Manchester Hole, a cave nearby. It’s my first time caving and I’m a little wary as I inch my way into the main chamber, eyes blinking to adjust to the darkness. A classic river cave, we walk through the water, as the walls and roof slowly close in. Along the way Monty points out fossils and unusual rock shapes and talks about how the caves were formed. We crawl on hands and knees through a narrow passage, our Wellington boots filling with icy water, emerging into another chamber and scrambling up over muddy banks. ‘It’s the oldest mud in Yorkshire,’ says Monty ‘dumped here in the last Ice Age’. In the dark, water droplets sparkle on the roof reflecting our torches, like constellations in the night sky. Slowly we make our way back to the roof entrance and pop out into a grassy field as dusk begins to fall, tired but exhilarated. We head back to the centre for hot chocolate and cake – a great end to a day of adventure, both above and below ground.

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the Forest of Bowland, Florence Fortnam tries out the Bowland Rambler Sunday Service, a new bus service that connects walkers with starting and finishing points of a series of walks in the area. Next year, the Forest of Bowland will be celebrating its 50th anniversary as one of the UK’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. But despite its fifty-year history as a protected area, this lesser-known AONB is still overlooked by people making a beeline for the neighbouring Yorkshire Dales – good news for those intent on keeping this patch of Lancashire a secret for a little while longer. “It’s a real balance trying to increase visitor numbers whilst working to maintain the AONB’s peaceful charm,” says Hetty Byrne, Sustainable Tourism Officer for the AONB. Having grown up here, she’s keen to protect it for future generations. “There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to shout about it too much,” and as we sped over hill and heath without spying another soul, I couldn’t help but agree. I was accompanying Hetty on the new Bowland Rambler Sunday Service, a bus service connecting walkers with the starting and finishing points of a series of walks in the area, allowing visitors and locals to ditch the car for the day. Running from May to September, the service connects Clitheroe, Accrington, Settle and Burnley with the heart of the region. There are a number of self guided routes that visitors can take linked to the bus route that the AONB have developed, so if you fancy company on your rambles, you can hook up with others to do the same route. If your company is of the four-legged variety, you’ll be pleased to know that they are as welcome as the rest of us on the service – good news for Hetty’s lively springer, Josh, who was leaping around in a frenzy the moment he spotted our walking boots. Within minutes of boarding the bus in Clitheroe’s town centre we had left the pretty market town and had broken out into the heather moorland, following the ribboning dry stone walling through a string of pretty villages lining the River Hodder, which snaked its way into the heart of the AONB. Less than ten minutes and two stops later, we had a bus packed with eager walkers tightening laces and consulting maps. “It’s only be operating for two weeks,” Hetty explained, “It’s great to see so many people using the service already”. We were soon stepping off the bus in Newton-in-Bowland outside the Parker’s Arms, the sort of pub that weary limbs long to find at the end of a walk, with a gently-sloping garden looking over the Ribble Valley and a menu that details the provenance of every ingredient, from the butter to the beef, all sourced within a 30-mile radius. We were testing out one of the suggested itineraries, the Newton to Slaidburn circular, a five-mile walk which initially follows the river before heading through some beautiful hay meadows, including Lancashire’s newly-designated Coronation Meadow, which were rich in different grasses, including the beautifully-named melancholy thistle, meadowsweet, and eyebrights. We wandered past farms and fields of playful lambs before descending into Slaidburn for a sandwich at The Riverbank Tearooms and a stretch out on the grassy bank lining the river. From here we looped back through buttercup meadows, over streams and through sun dappled woodland before finding ourselves back in Slaidburn for a well deserved ice cream. It was a warm, sunny Sunday in June – perfect walking conditions – yet we only came across one couple the whole day: blissfully quiet. The last bus back to Clitheroe was just after five, so you get the entire day out in the AONB if you want it. My bed for the night was at Bleasdale Cottages, a collection of converted outbuildings on a farm to the south of the AONB. With just a flat valley between the farm and the Fair Snape Fell, the hill that rises to the east, you really do feel in the middle of nowhere. A majestic setting – isolated and inspiring – and packed with wildlife. Which was why I was here: to go wildlife spotting. That evening I exchanged walking sticks for binoculars and followed owners Anne and Robert and the new addition to their family – a shiny telescope – out into the fields. We stopped to watch lapwings scamper across the ground and oyster-catchers perform aerobatics in the late evening sun, and were serenaded by the beautiful shrill call of a pair of courting curlews, made even more magical against the backdrop of the hills which were turning purple in the fading light. But what I was really after was to see a hare: this was hare country, after all. We saw several pairs of large pointy ears bounding across distant fields, moving far too quickly to catch them through the telescope. But as we started heading in the direction of the farm, we caught sight of one in a grassy border of a field, stretched out dozing blissfully in the sun, one huge paw flopped casually over its eyes, shielding himself from the late evening rays. I returned home happy. It had been my first introduction to wildlife watching and I can safely say it won’t be my last. In fact, I think I might be hooked: a pair of binoculars has already made it onto my Christmas wishlist. >> For more ideas of where to stay and things to do in the Forest of Bowland, see our: Green Traveller's Guide to the Forest of Bowland

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the Yorkshire Dales, Jane Dunford brushes up on her mountain biking skills and heads out to explore the Yorkshire Dales National Park's trails, tracks and bridleways with the Dales Bike Centre. It’s a rainy morning in the Yorkshire Dales and on Reeth village green I’m learning a few mountain biking tips from Stuart Price, owner of Dales Bike Centre. I tackle the grassy slope, knees bent, arms outstretched, trying to remember not to pull the front brake too hard and risk shooting over the handlebars. Stuart’s a dedicated cycling fan – he came here 20 years ago for a mountain biking weekend and loved it so much he decided to stay, setting up the centre within the Yorkshire Dales National Park in 2009, with wife Brenda. You can hire a bike and head out on your own, have a guided tour, or holiday of several days with baggage transfer. ‘People who are here for a short time and want to get the most out of it like the guided tours,’ says Stuart, ‘there’s no messing around trying to read maps and find your way.’ There’s a bunkhouse too with 14 beds should you wish to stay the night, all clean and cosy and a bargain at £28 with locally-sourced breakfast. And the centre’s won awards for it green initiatives, from the ground source heating system to the water recycling bike wash. We head out past Healaugh village and join part of the Yorkshire Dales Cycleway as it runs through Swaledale. There’s a great network of packhorse trails and bridleways for cycling, thanks to the lead mining industry that flourished here in the 19thcentury. Swaledale is gorgeous – rolling fields with stone walls and ancient barns, the river Swale bubbling in the valley and varied terrain to suit all kinds of cyclists. We whiz about down muddy tracks, follow paths close to the river and ride through villages before heading back for lunch at the centre’s café (homemade soup by Brenda). That evening I make my way across the Dales towards the market town of Hawes and on to Nethergill Farm. If you’re after peace and quiet, you’ll find it here. Surrounded by moor and meadowland on the Dales Way walking route, the 380-acre working farm is home to Chris and Fiona Clark who plan to eventually create a wildlife haven, combined with a sustainable farm. Join a tour of the farm and you can visit the sheep, rare White Shorthorn cows, chickens and pony – and hear about the Clarks’ many conservation initiatives. They’ve planted 18,000 trees in a 30-acre area in conjunction with the National Parks and Forestry Commission to encourage Red Squirrels to flourish – and Black Grouse have returned to the area after 40 years. There’s a field centre too where courses like wildlife watching and photography are held, and webcams are being set up around the farm, which will feed into the office and can be accessed remotely by guests wishing to check out the wildlife action once they’re back at home. Accommodation is in the Victorian farmhouse (there are three rooms), and Fiona will cook a ‘rustic farmhouse supper’ on your first night using local produce and often meat from the farm. Breakfast is a feast – all home-made bread, home-cured bacon and eggs from the free range hens. If you’d prefer to self-cater there are two very bright and comfortable newly-converted self-catering barns. All heating and hot water comes from the biomass boiler. The farm’s location means it’s a great stopover for walkers on the Dales Way, but for those who love the feeling of being right in the heart of nature and have the time, this is one place you’re likely to want to linger. Prices for B&B for two at Nethergill Farm start at £85.

As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to the Yorkshire Dales, here is our guide to travelling to and around the Yorkshire Dales without a car. A. Getting to the Yorkshire Dales without a car: By Train: The famous Settle – Carlisle railway now starts from Leeds, conveniently linking the fabulous scenery of the Yorkshire Dales with destinations across the country. Both Leeds and Carlisle are served by numerous regular mainline and local trains; a further line runs via the Dales between Leeds and Morecambe. Stops close to, or within, the Yorkshire Dales National Park include Skipton, Gargrave, Hellifield, Long Preston, and Settle Junction; here the two lines fork – on the Morecambe line, you can alight at Giggleswick, Clapham, or Bentham; whilst the line to/from Carlisle continues on via Horton-in-Ribblesdale, Ribblehead, Dent, and Garsdale. It is hoped that in a few years, the recently-reopened Wensleydale line will link Northallerton (on the East Coast mainline) to Hawes (and connecting down to Garsdale on the Settle – Carlisle line) via Leyburn and Bedale, as well as various other smaller stops; for the moment it provides a scenic railway journey across part of the Park (more details below). By Coach or Bus: Both National Express and Megabus run services from destinations across the country to towns in and around the Yorkshire Dales, such as Skipton, Ripon, Harrogate, Northallerton, and Lancaster; as well as an even larger number of services to nearby Leeds for onward connections to the National Park. B. Getting around without a car: By Train: Along the Leeds – Settle – Carlisle and Leeds – Morecambe lines, short hops between different destinations in the Dales can be made (see above for list of stations), the Settle – Carlisle line in particular being known for the beautiful scenery that one can see en route. Whilst the Wensleydale railway is not currently fully connected to the national rail network, its heritage trains are a wonderful way to step back in time and travel along the beautiful Wensleydale valley. Near Skipton, the Embsay and Bolton Abbey steam railway takes you back in time and through some lovely scenery, including the wonderful Bolton Abbey, the starting point for some great walks. By Bus: The Dales is a large geographical area, and correspondingly, there is a wide network of buses running across the National Park and connecting it to nearby population centres and transport hubs. Various routes run from Skipton, Ilkley, Harrogate, Northallerton and other places well located for visitors arriving by train from the rest of the country. The extremely useful Dales Bus website groups together information about all the different routes and timetables in once place. Links down the side allow you to access the latest timetables for year-round routes, Summer-only bus services, and Winter-only bus services: these are updated regularly. You can also plan your journey by bus and public transport across the Dales with Traveline Yorkshire. On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays, you can take the Malham Tarn shuttle bus from Skipton railway station up through some of the Dales’ loveliest scenery to beautiful Malham Cove, England’s highest lake, Malham Tarn, and the famous limestone pavements. If you arrive by public transport, you can enjoy a number of guided walks from the Settle area with the Dales Bus Ramblers and the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Railway. Cycling Cycling in the Yorkshire Dales offers something for just about everyone: from short, flat routes along quiet country lanes along the valley bottoms, to challenging long distance routes and dramatic off-road terrain for mountain bikers. So much so, in fact, that the Grand départ of 2014's Tour de France will travel through the National Park! Be sure to check out the gradients and terrain before setting out, as well as the weather forecast! Mainline train services usually offer space to keep your bikes, however these spaces are limited and should always be reserved in advance to avoid disappointment, by calling up the train operator, or heading to your local railway station ticket office. Sadly, however, there are not currently facilities to bring bikes by bus to or around the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The Yorkshire Dales now offers the fantastic option of electric bike hire, an eco-friendly way to allow technology to take some of the weight of your legs and enable you to explore the Dales by bike, maybe even getting up some steeper slopes than you might have imagined! Electric bike hire and charging is available at various points across the National Park, with e-bikhire.com: check out their site for more information, including bike hire points. There are, of course, plenty of places for traditional bike hire: and often these cycle centres can offer you more than just a couple of wheels for the day. Pop by for friendly local advice, accessories, repairs and more – here are some of the cycle providers operating in the National Park: Dales Bike Centre Off the Rails Mountain Bike Skills Cycle Adventure You can find a further list of bike providers and businesses in the Yorkshire Dales here. The choice of routes for cyclists in the Dales is practically endless: check out some great day routes here, or some lengthier cycle touring itineraries, as well as a selection of cycle routes for families. Serious Mountain bikers can get some inspiration for mountain bike trips around the Yorkshire Dales too. The ultimate Dales cycling experience is the 130-mile circular Yorkshire Dales Cycleway, which takes in some of the most spectacular scenery in the National Park. For more information, discover what Sustrans has been doing for cyclists and sustainable travellers in the Dales and across the country, and check out Greentraveller’s guide to cycling and horseriding in the Yorkshire Dales, the YDNPA's website: Cycle the Dales, and the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s cycling page. Maps and further information You can download a useful map on the Yorkshire Dales website, but for more maps, guides, information and expert local advice, head to one of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority’s visitor centres. The five centres are located in Aysgarth Falls, Grassington, Hawes, Malham, and Reeth.

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the North York Moors, Writer Steve Jack gets creative at the Arts & Heritage Festival in Staithes, one of North Yorkshire's prettiest coastal towns. There’s something special about the North Yorkshire coastline and, although I’m fairly familiar with its charms, the journey out here always provides a rush of excitement. Just past Pickering, the Hole of Horcum’s huge natural bowl never fails to take my breath away, and I love the road as it swoops and swirls its way across heather-topped moorland en route to Whitby and the North Sea beyond. Today’s destination, though, had always seemed rather enigmatic to me: a quiet place with a somewhat inscrutable character that – compared to, say, Robin Hood’s Bay – felt a little more circumspect and harder to get to know. So arriving in Staithes on the occasion of its second annual Arts and Heritage Festival was quite a revelation: its doors had been well and truly flung open, and every conceivable venue – a total of 77 houses, cottages, tearooms and galleries – was there for all to enjoy. If the scale is impressive, with 110 artists and their works scattered among galleries, shops and homes, then so is the variety. As well as seascapes and landscapes galore, by talented artists such Joanne Wishart and Clothylde Vergnes, you can find photography, ceramics and jewellery, as well as demonstrations and workshops on topics as diverse as lute-making, glass-staining and observational drawing. I settle for an amble amid pop-up galleries and a beguiling half-hour in the company of John Cole, the local lobsterpot-maker. It is far more absorbing than I thought possible. At lunchtime, I’m drawn by the sign pointing towards ‘Proper Yorkshire Fish’, and hunker down on an upturned rowing boat on the beach to tuck into my fresh haddock butty. ‘What could be properer than this?’ I wonder. Refuelled, I’m off again, running the High Street gauntlet of scone-peddlers and while-you-wait poets to huff and puff my way up Cowbar Hill to one of Britain’s finest viewpoints. ‘What’s that racket?’, I mutter under my breath, my attention momentarily snatched from the picture-perfect harbour below, only to discover that it’s Steve Iredale, Staithes’ chainsaw-sculptor-in-residence. He’s busy putting the finishing touches to an eight-foot carving of a wooden fish, and this, I realise, is no ordinary day out. The afternoon meanders along agreeably in a warm haze of fuzzy bonhomie. And, as I savour a pint at the bar in the Cod & Lobster, I realise that what charms me the most is not really the ‘art’ itself (very good though much of it is) but the camaraderie, the sense of inclusiveness, and the idea of everyone being ‘in it together’. So when I see that the Lifeboat Station has been turned into a temporary concert hall, with locals belting out songs inside for an appreciative audience of visitors gathered around the sea front, it feels just about right: quirky, honest, and full of collective enthusiasm. Things draw to a close that evening at the aptly named Kipper’s Corner outside Staithes Gallery. This nostalgic slideshow could be terrible, of course; but it turns out to be a belter. Those in the know have come armed with deck chairs, woolly blankets and flasks, and settle in for the ride. Others, like me, stand mesmerised as we are taken on a rollercoaster journey, from early fishing trips in search of herring shoals to wartime solidarity trips and ‘beautiful baby’ shows, as the history of a village and its inhabitants unfurls onto a brick wall opposite, through a series of remarkable images. The sea-shanty accompaniment, bashed out on the keys of an open-air piano, is the icing on the cake. These weather-worn yet kindly faces from the past have told me all I need to know about this proud, doughty people, who arguably have closer ties to the ocean than to the rest of Yorkshire (let alone the wider world). Far from remaining an enigma, Staithes has shown me its heart and soul today, and I am thoroughly enchanted. Next year's Staithes Arts & Heritage Festival will take place over the weekend of 13th/14th September 2014 – this third edition promises to be the best yet!

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the North York Moors, here's our guide to travelling to and around the North York Moors without a car. Within easy reach of the national rail network and many major urban centres, the North York Moors' dramatic moorland landscapes are well connected by bus routes and heritage railway services; and with a fantastic range of cycling opportunities to boot. A. Getting to the North York Moors without a car: By Train: The East Coast mainline links Scotland and London with the North York Moors via nearby York, as well as less frequent stops at Thirsk and Northallerton. Further train services from around the country stop at Malton, Scarborough, Whitby, and Middlesborough, including regular mainline Transpennine services from Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool and more. By Coach or Bus: National Express services from around the country stop at Thirsk, Northallerton, and Middlesbrough, close to the North York Moors National Park. There are also more frequent services to York and Leeds (National Express and Megabus), from where connections can be made via the Coastliner to Malton, Pickering, Goathland and Whitby. B. Getting around without a car: By Train: As with most National Parks, few mainline rail services run through the park, but there are a couple of great options in the North York Moors to see the sights from a train: The Esk Valley Railway is one of Britain’s most scenic routes, starting off in industrial Middlesbrough, before traversing beautiful moorland scenery around the Esk Valley en route to the historic fishing port of Whitby, stopping off at numerous places within the North York Moors National Park on the way. More famously, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage steam service sure to delight rail enthusiasts and children. Running through scented woodland and over the high moors from Pickering to Grosmont (before sometimes joining the Esk Valley line to Whitby), this is a great way to take in the scenery, and feel a little history, as you travel. By Bus: The Western Explorer links Rievaulx, Byland, Helmsley and Mount Grace Priory. The Rosedale Rambler links Beck Isle Museum, Ryedale Folk Museum, and Cropton. The Dalby Forester is a scenic route through the forest. The Moorland Discovery takes in the best of the North York Moors, including Roseberry Topping, Captain Cook’s Monument, Ralph’s Cross, The Moors National Park Centre at Danby, Bilsdale, Sutton Bank and Helmsley. Bus services running to and around the North York Moors National Park: The Scarborough to Whitby and Ravenscar bus (number 93) links destinations along the spectacular North Yorkshire Coast. The Yorkshire Coastliner runs all the way from Leeds to Whitby via Malton, Pickering, Thornton-le-Dale and Goathland. Cycling: The North York Moors are blessed with a huge network of trails, bridleways and well-maintained country roads, ranging from quiet country lanes to challenging off-road upland terrain. This makes it not only a beautiful place to enjoy the wind in your hair and the smell of the heather, but the experience – and views – can be as much or as little of a challenge as you like: a pleasure for cyclists of all levels. Mainline train services usually offer space to keep your bikes, however these spaces are limited and should always be reserved in advance to avoid disappointment, by calling up the train operator, or heading to your local railway station ticket office. Bikes are sadly not usually allowed on buses, though you could contact operators in advance to check. If you want to hire a bike once you’ve reached the North York Moors, there are plenty of fantastic cycle providers that allow you to do that, and much more: with accessories, maps, and local advice they’ll get you geared up for a fantastic cycling experience. Local bike centres (call up in advance to check up availability of cycle hire) include: Blue Giraffe Bicycles Cyclemaster Pedals 4 All CIC Dalby Bike Barn/Pace Cycles Gone Mountain Biking (guided rides, mountain biking skills, etc., rather than bike hire) Trail Kings (guided rides and biking trips, rather than bike hire) Trailways Let's Bike (will deliver bikes to you) The Moor to Sea Cycle Route is a fantastic family-friendly network of cycle trails (totalling 150 miles but split into manageable sections) that cover some of the North York Moors’ finest scenery on well-maintained routes that include The Cinder Track, a coastal stretch on a former railway line, particularly adapted to those who prefer to bike along the flat. The Dalby Forest is home to England's largest trail centre, and is a great place to enjoy easy cycling along some flat terrain through beautiful scented woodland - look out for the wildlife! Find out more on the Dalby Forest cycling site and Dalby Bike Barn. For more ideas, pick up one of the North York Moors National Park’s Pedal and Puff leaflets, which feature some of three great cycle routes, linked by a stream train route - on which you can of course take your two-wheeled friend. For more maps, information and useful links, have a look at the North York Moors cycling minisite, or head to one of the visitor centres listed below. Sustrans also provides useful information for cyclists in the North York Moors and across the country. Maps and further information Get hold of some great maps on the North York Moors online shop, or head to one of their well-equipped visitor centres for guides, maps, local information, expert advice, and sometimes much more. The Moors National Park Centre, Danby Sutton Bank National Park Centre For more information and inspiration for your trip to the North York Moors National Park, see the range of places to eat and stay, and things to do and see, on the North York Moors National Park website

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the North York Moors National Park, Paul Bloomfield gets a taste of North Yorkshire’s foreshore life and history (and seaweed) on a coastal safari from the fishing village of Staithes in the North York Moors National Park. The small fishing village of Staithes, crammed into the crevice where Roxby Beck feeds the North Sea, is proper chocolate-box cute. Teapots and lobster pots. Art galleries and ye olde pubs. The kind of pastel-hued, higgledy-piggledy, cobbled, smelling slightly of seaweed and fish place that swarms with tourists in high summer. But there’s still grit in this town’s oyster. He’s called Sean, and he’s a lifelong fisherman and lifeboat crew member who now also runs Real Staithes, which takes landlubbers like me out on coastal walking safaris to discover the wonders of the foreshore. Some of the wonders are, like Sean Baxter, perhaps earthier than you might expect. “See these fossils embedded in the rock?” says Sean, pointing at swirling, rope-like formations. “What do you think they are?” “Crinoids?” I guess, doubtfully, based on the illustrations he’d shown me a few moments earlier. “Nope – prawn poo!” Sean guffaws, handing me a piece that’s lying free on the shale. You don’t get that kind of insight on most tours. But then this isn’t like most tours. I’ve joined Sean, aided and abetted today by sons Luke and Thomas and collie Tiff, to experience the condensed highlights of the two courses run by him and his partner Tricia Hutchinson. I hope to glean just a smattering of Sean’s diverse knowledge about this patch of the foreshore running from Staithes to the ghost harbour of Port Mulgrave, a mile or so to the south. It’s a fascinating blend of geology, local and natural history, palaeontology – and a healthy dose of fishermen’s lore. As we amble away from Staithes’ enclosed harbour, Sean’s brightly painted fishing boat All My Sons bobbing at anchor, we start with a short wild food foraging session. “These seaweeds are edible,” Sean observes. “This laver is baked in laverbread, while you’ve tasted carrageenan plenty of times – that’s where your beer froth comes from.” He hands me a small piece of green, urging me to try it. “Pepper dulse,” he smiles. I can’t say I’m sold – it tastes like I’d expect seaweed to taste – but I’m told Tricia’s kelp crisps are much more toothsome. Winkles (or ‘chequers’, as they’re locally known) could make a snack, while limpets, or ‘flithers’, aren’t on the menu. “They’re edible,” Sean tells me, “but much more valuable as bait on longline hooks.” Next there’s a handful of dog whelks – locally reputed to be poisonous. More interestingly, they also produce the dye tyrian purple, worth hundreds or even thousands of pounds per gram (“Though we get our purple from sea slugs,” Sean tells me). Then it’s onto wildlife. Sean gestures back at the kittiwake colony around the cliff to the north, and points out a fulmar nesting in the rock face – “a smaller cousin of the albatrosses”. “Last year I saw two humpbacks breaching, a sei whale, nine minkes, and loads of porpoises and seals,” Sean muses. “You hear so much doom and gloom about conservation – but there’s so much good news. I saw a razorbill yesterday at the cliffs at Boulby. Some day soon we might have guillemots and puffins nesting here.” There’s social history, too. “You’re now stood on a railway track that served the ironstone mines along the bay, worked till the 1930s. Alum was also mined here till the 1870s, used as a mordant in setting dyes in calico.” Poking around the brash – the seaweed and other detritus in piles at the high-tide mark – Sean is looking for jet, which gets tangled up in the weed. “Look for something black and shiny,” Sean tells me. “If you think you’ve found a piece, scrape it on a rock – if it’s black, it’s coal, and if it’s brown, it’s jet. It’s been extracted here since the 18th century.” Sean is understandably proud of the area’s geology. “We have more mileage of ‘Jurassic’ coast than Dorset,” he boasts. Not for nothing is this stretch called the Dinosaur Coast. Sean points out a rib bone protruding from the cliff – the rib of an icthyosaur or plesiosaur. Luke and Thomas dart here and there, periodically returning with nodules fallen from the cliffs – like nuts to be cracked, many conceal treasures: fossils of ammonites long embedded. Picking over lumps of shale, Sean demonstrates how to scrape ochre – essentially rust from the ironstone – to use for paints. There’s a rainbow of different shades, from pale yellow to rich orange and rust-red. We finish our course – more entertaining than any learning experience has any right to be – at Sean’s hut at Port Mulgrave, once an important harbour but now just a rocky cove with a row of tumbledown shacks. Inside Sean’s cosy lair, Tricia dishes up homemade soup, crabs, bread, hollandaise and salad, followed by the moistest home-baked fruit cake – a delight, topped with a slab of Wensleydale. Recalling my earlier foraging lesson, I sprinkle a dash of dried pepper dulse over my soup. It tastes like the sea, concentrated: salty and fishy. And it’s just the flavour I want to remember from this day when, with Sean’s help, the shore yielded just a fraction of its secrets. Real Staithes offers two fascinating and unique day courses: Coastal Craft, sharing Sean’s in-depth knowledge of the foreshore’s wildlife, geology and history, and Ancient Paint Palette, showing how to collect pigments and make paints from ochre, tyrian and charcoal made with driftwood. Courses run on spring tides, with a maximum of 8–10 participants, and include a hearty soup and fresh lobster lunch. (01947 840278)

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the North York Moors, Paul Bloomfield traverses the southern moor, encountering dozens of curlews and relics of feisty giants Traversing the Moors from Centre to South. The heart-tugging call of the curlew echoes the character of high heather moors as no other sound can. Like rooks in a churchyard or a blackbird’s trilling song in a summer garden, the curlew’s plaintive, drawn-out cries is the aural epitome of its habitat: it whispers bleak beauty, empty expanses, wind-tugged heather. It’s perfect. Which is just as well, because on the moor above Goathland I’m being serenaded by curlews from all directions. Everywhere I look there seems to be a speckled brown-and-cream bird stalking a open patch in the heather, its distinctive long, curved bill lifted as it calls. I’m just beginning my 16-mile hike from Goathland, in the heart of the eastern moors, to Pickering, southern gateway to the national park. The day had started with bang – or, rather, a whistle, a chuff and a clank – as I set off from Pickering on a vintage train of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. For over 40 years, one of the country’s finest heritage railways has puffed its way through the moors, and it’s a great way to start a day’s walk (or just a short stroll – the gentle 3.5-mile rail trail from Goathland to Grosmont is a perennial favourite). I would be stretching my legs on a longer route, which traverses a cross-section of the national park’s varied habitats and landscapes. If Goathland seems familiar to you, it might be because of its star turns on the silver and small screens: its station, forever stuck in 1922, played stunt double for Harry Potter’s Hogwarts stop, while the village is Aidenfield in TV drama Heartbeat. Coachloads of nostalgic fans visit to take tea and admire vintage cars. I amble along the broad, attractive main street before heading south and up onto the moors. As the path climbs among heather, cottongrass, curlews and skylarks, the sense of isolation and timelessness becomes palpable. Though I can turn my head to see Goathland and a few neat farms over my shoulder, and the huge pyramid of Fylingdales early warning station is intermittently visible to my left, I have a strong sense of stepping out of time, that the well-worn path I’m treading must have been followed by generations of travellers. The impression is heightened as I reach the Two Howes, cairn-topped mounds surrounded by small stone circles. My reverie is broken by the disgruntled cackle of a grouse as it whirrs out of the heather, disturbed by my clodhopping boots. After an hour or so, the scene changes: I descend to a field among fir plantations, crossing sheep pastures to reach a stony track through woods intermittently pine and broadleaf. Here, I know, crossbills and siskins feed, and goshawks may hunt; though I’m alert, the wood’s avian inhabitants are much shier than those curlews. I time my arrival at Newtondale Halt, a request stop on the railway, just in time for a steam loco to go chugging through. Then it’s a steep climb up the rocky escarpment called Yewtree Scar, with fabulous views back down to the halt and the thickly wooded gorge, before ascending to the broad path along Gallows Dike – those names! – and another classic vista: this one across the Hole of Horcum. This round-shouldered bowl of a valley was formed by spring sapping – or, should you choose to believe the favourite legend, the result of local giant Wade scooping up a clod of earth to hurl at his wife during a tiff. Either way, the panoramic scenes south and east from the ridgeway are celestial. The landscape changes again as I descend to Levisham, a rural idyll with neat fields and a tempting pub, the Horseshoe Inn – hours could be lost (and calories gained) in its bar or front garden. Now wandering cowslip-lined lanes, farm tracks and paths, I stop at ruined Levisham Church to admire its oldest gravestones before crossing pastures and wild-garlic-scented woodlands to reach Pickering and the end of the line – for me and the railway. Practicalities 17 Burgate is a truly exceptional, intimate guesthouse in the heart of Pickering, an ideal base from which to explore the east and south of the national park. This imposing Georgian town house has been extensively refurbished by owners Pat and William Oxley, retaining period features – wonderful ceiling mouldings, multicoloured glass window overlooking the stairs – but with flair and taste, being comfortable and stylish rather than arch or effortfully hip. On a chilly evening, the wonderfully snug, flagstoned bar, with its wood-burning stove and comfy sofas, is the ideal place to browse the maps and walking guides, and plan your next day’s adventure. Breakfast is a showcase of local talent: kippers and salmon smoked nearby, free-range eggs laid nearby, mushrooms grown nearby, bacon and sausages from the butcher in Malton. Oh, and the marmalade is home made. Every effort is made to nurture environmental responsibility. Opened in 2003, it was a boutique B&B before the term really took hold, and still offers one of the best options in the region. The North Yorkshire Moors Railway runs up to nine trains daily between Pickering and Grosmont, some continuing to Whitby. Check the timetable to be sure of catching a departure pulled by a steam loco – though the diesel trains are also atmospheric. Various period themed days and Pullman dining options add to the fun. This walk is flexible – it can be shortened by starting at Newtondale Halt and/or catching the train from Levisham back to Pickering instead of walking the last few miles. Use the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map OL27. Inntravel is a lauded local tour operator with a strong green ethos, and offers a fine three-day self-guided walking holiday in the North York Moors. The third day of this tour tackles the walk described above. The North York Moors National Park website has a wide array of walking routes to download, as well as information on guided walks and holiday companies arranging tours. The new Lime & Ice app (currently for iOS only) helps visitors explore the dramatic landscapes around Sutton Bank.

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to the North York Moors, Paul Bloomfield wanders the ruins of the North York Moors' iconic monasteries Rievaulx and Byland, as well as some of the park's lesser-known but equally beautiful abbeys and priories. “Everywhere peace, everywhere serenity.” It sounds like it could be a marketing slogan for the moors themselves; in large swathes, apart from birdsong and the distant tootle of a steam train on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, tranquillity reigns supreme. But these words were actually written by Aelred, 12th-century abbot of Rievaulx Abbey, the Cistercian Monastery that nestles in the Rye Valley just west of Helmsley at the national park’s south-eastern corner. They seem apt even today – but why was it that Yorkshire as a whole, and this patch in particular, attracted so many religious orders to build such imposing edifices? It’s hard to say, exactly – but even now, new spiritual communities are settling here. Thanks to Henry VIII’s tender attentions during the repression of the monasteries, most of Yorkshire’s (and indeed the UK’s) ancient abbeys, priories and monasteries now lie in spectacular ruins. Rievaulx was the first Cistercian monastery in the area, and arguably the finest; certainly its remains today still inspire the kind of reverence they were intended to induce when built in the first half of the 12th century. To my eye they are the closest thing we have to an English Angkor: a mighty religious ruin, towering stone and vast in scope, redolent with power and peace. The abbey church, which still retains its transept and soaring eastern walls and arches, inspires and awes in equal measure, and you can easily imagine the monks going about their lives in the cloisters, infirmary and refectory. Nearby Byland Abbey, though less extensive, is – if possible – even more calm. The stone outline of its massive rose window, now half-gone but still impressive, can be made out from some distance away; reputedly it inspired York Minster’s famous rose window. More imagination is required to picture the Savigniac community at its peak, but some elements – notably the fine, intricate mosaic tiles in the abbey church – are both unique and uniquely beautiful. Mount Grace Priory, to the north-west, is different again: a Carthusian monastery, it is smaller and more intimate in scale. A reconstructed monk’s cell gives a good idea of life for this austere order, and wildlife is abundant here – watch for the stoats! Just outside the national park, the spookily gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey are famed for their Dracula connection, while the remains of Kirkham Priory boast a gatehouse beautifully decorated with the arms of the De Roos family. It’s not all ancient history, though; two contemporary religious communities continue the monastic tradition. Ampleforth Abbey has hosted Benedictine monks for over two centuries; as well as running a respected college, it’s also known for its excellent cider, continuing a tradition of brewing and beverage production stretching back to the earliest days of monasteries. Stanbrook Abbey is a modern eco-friendly community of Benedictine nuns, relocated from Worcestershire to a new site close to Byland, that welcomes visitors who wish to join in contemplation and worship. As well as these large communities, the unusual, beautiful and fascinating churches scattered across the moors deserve a mention. Many have Norman or even Saxon features, with ancient fonts, ceiling bosses and monuments honouring local noble families from centuries past. Worthy of special note are the medieval wall paintings in Pickering’s Church of St Peter and St Paul. Dating from the 15th century, these depict scenes both biblical – the beheading of John the Baptist, the passion and resurrection of Jesus – saintly, including the martyrdom of St Edmund and a colossal St Christopher carrying the infant Christ, and mythical (St George’s lances pierces the cheek of a ferocious dragon). If more modern ecclesiastical architecture inspires you, look out for the marvels built by Temple Moore, one of Victorian England’s finest church architects whose apogee is found in Gothic Revival sites around the North York Moors. The Temple Moore Trail website and app leads you to the various spot where you can admire his work.

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to Dartmoor National Park, Paul Bloomfield discovers a wealth of Bronze Age gems on a walk on Bellever Tor in Dartmoor National Park. I love Ordnance Survey maps – the unmanageable size, the colours, the impossibility of folding, the tiny symbols denoting bogs and crags and trees, the papery rustle. But there’s one element that gets my heart racing more than all others: that medieval-style gothic typeface used to label archaeological sites. And OS Explorer Map OL28 is awash with it – because Dartmoor has the highest concentration of Bronze Age and other prehistoric sites in the UK, and probably anywhere in the world. Literally thousands of cairns, menhirs, stone rows, hut circles and field systems stud the moor. What’s more, these fascinating spots are open to be enjoyed by anyone – at least, anyone with a pair of hiking boots and an ounce of energy. True, some are visible from the few roads criss-crossing the moor: the stone rows just east of Merrivale, for example. But to really appreciate the national park’s incredible heritage, stride out on a moorland walk. You can’t fail to stumble upon a wealth of monuments. I was joined by Dartmoor National Park’s communications officer, Mike Nendick, on my circuit from Postbridge through the forest and up onto Bellever Tor. We’d been walking barely ten minutes when he beckoned me off the main track and along a muddy path to a curious assembly of granite lumps atop Lakehead Hill. A row of stones form a line leading to four flattened, upright rocks forming a box perhaps a metre high and a little more across. “This is a cist – a Bronze Age burial chamber – and an unusually large one,” Mike explained. “Unfortunately, it’s not quite as it would have been originally; Victorian antiquarians excavated it – as they did most other sites on Dartmoor – and rebuilt it, but not exactly right.” The stone row, he explained, would originally have led to the cist’s entrance, while the chamber itself would have been partially buried. Those Victorians were fervent in their obsession with what they believed – or wanted to believe – was ancient druidism. Unfortunately, their archaeological skills were primitive, and an unknowable wealth of information and artefacts was lost during their excavations. Continuing out of the forest and onto the hillside below Bellever, large stone circles appeared among the heath – the remains of ancient field systems and a hut circle, barely visible among the heather and bracken. “In Bronze Age times, the climate was warmer,” Mike observed. “Back then, Dartmoor would have been a more hospitable place, important not just for farming but of course for the extraction of tin, vital for the production of bronze.” The jumble of huge granite stacks atop Bellever looks almost manmade itself, like dozens of thin disks piled one on the other to form a succession of turrets. And from this striking formation, more of the moor’s heritage is visible: the hulking grey jail at Princetown, built by – and to incarcerate – French prisoners of war, and later used to house conscientious objectors during the First World War. Dropping down to the south of the tor, we swung east and then north, passing a much wider stone ring perhaps 5m across enclosing a flat, grassy area: a hut circle. “Imagine thatch forming a conical roof rising to a central point above the fire – this was a substantial family home,” Mike observed. “When this was excavated a few years ago, we found round holes in a ring inside the stone walls, holding ancillary posts for furniture or separating internal areas, perhaps for sleeping or storage.” As we wound our way back to Postbridge, we crossed the medieval Lych Way, the ‘corpse path’ along which all bodies had to be carried to the nearest official graveyard at Lydford, many miles to the west. Here, the paths themselves tell stories. This is an exciting time for anyone interested in Dartmoor’s history. The results of the excavation of a Bronze Age tomb on Whitehorse Hill are only now being revealed – and they are more important than anyone imagined. Amber beads traded from the Baltic, an intricately woven lime-bast basket, spindlewood ear plugs and an ornate woven cowhair bracelet embedded with tin pellets are just some of the artefacts buried with a young girl in this previously untouched cist. An exhibition opening at Plymouth City Museum in September will shed light on the internationally important finds. These details add colour and depth to what we know about the area’s prehistoric inhabitants. But even without beads and bones, during a walk on Dartmoor you need only the slightest imagination to visualise yourself among the people who built homes, farmed and herded, were born, died and were buried here 4,000 years ago. Further Information: The website of the Dartmoor National Park Authority has information on the moor’s Bronze Age sites and offers free downloadable audio tours, including one covering Bellever, as well as occasional guided walks.  Moorland Guides is a cooperative group founded by former national park guides offering a wide range of excellent walks, some themed around archaeology and other topics, across the moor and farther afield.

Catherine Mack describes a new car-free initiative on the Isle of Wight. The Isle of Wight has been turning a deeper shade of green for several years now, with many dynamic tourism providers showing other regions how it's done. On my various trips there in the past, I am always struck by how tightly the leading green businesses work together to benefit providers and tourists alike. As well as an impressive collection of walking routes, cycling routes and farm shops, the latest initiative to hit the news is their Car-Free Scheme, where businesses, attractions and activities are offering discounts and incentives to those arriving by public transport, foot, or bike. Anyone who has visited the island already knows how easy it is to get around without your car, and how much cheaper it is to travel on the ferry without one too. On one of my visits I was met off the ferry by one of the Isle of Wight's cycle hire company, Wight Cycle Hire, which then took my bags, delivered them to my accommodation, and then did the same for me on my return journey, as I cycled all the way back to Cowes. On another trip, my husband had to head back to London early for work, leaving the rest of us to spend another couple of days at the glorious luxury yurt camp in Freshwater. All he had to do to find out bus times at very short notice, and late at night,  was send a text with a number which was printed at the bus stop, and minutes later he got a text back with all the information he needed. As for walking on the island, the 67 miles of the Isle of Wight Coastal Path have to be seen to be believed. At present 75% of visitors to the Isle of Wight come by car, and the impact on the environment and the island's rural roads and villages is certainly significant. According to the island's Car-Free Scheme, the reasons why people use their cars so much for holidays is simple:  cost, convenience and familiarity. However, by offering discounts for entry , accommodation and other incentives, as well as all the details you need for getting around the island using public transport on their website,  members of the Car-Free Scheme hope that more visitors will use more sustainable transport, and still manage to have a great holiday while they are at it. One example is the weekly rover ticket on the island's efficient Southern Vectis service which, for a family of up to five people, is £40. Helen Cunningham, co-founder of the island's coolest accommodation, Vintage Vacations, is part of the scheme and enthuses about its potential, commenting, "At Vintage Vacations we have noticed that the number of people asking for car-free travel information and details on how to hire bikes etc has been increasing. When we saw the car free scheme we thought it was a fantastic idea and may encourage those who were 'on the cusp' of either coming without a car or not using the car when here. So far we have had five car-free bookings and two enquiries / bookings pending, which we are delighted with." In terms of day trips, you will also get a discount at the island's coolest activity provider, treeclimbing experts Goodleaf, where treeclimber Paul McCathie leads small groups up into the canopy of a giant oak tree, using harnesses and helmets. I first discovered Goodleaf when I treated my son to a morning's treeclimbing for his 9th birthday, and we have been back every year since for a family treat. You certainly start to see the island in a different way from 60 feet in the air and, in its own way, the Car-Free initiative is also striving to look at things from a new and different way, but equally exciting.

Two centuries ago, the Romantic poets sought inspiration on the byways of Exmoor. Paul Bloomfield follows in their footsteps on a section of the Coleridge Way Some poets find their muses in mountains or lakes, others in birds or flowers. For the Romantics, William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey, the wild beauty of Exmoor provided inspiration, the latter rhapsodising: ‘The inland walks are striking: the hills dark, and dells woody and watery, winding up them in ways of sequestered coolness.’ The ideal way to explore those hills and dells is to tackle the Coleridge Way, a 36-mile walking trail winding west through the Quantocks and Brendon Hills, traversing eastern Exmoor to within touching distance of the coast. The path begins at Nether Stowey, where Coleridge lived for a few years at the tail end of the 18th century, and finishes at Porlock, home of the unnamed man whose untimely visit curtailed Kubla Khan. The whole route can be walked in three or four days, with ample accommodation at stage ends; as a taster, I hiked the final nine miles north from Wheddon Cross. Descending from the village, perched high on the moor, I followed wooden fingerposts bearing the quill symbol, pointing down a track through Raleigh Manor. The settlement soon melted away, and I tramped between rhododendrons, bamboo and wild garlic; in spring, I reflected, this must surely be a riot of floral colour, but on this frosty March morning, snow dusted the path. The first two or three miles alternated between pine and deciduous woodlands, in which a woodpecker clattered its Morse code, interspersed with steep fields and narrow combes, clefts in the hillside cut by dashing streams. Reaching the valley floor, a succession of fords and stepping stones crisscrossed a winding brook; a shadow flitting across my path betrayed a buzzard soaring overhead. Soon the path rose onto the open moor beneath Dunkery Beacon, at 414m Exmoor’s highest point. As I tramped up among grass and rust-red bracken, I passed possibly the tiniest lamb I’ve ever seen, nuzzling at mother’s belly for a feed – a reminder that spring was, theoretically, here, despite the unseasonal frost. Then, cresting Dunkery’s shoulder, the vista was transformed. Snow-free hills, rounded, verdant and chequered with field boundaries, reared ahead. Footprints pocked the last patches of snow: the hopping of hares and birds, mingled with larger pawprints – had the legendary black beast of Exmoor roamed these trails? As the path curved north around Dunkery, I had a clear sense of walking away from winter. On these eastern slopes, the gorse was aflame with yellow blossoms; the sun sparkled on the Bristol Channel ahead, while to the north the creamy-yellow thatched cottages of Selworthy and Allerford nestled beneath Bossington Hill. Descending from the moor, I emerged from the woods below Webber’s Post at Horner, passing the delightful stone-built mill before crossing an ancient packhorse bridge, clad with moss and lichen, for the final mile to Porlock. Despite the damage wreaked on the poet’s fantastical dream-vision by its notorious son, Porlock celebrates its Coleridge connection. I popped into Dovery Manor, a compact gem of a museum set in a 15th-century manor house. Here, period curios and artefacts from schoolrooms and shops sit alongside natural-history exhibits and displays on the artists and poets – Coleridge, Wordsworth, Southey and Shelley among them – whose creative juices were set flowing by Exmoor. In the Coleridge Memorial Garden behind Porlock’s visitor centre, the poet is commemorated with a plaque bearing the famed first lines of Kubla Khan. But while pleasuredomes and palaces owe more to opiates than open moors, I reflected, other words from his unfinished opus perhaps speak of scenes he witnessed on his Somerset wanderings: 'A savage place! as holy and enchanted... As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted.’ That’s Exmoor, without a doubt. Where to eat and drink Coleridge’s inspiration was fired, in part at least, by opium. My own exertions were amply fuelled instead by the breakfast provided by Rosi and Frank at Exmoor House, a B&B with a strong green ethos, where the origins of ingredients are measured not so much in food miles as inches. With bacon cured just over the border in Devon, coffee blended in Porlock, honey from Allerford and Dunster, eggs from the next-door neighbour, and home-made bread and jams (plum particularly recommended), no ingredient could have travelled more than 15 miles to my plate. Frank even makes his own baked beans. A sumptuous dinner (£24 for three courses) was similarly Exmoor-centric: venison burgers, Exmoor Jersey Blue cheese from Lydeard St Lawrence, just to the south-east, and home-made ice creams, washed down with Exmoor or Cotleigh Ales from Wiveliscombe. Cuisine aside, Exmoor House has a vintage character belied by the rather plain exterior. Built over a century ago as a tailor’s shop, its dark wood panels and quirky room shapes endow it with a unique charm. The guests’ sitting room is particularly alluring, especially when the open fire roars; with an honesty bar and shelves groaning with games, maps and books on local lore, wildlife and walks, it’s perfect for relaxing after a day’s hike – or for planning tomorrow’s exertions. Words by Paul Bloomfield

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to Exmoor, here is our guide to travelling to and around Exmoor National Park without a car. A. Getting to Exmoor without a car: By Train: The main rail gateway to Exmoor is Taunton, which has regular mainline services from destinations across the country, including London Paddington, Bristol, and Reading, with First Great Western; and Cross Country services from the Midlands (including Birmingham), the North (including Leeds and Newcastle) and Scotland – both operators also run services to Taunton from further down in the South West. If you are coming from Cornwall or elsewhere in Devon, services stop first at Tiverton Parkway, which is also well located for Exmoor National Park and its public transport network. The Tarka Line also connects Barnstaple with various local stations en route to Exeter, where connections to the rest of the country can be made. The closest station to the Park itself is at Minehead, connected to Taunton and mainline services by the West Somerset Line. By Coach or Bus: National Express runs services from across the country to Taunton, Tiverton, Barnstaple and Minehead, whilst Megabus supplements this with further services to Taunton. B. Getting around without a car: By Train: There are no train services running across Exmoor National Park itself, though there are two heritage railway services for visitors to Exmoor. By Bus: Exmoor’s exemplary Explore Moor initiative groups together the different public transport options in the National Park in a cohesive way. This consists principally of several useful bus services linking the National Park’s main destinations, supplemented by the Moor Rover (below). It is worth noting that bus services and timetables are subject to fairly regular change, so please check the Explore Moor website and the timetables it links to before planning your trip. The following routes (destinations accurate at time of press) could be useful for visitors: 39: Minehead – Allerford – Bossington Green – Porlock – Porlock Weir (not Sundays) 107: Minehead – Alcombe – Dunster – Timberscombe – Wotton Courtenay – Luccombe – Minehad (Wednedays only) 300 Exmoor Coastal Link (open top sightseeing service): Minehead – Allerford – Porlock – Culbone – County Gate – Countisbury – Lynmouth (April – October only) 300X: Taunton - Minehad - Lynmouth - Combe Martin - Ilfracombe (open-top service running four days a week during the Summer holidays) 300 (regular service): Ilfracombe – Combe Martin – Blackmoor Gate – Lynton – Lynmouth (7 days a week in the Summer, weekends only in the Winter) 309/310: Barnstaple – Blackmoor Gate – Parracombe – Woody Bay Station – Barbrook – Lynton – Lynmouth (no Sunday service in Winter) 398: Tiverton – Bolham Cove – Bampton – Dulverton – Bridgetown – Wheddon Cross – Timberscombe – Dunster – Minehead (not Sundays) 400 (vintage open top bus, sightseeing service): Minehad - Dunster - Wheddon Cross - Exford - Porlock - Minehead (August and September, Friday to Sunday) 564: Minehead – Alcombe – Dunster – Timberscombe – Luxborough – Roadwater – Washford – Old Cleeve – Blue Anchor (Mondays and Fridays only) 678: Dulverton – Brushford – Exebridge – Bury – Upton – Brompton Regis – Timberscombe – Minehad (Thursdays only) >> Bus timetables within the national park, and for more information, have a look at the Explore Moor website. Moor Rover: If flexibility is what you are after, there's a flexible minibus service, the Moor Rover, which links destinations across the National Park. The bus will pick up and drop off anywhere on Exmoor between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week, all-year round (subject to the availability of a vehicle and driver), and can also transport bicycles, wheelchairs, dogs and luggage. You must book the service (sliding scale of prices according to distance) 24 hours or more in advance – discounts are offered for groups of six or more. There is also a similar service for access to the Coleridge Way. Cycling: For leisurely road cyclists looking for relaxing, quiet country lanes through beautiful scenery, to hardcore mountain biking enthusiasts seeking out the most rugged off-road terrain, Exmoor’s diverse landscapes, roads and bridleways offer up some of England’s finest cycling terrain. Most mainline train services have allocated spaces for bicycles, however these are limited so you should always reserve your spot in advance, by calling up the train operator, or heading to your local railway station ticket office. Once in Exmoor, you can take your bike on the Moor Rover service (see above), however most bus services in the Park do not carry bikes. There are also various cycle providers within Exmoor National Park, who offer bike hire plus information, maps, accessories, and more. Some offer electric bikes to take some of the strain off your legs (though there is no longer currently a National Park-wide e-bike scheme). Providers include: Exmoor Cycle Hire Pompy’s Cycles Exmoor Adventures Two long distance routes pass through Exmoor: the Tour of Britain, whose local section has been named ‘Exmoor Cycle Route’, and the well-signed West Country Way, which consists mainly of quiet country lanes: both take in some of Exmoor’s best views and finest scenery. Exmoor has become one of the country’s premier mountain biking destinations, with a huge range of off-road routes for all abilities: you can purchase a colour-coded graded mountain biking map of Exmoor from the National Park authority to help plan your trip. For more information, maps and inspiration for cycling, check out Exmoor National Park’s cycling page, the broader 1 South West Project, linking cycle routes and facilities across the region. For information, routes and news for cyclists in Exmoor and across the country, check out the Sustrans website. Exmoor National Park provides a useful interactive map of the National Park on their website, alternatively for more maps, guides, general information and local advice head to one of their three visitor centres, located at Dulverton, Dunster, and Lynmouth. There are also independently run visitor information centres in Combe Martin, Lynton, Minehead, and Porlock. >> For great places to eat and stay, and ideas for days out, see our Green Traveller's Guide to Somerset and Exmoor

As we launch our Greentraveller's Guide to Dedham Vale, our writer follows in the footsteps of John Constable You can hardly take a step in this part of the world without bumping into a location for one of John Constable’s paintings. Whether it’s Dedham Lock and Mill, the riverside walk which inspired at least four of his works or Flatford Mill itself which was owned by his father and provided the setting for ‘Boys Fishing by Bridge Cottage’, ‘The Lock’, and of course ‘The Haywain’. Dedham Vale was Constable’s childhood home and his main source of inspiration. “I should paint my own places best", he wrote to his friend John Fisher in 1821. "Painting is but another word for feeling." He was born and grew up in a radius of just a few miles, living in East Bergholt and attending school in Dedham which he walked to each day along the River Stour. Even after he moved to London to further his career, he returned to Dedham Vale every summer to sketch and paint the landscape, and even eventually married his childhood sweetheart and one time neighbour from East Bergholt, Maria with whom he had seven children. Flatford is one of the best places to start your exploration of ‘Constable Country’. I arrived on foot from Dedham, which is just a 30 minute stroll through the riverside meadows and brings you across a small wooden bridge right into the heart of the hamlet. The National Trust took over in 1943 and restored its buildings and the dry dock, and has continued to acquire the surrounding land over the years to protect it from development. Some of the buildings are now leased to the Field Study Council which offers over 300 residential and day courses based on the arts and the environment. There’s also a delightful new wildlife garden which has been cultivated on land donated to the RSPB by two sisters, Sylvia and Margaret Richardson who ran a tea garden on the site for many decades. You can either spend a leisurely day wandering around the hamlet, learning about John Constable in the free, small exhibition at Bridge Cottage and exploring the circular walks which offer panoramic views of the surrounding farmland and 15th century buildings. Or do what I did and jump in with one of the daily guided tours (there is a small fee) to find out more about the artist, how he worked and his links with the area. We visited several sites where Constable painted and our guide explained what daily life at the Mill would have been like at the time. With her bulging bag full of print copies of his most famous paintings, we were able to compare the scene in Constable’s day with how it is now, and saw in many cases how little the landscape has changed as well as where he had taken a certain amount of artistic license. For example, the tower of Dedham Church appears in many of his works but in order for it to have sufficient impact in the painting, he decided to add roughly 30ft to its actual height. Afterwards, I tucked in to a freshly made salad at the National Trust tea room, picked from the on-site Valley Farm kitchen garden that same morning, before catching a ride back to Dedham on the Hopper Bus service. Here there were a couple more important Constable connections to see, including his former school where someone has mysteriously etched the initials ‘JC ‘ on the front wall, some eight feet off the ground. Dedham Church houses one of his paintings, The Ascension. If the tower is open (weekends only) then it’s well worth a climb to the top for its fabulous views over the surrounding Stour Valley, and if you have time then stroll up to Castle House, which was home to another great local artist and former President of the Royal Academy, Sir Alfred Munnings. Where to stay Maison Talbooth and Milsoms, both on the outskirts of Dedham, each make a fabulous base if you want to enjoy a stay with that added touch of luxury. Maison Talbooth has 12 gorgeous suites, all with super king size beds, goose feather duvets, Egyptian cotton sheets, mini bars and complementary wi-fi. The Garden Room Restaurant serves breakfast and lunch, and overlooks the lawns and pool house where you can head for a dip afterwards in the heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub. Book in for a session on the tennis court, or relax in the new Day Spa which offers massages, facials, manicures and a whole range of other treatments. For dinner, the complementary shuttle will take you up to their award winning restaurant, Le Talbooth which is just a couple of minutes away on the banks of the River Stour. Their fine dining menu includes plenty of locally sourced dishes including Dedham Vale beef carpaccio and Colchester crab ravioli. Alternatively, Milsoms down the road has fifteen stylish en-suite bedrooms all with crisp white linen sheets, duvets and fluffy towels, a mini bar, satellite TV and that all important free wi-fi. Here you can dine in their two-tiered restaurant or outside on the terrace under their gigantic 'sail' and in the shade of a 160 year old Sequoia tree. The menu here specialises 'global' cuisine as well as daily specials that showcase the best of the area’s produce, such as the delicious pan fried flounder I tried with browned butter and seasonal vegetables, caught locally that same morning. By Juliette Dyke

As we launch our Greentraveller's Guide to Dedham Vale, our writer, Juliette Dyke, chats to Paula Booth - the planning and development officer for the Dedham Vale AONB - to find out why this area's a special place to visit, whatever the season Why do you think people should visit the AONB? To experience the tranquillity of the area and enjoy the rolling fields, lush woodlands and meadows and appreciate the cultural connections and picturesque villages. It’s a place to visit at a slower pace; no fast-paced entertainment around here. Is it a good destination to visit year round? Yes, I think the off-peak times of year are just as enjoyable as mid-summer. Winter can be one of the best times, if you are lucky enough to visit on a crisp bright day for a good long walk followed by a lunch in a cosy pub. There are plenty of great places to enjoy walking at any time of year, the only difference is what you do when you finish. Whether you end up warming up by the open fire in a local pub, or dipping your toes in the nearest stream to cool off. Of course, like most places, the Dedham Vale is at it’s busiest in the summer, but if you want to get away from it all, there are still plenty of paths off the beaten track. The most popular spot is undoubtedly the walk between Flatford and Dedham, so if visiting in summer, try an early morning or an evening stroll as it might mean you get the place to yourself. Are local tourism businesses getting more involved in green initiatives? I think it’s a good marketing opportunity for businesses to promote the fact that they are using local produce, and will make our tourism offer a bit more ‘exclusive’. Our heritage buildings are also part of the offer, as we have nice surroundings and nice food. It’s a trend which is targeted at some people and not all. Is it possible to get around without a car? Yes it is possible, and the best way to really get the feel of the area is to be on foot or go by bike. Being on foot means you can really get away from it all and enjoy the lovely network of paths. If visiting for the day, Manningtree Station brings you close by and it’s a 40 minute walk along hedge-lined and riverside footpaths brings you to Flatford which definitely beats the alternative of arriving via the car park. For longer trips, some people may have arrived at their accommodation by car, but it’s still good to leave it behind for the day and get those walking boots on. In the summer months, we are lucky enough to have the Dedham Vale Hopper bus running which provides a circular service to all of the main villages of the Dedham Vale plus a link to Manningtree train station. What does living and travelling in a more sustainable way mean to you? It means making conscious decisions about how you live, what you consume, having less impact through your actions and being a conscientious consumer. What do you love to do in this area when you have some free time? Riverside walks, enjoying the cultural connections especially in Flatford and Dedham, and exploring Arger Fen with its little valleys, views, woodland and lush bluebells. What do you enjoy most about getting off the beaten track in Dedham Vale AONB? I love to appreciate the mini scenes, snapshots and special moments during a walk, for example a viewpoint, a scent, or an unexpected place.

Our guide to travelling to and around the Lake District National Park without a car. Getting to The Lake District without a car By Train: The Avanti West Coast mainline (formerly operated by Virgin Trains) stops at Carlisle, Penrith and Oxenholme, which have good transport connections to different parts of the Lake District National Park. Trains along this line run from Glasgow and up through the Midlands from London. There are also services to Carlisle from Newcastle, whilst from Yorkshire and the North West there are trains both to Carlisle and Penrith, and on the Windermere branch line via Kendal right to Windermere in the heart of the Lakes. Additionally, you can also make connections at Lancaster (on the West Coast mainline) to the Furness Line and the Cumbrian Coast Line to access some of the quieter, outlying areas of the National Park such as Grange-over-Sands and Maryport. For more information on routes to the Lake District, check out Go Lakes’ Cumbria by rail. By Coach or Bus: National Express coaches serve both the major settlements and tourist destinations within and around the Lake District National Park from various destinations across the UK. Whilst Megabus does not serve destinations within the National Park, it does run buses to the nearby transport hubs of Carlisle and Lancaster. Getting around the Lake District without a car By Train: Travelling within much of the Lake District by train is not an option as the trains skirt the outside of the region, however on the Lakes Line there are railway stations at Windermere (for the lake), Staveley (for some great walking country), Burneside and Kendal (a major tourist and cultural hub) on the branch line from Oxenholme, where connections can be made up to Penrith in the Northern Lakes. The Western side of the Lake District is also easily accessible from the Cumbrian Coast line (via a change at Lancaster). By Bus: The Lake District is served by a great network of bus services, with many interconnecting to allow for seamless travel across the length and breadth of the National Park. There is a thorough guide to bus travel at Go Lakes. Key routes for visitors include: 77/77a Honister Rambler 73/73a Caldbeck Rambler 108 Penrith – Patterdale 508 (Stagecoach) Penrith – Windermere & Bowness 516 Langdale Rambler 505 Coniston Rambler 525 Cross-Lakes (Windermere, Hawkshead, Coniston) 555 Lancaster – Carlisle (traversing much of the Lake District) 597 Windermere town 599 Lakeland Experience open top bus X30 Cross Lakes Experience X12 (Apollo 8 Travel) Ulverston - Coniston Go Lakes also has an interactive map of buses in the Lake District, and you can access full timetables of bus routes across Cumbria via the county council website: some services are seasonal, running only in summer. By Boat: Whilst you probably won’t do much of your Lakeland travel on the water, you can make a few handy ferry crossings to cut journey times and take in the lovely scenery, mirrored in the water next to you. A range of different boat trips and cruises run on Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston and some of the smaller lakes, some of them linking different destinations. Buses and foot passengers also take the Windermere ferry, which has been running for over 500 years (though fortunately with updated vessels). It connects Bowness, next to the town of Windermere, with Far Sawrey (for Beatrix Potter’s house and Hawkshead), and avoids having to circumnavigate England’s largest lake. Additionally, some of the Lakes' top attractions and main towns and villages are linked by boat cruise routes that often tie in neatly with terrestrial transport. Windermere Lake Cruises offer regular sailings between Ambleside, Brockhole, The Lake District Visitor Centre and the National Trusts Wray Castle at the northern end of Windermere; at the southern end you can cruise between Lakeside (for the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Steam Railway and local attractions), Bowness-on-Windermere; as well as services along the whole lake to Ambleside Up in Ullswater, hikers and ramblers can reach their starting points (plus some great cafés) with Ullswater Steamers, which offers regular services between Glenridding, Howtown and Pooley Bridge. And for a real vintage experience, try travelling across Lake Coniston on the heritage vessel Steam Yacht Gondola. Cycling: The dramatic peaks and upland terrain of the Lake District is an obvious destination for mountain bikers and off-road cycle enthusiasts; however, along the lakes and valley floors, the National Park also offers great cycle options for cyclists of all ability levels – and the views are just as spectacular. This is a useful overview: taking bikes on public transport. Mainline train services usually offer space to keep your bikes, however these spaces are limited and should always be reserved in advance to avoid disappointment, by calling up the train operator, or heading to your local railway station ticket office. Whilst not all local bus services allow you to take a bike on board, many buses in the Lake District are fitted out to carry bikes. In the summer the 800 bike bus service has the capacity to carry twelve bikes on a route that links many of the main sites and centres of the Windermere area, including Ambleside and Fell Foot Park, covering the full length of the lake. The service runs on weekends and bank holidays from the 4th of May until the 14th of July. In the summer high season (July 20th - September 1st), there is a daily service. Other services particularly geared towards cyclists are: 599 (Bowness - Ambleside - Grasmere; carries two bikes) X33 (The Lakeland Explorer: Ambleside - Coniston - Bootle - Muncaster - Ravenglass; carries two bikes) X30 (Cross Lakes Experience: Hawkshead - Grizedale - Tarn Hows - Satterthwiate; carries two bikes, hop-on hop-off service) Additionally, a bike boat shuttles cyclists across Lake Windermere, between the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole and Wray Castle. Carrying up to twelve bikes and linking into bike trails on both sides of the lake, this is a great way to reach some of the best cycling in the area, including the more secluded trails on the 'secret' western shore. Why not take some of the strain off your legs and allow yourself to cycle some of the Lake District’s steeper routes with an electric bike? This new scheme offers e-bike hire from various points across the Lake District, with hire costing from just £10. This list of bike hire shops includes those renting electric bikes. For traditional cycle hire, plus handy local information, and often much more, there are numerous bike providers and hire centres across the Lake District National Park, Go Lakes provides an extensive list of cycle hire and providers in the Lake District. Any number of routes traverse the Lake District, following flat (and fairly flat) roads, or across challenging mountain terrain: for a broad selection check out the Go Lakes cycle routes and guides. For more information on cycling around the Lake District and the rest of the country, check out the Sustrans website. For more information and useful links, head to one of the visitor centres listed below. Maps and further information You can find a fantastic range of different downloadable PDF maps and an interactive map of the Lake District on the National Park’s website. If you want a whole host more information, maps, and advice, all in a beautiful lakeside setting, head to the Lake District National Park visitor centre at Brockhole, on the shores of Lake Windermere. From Windermere train station, you can take the 555 and 599 bus services to the centre. There are also three further National Park information centres for visitors: Bowness on Windermere visitor information centre, Keswick visitor information centre, and Ullswater visitor information centre.

As we launch our Green Traveller's Guide to East Devon, our writer, Paul Miles, spends a few days exploring the Devon section of Route 2, a cycle path linking Dover with St Austell, and enjoys some local food and a spot of birdwatching en route Cycling through pretty farmland, along the edge of a field where cows graze, on a smooth, car-free cycle path: what more perfect start to a green holiday could there be? I’m no Wiggins but to my mind a holiday isn’t complete without a bike ride, especially along country lanes by the coast. You smell farmyards, hedgerow flowers and salty tang and feel the sun, wind (and rain). A steep climb is rewarded with a view of rolling hills and sea. New cycleways are opening across East Devon. One of the newest is a short, two-mile, car-free stretch from Axminster railway station to the village of Kilmington. This is part of the National Cycle Network 2, a long-distance route that will eventually link Kent to Cornwall and is known as the South Coast Cycle route. In East Devon, it links Axminster to Exeter with a stretch of some 30 miles. I had taken the train to Axminster with my bicycle (no pre-booking required on Southwest trains). Conveniently, I was staying in Kilmington, at a hilltop farm, where beautiful 17th century stone barns have been converted into very comfortable self-catering accommodation: Cranberries Luxury Hideaway. The owner, Steve Littley, met me at reception. “You won’t need to lock your bike,” he tells me. “Kilmington is the third safest place in the country according to the crime statistics.” Bucolic bliss and practically Utopia too? It was a good start. I just needed a Devon cream tea to round off my afternoon. There wasn’t one in my welcome hamper but there was fresh fruit, bread, tea, coffee, chocolate and biscuits. I cycled off to nearby Millers Farm Shop for more provisions – local vegetables, fruit, honey, jams, smoked fish, Devon beef and pork (and French produce too, including inexpensive wine). The next morning, I continued exploring route 2, signposted clearly along the way. I stopped first at the nearby village of Colyton, where the church has an unusual octagonal lantern tower and a group of men called the feeoffees, or ‘trustees’, still wield power granted to their predecessors by Henry VIII. “There have never been any women feeoffees,” a resident informed me, with a sigh, as I asked her about the history of the ‘most rebellious town in Devon’. In Colyton, there’s even a cycle shop that hires out bikes. Colyton is the terminus for the Seaton tramway, a narrow-gauge tram trundles some three miles between Seaton and Colyton during the holiday season. The tramline follows the Axe estuary and is a good spot from which to view birdlife. Otherwise, you can cycle to some excellent new hides in a newly formed wetlands nature reserve. Route 2 takes you right past the entrance to the Axe Estuary Wetlands on the outskirts of Seaton, just seven miles or so from Kilmington. Here, I met Fraser Rush, Axe Estuary Wetlands Officer. “This nature reserve was created in 2008 as an East Devon District Council project,” he tells me. “It’s not just to benefit wildlife, but to provide a visitor attraction.” Where once there were fields of cows, there are now lakes and islands, with smart bird hides from which to watch shelducks, curlews and godwits (or learn how to identify them if you don’t already know.) If you’re very lucky, you may even see an otter or two. A lot of thought has been put into the half-million pound project. “Most bird hides are rectangular with a wooden door and, if you’ve never been in one before, it can be a bit intimidating to enter,” says Fraser. “Everyone’s sitting with their back to you, lined up on a bench, peering out through binoculars, no-one talking,” he smiles and leans away from me with his fancy binoculars, to watch a flock of oyster catchers on an islet. “We made our hides hexagonal, which makes them more sociable, and we deliberately didn’t put doors on them.” Built of wood, they are attractive structures and one even has a sedum roof. Inside there are pictures and descriptions of the various birds you may see and information on the history of the two-mile long Axe estuary. It was an important harbour for Henry VIII’s navy until a pebble bar started to form across the mouth of the river. We peer out onto the bright water. A kingfisher whistles and flies low and arrow-straight, over the surface. A little grebe dives and disappears. It was time for a coffee. At The Chine Café on Seaton seafront, I sit in the sun and admire the red Triassic cliffs. In a park on the clifftops, there’s a labyrinth laid out in the grass: a relaxing half-mile walk, for contemplation, within a circle just 60ft across. Like the twists and turns of the labyrinth, my day’s cycling would, via meandering country lanes, be taking me back to where I’d started: Cranberries, where another circular form of relaxation awaited: an outdoor hot-tub.

Exploring Sutton Hoo and the surrounding area, our writer learns some fascinating archaeological and historical facts on the Suffolk Coast & Heaths. Poor old Basil Brown. In 1938 this self-trained, local archaeologist was asked to examine 18 low grassy mounds on the land of one Edith Pretty, a wealthy heiress and widow. She claimed that she had dreamt about seeing ghostly figures marching about on the mounds and felt compelled to investigate. However, no sooner had word got out that Brown and his two assistant labourers had in fact found an undisturbed 90ft Anglo Saxon ship, then Cambridge archaeologist Charles Phillips rushed down to see the findings for himself. In turn he persuaded Mrs Pretty to appoint his own team instead, and Brown was politely but firmly sidelined on the project. What this new team went on to discover astonished the world; a treasure chamber containing a iconic warrior’s helmet and shield plus many gold and silver treasures believed to have belonged to King Raedwold who ruled over most of East Anglia in the seventh century. Fortunately, Brown’s name has since gone down in history as the one to have made that first, momentous discovery of the Saxon ship, and his detailed diaries have provided an invaluable insight into what happened as the dig unfolded. To make the most of your visit, book yourself on a guided tour with a National Trust volunteer who will take you right up and onto the burial mounds. Afterwards, take one of woodland and heathland walks trails around the 245 acre site which overlooks the Deben estuary. As you look down, imagine what kind of an undertaking it must have been for those sailors to manoeuvre the 90ft ship all the way up from the river to the burial site. This extraordinary place is reason alone to come to this part of Suffolk, but there are plenty of other historical sites that are well worth a visit. On your way back from Sutton Hoo, pop in to the Tide Mill Living Museum at Woodbridge. It has recently been re-opened following a £1.25m renovation project to restore its four tonne oak wheel, which had been grinding corn for over 800 years right up until the 1970’s. Also don’t miss the tiny village of Dunwich, now home to barely 120 residents with a few picturesque offshore fishing boats and a friendly 17th century pub, The Ship Inn. Despite appearances, it was once one of the greatest ports on the east coast and the 10th largest place in England, which you can learn all about the in the charming village museum. There’s also the Aldeburgh Museum, packed with local history and housed in a historic, timber-framed public building dating back to the 16th Century, and of course there’s the iconic Orford Castle. It sits overlooking the former port developed by Henry II, and has one of the most unusual and best preserved keeps in England. Where to stay The Coach House B&B in Woodbridge is a great base for exploring the area, with a bus stop right outside and it’s well worth taking the slightly longer route into town via the National Trust’s Kyson Point walk with stunning views of the Deben estuary. The house has three light and airy guest rooms, all decorated with sophisticated touches including stripped pine floors, warm oak furniture and crisp, fresh bed linens. I particularly loved watching the birds feeding in the pretty courtyard garden, as I savoured a hearty, home cooked breakfast sourced entirely from local ingredients. The owner, Rita James, has won a Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme and puts it down to the great thought and care she puts into every detail, whether it’s using low energy bulbs, harvesting rain water for the garden, offering fair trade tea and coffee or simply picking a fresh bunch of sweet peas every day for each guest’s bedroom. In the evening, try dinner and a movie at the restaurant-cum-cinema, The Riverside on Woodbridge’s scenic quayside. All their bread and pasta is made in-house and the produce is as local and organic as it gets, whether it’s Blythburgh pork, Ketley Farm beef or wild mushroom taglietelle. Or you could pop across the road from the Coach House to The Duke of York, part of the Vintage Inn chain which serves seasonal fare in country pub surroundings. By Juliette Dyke

As we launch our Greentraveller's Guide to the Kent Downs, writer Harriet O'Brien encounters bees, butterflies and bluebells on a wildlife tour with the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership and the Kent Wildlife Trust ‘It’s typical - the girls do all the work,’ said our team leader. The males, she explained, laze around drinking nectar while the females busily collect pollen. I was among a group of six who had gathered at Whinless Down on the very fringes of Dover for an afternoon learning how to identify bumblebees. Sounds effete? Well not really: on this edge of England bumblebees can be regarded as a sort of litmus as to climate change. There are about 24 species of bumblebee in the UK, eight of which are commonly seen. The Bumblebee Conservation Trust is currently orchestrating a countrywide survey to take stock of the numbers of these endearing-looking insects and to establish why there has been a decline in population, and partly to monitor the new arrivals from the south – particularly in Kent where they first set wing in the country. Gathering relevant data about bumblebees isn’t entirely a simple matter so, to help the public participate, the conservation organisation The White Cliffs Countryside Partnership was running a bumblebee identification field workshop. It was one of a great range of free events and guided walks that this preservation body regularly offers. We learnt how those lazy males have no sting: that’s a female thing. We attuned ourselves as to differing stripes, from red-tailed bees to white-tailed bees with three yellow bands. We took note of a variety of fake bumblebees ‒ insects cleverly masquerading as bees to discourage potential predators. Then we started out on a bee walk, the idea being that we could then set a route to walk every month, sending our sightings back to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. The beauty of spending an afternoon with nature conservationists is that you see and learn so much. Quite apart from gathering bee specifications, we took in a particularly interesting downland area which is in the fascinating process of habitat restoration. Covering just 19 or so hectares, Whinless Down is a designated Local Nature Reserve noted for the rare species its dramatic chalkland supports. Containing Bronze Age burial mounds it was grazed for many centuries and is home to a wonderful range of plants including bee orchids and harebells, and butterflies such as the little seen adonis blue and the silver-spotted skipper. In the 1950s grazing here stopped and thorny scrub started to spread, with the result that far less wildlife was able to flourish. Now a scrub clearance programme is re-establishing the open chalkland in which so many species thrive and this is being maintained thanks to grazing by specially introduced konik ponies and Dexter cattle. I came away from my afternoon excursion quite as inspirited by the conservation measures as by my new bee knowledge. Revival; regeneration: that’s been the remarkable success story in wildlife stewardship in the Kent Downs over the last couple or so decades. The next day I began to appreciate quite what a heartening process this continues to be when I took a walk at the Lydden Temple Ewell Reserve with Paul Hadaway, Living Landscape Team Leader at Kent Wildlife Trust. A 90-hectare National Nature Reserve managed by the trust, this striking stretch of chalk downs just inland from Dover offers a great swathe of open land along with marginal woodland, and it commands stupendous views. It was probably grazed even in pre-Roman times, said Paul, and it looks today much as it would have done many centuries ago. However, it, too, has been through a fairly recent process of reclamation, scrub having been cleared and the open land now maintained through carefully managed grazing by cattle. We stopped to look at a milkwort flower at our feet: it’s a plant growing close to the ground and an indication, said Paul, of very healthy chalkland. On hands and knees, examining a small patch about 30cm around it, we noted a fabulous natural tapestry of mouse ear hawkweed, wild carrot, wild marjoram, birds foot trefoil and more. With all this burgeoning vegetation insect life has been flourishing, Paul added - and they’ve successfully reintroduced the wart biter cricket here (it’s the largest cricket in the UK). Of course it follows that bird life is rich, too: green woodpeckers, yellowhammers, linnets, skylarks. They’ve also been reintroducing red kites and buzzards. We stood up and gazed across the valley, taking in a distant kestrel circling over prey. As we walked on Paul talked of the great rewards in maintaining ecosystems – both for wildlife and for the enormous benefit of people, too. From restoration to creation: the other side of Dover, at the foot of the White Cliffs, lies Samphire Hoe. It’s an extraordinary, 30-hectare nature reserve. It isn’t only a relatively new reserve; it is new land, too, for Samphire Hoe was created in the late 1980s and 1990s from chalk marl dug out from under the sea when the Channel Tunnel was being drilled. Fast forward nearly 20 years and it is now rich in more than 200 species of plants, 10 or more species of dragonflies - and some truly eye-catching copper butterflies on the day I was there. Bumblebees thrive here as well – and some of them have no doubt newly arrived from across the Channel. == Written by Harriet O'Brien

As we launch our Greentraveller's Guide to the Kent Downs, writer Harriet O'Brien discovers vineyards, hops gardens, orchards and fruit farms on a whistlestop tour of innovative local food producers and microbreweries in the Kent Downs The story goes that it was Henry VIII who named Kent ‘The Garden of England’. He is said to have been fittingly inspired after consuming a bowl of Kentish cherries with lip-smacking gusto. Whatever the truth of the tale, that the sobriquet stuck is a reflection of how apposite it was – and continues to be. You get an especially striking sense of that natural abundance at Chegworth Valley fruit farm. It lies in intensely rural reaches close to Leeds Castle which, suitably enough, was once a property of Henry VIII. Indeed, Chegworth wasn’t originally a fruit producer so much as the dairy farm of the royal estate. David and Linda Deme moved here in the 1980s from London, and with no farming experience – and with huge amounts of enthusiasm – they set to, at first planting just 15 acres with apple and pear trees. Business developed, they added soft fruits, and with a bucolic sense of confidence they realised they didn’t want to supply supermarkets with uniform-looking produce; they wanted, instead, to provide great-flavoured fruit (and, in time, veg) to a market that would relish it. Today almost all their, now, 100-acre farm is organic. And from tomatoes and salad leaves to rainbow chard, their business continues to be all about taste. Chegworth has become a thriving family enterprise, too: the Demes’ daughter Charlotte now oversees the shopping outlets (as well as supplying local restaurants and farmers markets, there are dedicated Chegworth shops at Borough Market and Notting Hill in London and in the summer there’s a pop-up shop by the farm gateway) while their son Ben manages much of the day-to-day farm operation and is the driving force of innovation. Apples remain an enormously important crop: Cox’s, Bramley, Braeburn, Russet and many more varieties including the little known Boskoop Rouge and the home developed Chegworth Beauty. Meanwhile apple juice, every batch of which is tasted by a family member, has become an ever-more applauded product – the farm won Best Juice Producer in the Taste of Kent 2015 awards. Thanks to Ben’s pioneering efforts new lines such as apple and rhubarb juice and apple and beetroot have become very popular. And the market for organic apples and related products keeps growing: over the next couple of years the Demes will be planting 1400 more trees to keep up with demand. From innovation to tradition: up near Faversham, Pawley Farm also presses its own crops of apples. Here, much of the end result is cider. And here they revel in time-honoured methods – as did Rick Stein when he nominated Pawley Farm and owner Derek Macey among his food heroes. Sold in farmers’ markets and offered at local pubs, the cider is made to a family recipe about 250 years old and is matured for up to two years in oak casks. Of course, given Kent’s centuries-old role as major hop-producing land, no trip here would be complete without sampling beer, too. Make that a pint of award-winning Green Daemon Helles which you’ll find in many pubs in the Kent Downs, including The Bowl Inn at Hastingleigh and The Plough at Stalisfield Green. It’s one of five beers by Hopdaemon microbrewery, also near Faversham, which was set up in 2000 and lists East Kent Goldings and Kentish Cascade among its favourite hop varieties – both of which are grown very locally. There’s been a tremendous come-back for hops over the last six or so years, I was told at Brenley Farm nearby. And that’s because of the great growth of microbreweries such as Hopdaemon. A family enterprise for generations, Brenley Farm grows apples, pears and cereals as well as hops – and also operates as a B&B (see under where to stay). Reflecting demand, this year a new hop garden was added, which is a significant investment in terms of the elaborate structure and wirework required for the plants. They grow East Kent Goldings here, prized for a delicate aroma and now in demand all over the world. Planting hops usually takes place in winter or early spring, with shoots appearing by April and bines on the climb up the wirework thereafter. By August the hop gardens have become curtains of green, and towards the end of the month feathery flowers, or seed cones, appear – and these are harvested about a month later. Alongside the hops, Brenley Farm has also diversified into vines, producing Bacchus grapes for wine made by Chapel Down winery at Tenterden. In the Kent Downs AONB, Terlingham Vineyard on the farmland of historic Terlingham Manor near Folkestone is Britain’s smallest commercial winery. Vines were planted here in 2006, from which the first wines were produced in 2008. The vineyard produces sparkling white from Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes, rose, and still wines of which White Cliffs made with Bacchus grapes won a silver medal in the 2011 English and Welsh Wine awards. Another Kentish crop also growing in demand is the cobnut. This variety of cultivated hazelnut was introduced to Kent in the 1830s and proved such a commercial success that orchards of nut trees were established. However demand started faltering after the First World War when imported foods became more readily available. Today Alex Hunt of Potash Farm has been among those reviving interest in cobnuts and pioneering new product lines too. Set between Sevenoaks and Maidstone, his farm includes 30 acres of cobnuts and 10 acres of walnuts and it also offers a nursery business of nut trees – from cobnuts to almonds. He produces a range of nut products, from cold-pressed oils (intensely flavoured cobnut, walnut and hazelnut) to cobnut soaps and balms. And of course he also offers fresh nuts – all his goods being available at farmers’ markets, at Potash Farm Shop, and nationwide at high-end stores such as Daylesford. Cobnuts, he says, are wonderful eaten fresh either salted on their own or sprinkled in salads – a true taste of Kent. Written by Harriet O'Brien Information: Harriet stayed at Brenley Farm, a handsome Georgian property offering three bedrooms, fabulous local breakfasts, swimming pool, garden, orchards and stables for those bringing their own four-legged transport.