Baku: land of Eurovision winners

Azerbaijan may have won the Eurovision Song Contest, but its mud volcanoes and beautiful, remote towns are uncharted territory for most EuropeansIt is on the world's largest lake, has hillsides that sprout fire, and the national game is nerd. This is Azerbaijan. Proud winner of Eurovision and proudly independent since 1991, Azerbaijan is probably where the Vikings came from, and definitely has the most mud volcanoes in the world. But a herdsman living 2km from the volcanoes had never heard of them.Tourism is in its infancy here. You share your flight to the capital, Baku, with a load of oilmen. Sundry Nobels and Rothschilds helped found the world's first oil and gas industry here, and today you fly in over thousands of smudgy, nodding-donkey wells, and a city of rigs sitting in the lapis blue Caspian, some linked by causeways that look like Scalextric sets.Baku has a pretty medieval core surrounded by an old city and a new one. Old Baku is elegant, with sturdy turreted and cupola'd stone buildings. New Baku is brash, boom-built and crowned by three almost-finished skyscrapers shaped like flames, for Azer means "fire". In between, there are rather a lot of concrete apartment blocks, gifts from the eastern bloc.Tom Ford has three shops here; a babushka sells tomatoes from a doorway next to the Dior store; boys too young to shave drive around in Lamborghinis. Baku intends to become the Dubai of the Caspian, and its permissive atmosphere makes it more swingy than its neighbours. But oil money means Baku is pricey, so I head south, towards the border with Iran.Azerbaijanis have two driving styles: dawdle or hurtle. Samir, our driver, does both on the way to the seaside city of Lenkoran. We detour to Qobustan national park, where ancient man left cave graffiti clearly showing the longships that led Thor Heyerdahl to trace his Viking roots here.More of Thor later. There are no road signs to the mud volcanoes, nor are they marked on the map. We eventually find them up the roughest of tracks, where they squelch, grepse and fart in a lunar, Clanger world.Back on the coast road, recumbent, rusting oil rigs and glamorously ruined Soviet-era factories give way to wetlands where men on horseback herd flocks of buffalo. The Soviet legacy of overworked Ladas and churches with Iced Gem roofs is evident, and the sense is of a peaceful, fertile land, where you show your wealth in the artistry and gleam of your zinc roof and the gold in your teeth. Flashy smiles are an Azerbaijani speciality, as is an irresistibly gallant form of hospitality.By the end of the day, we've seen miles of vineyards, and tremendous birdlife, and beautiful women in fuschia headscarves tending fields of greens. There are chaikhana (tea houses) every 500m, where the traditional offering of a pot of good tea and a bowl of jam is yours for a manat ? less than a quid. Outside Baku, food is consistently delicious, and good value: Azerbaijani cuisine is a lovely mixture of Turkish, Iranian, Caucasian and Mongolian, characterised by impeccably fresh ingredients served in Brobdingnagian proportions.Lenkoran is low-built and pretty, with Lada taxis a go-go, and a shoreline of charcoal sand. At Astara, close to the Iranian border, there are cloud forests, flower meadows, open-air roadside bread ovens, tea plantations and sheep sheltering in petrol stations. We wave across desultory barbed wire at bored border guards sheltering from the sub-tropical rain.Azerbaijan was, in 1918, the world's first Islamic democracy. Though nominally Shia, the people have developed remarkable tolerance through millennia of invasions (Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Seljuks, Mongols, Arabs ?) leavened with 120 years of Soviet rule. Muslims, Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians live in peace here, and all communities seem very partial to a drink. A blight on this tolerance is the Armenian occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region in the west. Everyone I speak to is hurt and angered by this, and confused at the UN's refusal to intervene, despite four resolutions demanding an immediate, unconditional Armenian withdrawal.After Lenkoran we have to retrace our route to Baku, as Azerbaijan is cleaved by huge, unspanned gorges and mountain ranges. Another day, and we're on our way north to Gabala. One of many ancient khanates (an area traditionally ruled by a Khan), it is now home to Gabala FC, managed by Tony Adams, ex of Arsenal and Engerland.As we climb out of dusty Baku, the landscape gets greener and more wooded. In this Xanadu, wild horses nibble and gallop free, and we graze on tea and spoonfuls of carnelian cherry jam. There's a river called A Gazelle Cannot Cross It, and isolated villages whose zinc roofs are a mix of Mongol and Moorish styles. A mountainside of butcher's shops features adjoining penned flocks of sheep, in the local before-and-after style. High above, an eagle eyes us. At Vandam (cue Jean-Claude jokes) we drive through a magical pistachio forest, and here's the ancient mountain city of Gabala, which is roughly the size of Stroud. Swish hotel complexes cater for Bakuvians who come for the alpine air and views, and in one of these live Tony and his assistant, Gary Stevens.Gabala FC attracts crowds of up to 300, and lies seventh in a league of 12 teams. But Tony and Gary are upbeat optimism personified, and are enjoying the adventure and the anonymity. "They don't know me from Adam," says Tony, toasting Azerbaijan in sweet tea.On to Shaki, ("Shaky" in football circles), while Samir talks music: Nazareth, Suzi Quatro and Shakatak are all Big in Baku.In the charming hill village of Kish, the Albanian temple has been restored by the Norwegian government. Outside it, men are playing nerd, the local backgammon, and keeping score on an abacus, under a bust of Heyerdahl with the quotation: "Scandinavian mythology describes a god called Odin that came to northern Europe from a place called Azer. I have studied the writings and concluded that it is not mythology. It is real history and geography." By local legend a skeleton found underneath the temple showed these early Vikings to have been two metres tall, and blond with blue eyes.The inhabitants of Shaki are short and dark, but wear very tall hats made of lambskin. Shaki is a glory: wooden and stone houses strung either side of a steep mountain river, a grand caravanserai-turned-scruffy hotel and a richly decorated khan's palace, outside of which a man with a stuffed wolf charges one manat to make the bulbs in its eyes flash weakly. Shaki is famous for its walnut and honey halva. A halva kitchen is called a sexi.We breakfast the following day in Shaki's market on chewy bread, rich butter, runny honey, salty cheese and thick cream. Next stop will be Ganja, home to Nizami Ganjavi, a 12th-century poet who wrote the story Majnun and Layla, a precursor to Romeo and Juliet.Outside Ganja is the village of Hash. I can report that Ganja is smoking, as it is wedding season. Shadliq sarayi (palaces of joy) are banqueting suites where people stuff themselves silly and dance artfully. The bride and groom, tightly primped, are enthroned upon a flower-decked plinth. Azerbaijani hospitality being generous as it is, I am invited that night to Two Weddings and a Circumcision.Our last excursion is to Quba, up near the Dagestan border. It lies on the banks of the Qudryal�ay river and is everything you'd imagine a beautiful, remote Caucasus town to be, and more. Its left bank is a grid of low-built villas hung with cherry blossom and wisteria. There's a fascinating carpet workshop where you can have your photo woven into a rug, and a forest restaurant serving the best lula (minced lamb) kebabs you will ever taste. Guba's right bank is even more remarkable.This is Krasnaya Sloboda, or "red village", home to 3,500 Mountain Jews, whose forefathers came from Iran and Iraq a few thousand years ago, and who live today in perfect tranquillity. Rav Adam runs the yeshiva religious school and preaches tolerance and love to his skullcapped charges. In Soviet times one of the synagogues became a sock factory; now restored it commands a view of the wide river and the shiny mosque on the opposite bank.Oil wealth means that Azerbaijan is developing fast, but outside Baku time is still a commodity to be spent freely on many small pleasures. Over many pots of tea, I muse that Azerbaijan isn't everyone's cuppa, but if you're an aficionado of post-industrial ruins, of amazing nature, of exotic headgear, of world history, of kind gentleness and wild strangeness, Azerbaijan will surely light your fire.? This article was amended on 23 May 2011. The original contained a misspelling of Suzi Quatro. This has been corrected.AzerbaijanRoad tripsAdventure travelEurovision 2011Kevin Gouldguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Giving back in Nepal: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Sherpa school built by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust

Filed under: Hiking, History, Learning, Asia, Nepal

May 29th marked the 58th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest by Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary. Among those celebrating this momentous accomplishment were the staff and students at the Khumjung School in the Nepalese village of Khumjung. This is the first school built by the Himalayan Trust, the foundation Hillary established after his return from the mountain.

The school has a special reason to celebrate: This year is its 50th anniversary, and as such, it is an inspiring symbol of the enduring bond between Hillary and the people of Nepal, and of the vital, life-changing work - not only with schools, but also with clinics, monasteries and reforestation efforts - that the organization has done and continues to do.

Hillary passed away in 2008, but the work of his Trust continues in partnership with the American Himalayan Foundation. I recently had the pleasure of discussing Sir Edmund's legacy and the Trust's ongoing projects with Norbu Tenzing, son of Tenzing Norgay and Vice President of the American Himalayan Foundation, at the organization's headquarters in San Francisco.

Don George: When and how did you first meet Sir Edmund Hillary?

Norbu Tenzing: I first met Sir Ed and his son Peter in Darjeeling when I was 3 or 4, but it wasn't until I was 7 that I went on a trek to the Khumbu with my father for the first time. This was in 1969. While I remember celebrating my 7th birthday playing soccer at Everest Base camp and spending time with my grandparents at their village, I also remember that Sherpas back then lived very traditional lives and very few children were in school.Continue reading Giving back in Nepal: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Sherpa school built by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan TrustGiving back in Nepal: Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Sherpa school built by Sir Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 31 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Where Can You Still Ski?Snowbird Will be Open Until July 4thMammoth is Open Daily Through July 4Arapahoe Basin Just Extended Their Season Through the Middle of June.Crystal Mountain is Open Weekends Through JuneSquaw Valley is Currently Closed, but Will Re-open for the 4th of July Weekend

Spring is creeping in, but there's still skiing to be had. Here are the resorts still spinning chairs.

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Photo of the WeekChris Davenport on the approach to EverestSig TveitKip Garre 1973-2011Looking up at the HeliLooking into Stone Creek chutes at Beaver CreekDevin Logan at the 2011 U.S. Freestyle Nationals at StrattonFabio Studer lays down a smooth cork 360

Every once in a while, we stumble across a brilliant amalgamation of composition, scenery, and athletic achievement?otherwise known as an action-sports photograph. We've decided to start rounding them up for you. Check back every Friday for more eye candy that will make you itch to get outside.

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Service station brings nature to motorists

Brockholes nature reserve opens by M6, offering weary travellers a break among bird hides and a floating visitor centreA green service station has opened beside one of the UK's busiest motorways, offering a bird hide and floating "eco village" alongside tea and cake.The �10m project is located in a nature reserve flanked by the M6 at Preston, Lancashire, and is making a pitch for travellers "who don't know the difference between a reed bed and an unmade bed", as well as nature lovers.Housed in flooded gravel pits at Brockholes, it features one of the few floating buildings in the UK, a cluster of shingled, high-roofed structures inspired by houses in south-east Asia and the wetlands of southern Iraq. Offerings not usually available on motorway stop-offs include lavatories flushed with lake water and the curious cry of the water rail."It sounds like someone being strangled," says a cheerful caption beside a press-button display which fills the reception area with the water rail's squawks, the piping of sedge warblers or skylark song."We think there's real potential here to re-engage people with nature," says Lindsey Poole of Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust, which raised an unprecedented �10m for the project. "Our research found that too many people are almost scared of nature reserves, thinking they're only for specialists."We had more than 5,000 people at our opening weekend over Easter and the message was: it doesn't matter a jot if you don't know your Canada goose from your whimbrel. This is a place to enjoy, have a break and have fun."The floating island, essential for a flood plain regularly inundated by the nearby River Ribble, is at least half made-up of shopping and eating places, with floor-to-ceiling views over the former sand and gravel quarries. Budget forecasts estimate that the "village" will be self-sustaining, with architect Adam Khan drawing on high roof spaces and floods of natural light to cut down on power bills.Successfully floated just before Easter, when the quarry was reflooded, the 400-tonne concrete pontoons can rise by up to four metres. The island has two drawbridges which are raised at night and it will eventually be surrounded by a fringe of reeds, bulrushes and other water plants.Named after badger colonies historically associated with the soft, sandy soil, Brockholes is less than four miles from the centre of Preston, as well as drawing potentially on the streams of north-south traffic on the M6 and other nearby motorways to Blackpool and the mid-Lancashire towns. The site was spotted back in 1992 by the trust's chief executive, Anne Selby, and chair, Ted Jackson, when it was a working quarry, providing aggregate for the motorway network from which the floating village now hopes to profit."To start with, we were thinking in terms of a straightforward nature reserve to join the 45 or so which we administer," says Poole. "But the fact that the motorway runs right past the site gave us the confidence to go for something much bigger."Our whole purpose is to protect the natural world for the future, but to do that, we need to involve as many people as possible. Here they all were, but rushing past."The trust has 18,500 members and 800 active volunteers, of whom 100 are being deployed to Brockholes. The centre is free but with a �1 charge for an hour's parking and is working with the nearby Tickle Trout services which offer more conventional services, such as fuel. Both are just off the M6's junction 31 with the A59 at Preston.Travel and transportGreen buildingWildlifeBirdsRoad transportUnited KingdomMartin Wainwrightguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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The 10 Best Beaches for 2011

Coastal researcher and ISLANDS contributor Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman ? a.k.a. Dr. Beach ? has just revealed his picks for the Top 10 Beaches of 2011. Lest you think he's simply drawing beach names from a hat, the selection process is actually rigorous, involving fifty criteria to evaluate beaches around the world based on the quality of their sand and water, as well as taking into account environmental and safety factors. As one of the foremost beach experts in the world, Dr. Beach has been sharing his Top 10 lists since 1991. So, down to business ? we present his favorite strands this year:
1. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, FL2. Coronado Beach, San Diego, CA3. Kahanamoku Beach, Waikiki, Oahu, HI4. Main Beach, East Hampton, NY5. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, NC6. St. George Island State Park, Florida Panhandle7. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, SC8. Coast Guard Beach, Cap Cod, MA9. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park, Oahu, HI10. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, FL
Did your favorite stretch of shoreline make the list? Do you agree with his selections? Share your opinions with other beach lovers on our Facebook page!

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Clear skies: 2m to fly out from UK this weekend

Heathrow to have busiest Whitsun bank holiday for 10 years with New York, Dubai and Dublin top three destinationsMore than 2 million people are expected to pass through UK airports this weekend as travellers start the half-term getaway.Heathrow will have its busiest Whitsun bank holiday for at least 10 years with New York, Dubai and Dublin the top three destinations for its expected 800,000 passengers.The Grimsv�tn volcano in Iceland remained active on Thursday but was spewing out steam and smoke rather than the ash particles that grounded 900 flights in northern Europe at the start of the week, threatening a repeat of last year's volcano crisis, when 100,000 flights were cancelled.Eurocontrol, the continent's air traffic control body, said it expected a trouble-free weekend."Any significant ash concentrations are far out over the sea, at very low altitudes and well away from the air routes or airports," said Eurocontrol's head of network operations, Brian Flynn. "The expectation for the next couple of days is that there will be no disturbances to air traffic whatsoever."However, the UK's unusual bank holiday luck this year seems certain to run out over the weekend, with cool and showery weather forecast until well into next week.In place of the sunlit Easter period, when temperatures topped 28C (82F), and the warmth over the royal wedding and May Day, much of the country will be lucky to manage more than 16C (61F).Barry Gromett at the Meteorological Office settled on a theme of "clouds and cloudiness" with only isolated periods of sunshine, mainly in the south-east. He said: "It looks like being a mixed bag, with plenty of outbreaks of rain."Downpours will not match those on Thursday which delayed the start of the England and Sri Lanka Test cricket match at Cardiff until 3.30pm. There were also heavy falls in London and the Midlands, much to the relief of gardeners and water companies after a prolonged dry period.The AA says 15m cars will hit the roads with traffic building from Friday afternoon. It warned of particularly busy roads between 10am and 2pm on Saturday, with less congestion on Sunday and bank holiday Monday. According to Trafficmaster, the top five traffic hotspots will be: the A303 through Hampshire, Wiltshire and Somerset; the M5 from Bristol to Exeter; the M3, M27 and A31 between Winchester and the Dorset coast; the M6 north of Birmingham to Lancashire; and the westbound M25 between junctions 21 and 12.The AA warned that motorists could be caught out by high fuel prices because a �40 purchase at the pump will cover less distance than it did last year. Edmund King, AA president, said: "There are too many drivers out there running on fumes and the AA has experienced an 18% increase in call-outs call to drivers running on empty."The Icelandic ash plume will bring an unexpected benefit to rail passengers travelling between London and Glasgow after Network Rail lifted engineering works on the west coast main line amid fears that Grimsv�tn would erupt over the weekend. The works will not be reinstated. "We are just doing our bit," said a Network Rail spokesman.More than 5 million rail passengers are expected to travel on the network this weekend. The major engineering works are at Liverpool Street station in London, where there will be no trains to Shenfield on Sunday and Monday. South London between London Bridge and Victoria and Tulse Hill will also be affected.Air transportFlightsDan MilmoMartin Wainwrightguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Vail?s Golden Peak to Host 2015 Team Event

Vail, CO - Golden Peak in Vail will host the Nations Team Event during the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. The head-to-head competition was confirmed Wednesday as International Ski Federation (FIS) officials Guenter Hujara and Helmuth Schmalzl visited a still snowy Vail.
Scheduled from February 3-15, the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are expected to showcase athletes from over 70 nations to an international television audience approaching 750 million people.
?Golden Peak will be a great venue for the Nations Team event during the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships,? said Hujara. ?The spectators will be able to see the entire course from the finish and it will be a fantastic promotion for the sport.?
In addition to the Nations Team event, Golden Peak will also be the site of the men?s slalom and giant slalom qualification races, as well as the World Championships Opening Ceremonies and nightly entertainment.
?We are pleased to finalize our competition venues with this decision,? said Ceil Folz, President of the Vail Valley Foundation and the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Organizing Committee. ?Vail has been a major force in ski racing since opening its doors to the world and it is only fitting that they continue that role in 2015.?
With the 10 individual men?s and women?s medal competitions already slated for Beaver Creek, the decision maintains a Vail ski racing legacy dating back to opening of the resort in 1962. The decision is a result positive coordination with the Vail Town Council, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Tridem Sports and the FIS.
?Vail has a long and proud legacy in ski racing dating back to the first season of the FIS World Cup,? said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt, who is also a vice president of the FIS. ?The Team Event has proven to be very popular with spectators and television showcasing the stars of each nation in a head-to-head format.?
The Nations Team event features a March Madness style parallel giant slalom format, with four-person teams from the world?s top ski racing nations. The winning teams advance through a bracket format, with the final four nations battling for the gold, silver and bronze World Championship medals.
?Golden Peak is a terrific venue for the Nations Team event,? said Folz. ?The hill is perfect for a dual giant slalom and we can easily adapt the current Opening Ceremonies stadium plan and broadcast configuration to accommodate the racing. In addition, Golden Peak will be a great venue for spectators, no matter whether it is for competition or celebration.?
Vail hosted the 1989 World Championship, the last time the marquee event was in North America, and was�part of the inaugural World Cup season in�1967.��Nearby Beaver Creek�has�been�home of the annual Audi Birds of Prey races, a headlining stop on the men?s World Cup tour for the past eight seasons after originally hosting men?s competition in 1988.


Related stories:Vail, Beaver Creek Set Plans for 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships
France Wins Nations? Team Event at Alpine Ski World Championships
Colorado?s Beaver Creek/Vail Awarded 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships
Team Event Next Up on Alpine Skiing World Championships Schedule
NZ Ski to Host Four Years of New Zealand National Alpine Championships
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Yeasayer's New York playlist

As part of our new online city guides, we asked music experts to compile a playlist to their city. Here Chris Keating of Yeasayer cues up the tracks for New York City? As featured in our New York city guideWhile compiling our new online guides to the major cities of the world, we thought it would be a good idea to serve up a soundtrack of songs associated with that city - something to nod to as you sift through all the recommendations of places to stay, restaurants, cafes, bars, galleries ... to transport you there, aurally.All the recommendations in the guides come from writers and bloggers based in the cities, so it made sense to ask a local musician or artist to compile the playlists.So, we asked Chris Keating, singer and keyboard player of Brooklyn-based Yeasayer to cue up a list of tracks that capture the heart and soul of New York City for him. Here's what he gave us ? from Bobby Womack's classic soul anthem Across 110th Street to Jay Z's first NY tribute via Steely Dan and Talking Heads.Of course, this is just the tip of the Big Apple sound cart, and we're sure you'll have your own playlist already to go. So let us know what tracks you'd have in your London soundtrack, and sling us a link ? or a mix ? after the jump. Happy listening.Cam'ron and Jay-Z ? Welcome to New York CityThis was the first really awesome, anthemic New York song that Jay-Z made before the most recent, bigger hit, "Empire State of Mind". I think this one's better because it's grittier.Steely Dan ? Black CowThey ended up making most of their music in LA but a lot of their music was about how they missed New York. A black cow was a specific soda that they had as a kid - I think it's ice-cream.Suicide ? CherieIn terms of punk and the post punk movement, these guys are still influencing a lot of things today. They're a band from the mid-Seventies who never really were big at the time but it's a very New York sound ? gritty and lo-fi and in your face.Gang Gang Dance ? God's Money VII This is from their first album, God's Money, that I listened to in New York. I always associate them with Brooklyn and I think they're great, one of the best contemporary bands, really progressive. It's also nostalgia ? I saw them play a lot when I first moved here.Bobby Womack ? Across 110th StreetThis is kind of a definitive 70s New York urban soul track. It's also the theme from the movie starring Yaphet Kotto so it kind of sums up that blaxploitation era.Barry De Vorzon ? Theme song from The WarriorsThis is an instrumental track but has connotations of the subway, it's the title song from the movie and I remember seeing that movie when I was six years old and seeing all New York in it from the Bronx to Manhattan to Coney Island. The soundtrack is really 1980s New York City, like cocaine-disco.Mobb Deep ? Up North TripThis is about going to Rikers Island or any of those penitentiaries up north. This was the New York hip-hop sound of the early nineties that really defined an era.Dillinger ? Cocaine In My BrainThis is kind of a reggae-type jam but there's one specific line in it: "A knife and fork, a bottle and a cork, that's the way you spell New York." I don't know what that means but it's a cool idea and it's a cool-sounding song.Krzysztof Komeda ? Theme to Rosemary's BabyThis is a creepy song by a Polish composer and it kind of sums up the way I feel about the Upper West Side. Once you go uptown it's kind of empty and cold and very fancy, but also witches live in these old buildings, so it's kind of perfect.Talking Heads ? This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)It's such a great song. I don't know its particular relevance to New York other than them being such a New York band. "Life During War Time" is specifically about Alphabet City but I think "Naive Melody" is one of my favourite songs of all time.New YorkCity breaksYeasayerguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Sweetgrass Productions "Low Tide"

"Low Tide," episode four of Sweetgrass Productions' 12-part video series "On the Road With Solitaire," looks at the obstacles the crew had to face?girls, too much beef, ect.?in Las Lenas. 

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5 places to eat in St. Kitts

Dining in St. Kitts may be a simple affair or an all day excursion.

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Where Can You Still Ski?Mammoth is Open Daily Through July 4KIrkwood is Open For The WeekendAspen Mountain Will Re-open This WeekendArapahoe Basin Just Extended Their Season Through the Middle of June.Blackcomb Mountain is Open Through May 30Snowbird Just Announced That They'll Stay Open Until July 4thCrystal Mountain will be open through JuneMt Bachelor has Winter Operations Through May 30th

Spring is creeping in, but there's still skiing to be had. Here are the resorts still spinning chairs.

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Ask Tom: Q&A

Lonely Planet's Tom Hall was online this week answering readers' travel queries. Here's how he got onTom Hall was on Guardian Travel this week offering expert advice. He will be kicking off with ideas on places to go this summer where your pound will go further ... but of course you can ask his advice on anything you like to do with travel.Tom will get to as many questions as he can in an hour, but due to the volume, he may not be able to answer all of them in the live blog. Unanswered questions will be considered for future Ask Tom blog posts.So, if you're in need of inspiration, post a question for him below.Tom Hallguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Inside the ISLANDS Photo Contest

Here's a sneak peek behind the scenes of the 22nd Annual ISLANDS Photo Contest as our panel of editors and photographers select this year's Top 25 photos, including the Grand Prize, First, Second and Third Prize winners along with the Artistic Merit winner. We received over 5,000 entries this year competing for the chance to win a 7-night Tahiti cruise and over $45,000 in other travel prizes. This year's entries are among the best we've seen, and we couldn't be happier with the level of photographic technique displayed in each of the finalist photos.
Ready to see the winners? Pick up our September/October issue, on newsstands August 16, where we'll reveal all of the photos that took home prizes this year ? and in the mean time, stay tuned to our site next week as we post our Top 25 favorites. You'll have the chance to vote for this year's Readers' Choice award, and who knows ? your own travel photo may just be among the finalists.

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Habits and a new path towards sustainable fishing

Filed under: History, Learning, Oceania, EcotourismOld habits die hard, especially when it comes to fishermen and their daily catch. With many species of fish around the globe hammered by overfishing, laws are being written and enforced to protect them, which sometimes means convincing indigenous fishermen to alter centuries-old traditions.

But changing fishing patterns that go back multiple generations can be a hard sell when it is the legends and skills of a great-grandfather, for example, that still drive traditional hunts for green turtles or whales, dolphins, manta rays, sharks and other now-threatened species.

Sometimes, of course, it's not family tradition that propels the illegal hunting by indigenous fishermen, but greed and willful ignorance of modern-day laws.

A recent story in the New York Times highlights the dilemma of pink river dolphins in Brazil's Amazon River. The subject of legend (it is thought they are magical creatures that can turn into men and impregnate women), they are also endangered. But that's not stopping locals from hunting them and using them as bait for catfish (attracted by the strong smell of dolphin meat) or simply killing them to eliminate them as competitors for catches. From the river fishermen's perspective there are too many dolphins, they're a nuisance and hardly need protection.

"We don't like him; we are his enemy," one fisherman told the Times. "I killed one when I was waiting for the fish to bite. He kept coming closer and the fish were leaving, so I harpooned the dolphin. I couldn't stand it anymore."

Experts in the region suggest thousands are killed every year - out of a population of just 30,000 - though they are supposed to be protected by law.

Though they risk prison sentences, fishermen know enforcers are spread thin around the vast Brazilian Amazon. Evidence of the hunt is hardly hidden, with the genitals of river dolphins sold at open-air markets as aphrodisiacs, alongside oil from anacondas and crocodiles.


Continue reading Habits and a new path towards sustainable fishingHabits and a new path towards sustainable fishing originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 29 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa

Rate: 


Rates* starting from $190 for a guest room.


We've got what you need - sun, sand, sea and savings!We know you take care of a lot every day and we think you deserve a break this summer! Come to Aruba and let us take care of you. Relax at Larimar Spa, chill by one of our pools or snooze on the beach. And dinner? No need to plan a thing!In addition to discounted rates, you are invited to enjoy:
? $25 spa credit (per room, per stay, maximum two adults)
? $50 beverage credit for stays of four nights (per room, per stay, cumulative)
? $75 beverage credit for stays of five or six nights (per room, per stay, cumulative)
? $100 beverage credit for stays of seven nights or more (per room, per stay, cumulative)
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Vail?s Golden Peak to Host 2015 Team Event

Vail, CO - Golden Peak in Vail will host the Nations Team Event during the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. The head-to-head competition was confirmed Wednesday as International Ski Federation (FIS) officials Guenter Hujara and Helmuth Schmalzl visited a still snowy Vail.
Scheduled from February 3-15, the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships are expected to showcase athletes from over 70 nations to an international television audience approaching 750 million people.
?Golden Peak will be a great venue for the Nations Team event during the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships,? said Hujara. ?The spectators will be able to see the entire course from the finish and it will be a fantastic promotion for the sport.?
In addition to the Nations Team event, Golden Peak will also be the site of the men?s slalom and giant slalom qualification races, as well as the World Championships Opening Ceremonies and nightly entertainment.
?We are pleased to finalize our competition venues with this decision,? said Ceil Folz, President of the Vail Valley Foundation and the 2015 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Organizing Committee. ?Vail has been a major force in ski racing since opening its doors to the world and it is only fitting that they continue that role in 2015.?
With the 10 individual men?s and women?s medal competitions already slated for Beaver Creek, the decision maintains a Vail ski racing legacy dating back to opening of the resort in 1962. The decision is a result positive coordination with the Vail Town Council, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Tridem Sports and the FIS.
?Vail has a long and proud legacy in ski racing dating back to the first season of the FIS World Cup,? said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association President and CEO Bill Marolt, who is also a vice president of the FIS. ?The Team Event has proven to be very popular with spectators and television showcasing the stars of each nation in a head-to-head format.?
The Nations Team event features a March Madness style parallel giant slalom format, with four-person teams from the world?s top ski racing nations. The winning teams advance through a bracket format, with the final four nations battling for the gold, silver and bronze World Championship medals.
?Golden Peak is a terrific venue for the Nations Team event,? said Folz. ?The hill is perfect for a dual giant slalom and we can easily adapt the current Opening Ceremonies stadium plan and broadcast configuration to accommodate the racing. In addition, Golden Peak will be a great venue for spectators, no matter whether it is for competition or celebration.?
Vail hosted the 1989 World Championship, the last time the marquee event was in North America, and was�part of the inaugural World Cup season in�1967.��Nearby Beaver Creek�has�been�home of the annual Audi Birds of Prey races, a headlining stop on the men?s World Cup tour for the past eight seasons after originally hosting men?s competition in 1988.


Related stories:Vail, Beaver Creek Set Plans for 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships
France Wins Nations? Team Event at Alpine Ski World Championships
Colorado?s Beaver Creek/Vail Awarded 2015 World Alpine Ski Championships
Team Event Next Up on Alpine Skiing World Championships Schedule
NZ Ski to Host Four Years of New Zealand National Alpine Championships
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Snack Food Fails: Weird Food Names Around the World

Filed under: Food and Drink, Photos

The first time I went to a grocery store in Ecuador, all the food was distressingly unfamiliar. Milk was sold in bags, eggs weren't refrigerated, the cheese looked like butter, there were weird spiky fruits I'd never seen, and everything else was in a language I barely understood. As I walked around picking up imported, English-language brands that were familiar - Oreos, JIF peanut butter, and a $5 box of Kraft mac & cheese - I saw a salsa label that made me laugh out loud.

In huge letters across the box the label read 'SNOB.' How on earth did marketers allow that brand name make it onto the shelves? The fact that nobody took the time to look up the word's meaning in other languages baffled me, especially after so many other famous marketing goofs have come to light. That is, until I took a look around the Internet and saw the same thing happening in all corners of the world.

Gallery: Snack Food Fails

Click through the gallery above to see other snack food fails from around the world. And if you've seen others during your travels, share them below or send the pictures to zaymedia [at] gmail [dot] com for round two (don't forget to mention where you spotted the package).

[Image courtesy OBiTran / flickr]Snack Food Fails: Weird Food Names Around the World originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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The Authentic Ski Tour: Bridger Bowl, Day 5

..... Bozeman, Montana (Ski Press)-We linger over coffee and bacon in the Summit Hotel at the base of Big Sky, hoping that the sun will soften the snow. But there is a cloud growing like a purple crown over Lone Peak, like ink into the early blue, and I imagine the high steeps like vertical white lanes custom frozen for human bowling balls. ?It?s slide for life conditions,? said the patroller at the top of Lone Peak when we walked in to see about signing out for the Snowfields. When Dax Schieffer and Doug Wales and I were the only three skiers on the tram that should have been a clue. For me, it?s just as well.� But Dax is devastated. He isn?t going to get to show off some of Big Sky?s most sensational skiing treasures, especially its adventurous alpine bridge to the expansive terrain of Moonlight Basin, and all morning he keeps glancing back up the hill. ?Sorry we didn?t hit it,? I told Dax. And with Lone Peak separating the sky with its cascading terrain like the flanks of a volcano behind him he said, ?How?d you know that?s what I was thinking about right now?? So that then it was just me and Doug driving to Bozeman, eating vinegar chips and drinking Gatorade, and losing count of all the white crosses by the side of the road. It is gorgeous country, expansive and glacial. With hot Augusts and frozen Januarys and sunsets that are among the most beautiful in the world. ?I?m glad to have lived in the East,? was the refrain that I heard. ?But I knew I would live in the West since I first saw the Rockies as a child.? That light going gold and red through the peaks as we drove into Bozeman at the end stop of my Authentic Ski Tour of Yellowstone Country, from Red Lodge to Chico Hot Springs to Yellowstone to Big Sky and now to Bridger Bowl, as I had the sense that I was finally going to ski the most authentic mountain of them all. I asked Doug, ?Who was it that wrote the story for Rolling Stone?? He said, ?Tim Cahill.? Published in 1985, before he became an outdoor writing legend first at Outside Magazine then with books like ?Jaguars Ripped My Flesh? and ?A Wolverine is Eating My Leg,? Cahill enshrined Bridger?s ?Ridge Hippies? in the article ?Going to Extremes ? Adventures in the Endo Zone.? With Bridger Bowl as the setting, the article introduced extreme skiing to much of America, explaining the passion for hiking past the chairs to ski the same chutes and gullies that in the summer you climbed with harnesses and ropes. And it focused on some of North America?s most soon-to-be famous ski astronauts like Tom Jungst, Scot Schmidt and Doug Coombs. That kind of skiing is the industry standard now, with open gates and steep skiing stars from Vermont to Vail. But in 1985, it was revolutionary. And at Bridger, the hike-to access for the Ridge had already been open for 12 years. Add the fact that Bridger Bowl operates as a non-profit, funded by lift tickets and association membership dues (membership being open to any Montana resident 18 years or older) instead of condo sales, and you?ve got a mountain with 100 percent focus on the ski experience, and nothing else. Or as Wales said, ?All of the net profit goes right back into the hill.? In the past few years that net profit has enabled Bridger to continue to lead the way in opening technical terrain, including the rugged Schlasman?s Lift (which you can?t board without a transceiver). It will also result in a new triple chair ? replacing the Deer Park and Bridger lifts next year. On the day we ski, though, the snow that had been baking in the sun for nearly a week is frozen as hard as a coral reef under a cold bank of clouds. On the steeps I feel as if I am at the top of a great frozen wave, trying not to skitter too quickly to the frozen ocean below. ?I?m pretty sure this is the worst day of the year,? Wales said, pointing to the top of the Bridger Lift where the crew has hoisted the Jolly Roger. ?Maybe the last two years.? ?It?s all a matter of degrees,? he said later, still thinking about it on the chair. ?Whether it?s temperatures or steeps, a couple degrees can make all the difference in the world.? Halfway through the afternoon Wales returned to his office to take another phone call about the history of skiing at Bridger. The same way he?s taken my calls for more than a decade, answering questions about open boundaries, avalanche control and now alpine hydration. And I kept skiing because there were still decent slopes, and the lifts haven?t closed. There were still people speeding down the steeps, even hiking the Ridge, and calling out to each other from the chair as if even a day like that there were still nothing better in the world to do. I laughed at the bumper stickers behind the bar at Jimmy B?s Bar and Grill that say, ?Did you move here to be in a hurry?? and, ?Custer was an out-of-stater, too.? At the Montana Ale Works we had bison patty melts and I heard a favorite song by Son Volt that I had never heard sung live before. In the morning it was snowing and I thought, ?what if I stayed for a few days more?? Links Bridger Bowl: www.bridgerbowl.com Montana Ale Works: www.montanaaleworks.com Good Lodging: www.cmoninn.com/midwest-hotel-locations/bozeman/ Special thanks to: Doug, Jeff, Robin, Dax and Colin.

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Freestyle Champs Hit Squaw Valley

..... Squaw Valley, Calif. (Ski Press)-An event half a century in the making, Squaw Valley is set to celebrate its 50th anniversary of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games with the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships as Olympic medalists and the sport's best compete for U.S. titles March 26-28.The action kicks off Friday with men's and women's moguls where Olympic champion Hannah Kearney (Norwich, VT), and Olympic bronze medalists Bryon Wilson (Butte, MT) and Shannon Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA) and World Champion Patrick Deneen (Cle Elum, WA) will ski the bumps looking for a win. For Bahrke, who plans to retire at the end of the 2010 season, the event at Squaw Valley represents special significance. "That's where I grew up, that's where I learned how to ski my first moguls course, so you know to finish it there, to start a career and finish it there is something that you know I think every athlete dreams of doing and I get to do it, so that's pretty cool," Bahrke said. "It's going to be so much fun. My whole family, my friends, you know my coaches that have been through everything with me are going to be there, so that's really going to be an awesome experience." Things keep rolling on Saturday when David Wise gets back in the halfpipe looking to mark the fifth consecutive U.S. title of his career. Adding to the action on Saturday will be men's and women's aerials, which feature an incredible lineup of athletes including Olympic silver medalist Jeret "Speedy" Peterson (Boise, ID), World Champion Ryan St. Onge (Winter Park, CO), World Cup winner Emily Cook (Belmont, MA) and Olympians Lacy Schnoor (Draper, UT) and Scotty Bahrke (Tahoe City, CA). "I'm looking forward to competing at U.S. Champs, and to get to go out and spin one last time with my teammates before I take a little break," Peterson said. I'm just looking forward to having this one last competition and seeing how everything goes." Wrapping up the weekend will be the dual moguls event where Kearney, who just won back to back World Cups in both moguls and dual moguls, is looking to shine. "Squaw last year was gorgeous. It was kind of like spring vacation. To show up on an Olympic year and share with the freestyle community is always something I look forward to," Kearney said. The Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships kick off March 26 and run through March 28. Fans can watch from the comfort of their own home on April 4 when the events air on Versus at 6 p.m. ET.  

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Tenerife

Dek: 


The editors of Islands magazine share their expert advice on traveling to Tenerife in the Canary Islands.



Out of this World ExperienceYou don't need a space shuttle to get to this otherworldly landscape. Just a rental car and a good map of Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands. Start by flying to one of the island's two international airports. Whether you land in the north or the south, look up. On a clear day, you'll see the 12,000-foot-tall apex of Teide Peak poking out from a swirl of ever-present clouds. And that's where you're headed next. First, put a sweatshirt on over your bathing suit; Teide Peak is the only place you'll need it on this otherwise warm island. Then navigate from the airport to TF-21, the only highway that bisects Teide National Park. Stop in the northern rim of the park to see the hanging mist of a laurel forest. Stop in the middle to take a cable car up to the windy peak. And stop at Roques de Garc�a on the south end to see a view like this one. Amid the frosty desert shrubs and the lava-formed landscape, you'll feel like you've landed on the moon. And considering you're just a short jaunt from the highest point in Spain, you're not far off. 

Plan Your Trip: 


Check out the Ultimate Travel Guide to Tenerife to plan your trip to this amazing island.
Click here for more information on Tenerife.




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Heavy Medal Tour: Skiers Get Armed Forces Sendoff

..... Steamboat Springs, Colo. (Ski Press)-In support of the U.S. ski team athletes departing this week on the Armed Forces Entertainment?s Heavy Medal Tour to visit troops, the athletes' hometown communities are enacting a Heavy Medal Tour Yellow Ribbon campaign.The Olympic medalists: Bill Demong (Vermontville, N.Y.), Johnny Spillane (Steamboat Springs, Colo.), Brett Camerota (Park City, Utah) and Todd Lodwick (Steamboat Springs, Colo.) and their combined seven Olympic gold and silver medals departed Saturday, April 3, to meet with troops in Southwest Asia. The first ribbons in support of the Armed Forces Entertainment Heavy Medal Tour were given out by the athletes to their families during the Hometown Heroes Celebration in Steamboat Springs on Friday, April 2. The Hometown Heroes Celebration in Steamboat Springs honored the achievement of the athletes in Vancouver during the Olympic Winter Games and featured a send off for this special trip overseas including the reading of Orders by USAF Colonel Ed Shock, Chief of Armed Forces Entertainment, statements by government officials, and a special note by the Commander of the Colorado Army National Guard. Similar homecomings were held recently for Demong in New York and for two-dozen Olympians in Park City, Utah. Beginning today, Monday, April 5, yellow ribbons are available in various locations in the athletes? hometowns. Fans in New York's Adirondack Region can get ribbons at the Saranac Lake Chamber of Commerce or at the Lake Placid/Essex County Visitors Bureau. The U.S. ski team's Center of Excellence will have ribbons in Park City. Hometown supporters in Steamboat Springs will find ribbons at the Steamboat Ski & Resort Corporation, the Steamboat/Hayden (HDN) Airport, and the Clark Store just outside of Steamboat. One of the biggest stories at the 2010 Olympics was the performance by the U.S. nordic combined ski team. Spillane started the two weeks of historic results off with the USA?s first-ever Olympic nordic combined medal, winning silver in the normal hill combined event. Spillane was then joined by teammates Demong, Camerota and veteran Lodwick for the team competition where they came away with a team silver medal. Demong and Spillane then capped off the historic Olympic fortnight with a gold-silver finish in the large hill combined competition.

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Easy riders: 10 scenic cycles around England

Go easy on the Lycra and the mileage by choosing one of these 10 great bike rides - taking in sleepy villages, cosy pubs and the best of the English countryside - from Matt Carroll's new book Escape RoutesMORTEHOE TO CROYDE, NORTH DEVON22 miles approxMortehoe is one of those places where it's difficult to worry about anything ? except, perhaps, where your next ice-cream is coming from. Beginning at the bright-and-breezy Victoria House B&B, you glide down a silky-smooth road with the bay stretching out to infinity on your right.The pedalling soon pays off when you get your first glimpse of the beach: golden sand and small waves foaming excitedly as they race each other to the shore. In the distance you'll see Baggy Point jutting out to sea; beyond this lies Croyde (and lunch).Cruising through Woolacombe and on along a cliff-top path, you're soon dropping down into Croyde for an afternoon of stretching out on the sand. For lunch, how about a burger in Blue Groove (01271 890111, blue-groove.co.uk)? Sit on the terrace and gaze out over the water.From here it's a pootle back through Georgeham and down into Woolacombe, heading back to Mortehoe in your own time.Stop and see Croyde Bay ? help yourself to 800m of golden sand. There's an alleyway beside Billy Budd's pub leading to the seaEat, drink, sleep Victoria House (01271 871302, victoriahousebandb.co.uk, doubles from �110) has two smart rooms (dark wood and sumptuous linen) plus a kooky beach house with private terrace overlooking the bayRent Otter Cycle Hire in Braunton (01271 813339)Head downhill and left from Victoria House, following the coast to Woolacombe. At the first junction (in Woolacombe), turn right and head up Challacombe Hill.Take first right, into Marine Drive car park; follow it along the coast and on to the dirt path, until you emerge on to a road. Take next right, signposted Croyde.Arrive in Croyde, at a junction by the car showroom. Turn left for Georgeham (or straight on for the beach, which is down an alleyway beside Billy Budd's pub). Cycle through Georgeham, past the Lower House pub, and pass the sign for Pickwell. Ignore the signs for Woolacombe, and take a left fork to descend the steep hill into Woolacombe. Now retrace your steps back to Mortehoe.TETBURY TO SHERSTON, COTSWOLDS13 miles approxTake any road out of Tetbury and you'll be cruising along quiet country lanes within five minutes. But if it's pretty pubs and real ale you're after, head past the church and freewheel down over Bath Bridge.Coasting along with the summer smell of fresh-cut grass wafting your way, you'll soon be arriving at the blink-and-you'll-miss-it village of Shipton Moyne. It's home to the strangely named Cat and Custard Pot pub, where the ale of choice is Wadworth 6X ? brewed down the road in Devizes. On sunny days, you can sit on the wall outside and watch people on horses clip-clop past.Suitably refreshed, pedal onward through Easton Grey (the village that time forgot) and on to Sherston, for a plate of Malmesbury Gold sausages at the 16th-century Rattlebone Inn (01666 840871, therattlebone.co.uk).Post-lunch, you take a peaceful back road over to Westonbirt Arboretum ? which is awash with pink, white and purple blossoms each spring ? then on to the nearby Hare and Hounds Hotel (01666 881000, tinyurl.com/43udh7x), which serves the best lemon drizzle cake in the world (fact!). It's now just an easy three miles back to Tetbury.Stop and see Westonbirt Arboretum (forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt) has scenic walks that thread their way through one of the biggest collections of trees in the worldEat, drink, sleep Delicious local food, lip-smacking beers and well-kept, comfy rooms await at the Priory Inn (01666 502251, theprioryinn.co.uk, doubles from �109) in TetburyRent Go-By-Cycle in Somerford Keynes (07970 419208, go-by-cycle.co.uk)Head left from the Priory Inn and follow the road up into the town. Turn right at the town hall and out past the church.Turn left after a mile or so, signposted Shipton Moyne. Follow the road until you reach the Cat and Custard Pot. A hundred metres past the pub, take the right fork.Take the first left, pass a couple of farms and reach the main road. Turn left, then immediately right, into Easton Grey. Pass through the village and turn right, signposted Sherston.Follow the road for 1.5 miles and turn right at the small grass triangle. Drop downhill and turn right at the Give Way sign, for Sherston. Turn left at the crossroads, pass the Carpenter's Arms and arrive at the Rattlebone.From the Rattlebone, go back to the crossroads and turn left. Keep going for 2 miles until you reach the main road. Turn right for Westonbirt Arboretum ? entrance on your left.Continue along the main road along to the Hare and Hounds. Turn left out of the Hare and Hounds, and left again (away from the main road): signposted Leighterton.Take the first right, signposted Tetbury. Pass Hookshouse Pottery (hookshousepottery.co.uk) on your left, after 1.5 miles. Continue past the pottery and keep going until the main road.Turn right (signposted Tetbury) and follow the road past the little church, until you reach a junction. Carry straight on to the Priory Inn, on your right.EAST END TO EAST BOLDRE, HAMPSHIRE9 miles approxDespite its misleading name, the New Forest is actually pretty ancient. In fact it dates back to 1079, when William the Conqueror fenced the area as his own private hunting ground. Good thing he did, too, as it protected it from future development ? creating some gorgeous cycling countryside.Heading right from the East End Arms, the rustic pub owned by Dire Straits bassist John Illsley, you emerge alongside the village "green" ? a patch of untamed heathland that thumbs its nose at the neatness of the surrounding cottages.Making a right, you find head-high ferns that drop away to reveal ripe yellow wheat fields petering off into the distance.A few miles later you arrive at Buckler's Hard, where many of Admiral Nelson's ships were built in the 1800s. After a nose around the red brick cottages of this open-air-museum-cum-village ? and perhaps a boat ride on the Beaulieu river ? nip next door for lunch at the Master Builder's (08448 153399, themasterbuilders.co.uk). From here it's a gentle pedal back to East End ? via the Turfcutters Arms (01590 612331, the-turfcutters-new-forest.co.uk) if you're thirsty.Stop and see Buckler's Hard maritime museum (bucklershard.co.uk)Eat, drink, sleep The East End Arms (01590 626223, eastendarms.co.uk, doubles from �98) is a proper country pub with a touch of rock'n'roll. Food is top notch, and there are five upstairs rooms with flat-screen TVsRent Cyclexperience in Brockenhurst (01590 623407, cyclex.co.uk)Head right from the East End Arms into East End. Take the first right ? on to St Leonards Road. Follow this for about 2.5 miles, passing St Leonards Grange on your left, then take the next right, signposted Buckler's Hard. Keep going until you see a turning on your right for Buckler's Hard.From Buckler's Hard, follow the lane for 1.5 miles then take the second left, signposted East Boldre. Take the first right, signposted East Boldre.Turn left at the next junction, for East End (turn right if you want the Turfcutters Arms). Continue along this road for two miles, reaching East End.ALDBURY TO FRITHSDEN, HERTFORDSHIRE15 miles approxTwo idyllic pubs, pretty parkland and a quiet towpath along the canal ? This scenic ride, just a stone's throw from London, has a bit of everything ? including a small vineyard tucked away in a valley (frithsdenvineyard.co.uk). Setting off from the Greyhound Inn in Aldbury, you gently climb out of the village and cruise through the scenic Ashridge Estate, before gliding downhill to arrive at the Alford Arms (01442 864480, alfordarmsfrithsden.co.uk). A sumptuous plate of slow-roasted garlic and rosemary lamb will have you refuelled and raring to go; the post-lunch route takes you through Berkhamsted, where you could stop off for a look round the castle ruins. It's here that William the Conqueror received word of the English surrender after the Battle of Hastings.From here it's an easy pedal along the canal. A couple of miles later you peel off and loop back to the Greyhound for another delicious meal.Stop and see Climb to the top of the Bridgewater Monument on the Ashridge Estate (nationaltrust.org.uk) for a cracking view out over the Chilterns, and have a cuppa in the cafeEat, drink, sleep Ensconced in the centre of Aldbury, just up the road from the village pond, the cosy Greyhound Inn (01442 851228, greyhoundaldbury.co.uk, doubles from �75) has eight bedrooms and a fab menu, with dishes such as pea and mint risottoRent Mountain Mania Cycles in Tring (01442 822458, mountainmaniacycles.co.uk)Turn right from the Greyhound Inn, then left at the junction by the pond, on to Toms Hill Road. Follow the hill up to the junction at the top: turn left towards Dagnall.Turn right for Ashridge College after nearly two miles. A mile later, turn right again for Ashridge College (by the memorial). Continue through the Ashridge Estate, passing the college and dropping downhill. Take the next left, for Frithsden.Pass the Alford Arms and turn right at the next junction, towards Berkhamsted. At the crossroads, turn right towards Berkhamsted. Take the next left, for Berkhamsted.Follow New Road downhill into Berkhamsted. Go under the railway bridge and turn right on the other side ? on to Station Road/Lower Kings Road.Shortly after, there's a bridge over the canal on your left; take the ramp on to the towpath ? keeping the canal on your right. At Dudswell Lane ? after about two miles ? cross over the bridge and continue on the right-hand side of the canal.At the second bridge (about a mile later), bear right to leave the towpath ? and turn right at the road. Follow this back to Aldbury ? passing the Valiant Trooper pub.FOULSHAM TO HEYDON, NORFOLK12 miles approxThe shepherd's hut at Norfolk Courtyard B&B is as rudimentary as you can get while still having a roof over your head. There's (just) enough space for two, a fold-out table and a tiny wooden shelf bed with a small crate underneath. The latter was formerly a cot for orphaned lambs, but is conveniently sized for a holdall.Heading left from the driveway and out through Foulsham village, you find yourself in a network of tiny lanes that thread their way between the fields.Cruising through Guestwick, you pass a 12th-century church where rabbits dart about between the gravestones, before arriving in Heydon. This is probably the prettiest village in England: a clutch of red-brick cottages gathered around the green ? all of them in pristine nick. It's as if someone stopped the clocks here sometime in the 1700s.Pause at the Earle Arms pub (01263 587376, earlearms.vpweb.co.uk) for lunch (or elevenses in the tearoom), before looping back to Foulsham via the hamlets of Salle and Wood Dalling. Best of all, there's not a single hill.Stop and see The Village Teashop at Heydon has lacy tablecloths, Victoria sponges and other chintzy treats ( heydonvillageteashop.co.uk)Eat, drink, sleep If the shepherd's hut (�85 a night) at Norfolk Courtyard (01362 683333, norfolkcourtyard.co.uk) isn't your bag, how about one of its luxury B&B rooms (doubles from �80) with underfloor heating to keep your toes warm?Rent MPG Leisure in Fakenham (01328 853861, mpgleisure.com)Head left from Norfolk Courtyard B&B and follow the road to Foulsham. In the village, fork right at Bank House (before the church) on to Reepham Road. Take the first left, on to Guestwick Road. This becomes Foulsham Road; then banks sharp left, becoming Station Road. Shortly after, the road turns hard right, becoming Old School Road. This takes you into Guestwick.Leaving the village, the road bends sharply right ? signposted Wood Dalling and Cawston. This becomes Guestwick Road (again) and then Heydon Road, following the sign for Heydon. On Heydon Road take the fourth turning left (dead-end sign) to Heydon village.After Heydon, retrace steps to the crossroads and go straight over. Follow this lane until you reach the gatekeeper's cottage opposite Salle Park Estate: turn right. Pass through the village and take first right, The Street.Stay on this road to Wood Dalling. At the church turn left on to Church Lane and follow to the end. Bear right on to Guestwick Lane (which becomes Reepham Road), and follow along until you come out opposite Guestwick church. Now turn left (following signs for Foulsham) and simply retrace your steps back.CLIFFORD CHAMBERS TO HIDCOTE GARDENS, WARWICKSHIRE17 milesStratford-upon-Avon may be famous for its Shakespearean connection, but the nearby hamlet of Clifford Chambers is allegedly the Bard's true birthplace. Riding along the (one) street, you pass rows of red-brick cottages with immaculate topiary.Soon you're peeling off along a bridleway, and pedalling on to Preston-on-Stour, where Nina serves up a mean beef and horseradish sandwich in the village shop. Washing it down with a cuppa in the sun-soaked garden, you probably won't see a single car drive past.From here you press on to Hidcote Gardens, with its Arts-and-Crafts nooks and crannies. It's worth nipping along the lane, too, to where thatched cottages encircle a small pond and white ducks snooze on the green.The route back to Clifford Chambers takes you through Ilmington ? where the fish and chips at the Howard Arms (01608 682226, howardarms.com) are to die for.Stop and see Bring a picnic to Hidcote Gardens (nationaltrust.org) and shut yourself off for an afternoon of peace and quietEat, drink, sleep Cross o'th' Hill Farm (01789 204738, cross-o-th-hill-farm.com, doubles �94) has three spacious farmhouse rooms with great viewsRent Stratford Bike Hire (07711 776340, stratfordbikehire.com)From Cross o' th' Hill Farmcorrect, turn right on to the main road and follow for almost a mile. Then turn left for Clifford Chambers. Head down the street; at gates of big house, ahead, turn right on to bridleway. Follow this along the edge of the fields (left, left, right), emerging on to tarmac at Atherstone-on-Stour. Turn right.Follow road to Preston-on-Stour. Carry on through village, to crossroads: turn right. Turn right at junction after 2 miles. Take the next left.Follow road for 2.5 miles, passing entrance to Kiftsgate Court Gardens; take next left, signposted Hidcote Gardens. From Hidcote, retrace route back to junction opposite Kiftsgate Court Gardens; turn left for Hidcote Boyce.Follow road downhill and take next left, signposted Ilmington. Continue on to Ilmington, passing the Red Lion and the Howard Arms. Carry on out of village, following signs for Stratford.Pass entry sign for Wimpstone village, and turn left at crossroads ? signposted Preston-on-Stour. At next junction go straight over, into Preston.Retrace route back through Preston, Atherstone-on-Stour, and across bridleway to Clifford Chambers and Cross o' th' Hill Farm.HEBDEN BRIDGE TO TODMORDEN, WEST YORKSHIRE9 miles approxOne of the first questions you ask yourself when you arrive in Hebden Bridge is, "How on earth am I going to get out of here without going uphill?" Tucked away in the Upper Calder Valley, the town is surrounded by steep (and I mean steep) wooded hillsides. But take a closer look, and you'll find there's Another Way: the Rochdale Canal.There are swans snoozing on the bank and a narrowboat gliding along silently up ahead. Half a mile later you're outside the Stubbing Wharf pub, where groups of friends are gathered around tables, chatting in the sunshine ? bikes leant against a nearby wall (unlocked).Before long you're leaving the trappings of town life behind. At certain points, where the towpath sweeps right or left to follow the contours of the valley, you get fleeting glimpses of the moorland that lies beyond. Then, after four miles of hill-free cycling, you arrive in Todmorden and cross the bridge for a long lunch in the Golden Lion (01706 816333).Stop and see Sunshine and ales by the waterside ? Be warned: if you stop at the Stubbing Wharf (01422 844107, stubbingwharf.com) on your way out, you may not get much furtherEat, drink, sleep Book into the swish Holme House (01422 847588, holmehousehebdenbridge.co.uk, doubles from �77) for fluffy towels and Gilchrist & Soames products. It's approximately 17 seconds' cycle from the canalRent Blazing Saddles in Hebden Bridge (01422 844435, blazingsaddles.co.uk)Turn left from Holme House and turn right when you reach canal towpath. Follow towpath for next 4.5 miles, to Todmorden. When you see the Golden Lion pub, on opposite side of canal, leave the path at the next bridge.To get back to Hebden Bridge, just retrace your steps.EAST WITTON TO JERVAULX ABBEY11 miles approxWalking into the Blue Lion at East Witton is like winding the clock back 200 years. The old stone floors are worn from centuries of shuffling feet and the fireplace stained from countless roaring blazes.The countryside surrounding East Witton has hardly changed since then either. Within minutes you're pootling over an old stone bridge that's barely wide enough to fit a car, then on past freshly ploughed fields the colour of cocoa. It's enough to get you thinking about food ? chocolate ice-cream in particular ? and a few easy miles later you'll arrive at High Jervaulx Farm, where 30 flavours are on offer in the cafe. It's all made fresh, the cream coming from cows chewing away in the nearby fields.On the way back to East Witton, why not stop off at Jervaulx Abbey ruins? They date back to 1156 (jervaulxabbey.com), making the Blue Lion look positively new-build.Stop and see Family-run High Jervaulx Farm (abmoore.co.uk.about.htm) is a dream come true for ice-cream junkies. Be sure to try the raspberry cheesecake flavourEat, drink, sleep The Blue Lion (01969 624273, thebluelion.co.uk, doubles from �94) has 12 uniquely styled rooms and excellent food in its atmospheric bar.Rent Dales Mountain Biking in Richmond (01748 884908, dalesmountainbiking.co.uk)Head right from the Blue Lion, towards Middleham, and follow A6108 out of village. Turn right opposite the Cover Bridge Inn ? signposted Spennithorne.Carry on up lane for 1.5 miles to second crossroads: turn right towards Finghall. After three miles, turn right towards Jervaulx. At crossroads, go straight over, towards Jervaulx.At next junction after 1.5 miles, turn right towards Middleham ? on to A6108 (for Brymor Ice Cream shop, turn left towards Masham).After half a mile on A6108 towards Middleham, you'll reach a brown sign for Jervaulx Abbey. The Blue Lion is 1.5 miles further along this road.CONISTON TO LITTLE LANGDALE, CUMBRIA7.5 miles approxYou know you're in the countryside when you find shed doors left wide open and the owners nowhere to be seen. Mind you, the only likely "intruders" at Yew Tree Farm ? home to children's author Beatrix Potter in the 1930s ? would be one of the stray puddle-ducks waddling about the yard.Take the slate path leading from this 300-year-old idyll, and before long you arrive at a babbling brook. From here the landscape gets increasingly dramatic: craggy cliffs rise up on either side to meet dramatic, swirling clouds.Soon even the tarmac can't hack it any more, reverting to dirt track as you pedal past a disused quarry. But just when it feels like you've disappeared off the radar, civilisation springs up across the valley: a wisp of smoke from the chimney at the Three Shires Inn. After sipping the froth off a pint of Old Man Ale, it's back to Yew Tree Farm for a barbecue on the lawn.Stop and see Tucked away from the Lake District crowds, the Three Shires Inn (01539 437215, threeshiresinn.co.uk) has been a favourite with thirsty walkers since the 19th centuryEat, drink, sleep With stone floors, big comfy beds and Beatrix Potter's old grandfather clock ticking away in the hall, Yew Tree Farm (01539 441433, yewtree-farm.com, doubles from �104) equals instant relaxationRent Grizedale Mountain Bikes (01229 860369, grizedalemountainbikes.co.uk)From the farm, turn left on to bridleway before you reach the road. Follow bridleway until you reach tarmac road by the stream; turn right. Stay on this road for 2 miles, passing the disused quarry, continuing on to woodland track then emerging on to tarmac by a farm.Follow road around left, dropping downhill into valley to reach a ford. Cross ford and follow lane; turn right at next junction, into Little Langdale. Three Shires Inn is just along on your left.From pub, retrace steps route back to ford and cross over. But instead of going back to the road, take first right, following blue cycle-path sign ("37"). Follow this track along edge of wood; after a quarter of a mile you'll pass a slate slagheap on your right; trail follows edge of this, so do not fork left (which is slightly downhill).Shortly after, you reach another slagheap and climb uphill along slate path; here you join another trail coming from the right. Keep going. Reach a farmyard and go straight through, to rejoin tarmac road at hamlet of High Tilberthwaite.Follow this road through valley, until you reach junction with A593. Before you reaching road, turn left on to path running parallel with it. Path brings you out opposite bridleway by the stream, which you came along earlier. Simply retrace your steps back along it, to Yew Tree Farm.NORTH SUNDERLAND TO BAMBURGH, NORTHUMBERLAND15 miles approxWhen you're curled up on the sofa at St Cuthbert's House, it's hard to imagine that a local congregation once gathered here to worship. But when Jill and Jeff Sutheran bought this 200-year-old former Presbyterian church in 1998, they turned it into a snazzy B&B ? the perfect base for a relaxed ride.For the first two miles or so you can ease back in the saddle, following the road that wiggles south-west on this circular route. Along the way you'll pass a disused railway line ? built by fishermen in the late 19th century to transport fish from nearby Seahouses to London. Before long you're outside the Apple Inn at Lucker (01668 213450), where a hand-pulled pint will be yours.Then it's just a short ride to Bamburgh, where you can stop at the castle for a walk through medieval history, or catch some rays at the beach. When you've had enough sea air, you're only a couple of miles away from that sofa at St Cuthbert's.Stop and see Bamburgh Castle (bamburghcastle.com) was once one of the most powerful places in EnglandEat, drink, sleep Stay at St Cuthbert's House (01665 720456, stcuthbertshouse.com, doubles from �90), with six rooms, gourmet breakfasts and in-room massagesRent Boards and Bikes at Swinhoe (07563 040195, boardsandbikes.co.uk)Head right from St Cuthbert's House and stay on same road for two miles (following blue cycle route sign). At T-junction, turn right for Newham. About 400 metres later, turn left, signposted Newham.A mile or so later, you reach Newham: turn right towards Lucker. At next junction, turn left towards Warenford. Cross over railway line and turn right at crossroads, towards Lucker. Pass the Apple Inn, and bear right by the memorial, to leave village.At next junction, bear left. Shortly after this, the road bends sharp left ? but you go straight on. At next junction, turn right and carry on for another half a mile, crossing railway again ? before another junction: turn right towards Bradford.After passing through Bradford, you come to another junction: bear left, on to B1341. Follow this road into Bamburgh, to the castle. From castle, retrace your route, and at the Victoria Hotel turn into Ingram Road.After 2.5 miles turn left, following blue cycle route sign for Seahouses. Stay on this road until reaching T-junction on the edge of North Sunderland: turn right. At the next junction, turn right. St Cuthbert's House is just along on your right. correct? These routes and 50 others feature in Matt Carroll's Escape Routes (Punk Publishing, �16.95, escape-routes.co.uk), a selection of stunning cycle rides around EnglandCycling holidaysDay tripsShort breaksFamily holidaysDevonGloucestershireNew ForestNorfolkStratford-upon-AvonLake Districtguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Mawazine festival

Kanye West, Femi Kuti and Dizu Plaatjies's Ibuyambo ensemble joined artists from across Africa this week at the Mawazine festival in Morocco

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9 organizations doing good in Belize

With all the diversity, I've noticed one common thread - Belizeans doing good.

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Our Favorite Gear of the YearDalbello Krypton ProFlylow Quantum JacketVolkl KikuSmith I/OSSalomon STS 12Lange RS 130 WidePOC Skull XMiller High LifeK2 SidestashArc'teryx Sentinel PantOrtovox Freerider 24Black Diamond SpotRossignol S110wMountain Hardwear DryQ Elite JacketBlack Diamond Bandit PackOutdoor Research Axcess PantsMoe's Original BarbecueHot Chillys Micro Elite BottomsTwenty Two Designs Axl BindingBlack Diamond Contour Elliptic Carbon PolesApres by CK Bradley Hot Dog Bibs

We get to try out a lot of gear around here, but the stuff we truly love can be rare and hard to come by. These are the goods, from boots to barbecue sauce, that we abused the heck out of this winter. We like this stuff a lot, and there's a good chance you might too.

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10 best pubs in London

It's impossible to imagine a London without pubs. Matt Brown, editor of Londonist, selects 10 of the capital's finest drinking establishments, from the historic to the eccentric? As featured in our London city guideThe MayflowerThe Thames Path has no shortage of decent stop-offs, and this Rotherhithe mainstay packs in the history like no other. A pub has stood on the site since time immemorial, and certainly, when the Pilgrim Fathers set sail in their own Mayflower from a nearby mooring in 1620. The current building is 18th century, and looks every inch the traditional English pub with oak beams and wooden panelling. A fine (if pricey) dining room can be found upstairs, with impressive views of the Thames. Oh, and those standing on the outside decking at high tide: you may get wet.? 117 Rotherhithe Street SE16, +44 (0)20-7237 4088Zeitgeist LondonA German gastropub, with German beers, German football and German staff. Quite a gamble in the back streets of Lambeth, yet Zeitgeist does a fine job of attracting locals and non-locals of every nationality. The selection is unrivalled, with 16 German beers on draught and 32 bottled. The kitchen serves well-portioned Teutonic favourites such as schnitzel, currywurst and schweinebraten. Things can still get "interesting" during Anglo-German sporting fixtures, but this convivial venue is a true wunder-bar.? 49-51 Black Prince Road SE11, +44 (0)20-7840 0426, zeitgeist-london.comSir Richard SteeleNamed after the co-founder of The Spectator, who lived on the site, this pub is more eccentric than Toad of Toad Hall's mad uncle. Random signs, stuffed animals and sundry knick-knacks cover every scrap of surface space, including the ceiling. The Steele perches on the well-to-do lower slopes of Hampstead, yet draws a surprisingly diverse crowd. This is very much an ale-drinker's pub, with four beers on tap, but fans of inexpensive Thai cuisine will also be cheered. Regular comedy, music and quiz nights fill the spacious upper bar. The pub is in the process of changing hands, and some locals fear the unique character may change. Visit now to be sure of catching this local treasure. ? 97 Haverstock Hill NW3, +44 (0)20-7483 1261Greenwich UnionWander away from the many tourist pubs in Greenwich and you might just chance upon the Union. Well stocked with beers from the nearby Meantime Brewery, this relaxed, narrow bar is popular with a young ale-drinking crowd. Chocolate and raspberry beers add a sense of fun, as does the playful British menu, with home-made pork pie and fish-fingers for dipping. Free Wi-Fi (a rarity in these parts) makes it a haven for home-workers and freelancers. On warm summer days, there are few finer places to bask than the pub's charming beer garden.? 56 Royal Hill SE10, +44 (0)20-8692 6258, greenwichunion.comThe Earl FerrersStreatham (or St Reatham, as aspirational locals increasingly have it) is a surprising "off-guidebook" place to find a decent drink, and The Earl Ferrers is among London's finest "local" pubs. Real ale is well represented, though wine lovers will have much to savour. In fact, the diminutive Ferrers gets everything right, from friendly service to well-chosen music. It even manages to squeeze a pool table into a side alcove. A varied programme of events, including a fiendish quiz and regular book club, raise this treasure of a pub to near perfection.? 22 Ellora Road SW16, +44 (0)20-8835 8333, earlferrers.co.uk06 St Chad's PlaceKing's Cross is in the middle of a cultural revolution. The former red-light district has changed beyond recognition as smart bars and restaurants move in. 06 St Chad's Place is a prime example, tucked away down a dingy cobbled alley that, 10 years ago, you wouldn't have touched with someone else's bargepole. The bar space is magnificent: a Victorian warehouse reworked in a distinctly Scandinavian style, with huge train-themed murals nodding to the site's rail heritage. Three centuries ago, Londoners flocked to the site to sup from the health-giving St Chad's Well. Today, it's populated by suits and office workers.? 6 St Chad's Place WC1, +44 (0)20-7278 3355, 6stchadsplace.comThe Palm TreeDespite the exotic name, this Mile End stalwart can only be described as a "proper East End boozer". It has stood in proud isolation ever since its neighbours were demolished by enemy action in the blitz. Time also stands still within. The furnishings are of another age ? golden brown wallpaper, red velvet curtains and that increasingly rare pub feature, a carpet. The clientele are an odd mix of young students and garrulous old locals. If you want a taste of the East End from the 50s (and, really, it could be the 1850s or 1950s), you won't find better.? Haverfield Road E3, +44 (0)20-8980 2918Princess LouiseAnyone seeking a taste of Victorian London should summon the nearest hansom cab to Holborn, which has an abundance of 19th-century drinking dens. The Louise is the jewel in the crown ? a temple of etched glass, bar lamps and wooden panels. A recent refit has somehow made the place feel even more authentic, with drinkers partitioned off into their own private spaces. The beer is cheap, too, this being a Sam Smith's pub. There's no typical Louise drinker; the central location draws in adventurous tourists from the British Museum, office workers and legal eagles from the nearby lawyers' district. Gentlemen should be sure to check out the period urinals, which have listed status.? 208-209 High Holborn WC1, +44 20-7405 8816 The HeightsThis place looks like a thousand other hotel bars up and down the country ? until you take into account its location: reached via a half-hidden lift in the lobby of St George's hotel. Perched 15 floors above Oxford Circus, the bar offers some of the best views of central London through its "wall of windows". It's also next door to the BBC's Broadcasting House, so you're almost guaranteed to see a minor celebrity or two. With a lick of paint and a fresher look, this could be a bustling venue, beloved of tourist guides. Let's hope it never happens.? St George's Hotel W1, +44 (0)20-7580 0111, saintgeorgeshotel.comThe Faltering FullbackHidden away in the back streets of Stroud Green in Finsbury Park, the ivy-covered Faltering Fullback is four pubs in one. The front bar is a welcoming if bustling horseshoe-shaped affair, well stocked with draught and bottled beers. A curious assortment of objects ? guitars, scarves, aeroplanes ? hangs from the ceiling. The back bar continues the theme, in a more relaxed way. You'd be forgiven for thinking the pub stopped there, but that's not the half of it. Double doors lead through into a surprise third space, where the mood is more raucous and focused around a pool table. A further set of doors leads out into London's most unusual beer garden. A bewildering series of stairs, gangways and terraces is reminiscent of the Ewok village from Return of the Jedi.? 19 Perth Road N4, +44 (0)20-7272 5834, falteringfullback.comLondonBars and clubsFood and drinkFood & drinkCity breaksTop 10sMatt Brownguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Notes on lightning glass

"You approach from the south and drive across flat desert toward what seems to be an impenetrable cliff face. Keep going."

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Considerate Hotel Award goes to...

A small rural hotel has beaten off competition from a number of established names to take top prize at the UK?s 2011 Considerate Hotel Awards, reports Elizabeth Mistry � Battlesteads Hotel and Restaurant, in Wark-on-Tyne near Hexham in Northumberland only opened five years ago but was named ?Best All Rounder? and commended by judges for the ?element of fun that they have injected into their endeavours and their obvious enthusiasm for what they do and have achieved?. � Owned and run by Richard and Dee Slade, the 18th century inn ? and its owners ? have undergone an amazing overhaul since they acquired it in 2005. � ?We bought it because we could see it had vast potential,? said Richard, who previously managed the Magnesia Bank, a locally renowned gastropub on Tyneside. � He admits that Battlesteads? growing reputation as an example of how to run a hotel in a sustainable manner initially came about through necessity rather than his own enthusiasm for the environment.� � ?We weren?t hippies but we have undergone a conversion - though we try not to force it (the sustainability side of things) down peoples? throat. � ?When we bought the place we didn?t realise that the electricity supply wasn?t up to it.�We are at the end of a line and we were told by the electricity company that we couldn?t have any more power. � ?We had horrible blackouts in the middle of breakfast because so many people were using the electric showers at once ? sometimes I had to cook by candlelight.? � So the Slades started investigating alternative energy sources ? and soon discovered that there was a lot more they could do in terms of making their business environmentally friendly. � The 17-bed hotel ? one of the first in the country to install a carbon neutral biomass boiler -� now employs a ?green champion?.� Staff grow fruit and vegetables for the kitchen, run by chef Eddie Shilton in two polytunnels and the hotel's garden which Richard Slade says is inspired by the grounds at Raymond Blanc?s world famous hotel Le Manoir Aux Quat? Saisons (which was also on the shortlist for the top prize along with London's Metropolitan and the Green House in Bournemouth).� The rest of the food comes from within a strict 25?mile radius. � And clearly visitors are voting with their feet with an estimated 10-15% of first time guests saying they chose the hotel because of its eco credentials.� ?Once people have seen the place they are blown away by what we?ve done.? � ?We also have lots of other hotels ? including a big name property asking us how we do things ? and we are always happy to work with people. � The hotel plans to build more bedrooms and a chemical-free pool with a green roof are underway. � Other winners at this year?s awards included pioneering hotel Strattons in Norfolk which won the ?Considerate Sustainable Food Award? and Lasswade Country House and Restaurant at Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales ? whose co-owner Roger Stevens is a former chef at London?s Waldorf Hotel - which scooped the ?Considerate Small Accommodation Provider of the Year?.���� Would you choose a hotel because of its green or sustainable ethos?� Leave a comment on this story or let us know at Elizabeth@thetravelmagazine.net
27 May 2011




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100 great British woods and forests

The Guardian and Observer's guides to the best in Britain

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Paragliding over Dorset

'Everything just drops away underneath you,' says Andrew Pearse as he takes to the skies over a remote corner of Dorset

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The Authentic Ski Tour: Chico Hot Springs, Day 2

..... Pray, Montana (Ski Press)-Through the windshield I can watch the Absaroka Range coming into view like great blue gods with diamonds and avalanches in their hair. Livingston, Montana is coming up on the right, and Bob Dylan is on the radio. ?Did you ever see the movie Rancho Deluxe, with Sam Waterston and Jeff Bridges?? I ask Jeff. He shakes his head. ?No.? It?s day two of my self-proclaimed ?Authentic Ski Tour,? of Montana?s Yellowstone Country, busting a Big Sky hole through the cookie-cutter clutter of ski experiences so sugared up, starched out, and stiltingly stratified that it?s a wonder anyone can tell their vacations apart anymore. Jeff Carroll got me started with the grassroots elegance of Red Lodge, and now we are heading to Chico Hot Springs, then Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky, Moonlight Basin and Bridger Bowl. ?It was filmed in Livingston,? I said. ?Bridges and Waterston are modern rustlers. And Slim Pickens is sent to catch them. And Jimmy Buffet and his band have a scene in the bar.? Buffet wrote a song called ?Livingston Saturday Night?: ?Pickup's washed and you just got paid. With any luck at all you might even get laid, 'Cause they're pickin' and a-kickin' on a Livingston Saturday Night.? But we?re heading south to Paradise Valley now, closer to those mountains catching clouds, through the endless prairies between the peaks and the great log cabins in open spaces without even a tree to stop the wind and the sun from coming through. ?It?s beautiful.? ?I know.? We?re heading to Chico Hot Springs, a kind of Rocky Mountain Eden where the mountains and plains and bubbling hot waters come together, and the wedding parties, couples and cowboys come for miles. Like a great camphouse-meets-country hotel, it is tucked against the peaks, golden in the light, with the wonderful restaurant inside, those mythic waters, and the Chico Saloon, its legendary bar. At the rooms across from the stables, where the horses are being fed at dusk, a stout man is busy unloading several six-packs of different micro-brews. ?Looks like you?re getting ready for a good time,? I said, wondering if he was booked for a week, or about to host his own beer festival right then and there. He looked me in the eye between moving six packs and said, ?It?s always a good time in Chico.? And walking over to the Chico Dining Room I felt a little warmth of anticipation at the light melting out the windows, and the sense of coming in from the cold. I felt the warmth of the wine, The Prisoner, and the conversation as Chico?s General Manager Colin Kurth Davis took us into the night, through Chico?s history and the restaurant?s menu. ?You have to stay for two nights,? he said. ?One night to eat here in the restaurant, and one night by the pool in the Grill.? Interested and generous, Davis gives off the air of a friendly neighbor hosting an endless pool party and barbecue. And what a pool, and what a menu. For the Dining Room there is even a book, ?A Montana Table,? written by Colin?s wife, Seabring Davis, an accomplished journalist and foodie, detailing the deceptively simple preparation of the restaurant?s ubiquitously delicious fennel breadsticks, rock-cooked Yellowstone Chicken, and Huckleberry Swirl Cheesecake. We sit there for hours. It is a perfect pace. In my mind, I could go there right now. It is Colin who finally breaks the trance. ?Shall we go next door?? I?ve never seen two-stepping that good before. The pedal-steel guitar and stand-up bass of Dirty Shame, and all those pretty country girls heating up the dance floor. The young cowboys come in with their towels tucked under their arms to hit the pool. Drinks are served in cups through the window, into the steaming outdoors. A sun-kissed blonde named Shona shoots me with a potato gun. Rounds of tequila are ordered, and the night suddenly accelerates as the band plays faster numbers. The dance floor fills, and if you look hard enough, you can see the stars start to swirl. Links Chico Hot Springs: www.chicohotsprings.com A Montana Table: www.amazon.com/Montana-Table-Recipes-Springs-Resort/dp/0762725702/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Jimmy Buffet, Livingston Saturday Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gzzS0nyMfM

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