Equipment & Accessories
The Hiker’s Picnic
It doesn’t matter whether hiking in Spain or Portugal, Italy or Austria, the filling you’ll find in the picnic made by the hotel is likely to be the same … […]
Santo Antao
Hiking
Five of my favourite hiking routes
The other day we chewed over our favourite hiking routes; not an easy task as we could compile an encyclopedia of great walking routes we’ve completed over the last decade. After much debating and discarding I settled on this five. […]
Hiking
Climbing to a climax, walking routes with a scenic pay-off
These are 10 walking routes of varying lengths which completely blind-sided us and delighted with a deliciously satisfying twist in the tail. […]
Africa
7 nights island hopping and walking in Cape Verde Part 2
Our route starts on the coast beside a pig farm. A large stone bench seems ideal for sorting ourselves out before setting off, until Hetty tells us it’s where coffins are laid before being carried to a church… […]
Africa
7 nights island hopping and walking in Cape Verde Part 1
Seven nights spent exploring three islands with guides and accommodation arranged by Archipelago Choice revealed that many people who visit Cape Verde only ever get to see the purpose-built version. […]
As we walked out
As We Walked out to the Paul Valley in Santo Antao
Below us, way below us, is a deep, wide scar in the earth. Running through its centre is a lime green fertile strip, a veritable oasis of agricultural activity which separates walls of hard, jagged peaks. The line of the Ribeira do Paul. […]
Africa
Lunch with the Locals in Cape Verde
“An empty bag cannot stand up,” says Hetty, handing me two large, heavy and still hot Tupperware containers to pack into my rucksack… […]
Gran Canaria
Our Five Favourite Walking Routes of the Year
In a year packed with trails leading into forests, volcanic plains, gorges, valleys and along mountain paths these are five routes which stood out from the rest. […]
Africa
Review of Casa das Ilhas, Santo Antao, Cape Verde
Casa das Ilhas sits in the Ribeira do Paul, one of the most beautiful valleys you’ll see anywhere, in the north east of Santo Antao. Although it’s not actually far from the coast, it feels as though it may as well be Shangri-La […]
Africa
Coastal Walking on Santo Antao Cape Verde
The path that’s going to take us from Cruzinha to Ponta do Sol on the Cape Verde island of Santo Antao. […]
Africa
Hanging at The Black Cat Café in Punto do Sol, Cape Verde
We decamped to the Black Cat Café before the white sun had slipped below the horizon. I liked it immediately. Warm, African vibes and arty with a sassy waitress. […]
Africa
Cape Verde Set In Stone
Task Google Earth with giving you directions on the Mindelo to Porto Novo road and it will tell you it takes just 28 minutes to drive from coast to coast. Google Earth has clearly never driven it… […]
Cape Verde
Food and Drink in Cape Verde
The famous dish of Cape Verde, cachupa is basically a tasty stew of vegetables, beans and chunks of meat flavoured by herbs and spices… […]
Africa
Old Values For A New World in Cape Verde
Sparked by the view of the cemetery on the hill and despite the effort of the climb, all the way up Hetty regales us with tales of her grandmother, a woman who fought hard all her life to make a home for her family… […]
Africa
Ten Scenes of Cape Verde
I have to confess to being so overwhelmed by Cape Verde I don’t know where to begin – so many thoughts, so many memories of surprisingly lush ribeiras, the bluest waters… […]