Looking for an easy cycling break from the UK? Here's how we organised a few days of cycling in the Netherlands, travelling by ferry with our bikes on the back of the car, staying in a hotel and exploring the Dutch countryside at our own pace. Here goes - its a long read.... The Netherlands has a great reputation for being one of the best countries in the world for cycling, and once again we had the pleasure of riding there. Last year we did a self-supported cycling adventure

Oxford has always held an interest for me. Cambridge too, as it happens. Perhaps it's the historic university buildings, the picturesque riverside walks, the quirky shops and the traditional pubs. We'd already visited Cambridge earlier in October, so it seemed only fair to give Oxford a go. The day itself was good. An easy drive, decent weather (if a little cold, no surprise as it is nearly November) and a few things we wanted to tick off the list. Why Oxford? There were thre

Our Japan adventure began in Sapporo, on the northern island of Hokkaido, where we arrived in the middle of January to find a city blanketed in snow. Over three days, we explored the city, sampled plenty of Japanese food, discovered just how much of the city lies underground, and wrestled with the weather. Sapporo made a great start to our trip, and experiencing Japan in the depths of winter was something quite different from the other stops on our trip. Arriving in Sapporo W

A couple of years ago I was hunting around for a raincoat. I wanted something better than a Peter Storm, but didn’t want to pay the £250 to £300 for the best coats around. I’d long admired the apparel that I’d seen others wear on our Norwegian Coastal Voyages, Iceland and in Longyearbyen. I wanted the same as them; Material specifications that demonstrated that the raincoat was good An authentic outdoor colour - dark colour and bright zips with colour co-ordinated strings - j

I've visited Tromso regularly over the last 10 years. When my wife and I first sailed the Norwegian Coastal Route in 2024, we loved the brief time we had there. On day 5 of the Norwegian Coastal Route, at around 14:15 in the afternoon, you arrive into the small compact city of Tromso, known as the "Gateway to the Arctic". The ship docks at the modern port building - quite literally in the city centre. You've got 4 hours to explore - so make sure you have got a plan as 4 hours