Land of ice & fire
A world of white is veiled behind misty clouds, the sun faint as the moon. Snow-laden trees are just visible against the mountains, their dark figures forming a classical ink-wash painting. The monochrome tableau is broken only by the occasional stamp of red: persimmons clinging
Field & shore
IT’S SATURDAY MORNING AT ST GEORGE’S and the market in central Belfast is thick with aromas: crisping bacon from an Ulster fry, rich coffee and the sweet fragrance of dahlias on a farm stall laden with rhubarb, blackcurrants and a rainbow of fruit juices. Nearby
Great Escape to the American West
2016 is the centenary of America’s National Park Service: celebrate with a road trip across South Dakota and Wyoming, for larger-than-life landscapes, wildlife and history in the parks and preserves that define the nation. Badlands FROM UP ON BIG BADLANDS Overlook, the land concertinas out
California dreamin’
It’s been 50 years since the Summer of Love put San Francisco in the spotlight. But from organic farmers markets to open-air street parties, and a store where everything is free, the legacy of those golden days lives on across the Bay Area Set for
White gold and the birth of a nation
It’s Saturday morning and the town’s creatives are packed into a large courtyard. At row after row of tented stalls, young designers sell their creations, from elegant tea sets to hand-painted ceramic earrings. I could be in east London, that is, until regimented tones of
China’s frozen fog
I was on a mission – one that required me to wear four layers of warm clothes and a fleece balaclava. I was going to be braving temperatures below -20C for hours. My friend Cherry Li, who grew up nearby and knew what to expect,
Four perfect days in Paris
Follow our insider itineraries and explore four very different Parisian neighbourhoods on foot, by bike and by boat, taking in gourmet markets and secret bars, little-known galleries and knockout views DAY 1: HISTORIC CENTRE Entering Sainte-Chapelle feels like climbing into a kaleidoscope. From all directions,
The blind man of Hoy
Orkney, 2013: a man stands buffeted by the wind. Salt air fills his nostrils, gull cries reverberate above him and the Atlantic crashes 449ft below. He is standing on top of the Old Man of Hoy, Europe’s tallest sea stack. First scaled in 1966, the
Sea spirit
Right in the historic heart of Plymouth, rows of sailing boats sit in Sutton Harbour. Step back from here into Southside Street and the salty air gives way to a sweet, citrusy smell. Halfway up this winding lane, the source of this scent becomes clear:
Interview with chef Rachel Allen
Think of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic coast and most people dream first of its alluring landscapes. For 2,500km, sweeping beaches transition into wave-bashed cliffs, punctuated by classic fishing villages and marinas bobbing with sail boats. But this area is also a paradise for fresh produce, a
Paint by nature
Out by Penmon Point, the exposed eastern tip of Anglesey Island, the sky is an almost perfect blue – almost. Near the horizon faint wisps of grey are rising from the sea. Ten minutes later a surprise hailstorm materialises. As pea-sized chunks of ice and
Isle of plenty
With its crumbling castle, wind-scoured cliffs and atmospheric sea mists, the southern half of the Isle of Mull is the kind of place where you wouldn’t expect to come across another living soul, let alone an exciting food scene. And yet, at the tip of