Kerry Law - Goodtrippers

Cool! London opens doors on its first People’s Fridge

An innovative new scheme to fight food waste and food poverty is growing with a new London initiative launched this week…

Ben Longman, Olivia Haughton, Rebecca Trevalyan and Sebastian Wood launch the People's Fridge (photo Sebastian Wood) — Ben Longman, Olivia Haughton, Rebecca Trevalyan and Sebastian Wood launch the People’s Fridge (photo Sebastian Wood)

The People’s Fridge (similar to the community fridges championed by Jamie Oliver and Jimmy Doherty on their Friday Night Feast in January) has just moved into Pop Brixton in south London. Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, residents and local businesses are invited to stock it with edible goodies that would otherwise, needlessly, have to be thrown away.

A community fridge can be used by anyone for free – those who want to share food that would be otherwise go to waste, and those for whom access to fresh and free food is hard to come by. Like other community fridges dotted around the country, the Pop Brixton fridge, London’s first, will be helping to solve the pressing problems of food waste and food deprivation.

Did you know that restaurants throw away 900,000 tonnes of food a year, while UK households bin approximately 24 meals’ worth of edible food every month? When an estimated 8.4 million people are living in food insecurity, relying on food banks to feed themselves and their families, The People’s Fridge movement is such as essential, and smart, answer to this problem.

Similar fridges operate in Frome in Somerset and in Derbyshire, with Spain, Germany and India also running similar schemes. If you’d like to see a community fridge set-up in your area, get onto your local council and help drum-up some local support. Next time you’re going away for a few days, you could be putting that milk, cheese, salad or glut of homegrown courgettes into a People’s Fridge for anyone to have. Now that’s cool!

Follow London’s first community fridge via Twitter

Two new books to kick-start your gardening year

While your garden lies dormant, this is the perfect time of year to bury your nose in a gardening book to pick up some skills, tips and inspiration for the year ahead. Here are two brand new releases to get you started…

101 Organic Gardening Hacks: Eco-friendly solutions to improve any garden – by Shawna Coronado

The word ‘hack’ may seem a little, well, hackneyed nowadays but in this context it hints at some easy, clever and smart ways to improve your garden, eco-style. Shawna Coronado, one of America’s most creative gardeners, has compiled a phlethora of her own ingenious tricks – from practical time-savers to clever ways to upcycle everyday items in your garden. All are completely organic and environmentally-friendly.

There are pages of easy-to-follow steps, illustrations and photos, all divided into a dozen different categories for easy reference. Find out how to replicate Shawna’s own hacks – creating a garden bench from leftover wood posts, or creating your own blend of organic soil. It’s full of sustainable ideas that you’ll be itching to try this year.

‘101 Organic Gardening Hacks’ is out now in paperback, priced £12.99 (pub. Cool Springs Press).

Buy it here 101 Organic Gardening Hacks: Eco-friendly Solutions to Improve Any Garden

Build a Better Vegetable Garden: 30 DIY projects to improve your harvest – by Joyce Russell, photographs by Ben Russell

Following up from their well-received ‘The Polytunnel Book’, this new tome is full of practical ideas to get the most out of your vegetable plot. Joyce has over thirty years of practical fruit and vegetable growing experience, as well as contributing to several magazines. Her easy-to-follow projects are accompanied by Ben’s clear photographs, plus lists of materials and a relative skills rating.

These DIY projects aims to help you either improve your yields, extend the season, or protect your crops from pests. All will transform your garden into somewhere more productive, attractive and secure.

‘Build a Better Vegetable Garden’ is out now in paperback, priced £16.99 (pub. Frances Lincoln).

Buy it here Build a Better Vegetable Garden: 30 DIY Projects to Improve your Harvest

We have a copy of ‘Build a Better Vegetable Garden’ to giveaway. To be in with a chance of winning, simply share this post on Twitter or Facebook tagging @Goodtrippers and using the #competition – before midnight on 21st February 2017. One winner will be chosen at random by 28th Feb.

Deck the halls…with real holly and ivy

There’s nothing like bringing the outdoors in, and the best dressed homes this Christmas will be festooned in real festive foliage. But taking your pick from the nearest woodland isn’t really the sustainable way to do it – here’s an easier way to get the look…

Cornwall-based Rocket Gardens sent us one of their Festive Foliage Boxes (£29.99 for a large box; £19.99 for small) to get our decorating started. The large box really is large (60cm x 45cm x 45cm) and full to the brim with real sprigs of holly, ivy, bay, fir, rosemary, mistletoe and pine cones. It instantly brings that lovely smell of greenery into the home, let alone the distinctive rosemary (pop a sprig or two on a radiator or stove hotplate for a fantastic natural fragrance).

Everything in the box is grown and harvested at Rocket Gardens, and dispatched the very same day so you receive fresh foliage ready for sprucing up your home (note: don’t let the box sit around as it can go brown in centrally-heated homes after a few days!).

Rocket Gardens suggest a few ideas for what to do with your festive foliage, including making table decorations, stocking trims, ‘rosemary snowflakes’, candle rings – visit www.rocketgardens.co.uk/make-natural-decorations – but you can also do a few quick Christmas spruce-ups by gathering together bunches and putting in vases on tables, in the fireplace, around mirrors or up bannisters. Be aware that the Festive Foliage Box only includes the greenery, you’ll need your own wire, string, tape and other choices of fastenings and fixings to actually deck your halls!

Festive Foliage Boxes will be dispatched until 21st December. For more details and ordering visit www.rocketgardens.co.uk.

To get you started, here is a step-by-step guide by Rocket Gardens to making your own natural table settings:

Natural Table Settings

You will need:

Stem of Bay, stem of Holly and a couple of sprigs of Rosemary
Floristry Wire
Gardening Twine
Scissors

Step by step:

Select a stem of Bay, a stem of holly and a couple sprigs of Rosemary
Cut them to size.
Arrange them how you want them to look when bunched together. Keep the foliage facing forwards. You don’t want any getting squashed when placed on the table.
With floristry wire bind the bunch of foliage together.
Go over this wire by wrapping the twine over the top and forming a pretty bow at the front. You can completely cover the stems with the twine or leave some showing, it’s up to you.

Why not also attach a personalised tag to each one and use them as place settings for your Christmas dinner table.

Eco and Ethical Christmas Gift Guide – For Her

For mums, grandmas, aunts, sisters and friends…our pick of the best eco and ethical Christmas gifts for her.

Hygge gift set – £59 from Aerende, www.aerende.co.uk

It became one of the words of 2016, now you can spread a bit of Danish cosiness to the Scandi-lover in your life with this ‘hygge’ gift set. Featuring handmade cup and saucer for warming hot chocolates, a handmade organic cotton cushion to snuggle up to, and a (Danish essential) soy wax scented candle. All products are handmade by social enterprises and charities – the cup and saucer has been made by residents with learning disabilities at The Grange in Glocestershire; the cushion is handmade by refugees in Hertfordshire as part of a Refugee Council project; and the candle is made by staff with a range of additional needs at Beacons Creative in Wales. Browse the rest of the Aerende range for more brilliant handcrafted gifts from people facing a range of social challenges.

‘Samphire’ eau de toilette (100ml) – £60 from Laboratory Perfumes, www.laboratoryperfumes.com

This inventive British brand makes perfume the ‘old fashioned way’, taking inspiration from natural botanicals and using natural oils. We love this cool, fresh, coastal fragrance of verbena, juniper, lavender, citrus oils, basil and rosemary with base notes of oak moss and amber. Other fragrances in the range include Atlas, Amber, Gorse and Tonka – all unisex, they develop into something unique on every individual. All perfumes come in a stylish, minimalist cardboard tube. Matching scented candles are also available.

‘So Sleepy’ limited edition collection – £10 from Tropic Skin Care, www.tropicskincare.com

This brand new set from Tropic Skin Care is a perfect stocking filler. Including a travel-sized pillow mist and temple roll-on to help you nod off into a deep sleep. It smells gorgeous thanks to the essential oils rosewood, vanilla and lavender.

Artisan Sparkling Elderflower Wine Maker’s Kit – £40.99 from Yumbles, www.yumbles.com

This fun DIY kit includes everything you need to make your own sparkling elderflower wine (3 litres of it!). The ingredients are organic, vegetarian and gluten free, and the equipment is suitably ‘chemistry set’ fun and easy to use. Time for some bubbles!

Smoke & Musk travel candle – £16 from Museum of London shop, www.museumoflondonshop.co.uk

Handpoured in east London using eco-friendly soy wax, this scented candle smells like being in a cosy cabin in the woods. A bespoke blend of essential oils including green balsam fir, wood smoke and musky patchouli. This handy travel size makes a great stocking gift; it’s also available in a 3-wick 500ml size (for £50).

Butterfly Collection ‘Revive’ and ‘Indulge’ gift sets – £19.95 and £8.50 from Green People, www.greenpeople.co.uk

The new Butterfly Collection organic skincare and bodycare travel sets from Green People make good stocking fillers or tree presents. Beautifully packaged, a donation from each sale goes to Butterfly Conservation to help protect butterflies, moths and the environment. The ‘Revive’ body wash and lotion set is scented with uplifting lemongrass and ginger, while ‘Indulge’ is a special night-time facial treat.

‘Bird’ brass earrings – £15 from Danaqa, www.danaqa.com

We love these cute brass earrings from online boutique Danaqa. Handcrafted by a husband and wife team at their studio in Iran, these earrings also come in a variety of bird and tree designs – and at this price make lovely stocking fillers or tree presents. Browse more gift ideas on the Danaqa site – their homewares, jewellery and accessories are all ethically and fairly sourced, and support women-led businesses in developing countries.Aphrodite facial oil (30ml) – £20 from MOA (Magic Organic Apothecary), www.moa.london

This organic and vegan-friendly super-luxe facial oil rejuvenates and rehydrates party-worn and stressed-out skin. The delicately scented balm is packed full of organic yarrow essential oil, rosehip and damask rose oil (organic ‘hero herb’ yarrow, which is native to British hedgerows, and has been used for centuries to heal, repair and leave skin naturally glowing). It smells delicious and is non-greasy – just apply overnight and wake up with a glowing complexion!

Foxhole Gin – £40 from Foxhole Spirits, www.foxholespirits.com

This is a first, a gin distilled from unused English wine grapes picked in Sussex vineyards. In a typical harvest around 30-40% of grape material is unused and has to be thrown away – so this gin helps reduce waste and encourage sustainability. Velvet-textured with floral coriander and orris flavours, and balanced with grapefruit and lemon zests, this gin has a long finish of subtle bitter orange notes. Grab one of the 960 first-batch limited edition bottles.

Puressential Gentle Heat Diffuser – £18.67 from Cocoon Center, www.cocooncenter.co.uk

Aromatheraphy the clean, safe way – with no candle or flame, this essential oil ceramic diffuser can be placed on any surface as heat is only located at the top. Available in navy or white.

Dr Organic Lavender Oil Moisturising Gel Socks – £15 from Holland & Barrett, www.hollandandbarrett.com

Socks for Christmas? Yes, but these are no ordinary socks… Pop these on and create silky smooth feet after just 20 minutes of pampering a day. The socks are infused with lavender oil with a balanced blend of moisturising jojoba oil, olive oil and vitamin E, and an organic cocktail of essential oils including jasmine, patchouli, bergamot, ylang-ylang, sandalwood, vetiver root, cedarwood and emerald cypress oils.

Avalon Organics Intense Defense skincare collection – RRP £34.99 from www.avalonorganics.com (for stockists)

Perfect for keeping winter skin in tip-top condition, this set includes organic Cleansing Gel with pure botanical cleansers, Renewal Cream to encourage collagen production, and Antioxidant Oil to reinforce the skin’s natural lipid barrier. Enriched with vitamin C, lemon and white tea it’s got plenty of zing, and an attractive make-up bag to boot.

Coconut Collection beauty range – from £1.75 by Urtekram, www.urtekram.com (for stockists)

Coconut and Danish – not a yummy pastry but two of the trends of 2016, so what better gift than something from the new Coconut Collection by Danish organic beauty brand Urtekram? Featuring vegan and cruelty-free shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and body lotion, each product is infused with organic virgin coconut oil and organic coconut nectar from palm trees in the South Seas.

Eco and Ethical Christmas Gift Guide – For Kids

For babies, toddlers and little ones, here are some eco and ethical gift ideas to light-up little faces on Christmas morning…

Campervan walker toys – £62.50 from Jo & Co, www.joandcohome.com

These funky campervan walkers are made of wood from natural rubber trees that no longer produce latex. The lovely design means it’s a piece of kit that you don’t mind taking up space in the living room! Suitable for 12 months+, the walkers encourage early movement, but confident toddlers will also love pushing them around like trollies and using them as toy storage. Available in blue or pink.

Racoon Pyjamas Set – £20 from Rockin’ Baby, www.rockinbaby.com

We love the Rockin’ Baby brand – they’ve partnered with ChildFund for their one-for-one, mother-for-mother scheme: for every piece purchased, the scheme provides slings and clothing to children living in poverty worldwide. To support a great programme, these cute Raccoon PJs are great for lazy Sundays as well as bedtime. Available in sizes from 18mths to 10yrs.

Jungle Safari Wooden Skittles (large) – £30 from ZSL Shop, www.shop.zsl.org

You can’t beat a wooden game, and these large hand-painted skittles are a quirky and cute twist on the traditional version. Featuring two balls and six skittles (hippo, elephant, zebra, lion, monkey, giraffe). Everything bought from the ZSL (Zoological Society of London) shop helps support their ongoing conservation work around the world.

Toy Dinosaur – £30 from Zaliwana Accessories, www.zaliwanaaccessories.co.uk

Zaliwana Accessories specialise in sourcing handcrafted, ethically-sourced gifts from around the world. This felt dinosaur has been lovingly handmade in Nepal. Suitable from newborns upwards, no-one will be able to resist a cuddle!

Bamboo 3-piece dining set – £14.50 from Yours Sustainably, www.yourssustainably.com

This cute and colourful children’s dining set is made from natural organic bamboo fibre, so is a great eco alternative to plastic. Each set includes a decorated divider plate with matching bowl and handled cup. Comes in two designs – fun ‘Robots’ and cute ‘Animals’.

Baby clothing by From Babies With Love – from £15.90, Big Issue Shop, www.bigissueshop.com

This award-winning baby clothing line donates 100% of its profits to orphaned and abandoned children around the world, supporting organisations that help break the cycle of poverty and ensure children grow up in loving family homes. We love the frog, duck robot, rabbit and penguin designs on the babygrows (£21.90), T-shirts (£15.90) and reversible baby blankets (£26.90) in this ethically-sourced range.

Elephant Craft Kit – £12 from ZSL Shop, www.shop.zsl.org

This easy-peasy crafting kit is perfect for little fingers. With no cutting required, this kit includes everything you need (including pre-cut felt, plastic non-sharp needles, thread, stuffing and googley eyes) to make your own elephant toy. Everything bought from the ZSL (Zoological Society of London) shop helps support their ongoing conservation work around the world.

Eco and Ethical Christmas Gift Guide – For Him

For fathers, grandads, brothers, uncles, friends…here are some fabulous eco and ethical Christmas gift ideas for men

‘cor affection’ iPad cover – £50 from ono creations, www.onocreations.com

We love the super-stylish organic and ethical bags and cases from ono creations – all are made by artisans under fair conditions, using eco materials such as organic cotton, natural bamboo and reclaimed teak. This iPad cover (which measures 20.5 x 25cm and fits the iPad 1, 2, 3 and other tablets) is made from beautifully soft and tactile cork (we couldn’t stop stroking it!) with naturally-dyed bamboo lining. View the whole range for some uber-covetable clutch, shoulder and tote bags, wallets, cases and more.

Elephant Gin – £41.99 from Selfridges, www.sefridges.com

For gin conoisseurs, this special botanical blend of apple, elderflower, ginger and African wormwood and baobab (rarely used in gin making), is more than just a lovely tipple. 15% of proceeds from every bottle sold goes towards two elephant conservation charities; Big Life Foundation’s Ranger Club and the Space for Elephants Foundation. Both charities work to preserve Africa’s unique wildlife, help crack down on poaching, encourage wildlife tourism and create local employment opportunities in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. Available in London Dry and Sloe Gin varieties (the latter a limited edition of 1,500 bottles), these beautiful bottles with hand-written labels and natural cork stoppers make this a perfect gift.

Wood-Packer backpack – £268.50 from Fabriano Boutique, www.fabrianoboutique.co.uk

This rucksack may look like it’s made of high-quality leather, but it’s actually made from FSC-certified wood! The material is thin carved wooden sheets with micro laser engravings, coupled to a tissue with the usage of water-based adhesives. The result is a soft material, almost like leather. The bag is large enough to carry a 13″ laptop and heaps of other kit. Fabriano have teamed-up with Tree-Nation to ensure they plant 350% more trees than they consume.

Jollie socks – £15 a pair from The Big Issue Shop, www.bigissueshop.co.uk

Christmas isn’t Christmas without someone getting a pair of socks – and it’s hard to beat these ‘Jollie’ ones! Available in eight colourful designs – with names like ‘The Prankster’, ‘The Speckled Punster’, ‘The Jester’ – each pair comes in a very jolly can. Jollie Goods, the brand behind the socks, describe themselves as a ‘more-than-profit’ enterprise which supports homeless charities and those caring for the homeless. For every pair sold, a pair of sturdy hiking boots is given to a local homeless charity.

Ombar chocolate bars – £1.99 each (35g) from www.ombar.co.uk

Raw chocolate Ombar bars are just too moorish! Raw chocolate can often be a bit gritty or bitter but these are lovely and smooth. Using 100% organic cocoa, unrefined coconut sugar, live cultures and real fruit, you can almost call these a heath food (raw cocoa really does have health benefits!) Available in a variety of interesting flavours including Lemon & Green Tea, Blueberry & Acai, and Cranberry & Mandarin, alongside standard milk and dark varieties, these 35g bars make excellent stocking fillers.

Upcycled canvas cufflinks – £22.50 from Yours Sustainably, www.yourssustainably.com

These smart cufflinks have been made from artists’ canvas rescued from charity shops, mounted on wood salvaged from building sites, then splattered with paint Jackson Pollock style! Various colours available, each design is unique.

Stainless Steel Growlers by Klean Kanteen – RRP £35.95, visit www.whitbyandco.co.uk for stockists

These lightweight, reusable stainless steel bottles by Klean Kanteen are a safe and healthy alternative to plastic and lined aluminium bottles. The classic ‘Growler’ is perfect for carrying around cool beer, win, juice or iced tea. The brushed steel is particularly stylish – also comes in a fancy dark amber.

RAW WINE box – £149 from www.rawwine.com

The wine lover in your life with be delighted to receive this special box direct to their door. The RAW WINE box (from the founder of the RAW WINE fair) features six rare artisan wines that are all from organic or biodynamic grapes, grown using low-intervention techniques and avoiding any nasties at production stage. With tasting notes to accompany each bottle, this is a great way to enjoy hard-to-get, fabulous wines.

Sleep in an igloo on brand new Arctic adventure holiday

Fancy building (and sleeping) in your own igloo under the Northern Lights? This new adventure offers an Arctic experience like no other…

The brand new Arctic Ice Adventure trip, led by Sweden’s best Arctic adventure guides, promises a host of magical, snowy experiences this winter. Ever wanted to sleep in your own igloo? A pre-built snowy home will be your base for this holiday – and if you’re really keen, you can also learn the skill and art of making your own igloo and contribute to an ongoing igloo building project.

Away from your igloo base, you’ll be whisked away by snowmobile sled into the Arctic wilderness to explore spectacular ice formations, ice caves and awe-inspiring views. Visitors can also listen to ancient local stories, drink from ice glasses, learn to ice fish, and go Aurora hunting.

And what’s extra special about this trip, is that it’s family-friendly. Activities and excursions have been designed to be suitable for both adults and their children, allowing for some truly special, adventurous experiences in a magical environment.

Jonny Cooper, Northern Lights and Arctic travel expert from Off the Map Travel, tour operators for the Arctic Ice Adventure, said; “Ice, snow, igloos and Northern Lights are iconic to the Arctic region, with films and TV series regularly bringing them to our TV and cinema screens in recent times. The Arctic Ice Adventure has been designed to bring this to life for both parents and children to enjoy together.”

Available from 11^th to the 26^th February 2017, this new experience can be included a part of any tailor-made tour to the region, however is recommended as part of the Half Term Aurora itinerary.

Travelling with Off the Map Travel (www.offthemaptravel.co.uk) the Half Term Aurora adventure to Swedish Lapland costs from £1,299 per person, based on two adults and two children staying on a half board basis, excluding flights. Included in this are all transfers and activities including a Lights over Lapland photography tour with extra marshmallows to toast over the fire in the tepee; a dogsledding adventure into the Arctic wilderness; an Aurora spotting evening at Låktatjåkko Mountain Lodge in the giant snowcat along with warm waffles and hot chocolate; and an Arctic Ice Adventure at a local igloo on the frozen lake exploring ice formations and caves, a lesson in igloo building, delicious Swedish fika, local Sami stories and an Aurora hunt.

For more information about the Arctic Ice Adventure, Half Term Aurora adventure and other Arctic excursions visit www.offthemaptravel.co.uk or www.ilovenorthernlights.com or call +44 (0) 800 566 8901.

Copenhagen Special: A guide to Europe’s greenest city

Apparently the Danish are some of the happiest people on Earth. Could it be down to the fact that their capital city is one of the greenest, cleanest and friendliest in Europe, or even the world?

Goodtrippers took a look around the hip city of Copenhagen to discover the best places to eat, drink and explore – and try and uncover the secrets of the Danish way of living.

Copenhagen’s best places to eat and drink – From street food to smorrebrod

Where to stay in Copenhagen – Live like a Dane in the hip and happening STAY hotel (coming soon…)

How to explore Copenhagen – Grab a bike, boat or just get walking around Europe’s greenest capital (coming soon…)

Do you have your own recommendations for Copenhagen? Let us know!

Best places to eat and drink in Copenhagen

From street food to smørrebrød, here are some great places for eating and drinking in Copenhagen…

Kødbyens Mad & Marked – Located in the Meatpacking District of the trendy Vesterbro neighbourhood, this street food market buzzes at the weekends throughout the summer (there are occasional winter markets too such as Christmas – check the website for details). Here you can pick up culinary treats such as Korean bourittos, meatball wraps, Scandi snacks, mac ‘n’ cheese, truffle fries, gourmet burgers, Brazilian barbecue, Spanish tapas and so much more! Inventive cocktails and craft beers are also on sale, alongside gift stalls – DJs provide the tunes.

Kødbyens Fiskebar – In the same area is this specialist fish restaurant and bistro serving some of Copenhagen’s best seafood (it’s been awarded a Bib Gourmand in the Nordic version of the Michelin Guide 2015). The industrial interior harks back to its old meat hall days. Pull up a stool at the bar, take a seat outside in the summer, or go the whole hog with a slap-up dinner.

To be honest, head to Kødbyens and you’ll encounter enough inviting bars, cafes and restaurants to keep you going for a whole week or more. Regular new openings and old favourites keep this trendy ‘K’ zone one of Copenhagen’s most vibrant areas.

Mikkeller Bar – Located on the cosy Jægergårdsgade in Vesterbro is the bar of the famous Mikkeller brewery. All exposed bricks and filliment lightbulbs, this cool bar is small (very busy in the evenings) but with plenty of outdoor seating in the warmer months. As expected, the beer list is extensive with 20 rotating taps of Mikkeller’s best beers and brews from some of the world’s most interesting craft breweries. Snacks from Warpigs Brewpub and artisanal cheeses from Arla Unika are also available to soak up the booze.

The district of Norrebro, another hip neighbourhood, is also a food and drink hotspot. Turn into the boutique-heavy street of Jaegersborggade and you’ll find yourself in a foodie oasis. At no.41 is Relae, a restaurant opened by a former soux chef of Demark’s famous Noma, which itself has a Michelin star and is no.75 on the ‘World’s Best’ list. But for a quick drink and bite to eat, we tried…

Crate – This teeny tiny record store is also a craft beer bottle shop. Browse the vinyl then buy a beer (bottles or a few guest beers on tap) to drink on the rickety bench outside (oh how Copenhagen-ish…).

Grød – This is (wait for it) the world’s first porridge cafe! Yes, you can eat porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner here, but don’t assume that just means the classic breakfast staple. This place serves all manor of imaginative porridge-type dishes from around the world – we tried a delicious and fragrant Vietnamese congee, washed down with a local beer. A quick, tasty and (rare in Denmark) very cheap dinner.

Cafe Wilder – A trip to Copenhagen wouldn’t be complete without eating smørrebrød, Danish open sandwiches. We tried some traditional smørrebrød at Cafe Wilder in the old town of Christianshavn. Typical Nordic combos of creamy cod with cucumber and red onion, or beef brisket with pickled vegetables were presented beautifully (small but filling), and salads (a sizeable toasted goat’s cheese and walnut salad was good) make up the lunchtime menu.

The 17th century waterfront of Nyhavn is a pretty location for dinner. The fairylight-strewn cobbled street is lined with restaurants all with outdoor seating (and heating!). Grab a table and watch the old ships bob up and down in the water. It’s a much more traditional tourist hotspot than Vesterbro and Norrebro so the restaurants and bars aren’t as different or exciting as other potential choices. However, it’s a romantic spot with plenty of decent food choices.

Ride Mashpi Lodge’s new Dragonfly gondola over Ecuador’s rainforest

Fancy a bird’s-eye view over 1,300 hectares of Ecuadorian rainforest? The new Dragonfly gondola at Mashpi Lodge promises a jaw-dropping experience…

Mashpi Lodge, a founding member of National Geographic’s ‘Unique Lodges of the World’, has created a special way for its guests to explore the incredible wildlife of the Mashpi Rainforest Reserve. The new Dragonfly gondola, an ‘open’ cable-car gliding 200m above ground, will take passengers on a two kilometre trip through the cloud forest accompanied by a guide.

There are three separate ‘on or off’ points located at differing altitudes so guests can choose whether to combine a ride on The Dragonfly with a testing hike through the forest, or to take the full two-hour return trip for a more relaxing experience (although perhaps not for vertigo sufferers!). The whole experience promises to reveal hidden waterfalls, swimming holes, walking trails and some amazing monkeys, birds and plantlife.

Watch the video here for a glimpse into this stunning ride https://vimeo.com/181557565

Riding the Dragonfly — Riding The Dragonfly

Mashpi’s sustainability ethos means The Dragonfly was carefully constructed over a period of 18 months largely by hand and without the use of any heavy machinery, to ensure minimal impact to the reserve and its wildlife. Much like the lodge itself, The Dragonfly is powered by renewable energy and designed to blend seamlessly and silently into the surrounding forest.

Mashpi Lodge – A “cocoon in the clouds”

Eco retreat Mashpi Lodge is described as a “cocoon in the clouds” – the 22 luxurious rooms are set within a striking contemporary structure with floor-to-ceiling glass allowing for magnificent views of the surrounding rainforest and mountains.

A paradise for nature lovers, the award-winning Lodge features an immersive Life Centre where wildlife enthusiasts can learn more about the reserve’s inhabitants including 500 species of bird, as well as butterflies, frogs and monkeys. The Hummingbird Viewpoint offers avid birders an unrivalled setting for bird-watching, featuring a shelter with seating and feeders for the birds strung from its roof.

Mashpi’s ‘Sky Bike’ (a fun idea) is another thrilling way to explore the canopy up close – pedal your way along a cable stretched between the trees, and enjoy panoramic views across the forest from the 26m-high Observation Tower.

For full details of Mashpi Lodge, including prices and booking, visit www.mashpilodge.com