Good Fun - Goodtrippers

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!

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

Book review: Moon Gardening by John Harris

Is it ‘lunacy’? This new book promises to reveal the secrets to lunar gardening for plots of all sizes…

John Harris, author of ‘Moon Gardening‘, is head gardener at Tresillian House and Gardens, one of Cornwall’s most attractive and visited estates. Many years ago Harris took on the job of restoring Tresillian’s kitchen garden under the condition that he be allowed to apply the principles of moon or lunar gardening – and today the results speak for themselves.

Throughout the book, Harris shares credible horticultural knowledge that will surely dispel any fears that lunar gardening is simply “hocus pocus or hippy nonsense” – Harris himself has appeared on BBC Gardener’s World and been featured in several national newspaper gardening columns. This technique is all about planting to the cycles of the moon, taking advantage of optimum soil conditions and moisture levels. It’s about helping you grow more and better for less effort and less cost – sounds like a good plan!

Lunar gardening is an ancient technique (the book refers to how New Zealand’s Maoris have used moon gardening for thousands of years) and Harris encourages us to respect ancient knowledge and use it to our advantage today. Colour photographs of some of the abundant produce grown by this method at Tesillian (including some enormous, and we’re assured flavoursome, garlic bulbs) provide compelling evidence.

It goes without saying that by practicing moon gardening, you’ll almost certainly be gardening organically, or at least with minimal chemicals – Harris also covers more commonly known wildlife gardening methods such as compatable planting.

Gardener’s sketches, charts and calendar plans throughout the book ensure it remains a handy and practical guide, rather than simply an interesting read about ancient lore. John Harris is a trustworthy author and peppers the narrative with charming tales of his own childhood, his first forays into gardening, his family influences and his motivations today.

All in all, a comforting gardener’s handbook full of fascinating (almost magical) techniques that we can’t wait to experiment with!

‘Moon Gardening’ by John Harris (with Jim Rickards) is available in hardback, priced £12.99, from 20th October 2016 (published by John Blake Publishing).

Buy at: Moon Gardening: Ancient and Natural Ways to Grow Healthier, Tastier Food

Join a pop-up walking event (and eat free cake!)

Before the summer holidays are out, get the family into their walking shoes and try these two pop-up walks (free cake included…)

Two guided walks, one in the south of England, one in the north, led by local experts promise a great and free opportunity for families and other small groups to get outside in the open air, enjoy beautiful scenery, and treat themselves to some (also free) homemade cake!

On Saturday 27th August, you can join a tour of the dramatic landscape of Exmoor. Meet at Holnicote House, located near the village of Selworthy in the heart of Exmoor National Park, at 10am for a 6 mile (10km) walk to the summit of Selworthy Beacon, which offers stunning views over the Bristol Channel and Porlock Bay.

If you’re in the north of England, head to the Peak District National Park on Saturday 3 September for a guided walk over hill and dale. Meet at country house, The Peveril of the Peak, at 10am for the start of a 5.5 mile (9km) walk across the limestone plateau, past the rocky outcrops of the Nabs to Dove Holes and along the river to the famous stepping stones at Dovedale Gorge.

To ensure that there is enough cake and local leaders on hand for each event, walkers are encouraged to register their attendance:

To register for the Exmoor pop-up walk visit: www.meetup.com/HF-Holidays-Pop-Up-Walk/events/232775968/

To register for the Peak District pop-up walk visit: www.meetup.com/HF-Holidays-Pop-Up-Walk/events/232863197/

The free walks have been organised by walking holiday provider HF Holidays. For more information visit www.hfholidays.co.uk or call 020 3424 6162.

Take the Bee Trail around King’s Cross, London

There’s a real buzz (ahem…) around King’s Cross right now – take this new tech-enhanced walk around the city’s regenerated area to find out why…

On a sunny Sunday in King’s Cross last week, we tried out the BeeTrail app, created by social enterprise The Honey Club. With a mission to create the largest bee-friendly network in the world, The Honey Club encourages people to get involved with helping vulnerable bee communities in our cities and beyond. This new app, free for iPhone or Android, is part of that mission.

The Bee Trail app takes you on a 45min walk around some of the ‘buzziest’ spots in King’s Cross. Starting at restaurant The German Gymnasium, into Granary Square, down to the canalside, up to the community gardens, past the outdoor swimming pond and ending at the fantastic Skip Garden – the walk takes in eight stops. Turn on your Bluetooth and at each stop the app will automatically ‘unlock’ the next stage (or you can manually type in a code found at each check-in point).

Each stop unlocks a few pages of fascinating bee facts and more about how London’s biodiversity supports the bee population. We learnt a few new things including the stunning fact that there are around 250 different species of bee in the UK!

Several of the stops prompt a ‘bee count’ task – start the app timer and count how many honeybees, solitary bees and two types of bumblebee you can spot within 30 seconds (a pictorial ID guide is provided if your bee knowledge is a bit rusty). On our sunny afternoon, some of these spots were surprisingly light on bees, except for two hotspots literally humming with activity. All counts are recorded as part of a wider survey on bee populations, so your ‘game’ is also a very useful bit of research.

As a thank you, each completed count unlocks rewards in the form of vouchers for discounts or freebies from some of our favourite places in the area including Dishoom, Caravan, The Grain Store, The Skip Garden, German Gymnasium, The Greek Larder, Rotunda and The Lighterman. We recommend ‘eating and drinking’ your way along the trail as you win your reward vouchers (not filling up on lunch beforehand like us – although vouchers are valid until 4th September). As an aside, do make sure you take your time at The Skip Garden – this excellent community garden has been made almost entirely with reclaimed, salvaged and recycled materials. They grow their own produce and have a cute little cafe serving great coffee and cake (and they have a covetable outdoor pizza oven!).

Exploring the redevelopment of King’s Cross, with its influx of new restaurants, bars and event spaces, you can’t help but be impressed with the fact that nature has not been forgotten in this part of the capital. Flowerbeds and window boxes full of bee-friendly plants are found all over the place – along lavender-scented pathways, within playgrounds, and lining the outdoor dining areas of restaurants. It’s a buzzy slice of nature in the city.

The Bee Trail runs until 4th September 2016 – download the app for free at www.beetrail.co.uk.

A walking tour of East London’s street art

The street art scene is alive and kicking in London’s Shoreditch – join a tour with a local social enterprise to discover the alternative side of the city…

Meeting under the ‘goat’ sculpture at Spitalfields, we meet Keir and begin our discovery of Shoreditch and Spitalfields’ street art scene. Keir, an artist himself, is a guide with social enterprise Alternative London – a tour operator that supports artists and other young creatives. They may be small but they’ve been number one on TripAdvisor’s London tours list and featured in the Guardian’s top 10 tours in the world!

Keir of Alternative London leads the group

Our two hour walking tour took a loop through Spitalfields, Brick Lane and Shoreditch, taking in some of the area’s most creative ‘street canvas’ but also disovering some fascinating insights into how this multicultural area of the city has changed over the past 350 years. It was an eye-opener to hear that the building which is currently Brick Lane was once a Jewish synagogue and a Catholic church!

Getting under the skin of the street art scene

Being part of the scene himself, and close friends with many of the artists whose work we viewed, Keir was able to give some insider knowledge (did you know that street artist Stik made £50K from a limited edition print and gave it all away to charity?). Keir also knows that every tour will be different as the landscape is changing daily – new works pop up, literally, overnight.

What a walking tour also teaches you is that you should always look up, and look down. We spotted the small bronze sculptures of Jonesy on top of sign-posts. We saw tree roots transformed into snakes. We saw ‘No Entry’ signs comically ‘defaced’. We saw Invader’s famous mosaics on street corners. We didn’t just see ROA’s awe-inspiring bird and other huge murals but also found out more about how the area, and spots such as Hanbury Street in particular, are magnets for street artists.

Such is the sheer volume of artworks in this area, your guide can’t stop and talk about each and every one. This leaves plenty of opportunities for rewalking the route (backwards?) or taking another tour on another day. This is simply a two-hour snapshot of the scene on that one day.

Walking, cycling, drinking, eating, art(ing?)

Alternative London now run a whole wealth of tours so you can discover the many layers of this neighbourhood. Try a street art bike tour, a pub and craft beer tour, or an East London food tour. They also run street art workshops (which can also be combined with a walking tour) so you can learn how to create your own spray paint masterpiece.

As a social enterprise, Alternative London directs a portion of its profits into youth art workshops, free to budding street artists, and helps fund some of the largest street murals in London’s East End.

When/How to book

The Alternative London Walking Tour lasts 1.5-2hrs and runs Mon-Sat with multiple departure times on some days. For full dates/times and booking, plus more details of all of the tours and workshops on offer, visit www.alternativeldn.co.uk.

A picture perfect trip to Iceland

Right now, Iceland is where it’s at! After a team of part-time footballers dashed England’s Euro dreams, all eyes have turned north to this unique country. Now you can fill your Instagram feed with some amazing pictures on a new photography tour of Iceland.

Tour operators Off the Map Travel have teamed up with two professional Arctic photographers, both renowned for their images of the Northern Lights and the Arctic wilderness, to offer an exclusive and intimate photography experience designed to capture the history, culture and natural beauty of Iceland.

The new Incredible Iceland Photography Adventure was created by two leading British born nature photographers, Oliver Wright and Matt Richardson, who met in Northern Sweden over their shared love of the Arctic. The new itinerary will run over two initial dates in September (02 Sept – 10 Sept 2016 or 10 Sept – 18 Sept 2016) and uses local knowledge and off the beaten track locations to give the best possible photographic opportunities for guests on the trip.

Oliver explains, “Iceland is one of the best places in the world for photography. The raw natural beauty attracts the world’s leading photographers who come to capture everything from landscapes to Northern Lights. Both Matt and myself have spent a lot of time shooting in the area and have uncovered some incredible spots only really known by the locals. This trip is all about giving our guests the chance to work in these incredible isolated locations, where we will help our guests get those dream shots.”

The charming coastal town of Akureyri in Northern Iceland, where the majority of the itinerary is based, is arguably one of the best places in Iceland for photography with pristine Icelandic wilderness and rugged coastline. Guests will stay in a 150-year-old historic Icelandic house lovingly restored with a luxurious, typically Icelandic, finish.

There is no set itinerary for the tour which allows the guides to adapt locations to the weather conditions and interests of the group. With room for just six on each trip, two expert photography guides and two vehicles there is plenty of room for equipment and the chance to split and visit different locations simultaneously, depending on the interests of the group.

Additional excursions include whale watching and a trip to the Myvatn Geothermal Nature Baths, as well as a visit to the Blue Lagoon. There is also a slim chance (being early in the season) of seeing the famous Northern Lights (both Matt and Oliver specialise in photographing the Aurora Borealis so will be on hand to help guests snap their own beautiful photographs).

A nine night Incredible Iceland Photography Adventure, suitable for both beginners and more established photographers, including a night in Reykjavik and eight nights in Akureyri with Off the Map Travel (www.offthemaptravel.co.uk) costs from £2799 per person, excluding flights. This includes all transfers, a night in a 4* central Reykjavik hotel on a bed and breakfast basis with an Aurora Hunt and a visit to the Blue Lagoon; eight nights at the luxury Icelandic historic house in Akureyri including all meals and transfers, expert photography guiding, photography workshops, Whale Watching and the Myvatn Geothermal Nature Baths trips.

For more information about Incredible Iceland Photography Adventure visit www.offthemaptravel.co.uk, call +44 (0) 800 566 8901 or email info@offthemaptravel.co.uk

3 of the best eco travel experiences in Jamaica

While Jamaica is well known for its stunning beaches and reggae vibes, the island has a lot to offer the eco traveller…

Here are three top picks:

Something interesting to see and do…

As the home of Rastafarianism, few experiences are as unique, or immersive, as a visit to Jamaica’s Rastafari Indigenous Village. This is one of the best ways to learn about the life, skills and experiences of Rastafari people. Visitors can take a tour of the village, participate in organic farming, learn to make traditional crafts and receive music lessons.

Something delicious to eat…

Next up, it’s time to explore the very best natural foods that Jamaica has to offer. One of the big trends in rural food right now is the ‘farm to table’ experience, and a trip to Stush in the Bush is a great example of this. Set on a 15 acre organic farm in the cool hills of St Ann, things move slowly here, and everything is connected to the earth.

Join Chris, the owner, for a walk of the farm. He’ll talk about his ancestral origins, when plants were medicine, and the earth’s bounty was the only source of food. You’ll sample herbs, spices, fruits, birds, flowers and ornamentals, and even get to plant a tree. And, after taking in the sweeping views of Jamaica’s north coast, you can sit down to a lovingly prepared meal featuring freshly made preserves, sauces, dressings and breads.

Somewhere lovely to rest…

Finally, after so much exertion, what’s needed is a visit to the Zimbali Retreats, for some much needed R&R. Located in a tropical mountain valley, complete with river and spring, this farm retreat has achieved almost 100% off-grid status.

Zimbalist Retreat - Drummers in studio — Zimbalist Retreat – Drummers in studio

Amid more than 500 fruit trees, guests enjoy modern technology infused with an ancient and natural way of life. There are a range of properties to choose from each with their own distinct personality. All are surrounded by the beauty and peacefulness of nature.

Frankly, the hardest part is choosing whether to kick back, relax and do nothing, or explore and sample the 700 odd varieties of fruit available, from pineapple to banana to plantain…

All rise for Real Bread Week (14-22 May)

Are you ‘doughing it’ for the kids? Sourdough, rye or wholemeal, learn to bake a real loaf and get the kids involved in a celebration of our daily crust…

Take a slice of Real Bread Week, returning for an eight year from 14-22 May 2016. Part of the Real Bread Campaign, this is a week celebrating additive-free loaves and the people who make them. The theme this year is sharing the delicious delights of real bread with children and encouraging baking skills and real food knowledge.

Campaign ambassador, and Fabulous Baker Brother, Tom Herbert of Hobbs House Bakery said: “Real Bread has the power to thrill taste buds and transform lives. Real Bread Week is the number one time of the year when bread lovers go all out, showing off delicious loaves, and winning people over.”

Campaign supporters are organising events including:

Cucina Restaurants: after-school family bread making sessions at many of the 40 schools it caters for around England
Bridging the Gap (an organisation that trains 15- and 16-year olds to mentor younger students): Real Bread making and storytelling class at St. Francis Primary School in Gorbals, Glasgow
The Hearth: afternoon of drop-in pizza making sessions for children in Lewes
Fordhall Community Land Initiative: Learn to build and use a cob (mud or clay) bread oven in Market Drayton

To help people dress for the part and raise some dough, Balcony Shirts has created limited edition On The Rise aprons and organic cotton t-shirts, making a donation to the campaign for each one sold.

Follow the action on Twitter using hashtag #RealBreadWeek. For full details of Real Bread Week including many more public events, local Real Bread bakeries and classes, and how to join the campaign to enjoy a range of special offers, visit realbreadcampaign.org.

The Real Bread Campaign is part of the food and farming charity Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming, with supporters around the UK and in more than 20 other countries.

Starting from a basic definition of real bread as made without any artificial additives, the campaign’s mission is to find and share ways to make bread better for us, better for our communities and better for the planet.

Other highlights of the week include:

Saturday 14th May – Jo Bottrill will be serving up and talking about her Real Bread at Michelin-starred chef Bruno Loubet’s pop-up restaurant at the Parkside Farm Shop in Bedfordshire.

Sunday 15th – To mark both Real Bread Week and Dying Matters Week, this workshop in Pembrokeshire will explore good bread baking and good funerals that celebrate life and the role of the community.

Sunday 15th – To celebrate National Mills Weekend, the wheels of Cogglesford Mill will be turning to produce stoneground flour and Greenfield Bakers will be selling Real Bread.

Tuesday 17th – Love Bread Bakery in Brighouse, West Yorkshire, is running a free family learning breadmaking class for parents and pre-school children. It will teach families the Real Bread basics, with recipes they can try together at home.

All week (14-22 May) – Emma’s Bakery is running workshops at the Real Food Store in Exeter through the week, with a view to setting up a scheme to get more Devonshire kids into bread.

All month – On Monday 16^th, Hobbs House Bakery launches its annual #KingOfTheSourdough competition runs, with a weekly winner being announced every Monday. It culminates in a final bake off at Hobbs House Cookery School during Sourdough September.