News - Goodtrippers

SLOWmotion: Explore slow food and living at Rosewood London

It’s time to go slow this autumn and winter… From cooking ‘slow’ brunches to making your own leather tea tray, the new SLOWmotion workshops are here to teach us all the joys of slow living.

Organised by food magazine and event company TOAST, this new series of foodie and lifestyle workshops and events is all about celebrating the ‘slow life’. Mass production and instant gratification, step aside!

Taking place at the beautiful Rosewood hotel in London’s Bloomsbury, expect tasty brunches full of plenty of sharing plates featuring slow food ingredients from the regular Sunday Slow Food & Living Market in the hotel’s courtyard.

As well as eating brunch with foodies including Rosie Birkett and Jackson & Levine, you could even make your own tray, table runner and spoon! Join one of several workshops which each focus on a different craft, and explore mindfulness and slow living by traditional techniques. Each workshop host will teach guests how to make an item to take home (ideal for Christmas gifts) as well as discussing their story and lifestyle.

See the full schedule of events and workshops below.

Tickets: Booking is essential – tickets can be reserved via the TOAST website www.eatdrinktoast.com/events and are priced from £40.00.

Location: The Living Room, Rosewood London, 252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN

SLOWmotion Autumn/Winter 2015 Schedule

12-2:30pm, September 27th – Slow Food Brunch with Signe Johansen

A Slow Food brunch with Signe Johansen, Norwegian-American cook, writer and food anthropologist, and author of best-selling cookbooks Scandilicious and Scandilicious Baking; expect such delights as the Scandi Bloody Mary with tomato juice from the market, 58 Gin, Halen Mon smoked water, dill, horseradish and cucumber and Crispy Cod Cheeks with Nordic Dill Salsa, plus, to take home, Skoleboller or “school buns” – Norwegian vanilla custard filled buns with coconut
www.twitter.com/SigneSJohansen

11am-1pm, October 11th – Slow Living Workshop with Grain & Knot

A Slow Living workshop with woodworker Sophie Sellu of Grain & Knot. Learn the art of crafting a spoon from reclaimed timber. During the workshop guests will learn the safest way to use wood carving knives and leave with their very own spoon. A kit of sandpaper and a homemade wood balm will be given to each attendee to continue to care for their spoons at home
www.grainandknot.com

11am-1pm, October 18th – Slow Living Workshop with Waffle Design and Curate & Display

A Slow Living and interior design workshop with Waffle Design in collaboration with Curate & Display, a lifestyle and design blog. WAFFLE is a fresh range of home interior accessories made using organic cotton and a tactile waffle weave. The creative lead and founder Ciara McGarrity will share Waffle Design craft secrets, and teach guests how to create bespoke table runners. Tiffany Grant-Riley, the founder or Curate & Display, will talk about her thought process with creative, modern, clean interiors.
www.waffledesign.co.uk // www.curateanddisplay.co.uk

12-2:30pm, November 1st – Slow Food Brunch with Rosie Birkett

A Slow Food brunch with Rosie Birkett, food writer, stylist, presenter and author of the bestselling cookbook A Lot on Her Plate, a collection of imaginative, delicious and approachable recipes that draw on the culinary vibrancy of seasonal, fresh produce and simple, store-cupboard ingredients
www.rosiebirkett.com

12-2:30pm, November 8th – Slow Food Brunch with Jackson & Levine aka Laura Jackson & Alice Levine
A Slow Food brunch from London’s coolest supperclub hosts Jackson & Levine. With Laura Jackson and Alice Levine both working in TV and radio, they set up their supperclub as a passion project to create an interesting and fun environment for like-minded food folk to sit round a table and enjoy a home cooked meal and a glass (or three) of wine
www.jacksonandlevine.co.uk

12-2:30pm, November 15th – Slow Food Brunch with Claire Ptak of Violet Bakery

A Slow Food brunch with Claire Ptak, food stylist, food writer and owner of Violet Bakery in East London. Hailing from California, Claire trained in the pastry department at Chez Panisse with Alice Waters, who subsequently wrote a moving foreword to her recent book The Violet Bakery Cookbook. Claire focuses on seasonal ingredients, natural flavourings, wholegrains and unrefined sugars when baking. Bringing a Californian sensibility to everything she does, she has also worked with Jamie Oliver and Yotam Ottolenghi.
www.violetcakes.com

11am-1pm, November 22nd – Slow Living Workshop with Doe Leather

A Slow Living and leather workshop with Doe Leather, one of the last remaining Black Country leather goods workshops. Using natural vegetable-tanned leather, Deborah Thomas will teach guests how to create a beautiful leather tray. Attendees will learn the basics of leather sewing with different coloured harness threads, burnishing (on the edges of the leather with special gum and linen cloths) and then hand-stamp their initials into the final piece
www.doeleather.co.uk

12-2:30pm, November 29th – Slow Food Brunch with Meera Sodha

A Slow Food brunch with Meera Sodha, cook, food writer and author of the bestselling cookbook Made in India: Cooked in Britain, a collection or recipes focusing on Gujarati cuisine written as she hovered over her mother’s shoulder at the stove
www.meerasodha.com

More events, including Christmas specials, to be announced!

Go glamping…at home! The Tiipii Bed reviewed

We hope you’ve spent summer camping or glamping, but now that autumn is here how can you recreate that feel at home? The ingenious Tiipii Bed may be the answer… We’ve been putting this innovative hammock through its paces.

It’s no suprise that the Tiipii is an Australian creation (and now available to buy in the UK) – your own floating ‘chill out zone’ encourages some laid back relaxation time.

The practicalities

Best described as a cross between a hammock and a swing chair, the Tiipii Bed is surprisingly large once assembled. Thankfully, assembly is relatively easy – simply unfurl from its carry bag and feed the light-weight curved poles through the pockets until you have a rigid circular base. The Tiipii Bed is now ready to hang.

Hanging is a little trickier. Due to its size, you need it to hang so the base is at least a metre from the ground, and in a space wide enough to accommodate its 180cm base. You’ll want to be able to get a good ‘swing’ going when you’re in there so the clearer the space the better. The top of the Tiipii has an eyelet for you to attach to a sturdy chain or thick rope to hang it (the only bug bear is that the kit doesn’t include this essential piece leaving you to either buy something or scrabble about in the loft to find something suitable!).

Tiipii Bed indoors - ready for cushions, net and fairy lights — Tiipii Bed indoors – ready for cushions, net and fairy lights

Where to hang your Tiipii Bed

A small issue we had was finding somewhere safe and suitable to hang the Tiipii. Ideally, it works best outside – lying, gently swinging in the sun is what this hammock was made for. You do need a strong tree branch, pergoda or arch (don’t forget, the Tiipii Bed is designed to support more than one person and up to 170kg), and one that has the right amount of space around it.

Unfortunately, we’ve had to hang it inside (from a solid eyelet fixed in the ceiling of our garden room), but the Tiipii is still a fun and indulgent piece of ‘furniture’ to have indoors. If you wrap the mosquito net (included) around the ropes, and decorate with fairy lights, you’ve got yourself the perfect little hideaway – a way to bring some outdoor R&R indoors during the cooler months!

A mobile ‘chill out zone’

The Tiipii Bed is surprisingly light and not at all cumbersome considering its size. It can be packed away into a small carry bag making it perfect to take on camping trips or if you’re renting a cottage or villa (just don’t forget to pack your extra bit of rope, hook or chain and hope that your destination has a suitable hanging place…).

What we’ve been up to in the Tiipii Bed…

Reading
Swinging in the sun (through the glass doors)
Cloud watching
Working on the laptop
Playing with the little one (it makes a great drum!)
Sleeping
Thinking of how to hang it outside…

Verdict: We love this and think the Tiipii Bed is better than a hammock or swing chair (you can sit and lie down in this one). It’s a stylish design in attractive colours so will look good wherever you hang it. It works well both indoors and outdoors – but a slight shame that you may find hanging positions to be limited. We just know that it’s going to be hard to give it back…!

The Tiipii Bed is £199 (with £5 off if you sign-up to the newsletter) and available in natural white, taupe and green. To buy, and for more information (and envy-inducing pictures!) visit www.tiipiibed.co.uk.

Frugal family fun at the Festival of Thrift

Summer may be slowly drawing to a close, but the festival season just keeps on running – hooray!

This September 26th-27th the Festival of Thrift returns for its third year of frugal family fun. The free festival, taking place at Lindfield Point in Darlington, promises a packed programme of sustainable living ideas and inspiration that can help save you money too.

Festival of Thrift Fashion by Tracy Kidd

The eclectic event will feature well-known ‘scrimpers’, leading and emerging artists and musicians, plus special installations, demonstrations, debates, workshops and stalls offering upcycled, recycled, sustainable and of course thrifty goods to help people towards a happier, more sustainable way of life.

The Festival (winner of the Arts & Culture award at the Observer Ethical Awards 2015) aims to show people how reusing, recycling and upcycling can be fun, save them money and benefit the environment at the same time. This year’s programme features leading and emerging artists from across the globe, demonstrations, stalls and workshops to offer thrifty advice, tips and tricks.

ETHICAL FoT Shane Waltner by Tracy Kidd — Shane Waltner by Tracy Kidd

Highlights include:

OxGlam – Michael and John from Oxfam Dalrington and Oxfam Durham demonstrate how to look stylish and original with vintage, second-hand and upcycled clothes. Catch their fashion show using trends through the decades.

The Urban Playground, STEAM – Street theatre like you’ve never seen before! Urban Explorers discover a locomotive and take you on a journey through its life, fusing parkour, dance and slapstick comedy.

Olivier Grossetete, The People’s Tower – See French artist Olivier Grossetete launch the Festival by rebuilding the rail station clock tower in Market Square in Darlington Town Centre, made entirely from cardboard box ‘bricks’.

Ministry of Bicycles, Bomberdrome – This ‘Bicycle Wall of Death’ features five riders, performing tricks of daring do. Thrills, spills and plenty of mild peril all add up to make this a bicycle spectacular.

Folk Dance Remixed – A unique remix of Maypole, Clogging, Ceilidh, Street, House and Breakdance with a hint of African & Bollywood… to a live soundtrack of fiddle & beat boxing – this is Folk and Street Dance like you’ve never seen it before with a chance for you to dance!

Home Live Art’s Alternative Village Fete – Based on the British village fete, this extravaganza, featuring a range of original artists and creative groups, encompasses live and performance installations, live music, communal dance, craft, food and produce.

Darli – Darlie is an enchanting, artist-made, old wooden train carriage stuffed with stories, images, sounds and scenes for families to explore. Created by visual Artist Hannah Fox and Sound Artist Dan Fox, this is an enchanting and playful interactive sculpture, a curiosity box like no other.

This year’s theme is ‘Steam’ as the festivities will also form part of a weekend of celebrations for Darlington and the region as the town marks the 190th anniversary of the world’s first steam passenger train, which travelled between Stockton and Darlington in 1825.

Festival director, Stella Hall said: “Thrift is more than a trend – it’s here to stay, it’s a culture and a set of values to live by. The festival is certainly helping to get it engrained into the lives of people across the North East of England and beyond. Our thrifters are a community and the Festival is a great opportunity for them to get together and share what they do, while enjoying great entertainment and a free day out.”

After winning the Arts and Culture category of the Observer Ethical Awards 2015, festival organisers are poised for another successful year (40,000 festival-goers visited in 2014!). Thrifty living has never been so popular…

The Festival of Thrift takes place 10am to 5pm on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th September 2015. Find out more about the latest programme at www.festivalofthrift.co.uk and register for updates.

Cornwall Special: Eat, Sleep, Do in Poldark’s County

It’s not hard to see the beauty of Cornwall. The UK’s most southerly and westernmost county boasts the longest coastline at over 400 miles; its northern beaches are a magnet for surfers, its southern coast is dubbed the ‘Cornish Riviera’. It’s also the UK’s sunniest and warmest county hosting its only area of sub-tropical climate and over 1,500 hours of sunshine each year.

This unique county is also enjoying a resurgence thanks to a certain Poldark – the coast and countryside more than holding its own with Aiden Turner and the racing pulses of TV viewers!

At Goodtrippers, we’ve been seeking out the best of Cornwall – places to stay, where to eat and drink, and things to do. Whet your appetite with our 10 Cornish places to eat and drink with a sea view; discover the hidden gem of Perranuthnoe and western Cornwall; read our review of the new eco apartments at The Point at Polzeath; and explore three short walks that will get your heart pounding!

Contents:

– 10 Cornwall spots to eat and drink with a sea view

– A bespoke Cornish holiday in Perranuthnoe

– Surfing and sunsets at The Point at Polzeath

– Cornwall: 3 short walks to get your heart racing

And don’t forget to catch our previous posts on Cornwall including glamping on Rocket Farm, 3 Cornish cottages for couples, and our Cornish appearances in 6 of the best yurts and bell tents, and 7 of the best…eco-friendly family days out.

If you’ve got your own recommendations for Cornwall, we’d love to hear them. Share them here, on Twitter or Facebook.

Dive in with the world’s largest shark in Tanzania and Mexico

Growing up to 11m long, the whale shark is the world’s largest fish – and you can get up-close and personal on a responsible diving trip to see these incredible creatures

Whale-Shark-with-Researcher-Photographer-(c)Dr-Simon-Pierce-AQUA-FIRMA

Some diving or snorkeling trips to some of the world’s best marine spots can feel like a feeding frenzy. The multitude of tourists and boats can be overwhelming for wildlife and the marine habitat, but many tour operators are working differently.

One such company, wilderness travel outfit Aqua-Firma, leads adventure tours that support whale shark conservation, as well as giving thrill seekers and wildlife fans the opportunity to come face-to-face with these formidable fish.

Whale_Shark_spot_pattern_(c)_Dr_Simon_Pierce_AQUA-FIRMA

Two key spots to swim with these sharks are in Tanzania and Mexico. Both Mafia Island, off Tanzania, and the world’s second largest barrier reef, along the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, offer optimal opportunities for sighting whale sharks and witnessing their migration.

Marine Biologist, Dr. Simon Pierce says, “The most whale sharks I have seen from our research vessel in Mexico is about 180, with as many giant manta rays to snorkel with beneath the water.”

Swimming_with_Giant_Manta_Ray_(c)_Dr_Simon_Pierce_AQUA-FIRMA

Aqua-Firma offer a number of snorkelling and diving trips around the world. Other shark encounters include: walking beside white tip reef sharks and scuba diving with schools of a hundred or more hammerhead sharks in the Galapagos, Malpelo and Costa Rica’s Cocos Island; glimpsing even larger schools of Silky Sharks in Mexico’s Socorro; and finding Ragged Tooth Sharks whose teeth litter the floor at their popular hangouts in South Africa.

While the travel group helps explorers experience some of the world’s greatest diving locations, conservation of the marine environment is a priority. The company contributes directly to marine protection through whale shark tours. In the Galapagos, divers have the chance to learn about marine life conservation and see it in action as donations go directly to the Galapagos Conservation Trust. On Mafia Island in Tanzania trips can raise a whole year’s funds for whale shark research.

The tours pay homage to all areas of the environment they touch. From preserving the sea and land, to respecting the culture and heritage along the coast, explorers not only get an in-depth view of the countries they visit, but significantly contribute to the well-being and conservation of the life that inhabits them.

Whale shark trips start from £1,590 with departures in July/August (Mexico) and November (Tanzania). For full details of each tour visit http://www.aqua-firma.co.uk/countries/Tanzania/ or http://www.aqua-firma.co.uk/countries/Mexico/.

Aerial_Reefs_Caribbean_Mexico_(c)_Dr_Simon_Pierce_AQUA-FIRMA

Last minute guide to the Easter Holidays

Has the prospect of a few days off work crept up on you and you’re now in a chocolate-induced panic about what to do? The Easter break is peak-time for travel, so you can either jump in and join the crowds or just use the bank holiday to rest and relax. Here are some of our ideas for things to do this Easter. Now hop to it Easter bunnies!

Check last minute availability at a self-catering cottage

It’s a long shot but not every lodge, cottage, cabin or barn will be full this Easter holiday. Owners will be keen to fill gaps, particularly in the harder to fill week days, so chance your luck with a browse of self-catering accommodation sites and you may be able to grab a bargain. Some of our favourites, which also feature their fair share of eco-friendly homes, include Uniquehomestays.com, HolidayCottageCompare.com, SykesCottages.co.uk and HomeAway.co.uk.

You can also read our profiles of eco-friendly accommodation in Cornwall, Norfolk, Suffolk and Fort William in Scotland. And if you don’t have any luck this time, at least you’ve given yourself a head start on finding a place for summer!

Treat yourself to an Easter-themed afternoon tea

Whiling away an afternoon sipping tea and nibbling teenie-tiny cakes just can’t be done during a regular working week. Use the holidays to indulge in a classic treat whether it be traditional, luxury, vegan, fashionable, cool or rustic. Search Afternoontea.co.uk for hundreds of options across the UK including specials and promotions for Easter. We also found a few healthy-sounding vegan options if you’ve overdone it on the chocolate eggs.

Enjoy eco-friendly family fun

We’ve already picked out some of our favourite eco-friendly family days out – from the Eden Project in Cornwall, to BeWILDerwood in Norfolk, llama parks and organic farms. See our 7 of the best…Eco-friendly family days out.

Go for an Easter walk

It may not be summer-high temperatures just yet, but we’re now on British Summer Time so there is no excuse not to get out into the fresh air and make the most of longer days. Walking is a great way to stay fit, explore a local area, do a bit of wildlife watching on the way, and it’s absolutely free.

Take your pick of woodland walks, coastal walks, hill treks, village strolls, or city ambles. Walking Britain provides a free online resource for walkers detailing recommended walks in National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Trails and other notable areas of the UK.

Feast at a food market

There are lots of farmer’s markets and street food festivals taking place this Easter. Sample some of the best seasonal fare (roast lamb, fresh new greens) direct from producers; or treat yourself to something exotic or handmade (possibly even chocolate-based if you haven’t had enough). One of our faves, the Real Food Market in London is moving to its new home of King’s Cross station as of 1st April (no longer at Southbank, but check out our old review for a flavour of what to expect in King’s Cross). Find out more about Real Food Market here. You can catch another of our faves Street Feast at a couple of dates around Easter – see website for details.

Check your local council website for details of farmer’s markets or food fairs in your area – and get down there. It’s often a ‘use it, or lose it’ situation!

Visit a pier

Yes, it’s not sunbathing weather quite yet, but you can brave a trip to the coast and while away an afternoon on one of Britain’s traditional seaside piers. After all, the British seaside is a classic bank holiday destination – even if it rains! Grab some fish ‘n’ chips, change a pound coin into coppers for a few goes on the arcade machines, and then warm up with a cup of tea on the pier. Here’s our write-up of things to do around Cromer Pier, in north Norfolk, which has just been named the UK’s Pier of the Year.

Explore a National Trust property

We don’t know exactly what it is, but a visit to a National Trust home or garden just screams Easter to us! It’s the start of the tourist season so all of the locations are usually spruced up and ready for the coming months, and there almost always is an Easter Egg Hunt (in a huge garden or woodland) that you can join. Some properties include working farms so you also get an added bonus of new little lambs to spot. Visit NationalTrust.org.uk for details.

Have a sit down

Sometimes a bank holiday is just a great excuse for a sit down. Avoid holiday traffic, avoid tourists and day-tripping families, avoid entry fees and car parking fees…. Just take a seat (preferably outside if you can – we’ve had months of winter, come on, let’s make the most of it), grab a good book (here are a few we recommend) or simply close your eyes and take a snooze….. See you when the egg-madness is over!

Last minute Christmas gift guide

Leaving it late for your Christmas shopping? Don’t want to brave the frantic last minute rush on the high street? Don’t panic! Here are some great Christmas gift ideas for the Goodtripper in your life – and they can be grabbed with the click of your mouse!

(Good tip: Many of these gift givers will email you a voucher to confirm your present, but if you do miss the final delivery date for vouchers or packs, you can get creative and make your own voucher card and give the real thing in the new year!)

If they’re always thinking of others… Get them a Good Gift

One of the original and best charity gift givers – we love the creativity and imagination in the Good Gifts range, and all gifts come with great little cards. There are ways to help good causes at home and abroad, but travel fans may like some of these suggestions:

An Acre of Rainforest (£52) – help mitigate 200 tonnes of CO2 from your loved-one’s carbon footprint (Good Givers have already helped protect 12,000 acres of tropical rainforest!)

25 sqm of Woodland (£32) – closer to home, help them protect green belt woodland which saves a tonne of carbon

Air Ambulance Journey (£120) – in rural parts of Africa, air ambulances are vital in saving lives. If your loved one loves flying, help them fund one of the most important flights for someone in need in Africa.

Get these, and many more Good Gifts ideas, at www.goodgifts.org

If they love the sea… Boutique Beach Hut hire for a day

We love this idea! Two brand new beach huts at Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex, are currently being spruced up ready for hire from 1st February 2015. But these aren’t your average beach front hideaways – these are rather fancy (chandelier and luxury interiors) boutique beach huts! Pick either Grand Pavilion or Indian Summer, add on a luxury picnic with champagne, and you’ve got a very special seaside trip sorted. The organisers are also offering to arrange spa treatment and welcome bouquet add-ons.

Price: Grab the introductory price of £38 for a day’s hire. A luxury package, including picnic and champagne, is £94. The pretty gift voucher comes boxed.

Get it at www.boutiquebeachhuts.co.uk

If they love animals… Adopt an animal

Adopting an animal at a zoo, nature park, animal shelter or conservation project is a great way to show your support. Many organisations offer adoption schemes and give your recipient a welcome pack plus regular updates.

WWF offer a great adoption scheme which helps them protect many endangered animals around the world (and recipients receive a cute cuddly toy along with their welcome pack and updates!). Choose from snow leopard, Bengal tiger, Hawksbill turtle, orangutan and many more.

Price: From £36/year (you can pledge as much as you like, min.£3, as a monthly payment)

Get it at www.wwf.org.uk

If they want a memorable day out… Meet the animals at London Zoo

ZSL London Zoo and ZSL Whipsnade Zoo offer animal lovers an incredible chance to go behind the scenes at these world-famous zoos and meet their animals on a vip day out. Join a keeper and find out even more about the fascinating lives of the aardvarks, penguins, meerkats, kangeroos, giraffes and more. Taking part in this experience helps support ZSL’s conservation work around the world.

Prices vary and start at £45 per person

Get this, and other gift ideas (including animal adoption) at www.zsl.org

For the person who has everything… Even more charity gift ideas!

Frankly, who needs another unwanted present? MoneySavingExpert.com has compiled a great list of charity gift ideas, complete with final delivery dates for vouchers (although many can be emailed up to Christmas Eve). Take a look at the ways you can spread some Christmas love and cheer with charities including Unicef, Centrepoint, Age International, Oxfam and more – MoneySavingExpert.com Charity Gifts

Look for a bargain… Don’t forget to browse our Good Offers section for a few special discount codes for some of our favourite brands

Check out our 2013 Christmas Gift Guide packed full of present ideas including travel gadgets, outdoor gear, sustainable fashion and accessories.

Everyone loves books at Christmas – we pick 10 of the best travel books

Nest in Sweden’s Treehotel this winter

You’ve heard of the Ice Hotel – now experience the Treehotel. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view from this winter wonderland in Sweden.

In the tiny Swedish village of Harads sits the Treehotel – a stunning complex of architecturally designed ‘treerooms’. The Swedes certainly know how to harness the restorative nature of the great outdoors, and the whole complex is designed to offer you peaceful and rejuvinating stay in this pine forest glade with river valley views.

[gdl_gallery title=”Treehotel” width=”115″ height=”110″ ]

Winter may be dark but nothing compares to the experience of waking up among the snow-capped treetops, before embarking on a day of dog sledging, snowmobiling, snowshoe walking, ice fishing and Northern Lights spotting!

Responsible tour operator Go Barefoot are offering discounted rates for December and January bookings (see below).

Accommodation

There are currently six tree rooms available, all with a unique and exceptional design: The Mirrorcube, The Cabin, The UFO, The Bird’s Nest, The Blue Cone, Dragonfly. The rooms are built 4-6 metres above the ground and are accessible by ramp, bridge or electric stairs. Lighting, furniture and interiors are all custom made. They vary in size from 15 to 30 square metres – the largest accommodates up to four people.

All have been built to be environmentally-friendly with minimum impact on nature and come with water efficient sinks and conbustion toilets.

Facilities

For the full Scandinavian experience, guests can make use of The Tree Sauna which accommodates up to eight people. Britta’s Restaurant on the Treehotel site prides itself on serving fresh, wild, local, Norrland produce with a daily buffet and three-course meals available on request.

Activities

Plenty of snow-based fun to be had here – just take your pick from an exhaustive list of Arctic activities including dog sledging, reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobiling, snowshoe walking, ice fishing, ice dining, moose safari, and horse riding. You can also join a Northern Lights tour, visit the local Sami people, or finish the day relaxing in a forest spa.

Responsible tourism operator Go Barefoot, who specialise in trips that support sustainable development, cultural preservation and environmental protection, are offering special discounted rates for all Treehotel bookings for December 2014 and January 2015. Visit www.gobarefoot.travel or call +44 (0)20 3290 9591 for more information.

6 reasons to vote for Goodtrippers in the UK Blog Awards

We’ve entered the UK Blog Awards 2015!

The public vote is now open (until 3rd December 2014) to select the top 10 in each category to go through to the final judging stage. It goes without saying that we would love your support, but instead of just asking you to vote for Goodtrippers in the Travel category, we thought it would be worth explaining why we would love you to vote for Goodtrippers! Here are six reasons…

Envy-inducing eco retreats

The Baymen Luxury Decking & Plunge Pool — The Baymen, Belize

We like showcasing fantastic eco accommodation, from stunning luxury eco retreats to glampsites and cosy eco-friendly cottages. Who doesn’t love a peek behind the doors of some fancy hotels and private homes, while dreaming of waking up to that stunning view, or sipping sundowners on another private roof terrace? All the accommodation we feature in Good Stays is genuinely eco-friendly (no ‘green wash’) – it’s not just about energy-saving lightbulbs and reucing laundry, but using innovative alternative energy, local reclaimed materials, and supporting community or conservation projects in their area.

Yummy food

Eating out is a great part of any holiday or day-trip, and Good Eats features some of the best eateries that champion sustainability, local food, organic produce, and vegetarian or vegan menus. See our reviews and profiles of sustainable restaurants, vegetarian cafes, local food markets and homecooked food tours arond the world.

Worthwhile volunteering trips

‘Voluntourism’ is getting a bad reputation when the market is infiltrated by tour operators offering nothing more than glorified ‘poverty tourism’ masquerading as charitable projects. We aim to only feature volunteering holidays that ensure volunteers have a genuinely positive impact on the local community and environment they help. Good Work has featured trips that make the most of volunteers’ skills, time and enthusiasm while working with local partners on the ground to deliver activity that makes a real difference.

Ideas for any day out

Tenby (c) Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority — Explore Tenby, Wales with the National Trust

We know that responsible travel is not just about glamorous overseas trips or adventurous round-the-world travels – that’s why we regularly feature UK-based things to do for any day out, walks in a wildlife reserve or a trip to an eco-friendly family theme park for instance. There are also plenty of community-led tourism ideas to get involved with overseas – for example, a guided tour of a South African township – that provide sustainable income streams for local communities, and a fresh perspective for tourists. Our Good Fun section has lots of ideas for extra things to do.

Beautiful photos

Wonderfruit in Thailand — Thailand beaches

We know that you need to see some of the amazing places we feature, so we make sure that all of our posts feature some stunning photography – browsing through our pictures during a tea break is bound to inspire you for your next trip (or just provoke some jealousy if your next holiday is some time away…sorry…!)

Supporting travel that makes a positive difference

Above all else, we want to support and raise awareness of travel companies and initiatives that we believe are making a positive difference to communities, culture and the environment around the world. Some are small businesses, some are established, some are international, some are community-led – all deserve to be known so that we can all explore this amazing world and travel responsibly!

If you agree, we’d love your support in the UK Blog Awards. Cast your vote here – Vote for Goodtrippers

Thank you!

New Norfolk films inspire a coastal jaunt

Visit Norfolk has launched a new series of YouTube videos showcasing the best of the East Anglian county.

At Goodtrippers, our favourite films are ‘Coast’, ‘Natural World’ and ‘Adventure’ – but you can also find out more about this beautiful, wild and grand county in further films including ‘Family Fun’, ‘Food and Drink’, ‘Festivals and Culture’ and ‘Heritage and History’.

Take a walk along the Norfolk coast

The Norfolk coast is perfect walking country. Norfolk has more than 90 miles of superb coast and beaches, with huge expanses of pristine sand, tidal creeks and saltmarshes. Much of the North Norfolk coastline is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, dotted with nature reserves protecting bird life and saltmarsh habitat. (Check out our review of Norfolk Wildlife Trust’s visitor centre cafe at Cley Marshes)

Quaint harbour towns such as Wells-next-the-Sea and Blakeney are great places to stop for pub lunches or fresh seafood snacks. You could also try the cafe Cookies Crab Shop in the village of Saltmarsh for good value seafood (it’s a favourite eaterie of Norfolk native Stephen Fry!).

A new Coastal Path extension from West Runton to Sea Palling opens this December. This is part of the ‘Deep History Coast’, named for the amazing pre-pre-pre-historic finds, including a 600,000 year old mammoth and 900,000 year old human footprints, the oldest known evidence of man outside the Rift Valley in Africa.

This new path extension takes in the seaside town of Cromer so grab a bite to eat in Galton’s No 1 Cromer fish and chip restaurant (recently named the 6th best place to eat by the sea, by The Times). A new roof terrace dining area is planned for 2015 making even more of the great view of Cromer Pier.

To view more of the Visit Norfolk videos, visit their YouTube channel (video courtesy of www.visitnorfolk.co.uk)