Far from the madding crowd: my personal pilgrimage on the quiet paths of Thomas Hardy’s Dorset

My mother wrote about the meandering trails from the novelist’s cottage, through countryside loaded with literary references – now I’m following in her footsteps

12 of the best independent shops in Copenhagen

From sleek interior stores to modern perfumiers and quirky sex shops, the Danish capital has no shortage of unusual shopping opportunities

Share a tip on a great spring break in the UK

Tell us about your favourite seasonal trip, from farm stays and walking through meadows of wildflowers to city breaks. The best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays holiday

Mary Brown obituary

Other lives: London teacher who ran summer camps for the Forest School Camps charity for 40 years

I got lost in Morocco’s maze of medinas – and loved every minute

The medinas of Fez and Tétouan offer a welcome chance to ditch the GPS – and a return to random encounters

Away with Rachel Griffiths: ‘I feel more relaxed holidaying in Australia’

In Guardian Australia’s weekly interview about travel, the actor shares her secret beach hideaway and her obsession with packing cubes

Wet and wild: the magic of Cornwall in winter

The crowds have left and the elements reign supreme on an off-season escape to Newquay

‘Breathing in the fragrances of the Atlas cedar trees’: readers’ favourite places in Morocco

From unexpected city charms in Rabat to the dunes of the Sahara and a festival celebrating nomadic life, our tipsters share their best discoveries

Giants, saints and dragons on the Llŷn peninsula in north Wales

Three walks along the Wales Coast Path offer a fascinating insight into the legends, culture and industry that shaped this stunning outpost

An alpine winter feast: cheese, wine and a side dish of snowshoeing in France

A medieval Haute-Savoie village makes a great base for a gourmet break, with delicious comfort food and local wines. And the snowshoeing and skiing aren’t bad either, if you can drag yourself away from the table

Holiday firms reporting surge in demand for long-haul breaks

Thailand and Vietnam now often seen as ‘more cost-effective’ than visiting traditional European favourites

‘When women get together in the outdoors, the energy is incredible’: an adventure weekend in the Highlands

Forty women joined the first ‘Hostel Hoolie’ – an exhilarating programme of hillwalking, climbing, running and socialising in Scotland’s Cairngorms

Share a tip on a spring break in Europe

Whether it was a city break or wildflower-strewn hiking trip, tell us about your favourite spring break – the best tip wins £200 towards a Coolstays break

Falling for Alassio – the rebirth of an Italian resort

The former fishing village on the Ligurian coast was once a favourite with the wealthy British set. Now instead of tennis and tea parties, it offers scenic treks and seafood feasts in glorious spring sunshine

Away with Mikey Robins: ‘My most stressful trip? I did two weeks in Afghanistan hosting music shows for the troops’

In Guardian Australia’s weekly interview about travel, the comedian reveals details of a fishy childhood vacation – and the holiday mistake he’s destined to keep repeating