‘You’d be pushed to find a more soul-stirring landscape in Scotland’: walking in Beinn Eighe

It isn’t only climbers who get misty-eyed about the awe-inspiring mountains and ancient pinewoods of Britain’s first national nature reserve, created 75 years ago

On the trail of the Romantics in the Welsh borders

The ruins of Tintern Abbey have inspired artists and poets. Now, the restoration of a historic inn has given visitors a perfect base for exploring this corner of Monmouthshire

Five of Europe’s best accessible island escapes

From the Venetian lagoon to the sparkling Med, these island getaways offer a welcome change of pace just a short hop from the mainland

‘I have the island to myself’: how to be a castaway in Cornwall

Book an overnight stay in the cosy smuggler’s cottage on Looe Island and you get to enjoy this marine nature reserve after the day trippers have gone home

It takes a village – the pioneering tourism project breathing new life into India’s mountain communities

Over the past 21 years, Village Ways has been leading low-impact tours of remote communities in the foothills of the Himalayas, supporting traditional ways of life and offering a rare glimpse of pristine landscapes and wildlife

10 of the best affordable family adventures in Europe

From packrafting in Luxembourg to cycling in Slovenia and eclipse-spotting in Spain, here are some great ways to get the kids into the wild

‘Children see magic in the smallest adventures’: exploring Scotland with my four-year-old

On a tight budget, we stayed in a bothy, climbed a mountain, looked for Nessie and – best of all – made memories that money can’t buy

‘Landscapes as wild as they get in Europe’: family hiking in Albania and Montenegro

Mountain walks, river swims and centuries-old traditions appeal to the whole family on an adventurous trip to the Balkans

‘That thrush just did something incredible’: tuning in to bird calls on a North York Moors walk

A guided walk through North Yorkshire woodland throws up some thrilling surprises by honing in on sound over sight

Stunning views, honesty shops and community pubs: people power on the Llŷn peninsula in Wales

This rugged promontory in north Wales is thriving thanks to community-run cafes, restaurants and inns, which can all be visited on a spectacular coastal walk

Rolling hills, rich heritage and great pubs: a car-free break in Leicestershire

This picturesque corner of the East Midlands is a well-kept secret and it’s great for exploring by public transport

In the footsteps of a Welsh borderlands baddie: walking the Mortimer Trail

A trail named after a brutal marcher lord passes through tranquil countryside between Shropshire and Herefordshire but is rich in reminders of the area’s turbulent past

Forget the Algarve – Portugal’s best winter escape is in the mountains

A century ago, the Serra da Estrela mountains were Portugal’s answer to the Swiss health resorts of St Moritz and Davos. Now, a historic sanatorium has been given a 21st-century makeover and is drawing people back to the hills

‘The most quietly romantic town we have ever visited’ – the enduring charm of Chiavenna, Italy

Writers from George Eliot to Goethe put this Lombardy town on the map, then it fell out of fashion. Today it makes a picture-perfect alternative to the Italian lakes

Say no to fake snow: the Austrian ski resort that likes to keep it real

Like many Alpine areas faced with declining snowfall, Villach had to make a difficult choice: bring in the snow cannons or reinvent itself