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Chablis and the Morvan: A Road Trip Through Rural Burgundy
Chablis, the Morvan and Vézelay make a wonderful road-trip combination in rural Burgundy. Martin Hesp goes in search of quiet roads, great wine, forests, lakes, ancient villages and the France he loves.
Martin Hesp
4 days ago10 min read
Herefordshire: Vineyards, Black and White Villages and Good Pubs
Explore the beautiful countryside of Herefordshire, from its historic black-and-white villages to three impressive vineyards producing some excellent English wine, cider and perry.
Martin Hesp
6 days ago7 min read
6 Great Walks Around Padstow and the North Cornwall Coast
Forget the crowds for a while and explore the spectacular countryside and coastline around Padstow. Here are six of my favourite walks, from the Camel Estuary to Trevose Head and The Rumps.
Martin Hesp
Sep 1818 min read
Unique Experiences to Try During Your Time in Scotland
Explore some of the less obvious experiences around Glasgow and western Scotland, from Loch Lomond and Bute to Tennent's brewery, Glasgow's museums and Oban.
Martin Hesp
Sep 183 min read
Lyme Regis and West Dorset: walks, beaches, history and the Jurassic Coast
Lyme Regis is the gateway to a remarkable stretch of the Jurassic Coast. Here I explore the walks, beaches, cliffs, villages and landscapes around Lyme, Charmouth, Golden Cap, Lambert’s Castle, Beer and Branscombe.
Martin Hesp
Sep 1710 min read
Secret Seasides: Six Months Exploring the West Country Coast
For six months Martin Hesp explored Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the Isles of Scilly in search of hidden coves, quiet beaches and remarkable coastal places. This is the story of his Secret Seasides series.
Martin Hesp
Sep 1611 min read
How the National Trust Saved Cornwall's Coast – The Story of Neptune
For more than 60 years, the National Trust's Neptune campaign has helped protect Cornwall's spectacular coastline. Martin Hesp looks at how it began, what it has achieved and the growing challenge of caring for beaches, cliffs, wildlife and the South West Coast Path.
Martin Hesp
Sep 1610 min read
Jurassic Coast Walks: 5 Great Routes in Dorset and East Devon
From the golden heights of the South Coast’s tallest summit to the ever-shifting undercliffs of Charmouth and Lyme Regis, Martin Hesp explores five dramatic Jurassic Coast walks—complete with smuggler lore, sweeping Wessex panoramas, and essential safety tips for beach fossil hunting.
Martin Hesp
Sep 1411 min read
5 Best Walks in and Around St Ives, Cornwall
Five of the best walks in and around St Ives, Cornwall, taking in spectacular beaches, wild Atlantic cliffs, Godrevy Lighthouse, Godolphin Hill and the ancient St Michael's Way.
Martin Hesp
Sep 147 min read
Food, Desert and Mountains: A Road Trip Through the UAE
Take a road trip beyond the UAE's famous cities, travelling from golden desert dunes to the Hajar Mountains while discovering the Emirati food and landscapes along the way.
Guest Contributor
Sep 73 min read
Quantock Hills Walks: In the Shadow of the Ridge
Born and bred beneath their western ridge, travel writer Martin Hesp explores Britain’s first National Landscape with four circular Quantock Hills walks—weaving ancient coombes, panoramic ridge tops, and the dark upland lore of the broomsquires.
Martin Hesp
Sep 77 min read
Coastal Trails and Harbour Feasts: A Walker’s Guide to West Cornwall
From St Ives and Zennor to Cape Cornwall, Newlyn and Mousehole, explore the wild coastal landscapes, historic mining heritage and harbour food of West Cornwall.
Guest Contributor
Sep 55 min read
4 of the Best Historic Market Towns to Visit in South Devon and the South Hams
View of Totnes and its castle with Dartmoor looming behind South Devon’s South Hams district and its Dartmoor fringes occupy some of the most enviable geography in Britain. Tucked between the untamed, granite heights of the high moor and a dramatic, ria-indented coastline, this landscape of rich red earth and lush valleys has bred prosperity for centuries. Rather than standard commuter dormitories or sleepy seaside halts, its inland settlements are working market hubs steep
Martin Hesp
Sep 26 min read
3 Historic Market Towns to Explore Around West Devon and Dartmoor
Flanked by the granite wilderness of Dartmoor to the east and the Cornish border to the west, West Devon’s market towns are places of fierce resilience and deep history. From Tavistock’s handsome stannary streets to the windswept ramparts of Okehampton and the raw, agricultural heart of Hatherleigh, Martin Hesp explores three distinct border communities.
Martin Hesp
Sep 24 min read
5 of the Best Historic Market Towns in North Devon to Visit
From the bustling Victorian aisles of Barnstaple’s Butchers’ Row to Bideford’s salty maritime lanes and Great Torrington’s dramatic clifftop ramparts, North Devon’s market towns are defined by rugged geography and deep agricultural roots. Martin Hesp explores five historic hubs that showcase the working heart of the county.
Martin Hesp
Sep 26 min read
6 of the Best Historic Market Towns in East and Mid Devon to Visit
From Honiton’s sweeping, 700-year-old high-street market to Crediton’s red sandstone ‘cathedral’ and the peaceful Exmoor foothills of Bampton, East and Mid Devon are packed with working history. Travel journalist Martin Hesp explores six historic market towns well worth pulling off the highway to discover.
Martin Hesp
Sep 27 min read
7 Great Walks Around Exeter
One minute you are strolling across tame, flat fields above Drewsteignton; the next, you are gaping straight into the abyss of the Teign Gorge. It is one of the great surprises of the Westcountry—vertiginous woodland plunging towards the rushing river below, with the granite battlements of Castle Drogo standing sentinel against the high moors of Dartmoor.
Martin Hesp
Aug 315 min read
The Great Headlands of South West England
From dramatic cliffs and ancient hillforts to lighthouses, seabirds and wild Atlantic views, Martin Hesp explores the great headlands of South West England.
Martin Hesp
Aug 318 min read
6 Great Walks on the Quantock Hills (and Somerset's Jurassic Coast)
From the high, wind-scoured ridge of Wills Neck to the romantic oak combes of Coleridge and the fossil-rich Blue Lias pavements of Kilve, Martin Hesp shares six of the very best circular walks across Somerset’s stunning Quantock Hills. Includes step-by-step route directions, fact files, and the best local pubs.
Martin Hesp
Aug 289 min read
Les Saintes Travel Guide: The Caribbean Archipelago Time Forgot
A scattering of sun-drenched French islets anchored south of Guadeloupe, Îles des Saintes possesses an elusive, forgotten-world charm. With roaming iguanas, overwater verandas, and barely a car in sight, Terre-de-Haut is Caribbean island life at its most civilised.
Martin Hesp
Aug 284 min read
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