World-wide holiday experiences are championed by author, actress, presenter and broadcaster Janet Ellis for Just You solo experiences, escorted tours sister brand Travelsphere represented by journalist, newsreader, broadcaster and presenter Penny Smith. Janet Ellis: Finding Confidence in Solo Adventures Forever associated with fronting children's TV classics Blue Peter and Jigsaw, Janet has since presented television and radio series covering subjects as diverse as cars, gardens and parenting alongside establishing a rich reputation as an articulate commentator. Regular panellist on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff for over a decade, as well as guest paper reviewer on Radio 4’s Broadcasting House, she has written and presented several Radio 4 documentaries. Just You travels with like-minded kindred spirits followed her beloved husband's 2020 death. "I felt so nervous about going anywhere without him after he died and didn't think I'd be able to enjoy myself. But John would have hated the world to shrink for me and he’d thoroughly approve of Just You. They’re as reassuring, open and adventurous as he was. "I love getting to know people so the opportunity to holiday with such a variety of people has been an absolute pleasure," confirmed the sprightly 70 year-old. "Sharing our motivations to start solo travelling - which can often be similar reasons to your own - to revelling in those wow moments, there’s something special in being brought together to explore the world." Brains behind The Butcher's Hook and How It Was novels, Janet now enjoys experiencing exciting new travel chapters. Fondly recalling South Africa, she said: "Being my first Just You tour, as it was for some other folks on the trip, it’s difficult to know what to expect. But it was wonderful to see that, within a couple of days, we really did find our feet and found ourselves drawn into friendship groups, which is fantastic." Penny Smith: Five Reasons to Choose Escorted Tours Penny Smith, ITV breakfast show GMTV presenter for 17 years, has focused on Travelsphere escorted tour explorations since her 2017 debut, followed by far afield expertly guided adventures aplenty from Canada to Croatia, Italy to India. The 67 year-old radio regular is also a well-regarded travel writer and currently writes a column for Yours Magazine, as well as fronting a podcast alongside her Magic Radio colleague Charles Nove. Penny shares a handful of recommended reasons to follow in her Travelsphere footsteps. 1 Knowledgeable tour guides: "Every Travelsphere Holiday Director I have come across has been an incredible source of knowledge, full of top tips and quirky facts. They’ve taught me so many things I would never have found out from a guidebook." 2 Fabulous people: "I’ve met so many wonderful people on my Travelsphere holidays. I wasn’t expecting it, but one of my favourite parts of the day is meeting up with the group in the evening to relive the events of the day." 3 Highlights ... and so much more: "When you choose a Travelsphere holiday, you can be confident not a minute of your precious time away will be wasted, having done all the hard work and knows the places worth visiting and those not." 4 Time to do your own thing: "A guided touring holiday isn’t some kind of endurance test. In fact I was surprised to discover that it can be a really relaxing and flexible holiday choice/" 5 Real easy holidays: "For me, the very best thing about guided touring is, from start to finish, it really is a holiday. I love that feeling, when I arrive at the airport, park my brain and go into Travelsphere holiday mode. All I have to do is relax and enjoy it." Concluded Penny: "I have been to many extraordinary places, and want to go to many more, with Travelsphere. As they offer more than 60 destinations, it is going to be hard to pick my next tour!" Journalist, newsreader, broadcaster and presenter Penny Smith Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) What travel brand does Janet Ellis represent? Janet Ellis represents Just You, a specialist travel operator offering solo touring experiences for like-minded travelers. Which tour operator is associated with Penny Smith? Penny Smith represents Travelsphere, an escorted touring company offering expertly guided adventures to over 60 global destinations. Are these holidays suitable for solo travelers? Yes. Just You specifically caters to solo travelers, while Travelsphere offers fully escorted group tours ideal for anyone wanting stress-free, expertly guided travel experiences.

Aisholt Common in the Quantock Hills Immerse yourself in the serene charm of Aisholt Circular, a 6-mile walk in the Quantock Hills, as you explore a peaceful hamlet nestled deep in the forests and hills, ideal for those seeking to escape the chaos of everyday life. Deepest, darkest Africa seemed a long way off as I descended into the cool, damp, sylvan hamlet of Aisholt, deep in the Quantock Hills. Walk Overview & Key Details Key Detail Information Start / Finish Triscombe Stone Car Park (Grid Ref: ST 163 359) Distance Approx. 6 miles (9.6 km) circuit Terrain Ridge tracks, steep combe descents, wooded lanes, and heathland paths Difficulty Moderate (includes steep gradients down into and out of the valley) Highlights Panoramic views over the Somerset Levels, Aisholt Wood, St All Saints Church, Knacker's Hole Aisholt Circular: A Quintessential English Countryside Walk What I promised myself - swooning in the sweltering heat while in the tropics one day - was a fix of cooling, quintessential England as soon as I could get one. And where better than Aisholt? The place poet Sir Henry Newbolt called "that beloved valley". "How I hope no one will ever spread the fame of Aisholt," he once wrote, making me feel quite the cad for telling you lot about it. Ah well, if he could write about it why shouldn't I? Moreover, I have the excuse of being in dire need: shaking the dust of Africa from me, Aisholt was the very antidote to sub-tropical trauma. A sort of mental lozenge for the sorely travelled. Just listen to how Berta Lawrence described the place in her excellent book 'Quantock Country': "Here a limpid stream sings its way through a glen where light and shadows make play among the silver-grey boles and delicate foliage of beeches and where, at a quiet moment, you may see a red deer, his coat sun-dappled, moving between the tree trunks or even crossing the road, so that this spot seems a corner in the Forest of Arden." Beginning Your Journey at Triscombe Stone Such images lured me high onto The Quantocks. To find the little car park at Triscombe Stone where this fine circular walk begins. We've been here before in this series of Hikes, on the great ridge ramble which leads from one end of the hills to the other. Back then I mentioned being able to see the Arden-like Aisholt for below in its sylvan glade. So what could be better than leaving the ridgeway and descending down over the moors to this much heralded hamlet? It's quite easy to do. Simply follow the main path south-east from the car park for half-a-mile until it divides with one track keeping to the hilltop, while the other follows the edge of a forest to the east. At this point the walker is presented with an enormous panorama that stretches past Bridgwater across the Somerset Levels towards the distant Mendip Hills. But, just as impressive is the great amphitheatre, consisting of deep-cut combes and bracken covered spurs, which sweeps down towards Aisholt. Uncovering Hidden Gems Along the Aisholt Circular You will just be able to make out the church tower some 600 feet below, and towards this you must walk to begin your circumnavigation of this most Quantock corner of The Quantocks. A lovely old beech hedge keeps you company as you go, bordering a dark, deep, dead industrial forest on your left and the live, dizzying drama of the native heath on your right. If you wanted you could dive into the forest and find the early hilltop settlement just above Knacker's Hole. It's a Forestry Commission picnic site now with great views of the pine-clad world. Frequently Asked Questions Where do I park for the Aisholt Circular walk? The easiest starting point is the Triscombe Stone car park, located high on the Quantock ridge above the village of West Bagborough. Access is via narrow timber-lined tracks off the main ridge road. Is the walk suitable for families and dogs? The walk is suitable for regular walkers and active dogs, but keep in mind there are steep gradients down into the valley and back up to the ridge. Dogs should be kept on leads near grazing livestock on the open moorland and near red deer habitats in Aisholt Wood. Are there pub stops along the route? There are no pubs or cafes directly inside the tiny hamlet of Aisholt. However, The Rising Sun in nearby West Bagborough sits just down the hill from Triscombe Stone, making it an ideal spot for a post-walk lunch or drink. What is the best time of year to walk in Aisholt? Spring is exceptional for wild garlic and bluebells in Aisholt Wood, while autumn brings brilliant bronze foliage across the high beech banks and heather-covered combes. Check out our Broomsquire Hike on the Quantocks here

Someone once told me that all books—and authors, for that matter—must have videos floating around the internet if they are to keep their heads above commercial water. Taking the hint, I instantly repaired to the Quantock Hills with a heavy camera and tripod to film a modest video designed to put moving images of my novel onto the great digital highway. Whether that film does anything to boost interest in my yarn, The Last Broomsquire, I cannot say for certain. But what I do know is that I hugely enjoyed revisiting one of the most atmospheric corners of West Somerset. You can watch the full experimental walkover on my video, but if you have a sturdy pair of boots, the real delight is putting foot to turf yourself. Whether it will be of any benefit to my yarn, The Last Broomsquire, I do not know, but I hugely enjoyed walking around with my camera shooting an experimental video which you can see on Youtube. The Ascent from Bicknoller But what we’re interested in here is the walk, which anyone can do as long as they don’t mind negotiating a section that would put most house roofs to shame. But don’t let the steepness put you off - this hike is easily accessible, it starts less than a mile from the main Taunton to Minehead road close to the attractive village of Bicknoller. What we’re doing is heading for the end of Trendle Lane – directly east of this the hill suddenly starts to go vertical, and it is to this ascent that we are heading. Directly underneath the main ridge of Quantock here, three detached cottages introduce the walker to the steep but tiny twin valleys of Long and Short Coombes – we will be climbing the latter and I warn you it is an unremitting slog all the way to the top. Walk Overview & Route Summary Key Detail Information Start Point End of Trendle Lane, near Bicknoller (West Somerset) Distance Approx. 3.5 miles (5.6 km) circuit Terrain Steep ascent through heathland, grassy ridges, ancient beech banks, and valley tracks Difficulty Moderate to Strenuous (one very steep climb up Short Coombe) Highlights Trendle Ring Iron Age fort, Thorcombe Barrow, Halsway Manor contours, sweeping Bristol Channel views But worth every clambering, breathless, heart-pounding, moment of it nevertheless – and I say that as someone who carried a heavy camera and tripod to the top. Trendle Ring: An Iron Age Enigma The views of the West Somerset vale and Exmoor beyond get more and more dramatic every inch of the way. To your left you might spot the ramparts of Trendle Ring – a two acre Iron Age earthwork that dominates the entire hillside. People argue long and loud over who built these massive emplacements and why – it seems reasonable to suppose that they had some sort of defensive purpose, but you cannot imagine folk living inside the walls full-time, no matter how impressive and effective they were. Residing within the ramparts at Trendle Ring would have been uncomfortable to say the least, given the site’s extreme steepness, and – as is so often the case in such places - there is no source of freshwater. We can only assume that the people who built an earthwork strong enough to last the best part of 3000 years must have wanted it for occasional emergency use. And given its strength and permanence, they must have required it badly when the occasion arose. There was no law or local police force back then to make marauders think twice. High Beeches and Thorcombe Barrow Our path continues directly around the spur to our right at the top – this divides Short from Long Coombe - and on up to Thorcombe Barrow. We’re now closed to the central ridge of the Quantocks and so can now enjoy views that extend beyond the vale of West Somerset to the Bristol Channel and beyond. The contours beneath us are bordered by an impressive ancient hedge of beech trees, and this we follow until the bank terminates above Paradise Combe. I love these high Quantock beech hedges. They mark the frontier between the endeavours of man and the elevated wilderness. The wild wind never ceases to make its haunting music among the bent and silver limbs and animals often shelter among the gnarled roots. When we were there a lone hind sat by the bank and eyed us with suspicion. We continued our walk south east along the contours beyond the beeches to the small steep coombe which has no name but which descends towards Halsway Manor, which nowadays is the national centre for the folk arts. Around Halsway Manor and the Return We don’t actually go as far as the house but turn right along a path which runs along the lower contours – but it’s worth knowing something about the beautiful old manor… In her Quantock Country, Berta Lawrence writes that the house: "Breathes the serenity that is characteristic of a beautiful old age. Its grey Tudor face looks unmarred by the passage of time, yet this house has suffered constant change and rebuilding." Local legend has it the place once belonged to Cardinal Beaufort, but Ms Lawrence asks: "Did the haughty and princely Cardinal really own a house here, and sally forth with his gorgeous entourage to hunt the deer in Quantock forests? The tradition is strong, definite evidence very scanty." As I say, we’ve already turned right to walk away from the manor and are now heading back towards our start point along the lower contours of the hill. The path takes us along the moorland, above the fields, back to the lower part of Paradise Coombe. Above Paradise Farm we enter woodland and continue along our path which, for a few metres, climbs a shoulder of hill, then takes us north-west again along yet another beech hedge. It eventually tucks back into the lower sections of Long Coombe, so that all we have to do is follow the steep valley back down to the cottages at the foot of the hill. This is a glorious walk – especially on a fine autumn or winter afternoon when the entire way is bathed in sunlight. Indeed, I know of few places in the West Country that enjoy such afternoon light – this south-west facing flank of Quantock Country is a wonderful place to behold in such conditions, partly because the red sandstone from which the hills are created reflects warm and impossibly golden in places where the bare rock shows. In such moments I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.

What is that big round yellow object in the sky? That is either a strange question, or it is the most commonly-repeated joke of 2026 so far. The sun has indeed come out every now and again over recent weeks - and on numerous occasions I’ve heard people refer to the great life-giving golden orb as if it was some kind of UFO. It is certainly true that we haven’t seen much of it since autumn. But over the past week or so it has popped its head out for a few hours and we love it when it does. Walkers at the top of Dunkery Beacon Seeking the High Tops of Exmoor Up up and away… That’s my motto when a lengthy period of murk, mist and rain comes to an end. I need views. A wider horizon. I yearn panoramas and the cool keen air of the uplands. Dunkery Beacon Walk – Quick Guide Location: Exmoor National Park, SomersetStart point: Webber’s Post car park Height of Dunkery Beacon: 519m (1,705 ft) – the highest point on Exmoor Best for: Panoramic views across Porlock Vale and the Bristol Channel Typical walk length: 2–6 miles depending on route Wildlife: Red deer, Exmoor ponies and moorland birds Parking is available at Webber’s Post, from where a number of footpaths lead onto the slopes of Dunkery Beacon and the surrounding moorland. A lone hker makes their way up the northern flanks of Dunkery Beacon There are always good reasons to go out on the moors as winter gives way to spring. The high tops offer a scenic wilderness for things like profound thoughts and, to me that’s as good an excuse as any. Many years ago a tribal chieftain from a land-locked African republic came to visit my father and when we took him onto Exmoor to see the sights he beamed with delight. Seeing the wide open moors with groups of deer and wild horses dotted here and there, he said it was similar to the savannah at home. Seeing the lush tree cover in the deep river valleys, he said it reminded him of the jungle. Video taken around Dunkery in Winter But when we came to the edge of one of the big ridges, he burst into tears. Far below was the ocean – something he had never seen before. And to come across it in an environment that reminded him of his own land was overwhelming. Old beech trees mark the boundary between moor and fields under Dunkery Beacon The Unique Beauty of Exmoor But that is the unique beauty of Exmoor. If it had been situated in some landlocked part of the country it would have been wonderful enough – but because it is perched beside the sea there is something about the nation’s least visited national park that adds to the sense of expectation and excitement. Of course, there are swathes of Exmoor where you cannot spy the sea – but a short climb up the nearest hill will probably give you at least a hint or a glimpse of the great blue yonder. You can almost smell it when a prevailing westerly is blowing, and it is a wind that brings with it the cleanest air in all of England. There are rare lichens growing on Exmoor that, because of pollution, you will find nowhere else in Europe. Views unfold to the north as you climb Dunkery Beacon Why the Dunkery Beacon Walk Is One of the Best Walks on Exmoor But which high tops? Upon which mountain shall we wander? If in doubt about where to go on Exmoor, try Dunkery. If a walk is what you want - you can’t go wrong on the slopes of Exmoor’s highest hill. Dunkery is rich in routes. From two miles to ten, you’ll find something to suit your needs. And always - always - there will be tremendous views. I’d go as far as to suggest they are the best views in Britain. At least in the right light on the right day. There’s that gob-smacking vista over Porlock Vale to North Hill, ending vertically and dramatically at Hurlestone Point where the Vale gives way to Porlock Bay. The place is stunning. You get high heather moor with wild red deer, giving way to a patchwork of fields down in the valleys, intermingled with woods, which in turn give way to the blue sea. All in one eyeful. Plenty of other locations around the UK may have one or even two of those elements in a landscape - but nowhere else has three. Hurlestone Point and Porlock Bay lie far below Dunkery Beacon Starting Your Walk at Webber’s Post Webber’s Post is as good a place as any to park in order to explore the great National Trust owned demesne. You’ll find it if you drive up through the village of Luccombe just south of the Minehead-Porlock road. Take the signposts to Dunkery Beacon and head up the steep rap above Chapel Cross. You can see cars parked at wooded Webber's Post When the lane levels out to meet open moor, you’re at Webber’s Post. There’s a car park between the trees that enjoys spectacular views across the jungle valleys of Horner Water and the huge mass of Dunkery which, though not really a mountain with a modest altitude of 1760 feet, certainly looks impressive enough. Rain storms chase one another south of Dunkery Beacon The Mysterious “Lamb of God” of Dunkery In years gone by West Somerset folk held their big eminence in somewhat sacred regard. For centuries they believed in a supernatural phenomenon which, it was claimed, appeared up on the summit every Easter – though exactly how the Lamb of God manifested itself I’m not quite sure. The good people from the nearby villages of Cutcombe and Luccombe would march up to the beacon and watch for the apparition which appeared in the sky - and I can only presume that what they saw was something akin to the sun-dog, or parhelia, which is a sort of twin-sunset caused by ice crystals forming high in the atmosphere. Not quite as uncommon in westerly areas as you may think. The beacon at Dunkery Beacon Views from Dunkery Beacon There’s no doubt that you feel a lot closer to God up there on the summit. From here you can, on a clear day, see the Pembrokeshire Coast, the distant Cambrian Mountains, Brecon Beacons, Black Mountains, Forest of Dean, the Malverns, the southern bastions of the Cotswolds, both Severn bridges, the Mendips, Quantocks, Blackdowns, Dartmoor, Bodmin Moor and even the English Channel sparkling through what’s known as the Sidmouth Gap. That’s on a good day. The Tragic Story of the Huguenot Ladies On a bleak day it’s easier to recall the two wretched Huguenot ladies who once lived in a hovel somewhere on Dunkery’s windswept flanks. Who they were, and where they came from, remains a mystery - but it’s believed they were aristocrats who had fallen on very bad times indeed. So bad that they died of starvation in their hovel, being too proud to announce their poverty to the world. Apparently all that was found in their hilltop shelter - apart from their two withered bodies clutching one another – were the remains of the slugs and snails upon which they’d tried to exist. Author's shadow on Dunkery Beacon The Mystery of Mollie Phillips on Codsend Moor Look down over the remote vastness of Codsend Moors – the desolate empty slopes which make up the southern flanks of Dunkery - and you can almost hear the rattle of their bones. I borrow that phrase from the name of a book written by my old friend and mentor, Jack Hurley. “This featureless plain was once the centre of national attention,” wrote Jack in Rattle His Bones. “It was all to do with the gruesome end of Mollie Phillips, an Exford girl who was found dead in a bog on Codsend Moor. In 1930 - some 18 months after her disappearance - a Minehead coroner’s jury put her demise down to misadventure, declaring she’d drowned after being swallowed by the mire.” Local folk were having none of it. Mollie disappeared on September 8th 1929 - a dry September that followed a long dry summer – and those who knew the place reckoned its bogs would not have been dangerous after such a drought. Having walked the area in similar conditions, I agree - there are very few quagmires after a long hot summer. Looking over Codsend Moor towards Dunkery Beacon Ancient Settlements on Dunkery Not that I’d fancy walking over Codsend Moor in the wet weather we’ve been having recently. It was altogether more clement up here on the Dunkery range some 4,000 years ago when Britain was enjoying something of a Mediterranean climate. The big hill is dotted with the ancient enclosures and settlements of folk who were able to live so high above sea level in those times. An archaeologist with the wonderful name of Rainbird Clarke once discovered a ring of stones on the summit of Dunkery which may or may not have been the remains of some early chieftain's hut. The Haunted Cottage of Bagley Combe But it is the ruined cottage in Bagley Combe on the northern slopes of the hill that haunts my mind every bit as much as the fate of Mollie Phillips and the Huguenots. For in that deep tree-lined valley a hamlet once thrived until the plague wiped out the inhabitants - except for one. A note in my father’s dusty files reveals the following account about this remote and seldom visited place: Bagley Combe lies just behind the cattle under Dunkery Beacon “There is a ruined cottage whose derelict garden still contains flowers and some decayed outbuildings. The last inhabitant lived there alone and one day three men arrived there on a drunken frolic from Porlock. “They told the solitary man that it was known he’d been sheep stealing and that he was shortly to be arrested. He was entirely innocent of the offence, but the threat of the arrest so played upon his mind that he hanged himself. His ghost haunted the place and none would ever live there afterwards...” Walking Dunkery Today Three grim stories from one hill. However, it is difficult to remain depressed in this fresh-air zone where ocean breezes never cease to play. As I’ve said, the Dunkery range boasts some of the best walking to be found anywhere in the Westcountry – you’ll not only be treated to the aforementioned views, but you are just about guaranteed to see wild red deer. One particularly delightful right-of-way is Dicky’s Path which passes Birchanger Spring. The Healing Waters of Birchanger Spring In another of my father’s Exmoor files there’s a note about this place written by a mysterious correspondent called “Afghan”. “The water was reputed to be famous for its healing qualities and it was supposed to be warm in the winter and cold in the summer,” says Afghan. “An old man told me that when he was a lad living at Luccombe, he was paid a penny for each can full of water he brought back to the village for two old ladies." Two old ladies? Surely it couldn’t have been the Huguenots? They didn’t have any pennies. Just another of this purple headed mountain’s many mysteries. To find the answer to them and perhaps every other mystery, you could perhaps consult the Lamb of God who might be seen lurking over Dunkery at the start of next month. To see more EXMOOR WALKS click here. Martin Hesp at Dunkery Beacon during winter

China rewards travellers who prepare well. The country covers deserts, tropical forests, high plateaus, dense cities, and remote mountain villages. One itinerary can include high speed rail, alpine hiking, and ancient cultural sites. Each environment brings different challenges. Smart planning reduces delays, improves safety, and helps you spend more time exploring instead of solving avoidable problems. Plan Around China's Geography China stretches across nearly 5,000 kilometres from east to west. Climate conditions vary dramatically. Shanghai may be humid while western Xinjiang remains dry. Tibet introduces high altitude risks that require acclimatisation. Research every destination individually rather than assuming one packing strategy fits the entire trip. Weather apps help, but seasonal averages also matter because mountain regions change quickly. Prepare Your Digital Access Before Arrival China's internet environment differs from many countries. Several popular international websites and apps are restricted. Travellers who rely on cloud storage, navigation tools, or messaging platforms should prepare before boarding their flight. Installing a reliable VPN for China before entering the country is much easier than trying to configure one after arrival. Download offline maps, translation files, booking confirmations, and transportation tickets in advance. Save digital copies locally instead of relying on constant internet access. Use China's Transport Network Efficiently China operates one of the world's largest high speed rail systems. According to the International Union of Railways, the country has more than 48,000 kilometres of high speed railway in operation, making it the largest network in the world. Learn station procedures before departure. Large railway stations require: Passport verification Security screening Ticket validation Early boarding arrival Platform confirmation Arriving 45 to 60 minutes early prevents unnecessary stress, especially during holidays. Pack for Layering Instead of Volume Many adventure travellers overpack clothing but forget practical equipment. Focus on versatility. Carry: Moisture wicking base layers Lightweight insulating layer Waterproof outer shell Quick drying hiking pants Comfortable walking shoes Power bank Universal travel adapter Small first aid kit Technical fabrics dry faster after rain and remain lighter throughout long travel days. Understand Regional Regulations Some destinations require additional permits. Tibet has separate travel requirements beyond a standard visa. Certain protected natural areas also limit visitor numbers during peak seasons. Verify permit requirements several weeks before departure. Local tour operators often arrange documentation more efficiently than independent travellers. Keep Identification Organized China frequently requires passport presentation when checking into hotels, boarding trains, or entering attractions. Use waterproof document organisers. Separate original documents from backup copies. Store encrypted digital scans offline on your phone and another copy inside secure cloud storage. This provides redundancy if your passport is temporarily unavailable. Respect Local Customs Outdoors Many scenic areas are culturally significant. Sacred mountains, monasteries, and traditional villages remain active community spaces rather than tourist attractions. Follow posted regulations. Avoid loud conversations inside temples. Stay on marked trails. Ask permission before photographing people in rural communities. Responsible behavior helps preserve fragile destinations while creating better interactions with local residents. Choose Durable Travel Identification Adventure travel often means backpacks moving through trains, buses, airports, and luggage transfers. Durable identification reduces confusion when equipment changes hands several times during one journey. Many experienced travelers attach custom embroidered patches to backpacks, duffel bags, or expedition gear. High quality stitched identifiers remain readable longer than paper luggage tags and help distinguish similar equipment during group tours or baggage collection. Prepare for Cashless Payments China has rapidly adopted mobile payments. Many businesses prefer QR code transactions over cash. International travelers should research payment options before departure because availability varies by card provider and mobile wallet support. Carry multiple payment methods. Maintain: One physical credit card Small amount of local currency Backup payment card Offline copies of reservation receipts Redundancy matters more than convenience when visiting remote areas. Stay Safe in Remote Adventure Areas China's most memorable landscapes are often far from major cities. National parks, mountain trails, and rural villages may have limited mobile coverage and fewer emergency services. Tell someone your planned route before heading into remote areas. Carry enough water and snacks for unexpected delays, especially during long hikes or scenic drives. Altitude also deserves careful attention. Locations such as western Sichuan and Tibet can exceed 3,000 meters above sea level. Increase elevation gradually when possible and avoid strenuous activity during your first day at high altitude. Watch for symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, or shortness of breath. Taking these precautions allows you to enjoy China's remote regions more safely and comfortably. Final Thoughts Adventure travel in China rewards preparation more than improvisation. Build a route around regional conditions instead of famous landmarks alone. Secure digital access before departure. Understand transportation procedures. Pack technical gear instead of unnecessary clothing. Respect local customs and keep essential documents accessible. These small decisions reduce friction throughout the journey. The result is more time exploring China's mountains, cities, national parks, and historic landscapes with confidence.

The hospitality industry has always been built around one simple promise: creating exceptional guest experiences. Today, that promise depends as much on technology as it does on service. Travellers expect quick check-ins, personalised experiences, digital room access, and secure stays. Hotels that continue relying on manual processes often struggle to meet these expectations while also managing growing security concerns. The numbers highlight just how quickly the industry is changing. According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international tourist arrivals reached approximately 1.4 billion in 2024, recovering to almost pre-pandemic levels. Meanwhile, Grand View Research estimates that the global smart hospitality market will exceed $49 billion by 2030, driven by growing investments in automation, artificial intelligence, and connected guest services. At the same time, surveys consistently show that travellers rank speed, convenience, and safety among the most important factors influencing hotel satisfaction and repeat bookings. As hotels compete to deliver memorable experiences while improving operational efficiency, smart guest management systems have become one of the most valuable digital investments. From automated check-ins to enhanced visitor verification and real-time security monitoring, these platforms are helping hospitality businesses redefine the modern guest journey. In this article, we'll explore how smart guest management systems are transforming hotels, resorts, serviced apartments, and hospitality businesses while improving both operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. The Digital Evolution of Hotel Guest Management Hospitality has experienced significant technological change over the past decade. Mobile bookings, digital payment systems, AI-powered customer support, and smart rooms have already become common across many hotel brands. Guest management is following the same path. Instead of asking guests to fill out paperwork at reception or wait in long queues during peak hours, hotels are increasingly using digital platforms that automate the entire arrival process. Modern systems can: Enable online pre-registration Verify guest identities before arrival Generate digital visitor passes Notify staff instantly when guests arrive Integrate with property management systems Record visitor activity for compliance and security These improvements reduce administrative work while allowing staff to spend more time delivering personalised hospitality. Faster Check-ins Create Better First Impressions A guest's experience often begins long before they enter their room. Nothing damages that first impression faster than standing in a long reception queue after a tiring journey. Smart guest management platforms simplify the process by allowing visitors to complete most registration steps before arriving. Guests can upload identification, verify booking details, and even receive digital access credentials in advance. Upon arrival, reception staff only need to confirm information, significantly reducing waiting times. For hotels handling hundreds of arrivals every day, these few saved minutes quickly translate into: Shorter queues Reduced front desk workload Faster room occupancy Higher guest satisfaction Business travellers especially appreciate this speed because many arrive on tight schedules and value efficiency above all else. Personalisation Starts Before Guests Arrive Today's travellers expect hotels to remember their preferences. Smart guest management systems collect useful information during the reservation and registration process, allowing hotels to prepare personalized experiences before guests even check in. This information may include: Preferred room type Language preferences Dietary requirements Loyalty membership Previous stay history Special occasions Instead of asking the same questions repeatedly, hotel staff already have relevant information available, creating smoother interactions throughout the stay. Personalization increases guest satisfaction while encouraging repeat bookings and stronger brand loyalty. Better Security Without Sacrificing Hospitality Hospitality businesses face unique security challenges. Hotels welcome thousands of guests, contractors, vendors, delivery personnel, event attendees, and temporary visitors every month. Managing all these people manually increases security risks. Modern visitor verification systems help ensure that everyone entering the property is properly documented. Hotels can verify identities, maintain visitor records, restrict access to authorised areas, and receive alerts if unusual activity occurs. As more hotels embrace digital transformation, implementing a guest management system allows staff to simplify check-ins, verify visitor identities, manage contractors and deliveries, and maintain a secure yet welcoming environment without compromising the guest experience. By combining visitor management with AI-powered security monitoring, hotels can improve operational visibility while creating a safer environment for guests, employees, and service providers. The goal is not to create a restrictive atmosphere but to build trust through smart security that operates quietly in the background. Contactless Experiences Continue to Grow Although the pandemic accelerated contactless technology adoption, guest expectations have permanently changed. Many travellers now prefer: Mobile check-ins Digital room keys Contactless payments QR code registration Self-service kiosks Guest management systems make these experiences possible without reducing service quality. Reception teams remain available whenever personal assistance is needed, while guests who prefer independent check-ins can complete the process in just a few minutes. This flexibility appeals to both leisure and business travellers. Improving Operations Behind the Scenes Guest management technology benefits far more than reception desks. Housekeeping teams receive real-time occupancy updates. Maintenance teams know when rooms become available. Security personnel receive visitor notifications instantly. Management gains access to occupancy analytics and visitor reports. Instead of departments working independently, everyone operates using the same real-time information. This coordination reduces communication delays and improves operational efficiency throughout the hotel. Managing Contractors and Service Providers Efficiently Hotels regularly welcome individuals who are not overnight guests. These include: Maintenance technicians Cleaning contractors Food suppliers Event organisers Equipment installers Delivery drivers Tracking these visitors manually often creates confusion. Smart guest management systems allow hotels to schedule contractor visits, verify identities, issue temporary access permissions, and maintain accurate visitor logs. If an emergency occurs, hotel management immediately knows who is currently inside the property. This level of visibility significantly strengthens operational safety. Supporting Large Conferences and Events Many hotels generate substantial revenue from conferences, weddings, exhibitions, and corporate events. Managing hundreds or even thousands of attendees can overwhelm traditional registration processes. Digital guest management platforms simplify event operations by allowing attendees to register online before arrival. Upon reaching the venue, guests simply scan a QR code or digital invitation to gain entry. Organisers benefit from: Faster registration Reduced staffing requirements Accurate attendance records Improved crowd management Better security oversight These efficiencies create smoother experiences for both guests and event organisers. Data Helps Hotels Make Smarter Decisions Guest management platforms generate valuable operational insights. Instead of relying on assumptions, hotel managers can analyse visitor trends to improve decision making. Examples include: Peak arrival periods Average check-in duration Visitor demographics Contractor activity Event attendance Repeat guest frequency These insights help optimize staffing schedules, improve service delivery, and identify opportunities for operational improvements. Data-driven hospitality is becoming increasingly important as competition grows. Integration With Smart Hotel Technology The biggest advantage of modern guest management systems is their ability to integrate with other hotel technologies. Instead of operating independently, they connect with: Property Management Systems (PMS) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software Access control systems Security cameras Mobile applications Payment platforms Digital room key systems This creates one connected ecosystem where guest information flows automatically between departments. Staff spend less time entering duplicate information while guests enjoy seamless experiences. Sustainability Benefits of Digital Guest Management Many hotels are actively reducing paper consumption as part of broader sustainability initiatives. Traditional registration often requires printed forms, visitor logs, invoices, and authorization documents. Digital platforms replace these with electronic records. Benefits include: Reduced paper waste Lower printing costs Easier document storage Faster information retrieval Improved regulatory compliance These improvements support both environmental goals and operational efficiency. The Future of Guest Management Artificial intelligence is rapidly expanding the capabilities of hospitality technology. Future guest management systems will increasingly offer: Predictive guest preferences AI-powered identity verification Voice-assisted check-ins Automated multilingual support Facial recognition for authorized access Smart occupancy forecasting Real-time security intelligence As these technologies mature, hotels will continue delivering faster, safer, and more personalized experiences while operating more efficiently. The hotels investing in digital transformation today will be better positioned to meet the expectations of tomorrow's travellers. Conclusion Guest expectations continue to evolve, and hotels must evolve with them. Travelers now expect speed, convenience, personalization, and security throughout every stage of their stay. Meeting these expectations requires more than excellent customer service. It requires intelligent technology that supports staff while improving the guest experience. Smart guest management systems are helping hotels modernize check-ins, strengthen security, simplify visitor administration, improve operational visibility, and deliver the seamless digital experiences guests increasingly expect. Whether managing boutique hotels, luxury resorts, conference venues, or large hospitality chains, these platforms are becoming an essential part of modern hotel operations. As the hospitality industry continues embracing digital innovation, guest management technology will remain one of the most impactful investments for creating safer, smarter, and more memorable guest experiences. FAQs 1. What is a smart guest management system? A smart guest management system is a digital platform that automates visitor registration, identity verification, check-ins, access permissions, and guest records while improving operational efficiency and security. 2. How does a guest management system improve hotel operations? It reduces manual paperwork, shortens check-in times, streamlines communication between departments, manages contractors and visitors, and provides valuable operational insights through real-time data. 3. Are guest management systems suitable for small hotels? Yes. Many cloud-based solutions are scalable and can benefit boutique hotels, serviced apartments, resorts, and large hotel chains alike by improving efficiency and enhancing guest satisfaction. 4. Can guest management systems integrate with existing hotel software? Most modern platforms integrate with property management systems, customer relationship management software, access control solutions, payment systems, and hotel security technologies. 5. How do guest management systems improve hotel security? They verify visitor identities, maintain digital visitor records, manage temporary access permissions, monitor contractor activity, and provide real-time visibility into everyone entering the property, helping hotels maintain a safer environment without affecting the guest experience.

"Viva" Las Vegas has never been short on spectacle but Sin City’s bright lights yield to similarly impressive desert drama once visitors steer away from the Strip. Illuminations, Technicolored as Joseph's amazing dream-coat, soon surrender to lost mining communities, tan sandstone natural wonder and imposing man-made construct amid stark sun-scorched wilderness of endless dusty horizons. “Neon to Nature” exploration completely captures contrasts, courtesy manageable excursions swapping showy slots for lots of scenic adventures. Fremont Street & Historic Vegas Charm Airport arrival seamlessly segues with old school accommodation El Cortez Hotel and Casino, intoxicating mix of neon, noise and nicotine firmly rooted in early years, cemented by History Hallway images illustrating - in partnership with Mob Museum - influence of Sinatra to Siegel. Vintage charm abounds near frenetic Fremont Street, Glitter Gulch remaining visibly vibrant in architecture and atmosphere established before neighbourhood's defining image became nearby Strip, peppered with poker faces and photo shoot newlyweds, dressed sharper than native Paiute tribe arrowheads. Eggs-ellent Broken Yolk Café hearty breakfast - benedicts to burritos as well as signature Mom omelet - sets perfect tone, serving portions matching itinerary ambitions, ideal fuel for heading straight to searing Mojave. Eldorado Canyon Techatticup ghost town Goodsprings & The Historic Pioneer Saloon Goodsprings ghost town swiftly appears as spectre of bygone boomtown, southern state stripped back to dry-boned best. Peel back gritty pages of time to 1911 when railroad arrival transformed Clark County community into thriving zinc and lead mining mecca. Drink in Wild West past at landmark Pioneer Saloon, surviving Spanish Flu and two World Wars, not least Prohibition, throughout century serving visitors and locals including, during our stay, Hells Angels' Lone Mountain Chapter Dirty Ones. Marvel at ornate tin roof, bullet-pocked walls and cherry wood bar, still bearing cigarette burns left by Hollywood heartthrob Clark Gable, who drank, smoked and paced deep into 1942 Nevada night while awaiting tragic news of wife Carole Lombard's death in nearby Mount Potosi air crash. Red Rock Canyon & The Neon Museum Sandy route, surrounded by amazing formations, leads to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, attracting million-plus annual visitors. Rocks in Mojave Desert Gold Butte National Monument, Roulette wheel-red iron oxide stained steep sharp peaks puncture cloud-scudded cobalt skies, undulating landscape best seen by saddling up on Escape Adventures' e-bike tour, turbo-charged trip taking strain out of cycling, delivering striking viewpoints various to fully appreciate area's scale and silence. Vegas return sees Le Thai dinner, celebrating chef Dan Coughlin's famed three colour dish - flavoursome fusion of red, yellow and green curries - alongside noodle soup and waterfall sauce delicacies. Ensure it's all light on the night by visiting nostalgic Neon Museum's Boneyard, hosting since 1996 more than 250 unrestored signs, illuminated with ground lighting, as well as 28 restored luminous lights, North Gallery boasting further 115 shining examples of artistic culture from the 1930s to present day. Boulder City & The Wonders of Hoover Dam Leaving Las Vegas (not Nic Cage's mid-nineties spicy drama!), suitably fortified by Baguette Café bountiful breakfast, sees parched highway lead to damn fine destination of Boulder City, established in 1930s to house Great Depression workers constructing Colorado River's colossal Hoover Dam. Welcoming townsfolk are rightly proud of monumental Black Canyon feat of engineering, hydroelectric powerhouse straddling border with Arizona. USA's highest such construction, geometric Art Deco architecture awash with startling statistics, standing 726 feet tall, 1,244 feet long, containing 4.4 million cubic yards of concrete. Small town big benefits await at El Rancho Boulder Motel, stop-over reminiscent (mercifully violence-free!) of Stateside cinematic classics from Hitchcock's definitive Psycho to Coen Brothers' cult No Country For Old Men, not least proximity to Boulder Dam Brewing Company, expertly pairing “Bigger, Bolder, Fresher” casual food and craft ale to toast truly laid-back locality. Railroad Trails & Eldorado Canyon Daily full of beans from The Coffee Cup Café, exploration continues apace along Historic Railroad Trail, 7.5 mile round trip featuring five cavernous tunnels carved into volcanic rock, affording panoramic vistas of Lake Mead, Boulder Basin and distant South Virgin Mountains, homeward-bound Hemenway Park big horn sheep offering added attraction. Nevada State Railroad Museum completes rolling stock theme, showcasing region's industrial heritage, Bootleg Canyon Municipal Park Nature Discovery Trail mixes sculptures with sweeping views while downtown self-guided murals show true colours. Last deep dive into Nevada nostalgia visits Techatticup, blistering Eldorado Canyon mining hot spot of yesteryear, today photogenic rugged reminder of Civil War deserters waging war to settle scores with grizzled gold-diggers in lawless uncivilised society, fuelled by soaring temperatures and tensions. All hungry and thirsty work, sated by "homemade meets hometown" Southwest Diner dishes, extensive dinner menus also enjoyed at The Dillinger, gourmet burgers a-go-go home of Gauntlet food challenge, and fitting finale Fox Smokehouse BBQ, whose cooks consistently set competitive barbequing scene alight. Glitzy Vegas sells itself as hedonistic distraction but greatest escape is break that also crosses city limits, back to nature unforgettable memories proving just as valuable as any Sands or Caesars Palace jackpot. Fact File Full info: travelnevada.com El Cortez Hotel and Casino: rooms start from £60 per night El Rancho Boulder Motel: rooms start from £68 per night Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ Section) What are the best day trips to take near Las Vegas? Popular day trips within an hour or two of the Las Vegas Strip include Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area for hiking and e-biking, Goodsprings ghost town and the historic Pioneer Saloon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead in Boulder City, and the Techatticup gold mine in Eldorado Canyon. What is the historic Pioneer Saloon in Goodsprings famous for? Established in 1913, the Pioneer Saloon is one of Nevada’s oldest surviving bars. It features an ornate tin roof, bullet-pocked walls, and a original cherry wood bar complete with cigarette burns famously left by Hollywood legend Clark Gable while awaiting news of Carole Lombard in 1942. How far is Boulder City and Hoover Dam from Las Vegas? Boulder City and the colossal Hoover Dam are located approximately 30 miles (a 45-minute drive) southeast of the Las Vegas Strip, making them ideal for an easy day trip or overnight stopover.

Discovering Madeira's Hidden Mountain Orchards When you travel far afield it is sometimes comforting and reaffirming to discover that your new location has a link with your homeland. It’s a discovery which hit me one day last week when I was standing in an apple orchard nearly 2000 feet directly above the mid-Atlantic waves. Regular readers of these pages will know that we love to support this region’s orchard-based endeavours - but here I was on the island of Madeira learning how there’s an exciting new cider-making revolution going on 1400 miles to the southwest. And it’s one that may well have Devon, Somerset and Cornish sailors to thank for its early evolution. The official line is that fruit trees, including apples, pears, and cherries, were introduced by early Portuguese settlers in the 15th and 16th centuries - but there’s no doubt that apple-growing was also supported by British navigators who used Madeira as a stopping off point for their journeys across the Atlantic. Márcio Nóbrega, the man who is spearheading the Madeira cider revival Cider holds a legendary and scientifically proven place in the history of maritime medicine as a defence against scurvy. While citrus fruits eventually became the gold standard, cider from places like Devon, the Basque Country, and potentially Madeira’s high-altitude orchards played a vital role on long Atlantic voyages. In the age of sail, fresh apples would rot within weeks in a damp ship’s hold, but fermenting the juice into cider preserved the liquid, allowing the Vitamin C to survive in a stable, drinkable form for months. Márcio Nóbrega in an orchard high in the mountains with Helder Cardoso However, apples will not grow just anywhere… While the low-lying, coastal regions of Madeira are famous for tropical crops like bananas and sugar cane, the island’s dramatic, jagged topography creates distinct vertical climate zones. As you climb away from the coast and ascend into the deeper, cooler valleys and mist-shrouded high terraces (between 1000 and almost 3000 feet above sea level), the climate mimics northern Europe - and that is where the apple and pear trees grow. I wonder how many of the estimated 2.5 million tourists visiting the island each year realise there are orchards hidden away high among those mountains? Probably not many, because a lot of the orchards have become overgrown and disused. The cider which is still made in backyards in the old traditional way is almost entirely consumed by locals. So, until very recently, there’s been no reason why a tourist would know about the island’s fascinating relationship with orchards and apples. Now that is changing fast. Thanks very much to one man. How Márcio Nóbrega Sparked Madeira's Cider Revolution To understand how Madeira’s rustic, historic cider (known as vinho dos pobres ‘the poor man’s drink’) has been transformed into an ultra-premium, internationally acclaimed craft product, you must meet charming and dynamic Márcio Nóbrega. For he is at the centre of a fascinating story that now sees Madeira cider, being made in the same way as champagne, winning gold medals around the globe. I spent one of the most interesting days I’ve had in years on the island with Márcio last week so that I could learn about how an industry - related to our own artisan-led cider-making in so many ways - has gone from zero to hero in just five years. Zero: because, as I say, there was, and is, cider-making going on in the island - but the still, slightly sour, drink is very much reminiscent of what we used to know as scrumpy (so not to everyone’s taste). Hero: because Márcio Nóbrega’s methode-champenoise cider is now richly deserving of the international acclaim it is gaining, and is being sought after by Michelin starred chefs around the world. Rescuing Thousands of Heritage Apple Trees Here’s the basic story: Márcio, a well known entrepreneur and restaurant-owner in Madeira, became involved with cider almost by accident when he purchased the historic Quinta da Moscadinha (a lovely old villa, now boutique hotel) in Camacha - a cool, misty highland village, historically nicknamed the “orchard of Madeira”. His initial plan was to establish a rural tourism retreat - however, during renovations, workers began clearing away some old, gnarled apple trees. That was when Mr Nóbrega realised he wasn’t just clearing a disused bit of land, but bulldozing five centuries of community heritage. The orchard at historic Quinta da Moscadinha Motivated by a genuinely felt emotional connection to his island and its history, he instantly shifted gear. Instead of tearing down the past, he began to learn about cider and cider-making - and soon found himself in talks with farmers and landowners who had abandoned old, steep terraces (poios), some of which contained trees over 100 years old. By agreeing to buy their fruit at fair prices, Márcio single-handedly incentivised the rescue and regeneration of more than 3,000 heritage apple trees across the island. Not a man to do things by halves, he also brought modern, rigorous winemaking practices to the cider-making process. For example, he treats the apple juice like fine white wine, crushing the freshly picked fruit in vertical hydraulic presses and cold-settling the ‘must’ for 24 hours at exactly 8 degrees C to lock in fresh, delicate aromas. And rather than using neutral stainless steel, he ages his premium ciders in old wooden casks, sourced directly from the island’s famous fortified wine houses. The porous wood imparts complex, oxidised notes of walnuts, dried fruit, and warming spices that balance the searing natural acidity of the volcanic soil. Visiting the Orchards Above São Vicente We began our day out by crossing to the island’s wild, misty, and mountainous north coast where we climbed to a newly revitalised orchard high in the natural laurel forests above the village of São Vicente. Here one of Márcio’s apple producers, Helder Cardoso, showed us how the trees grow on near vertical slopes - and some are over 100 years old. The orchard used to be run by his father, but now Helder is clearing and planting more trees to help cater for the increasing requirement from Quinta da Moscadinha. Tucked high in a valley, this steep plantation of apple and pear trees was like none I’d ever seen before. Thick mists came and went between periods of warm sunshine when we could see the blue Atlantic almost 2000 feet below. Márcio told me: “When I discovered these guys four years ago, the orchard was just a little bit abandoned... I say, 'Listen, take care of the orchard, I'll pay you back.' ... Instead of being 'Oh, that's a useless piece of land on the side of the mountain and just let the weeds take over,' they come back saying, 'Hey, we've got some value here.’ I value the apples and I start to work with local farmers to bring the best fruit, and I increased the value of the apples 500% since I started. I now pay five times more than we used to pay three years ago. Amazing! Everybody is earning money.” Márcio with orchard owner Helder Cardoso Quinta da Moscadinha and the Art of Sparkling Cider Next we took the hour-long drive to Quinta da Moscadinha, high in the eastern uplands of the island, where Márcio has his centre of cider-making operations - alongside the small but handsome hotel and a hugely popular restaurant. As we toured the impressive new cellar buildings, he told me more about his five-year journey into the world of cider… “My goal was not to produce cider when I bought this place - it was to recover the old mountain house and construct a restaurant where an orchard used to be. But I noticed that, during the days after we cut down the apple trees, the neighbours - local people - they were really fed up with me. I tried to understand why... and I discovered that this area was regarded as the orchard of the island. “To calm down the people and to appear to be a reasonable new neighbour, I produced some cider - 2,000 bottles - with the apples that I cut. That is how I started. Then I began to ask about our cider-making tradition… How is it possible to produce cider that’s not very good if you have the best apples in the world? You don’t produce wine with bad grapes. “I began looking into the history and I discovered that in the old days only poor people drank cider - the noble people drank wine. I happened to have a barrel of Madeira wine from 1940, and so I take out the wine from the barrel and I put the cider inside for one year to age and gain some flavours. And that is the first big thing - it gave a real novelty to the cider. “So I started taking cider-making seriously. I applied all the techniques of the oenology, but instead of using grapes, I used apples. We take care of the apples, and we take enormous care during the cider-making process, and at the end we have a good product. To drink a bottle of my cider, you need to wait three years since the beginning of the press until the opening of the bottle... We do it the wine way. Because truly, quality cider is a wine. “I want to grow a business with this, and so I need to serve quality... And there are other reasons why I am optimistic about our new wave of cider-making in Madeira,” says Márcio. “The new generation likes drinks with a lower alcohol content (than wine), and cider fits with that. The next generation is also very eco-aware - they worry about things like air-miles - so our cider fits that bill when people come here. “And cider can be compared to a wine,” he insists. “For one thing it is possible to pair it with the food. That was another of my big discoveries.” Why Madeira Cider Is Winning Global Recognition It was a discovery we put to the test during out lunch at the Quinta da Moscadinha restaurant. It was a truly memorable meal of fabulous local cheeses (some from the neighbouring Azores) with the lovely local Madeira breads, warm salads and absolutely delicious barbecued skewers of local beef. Needless to say, Márcio’s wonderful sparkling ciders accompanied each and every mouthful perfectly. The same applies to some of the really good artisan ciders being made in our own region nowadays. The tale of fermented apple juice - a story which had no new chapters for centuries - is rapidly evolving. And it was a real joy to driver part of the evolution is happening 1300 miles southwest across the waves. Fact File For more information on what to see and do in Madeira and its neighbouring island, Porto Santo, visit: visitmadeira.com Madeira is easily accessible from across the UK, with direct flights from Bristol, Birmingham and Bournemouth among others, as well as London Gatwick and Stansted. Martin uses Holiday Extras, the market leader in UK airport parking, hotels, lounges, and transfers – in 2025 its customers saved an average of £200 per trip by booking their airport parking in advance. Booking airport parking means you can enjoy more holiday with less hassle. Plus with Flextras, if you need to cancel or amend you can without charge. Six days’ Meet & Greet Valet Parking at Bristol Airport is available for £204.50 based on arrival on 01/07/2026. For more information and to book, HolidayExtras.com or call 0800 316 5678. Author's wife at Quinta da Moscadinha

Every now and again a journalist gets to sing the praises of something in their own backyard - and on this occasion I can do exactly that when it comes to talking about the wonders of grass-fed meat, which I happen to believe is NOT something that is going to ruin the planet. There were great herds of wild grazing animals roaming the West Country hills long before humans turned up and they did not cause climate change. Indeed, by constantly “mob-grazing” great areas of mainly upland they helped evolve a complex set of plant-life that in turn created deep and complex soil structures full of al manner of microbes and bacteria that helped lock away carbon rather than shove it into the atmosphere. What follows is an article I wrote a few years ago, but everyting in it still holds true... To read about our Exmoor walks click here But a new initiative has started on Exmoor in a bid to promote the national park’s grass-fed lamb - and it is being backed by academics, a famous marketing guru and by a lamb-chop competition which saw local meat being voted best in a blind-tasting this week. The tasting event was held at Woods wine bar in Dulverton where proprietor Paddy Groves supplied Exmoor lamb raised on his own farm, which was served alongside cuts from Dartmoor, Welsh and Blackdown Hill sheep. The homegrown chops won after 45 diners had taken part in the blind-tasting, inspiring the chair of the Exmoor National Park Authority, Robin Milton, to comment: “Exmoor lamb has definitely got something going for it. We’ve got to celebrate our landscapes and why they’re here and what they are about. “These uplands are meat producing regions. This is what we do,” added Mr Milton who is also a local beef and sheep farmer. “We are not very good at growing cereals here because they get blown off these hills. So let’s celebrate what we can do.” He was being backed in the claim by a leading academic specialising in animal and meat production. Professor Jeff Wood was one of the lead researchers in a project carried out jointly by Bristol and Exeter Universities which studied red meats that had been raised in a variety of agricultural systems. “The grass-fed came out well in our study in which we looked at beef and lamb produced in a range of pastures throughout Britain - from upland to lowland, from to salt-marsh to all the other variations,” said ProfWood at this week’s Exmoor lamb event. “We compared the grass-fed to standard produced meat raised on a large proportion of concentrates, and so on. And the grass-fed meat was preferred by all the taste panels - although it was more difficult to pick out a real difference between the types of pastures. “However, the moorland lamb was the one that came out best,” said the professor, who added: “One of the most important features about the grass-fed product is that you have more omega-3 fatty acids in the meat, because that is in the leafy grass and it gets through to the meat. So you not only get a good tasting product, you also get something which is better for human health as well.” The research was carried out over a decade ago, so why did Prof Wood think so little had been done to promote grass-fed meat since its results were published? “I think we have, up to now, been very reticent about making too much between different methods of meat production because we think people feel squeamish when they talk about that. But probably we’ve backed away too much. “The advantages of grass-fed beef and lamb over feed-lot produced meat are enormous and we should be making a lot more of it than we do,” said the professor. Marketing guru Robin Wight - the man behind famous campaigns such as the Orange, 118118 and BMW adverts 20 years ago - was one of the organisers of Tuesday night’s event, and he told us: “I was invited by the Exmoor National Park and the hill farmers to help with their Exmoor Ambition project about a post-Brexit strategy for the area. “I wrote a section about branding Exmoor, which is an incredibly evocative name,” said Mr White. “You can almost taste and eat Exmoor, but it’s never been used as a brand name. “The major reason for that is under EU regulations all the lamb, for example, west of Bristol, is not allowed to be called Exmoor lamb or Dorset lamb - it is called South West Lamb. Which sounds like a train company. “There is an incredible opportunity to leverage the power of the Exmoor brand,” said an enthusiastic Mr Wight who has moved to the area from London. “I want to get 100 per can grass-fed Exmoor lamb into a major supermarket. In the South West we have huge leverage - we have amazing produce. And if we are going to create new revenue streams post Brexit - both on Exmoor, or Dartmoor, or in Cornwall - we are going to need to pool resources and come up with the best thinking we have. “I have been in marketing for the past 40 yeas and have been fortunate enough to lead up some major campaigns - we can use expertise like that here in the Westcountry to help showcase what we’ve got,” said Mr Wight… After the results of the blind-tasting were announced on Wednesday night, Mr Milton did not look surprised… “The grass-fed approach gives us meat from our landscape,” he said. “Exmoor has probably the finest landscape and also probably the finest lamb and beef. “So let’s bring people back to recognising the value of our food. What our farming communities do is absolutely integral with our national park purposes as well - without the farmers we don’t have the landscapes people love and enjoy so much.” Asked about a long-lost initiative triggered 15 years ago to promote Exmoor Horn lamb, Mr Milton commented: “Let’s learn by the mistakes we’ve made in the past. We set about marketing just Exmoor Horn lamb - now we are marketing all Exmoor lamb, which means any lamb reared on grass on Exmoor. That is probably our greatest strength. That is where the Dartmoor farmers have pitched theirs. “Let’s learn from the lessons of history and make sure we put out what is really great about the area - the taste of upland grass reared lamb.” He continued: “Probably no antibiotics went anywhere near this lamb. There was a very limited amount of intervention by people We are making the best of a very natural resource. And while we are doing that we are sequestering loads of carbon under our grasslands - which is very important. “We have a very different climate here from the rest of Devon or Somerset. It rains a heck of a lot. Because it rains, we grow a lot of grass. And that is our greatest value. That ability to grow lamb slowly and come up with a product at the end which allows people to link the landscape to what they eating. “What I’d like to see is people going into pubs and restaurants and asking for Exmoor lamb - to go in and see it on the menu. Let’s sell the product and the place properly to the people who really want to understand it, rather than sell it simply for a price. “I have had restaurants and pubs approach me in the past couple of years and ask about Exmoor lamb saying they would sell it if they could always get it . So maybe now is the time,” said Mr Milton. “It is incumbent on the Exmoor farmers, the auctioneers, the hill-farm network and us at the national park… Let us promote what is really great about Exmoor. Let’s give it an identity.” Frequently Asked Questions ### What makes grass-fed Exmoor lamb taste unique? Exmoor lamb grazes on wild, species-rich pastures, sweet moorland grasses, and heather. This natural, varied diet—combined with a slower growth rate—gives the meat a deeper, sweeter, and more complex flavour compared to commercially finished lamb. What sheep breeds are native to Exmoor? The Exmoor Horn is the ancient native breed of the moorland, easily recognised by its white fleece, black nostrils, and curved horns. Farmers also raise Closewool sheep and traditional crossbreeds tailored to the harsh moorland weather. When is grass-fed Exmoor lamb in season? Because moorland flocks grow naturally on pasture without artificial fast-fattening feeds, true grass-fed Exmoor lamb reaches its peak from late summer through autumn and winter. Why is buying local Exmoor meat better for the environment? Purchasing grass-fed lamb directly from local Exmoor producers supports traditional, low-intensity hill farming that protects the upland landscape. It minimises food miles, promotes high animal welfare, and preserves countryside biodiversity.

We’ve been locked up indoors too long and some people are getting claustrophobic. One option is to go somewhere very empty like the roof of the West Country - if you’re that way inclined. Personally speaking I am sticking to my home patch because I do not want to clutter up the national park any more than it is already in this sunny weather. I’m a bit of a pessimist and feel there will probably be a second wave to this dreadful pandemic. Anyway, when it’s all really over and done with, the bit of roof I’m talking about isn’t that far from me – and by then I will need altitude and lots of it. To read about our Exmoor walks click here Here in the West Country we are lucky because we have some of the best spaces imaginable that can assuage the yearning for the wide open emptiness which only highland wilderness can offer. Dartmoor has it swathes – Bodmin Moor has some excellent sweeping scenery too – but there is one central area of Exmoor that particularly fits the bill. The great waste, to use that word in the old fashioned sense, that lies west of the Dunkery range and provides the young River Exe with a vast bastion to guard its northern banks – is Southern England’s answer to the Russian steppes. It is a primeval landscape which has more or less been untouched by the hand of man. Stand in its midst and the only straight line of man’s making you may see is the vapour trail of an airliner. Everything else will be as nature intended. There’s an increasing argument over what these islands may have looked like before humans turned up to chop, clear, farm and eventually mess the whole place up. This landscape is, in my opinion, as close as you will get. This is the England of the giant aurochs – a massive, extinct grazing beast twice the size of a modern cow. This is where great herds of big animals would have once roamed unmolested. This is the great emptiness. The great void. Birthplace of rivers. Home of fresh air. Shrine of solitude. This, indeed, is the best antidote to modernism I can think of. You’ll find it by travelling halfway along the Exford/Porlock road - which happens to be one of the most scenic thoroughfares in the West Country, passing as it does along a series of watersheds that separate the Dunkery range and the rest of the central massif. Eventually you’ll come to an isolated lane that heads west. This will take you to Alderman’s Barrow, before rounding Larkbarrow Corner to scuttle away from the moors again and rejoin its former companion way, way down near the village of Exford. But it’s Larkbarrow Corner that this column loves returning to. We’ve been here before on a couple of occasions because it is a corner rich in walks. But now we’re off in a different direction to soak up the very best the wild savannah beyond can offer. What I wanted to do was follow the route of the old trans-Exmoor canal. In case you are puzzled, thinking you’ve never heard of such a thing before, then I’ll admit there never was a proper waterway across the moors – nevertheless, the route of some kind of canal can still be seen. To find it we marched west from Larkbarrow Corner out into the middle of nothing - or rather, onto a big bald hill known as Elsworthy - and following the contour high above the deep ravine of the Exe we found the shallow workings of what was planned as a narrow waterway. Why is it here? Who built it and what on earth for? As far as I can make out no one really knows for certain – but the general feeling is that John Knight, the great Exmoor “improver” (or dreamer, depending on which way you look at his work) had plans to build a railway to take out the ore from mines he owned in the central moors. The idea of the canal, if the hunch is to be believed, was that it would supply water for the workings of a near vertical cliff railway down to Porlock Weir - similar to the one that exists at Lynmouth. Personally I think this conjecture is daft. The heavy ore would have acted as ballast on its own, with no need for extra water – and even if water was needed there’s plenty of it all over the hills without having to dig a canal to take it from one end to the other. Anyway, neither the railway nor the mining boom ever happened. Thank God. Because Exmoor would look like today’s post-industrial Rhonda Valley if it had. Nevertheless, the narrow waterway - which is now no more than a long linear bog - still exists and you can follow it west towards distant Pinkworthy Pond, which is thought to have been its supply reservoir. Long, long before we get anywhere close to that far flung and lonesome place this walk leaves the waterway as it rounds Ware Ball. Now we simply do a right-to-roam and walk north into the great area of nothing. We’re heading for a birthplace of a hundred springs – otherwise known as Beckham – but nothing to do with the footballer, which is just as well because this is probably the last place on earth he’d ever be likely to visit. All I can tell you about Beckham is that you will find it by walking to map reference SS419807. From there we dropped into the shallow valley system which is part of the East Lyn’s youthful river system, and made our way north east to the ruined farm at Larkbarrow. You can see the ruins of the farm that once stood here defying loneliness and solitude – and you can also see the traces of the bullets and shells that blew the place to smithereens when Allied troops trained on manoeuvres here during the Second World War. From this desolate place it’s simply a matter of following the track east then south, a mile and a half back to that celebrated birthplace of walks, Larkbarrow Corner. Fact File Basic walk: from Larkbarrow Corner west around Ware Ball, north to Beckham, then onto Larkbarrow Farm and back to start. Distance and Going: five miles, can be very boggy in places. Recommended map: Ordnance Survey OL9 Exmoor Frequently Asked Questions Where is Beckham on Exmoor located? Beckham is a remote, uninhabited moorland location in central Exmoor (around OS grid reference SS821430 / map area SS419807), situated north of Ware Ball near the upper reaches of the East Lyn River catchment. What is the story behind the unfinished Exmoor canal? The shallow linear earthworks near Elsworthy and Ware Ball are believed to be part of an ambitious 19th-century scheme by Exmoor industrialist John Knight. While some theories suggest it was dug to feed water to a proposed cliff railway down to Porlock, it was abandoned before completion, leaving behind a long, boggy trench across the high moor. Why is Larkbarrow Farm in ruins? Larkbarrow Farm was abandoned in the early 20th century and later used as a live-firing target by Allied troops preparing for the D-Day landings during the Second World War. Today, only its stone shell and bullet-scarred walls remain standing on the open moor. How long is the Larkbarrow Corner and Beckham circular walk? The circular hike from Larkbarrow Corner around Ware Ball, through Beckham, and past Larkbarrow Farm is approximately 5 miles. Due to open, boggy terrain and uneven ground, walkers should allow 2 to 2.5 hours and carry an Ordnance Survey map (OL9 - Exmoor).

We’re off to explore the spectacular River Lyn – and a jolly, scenic and exciting time we’ll have of it too. Of course, there are actually two River Lyns and this walk explores the more westerly flow. I’ve been to most places on Exmoor and know the East Lyn like the back of my hand. Most Exmoor lovers do, because it tumbles through the heart of Lorna Doone country. My newspaper walks column visited the water several times, but never have we been up the sister stream. Few people find their way up to the headwaters of the West Lyn. To read about our Exmoor walks click here That because there’s a good deal of nothing – except the high and mighty Chains soaking up the rainfall and distributing it down a multitude of streams. Hesp’s Hikes has featured those lonely heights before, but places like Shallowford Common, Thornworthy Common, Benjamy and Ruckham Combe have, for the most part, been left uncovered . If you like this article you might like the walk to Pinkery Pond To find this little lot you have to drive to Barbrook, high above Lynmouth on the A39. The hamlet is situated at the Y-shaped junction of two valleys and in the middle of the place you’ll see a petrol filling station. Two small roads lead south up the West Lyn valley either side of the petrol pumps – and we hikers must take the western lane (to the right of the filling station as you look at it) and proceed upwards past an area called Cherrybridge. Eventually the lane debouches onto a high moor and we continue along it to its end. There is absolutely nothing here save for a single cottage, which must be one of the loneliest in the Westcountry. But this most unused of thoroughfares was once an ‘A’ road of sorts - the Bronze Age folk, who lived in these hills and who left their burial chambers all around, used it as a highway ‘twixt hill and sea. Parking isn’t a problem in these great empty acres – though choosing a walking route is a little more of a poser. Because you are on as featureless a plain as any you’ll find anywhere in the region. But, though the tarmac ends by the cottage, the track continues to ascend to the south - so I decided to follow it up into the mists. I knew that once I’d reached the top of the hill (called Winaway) I could turn left (east) and, by walking straight, I’d come to the headwaters of the West Lyn. Had I continued on up to Woodbarrow Gate, I’d have reached the watershed and been able to look right down on Pinkery Pond and the headwaters of the Barle, but I’ll leave that for the happy day when I explore that splendid stream. Walking east across Winaway is a featureless experience to say the least – until you drop into the steep and empty vastness of Ruckham Combe. What a place this is – a yawning ravine which twists and turns its way north. We continue east, climbing past the Ring Cairns, over the hill to Benjamy. The lovely old name describes nowhere. There is just bog and moor at Benjamy. I looked up the place hoping there’d be some wonderful old tale about a bloke called Benjamin – perhaps he lived in the shepherd’s hut that is now just a tiny pile of stones on the hillside? But there was no Benjamin, all I could find out was that the place was once known as Binchiny. The rain started to fall in earnest, so I repaired down Warcombe Water as fast as I could go. However, from Benjamy you could proceed east to Hoaroak before heading north along the ridge of Furzehill Common. At a point near Roborough Castle you’d then turn west down the footpath to reach the hamlet of North Furzehill, where you’d find the track back over the Shallowford. But, as I’ve said, I found myself alongside Warcombe Water – the name probably refers to the stone weirs that once punctuated the stream. After a few hundred yards I saw a bit of a sheep track climbing out of the shallow valley to the left, so – knowing that this direction would take me back to my car – I crossed the hill to find myself on the shores of the West Lyn under Thorn Hill. This is the point where the aforementioned Ruckham Combe disappears up into the Chains with serious intent. Leaping across the stream I found a more substantial track and followed it as it weaved several great bends around Ilkerton Ridge. I imagine that superb views could be had from most of this walk on a fine day – including the vista you’d get down the West Lyn valley – but I was denied that as I plodded through the rain. All these empty acres were once the inspiration for great plans. When the Knight family was reclaiming Exmoor some 200 years ago, they dreamed of turning the high moors into region of bleating productivity. Shepherds with names like Davidson, Graham, Johnstone, MacDougal, Little, Murray and Gourdie were brought in from the similarly wild highlands of Scotland to help turn Exmoor’s heights into sheep country. Some, like Robert Tait Little, brought their sheep with them – not by train but by foot. Can you imagine it – herding several hundred woolly brained critters all the way from Dumfries to Devon? Now, hardly a sheep rovers these uninhabited wastes. I didn’t intend hanging about for long either. The easy to follow trackway took me over Ilkerton Ridge and back to Shallowford – and, with a quick but damp turn of the key, I was off to a well known Exmoor restaurant. And within hours, as the waiters served this and that, the lonesome shepherd hut at Benjamy seemed a long, long way away indeed. Fact File Basic Hike: from Shallowford (two miles south of Barbrook) up the track to Winaway, then east to the top end of Ruckham Combe, onwards to Benjamy and then north down Warcombe Water before crossing Thorn Hill west to the West Lyn. Then back to Shalllowford along the track which leads over Ilkerton Ridge. Recommended map: Ordnance Survey OL9 Exmoor. Distance and going: five miles – can be boggy. Frequently Asked Questions Where does the West Lyn River run? The West Lyn River rises high on central Exmoor near Chains Barrow and flows north-west through steep, wooded gorges, joining the East Lyn River right at the sea in Lynmouth. Is the West Lyn River walk difficult? The routes alongside the West Lyn River involve steep inclines, rocky paths, and slippery riverbanks that require sturdy, waterproof footwear. While short, the gradient through the gorge can be demanding in wet weather. How does the West Lyn differ from the East Lyn River? While the East Lyn is famed for the wide, accessible valley path toward Watersmeet, the West Lyn flows through a much steeper, narrower, and more secluded ravine—offering a wilder, less crowded hiking experience. What wildlife can you see along the West Lyn River? The clean, fast-flowing waters support wild brown trout and otters, while the ancient sessile oak woods surrounding the ravine shelter dippers, grey wagtails, and rare woodland lichens.

Exmoor's Wild Beauty: A Walk Through The Chains and Pinkery Pond Someone swims across Pinkery Pond in early springtime "There must be some kinda way outta here..." growled Jimi Hendrix, as we slipped across the snowy wastes in the big air-conditioned limousine. And somehow poor old Jimi, who I hadn't heard for years, managed to capture the theme for this hike. A walk on Exmoor's most desolate bog in a deep freeze had inspired those sentiments both in me and in my city friends who had insisted on visiting The Chains. Actually, we'd got off lightly I learned later. We'd crossed impenetrable bogs deep enough to drown a horse - but these moisture laden hell-holes were frozen solid so we remained high and dry. This walk forms part of my complete Exmoor Walking Guide. Exploring The Chains: Devon's Remote Hiking Adventure But cold. So cold that the laces on our boots froze into solid steel chains. Apart from one or two higher parts of Dartmoor, The Chains provide we wilderness fans with our wildest spot. Which is why I say - go there. Wrap up warm, be careful, and enjoy the very best that primeval, unspoilt, untainted, Britain can offer. The moors come alive in early spring The Chains are the great swathe of moorland that lie to the south of Lynton and Lynmouth - slightly north-east of the isolated village of Simonsbath. The natural high altitude reservoir that soaks up the rain. The series of peat bogs that lie between Exe Plain and Rowley Down are deluged by more precipitation than anywhere else in the region. Their overspill killed 36 people in the infamous flood disaster of 1952. In short, you don't mess about with The Chains. You give them a wide berth and plenty of respect. No one lives there and few people go there except for the odd shepherd who's lost a sheep. And walkers of course. It is wonderful walking country, but you must go well prepared. We had a map, but no compass and that could have been a mistake as this is one of the only places south of the Penines where I'd advise taking one. The map isn't that much good either, to be honest, because this wild place holds secrets the cartographers didn't locate. Like the bridleway that sets off over Dure Down from the lay-by on the B3223 Simonsbath-Lynmouth road. You'll see this parking place perched rather dramatically on the brink of Preyway Meads about a mile up and out of Simonsbath. Preyway Meads get photographed a good deal and are one of the River Exe's most sensational moments. The bridleway doesn't get a mention on Ordnance Survey's otherwise excellent Outdoor Leisure Map 9, but follow the sign anyway, for the path will take you deep into this high, cold, secret wonderland. Well, it will put you on your way at least. After the first field the right-of-way disappears and you are left to negotiate the barren wastes of Dure Down on your own. It's basically a matter of keeping the gentle rounded peak of the hill slightly to your right - and after ten minutes of walking you'll find yourself gazing down on Exe Head. This is the source of the River Exe, and a disappointing little dribble it is too. The sort of place where woolly, suspicious cattle come to sip and pooh. But we are not here to admire details. We are here to take in the big picture, the great expanse, the vastness of this roof of the West Country. My pal was most pleased to have stumbled upon this lonesome mire, as she is an art-student and her aim was to walk in the footsteps of a famous artist called Richard Long. Mr Long's mission in life is to do curious things like walk in a dead straight line for 10 miles, and at Exe Head we were more-or-less on one of these celebrated routes. Pinkery Pond: A Hidden Gem on Exmoor's Rugged Landscape Why Mr Long should want to walk in a dead straight line for 10 miles I have not been able to fathom, save for the memory of reaching a distant tower without a single bend of deviation when I was a boy. But all this was most important to Gill, so off we trotted - due west along the line and along the footpath that leads to Pinkery Pond. We have been to the region's highest, remotest stretch of water before but not from this angle of the dangle. In the bright cold sunshine we sat on the old dam and ate Parma ham sandwiches, and while my friends talked to a solitary hiker who adamantly refused all nourishment save for a single cherry tomato, I thought of wretched Richard Gammin whose body was found in the peaty depths 103 years ago. This well respected farmer was left a widower with 10 children to raise. After six years the loos of his dear departed wife was obviously beginning to cut deep, and he sought the attentions of a young Parracombe girl. Her letter, refusing his offers of love, was found in his jacket by the side of the lake. Lynmouth lifeboat sent up a small boat so that the depths could be dragged, a diver from Wales was brought in - all to no avail. There was only one thing for it - Pinkery Pond had to be drained. The Knight family who'd built the dam had equipped it with two plug holes, but nothing could budge the bungs. Teams of horses were attached to chains, but the iron rings on the plugs simply broke off. Eventually brilliant Bob Jones, the man who built the Lynton-Lynmouth Cliff Railway, was brought in and he devised an elaborate system of rams to push the bungs out from the other side of the dam. And so Pinkery Pond was drained on the first of just two occasions in its long history. The remains of heart-broken Mr Gammin were found and the herons came in flocks and ate all the fish. But what I find curious and not a little disturbing is that upwards of a thousand people turned up to watch the morbid scene unfold. They must have marched for miles to get to one of the most remote corners of the region - just to see a body hauled from the mud. I'd be one of the ones marching the other way - and that is just what we did. March on westwards up to Woodbarrow Gate, and there we turned north along the path that leads down to the Saddle Stone. The plan then was to turn right and head east to Ruckham Combe, over Thorn Hill, past Benjamy down to Hoar Oak and then follow the Two Moors Way back up to Dure Down. But the paths were all obscured by snow and it was late and cold. So I came up with the bright idea of cutting straight across The Chains from the Saddle Stone to Exe Head. Don't do it. Jimi Hendrix's words - there must be some kinda way outta here - will haunt you. Or you will sink in a boig and never be seen again. But the views were tremendous - we could see deep into Cornwall and deep into Wales with a mere turn of the head, and there aren't many places where you can do that. The moon came up and the sky turned a rather odd lime green and I wondered how my newspaper would cover the fateful demise of it walks writer - lost on a frozen, barren heath. But at last we regained the big posh car and within minutes were were thawing our toes by the fire on an ancient Exmoor pub, and my pal Tim Bannerman was so moved by the experience he wrote a poem about The Chains the first lines of which go like this: "Wet life forces through the softer rock,/ into an open mind the wind/ catches like a flint,/ to spark the skylight into flame." Fact File Basic hike: from road by Preyway Meads west across Dure Down to Exe Head and on to Pinkery Pond, then from Woddbarrow Gate north to Saddle Stone and then east to Hoar Oak before swinging north back up to Dure Down. Recommended Map: Ordnance Survey Outdoor Leisure 9. Distance and going: 12 miles, extremely arduous in places. Frequently Asked Questions What are The Chains on Exmoor? The Chains is a high, plateau-like moorland area in the western section of Exmoor National Park. Standing at over 1,500 feet above sea level, it represents the wildest and most remote peat bog landscape on the moor, giving birth to major West Country rivers including the Barle and the Exe. How was Pinkery Pond formed? Pinkery Pond (sometimes spelled Pinkworthy) is an artificial reservoir created in the 19th century by industrialist John Knight, who bought vast tracts of Exmoor to reclaim the land. The exact reason for its creation remains a subject of local debate—with theories ranging from powering a planned canal system to providing water for agricultural irrigation. Is walking across The Chains difficult? The terrain across The Chains can be extremely wet, boggy, and navigationally challenging, especially in poor weather or thick mist. Walkers should come equipped with waterproof boots, a map, and a compass, keeping to established tracks where possible. Can you swim in Pinkery Pond? While some wild swimmers occasionally venture into Pinkery Pond, caution is strongly advised. The water is extremely cold, deep, and peaty, with no life-saving facilities available in this remote upland location.