Just Back From

Scotland the green

(clockwise from top) The lush hills of the Affric-Kintail Way; the track up to Scoraig, a peninsular settlement near Ullapool; the family celebrates conquering Bealach na Bà; the serene waters of Loch Affric

Scotland

Nandini Chakraborty recalls her road-trip adventure through Northern Scotland and its wild and remote stays and trails

The highlight: An 18km loop around Loch Affric. This route takes in parts of the Affric-Kintail Way, and we were blessed with a perfect combination of dry weather and a partially overcast sky, which made for good walking without us being too hot or dehydrated. The views were expansive, stretching out ahead like a giant map, while the trail had just enough scramble points and crossings (burns without bridges) to give a sense of achievement but without being too technically difficult. Must see: The drive through Bealach na Bà is a winding single-track road through the mountains of the Applecross Peninsula, connecting Shieldaig and Applecross. This can be a driving challenge but is well worth the views and the bragging rights of having negotiated the many passing points. Top tip: Be sure to use the Walk Highlands website (www.walkhighlands.co.uk) to research walks in whatever area you are crossing. It has elaborately detailed stage-by-stage descriptions of many trails, downloadable maps and a number of suggestions to suit all levels and tastes of hiking. Cautionary tale: Take an insect repellent. I had underestimated tales of just how bad the midges here can be. I’m still nursing the many bites. I wish I had known: I would have liked to have been able to predict the weather better, and to do so far ahead of time. Hiking the Quiraing in the fog was pretty frustrating, offering only a hint of the views – a bit like smelling the aroma of a feast but only being passed morsels through a hole in the wall! Anything else: Out of the many picturesque accommodations we stayed in, Garvault House, Sutherland, took my eye. Its claim to be the “most remote hotel on the British mainland” is not unfounded. You could stay a week and walk in many directions to numerous lonely hills and lochs. The hospitality of owners Eva and Adrian was impeccable, as were their sit-down three-course dinners, ornate tea sets, dark-wood library and living room that basked in the rays of the setting sun as you took afternoon tea. I am glad, at least, that the lack of travel over the last year has taught me so much about what the British Isles has to offer.

YOUR TALES OF...

Memorable train journeys

“Colombia’s steam train from Bogotá to Zipaquirá’s Salt Cathedral had carriages as old as its puffing engine, and grand leather seats. The journey passed in a flash as we were entertained by jazz bands, who strolled the train while vendors offered leaf-wrapped tamales, tinto (coffee) and white merengó desserts.” Helen Jackson

“We boarded in Cape Town (South Africa) and rode to Ceres and back. I spent the first part chatting to the conductor, who later returned with permission to access the footplate. I was escorted to the front where the heat of the engine burnt the tips of my hair as we departed. I only wish 10 year old me could’ve been there to see it.” Eleanor McBrien

“I remember the first day waking up on Via Rail’s The Canadian and gazing out of my window at what looked like Narnia: snowy trees and frozen lakes with beaver dams.” Katherine Clifford

Go online to share your tales on next issue’s topic: surprising ancient sites

Just got back from somewhere amazing? Email us at fromtheroad@ wanderlust.co.uk or visit us at wanderlustmagazine.com

Into the wild

(clockwise from this) The jungle-lined shores ofManuel Antonio NP; over half of Costa Rica is covered by rainforest; Cornwall’s Eden Project is home to about 16,000 sq m of indoor rainforest; sloth sightings in Costa Rica are almost guaranteed; the vivid blue waters of Rio Celeste waterfall

Find your sanctuar y and win a Costa Rica adventure for t wo

Costa Rica is the definition of biodiversity, with its wildlife and landscapes offering thrilling natural adventures. Here’s how you can win a dream trip there for two, plus Family Membership to the Eden Project in Cornwall, England.

BIODIVERSE ESCAPES

Your journey to Costa Rica with Journey Latin America, the UK’s number one specialist in travel to Central and South America, will start in the cultural capital San José. From here, you’ll head to the Central Valley to see coffee farms in towns such as Heredia, where traditional methods are used to ensure top-quality coffee.

Costa Rica is home to some 6.5% of the world’s biodiversity, and you’ll have a chance to see plenty of it at the Arenal Volcano National Park. Admire the perfect cone of its eponymous volcano and walk the hanging bridges above the forest canopy to learn about the native flora and fauna. Finish at Manuel Antonio National Park to relax on the beach and seek out the monkeys, sloths and some 950 species of bird in the forest.

From riding rapids to wellness retreats and meeting sabaneros (Costa Rican cowboys), to watching turtles nest, there’s so much to do.

But before you set off, bear in mind the “Pura Vida Pledge”, a four-step plan for sustainable travel in Costa Rica. First, choose to book with a UK tour operator such as Journey Latin America, who are working with sustainable hotels and excursions in Costa Rica. Next, offset your carbon. Lastly, support local communities and respect the land by leaving no trace. Learn more at: costarica-sanctuary.com

CLOSER TO HOME

Across the Atlantic, another kind of sanctuary can be found in Cornwall, where a barren china clay quarry was transformed 21 years ago into a beautiful global garden called the Eden Project. Today, Eden is a popular visitor destination and cultural venue where you can enjoy trekking through a vast indoor rainforest and extensive outdoor gardens while picking up plenty of tips on caring for the planet.

The project has even extended to Costa Rica, where it aims to restore a biological corridor of dry tropical forest while supporting local communities on the Nicoya Peninsula. It is working with the Matambú Forest Reserve, an area left damaged by overfarming and logging. Today, it’s being transformed back into lush forest where birdsong fills the air and rejuvenated rivers flow freely.

Back at Cornwall’s Eden, get a taste of Costa Rica this April in the new Eco Lodge exhibit in the Rainforest Biome, which puts the country’s commitment to eco-tourism on full show. The lodge will be built with natural materials and will tell the story of Costa Rica’s biodiversity and reforestation work. And that’s just the start, with more exciting Costa Rica projects coming to the Cornwall site later this year.

Whether exploring Project Eden or Costa Rica, with this prize, you’re bound to find your sanctuary amid so much natural wonder.

ENTER NOW

The Eden Project, Visit Costa Rica and Journey Latin America are offering the chance to win a trip for two to Costa Rica (includes return flights), plus Family Membership to the Eden Project. To enter, go to:

edenproject.com/ costa-rica-comp

For full terms, conditions and data policies, go to: edenproject. com/costa-rica-comp Closing date is 1 June 2022.

It’s finally here... Wanderlust’s very own podcast

FIRST SERIES INCLUDES…

• Wanderlust Hot List 2022 with George, Lyn & Rosie • Rocky Mountain National Park (partner special) • Well-being in Austria with Helen Moat • Easter Island with Shafik Meghji

COMING SOON…

• Vietnam by rail with Alex Robinson

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journal Australia’s Indigenous eats, the fate of Norfolk’s wherries, transforming yourself through travel and more in this issue’s news and advice section...

Grapevine

27 Armchair travel 32 Arts & crafts: East Germany 34 World food: Australia 36 Sustainable travel 38 Dispatches: Norfolk 40 Gear 46 WanderSleeps: Sri Lanka 48