Instagram post 17983449061890786 Instagram post 17983449061890786
🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Googl 🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Google searches. I just happened to stumble across it on my walk and it was my favourite spot of all. 🧡😍

🥾So this is your sign to just start walking and exploring 

📍Reeds Bay @thunder.bay.beach.bar 

Where was you’re favourite place that you just found by chance?
9  things to NEED to do on your Barbados holiday🌴🇧🇧:

🐟 Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday Night
⚡️ Go for a drink and swim @thunder.bay.beach.bar 
🌅Watch the Sunrise
🐢Swim with Turtles
⛵️Boat cruise with @silvermoonbarbados 
🌮Sunset Dinner @seashed_barbados 
🐎Watch the racehorses at Pebbles Beach 
🌊 Walk along the Hastings Boardwalk 
🌅Watch the sunset 

Anything I’m missing from the list?
Where is your “OMG” travel destination? Where is your “OMG” travel destination?
POV: you’ve taken 100,000 pics and videos on you POV: you’ve taken 100,000 pics and videos on your 1 week holiday 😅📸

Anyone else do the same! 

(📹Reel Credit @saradavies_)
🌅🌅🌅 🌅🌅🌅
Anyone else dreaming of a Euro summer? 💭💭💭
SWIMMING PIGS 🐖🐷🐽 🌴The Bahamas, more SWIMMING PIGS 🐖🐷🐽

🌴The Bahamas, more specifically the Exumas are famous for their resident swimming pigs. 

🏴‍☠️No one really knows why they have been out here but there are a couple of stories floating around.

🥓One of them being that they were left here by sailors who had planned to come back and cook them (poor piggy’s) but never made of back. 

🐟We even got to see stingsrays too (never did I think I would need a stingray and pig side by side with each other 😅)

⛵️There are a few boat companies that will take you to see these pigs and I went with @exumawatersports. I booked the half day tour which was $175 (you can book on a full day and also swim with reef sharks and see Pablo Escobars crashed plane). ✈️

Would you want to see the swimming pigs 

For more piggy cuteness follow @theswimmingpigs 🐽🐷🐖
What’s you definition of happiness ✈️⛵️🌍
✈️🧳How to pack using handluggage only! 

💰If you hate paying the RIDICULOUS prices for checked baggage like me, then here’s how to pack with hand luggage only. 

And yes I’m talking about week long (or more) holidays 😀 

👗Pack a mix and match wardrobe- you get brand new outfits whilst using the same clothes 

👠Pack 1 statement shoe plus a pair of casual ones 

✈️Wear your bulkiest items on the plane- eg jumpers and jackets (think joey from friends). Try to wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane too.

🧼Decant toiletries  into 100ml bottles and buy the rest of what you need at the airport. In fact, do an online order and get it delivered to the airport boots and you can pick it up after security

📦Use packing cubes to compress down your clothes and create more space in your hand luggage 

🫧And remember, you can wash your clothes abroad!! 

Have I missed anything?
I can’t wait to get back to Central America and I can’t wait to get back to Central America and be surrounded my volcanoes and lakes 😄🌋

Where do you feel the most free? 🦋

📍@Atitlansunsetlodge, Guatemala 🇬🇹
I mean the UK is fun but how much better is everyw I mean the UK is fun but how much better is everywhere else 😅😅😅

Where would you move to if you had the chance? 🌎🏡
𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐀 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐓. 

💰Here are my top tips on how to travel often but keep the costs down. 

💙Be more flexible with you destinations and go to places that have the cheapest flights. ⬇️

My top tip for finding these is head to @skyscanner add in the dates you want to go and type in “EVERYWHERE” in to the destination box. @skyscanner will bring up the cheapest flights in ascending order. 

💙Use deal finding apps like @jacksflightclub @travelzoo_uk @secretescapes @holidaypirates @voyageprive_uk to find deals on flights, hotels and holidays. 

💙Avoid paying for checked luggage where possible. Try the clothes rolling technique, you’ll be surprised at how much you can fit in your hand luggage by doing this. 

💙Don’t splash out on fancy hotels if you don’t plan on being in the hotel much. This for example could be on a city break, chances are you will spend most of the day exploring and use your hotel litterally to sleep and shower. 

💙 If you are solo travelling, stay in a hostel. Meet people that you can do activities with , which can also help share/spread and cut costs.

💙 Get on to Google and find out the best free things to do at your destination.

💙Try to cook some meals where you can. I know part of travel is trying out new foods but if you are doing it often cooking one or two meals is a great way of cutting costs. Alternatively book accommodation that offers free breakfast as part of their package. 

💙 Walk as much as you can to cut down on transport costs.

💙Alternatively if walking isn’t an option and you’re in a city, buy their local travel transport card (eg Oyster card for London). I’ve found that a lot of European cities have super cheap train/tram/bus costs and are even cheaper with one of these cards. 

💙Rent a car. Renting a car can be sometimes miles cheaper than going on a package tour or excursion. Sometimes this isn’t the case but do your research first to see what’s your best option
Places to travel to in your 30’s when you’re n Places to travel to in your 30’s when you’re not as broke as your 20’s (AKA more expensive places) ✈️🍃3️⃣0️⃣

Do you have any recommendations? 🌅🐬
TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️ 🟠 Obvious c TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️

🟠 Obvious choice but make use of the weekends. Fly out on Friday night and home Sunday evening. Really good to squeeze in a mini city break. 

🟠 For longer holidays use the same method as above. Fly out on a Friday night and home the following Sunday. You can get almost 9 days away and only have to take 5 days off work.

🟠 Make use of your bank holidays. Tag on an extra day off around a bank holiday. For example around the Easter break. 

🟠If you are flying on weekdays fly out late evening and fly home early morning so you don’t have to take those flying days off work.

🟠 Work from your holiday. Commit to working one or two mornings whilst you are away. This can help in saving up a few half days when you get to the end of the year. However this is probably not worth it on shorter trips

🟠 If you are able to travel with work. Make a holiday out of that by tagging on a few days holiday after the work trip is over.

Do you have any other tips?
Instagram post 18167693284267175 Instagram post 18167693284267175
Travel ✈️🍃🌍❤️ Travel ✈️🍃🌍❤️
Instagram post 17999465992602774 Instagram post 17999465992602774
In need of sunshine and hot temperatures 🌡️☀️

Where’s your paradise? ⛵️🌴🐚
TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️ 🟠 Obvious c TRAVEL OFTEN AROUND YOUR 9-5⬇️

🟠 Obvious choice but make use of the weekends. Fly out on Friday night and home Sunday evening. Really good to squeeze in a mini city break. 

🟠 For longer holidays use the same method as above. Fly out on a Friday night and home the following Sunday. You can get almost 9 days away and only have to take 5 days off work.

🟠 Make use of your bank holidays. Tag on an extra day off around a bank holiday. For example around the Easter break. 

🟠If you are flying on weekdays fly out late evening and fly home early morning so you don’t have to take those flying days off work.

🟠 Work from your holiday. Commit to working one or two mornings whilst you are away. This can help in saving up a few half days when you get to the end of the year. However this is probably not worth it on shorter trips

🟠 If you are able to travel with work. Make a holiday out of that by tagging on a few days holiday after the work trip is over.

Do you have any other tips?
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Christina in the Clouds

Adventure around a 9-5

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Hiking, UK · June 18, 2020

Best Walks in Hertfordshire

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If you are looking for some things to do in Hertfordshire, I have compiled a list of the best walks in Hertfordshire for you, so you have come to the right place.

Being a Hertfordshire local and having tried and tested a variety of local walks during the various stages of the Covid-19 lockdown, I thought it would be a great idea to create a list of my favourite walking routes and nature reserves so that you fellow Herts locals can try out for yourself.

And I, of course, will keep updating the list with new ones I try out.

My List of the best walks in Hertfordshire:

Hertford to Ware (and beyond) River Walk

I’m lucky enough to have this walk right on my doorstep and have therefore done this route countless times.
Starting in Hertford, you can begin the route at by “The Old Barge” pub. The route between Hertford and Ware is around 4K (completely flat terrain), and takes me roughly 40 minutes.

Along the route you will be greeted with endless greenery, a variety of birds and ducks (and ducklings come spring), cows and can even spot the odd cute cottontail rabbit here and there.

You also have the opportunity to take a variety of detours, whether that be to Hartham Common or through the adjacent fields, amongst the cows. Whatever route you decide to take you will always end up in Ware. This means that you always find your way back to the river, so there is no getting lost.

If you fancy a slightly longer walk you can carry on along the river from Ware to Stansted Abbots (or even towards Broxbourne) and admire the wildlife at Great Amwell Nature Reserve. This will give you at least an extra 50 minutes of walking time.

Difficulty Rating:1/5
Toilets: No

Things to do in Hertfordshire
Things to do in Hertfordshire

Pegsdon Hills

Technically Pegsdon Hills comes under Bedfordshire, but it still covers part of Hitchin, so it definitely still counts as a Herts walk.

If you want to forget you are in Herts and transport yourself to Wales then this is the walk for you.

You could probably spend a few hours exploring the fields and getting lost here. However, the most notable walking route is a 4.4-mile loop trail which will take you roughly 1.5-2 hours to complete.

As you would expect from the name there is a mixture of uphill, downhill and flat terrain walking, but overall a fairly easy and relaxing walk.

Difficulty Rating: 2/5
Toilets: No

Things to do in Hertfordshire

Waterford Heath

Based in the small town of Bengeo, Waterford Heath Nature Reserve. Once a sand and gravel quarry is a great place to go if you want to experience a diverse set of landscapes.

From green woodlands (which I personally think look like fairy forests – see top left picture below), to streams and marshes, to dry sandy fields which look like something you might find in Australia and not the UK, Waterford Heath has it all.

Waterford Heath has one main walking track, the “Chalkstream and Heath Walk” which is roughly two miles long. There are however there are a number of unmarked routes for you to venture through. 2 hours here should be enough time.

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: No

Things to do in Hertfordshire

Panshanger Park

Located in Hertford North, Panshanger Park is a great place to go for a nice stroll by the lakes, through the bluebell woods or the vast green flowered fields and set up for a picnic.

However, if you fancy doing that little something extra you can even go horse riding through the park (if you just so happen to have one).

You will also have the opportunity to experience some of the park’s history with “The Panshanger Great Oak” that’s over 400 years old as well as the remains of the old “Panshanger Orangery”. Whatever it is you fancy doing, there is a walking trail for you!

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: No

Things to do in Hertfordshire
Things to do in Hertfordshire

Ware to Thundridge loop

Starting from Ware you can walk towards the town of Thundridge via Wodson Park towards Hanbury Manor Spa.

On route, you will walk through farmland and witness rolling fields and lonely trees and after some meandering, will eventually loop back to the main road.

Again, you will need about 2 hours for this walk. However, If you want to continue further past Thundridge you can head down to the village of Wadesmill and complete the Wadesmill and Sacombe Park loop.

TIP: This is the kind of walk you want to do in dry weather only unless you like getting completely muddy that is!

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: No

Things to do in Hertfordshire

Verulamium Park

Steeped in Roman history, lined with cobbled streets and home to a very impressive cathedral, St Albans has always been a popular tourist spot.

To add to it’s a line-up of attractive sites is Verulamium Park, located in the city centre right next to the Cathedral.

With a children’s play area, a splash park, an outdoor gym, lots of green space, Roman ruins (both in the park and in the Verulamium museum located nearby), and a beautiful lake it has something to please everyone’s tastes.

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: Yes

Things to do in Hertfordshire

Tring – Ashridge Estate and Ivinghoe Beacon

With over 5000 acres worth of land, there is plenty of exploring to do around Ashridge Estate. Secondly, with multiple walking, cycling and horseriding route the choices are endless and the views are spectacular no matter what you decide to do.

If it’s an easy woodland walk you are after I would recommend heading to the Ashridge Estate NT Carpark where you can first admire the Bridgewater Monument.

Here you can take a look at the nearby maps to decide what trail you would like to take. With the estate being so large, it’s quite easy to get lost here (I did), so if you do happen to get lost be prepared to try and retrace your steps as phone reception is extremely poor.

If it’s rolling hills and panoramic views you are after I would suggest heading to the Ivinghoe Beacon Carpark where you can embark on a mini hike along the Ivinghoe Beacon Ridgeway.

However, if you’re after something a little more challenging, you can take the 10-mile walk from the Bridgewater Monument (found at the Ashridge Estate carpark) to the Ivinghoe Beacon Ridgeway- check out the route here.

This was one of my favourite spots, so makes it to the top of the ‘best walks in Hertfordshire’ list.

Difficulty Rating: 2/5
Toilets: Yes

Things to do in Hertfordshire

Tring – Tring Reservoirs Nature Reserve

Located just a 15-minute drive from Ashridge Estate, and made up of 4 individual reservoirs, Tring reservoirs Nature Reserve makes for great picnic/sunbathing spot or somewhere to take a nice relaxing stroll and watch the sunset.

My best advice would be to park at Startop’s End car park. Parking here will give you easy access to Startop’s End, Marsworth and Tringford reservoirs as well as the Grand Union Canal.

The 4th reservoir, Wilstone Reservoir, is roughly a 25-minute walk from Startop’s End car park (I decided to give this one a miss as i figured 3/4 isn’t so bad).

Finally, if you need some TLC after all of your walking, you can make a reservation at the hugely popular Champneys Tring Spa.

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: No

Things to do in Hertfordshire

Dunstable Downs

Now, Dunstable Downs is actually located in Bedfordshire, but it’s so close to the Herts border and makes up part of the Chiltern Hills (which are also found in the aforementioned area of Tring) so I think this is safely allowed on this list.

Here, again, you will find beautiful panoramic views and large green rolling hills as well as 3 main walking routes, each to suit different interests.

Dunstable Downs is part of the National Trust so there is onsite parking (which you must pay for, unless an NT member) a cafe and toilets.

This is a great place to come if you want a nice easy stroll and if you are short on time. This is also the perfect place to watch the sunset behind the hills.

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: Yes

Gobions Wood

Located in Potters Bar, Gobions Wood is the perfect place to go if you are looking for a quiet family (and dog) friendly walk. There are hectares of woodland to explore, including the quaint Gobions Pond, of where you can go carp fishing.

During the springtime, Gobions Wood is famous for its bloom of bluebells and during the winter it’s known to be one of the best places in Hertfordshire to find a vast selection of fungi species.

To get here enter Gobions Open Space Car Park into your sat nav. Once you park up you will have to walk across the field and past the park to gain entrance to the woods.

Difficulty Rating: 1/5
Toilets: No

For more information on the best walks in Hertfordshire click here or you can also download the following apps:
“Herts Walks”
“All Trails“

If you are looking for more places to visit within the UK then click here for my top trips from London by car.

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Hello Beautiful

I'm Christina a part-time traveller who is exploring the world around my 9-5. From canyons to coasts, I love all kinds of adventures. I've created this space to provide you with all the travel inspiration and my top tips for seeing more of the world in less time.

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Instagram post 17983449061890786 Instagram post 17983449061890786
🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Googl 🌴This place was no where to be seen on my Google searches. I just happened to stumble across it on my walk and it was my favourite spot of all. 🧡😍

🥾So this is your sign to just start walking and exploring 

📍Reeds Bay @thunder.bay.beach.bar 

Where was you’re favourite place that you just found by chance?
9  things to NEED to do on your Barbados holiday🌴🇧🇧:

🐟 Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday Night
⚡️ Go for a drink and swim @thunder.bay.beach.bar 
🌅Watch the Sunrise
🐢Swim with Turtles
⛵️Boat cruise with @silvermoonbarbados 
🌮Sunset Dinner @seashed_barbados 
🐎Watch the racehorses at Pebbles Beach 
🌊 Walk along the Hastings Boardwalk 
🌅Watch the sunset 

Anything I’m missing from the list?
Where is your “OMG” travel destination? Where is your “OMG” travel destination?
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