Travel

BBC – Travel – These Scottish islands may hold the secret to happiness

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Scotland’s Outer Hebrides can be rainy, remote and cold – yet their inhabitants rank as the happiest people in the UK. What is their secret?

It was nearing midnight and the sky still remained light. The only hint of sunset visible from the kitchen window was a pink smudge above the Minch, the stretch of water that separates the islands of the Outer Hebrides from the mountains of the Scottish coast.

Accessible by propeller plane or ferry from mainland Britain, the Outer Hebrides are home to 26,000 people. Until I moved to New York City three years ago, I was one of them. Now I was back home – for most islanders call it home, no matter how far they travel – for my first summer since leaving [ . . . ]

 

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10 more of the UK’s best small towns: readers’ travel tips

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Beverley, East Yorkshire
When approached across parkland from the west, Beverley pulls off this neat trick of making you think you’re in a Jane Austen novel. It causes a tremor of disorientation. Is this right? And then come the cobbled streets, the gracious Georgian residences, the top-notch church in the middle that has yet to be converted into a pub or a nightclub – that’s Beverley Minster, a gothic masterpiece. Look out for the 14th-century Percy tomb.

Are we in the 21st century?

No, of course not. Mind you, the good old days have their drawbacks. Once, searching for food at midday, I came across a fish and chip shop with a “Closed for lunch” sign on the door. Fortunately, not all establishments are so old-fashioned. Saturday sees a good market and there are some tremendous festivals: the folk music and literature festivals are consistently worth attending. But it’s the town’s gentle Georgian ambience that delights: break out the walking canes and crinoline, and stroll.

Even Austen’s Lady Catherine de Bourgh would be impressed.Eat and drinkStar local eaterie is James and Kate Mackenzie’s Michelin-starred Pipe and Glass, where you can grab a [ . . . ]

Reall All: 10 more of the UK’s best small towns: readers’ travel tips | Travel | The Guardian

Glasgow Surprises | Rick Steves’ Travel Blog

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In recent years, I’ve really been enjoying what I consider the “second cities” of Europe. The Chicagos of Europe don’t get a free ride, and they lack the blockbuster attractions and charming sights that bring everyone to the big-league cultural capitals.

READ FULL STORY at: Glasgow Surprises | Rick Steves’ Travel Blog