Author: Stanfords

We spoke exclusively to Simon Calder, The Independent’s Travel Editor at Large, about where he’ll be travelling this year, the location of the world’s most beautiful place, and why he has a “slight issue” with Sri Lanka.

He’s the UK’s most-recognised travel journalist, a one-time record holder of the fastest hitchhike between Land’s End and John o’ Groats, and has a degree in mathematics from Warwick University. He also happens to be a fan of Stanfords, popping into our Long Acre store last week ahead of his next trip. So where’s next on Simon Calder’s to-visit list?

“There are two destinations I’m really excited about this year, the first of which is Alaska,” he explains. “It’s been off the map pretty much for the last 20 years, but hooray for Icelandair – they’ve decided to launch two flights to Anchorage from Reykjavik per week in May. That means from leaving London, Manchester or Glasgow, you can arrive in the US’s northernmost city later that afternoon. It’s unbelievable – and it’s also very, very cheap.

“I’ll be heading down the coast towards Juneau, a really exciting place to be. I’ve only been to Alaska before very briefly in the olden days when British Airways flew non-stop from Heathrow – but that wasn’t in the middle of summer, which is when I’ll be travelling this time, and I’m looking forward to it very much indeed.”

From Alaska it’s almost 5,000 miles south-east to a Portuguese Atlantic archipelago that’s home to some of the world’s highest mountains (if measured from their base on the bottom of the ocean) – the second overseas destination on Simon’s must-visit list. “I’m buying the Bradt guidebook to the Azores,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to go but haven’t quite made it yet, but I’m going to get there soon.”

It’s almost surprising that any countries have been left untrodden by the former Holiday presenter, so just how many nations has Simon visited? “I’ve got absolutely no idea,” he says, “and I suppose I’ve got better things to do than work it out. The great thing about coming here is stumbling across something and working out where I’d like to go next – I found myself looking at the Central Asia section and thought, ‘Ooh, I want to go there, there’s the Caucasus, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan – why haven’t I been there yet? Get on with it!’ – and hopefully I will do.”

If Alaska and the Azores are a little ‘out there’, what does Simon make of Sri Lanka and Burma, two destinations tipped to return to travellers’ radars in 2013? “I have a bit of an issue with Sri Lanka,” he explains. “Many people are saying it’s the place to go this year, but I can’t see that there’s anything much transformed.

“Of course the civil war is over, unfortunately in very bloody fashion, but the best news I’ve seen recently is that the Sri Lankan rupee is down 10 per cent against sterling, though this isn’t enough to make me want to go there just yet I’m afraid. With Burma, the potential problem is that everybody is travelling there, so I think I’ll give it a couple of years.”

Despite the emergence of new far-flung destinations, it’s unlikely the travel journalist will lose sight of his favourite three countries: France, Cuba and Scotland, the latter of which Simon shall be returning thanks to wife, Charlotte, being inspired by crime writer Ann Cleeves, whose books are set on Shetland.

“We’ll be travelling to the islands later this year,” he says, “which is very good news because the Scottish islands are quite possibly the most beautiful parts of the entire planet – so I’ll be checking out the Ordnance Survey maps and guidebooks here at Stanfords to see what I need to be consulting!”

Travel writer and Canaries expert Ervin Cenmurati reveals his top five hiking destinations in the Spanish archipelago.

The Canary Islands are a heaven for holidaymakers, with the archipelago attracting visitors throughout the year. Aside from the guaranteed sun and fantastic beaches, the Canaries are blessed with other natural wonders that relatively few have explored. The fact that the 13 islands are sitting on one of the largest volcanic regions in the world means the landscape has constantly changed. What better way to appreciate this unique setting than a hiking holiday? Here’s our guide to the top five hiking destinations in the Canaries:

1. La Gomera

Crossing over to this small island is well worth it. Here you’ll find a trekking haven for beginners and those who prefer something more challenging. Just over 40 minutes from Tenerife by ferry (there is a small local airport but it closes early in the evenings), La Gomera boasts lush mini rainforests, jaw-dropping gorges, banana plantations and a community that’s developed one of the best languages a man can know: whistling. Yes, that’s right, ‘El Silbo’ is a recognised language that inhabitants of La Gomera use to communicate over long distances, spreading the word for various events such as weddings. It has been proclaimed one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, and is so natural to listen to that many confuse it with the sound of local birdsong.

2. Tenerife

One of the largest of the Canaries, Tenerife offers the visitor a fantastic range of hiking and trekking tours. One of the best known is an exploration of Mount Teide, the islands’ largest and highest peak. One for real trekking enthusiasts, this is a challenge that promises beautiful gorges and a breathtaking landscape on the approach to Masca Village: a small and traditional inland settlement that can also be accessed by car – but that’s cheating. Other famous treks worth considering are crossing over to nearby El Hierro, or finding hidden beaches like Playa Bollullo, Playa de los Patos or – the most challenging but also the most rewarding – Playa del Ancón.

3. Lanzarote

Lanzarote offers great choice for hikers, especially around the coastal areas of Risco de Famara, Charco del Paolo and La Galeria de Famara. If you like the luxury of a private pool – but the way that nature intended – then from Costa Teguise trek to Cueva del Agua, where a stunning natural pool has been formed among the rocks. Lanzarote’s landscape offers fantastic walks inland too, especially in the Timanfaya National Park – though for more of an unusual challenge it’s worth visiting the smaller neighbouring islands of La Graciola and Isla del Lobos. One word of advice: Lanzarote’s cooled magma and the rocky landscape means it’s necessary to invest in some proper trekking shoes.

4. Gran Canaria

Famous for the sand dunes of Maspalomas and the fantastic scenery at dawn or dusk for romantic walk, this is Gran Canaria – where keen hikers find inhabited cave villages like Guayadeque and the breathtaking scenery and vertical cliffs of the Barranco Hormiguero Canyon near San Felipes. Off the beaten tracks and spectacular mountain scenery are abundant in Gran Canaria, and when you throw in the year-round beautiful weather it’s hard to resist the temptation of not visiting the second-most populous of the Canary Islands.

5. Fuerteventura

Last but not least is Fuerteventura – an island famous for its watersports, especially windsurfing, where every year the world championships and rallies are hosted.  The second-largest Canary Island offers easier-going treks than its island neighbours as its landscape is generally flatter. An excellent selection of coastal hikes can be found throughout the island, especially around Dunes Natural Park near Corralejo or Jandia Natural Park. Other routes to be considered are the volcanic mountain range in the north of the island near Colorada Mountain, or a coast to coast trek from Costa Calma to La Pared.

Ervin Cenmurati is an expert travel consultant at Directline Holidays and a freelance travel writer in his free time. He has travelled extensively around Europe and particularly enjoys finding rarities and venturing off the beaten path.