This top destination combines a great European city break with stunning nature trails through parks, woodlands and historic districts
This city has hundreds of walking trails(Image: Getty)
Summer holidays are fast approaching, yet countless travellers return home feeling utterly drained, having crammed far too much into their getaway. If you’re weary of needing a break to recover from your break, perhaps it’s time to embrace the slow travel movement.
One of the finest ways to adopt slow travel is by selecting destinations that promote rest and reconnection with the natural world, making walking holidays a superb option.
Dave Mills, Chief Commercial Officer at Iglu Cruise said: “Walking holidays offer flexibility and adventure, teaching travellers to enjoy the present moment and savour their travel experiences. You can still see the sights, but a more leisurely pace can offer a more rewarding trip.”
To assist travellers in striking the ideal balance, travel specialists from Iglu have put together a list of the finest European city breaks that also feature genuinely stunning walking trails.
They examined data from the outdoor app AllTrails to pinpoint cities boasting the greatest number of walking routes within a 15-minute radius of the city centre.
One of the finest spots to immerse yourself in nature while still making the most of your city break is Vienna in Austria.
Celebrated for its natural splendour, the city offers 250 walking trails and 12 official hiking routes, all readily accessible via public transport.
These 12 paths are conveniently numbered, making them simple to locate. For those seeking stunning vistas and a relaxing glass of wine, City Hiking Trail 1 is ideal. Beginning in Kahlenberg, this seven-mile route offers sweeping views of the Danube River.
The path meanders through expansive vineyards — some of which feature pop-up stalls where visitors can sample a glass.
Another favourite is City Hiking Trail 9, which threads through verdant woodlands and meadows before leading walkers along the boulevard in Leopoldstadt, where numerous cafés offer the perfect spot for a delightful snack or meal.
City Hiking Trail 5 is also highly regarded, situated in Floridsdorf. This route is beloved by locals and lies away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Stretching six miles, it showcases open fields and abundant wildlife, including deer.
One visitor wrote on Tripadvisor: “We just returned from a week in Vienna. Absolutely magical city. It looks like a city of fairy tales. I think it’s more beautiful than Paris, and Prague. Gorgeous. It’s clean and well-kept, and there is an incredible amount of beautiful architecture and art. Trip of a lifetime.”
Iran has attacked a UAE petroleum site in Fujairah, just days after the United Arab Emirates announced it was leaving OPEC. As the Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens and oil prices keep rising, could this accelerate the shift to renewables, or are we heading into an era of energy volatility?
In this episode:
Jim Krane (@jimkrane), Co-director of the Middle East Energy Roundtable, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders and Sarí el-Khalili with Chloe K. Li, Catherine Nouhan, Tuleen Barakat, and our guest host, Kevin Hirten. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
Maya Jama wore a slinky black dress to pose at the classical Vatican GardensCredit: InstagramMaya’s Instagram photo dump of a romantic Rome break included her clutching a bunch of keysCredit: Instagram
Maya’s Instagram photo dump of a romantic Rome break included her clutching a bunch of keys and at the Sistine Chapel with Man City star boyfriend Ruben Dias.
And she gushed about the trip to her three million fans, writing: “Can you tell I love it here?”
Maya, who, like Ant and Dec, is a pro at live TV, has now given her verdict on the huge on-air bust-up.
Taking to X/Twitter, the popular presenter, 31, shared a clip of the fallout between Ant and Dec and Jimmy, and penned: “Didn’t watch but from this clip alone (laughing emoji).
“This is why I love live tv so much and hosting the (Love Island) Aftersun show because barely any channels do it anymore out of fear of what can go wrong but people want real reactions and an edited show will never compete to the live experience!”
Showing her support for the I’m A Celebrity hosts, she added: “Ant and Dec I love you forever also.”
OFF the coast of Spain are a group of islands that many say feels like the Caribbean, but for a fraction of the coast.
The archipelago called the Cíes Islands are made up of three islands; Monte Agudo, O Faro and San Martiño.
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The Cies Islands is an archipelago made up of three islandsCredit: GettyPlaya de Rodas on Faro Island is the 18th most beautiful beach in the worldCredit: Alamy
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The islands are completely car free, and are described as being ‘Caribbean-like’ but on a camping budget.
Monteagudois the largest and northernmost of the three Cíes Islands which can be reached by ferry from Vigo.
This is where visitors will find one of the world’s best beaches called Playa de Rodas, or Rodas Beach.
Coming in at 18th in the world, the beach has ‘soft white sand and clear, calm waters’ – much like those in the Caribbean.
Visitors agree with one calling it a “natural paradise” and another agreed that it is “absolutely beautiful, pale sand crystal clear water.”
Others have said it’s the perfect place to swim with small fish that appear in the shallow water.
But there are warnings of the sea being cold as it is in the Atlantic as opposed to the warmer Caribbean Sea.
The coast is popular for snorkelling with lots of lobsters, crabs and sometimes bottlenose dolphins even being spotted too.
The sandbar across Playa de Rodas is what connects Monteagudo to its neighbour, Faro island.
Meanwhile, San Martiño can only be reached by private boat or on kayak tours – it’s a wild island so the top activities here are swimming and birdwatching.
For more on Spain, here are some of our favourite holiday spots…
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Hotel Best Punta Dorada, Salou
The Spanish resort is a popular destination near PortAventura World, a theme park with over 40 attractions and huge rollercoasters. It’s also close to sandy beaches like Platja de Llevant, and the scenic Camí de Ronda coastal walk.The hotel itself has an outdoor swimming pool to enjoy, as well as two bars along with evening entertainment and shows.
With its palm tree-lined pool and Mediterranean backdrop, it’s a miracle this Majorca resort is so affordable. Expect a classic family holiday feel – where days revolve around soaking up the Spanish sunshine, chilling by the spacious pool and sipping on frozen cocktails. Set away from the busier resorts, it’s a good option if you’re after a more out-of-the-way escape.
The Magic Aqua Rock Gardens Hotel is African-themed and less than a mile from the beach. It has two outdoor pools, including a children’s freshwater pool with a waterfall and a tipping water bucket for the little ones. There’s also an aquapark with slides, and a kids club for both younger children and teens.
For a calmer side of Ibiza, this hillside resort has two pools, a kids’ splash zone, and an all-inclusive buffet with a poolside bar. It’s a 10-minute walk from Cala Llonga’s shallow turquoise bay, offering a scenic, family-friendly base away from the island’s main party zone.
The city is a popular cruise ship destination, is famous for its huge Christmas lights displays – and is within easy reach of ‘the world’s best beach’
Robert Rowlands Deputy editor, money and lifestyle, content hub and Maria Ortega
04:05, 22 Apr 2026
A beach on the Cíes islands(Image: Carol Yepes via Getty Images)
British holidaymakers are bracing themselves for a new tourist tax at a Spanish beauty spot. Vigo, located in the north-west of Spain, has 45 beaches according to one report – and is within easy reach of one of the best beaches in the world.
The city is equally renowned for its spectacular Christmas light displays, considered among the best on the planet. Respected travel expert Simon Calder is a firm admirer of the destination, describing it as ‘cultured’ and ‘highly affordable’. The Aviothic website calls it ‘Spain’s best kept secret’.
But now local officials are putting the finishing touches to plans for a new tourist tax, according to reports in the Spanish media. The move follows in the footsteps of Santiago and La Coruña, both of which introduced similar levies in late 2025, drawing criticism from various quarters.
Reports indicate that Vigo City Council is pressing ahead with proposals to introduce its own tourist tax, with the aim of ‘redistributing’ profits generated by the tourism industry. The levy is also intended to help reduce the environmental strain caused by mass tourism on the local area.
Vigo is perhaps best known for its dazzling Christmas lights, with more than 11 million LED lights illuminated across the city last year. The city, home to around 295,000 residents, is also celebrated for a nearby breathtaking beach within reach of Vigo – although visitors staying near the beach will not pay the tax.
The Guardian once hailed its Rodas Beach, situated on the Cíes Islands, as the “best beach in the world”. The bustling port city is equally popular as a cruise ship destination.
In fact, this week Vigo takes centre stage in international tourism as the season’s first triple cruise ship call gets under way, with the city set to welcome more than 7,500 visitors within just a few hours. The port is simultaneously hosting three large ships, the Britannia, the Ventura and the Le Bellot.
However, it now seems tourists will shortly face a levy for the privilege of visiting the destination. No form of accommodation will escape the charge, according to El Debate. The amount will vary depending on the hotel’s star rating.
The publication reports the tax could reach as much as €2 per person daily for 4-star superior and 5-star establishments. A €1.60 daily charge is proposed for tourist accommodation and 2-star superior, 3-star and 4-star hotels.
It’s understood that under the proposals, holiday apartments and rural tourism properties – alongside hostels and campsites – will incur a €0.80 per person daily fee, while guesthouses and 1- and 2-star hotels will pay €1.20. Cruise passengers won’t escape either. Abel Caballero, mayor of Vigo, confirmed those disembarking at Vigo’s docks will be charged €1.20.
He said: “From when it comes into force until July 1, 2027, the tax will apply to the first two nights of a stay. Therefore, someone visiting Vigo for 4 nights will pay the tourist tax for only the first 2 nights. From July 1, 2027, the tax will apply to a maximum of five nights per stay.”
He said the tourist tax would be rolled out “gradually” from October, shortly before the Christmas lights are illuminated. Exemptions for health reasons are being considered. Children and certain disabled individuals are also expected to be exempt.
The tax must still secure approval from the Governing Board ahead of one final vote – however, the mayor’s comments suggest it could well be on the cards. In Barcelona, the combination of a regional tax and a municipal charge has hiked up the cost to between 5 and 12 euros a night. In La Coruna, the local hotel association has launched a legal battle to block the levy.
Travel journalist Simon Calder has previously highlighted Vigo’s appeal to British visitors. Writing in the Independent, he said: “Vigo claims to be the largest fishing port in the world, and plentiful fresh seafood is a strong attraction. The city is also an excellent starting point for wider exploration of the rias (inlets) that carve the shoulder of Spain so dramatically.”
How can I get to Vigo from the UK?
Ryanair offers a direct service from the UK to Vigo–Peinador airport, operating out of London Stansted. Journey times are approximately 2 hours 10 minutes.
Many visitors heading to Vigo opt to fly into nearby Santiago de Compostela instead, which is just 50–60 minutes away by car. Both Ryanair (Stansted) and Vueling (Gatwick and Heathrow) operate direct flights to Santiago several times weekly, offering a greater choice of services and often cheaper fares.
Bear in mind, however, that Santiago airport is closed from April 23 to May 27, 2026 for runway resurfacing works. At the heart of Vigo’s social scene lies the Casco Vello (Old Town), a beautifully restored maze of narrow granite streets and bustling plazas.
Visitors may also wish to explore Castro de Vigo, an archaeological site that reveals how the region’s original inhabitants lived in stone huts more than 2,000 years ago. The Guardian says the city has 45 beaches, and notes that an attraction for UK tourists in visiting Vigo is that it brings “the Caribbean-like beaches of the Cíes islands within easy reach.”
“The islands are an easy day trip from Vigo, adding a relaxing beach element to your Spanish city break,” the paper said in a positive review of the city.
DENVER — The Dodgers announced Monday that Edwin Díaz will undergo surgery to remove “loose bodies” in his right elbow and the closer isn’t expected to return until some point in the second half of the season.
Díaz, 32, has a 10.50 ERA in seven appearances this season for the Dodgers, who made a splash signing the high-profile free agent to a three-year $69-million deal, a record for a reliever.
The Dodgers recalled 27-year-old left-handed long reliever Jake Eder to replace Díaz on the roster.
Díaz gave up three runs and failed to get an out in the Dodgers’ 9-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies in a non-save situation Sunday, in what was his first appearance in nine days.
He entered the game and gave up a walk and three base hits, including a two-RBI single to Edouard Julien. Afterward, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed concern about Díaz’s performance: “I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”
Before the Dodgers played their final game of the four-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Monday, Roberts said that the diagnosis provides some clarity, and that Díaz only began feeling discomfort in his elbow Sunday.
Before that Roberts said the plan was to “tread lightly” with the pitcher’s workload, unsure why the velocity of his pitches was down.
“Obviously, we all saw the stuff [Sunday], and it sent up red flags,” Roberts said. “And so, after the game, he had a conversation with our training staff, and felt that he had some elbow discomfort. So we just wanted to be proactive, and felt that it was smart to get an MRI, get imaging, which we did do, and it showed loose bodies.”
Having experienced the same thing as a player, Roberts explained, “you have loose bodies and they’re asymptomatic until they’re not.”
Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz jogs to the mound during the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on March 31.
(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
A 10-year veteran, Díaz is a three-time All-Star. For his career, he has 257 saves in 300 opportunities with 849 strikeouts.
General manager Brandon Gomes said the Dodgers are “as confident as we can be” that Díaz will return to top form.
“Our understanding is that it’s a pretty straightforward procedure,” Gomes said. “We’re going to take our time with getting him back and being mindful of the buildup, and make sure he’s in a really good position to come out and compete at the highest level of what we expect.
“It’s the benefit of having a deeper staff and a talented team that it’s never easy to lose somebody like Edwin, but we’ll get through it and it’ll be a collective effort to keep winning baseball games.”
Roberts said he doesn’t plan to name a substitute closer in Díaz’s place, and the manager acknowledged that the news will significantly alter how he’ll use the bullpen.
“It does change it. In a big way,” Roberts said. “I do think being able to deploy guys in their right lanes or pockets has been helpful. But with that, I do think that Alex [Vesia] has been throwing the baseball really well. Tanner [Scott has] been throwing the baseball really well, and outside of last night, Blake [Treinen] was throwing the baseball really well.
“But it does kind of not allow us to work from the back end, which is certainly a luxury.”
The Dodgers have had unfortunate luck signing big-name relievers. In 2025 they signed left-hander Scott to a four-year $72-million deal. He then led the league with 10 blown saves last season and the Dodgers removed him from their postseason roster, replacing him with left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who was set to start Monday as the team played for a series split at Coors Field.
PUSSYCAT Doll Ashley Roberts has an eye on the Maldives after her time in the South African bush.
The singer, 44, is on a luxury break on the paradise islands and posted snaps in a tropical pink bikini, as well as relaxing on the sand and cooling down after a shower.
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Ashley Roberts has an eye on the Maldives after her time in the South African bushCredit: InstagramAshley is on a luxury break on the paradise islandsCredit: InstagramShe also posted this snap relaxing on the sand and cooling down after a showerCredit: Instagram
Over the years I’m A Celebrity South Africa star Ashley Roberts has made a number of wild sex confessions.
From a steamy dream about romping with Harry Styles, to revealing her turn-ons in the I’m A Celeb Jungle, the Pussycat Dolls star, 44, is known for not holding back.
It’s fair to say Ashley has made a career out of being sexy.
The star oozes sex appeal, thanks to being in the sizzling girlband the Pussycat Dolls.
The hit Channel 5 series sees two families from opposite ends of the wealth divide swap homes, budgets, and lives for a week.
They both experience a dramatic shift in perspective as they step into each other’s worlds but one family appeared to break a rule as they left the property halfway through the swap.
During Sunday’s (April 19) episode, millionaire hotel owners Gez and Rosy Chetal swapped their luxury life with the Bloor family.
In Norfolk, John and wife Ann, live with their three children in a three-bedroom rented terrace house. After basic household bills they have just £79 a week to spend on everything else from food and travel to fun.
Mum Ann works as a cook in a mental health care home, meanwhile husband John works long hours as a bus driver, but they both have a passion for cooking.
Despite both grafting hard, the couple struggle to make ends meet and have previously gone bankrupt for £36k, but they dream of running a music café of their own one day.
Experiencing how the wealthiest 1% live, they exchanged homes for a week with hotel owners Gez and Rosy Chetal, who lived in their luxurious £1.7m 11-bedroom bespoke hotel with their 19-year-old daughter Saanchi.
Given his demanding lifestyle as an entrepreneur, the couple wanted to use the swap as a way for them to spend some quality time together and have a break from their business.
They swapped their hotel— complete with a wine cellar, a large dining room and private chef for a week-long stay in the Bloor family’s house.
While Gez and Rosy were forced to manage on a weekly budget of £79, John, wife Ann and their children got a taste of luxury living with £1,800 to spend.
However, not long into the swap it was clear that the Bloor family struggled to adjust to their new environment living in a hotel as Ann admitted: “My kids are not comfortable.”
After a restless night, Ann was visibly moved as she told husband John: “The children are really uncomfortable. They can’t be in their pyjamas because it’s a hotel, they can’t just go and get a drink, they can’t just go and get a sandwich.” John jumped in and added: “It’s not a home is it?”
Turning to John, Ann explained: “It’s nothing about the hotel. If it was just me and you.. I’d absolutely love it but actually to me we can’t really stay in the hotel.”
The couple then made a big decision and decided to abandon the hotel and use the remaining budget to book a luxury Airbnb, that cost a whopping £1,200.
When the two families finally reunited at the end of their swap, Ann went on to say: “We loved the hotel, unfortunately the children didn’t. They felt very separated from us.” Gez added: “It’s just a big house really, with 11 rooms.”
Rich House, Poor House airs Sunday night from 9pm on Channel 5
A mum has shared the ‘best’ European City break to take kids on, with amazing attractions such as zoos and museums – and it’s only a two and a half hour flight away
Abigail Nicholson Content Editor
03:00, 19 Apr 2026
Stockholm in Sweden is a great place to take children
A mum has shared the ‘best’ European City break she has ever taken with her child, and it’s not where you would expect. When it comes to parents taking children away on holiday with them, there are many things they need to think about before booking.
From how the family will travel to the destination, if they can be kept occupied while travelling and if attractions will keep them entertained for long enough, there is a lot to think about. But one woman who shares content on social media has shared the “best’ destination she has visited with her child, which kept her occupied every day.
Claire and Laura are identical twin mum’s who post UK based travel content on social media under the username @twinperspectives.
The family explained how they went to Stockholm in Sweden and were surprised at home good it was for children.
The mum said: “The best city break in the world for kids, hands down, is Stockholm. It’s pure wholesome loveliness and there is so much to do.
“Let’s start off with the Open Air Museum of Skansen, which is basically Sweden hundreds of years ago, but it is also so good for kids.
“There is a zoo. We were at the park 10 till 4pm so there is so much to do. It is so incredibly wholesome and of course plenty of sweets.
“Next up is the Vasa Museum, home to the world’s only preserved 17th century ship. There’s a great children’s trail to keep them entertained.
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“This is a pretty mind-blowing museum and you have to go .Next up is the Unibacken Museum, tis is a world of immersive stories dedicated to Astrid Lindgren who wrote Pippi Longstocking.
“Make sure you take the train through the story lands, it is so detailed, my daughter loved this”
The mum then explained that families should keep an eye out for the different metro stations in Stockholm, with the city being known for its art in the metros.
The mum added that there were plenty of free things to do in the city, alongside paid for attractions.
She said: “Aside from paid activities, Stockholm’s playgrounds are another level compared to the UK. Vasa Park is the largest in the city, even comes with bikes and play accessories as well.
“Activities aside, the food is great for kids in Sweden. Obviously there’s meatballs and mashed potato and the famous fika.
“Getting around the city is super easy. All in all one of the easiest yet most exciting city breaks you can do with kids. Obviously it’s not budget friendly but I’d say the activities that are there are well worth the price tag.”
Other parents commented on the video to agree with the twins, with many sharing their own experiences of visiting Sweden.
One person said: “We have family in Sweden but I didn’t even think about revisiting Stockholm with our little ones! I know they’d love the Vasa museum and these are some great other suggestions too.”
A second said: “Ahhh, yes totally agree. The nature and play parks and museums make Sweden a great place for children and families. I’m often asked to put together itineraries for families visiting.”
It was 6.30am, the cockcrow slot at Jubilee Park lido, and still not quite light. I hadn’t wanted to come this early – it was the only time I’d been able to book. But as I slid into the pool – heated to a delicious 29C – I realised it was a gift. Vapours rose dreamily into cool air laced with owl hoots and the whiff of dewy blooms, and I swam into a sunrise that became more vivid with every stroke. A man in the next lane paused to admire the reddening dawn too; he was hungover, he said, but had come to do his morning lengths nonetheless. A cure of sorts.
Bath, Harrogate, Buxton – Woodhall? This Lincolnshire village isn’t one of Britain’s headline spa towns. Most probably don’t know where it is – 18 miles (29km east of Lincoln, for the record. But at the turn of the 20th century, Woodhall Spa was among the most fashionable places to be seen, to be healed.
The Petwood Hotel, once the mess for wartime RAF officers. Photograph: Tim Scrivener/Alamy
Those wellness-seekers didn’t come, as I had, for the 90-year-old lido (open April to November). They came for the springs. In 1821, a hopeful entrepreneur sank a mine shaft here, prospecting for coal. He discovered water instead, which was found to be high in iodine and bromine, thought to be beneficial for everything from rheumatoid arthritis to gout. The first proper bath house was built in 1838; trains arrived in 1855. Woodhall Spa was on the map.
The village’s Edwardian heyday is long gone. The railway has closed, the baths are no longer in use – the original building is now a beauty salon. But Woodhall Spa still has a deeply restorative feel. With its broad, leafy avenues, red-brick and half-timber villas, protective shroud of trees, numerous cafes and delis, and promise of simple, bygone pleasures, it’s like a safety blanket; a place to escape the world’s horrors for a few days.
Tina Delaney, a director at Woodhall’s Cottage Museum, agrees. She came here on holiday from Bedford six years ago and ended up staying: “My husband describes it as moving 100 miles north, 80 years back in time.”
The little museum occupies a rare 19th-century prefab of yellow corrugated iron and documents Woodhall’s history, from its early fortunes to its part in the second world war. The 1st Airlanding Brigade trained here for Operation Market Garden, the ill-fated plan to seize bridges in the occupied Netherlands; of the 2,500 men who left, fewer than 500 returned. Many became prisoners of war. Also, Squadron 617 – the Dambusters – were briefly stationed at RAF Woodhall Spa; the officers’ mess was in the grandiose mock-Tudor Petwood Hotel. I wandered there after the museum and sat on the terrace, looking out across the elegant gardens with a half of Petwood Bomber ale.
The Kinema in the Woods, all rich reds and deep-plush seats, is housed in a converted 19th-century sports pavillion. Photograph: Sarah Baxter
While officers hung out at the hotel, lower ranks frequented the Kinema in the Woods. This late-19th-century sports pavilion was converted into a cinema in 1922 and nicknamed the “flicks in the sticks” by airmen, who were shown top-secret reconnaissance films here. It is now a cinephile’s delight. The lobby is all rich reds and movie memorabilia, with separate counters for popcorn and ices. In screen one, deep-plush seats face a stage through which a Compton organ sometimes rises, played by the resident organist – but sadly not for my showing. There was an intermission, though, during which I devoured local-made Dennetts’ apple pie ice-cream.
When I emerged the owls were hooting again and I headed back to Bainland, an 18-hectare (45-acre) holiday park of reclaimed-timber lodges on the edge of the village, large but nicely done. My lodge was smart and cosy, set on a teeny lake. The next morning I breakfasted outside, listening to acorns smack the decking, watching mallards skim through perfectly reflected trees.
I was in no rush. My plan was to borrow one of Bainland’s bikes and make the most of Lincolnshire’s flatness. First, I headed north-east. The railway, so key to Woodhall’s former prosperity, may be defunct but its old trackbed forms part of the off-road Spa Trail, an easy ride (around three miles) to Horncastle, via ancient woods and excellent sculptures: there are steel Viking ships and oversized plants, nodding to Sir Joseph Banks, the botanist on Captain Cook’s first Endeavour expedition, who grew up near Horncastle. Banks also brought the canal to Horncastle, transforming it from backwater to busy market town. The canal, which I followed briefly, is quiet and unnavigable now; these days, the town’s main trade is antique and secondhand stores. I browsed around, wishing I had a bicycle basket to load with dog-eared books and comedy toby jugs.
I also cycled the Water Rail Way, a mostly traffic-free route following the former Lincoln to Boston Railway, by the River Witham. In the middle ages, Lincolnshire had one of England’s greatest densities of monastic houses – abbey-averse Henry VIII called it “the most brute and beastly shire” – and the greatest concentration was in the Witham valley. I started at one, Kirkstead Abbey, where the merest sliver remains, and rode northward for six miles to another, in Bardney, where there was even less. But it was a joyful pedal, along the river, fenlands spreading either side, dotted with more sculptures, swans and defunct stations that now serve only walkers and cyclists.
Woodhall town centre is full of cafes and attractive streets. Photograph: Eye35/Alamy
Finally, I followed the same route a few miles south to Tattershall, home to the enormous, light-flooded Collegiate Church of Holy Trinity and one of England’s first brick-built castles. My timing was good, arriving just as National Trust guide Nigel was starting a tour of the castle’s moated 33.5 metre-high Great Tower. It was constructed in the 15th century by Ralph, third Baron Cromwell, treasurer of England, who wanted a show-off home befitting his self-importance. Nigel described it as “ eight million bricks and a fashion statement” – exposed brick was avant garde at the time.
We climbed up the storeys, from the vaulted basement buttery (used as a prison during the civil war) to the turreted roof. A superlative lookout – and power move – for Cromwell, it’s still the highest point around; Lincoln Cathedral’s gargantuan towers, visible when it’s clear, are 18 miles away. I looked north towards Woodhall Spa, too flat to be perceptible amid the fuzz of green, hidden despite being so close. Indeed, the ideal spot to hide away.
The trip was provided byBainland Lodge Retreats, which has lodges from £649 for four nights (sleeping two) and bike hire from £15pp. For more information see visitlincolnshire.com
