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The oldest road remains a popular National Trail for walkers, cyclists and horse riders exploring 5,000 years of history

Britain’s oldest road boasts an incredible 5,000-year history and continues to attract travellers to this day. The Ridgeway is widely acknowledged as the nation’s most ancient route, and even ranks amongst the world’s oldest roads.

Stretching 87 miles from Avebury in Wiltshire to Ivinghoe Beacon in Buckinghamshire, this historic elevated pathway has served countless generations, from prehistoric times through Roman, Saxon and medieval periods. Whilst much of The Ridgeway is now off-road, it remains a beloved public trail.

Travellers along the route can discover Neolithic long barrows, Bronze Age round barrows, Iron Age hillforts and admire striking white chalk figures carved into the hillsides.

These days, visitors can tackle the route on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. For those wanting to complete the entire distance, it’s achievable in under a week.

As one of Britain’s shorter National Trails, The Ridgeway frequently serves as an ideal starting point for newcomers to long-distance walking. At a pace of 15 miles daily, walkers can finish it in six days, reports the Express.

Numerous campsites dot the route, alongside B&Bs and lodges for overnight stays.

The trail begins in Avebury and heads in a north-easterly direction.

According to National Trail: “West of the River Thames, The Ridgeway is a broad track passing through the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and is often quite a distance from villages or towns.”

They added: “East of the Thames, The Ridgeway travels through the more wooded and intimate hills and valleys of the Chilterns AONB where, as well as further archaeological treasures, there are several nature reserves rich in the wildlife found in chalk grassland habitats.

“In the Chilterns, The Ridgeway goes close to or through several villages and small towns where refreshments and other facilities are easily available.”

Walkers can experience the Ridgeway throughout the year, though spring to autumn offers the finest views, weather and wildlife spotting opportunities.

Those tackling the trail in May are frequently treated to a spectacular bluebell carpet across the Chiltern woodlands.

The Cotswolds is home to some of England’s most stunning scenery – but Daylesford Organic Farm Shop is overpriced and overcrowded.

I’m a frequent visitor to Cotswold villages and spend considerable time exploring the area. From Stow-on-the-Wold to Bourton-on-the-Water, the Cotswolds boast some of England’s most charming villages.

Yet, it’s also where you’ll find certain social media hotspots that frankly aren’t worth the hassle.

Established by Carole Bamford, Daylesford Organic Farm Shop has skyrocketed in popularity recently, with countless visitors documenting their experiences on TikTok. Situated on their operational organic farm, the shop stocks fresh bread, seasonal produce, award-winning cheeses and homeware items.

The estate also features multiple restaurants, along with a garden shop brimming with handcrafted tableware and antique pieces.

Admittedly, it’s beautifully presented, visually impressive and undeniably photogenic for Instagram snaps or TikTok content, but it’s also shockingly pricey and constantly heaving with people, reports the Express.

Particularly at weekends, it resembles less of a peaceful countryside retreat and more of a hectic supermarket, complete with rammed car parks, congested aisles and never-ending queues.

That said, Daylesford isn’t without its merits. The cafe is pleasant, and when you visit at an opportune moment, the service is excellent, and the cuisine is delicious.

Beyond that, however, the pricing is excessive, the ambience can seem contrived rather than tranquil, and the whole experience frequently leaves me feeling frazzled.

Take, for instance, a sharing packet of crisps priced at roughly £7, a flower-pressed chocolate bar commanding a staggering £15, and a packet of biscuits costing £9. The fresh beverages were equally eye-watering, with a coffee costing £6.50.

All the produce is organic, which goes some way towards explaining the cost, but I still reckoned they were steep.

Regarding homeware, I couldn’t locate any transparent storage containers bearing Daylesford’s logo on the lid for less than £20. Actually, one of them carried a whopping £45 price tag. I also snagged a wicker tote for £60.

When the café proved too hectic to secure a hot beverage, I ventured outside to the van for a swift takeaway drink. Nevertheless, I stood in a static queue for 10 minutes, which genuinely discouraged me from returning.

Should you be exploring the Cotswolds and happen to be in the vicinity, it might be worth crossing off your bucket list, but I wouldn’t suggest making a dedicated journey there.

There are considerably superior farm shops, home stores, and destinations to invest your time and money.

Liverpool’s L1 postcode has been crowned one of the UK’s coolest areas – from street art to buzzing nightlife, here’s what makes it special

Every year, cities, towns and villages from right across Britain battle it out to claim a spot on the coveted “cool” list. Experts assess everything from culinary offerings to community spirit and outdoor access before crowning the top 10 “coolest postcodes” spanning England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This year, the Times has championed Liverpool – specifically the L1 postcode, which I proudly called home for four years.

The publication dubbed it the ultimate destination for “modern-day mop tops” pointing to Hollywood A-listers Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, who’ve been soaking up the city’s atmosphere whilst shooting their Beatles biopic.

The Times wrote: “This L1 pocket neatly edges into the vibey Baltic Triangle, a historical area that’s now an engine room of converted warehouses, food markets and venues such as Camp and Furnace – which has hosted everyone from Mogwai to Martha Wainwright – as well as grassroots spaces like Arts Bar Baltic, a creative hub café-bar hybrid.”

Having lived slap-bang in the middle of the Baltic Triangle between 2018 and 2022, I can vouch for its magnetic pull.

Come the weekend, the area bursts into life as revellers from across Liverpool and beyond descend upon its buzzing bars, nightclubs, cafés and artistic haunts.

There’s never a dull moment – something exciting is always happening. The neighbourhood boasts four key attractions that are rapidly putting it on the map for visitors from beyond the city, reports the Express.

Street art

Every corner of the area showcases vibrant artwork that transforms urban spaces into living galleries. From tributes to the Beatles to the famous Liver bird wings, and an entire skatepark serving as a canvas for constantly evolving designs, the Baltic Triangle bursts with colour.

Visitors can stroll through what feels like an open-air exhibition of artistic expression.

Food

Hunger isn’t an option in Liverpool, particularly not in the Baltic Triangle. Central to the area is the Baltic Market, a sprawling food hall offering everything from burritos to pizza and Thai cuisine.

With vendors rotating regularly, there’s always something fresh to discover.

Nightlife

While the district buzzes during daylight hours, it truly comes alive after dark. Industrial warehouses transform into massive entertainment venues, hosting everything from DJ sets to live performances, and famously gave birth to Bongo’s Bingo.

There’s genuinely something to suit all tastes, whether it’s the Irish pub Punch Tarmey’s, Boxpark, Camp and Furnace, or neighbourhood brewery Love Lane.

Creativity

Simply passing through the Baltic Triangle can spark inspiration, thanks to the wealth of cultural happenings. The yearly Sound City music festival takes over its spaces, whilst Arts Bar Baltic regularly stages Books In Bars sessions where bibliophiles can find their next page-turner.

For those needing an energy boost, 92 Degrees Coffee and Ditto Coffee are available, alongside workspaces and conference facilities at Baltic Creative for productive sessions.

SPANISH theme park PortAventura is home to the fastest rollercoaster in Europe – and it’s gearing up for two exciting additions.

PortAventura is not just a theme park, as it also has a huge waterpark, Caribe Aquatic Park, and Ferrari World.

It’s one of the most popular amusement parks in Europe and sees between three to five million visitors each year.

The first new addition will be inside the Polynesia area of PortAventura’s main park.

It will be a new outdoor adventure trail and visitors can explore the ‘heart of the jungle’ on its elevated walkways and rope bridges above the park.

The second will be inside Caribe Aquatic Park which is a 6,000 m² family area inspired by pirates called ‘Coral Bay The Lost Legend’.

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The new zone will have a family water coaster, an adventure pool with a one-of-a-kind aquatic obstacle course.

It will also have new water slides and a new food and drink outlet.

Fernando Aldecoa, CEO of PortAventura World, commented: 
“At PortAventura World, we continue to evolve our offer to deliver increasingly memorable experiences.

“We listen closely to our guests, and the new attractions launching in 2026 reflect our commitment to surprising them and creating unique experiences for visitors of all ages.” 

PortAventura is one of Europe‘s biggest theme parks with over 40 rides and attractions in its main park.

There are smaller rides the little ones like the carousel, bumper cars, and tea cups.

Or those who want more thrills, there’s roller coasters like Shambhala which is the park’s tallest hypercoaster at 249 feet.

The neighbouring waterpark, Caribe Aquatic Park, has waterfalls, huge pools, racing slides all surrounded by tropical plants and palm trees.

Meanwhile, Ferrari Land has 16 attractions and games – all with a racing theme of course.

One of the most popular rides is Red Force in Ferrari Land – the record-breaking launch coaster that goes from 0 to 112 mph in five seconds.

Guests wanting to stay overnight can do in one of the 10 hotels which start from €67 (£58.10).

For Brits, it’s not hard to get to either as the park is just a couple of hours away on Spain’s Costa Daurada – an hour away from Barcelona.

The closest airport is Reus which is just a 14-minute drive from the theme park.

The park has closed for the season but will reopen on February 28, 2026 and on select days afterwards.

It will fully open every day of the week from March 30, 2026.

Tickets start from €50 (£43.35) for adults and €44 (£38.15) for children and seniors.

Hear what one writer got up to when she visited the Spanish theme park…

Writer Caron Curnow took a visit to PortAventura and here’s what she got up to…

“With my eyes screwed tightly shut, I brace myself for the plummet.

“Suddenly, I’m being hurled an agonising 76 metres down a sheer drop, approaching terrifying speeds of 83mph before being thrown through a helix loop.

“When it’s all over, I can barely recall what had just happened. This is Shambhala, one of Europe’s best hypercoasters, found at PortAventura World on Spain’s sizzling Costa Dorada.

“The theme park is celebrating its 30th birthday this year but, judging from the spine-tingling ride I’d just been on, the park is far from slowing down. In fact, it is positively thirty and thriving.

“The park is not just bold, it’s also beautiful, with lush landscaping across the six themed lands of Mexico, Polynesia, China, Far West, Mediterranea and SesamoAventura, where we could recover from the adrenaline rush and soaring temperatures.”

For more on theme parks, here are the ones in the UK that you can reach by train.

And here’s more on the mega £8.72m ride that’s ‘tallest of its kind’ in UK that’s closer to launching in an iconic seaside theme park.

The Queen of Pop has been visiting the seaside town and raved about its arts scene and favourite Italian restaurant to her 20million Instagram followers.

Madonna has stunned residents in a British seaside town after spending time discovering its attractions. The pop icon typically travels between major cities such as New York, Los Angeles and London.

Yet she broke from tradition this weekend by choosing to visit the coastal town of Margate in Kent. She mixed with residents at a free arts festival and spent time with acclaimed artist Tracey Emin.

Margate clearly made an impression on Madonna, as she gushed about the town to her 20 million Instagram followers.

Margate has experienced a revival in recent years due to its thriving arts and culture scene. Growing numbers of visitors have descended on the town to enjoy its sandy beach, vintage fairground and numerous restaurants.

The town has a population of just over 60,000 and sits roughly 80 miles from London. Frequently described as England’s trendiest seaside destination, Margate could see an even bigger surge following Madonna’s seal of approval, reports the Express.

The Hung Up singer praised friend Tracey Emin and her contributions to Margate. Madonna said: “I have known Tracey for over 25 years and I’ve always been a fan of her extremely personal and provocative work.

“But what she has created in this community by the sea is quite remarkable.”

She highlighted Tracey’s artist residency programme, which offers emerging artists from across the globe the opportunity to live and create in Margate for several months.

Madonna disclosed she has visited Margate “a few times now” and has been impressed by the “commitment and passion” displayed by local artists.

She added: “Not only that, but the whole town seems to be inhabited and energized by creativity. Writers and performance artists, photographers, and painters. This is my idea of heaven.”

The music icon described her personal connection to Margate: “Whenever I go there, I feel like I’ve entered a dream.

“On top of all of that, I get to eat at my favourite Italian restaurant which I’m not giving anyone the name of because then everyone’s going to go there and it only has one table! !”.