Earnings Call Insights: Mattel (MAT) Q2 2026
Seeking Alpha’s Disclaimer: This article was automatically generated by an AI tool based on content available on the Seeking Alpha website, and has not been curated or reviewed by humans. Due to inherent limitations in using AI-based tools, the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of such articles cannot be guaranteed. This article is intended for informational purposes only. Seeking Alpha does not take account of your objectives or your financial situation and does not offer any personalized investment advice. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank.
A CLEVER suitcase trick has gone viral on TikTok which will get you two checked suitcases for the price of one.
Travellers have called it a huge “new life hack.”
For those looking to save on pesky baggage fees, TikTok may have just found the answer.
A user has posted a video to the social media site giving holidaymakers a sneaky travel hack for those planning on bringing back a mountain of holiday souvenirs and shopping.
The viral trick involves placing a large packed suitcase inside an empty one.
Zip them both up, check them into hold luggage and you’ve managed to take away two bags for the price of one.
Travellers can then fill the empty suitcases with a host of holiday purchases and bring the two bags back on the return flight, ideal for those heading on long-distance trips.
You will obviously need to pay for both suitcases on your return, but you’ll have scrimped some cash on the outbound flight.
It also means you won’t need to buy an extra suitcase during your trip if you already had spares at home.
However, an even handier hack has emerged online for those looking to max out their holiday packing.
Pop a smaller packed suitcase inside a large suitcase for your outbound flight.
On the return, you can check in the larger suitcases filled to the brim with new purchases and souvenirs, and keep the smaller bag as your free carry- on bag.
The result is only having to pay for one checked bag on each flight.
Fans of the popular hack poured praise on the social media platform.
“This is absolutely freakin’ brilliant,” wrote one user.
Another added: “Doing this for years, saves you space in the big suitcase and gives you extra space once you use it as a carry-on the way back.”
“This is a great idea because I have about 55 suitcases from each time I had to buy an extra one,” said another.
Another said: “Oh my god new life hack unlocked.”
A savvy packing hack has also been doing the rounds on social media, helping shoppers whittle down their wardrobe into just nine essential items.
The trick means you can save on baggage fees by only bringing one free hand luggage bag.
If you get out to Joshua Tree and the night is clear, look up. You’ll see not just the stars, but a massive swath of the Milky Way. It’s a reminder that the vastness is always present, beyond the city’s bright lights. And once dawn comes, the desert performs the same magic: long horizons, unfamiliar landscapes, the creeping feeling that we are small, short-lived creatures on an immense ancient planet. No wonder some people find it unsettling.
On the Shelf
Yellow Pine
By Claire Vaye Watkins
Riverhead Books: 256 pages, $29
If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.
Not the characters in Claire Vaye Watkins’ new novel “Yellow Pine,” who embrace the desert in the extreme. They live at the far side of the Mojave Desert where California meets Nevada. Wherefore the pines, you ask? The book’s title is a wry joke — “Yellow Pine” is not a forest, not a tree. It’s a massive solar array slated to be built nearby in the Nevada desert. A ragtag crew of desert dwellers are hoping to stop it, or at least slow down the grinding wheels of capitalism that see the desert merely as an empty space for the taking.
Primary among them is Rose, a 30-something single mom who lives near the end of a very, very long dirt road in a cabin she calls Nothingness Flats. Rose works for an environmental nonprofit that has gone remote because it’s the pandemic; she often spirals at the state of the world. “Sometimes I think I can feel the planet just hemorrhaging under all this greed. Like it’s tectonic,” she laments.
Rampant environmental destruction notwithstanding, the novel kicks off with the joyous return of Miles, the guy who got away. He is an outdoor person, like Rose; has trouble fitting into societal norms, like Rose; and he is an ideal intellectual partner for her, bantering, well-read and ready to engage. Also, they have great sex.
Lest I portray this as a typical summer beach read, Watkins’ writing is in a special, different mode. Her latest books somehow cut past narrative traditions and portray plot and emotion more directly. Another novel might find Rose, after she decides she loves Miles so much that she wants to get pregnant, going to a doctor, getting tests, worrying about being almost 40 and what that means. Rose does none of that — she just suddenly deeply wants a baby, and that desire is vivid in the text. Overexplained storytelling is set aside for something that’s striking and vivid.
When I reached Watkins via Zoom to talk about the book, I asked her how she does it. “Partly it’s an intuition I have about what makes an interesting story,” Watkins says. “A story requires a lot of improbable decisions. Maybe they’re not great decisions, but the person doesn’t know that at the time.”
In “Yellow Pine,” Miles is not without some red flags. In my reviewer’s copy, I found myself scrawling “bad idea!” in the margin, trying to warn Rose about him. It gives the story some tension, and shows that our heroine isn’t perfect — she’s just doing her best under desert skies.
Rose lives in Tecopa, population 120, among people who’ve chosen the isolation, quietude, natural beauty and brutal conditions on purpose. Of the real-life people in these communities, Watkins says, “It’s really tough. The environment is extreme. There are no amenities. There’s no jobs. … I think there’s a refusenik quality to them.”
Nevertheless, some of them come together to try to forestall the installation of the solar array. They point out that “solar farm” is a misnomer because the land — an alluvial plane with Yucca colonies dating back hundreds of years, creosote rhizomatic rings even longer — will be scraped and fenced. What happens to the endangered desert tortoises is awful. These activists are trying every legal recourse and have set up a tiny camp at the edge of the property. Sweetly, and with little hope, they make a small community of people who understand each other and the desert landscape that others see as a blank space on the map.
“In California most of the biodiversity in the state is in the inland deserts, partly because a lot of the other ecosystems have been totally destroyed, you know? It’s a very alive place,” Watkins explains.
In “Yellow Pine,” Rose’s conviction that she should get pregnant grows to a point where she comes up with a wild scheme to make that happen. It is very funny, outsized and unexpected. It’s a small individual resistance to the impending destruction of the desert.
Watkins is very good at making a humorous turn at the end of thoughts, sentences, books. This is her fourth. Her debut, the short story collection “Battleborn” in 2012, set her on a trajectory of accolades; 2021’s “I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness,” was an L.A. Times book prize finalist. She is currently a professor of writing at UC Irvine.
“The thing I love about novels, writing them and reading them, is that it’s private thoughts,” Watkins says. “It’s this cool technology that we’ve come up with to deal with the fact that we don’t know what’s going on in each other’s heads and hearts and how painful that can be.”
She adds that a novelist’s job is to care about the reader. “There’s something really beautiful about, I’m going to do my very best with my part and then I give it to you, and I let it go and I trust you and I respect you,” she says. “I love the world when I’m writing and my books are like acts of love, partly because I really struggle. I’m not walking around loving my fellow man easily.”
When our Zoom began, she apologized for the noises outside — construction, dog walkers, gardeners. I couldn’t hear them at all, but I got the impression that those intrusions and distractions were weighing on her. “I feel like I have a very sensitive instrument,” she says. “I get a little agitated and the pace is really, really different.”
I had been expecting to reach her at an improbable desert outpost, like a Death Valley library with Wi-Fi, but instead reached her in Orange County. It’s for her job, and also as a part-time parent, much easier for amenities. It’s a busy town where there are lots of people, lots of businesses, lots of traffic, the hectic pace of modern life — but still, the desert has its pull. She splits her time between the two locales.
“Yellow Pine” is a testament to her beloved remote corner of the Mojave, its beauties, hardships and endangerments. The place has been an essential part of her creative process and project. “What we do for fun in Tecopa is like, watch the sky. That’s our entertainment, you know?” she says, reflecting on the long moments of silence that stretch out over the evenings. “And it’s like, ‘wow.’”
CARDI B is about to let everyone in on the story of her rollercoaster life — including working as a stripper.
I can reveal the rapper is the subject of a major new documentary from the same team behind programmes on Victoria Beckham, Pamela Anderson and Coleen Rooney.
Production company Dorothy Street Pictures is secretly working on the special, in which she will speak about her rags to riches story.
Cardi, who wore this eye-popping pink catsuit and matching hat for a performance in New York on Sunday, has quite a backstory, so I’m sure it will be riveting viewing.
She started off her working life as a stripper, and would entice men to hotel rooms and steal their money.
Her fortunes changed when she became a viral sensation a decade ago on apps such as Vine and Instagram, and eventually got signed to a label and scored hit songs including Wap and I Like It.
Cardi has not been short of controversy during her time in the showbiz spotlight, famously throwing a shoe at rival Nicki Minanj during a spat in 2018.
She has also had a difficult love life, getting married to Migos rapper Offset in 2017, and having four kids with him before they separating in 2023.
A source said: “Cardi is one of the most in-demand rappers in the world and is also one of the most interesting.
“She has lived her life in the public eye to some degree. But there’s a lot that she’s never opened up about, and this is her chance.
“Next year will mark a decade since she released her major-label debut single Bodak Yellow and so there’s a documentary in the works which will mark that.
“There’s a lot to talk about and she wants the public to see who she really is, because she often feels misunderstood.
“It’s expected to air on a big streaming service like Netflix, but the deal is still being hatched out.”
Cardi released her long-awaited second album Am I The Drama? last year and then went on a tour across North America.
And I won’t be surprised if we see her back on stage at British festivals next summer.
Kojo Funds has worked with acts ranging from Wizkid and Tion Wayne to Kano and Bugzy Malone since bursting on to the music scene a decade ago.
But the British singer has saluted the work ethic of top women in the industry and says they have inspired him.
His biggest chart hit to date is 2017 collaboration Finders Keepers with Mabel, and has also worked with Raye on a 2018 track called Check.
Kojo said in an exclusive interview: “Female artists who are operating at that level take their craft seriously. Put effort into what you’re doing, don’t do it anyhow.
“They’re very hard-working, I respect them for that. The work ethic… that’s the kind of thing I took from them.”
Kojo’s new single How Many will be on his EP Hello It’s Me Again, which is out on August 21.
And one person who’s bound to be giving it a spin is Cardi B.
Recalling how the US rapper discovered his music, he said: “Her first time in London, she went to a club and they were playing my music.
“Dun Talkin’ came on and she saw how people were hyping her up while she was moving to it.
“The next morning, she’s on Instagram singing it, with her hair messy, a little bit tipsy.”
They’ve since performed together and hung out, so I’m hoping a collaboration with her is on the cards next.
DANCING On Ice beauty Vanessa Bauer has been tipped for a career in Hollywood by Football Factory and The Business actor Tamer Hassan.
She has re-trained after the ITV show was axed, and plays Tamer’s girlfriend in new film Rise Of The Footsoldier: Retribution.
On how great she was playing Isabella Chaika opposite his character, Colonel Sullivan, he told me: “Vanessa has a future in films, 100 per cent.
She looks great, she carries herself well.
“She’s definitely got some chops to be an actress.”
Vanessa joined Dancing On Ice in 2018 when the show was revived.
She won with Jake Quickenden, and was a runner-up several times with celebs including Diversity’s Perri Kiely and Towie’s Joey Essex.
But the show ended again in 2025 and now she is exploring new paths, having also appeared in Netflix’s The Thursday Murder Club.
THE race for No1 is hotting up.
Shakira’s Dai Dai now is just 118 copies ahead of Sam Fender and Olivia Dean’s Rein Me In – closing the gap from 609 copies the previous day.
The World Cup anthem will be her third chart-topper if she can hang on to the lead until Friday.
But if Rein Me In can clinch it, it will become the longest-running No1 of all time, with 19 weeks at the top.
OSCAR-winning director Christopher Nolan says there’s one genre that’s too hard for him to tackle – the romcom.
The man behind movies such as Oppenheimer, Interstellar and The Dark Knight would be “terrified” at the prospect of making one.
The Brit whose new epic The Odyssey is No1 at the box office, explained: “I think doing a romcom would be incredibly difficult.
I love watching those movies. But no, I think people who direct comedy, people who do comedy . . . that’s one of the hardest things in the world, to make people laugh that way.
“If I show a film to people and maybe they don’t respond to bits of it, I’m like, ‘Ah, they don’t get it. Whatever’. There’s no hiding behind that when you do comedy, so I would be terrified.”
TYLA is hitting the road for a 34-date global tour following the release last week of her second album A*POP.
The Chanel singer has announced she will open the tour in Paris on October 12 before shows at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on October 15 the O2 Apollo Manchester on October 19 and O2 Academy Glasgow on October 18.
Tickets will go on sale at 10am this Friday through tylaworld.com.
THERE was no chance of Zara Larsson getting cold feet about her latest brand deal with these slippers.
She wore the funky footwear – designed as giant feet in flip flops – while reclining on a sofa as part of a campaign for re-sale site Depop.
Zara put 30 pieces of clothing from her own wardrobe up for sale, and they sold out almost straight away.
She said: “I’m not particularly sad about releasing anything of mine into the world because I know I’m gonna get many more beautiful things back. Fashion is fun in that way.”
Given all the designer brands desperate for her to wear their clothes, I am sure she has plenty of options.
DANNY DYER and Ray Winstone are teaming up again, two decades after appearing in TV film All In The Game.
The hardmen, pictured together in 2006, have been cast in UK crime thriller Going Under, which is due to hit cinemas next spring.
Production on the film has just been completed, after being shot in secret.
It will follow Ray’s gangster character Riley and his right-hand man Don, played by Danny, trying to pull off one final deal.
CHARLI XCX is ready for our fourth heatwave of the summer – and has stripped off to prepare.
She shared this photo of her wearing a bra and sunglasses on Instagram, just as it was revealed there will be a picture of the singer going on display at the National Portrait Gallery in London.
A 2024 photo of Charli in a white crop top, which was taken by Harley Weir and used to promote her album Brat, has been added to the gallery’s collection and will be in its History Makers Now space.
Senior curator Brandei Estes said: “We are delighted to acquire this striking portrait of Charli XCX, which captures one of the defining cultural figures of her generation.”
WILD Child actress Emma Roberts has tied the knot to afellow screen star Cody John.
Emma, who appeared in American Horror Story and is the niece of Hollywood A-lister Julia Roberts, wore a Monique Lhuillier dress, and told Vogue: “I’ve been married in a movie before, and I tried out wedding dresses for that, which feels so weird. Now, it’s the real deal.
“I wanted it to feel very vintage-inspired.”
The couple started dating in 2022.
LIZ HURLEY has revealed the secret to her romance with Billy Ray Cyrus is a shared love of birdwatching.
She said: “We’ve been together nearly 18 months, but we spend the vast majority of our time in the countryside, whether it’s in England or Tennessee.
“We like doing the same things, which some people would think is a little odd. We like bird watching. We’ve got binoculars, we’ve got long lenses.”
The relationship has been especially good for her son, filmmaker Damian, who has been able to meet Billy’s superstar daughter Miley.
Liz added on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live in the US: “When he was a young teen, he used to love all her music. I used to have to watch her music videos like Wrecking Ball a zillion times with him, so we were very familiar with who she was, and I knew I was going to like her, and I do like her.”
In 2007, for the first time in recorded history, more humans were living in urban spaces than rural ones. The animal kingdom has followed suit. In our cities, we are surrounded by synanthropes — wild animals that have adapted to human-modified environments and have learned to thrive in them — yet most of us are unaware of the biodiversity of this urban wildlife and how it functions along a parallel track with its human brethren.
Dan Werb’s latest book “Our Wild Familiars” explains how these “soil churners … epidemic vectors and ecosystem partners” have a crucial role to play in the future sustainability of our communities. I talked to Werb about coyotes, the health benefits of birdsong and seagulls with junk-food issues.
An exclusive look at what we’re reading, book club events and our latest author interviews.
By continuing, you agree to our Terms of Service, which include arbitration and a class action waiver. You agree that we and our third-party vendors may collect and use your information, including through cookies, pixels and similar technologies, for the purposes set forth in our Privacy Policy such as personalizing your experience and ads.
You are an epidemiologist.
I was trained as a social epidemiologist — somebody who can look at how societal factors influence the health of populations. I study how society determines who lives and dies, who is sick and who is healthy.
I’m wondering if it was your interest in Zoonotic viruses that led you to this subject?
The last book I wrote was called “The Invisible Siege.” It is an overview of the history of coronavirus science, starting in the ‘80s, braided with the much longer history of the coronavirus family. And it ends with this scientist who is describing being in northern Thailand and moving through Myanmar and Yunnan Province in China in the ‘90s. And he stumbles upon this exotic animal market near the Shan Autonomous state, which is an ethnic enclave in northern Myanmar that’s been at war with the junta there forever. And this market’s got cloud leopard skins, civets and every crazy, exotic animal that you can imagine. And they were all being sent directly into China. And it’s exactly this kind of trafficking that is carrying all these viruses, like this superhighway of exotic animals into urban areas.
But not all urban animals are vectors for disease. In fact, we have fostered very cushy urban environments for many different species. Pigeons, for example, who don’t have to fly in cities because they have no natural predators.
Chris Shell, a coyote expert from Altadena that I interviewed, pointed out that pigeons do have to worry about predators now, because there are red tail hawks and coyotes and other creatures. Our urban ecosystems are becoming more complex. There are some biologists that are describing our time right now in North America as the great urban shift. They’ve done modeling exercises showing that over the next few decades there are literally going to be thousands of species moving into urban areas. They’re increasingly going to be mega-fauna, much larger animals.
Why is that happening?
We’re seeing the continuing acceleration of the transformation of wild spaces into human modified spaces. But it’s also because of extreme weather events. If you look at the horrible fires that occurred in Los Angeles last year, one of the things that happened was hundreds of thousands, even millions, of animals had to flee those areas that were on fire, and they fled into urban areas. What do urban areas provide? Constant sources of freshwater, continual sources of food waste, and other prey. You’ve got climate change happening, and that’s causing this real shift of animals moving into different places.
Dan Werb, author of “Our Wild Familiars,” a new book about wild animals who’ve managed to survive in human communities.
(Joseph Fuda)
What about a less traditional metropolitan space, like L.A. County, which is a hodgepodge of so many different kinds of topography and terrain.
L.A. is super fascinating because lot size isn’t directly related to income. It’s very much more heterogeneous and variable, even within neighborhoods. The wealthier a neighborhood is, the higher the biodiversity is going to be, because we’re going to have larger lots, more green space, fewer fences, things like that.
We have a complicated relationship with coyotes in L.A., especially those of us who have lost pets to them. But according to your book, we have trapped them in our cities.
Coyotes need to have pathways that allow them to move in and out cities. As it is now, they move into urban environments looking for food and water, and they can’t get out. They get trapped in cities, and conflict happens. Like black bears in suburbs across large parts of North America that dig into people’s garbage.
And bears and other animals eating, say, fast food leftovers is a nutritional disaster as well.
It’s like an ecological trap. They see no reason why they would leave, even though staying is actually more dangerous for them. And there are all kinds of ecological traps across cities that manifest in different ways. One that I always think about is seagulls at the seashore that have evolved over tens of millions of years to be able to hunt fish and shellfish. And the fish are right there, yet they’re eating french fries because it’s slightly less work.
You mention the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing that spans the 101 freeway in Agoura Hills, the first animal crossing of its kind in America, as a potential solution to this problem.
I think it’s great. One hopes there will be more projects like that undertaken in other cities around the world.
We’ve discussed all the rotten things that are going on with animals in cities. Why is it a wonderful thing that animals have come into our cities and our lives?
If we hear birdsong, we’re less stressed. If we hear additional birdsong, it multiplies the stress-relieving effect. Being close to animals is biologically beneficial for us. It’s really about connection. I look at AI, and there’s this kind of sense that an AI chat bot can decrease loneliness. But it’s just an echo chamber. I think a true connection is bridging some kind of divide in the way that you think or perceive the world. And in that sense, being aware of an animal who is aware of you takes you out of yourself in a way that I think is really, really special.
This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.
Book jacket for “You Won’t Get Free of It: Stories of Mothers and Daughters” by Rachel Aviv
(Los Angeles Times illustration; book jacket from Knopf)
The ostensible topic of Rachel Aviv’s new essay collection, “You Won’t Get Free of It,” is mothers and daughters, but according to Julia M. Klein, Aviv’s sparkling, sharp-eyed pieces “involve the slipperiness of truth and the crushing inadequacy of our mental-health system and social safety net.”
“Cool Machine,” the final volume of Colson Whitehead’s Harlem trilogy, is an “American epic disguised as a heist novel,” writes Leigh Haber. “Whether or not New York is your jam, or a place you have escaped from or to, Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy is destined to live on as an American classic.”
Whitney Friedlander profiles Jessica Knoll, one of America’s most successful authors of sexy thrillers that “depict the absolute worst things one person could do to another — but in such a sensational, tongue-prickling-sour-candy kind of way that her books come off as devilishly evil beach reads.”
Finally, Dan Tana’s book about his legendary, eponymously-named restaurant in West Hollywood, “Everybody Came to Tana’s,” has been posthumously published. Sixty-two years after the restaurant’s opening, it’s still a tough reservation to snag. “In a town that’s always trying to be something that it’s not, it’s not trying to be anything,” his daughter Katerina tells Maddie Connors. “Dan Tana’s is longevity in the midst of ephemera.”
The Philosophical Research Society is a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument in Los Feliz.
(Philosophical Research Society)
There is nothing else in L.A. like the Philosophical Research Society. The nonprofit was founded by scholar Manly Hall in 1934 as a place for the curious to explore wisdom, philosophy, mysticism and mythology across all cultures. Its visually striking Mayan Revival Los Feliz campus, a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument, features an auditorium, a gallery and a library of 30,000 volumes. The PRS bookshop is its own gem, a well-curated miscellany of books for spiritual seeking and enlightenment.
In a joint email exchange, PRS staffers dama, Jarrett Schaefer, Kelly Carmena and Amanda Brass explain what makes the store a sui generis experience.
How does the bookshop tie in thematically with the Philosophical Research Society?
The PRS Bookstore is a reflection of all that we do here at PRS. It is an extension of the library created by Manly Hall where you will find foundational texts in alchemy, mythology, philosophy, astrology, and art. You will also find a selection of books based on themes explored in our talks and screenings and from recommendations made by the team at PRS.
It’s a very well-curated inventory of new and secondhand books — I assume you’re very careful about what you stock on the shelves.
We select works that are meaningful to us and hope that they will resonate with everyone too. We highlight works by mystics and visionaries. In our staff recommendations section, you’ll find titles like Ben Caldwell and Robeson Taj Frazier’s “Kaos Theory,” art books by Penny Slinger, Betye Saar and Remedios Varo, Yoko Ono’s “Grapefruit,” “Red Tarot” by Christopher Marmolejo, “The Bhagavad Gita,” and “Time, Myth & Matter” by LD Deutsch. We also feature items from local artists like Moss Candles, Black Willow Jewelry, and perfume by Syd Botanica. Our secondhand books are donation-only and are a kaleidoscopic bag of surprises.
The Philosophical Research Society features an auditorium, a gallery, a library of 30,000 volumes and a bookshop.
(Philosophical Research Society)
What book genres tend to sell well?
Esoteric art, mythology, tarot and divinatory practices, ancient philosophy, and hermeticism are all popular subjects. The top-selling book every year is Manly Hall’s seminal work “The Secret Teachings of All Ages,” which is an encyclopedic outline of symbolic philosophy. The used astrology books and children’s books are quite popular too.
Do you have author events?
We’ve hosted book talks with Mark Mothersbaugh, Michelle Coltrane, Mitch Horowitz and Susan Orlean. We regularly co-present events with publishers like Hat & Beard Press, Angel City Press, the Library of Esoterica, Sky Press, Ouroboros Press and Bibliomancers. There are also monthly events that are centered around the bookstore: The Manly Hall Book Club, Astro Study Group, Surrealist Study Group, Tarot Salon and an Esoteric Game Night.
Philosophical Research Society is at 3910 Los Feliz Blvd. in Los Angeles.
(Please note: The Times may earn a commission through links to Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.)
BUSTY Kylie Jenner showed off her jaw-dropping figure in a string of bikinis as she got wet and wild with a pal in her steamiest shoot yet.
The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star, 28, looked incredible as she posed up a storm to promote her brand KHY’s latest collaboration.
Kylie, who founded KHY back in 2023, has recently joined forces with designer swimwear brand Frankie’s Bikinis.
The reality star took to her social media to show off some of the stunning two pieces by sharing snaps of herself modelling the looks.
She also wowed in a baby pink set alongside owner Francesca Aiello as they stood in front of a water fountain, and also climbed over each other on the grass in front.
In another snap, Kylie smized at the camera as she showed off her cleavage in a busty leopard print bikini.
She also laid on the floor in a black leather two piece with a pair of silver stilettos.
Kylie captioned the post: “So fun getting to step into @francescaaiello world again.
“There’s nothing better than creating with your friends and watching each other do what we love.
“So excited for @khy x @frankiesbikinis round two. Launching 07.14 khy.com.”
Many rushed to the comments section to share how incredible she looked.
One wrote: “Icon.”
Another added: “Hotness overload.”
A third chimed in: “Great. A professional woman, what elegance. Always brilliant. Giving everything. Blessings!!!”
“Obsessed with u,” a fourth said.
A fifth commented: “Queen.”
A sixth simply said: “Beautiful.”
ROSS Kemp has shared another passionate video raving about England in the World Cup.
The EastEnders star made headlines last week for his hilarious reaction to Harry Kane scoring the winning goal against the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Now he’s gone and done it again, this time sharing his excitement over England‘s win against Mexico in the World Cup.
In a video posted to Instagram, Ross screams to his phone camera about Jude Bellingham scoring two goals while wearing an England football shirt.
The star says: “Come on England, come on England. You just keep it calm.
“Keep it calm. Go… two!!! Come on England.
“Shut them up. Shut that crowd up, shut everybody up.
“Come on England, come on England. Jude, Jude, Jude, Juuuude. I love you. Love you.
“Keep cool heads, keep cool heads and we will shut them out.”
Fans watching the video thought it was just as funny as the last time and took to the post’s comments section to share their delight.
One user said: “Ross Kemp for next England manager.”
A second shared: “Love a Ross Kemp update.”
A third added: “Love your enthusiasm, come on England.”
It follows Ross’ passionate declaration about Harry Kane, which has since been parodied by Olly Murs.
The star ranted: “Yes! Yes! Harry Kane! Harry Kane!
“That’s what we’re talking about. Great changes made – a massive difference. Come on, England! Close it down. Close it down!”
Punching the air in triumph, he went on: “Four minutes! Four minutes! Plus extra time!”
Looking out of breath, the actor added: “My God, why do you do this to me? Come on, England!”
Harry scored two goals in nine minutes during the match, delivering England to a 2-1 win and sending the Three Lions to Mexico City.
Me with a couple of hosts from one of the guesthouses where we stopped for lunch(Image: ReachPlc)
It’s not every year you turn 32. It’s also not every year you celebrate it by hiking around Romania.
Transilvanica Trail was sold to me as Romania’s answer to the Camino de Santiago, a walking route that stretches across northern Spain, which is enjoying a huge surge in popularity.
In its totality, the Via Transilvanica, or “the road that unites”, is a 1,400 kilometer long route that crosses Romania diagonally from Putna to Drobeta Turnu Severin.
As fun as that sounds, my journey was a little shorter. Guided by Intrepid, I was taking on five days of the route, managing around 10km a day. That might not sound like a lot, the idea of that much hiking made me nervous.
I needn’t have been.
What unfolded was a trip like no other, which left me desperate to go back for more.
My alarm went off at 4.30am, ending a night at a Stansted Airport hotel. While this certainly felt brutal, the prospect of being on a flight without a three-year-old still seemed like a luxury to me. Compared to my usual journeys filled with Paw Patrol, drawing, toys and snacks, this was such an easy, smooth ride. I just slept.
Landed in Cluj-Napoca, trip leader Raluca bundled me into a minibus and we headed north.
Before setting off, we are fed (something the Romanians are very good at, as I will quickly learn). I loved the delicious pepper and mushroom soup with sour cream, while the roast chicken with potatoes was so full of flavour too. Little did I expect what a culinary journey I was about to embark on.
Up at 8.30am after a good night’s sleep, I enjoyed a typical Romanian breakfast at the family-owned Pension Elegance at Guru Humorului.
The hotel itself is not pretentious – and not what we would probably class as a 4* hotel in the UK – but it is comfortable and homely. My room had a small balcony overlooking the gorgeous countryside. What else could I ask for?
First stop was the UNESCO-listed Sucevița Monastery. The painted monastery is home to 80 nuns and is gorgeous. Even having grown up in a country of Catholic churches, it was unlike anything I had seen before.
Afterwards, it was time to start hiking. The weather was a bit misty, but thankfully not rainy. Our hike started at Palma Pass checkpoint and led us through spruce forests. I found the hike on the first day rewarding and exciting; I felt pleased with myself for comfortably managing the 10km walk.
I was definitely ready for lunch by the time we stopped at Popas la Cosma, one of the guesthouses along the trail, famous for its authentic local dairy products made by shepherds. They could not have been more welcoming, showing us the accommodation and how they prepared the food. As well as the usual beds, there was an option to sleep in the hay barn.
We were served a delicious selection of meats and cheeses, as well as a yummy salad, but I am so glad I left room for dessert because the pancakes, filled with sweet cheese and blueberries, were incredibly moreish.
A 45-minute drive away, we transferred to Sadova trailhead via Vatra Moldoviței. The second day of hiking – around 11km – was definitely the most challenging one of the three, most likely because the sunny, warm weather made the journey feel completely different from the previous day.
The process of walking through the woods, placing one foot in front of another, helped clear my head. By the end of our second day of trekking, I felt calmer and clearer-minded than I had in months.
The lunch stop at La Moara Bucovina restaurant was the best meal I had in Romania, without a doubt. Not only was the location breathtaking and the hosts incredibly warm and friendly, but the food was also excellent from start to finish. The highlight was a sarmale, a traditional Romanian dish consisting of stuffed cabbage rolls with rice and mince.
Our room for the night was at Hotel Dorna in Vatra Dornei, a ski resort town. Excited to be in a bit of a livelier place for the first time, I explored the beautiful, but quiet town before dinner.
On our third day of hiking, we drove to the Mestecăni trailhead, where there is a small, ridiculously cheap souvenir shop. I bought two mugs, three painted eggs and a jigsaw puzzle for £10.
Despite it being our third day of walking, the day’s hike feels easier. Perhaps my legs had gotten stronger. The highlight was the wildlife we saw, including a frog and a couple of snakes.
The lunch spot was another idyllic guest house with staggering, far-reaching views. As well as serving scrumptious food, Gigi Ursu Chalet has a lovely terrace where you can sunbathe on a sunny day. Happily, the rays were shining for our visit, providing a perfect atmosphere for me to meet the two resident puppies and a gorgeous, friendly back cat.
Our last day was another travelling day, driving about three and a half hours back to Cluj-Napoca. Having some tasty pasta for lunch in a sunny square, we had a bit of time to explore the city centre before having to head to the airport.
The Via Transilvanica may not yet compete with the Camino de Santiago or Via Francigena, the iconic pilgrimage that links Canterbury and Rome, it has something else. A rawness and a quietness that come from walking through parts of the world far from where most ever tread.
It was sadly time to head back to the UK, but this short trip will stay with me for a long time – and inspire me to go on more hiking holidays.
Intrepid Travel’s 10-day Hiking in Romania: Via Transilvanica Trail costs from £1,616pp which includes accommodation, ground transport, services of a local leader, guided hikes and some meals and other activities. Book at intrepidtravel.com or call 0808 274 5111.
Reporting from Washington — Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, President Trump’s first appointee to the Supreme Court, is proving to be a different kind of conservative.
He is a libertarian who is quick to oppose unchecked government power, even in the hands of prosecutors or the police. And he is willing to go his own way and chart a course that does not always align with the traditional views on the right or the left.
In several of the term’s biggest cases, Gorsuch voted as expected. He joined the court’s conservatives, including Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, to reject legal challenges to partisan gerrymandering. The two Trump appointees voted in dissent to uphold the administration’s plan to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census.
In the case of whether a giant cross on a Maryland highway violated the separation of church and state, Gorsuch took the most conservative position and said lawsuits filed by people who are “offended” but not actually harmed by such things should be tossed out.
But in the last month, he also wrote several broad and bold opinions — mostly in dissent — urging the court to revive the Constitution’s protections for individual liberty. He did so while taking the side of people not usually embraced by conservative justices, including a sex offender from Maryland, an Alabama man who was prosecuted twice for carrying a gun in his car, and two African American men from Texas who were sentenced to more than 50 years in prison for robbing gas stations.
Jonathan Adler, a law professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, calls Gorsuch “a maverick conservative with a libertarian streak. It’s remarkable that he and Kavanaugh disagreed in 30% of the term’s cases. This shows they are quite different types of conservatives.”
Earlier this year, Gorsuch wrote an opinion clearing the way for long-haul truckers to sue their employers over substandard wages, and he wrote dissents in favor of an injured railroad worker who was battling the train line over the damages he won, and a disabled construction worker fighting the Social Security Administration over disability benefits.
“Walk for a moment in Michael Biestek’s shoes,” he wrote in a dissent in the construction worker’s case that was joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and in part by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. “As part of your application for disability benefits, you’ve proven that you suffer from serious health problems and can’t return to your old construction job. Like many cases, yours turns on whether a significant number of other jobs remain that someone of your age, education and experience, and with your physical limitations, could perform.”
At Biestek’s hearing, an expert testifying for the agency said there were 360,000 jobs nationwide that he could perform. “Where did those numbers come from?” Gorsuch asked. When pressed about the source of this data, the expert said it came from a confidential private survey. The agency examiner ruled this evidence was good enough to justify denying Biestek’s claim, and the high court agreed by a 6-3 vote. “Count me” with the lower-court judges who were skeptical, Gorsuch said.
His most important opinion of the term came in a case that was seen as an opening salvo in the war over the “administrative state.” Conservatives have sought to rein in federal regulators, including the Environmental Protection Agency. Liberals are just as determined to defend them. The battle was fought, oddly enough, in the case of Herman Gundy, a sex offender who served five years in prison in Maryland and then moved to New York in 2012.
There, he was charged with failing to register as a sex offender as required under a law adopted by Congress in 2006, two years after his crime. The law said the “attorney general shall have the authority” to decide whether to apply the registration rule to the more than 500,000 offenders like Gundy whose crimes predated it.
Sarah Baumgartel, a federal public defender in New York, appealed Gundy’s conviction, in part, for violating “the non-delegation doctrine.” This refers to the principle that Congress may not delegate its lawmaking power to the president or executive agencies. It’s a doctrine studied in law schools, but not since 1935 has the high court struck down a law on this basis.
But she thought the appeal might interest Gorsuch and other justices, even though it had lost in every lower court. “This has been considered a dead-letter doctrine by many people. But he has a libertarian streak and a greater skepticism about federal power,” she said.
Her instinct was right. The eight-member court heard the case in the first week of October, a week before Kavanaugh was confirmed. But on June 20, the court ruled against Gundy in a splintered 5-3 decision, with Gorsuch writing a 33-page dissent in Gundy vs. U.S.
“The Constitution promises that only the people’s elected representatives may adopt new federal laws restricting liberty,” Gorsuch wrote. “Yet the statute before us scrambles that design. It purports to endow the nation’s chief prosecutor with the power to write his own criminal code governing the lives of a half-million citizens. Yes, those affected are some of the least popular among us. But if a single executive branch official can write laws restricting the liberty of this group of persons, what does that mean for the next?”
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Clarence Thomas agreed with Gorsuch. Justice Samuel A. Alito said he would be willing to accept this argument in a future case. And with Kavanaugh on board, the conservatives would have a majority.
Gorsuch was also on the losing end of an effort to reject the “dual sovereigns” doctrine that allows both the federal government and a state to prosecute a person for essentially the same crime. This double prosecution seems, to some, to conflict with the 5th Amendment, which says: “No person shall … be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy for life and limb.”
The case began in 2015 when a police officer in Mobile, Ala., pulled over Terance Gamble for a damaged headlight and found a loaded handgun in his car. Gamble had an earlier robbery conviction and pleaded guilty to state charges for having a gun in his possession. Later, federal prosecutors also charged him as a felon with a gun, and he was given three more years in prison.
The Supreme Court rejected his double-jeopardy claim on June 17, over dissents by Gorsuch and Ginsburg. “A free society does not allow its government to try the same individual for the same crime until it’s happy with the result,” Gorsuch wrote in Gamble vs. United States. “Unfortunately, the court today endorses a colossal exception to this ancient rule against double jeopardy.… The separate sovereigns was wrong when it was invented, and it remains wrong today.”
But on June 24, Gorsuch spoke for a 5-4 majority to overturn about half of 50-year prison terms given to Maurice Davis and Andre Glover of Texas for robbing four gas stations. They were convicted of the robberies and for brandishing a gun and given long prison terms. They were given an extra 25 years under a 1986 law for conspiring to engage in conduct that, “by its nature, involves a substantial risk that physical force” will be used.
In United States vs. Davis, Gorsuch said this part of the law is so vaguely worded that no one can tell for sure what it means. “Vague statutes threaten to hand responsibility for defining crimes to relatively unaccountable police, prosecutors and judges, eroding the people’s ability to oversee the creation of the laws they are expected to abide,” said Gorsuch, who was joined by the court’s four liberals. In dissent, Kavanaugh called the ruling a “serious mistake” and said it could mean “many dangerous offenders … might walk out of prison early.”
Brandon Beck, a federal public defender in Lubbock, Texas, who appealed on behalf of Davis, said he tailored his argument to Gorsuch because he “is very concerned by the text and the separation of powers. … He is also very independent, and I have lot of respect for that.”
Progressive lawyers stress that Gorsuch is a reliable conservative on most issues. Brianne Gorod, counsel for the Constitutional Accountability Center, said he “is like the justice he replaced — Justice Antonin Scalia — in more ways than one.”
Gorsuch’s record is exceptionally conservative, she said. But also like Scalia, he has sometimes demonstrated a willingness to part ways with his fellow conservatives in criminal justice cases. “Those votes suggest possible libertarian-liberal alliances may be something to look out for in the terms ahead,” Gorod said.
A Colorado native, Gorsuch has also tilted the court in favor of Native Americans and tribal treaties. In March, he cast the fifth vote with the liberals to rule for the Yakama tribe, which relied on a 1855 treaty in refusing to pay a fuel tax to Washington state for using its highways.
Gorsuch wrote a concurring opinion in Washington State vs. Cougar Den, joined by Ginsburg, to explain the history and closed with this passage: “Really, this case just tells an old and familiar story. The state of Washington includes millions of acres that the Yakamas ceded to the United States under pressure. In return, the government supplied a handful of modest promises. The state is now dissatisfied with the consequences of one of those promises. It is a new day, and now it wants more. But today and to its credit, the court holds the parties to the terms of their deal. It is the least we can do.”
STEP into your own David Attenborough show on a dreamy family staycay.
From a gorgeous country estate on the England/Wales border, to seal-spotting and wild swimming while kipping in sleepy Harleston
Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley and her gang found a gorgeous country estate brimming with nature on the England/Wales border.
A grazing pony, strutting pheasants and hopping hares are just a few of our neighbours on the glorious, family-owned Marrington Estate.
And we’ve spied them all before we even embark on an hour’s walk down through the stunning Dingle Valley, where the babbling River Camlad is home to crayfish, otters and kingfishers.
We’re kipping in one of the estate’s biggest properties, Marrington Farmhouse, which sleeps 10 under cloud-like duvets – although the dining room is better-suited to eight – and which comes with a kitchen proper cooks will love.
A large hot tub, The Traitors board game complete with cloak, a verdant lawn and an apple orchard brimming with harvest make it an idyllic spot and, come evening, we toast marshmallows on the firepit and stargaze.
Our welcome hamper includes pistachio sablés from What A Pickle! in the county’s foodie capital Ludlow and a bottle of zingy Shropshire Lady white wine using Solaris grapes from Kerryvale Vineyard, 10 minutes’ drive away.
But with little ones in tow, we resist a vineyard tour and tasting, £25 per person (Kerryvalevineyard.co.uk), and instead take a trip across the border to Wales on board a steam train.
The nearby Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway trundles us through the rolling hills and, once we arrive in Llanfair, Poppy, seven, and Raffy, four, are thrilled when the friendly driver spots them looking on wide-eyed in awe and invites them into his cabin to pull the steam whistle.
Return tickets cost £27 per adult, £10 per child (Wllr.org.uk). We’re also close to several castles, from which we pick the striking 13th-century Powis Castle, a 20-minute drive away.
Its baroque terraces are a spectacular display of colour, and feasting on a cream tea, £7.50, among the blooms before a stroll through the woodlands is heavenly.
Adult tickets cost £18, over-fives are £9 (Nationaltrust.org.uk).
On our way back, we make a pitstop at The Nags Head Inn in Garthmyl for the Sunday roast of dreams, tucking into a delicate crab salad with watermelon and pineapple salsa, before tackling ginormous three-meat platters with all the trimmings in the lively dining space (Nagsheadgarthmyl.co.uk).
Two courses cost from £24.45, and we haven’t had a roast that good since!
Stays at Marrington Farmhouse, sleeping 10, cost from £30 per person, per night (Marringtonescapes.com).
Writer Ellie O’Mahoney and her family spotted seals and tried wild swimming while kipping in sleepy Harleston.
Paddling in canoes up the River Waveney, it feels like we are in the middle of a painting.
We’re staying at Mendham Mill Holiday Cottages on the Norfolk/Suffolk border, and canoes here are free to borrow, from which we spot newly hatched goslings, grazing cows and a hovering kestrel.
We’re bedding down in wheelchair-friendly North Meadow Cottage, which sleeps six, and our children, Elliot, 11, and Molly, nine, whoop for joy when they find the games room with table tennis and a pool table.
Later, we take a bracing swim in the river at the bottom of the garden, then warm up under the outdoor shower.
Norfolk is famous for its seal colonies, so we make the hour’s drive to one of the UK’s largest, Horsey Gap, to spot them (Horseygap.co.uk).
Close by is wooden marvel BeWILDerwood, where the kids burn off their energy exploring the treehouses, zip wires, mazes and slides.
Tickets cost from £20.95 for those over 92cm (Bewilderwood.co.uk).
Another day, Framlingham Castle, inspo for Ed Sheeran’s Castle On The Hill, proves the perfect spot for playing warring knights.
Entry costs from £8.10 (English-heritage.org.uk).
Later, we get a Michelin-recommended taste of old-school Suffolk at The Peacock Inn in Chelsworth, a 14th-century Grade-II-listed pub in the prettiest of villages.
Battered haddock with koji tartar sauce, £18, is standout, while the mousse, £11, made with 85% chocolate from local chocolatier Pump Street is to die for (Thepeacockchelsworth.com).
Stays at Mendham Mill Holiday Cottages, sleeping six, cost from £35 per person, per night (Premiercottages.co.uk).
Wake up to giraffes as campmates at Chester Zoo, says Lifestyle Editor Catherine Bennion-Pedley.
Stuffing play balls with lucerne hay, my kids are thoroughly enjoying preparing teatime treats for giraffes with zookeeper Sophie, while learning about their surprisingly small poos and why their long tongues are black (to protect them from the sun, FYI).
The excitement continues when later we join an after-hours tour to catch a glimpse of nocturnal animals waking, including aardvarks, and learn about the incredible cancer-fighting superpower of naked mole rats.
By sleeping over, guests are helping the conservation efforts here and The Reserve’s reception, restaurant and bar ooze sophistication.
Welcome cocktails of sapling vodka, lime and honey – and juices for the kids – are quickly slurped, and the 51 lodges are swishly furnished, although our lakeside pad is without much of an actual lake view and comes with the buzz of traffic that leaves us feeling very much still in England when on our veranda.
Pricier lodges overlook the giraffe enclosure and, on our stroll to the plentiful breakfast, we spot the majestic creatures through gaps in the foliage.
As well as exclusive animal tours and fireside stories in the lounge, overnight guests also get to step into the zoo early, and it is undoubtedly one of the UK’s best – home to more than 500 species, including orangutans, elephants, leopards and lions.
All in all, our little ones think this is a roar-some mini-break.
Family stays for four at The Reserve cost from £306 B&B, including two-day zoo access (Chesterzoo.org).
If you have a head for heights, then you can “walk with the gods” on the Sentiero degli Dei. It’s cut into the vertiginous hillside high above the Amalfi coast, offering heavenly views all the way to Capri and beyond. Ten breathtaking kilometres later, you’ll rejoin the earthly hordes of Instagrammers in the undeniably beautiful but crowded Positano. A super-convenient combined bus and ferry ticket from Travelmar takes you from any of the coastal towns to the start of the walk, in the lovely hamlet of Bomerano, in Agerola, and from Positano back to your base.
Brian
Guardian Travel readers’ tips
Every week we ask our readers for recommendations from their travels. A selection of tips will be featured online and may appear in print. To enter the latest competition visit the readers’ tips homepage
–
The Five Lakes hike in the Tatras is the most beautiful in Poland. Starting from the parking lot at Palenica Białczańska, you gain elevation as you head south along a tumbling stream. After two hours, you arrive at the first of five glittering lakes surrounded by an amphitheatre that forms the border with Slovakia. Stop at Dolinie Pięciu Stawów hut to enjoy a hearty żurek (sour rye soup) as you contemplate the lake-pocked landscape. Fortified, climb southeast until, cresting the ridge, Morskie Oko (“Eye of the Sea”), the most storied lake in Poland, comes into view, glittering far below and engulfed by sheer mountain walls, including Poland’s highest peak. At the lakeside hut, you’ll have earned a Żywiec lager. Now, whether to follow the gentle trail back to the car park or push on to Rysy, 1,100m above …
Ryan
The Svaneti region of Georgia is a hiker’s dream. The Ushguli to Mestia route on the Transcaucasian Trail passes through some of the most dramatic and beautiful mountain landscapes I’ve ever encountered. Ancient stone towers, glacial pools perfect for a cold dip, meadows thick with wildflowers and butterflies, and the occasional wild horse made it feel like a film set. The villages are genuinely welcoming, the food is hearty and the biodiversity stopped me in my tracks. No photograph comes close to capturing it. If you haven’t considered Georgia for hiking, move it to the top of your list immediately.
Aoife
Over seven days last summer we walked a section of the Kungsleden Trail from Abisko to Nikkaluokta in Swedish Lapland, in the Arctic Circle – and it was a magical experience. It was surprising even to us that we managed to find a holiday that suited a group of four teenagers and two adults. By the end, we all agreed that the lack of internet was a bonus not a bug. The walking was testing enough to be a challenge but also left enough time for card games and enjoying the saunas along the way. The huts we stayed in were great and allowed our packs to be kept light. A highlight was spotting reindeer on the last day.
Paul
The beautiful Wildschönau valley in Austria offers amazing hiking options accessible for the whole family. We hiked between 10 and 15 miles every day exploring this amazing landscape. The meadows of wildflowers were breathtaking. The cable cars in Niederau and Auffac allow you to explore higher routes offering 360-degree panoramas with a little less effort. The signposting of routes was incredible and the free buses allowed us to travel throughout the area easily. The climb to the top of Joelspitze was our highlight, spotting beautiful gentian flowers on the way there, and finishing with an apple strudel as reward at the end.
Barbara
The Ruta del Cares in Spain’s Picos de Europa is the most incredible hike my daughter and I have ever undertaken. The first 45 minutes from Poncebos take you steeply uphill into the canyon, past abandoned shacks and along spectacular, well-trodden tracks, which plateau out. As a vertigo sufferer myself, I found the track is always just wide enough. The canyon narrows and the path takes you through a series of tunnels before reaching the idyllic hamlet, Caín, and waterfalls where you can dip your feet. You can grab a drink and snacks before returning back to Poncebos.
Joe
after newsletter promotion
Hike through the beautiful Black Forest from Kniebis to Baiersbronn (about 7 miles). Take the bus from Freudenstadt to Kniebis, then follow trails via the stunning Ellbachseeblick viewpoint and Sankenbach waterfall before descending into Baiersbronn. After the hike, enjoy an outdoor swim at Baiersbronn’s lido or relax with a meal in town, before taking the train back to Freudenstadt. Public transport is included with the Konus card if staying in Freudenstadt (or other participating Black Forest locations).
George
Last year, my family and I took the cable car up Männlichen, in Switzerland and walked the Panoramaweg at its top. At 3 miles to Kleine Scheidegg, where you can take a train down, this is manageable for little legs and gives glorious views of the Eiger and the Bernese Oberland. Wild and unspoiled it is not, but it boasts the most incredible alpine playground, and if you stop in Wengen on your way up, there is a trail of marble runs that enchanted my children for hours.
Frances
My most memorable European hike was the coastal path from Ponta da Piedade to Praia da Luz in Portugal’s Algarve. While most visitors crowd the famous beaches, the 7-mile trail threads between honey-coloured cliffs, hidden coves and wildflowers, with Atlantic views almost every step of the way. My tip is to start at sunrise and pack a lightweight breakfast. The early light turns the limestone cliffs gold, the temperature is perfect for walking, and you’ll often have long stretches of path entirely to yourself. We stopped on a clifftop ledge to watch dolphins offshore – a simple moment that made the whole day unforgettable.
Steven
The highlight of our recent holiday was the stunning 6-mile walk along the Ponale Path, stretching from Riva at the top of Lake Garda to the Ledro valley. This beautiful cliffside trail takes you through old tunnels carved into the rock and treats you to the most spectacular views of the lake below. Along the route, we encountered lush green fields, picturesque little farmhouses nestled among vineyards and even a cascading waterfall. To top it all off, we enjoyed a refreshing pint and lasagne in the sunny beer garden at Bar sul Ponale before beginning the walk back.
Bev
The fluorescent green gaiters seemed a ridiculous suggestion, but prove a godsend as we plod across the sand. “I bet you’re glad I told you to get a pair of these bad boys now, aren’t you?” my friend Luke jokes. We’re marching across a wide, crescent-shaped, honeyed beach. The sun is high in the sky and slivers of light flicker through a thick sea fog, as 6ft waves crash and fizz, their white foam licking the towering limestone cliffs.
I’m in Portugal, in the west Algarve, with two friends, hiking part of the Rota Vicentina, or Fishermen’s Trail, a 140-mile (226km) trek that runs from Lagos to São Torpes in Alentejo. Traversing cliffs that lead to wild, remote beaches like this one is part of the trail’s calling card. As the name suggests, it was originally carved out by fishers to reach otherwise inaccessible fishing spots along the Atlantic Ocean. Now it’s part of the Rota Vicentina, a hiking and cycling route spanning 466 miles across Portugal.
Already, this corner of the Algarve feels a far cry from downtown Lagos, where we’d been woken up the night before by noisy tourists after one too many Super Bocks. Our official starting point is 25 minutes away in Salema – a fishing village set within the Vicentine Coast natural park.
The sedate seaside haven is perhaps how the rest of the Algarve was before mass tourism arrived in this part of the Iberian peninsula following the opening of Faro airport in the 1960s. More than 20 million tourists visited the Algarve last year, 5.7 million of them from the UK.
Visitors to Salema drift in and out like the tide, pottering along cobbled streets, past traditional blue-and-white fishers’ cottages, stopping to indulge in fresh seafood on the terraces of family-run restaurants overlooking the long, empty beach flanked by chalky cliffs.
Tempted to postpone the first day of hiking to idle away the hours, we instead polish off a load of pastéis de nata and a bica or two down at Pastelaria Solmar, then set off. For the first few miles, we wend along a relatively flat, clay-coloured coastal path, following the blue-and-green striped Fishermen’s Trail logo that should lead us to Sagres.
Keeping the sea to the left (we’re heading north), it’s easy to navigate. Magical, too, with views stretching as far as the eye can see, across an Atlantic Ocean glinting in the summer sun. Occasionally, we have to scramble up or down a steep, rocky embankment. But the rewards, a series of serene beaches that seem to get better with every mile, make it worthwhile. Given the remote location, these pretty coves attract only the hardiest beach-goers, and the odd naturist.
Over the day’s almost 12-mile hike, we hardly see another soul. So, when we arrive at Sagres, we’re ready for some human interaction. The seafaring town is where slave trader Henry the Navigator spent the final years of his life. Nowadays, Sagres is better known for its enviable surf breaks.
“I’m ready for a Sagres in Sagres,” Luke says, as we drop our bags and freshen up at Alojamento Mareta, a modest two-bed apartment that hovers on a cliffside with a blushing garden and sea views (about £78 per night). We mooch around looking for somewhere for dinner and a cold beer.
Sagres doesn’t have any sense of coherent organisation; its scattering of cafes, restaurants and bars appear to have been sketched out by bored teenagers when the city planners were on holiday. Instead of joining a growing gaggle of surfers waiting for live music to start at Three Little Birds, we order piri-piri chicken and a glug of local wine from the family-run Cafe Conchinha and retire to bed.
Waking early, we zip down to the empty Mareta beach for a meditation session led by another friend, James, before plunging into the icy sea. As if the morning isn’t already wholesome enough, we head to the Laundry Lounge – a boho, wooden-clad laundrette-cum-brunch spot – for a 90-minute yoga session and some breakfast before getting back on the road.
We make our way to Cabo de São Vicente, where a 19th-century lighthouse sits perilously on an isolated rocky headland whipped by the elements. Mainland Europe’s most southwesterly point was known as the “end of the world”. It’s not hard to understand why. There’s nothing but an endless melange of blue water and craggy cliffs bathed in a golden light. It’s little wonder that the Greeks and Romans believed it to be a sacred promontory.
Later, we cut inland across a pancake flat expanse of arid shrubland with only the odd purple thistle for colour. Then, after 12 miles or so, we arrive in Vila do Bispo, a dusty, eerily quiet town, like something from a spaghetti western. Low-rise, pastel-coloured houses seem worn by time and old dusty cars sit beneath purple wisteria on cobbled street corners.
Fish, hung out to dry on washing lines, flap around in the wind as we wander the streets looking for somewhere to eat. We stumble across Pisco, an unassuming restaurant with a cosy atmosphere – whitewashed walls hung with art and crammed with wine bottles – where the vegetarian menu has excellent Mediterranean dishes, sourdough pizzas and organic wines.
Charging back towards the coast the following morning, we arrive at perhaps the most picturesque part of the hike. On the cliffs above Praia da Pena Furada, a vast, windswept beach, we perch on the cliffside for a moment to admire tall sea stacks battered by waves, the wind whistling through them as gulls swoop like kites overhead. It feels more like Steinbeck’s California than the Algarve. But for the hissing of the sea, everything is silent.
We barely say a word to one another until we land at the impossibly long sandy beach of Bordeira near Carrapateira a few hours later. The atmosphere here couldn’t be more different. The beach is busy with Portuguese holidaymakers and surfers. It’s the perfect antidote to hiking fatigue, so we settle in for a well-deserved burger at the hillside beach bar Amadobar as low-fi rock drifts from the speakers and surfers paddle out to distant breakers.
Our digs for the night, which we make our way to after sunset, are about 20 minutes from the beach. Carrapateira Lodge (about £52 per night) sits in the centre of a small, charming whitewashed town with a scattering of restaurants, bars, cafes and surf shops. We dine alfresco on the cobbles just off the main plaza at O Pontal, getting to work on plates of tender octopus, roasted salt cod and beef entrecote to sustain ourselves for tomorrow’s final push.
When we arrive at Arrifana, our final destination the following afternoon, we’re beat. The parish town is settled on the hillside in the Aljezur municipality. Like Carrapateira, it’s popular with surfers. It feels closer to the Algarve most visitors know in some ways, but it’s still relatively low key. A single lane road helter-skelters down to another postcard-worthy beach, where there’s a sprinkling of bars and restaurants. Shattered, we round off the trip watching sunset at Café Restaurante Sol E Mar, a no-frills bar that spills out on to the headland overlooking the beach, which is busier than others we’ve passed but not as crowded as other Algarve hotspots I’ve visited. No rowdy Britons in sight – except us three.
During a live BBC News broadcast, reporter Paul Njie interviews a Cape Verde fan when the country suddenly scores its first ever World Cup goal against Uruguay in the 2026 World Cup.
Source link
Dalton Rushing was frustrated. He just chased a slider in the dirt — again. And this time, the game was on the line. The Dodgers were down to their last out. He was down to his last strike.
So he took a moment, took a breath, and looked to the Dodgers dugout.
The first person he spotted was Mookie Betts, who had just cut the Orioles’ lead to a run with a solo homer. Betts was locked in with Rushing, brimming with confidence, cheering him on.
“For a guy like that, a guy that’s lived in that moment, he’s succeeded in that moment, he’s failed in that moment, he knows what it feels like, it’s pretty special,” Rushing recounted.
Rushing’s eyes traveled along the railing, noting his teammates all on the top step, all relying on him.
He dug into the box, expecting the slider that Baltimore’s Ryan Helsley threw next — it was high, for a ball. Then Rushing got a fastball he could drive. And he did not miss.
The next moments in the Dodgers’ 6-5 walk-off win Friday were chaos.
Rushing lined a tying single into right field, giving Alex Call time to score from second. Call slid across the plate as the throw from Orioles right fielder Tyler O’Neill took for a long hop to catcher Samuel Basallo.
Basallo misjudged it, taking an unhurried shuffle up the line, before the ball glanced off his glove and rolled toward the Dodgers dugout.
Third base coach Dino Ebel waved home Ryan Ward, who scored standing up.
Manager Dave Roberts, who looked down at his card when the throw was in the air, was already thinking through extra innings when the crowd erupted again. He heard field coordinator Bob Geren shouting something like, “The run counts.”
The Dodgers (49-27) ran onto the field and swarmed Rushing, who had just reached second. They jumped and yelled as the Dodgers Stadium lights flashed around them.
“It was good to get Freddie [Freeman] a night off for being the guy in the middle for a change, you know?” Rushing said with a grin. “No, it’s a great feeling, and I think it honestly just feels great that we won that baseball game.”
For several innings, it looked like they wouldn’t.
Dalton Rushing celebrates after hitting a run-scoring single in the ninth to help lift the Dodgers to a 6-5 walk-off win over the Baltimore Orioles at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers had jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, on a two-run single from Max Muncy in the first inning and an RBI double from Andy Pages in the second. Then their scoring dried up.
Rushing was having as frustrating of a night as anyone, with a line out and three strikeouts.
His first strikeout was part of a brutal sequence. The Dodgers loaded the bases with no outs in the third. Then Ward, Rushing and Alex Freeland, all went down swinging.
Rushing struck out on a slider in the dirt. And Orioles starter Trey Gibson got him to bite on the same putaway pitch in the fifth.
Rushing’s reactions steadily grew more animated, on the field and in the dugout.
Mookie Betts celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning Friday against the Orioles.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Alex Freeland signals safe after sliding past Baltimore catcher Samuel Basallo to score on a double by Andy Pages in the second inning Friday.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He plays with a fire under his ass,” Freeland said. “He gets after it. He expects nothing but the best for himself day in and day out, and that comes with it.”
Said Roberts: “After he … vents, he does a good job of collecting himself to get back into the next play, the next at-bat, catching.”
On Friday, he was catching Roki Sasaki, who faced just one batter over the minimum through five innings. But during the third time through the order, the Orioles finally figured him out and hit back-to-back home runs.
With two outs and a runner on, Sasaki yanked a splitter to the inside edge of the strike zone to Gunnar Henderson, who lifted it over the wall in right field. Pete Alonso then homered to left-center field on an inside fastball about belt high to tie the score.
“I thought he threw the baseball really well,” Roberts said. “I liked the way he competed. The fastball command was good. He was fantastic tonight.”
The Orioles (35-42) pulled ahead against the Dodgers bullpen. Will Klein surrendered a seventh-inning single to Jackson that sent two baserunners, including one inherited from Dodgers left-hander Jack Dreyer, across the plate.
Kyle Hurt and Blake Treinen threw clean eighth and ninth innings.
Finally, in the bottom of the ninth, Betts ended the Dodgers’ scoring drought. Then Muncy — later replaced by the pinch-running Call — and Ward drew walks.
With two outs, Rushing stepped up to the plate, fell behind in the count 0-2 and reset.
“I look in the dugout, and all those guys care about is that next pitch, and the next pitch after that, and the next pitch after that,” Rushing said. “They just want you to win one pitch at a time.”
So, that’s what he did.
WHILE theme parks across the UK are opening back up for the summer, a popular attraction in Japan remains shut after two decades.
The once popular Wild West land closed its gates for the last time in 2007, remaining frozen in time ever since.
Located in Nikko, around two hours drive from Tokyo, Western Village was once home to a bustling arcade and entertainment park, designed to resemble the American Frontier.
However, the once-buzzing family establishment is now only visited by urban explorers.
The park first opened its doors in 1973 as a small attraction called Kinugawa Family Ranch, offering guests a range of outdoor activities including fishing and horse riding.
Just two years later, the site was rebranded as Western Village, attracting tourists from all over the world with its impressive recreating of a 19th Century frontier town.
The attraction included an old-timey bank, barber shop, sheriff’s office and general store, as well as arcades and animatronic displays.
Live stunt shows also took place at the park, with actors reenacting gunfights between cowboys and outlaws.
There was also a train that took visitors around the park which was often subject to a staged robbery by the park’s resident outlaws.
In 1995, the park added a £20million replica of Mount Rushmore, which measured one-third of the real thing and was even carved into the landscape.
Despite the park’s initial success, it eventually began to lose out to larger, better located competitors such as Universal Studios Japan and Tokyo Disneyland.
In 2007, Western Village shut its doors for the last time, with many sections remaining untouched in the years since.
From arcade machines and eerie animatronics covered in dust to bottles still sitting on tables, the entire park has a creepy abandoned feel to it.
The park has remained a source of fascination for those visiting the area, particularly urban explorers.
According to the website Offbeat Japan, the replica Rushmore is still attracting visitors in 2026.
The outlet reported that tourists “have to come back to check it isn’t a hallucination”, adding that what remains of the park is “now being demolished little by little”.
LEE Andrews has shared wild new claims about his gunpoint arrest as he insisted it was the “most horrific place” he ever seen.
Katie Price’s husband claimed earlier this week that he had been “captured at gunpoint” and “slapped around” during his ordeal before his wife saved him.
Lee was released from Dubai’s notorious Al Awir prison on Friday and he has now shared a new account of what happened on social media.
The self-proclaimed businessman claimed: “I will say it one more time, the national guard who took me in the beginning, they had guns and they don’t register you as being arrested.
“They can just take you and hold you, which is what happened.
“Anywhere in the world you go to an airport, they have guns patrolling the boarder and they took me and not in the best way either.
“It wasn’t the best experience and from there they held me in state security, so I was transfered to a jail, which was the worst f***ing horrendous place I’ve ever seen and then into a mainstream.”
Earlier today, Lee hit out at Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid for mocking him on yesterday’s show.
Calling for her to be sacked after she “rolled her eyes” at him live on air, Lee has even vowed to sit down with the host on live TV.
Taking to Instagram, Lee hit back as he said: “What is Susanna Reid rolling her eyes at?
“I’m not gonna comment on that, because obviously I’ll get onto the sofa with Katie at some point and we’ll thrash it out.
“And she can be as forthcoming as she likes.”
He then claimed Susanna is “prejudging” him unfairly.
“But to actually judge me without any evidence, calling me a conman, she should lose her job for that,” he fumed, calling for her axe from the breakfast programme.
Lee continued to say that she had “no solid evidence other than an ex coming forward”.
After being banged up and “missing” for seven weeks, Lee was released from Dubai’s notorious Al Awir prison on Friday.
Katie quickly jetted back to Dubai from the UK over the weekend to see her other half and they shared an emotional reunion on Sunday evening.
Upon his return to social media, Lee claimed he was “captured at gunpoint” before being accused of spying.
Despite Lee’s espionage claims, it was widely speculated that he was actually locked up for fraud.
It’s just past midday and I appear to be inside a rain cloud. Soaked to the skin, my walking boots squelching through tufts of grass and black bog mud, I can hear hundreds of streams rolling off this wide mid-Wales peak, each vying to be the fastest. I’ve hiked around more than 8 miles (13km) of Hafren Forest trails to the top of Mount Pumlumon Fawr (Plynlimon), to reach a wooden post carved with the words Source of the Severn. And I’m here, alone, because I’m hoping to meet a river goddess.
It’s perhaps not as strange as it first sounds. Starting about 150 years ago, the folklorist John Rhys travelled across Wales to archive as many local myths as possible, and among them was the very tale that brought me to this peak: the story of the birth of the River Severn, in which three sisters – Hafren (Severn), Rheidolyn (Rheidol) and Gwy (Wye) – each choose their own route to the sea. My trip to the river’s source was itself a moment of mythically inspired travel, something that has been common practice in the British Isles for as long as we’ve told stories, not least as a means of passing them on.
Folklore is experiencing a revival in Britain, whether it’s in wild tales told around festival campfires or in the rise of Mabinogion-inspired romantasy fiction. I was here on my own adventure, travelling around the islands to rediscover our lost goddess myths and what they mean for modern womanhood, for my new book, No Fair Maidens. My journey took me from Somerset to Skye, from Gower to Eryri, and was less about archaeological sightseeing and more a journey into the landscape and waterways themselves: the river sources, lakesides, spring wells and seashores that feature so vividly in old lore.
Water, it seems, is often the site of powerful women and magical happenings. In Roman and perhaps pre-Roman times, Britannia was a network of waterways represented by goddesses, from Sulis’ hot spring in Bath to Coventina’s well near Carrawburgh on Hadrian’s Wall. For centuries, wells and river sources have been places of pilgrimage for people to bring their wishes, throwing in stones and coins and asking for help from forces unseen. They are also places where magic can sometimes cross over. In local Welsh myth, the Ffynone waterfall is regarded as a portal to the mystical Otherworld, where the goddess Rhiannon lived before riding her white horse into the real world to choose a husband. Up the road at Llyn y Fan Fach in the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons), the mountain lake is known as the home of a beautiful nymph who agrees to marry a mere mortal, only to return to the waters, taking her large dowry with her, when he breaks their covenant.
The shores are also home to some of our most renowned female fighters. On the Isle of Skye, in the dark ruins of Dunscaith Castle on the edge of Loch Eishort, we meet Scáthach: a fearsome Scottish warrioress from eighth-century Irish mythology, who was tasked with training Celtic princes to become warriors. She was said to be invincible, wielding supreme combat skills and a giant spiked spear, leading many a man to seek out her tutelage. Today, it is easy to picture her on the battlements, battered by wind and rain, wearily awaiting the next wannabe hero.
Indeed, as I travel across the island, powerful women weave through our folklore so readily that they feel like a source code, even though their stories are mostly unmarked in the landscapes from which they come. In England on the River Stour, I hear the 12th-century legend of Gwendoline, who was said to have raised an army in Cornwall and seized the crown from her cheating husband’s dead hands, making her the mythic first queen of a peaceful, united England. Further down the road as I climb Glastonbury Tor, it’s the matriarchal myth of Avalon that’s calling me, the tale of a magical island of sisters bound by the powers of shapeshifting, healing and prophecy. It’s wild to imagine that Britain might once have been home to that benevolent circle of women.
It seems as if, across Britain, the landscape is brought to life through story. As I discuss in my book, exploring the island through the lens of myth and folklore invites us to see Britain in a different light; as a place full of wonder, where wild and strange things are possible. And with more of us investigating how to build a stronger, healthier connection with the natural world, folklore and myth can create a kind of bridge, inviting us to see waterways less as “resources” and more as living beings with their own stories and a curious will of their own. This is Britain, but not as you know it; and perhaps by travelling through the landscape with myths as our guides, we might find new inspiration too.
Back on Mount Plynlimon, I was never quite sure how to go about meeting a river goddess, lacking the rituals and training our ancestors might once have known. But perhaps it was enough simply to know her story, so I could appreciate the land a little better. Whenever I see a river now, I can’t help saying hello, still in awe of how vast she has become, and how quickly she grew from nothing.
Kim Willis is the author of No Fair Maidens: A Wild Journey with the Lost Goddesses of Britain (Doubleday, £20). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
12:24, 08 Jun 2026Updated 12:26, 08 Jun 2026
I found myself with a Guinness World Record after a trip to Greater Palm Springs(Image: Getty Images)
If someone told me earlier this year I’d have a Guinness World Record to my name, I would have thought they were joking. But here I am, with the notorious title following a trip to the United States.
You’re probably wondering what on earth I did to secure a Guinness World Record, and no, it wasn’t some ludicrous challenge. Instead, all I needed was a blond wig, red lipstick, and a white dress.
I was in the beautiful desert resort city of Greater Palm Springs, known for its Hollywood glamour, mid-century modern architecture and natural hot springs, when this all took place. The Southern California oasis, nestled in the Coachella Valley, was once home to Golden Age Hollywood stars, including Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, but I was there for Marilyn Monroe.
The iconic American actress and model became a global sensation during the 1950s and early 1960s, and was often known for her persona as the ‘blonde bombshell’. She tragically died at the tender age of 36 in 1962, but spent much of her adult life in Palm Springs and is known to have spent time in a trendy bungalow known as the Marilyn Monroe Doll House, which I passed by during my trip, still with its signature pink letter box on the front yard.
This year, on 1 June, marked what would have been Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday, and to mark the occasion, Greater Palm Springs hosted a celebration and mega event to secure a new Guinness World Record. And I was lucky enough to be there and take part.
The idea was to gather as many Marilyn Monroe lookalikes as possible in one place for a Guinness World Record attempt. The previous record was 254 in 2020, so there were high hopes that Palm Springs, the home of Hollywood, would surpass it.
I had no idea what to expect, but after signing up for the event and securing my iconic Marilyn Monroe outfit of a styled blond wig, white dress and red lipstick, I was ready to take part. So on Saturday, 30 May, the day before her birthday, I dressed up as the glamorous star and joined my fellow doppelgangers around the Forever Marilyn statue in Downtown Palm Springs, to secure a Guinness World Record.
Remarkably, there were a whopping 1,037 Marilyn Monroe lookalikes in attendance, and it was incredible to be around so many people celebrating the icon. Everyone went all out with their outfits, accessorising with pearls, diamonds, sparkly heels, fans and feather boas.
To secure the Guinness World Record, all attendees had to be dressed in the same iconic white halter dress, platinum wig and red lipstick, and everyone absolutely was. So after gathering in our hundreds, singing happy birthday to Marilyn Monroe, and being thoroughly counted, we successfully obtained a new Guinness World Record.
“People are on a high that they get to participate in this”, Palm Springs mayor Ron deHarte told me. “It’s not unusual to have something flashy going on in Palm Springs, but this is something different.”
The Pride organisation was connected to the event, as Ron noted, “Marilyn Monroe had a voice, and she used it.” And I could feel the celebrations, the love, kindness, acceptance, and overall pride of this city as I put on my best Marilyn Monroe impersonation and joined the joyful, spirited community of Palm Springs for a Guinness World Record.
It was certainly an honour to take part in such an event, and one I won’t forget in a hurry. After all, there are only 1,037 of us across the globe who can say we broke a record by dressing up as Marilyn Monroe in the desert.
For more information on the beloved Hollywood destination, or to plan your trip, go to the Visit Greater Palm Springs website.
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
The children were asleep in the little tent behind us, wrapped in two sleeping bags, each with an extra helping of wool blankets. Earlier, all I could see were their little faces half-lit by torchlight as I read them a book about rivers to the sound of rain on canvas. They fell asleep as fast and thick as the fog pooling in the valley below.
My partner and I sat outside, huddled together under a waterproof coat, cheek to cheek, perched on our daughters’ foam swim vests because the ground was saturated. We were laughing. As parents, absurdity and beauty make for familiar bedfellows.
Just a few days earlier, it had seemed impossible we would go anywhere; every affordable campsite, yurt and cottage was booked up for the Easter holidays. Then I remembered how last year, tagging along with the Right to Roam crew, I ended up sleeping on the floor of the Beeches, a former Quaker residential community house in the village of Bamford, on the edge of Derbyshire’s upper Derwent valley. Its new stewards had amazing plans – a space for community health, social justice and ecological regeneration, all in collaboration with local people and grassroots groups.
I pinged them an email – “Can we stay on your land for one night?” – and, feeling inspired, contacted a few other initiatives, too.
We were in luck. Our hosts, Vanessa and Max, welcomed us into the Beeches, which was just as beautiful as I remembered. At the end of a wildflower path, past allotments and woodland, are two outbuildings: sheds on the outside, cosy cabins on the inside. “A family of deer lives here,” Vanessa said to my daughters, five and three, holding one hand each.
By the firepit, we unloaded still-hot pizzas, still-cold beers and marshmallows for roasting. As the dark set in, the children set the ends of sticks on fire, drawing shapes in the air.
In our cabin, candles, fairy lights and a wood-burning stove cast flickering shadows. The sofa beds were pushed together to make one giant bed. As I told the kids a story beneath the covers, I felt I was in a story myself.
By morning, we were a tangle of limbs. Light filtered through egg-patterned curtains. A train rumbled past and the sound summoned adventure. I opened the doors to birdsong while my partner prepared instant coffee and porridge. “I wish today would never end, Mama,” said my eldest.
We ate lunch at the nearby Anglers Rest, Bamford’s community-owned pub, with a cafe and post office in the same building. I dropped my sacred local texts, Wild Swimming Walks Peak District and The Upper Derwent: 10,000 Years in a Peak District Valley by Bill Bevan, on to the table. There was so much to explore – reservoir, ruin, gritstone edge – but the sun was calling.
The River Derwent was just down the road, its banks dotted with bluebells, cow parsley, clover and stitchwort. A mandarin duck watched from a patch of brambles as we quickly changed into our swimming costumes. Wading in upstream from the stepping stones at Bamford Mill, I was instantly ecstatic, while the children sat in the shallows, covering themselves in river mud.
That evening, we followed a winding road up into the hills above Ladybower reservoir. Lockerbrook Farm Outdoor Centre is a hill farm now run as a residential education centre by Woodcraft Folk, a national youth charity promoting education for social change. “We will make an exception,” they explained in their email, “because the camping field is empty.” They don’t usually rent camping pitches to individuals who are not on their courses, but have a cottage on the site available for rentals.
The friendly warden showed us around: field, sink, toilet, the most stupendous view of the high moorlands and deep cut of Derwent valley. The field was on an incline and, while we set up camp, the children bickered over which molehill was theirs. A group of cyclists passed above: “You’re very brave!” shouted one, and I thought he meant the children until my partner pointed out the dark clouds bruising the horizon.
“I’m hungry, Mama!” I went to light the camp stove. It didn’t work. Drizzle turned to rain. The packet of macaroni cheese said it would be edible with cold water. It wasn’t. I ran to beg the warden for boiled water and found a scene of pure bliss – young people cooking together in a warm cottage. One hot flask, two pots of apology-porridge and countless-kisses later, the children were asleep.
And so, this is how my partner and I found ourselves pressed together outside the tent in the dark, in the rain. “Next time we must bring a waterproof blanket to sit on,” he said.
“And an umbrella,” I said.
“And test the stove,” he laughed. “And then maybe we’ll be ready for a wild camp!”
We were giggling, shushing one another, when a female tawny owl screeched, quickly answered by the male, echoing from what seemed to be all the trees: ke-wick hoo-hoo, ke-wick hoo-hoo.
The next morning, we packed up early and drove down to Fairholmes car park, where the Refreshment Kiosk was waiting with hot drinks and pasties. From here, there’s a family-friendly trail featuring carved wooden creatures on the shores of Ladybower reservoir. I told the children about the lost villages beneath its waters. They were already there, one foot always in the imaginary.
We smelt of mildew, wildflower, woodsmoke, river water and sweat. Dandelion seeds were caught in my daughter’s curls. I blew the wishes free.
The Beeches has cabins sleeping four from £125 a night; camping £10pp per night. Lockerbrook Farm is predominantly for large groups, but the Warden’s Cottage sleeps six from £33pp per night. The weekend is accessible from Bamford train station for those who love hiking: the Beeches is a 15-minute walk; pub and wild swimming 20 minutes; Fairholmes is two hours; and Lockerbrook Farm a further 30-minute uphill hike from there.
Thousands of officers tried to quell unrest as crowds of fans – some firing flares – celebrated PSG’s victory over Arsenal.
Source link
13:46, 27 May 2026
The lake is perfect for a heatwave (Image: Surrey Live / Darren Pepe)
A stunning wild swimming spot nestled amid vibrant heathland offers the perfect escape for a refreshing dip.
Frensham Great Pond is a National Trust-managed lake boasting a genuine sandy beach, allowing visitors to relax on the shore after a bracing swim — all without being anywhere near the coast.
Located a few miles south of Farnham and roughly ten miles west of Godalming in Surrey, Frensham Great Pond features two designated swimming zones marked out by buoys, alongside an on-site café and toilet facilities, making it an ideal destination for a full day out.
The pond was first established in the 13th century to provide fish for the Bishop of Winchester and his entourage during visits to Farnham Castle. Nowadays, the pond and its surroundings serve as a haven for wildlife. Frensham holds international significance due to the array of rare and threatened species that flourish on the heath, earning it recognition as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation.
Do you have a story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
The heathland encircling the pond presents a striking tapestry of purple heathers, vibrant yellow gorse and lush green bracken.
“Are you someone who delights in basking under the sun at the beach? It may come as a surprise that even in landlocked Surrey, a beach can be found. Frensham Great Pond boasts a sandy shoreline, offering a unique beach experience. While it may not offer the expansive ocean vistas typically associated with beaches, it does provide a splendid view across the lake,” writes Swim Guard.
There are a few things to bear in mind if you’re planning a visit to Frensham Great Pond. It draws enormous crowds during fine weather, with the car park typically full by 10am. Get there early to avoid disappointment, Waverley Borough Council warns, urging visitors to steer clear on scorching days as “the site will be too crowded.”
Dogs are prohibited on both the beach and barrow areas, and BBQs and bonfires are strictly banned.
If that’s given you second thoughts, don’t worry. Surrey has no shortage of other stunning spots offering fantastic wild swimming opportunities. Including:
If you’re planning a dip during the warm weather, it’s vital to take the proper precautions. During the recent mini-heatwave, six people have tragically lost their lives in UK waters. On Wednesday, police confirmed that a body discovered during the search for a 12-year-old boy who went missing while swimming in a river in Lancashire is that of the child.
Limestone stretches on all sides like an inland ocean – appropriately enough, since the shimmering white rock has its ancient origins in coral, shells and the skeletons of sea creatures. We advance carefully, stepping on clints (blocks of rock) and avoiding grykes (the deep fissures between them). It’s a warm, dry day and, even if it were not, limestone drains better than most types of terrain. For a long while, it’s broad, flat and hallucinatory and then, suddenly, the rocky sea collapses like a waterfall and we’re at the edge of a huge fault. The words Yorkshire Dales might evoke pretty villages and walled-in sheep fields, but this landscape is raw and wild, the kind of natural realm WH Auden celebrated in his poem In Praise of Limestone, and the kind that prompts geological speculation and inward ruminations. To cap it all, there are just three of us and nothing much and no one else all the way to the far horizons.
It’s my first decent yomp of the spring. I’ve come here with two walking pals on the egregiously under-promoted direct train that connects Rochdale and Manchester with the national park and Yorkshire’s Three Peaks. While the Leeds-Settle-Carlisle service – which recently celebrated its 150th birthday – is deservedly famous, the Yorkshire Dales Explorer, which started in June 2024, is much less celebrated. It’s also far less frequent. Trains travel between Leeds and Settle, continuing to Carlisle or Morecambe, 20 times a day Monday to Saturday, 11 times on Sundays. Trains between Manchester Victoria and Settle run on Saturdays only and just once in the morning each way and once in the late afternoon.
We alight at Horton-in-Ribblesdale, the penultimate station before the terminus at Ribblehead, where rises the magnificent viaduct. Both stops are great for walkers, but ours takes us immediately into the heart of the Three Peaks. Pen-y-ghent is behind us as we leave the station, Ingleborough ahead and, to the north, on our far right, is Whernside. All have summits of about 700 metres and if you’re super fit, you can do them in one day – even between the two train services if you want a challenge. The men’s running record is 2hrs 46mins 3secs, set by Andy Peace, of Bingley Harriers, in 1996. Victoria Wilkinson, from the same club, set the women’s record, 3hrs 9mins 19secs, in 2017. It’s more than 23 miles (37km), and trained, fit walkers can manage it in 8-10 hours.
Ours is a less daunting mission: walking on a plateau between the peaks down to Settle, for a pub lunch. It’s still an adventure in the sense that there are very few marked footpaths on the OS app (OL2 is the Ordnance Survey printed map), but this is open access land and so you find your own route. We use cairns to navigate, climbing from the station platform at about 250 metres to the Moughton trig point at 427 metres, where we get a sweeping view of the Yorkshire Three Peaks and Bowland Fells to our south and west, and a chance for a cuppa. I hear my first skylarks of the season, but the air is also filled with the unmistakeable gurgling croak of ravens. Shake holes break up the limestone pavement and you have to be alert to these sudden depressions, but the only significant obstacle is getting down the scars, where the elevation suddenly drops tens of feet. At Long Scar we pause to plot a path and to take in the vertical edge, and in the middle distance, the Norber Erratics – 100-plus boulders transported long ago by glaciers and abandoned wantonly above the village of Austwick.
But the edge is enthralling. You can imagine this formation as an underwater cliff, aeons ago, though glaciation, weather and uplift have played their part in creating the static drama. It could be a rift in the Patagonian steppe or a Yorkshire-tinted section of Arizona’s Monument Valley. We sight an obelisk and head for that and soon find ourselves at the edge of another drop, Moughton Scar, where we descend again, passing a massive quarry; here the material hewed out of the strata is a tough gritstone called greywacke, the colour of cement.
It’s green and agricultural the rest of the way, and while we’re hitting the 10-mile stage of the walk, it’s fine to have wobbly legs now we’re off the tricky pavement. Wild garlic is bursting through, newborn lambs are dozing, and daffodils are sprouting around the tiny hamlet of Feizor, where there’s a teashop that used to be for walkers but now seems to pull in mainly car tourists.
We plough on, over two small rises, and finally on to the banks of the Ribble, which begins its long, meandering journey close to where we began. Settle is full of bikers, shoppers and sightseers, but there are also pints and late lunches in the pubs. We’re contented and have earned our pies. We can either get the late train back or hop on the number 11 minibus to Clitheroe. Those travelling from farther afield have the backup option of later trains to Leeds or Lancaster.
Ours was an ideal first long walk if you’re getting back into exercise after the wet winter. If you want to use the train to attempt the Three Peaks, I’d recommend splitting up the hikes over a weekend. Horton to Pen-y-ghent and then on to Ribblehead, 10 miles all told, is a nice day’s jaunt. You can do Whernside and Ingleborough on the following day, covering a similar distance, ending back at Horton. There’s a choice of campsites and a pub with rooms – the Station Inn – at Ribblehead.
The three hills have different qualities. Pen-y-ghent is a proper big lump, with a dramatically steep southern face that requires a short scramble. Ingleborough is a similar shape, but more haughty and spread out, almost mesa-like in its flat-topped appearance. Whernside is a long-elevated whale-back ridge, running north to south.
I can see the Three Peaks from my kitchen window, 22 miles away as the raven flies. The day before our hike, it had rained at home. But it had snowed on the top of the peaks, making them look out of place. They bear the full brunt of cold westerlies and are higher than anything nearby, and consequently create a micro-season of their own. Bear that in mind if you’re aiming to bag them on your next weekend outing.
