Destinations

November 9 2021

An October Road Trip through the Scottish Highlands

Katie Merkli Destinations, United Kingdom Destinations, Road Trip, Scotland, United Kingdom

If you love the idea of exploring the great outdoors and waking up somewhere different everyday, I can’t recommend taking a road trip across Scotland enough.

Having spent several childhood holidays in the very north of the United Kingdom, a road trip is an adventure that had been on my bucket list for some time.

With the pandemic still sweeping the world and travels further afield somewhat on hold, I decided to head up to Glasgow in October 2020 to begin a seven-day escape to the highlands.

Following a brisk flight and car collection from central Glasgow, our itinerary saw us visit Loch Lomond, Oban, Glencoe, Fort William, Mallaig, Glenfinnan, Arisaig, the Isle of Skye and Loch Ness, before catching a flight out of Inverness.

Taking the ‘Harry Potter’ steam train (otherwise known as The Jacobite) from Fort William up to Mallaig and back is also a must, if you have the time.

October has always been my favourite month of the year, and here you can probably see why. The bold oranges, yellows and reds of the falling leaves, the fresh autumn air that holds a slight chill, the damp days that force you to stay indoors with copious cups of coffee, the misty mornings that show the true beauty of a destination unfold. I could go on! Needless to say, Scotland delivers all of this, and so much more.

Whilst most places captured my heart, others didn’t, and it taught me that a road trip can be full of highs and lows. No pun intended.

Unfortunately we weren’t lucky with our time on the Isle of Skye. In just a short 48-hours we experienced gale force winds, car sickness, falling head first into the fairy pools, getting caught out on a hike as darkness fell unexpectedly early, almost running out of fuel in the middle of nowhere, and a rather awkward encounter with our accommodation host that saw me all but pitch a tent in a local’s private garden.

That said, nothing could beat those leisurely autumn drives across the peaceful roads which were lined with golden trees, rushing waterfalls and the occasional fuzzy highland cow.

There were certainly many photo opportunities on this trip, too. Next time, and there will be a next time.

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Moments From a British Summer in Devon-12

November 8 2021

Moments From a British Summer Escape in Devon England

Katie Merkli Destinations, Stays, United Kingdom Destinations, Devon, England, United Kingdom

Exploring close to home isn’t something I do too often, mostly because in England the weather isn’t very predictable, but I think there can be something beautiful about photographing a destination in moody weather and that’s exactly what Devon delivered for 80% of my week spent on the south coast of England.

When booking this trip, our only goals were to travel slowly, drive plenty of the open roads and explore as many eateries as we could. And that’s exactly what we did.

Staying at a gorgeous little Bed & Breakfast cottage, located in a small village just outside Totnes, our mornings began with a large breakfast spread. We dined on everything from a vegetarian fry-up to fresh pastries and fruit, washed down with a steaming pot of filter coffee and freshly squeezed orange.

Once it was time to venture out of our cosy double room, we explored different corners of Devon, including Paignton, Brixham, Salcombe and Dartmouth. Our lazy days were spent venturing on foot and dipping in and out of coffee shops, bars and restaurants to escape the downpours.

Devon is one of those places that brings back beautiful childhood memories of family escapes in static caravans, dancing around holiday parks as the sun set for the day, and tucking into more fish and chips and cream teas than my small stomach could handle.

A staycation won’t always be top of my list when it comes to travelling, but I loved our short escape to the south coast.

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November 7 2021

Snapshots of a Summer City Break in York England

Katie Merkli Destinations, Stays, United Kingdom Destinations, Stays, United Kingdom, York

Where do you travel to when the borders are closed and you’ve spent the first six months of the year in a national lockdown? I settled upon York, a city in the north of England.

Known for its history and hauntings, York really is a unique place to visit. Just be sure to check out where not to stay if you’d rather not encounter any ghostly happenings!

I booked one night at The Principal York, a large hotel on Station Road, just a stone’s throw from the train station. Whilst we thankfully didn’t experience anything paranormal, the hotel certainly had a creepy feel about it, which wasn’t helped by one too many espresso martinis before bed.

My time in York was short but sweet, and incredibly sweaty due to the heatwave sweeping the country, before a thunderstorm finally cleared the suffocating air.

As it was the first month the government allowed us to roam free, the city was packed with tourists from all over the country. It made it a little tricky to grab a table just about anywhere, but we took ourselves on a self-hosted walking tour around the sights and streets instead.

I feel like there’s a lot more still to see of York, and perhaps autumn would be a beautiful time to visit.

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November 6 2021

A Wintry Weekend Adventure in Lake Bled Slovenia

Katie Merkli Destinations, Slovenia, Stays Destinations, Slovenia, Stays

I didn’t know much about Slovenia before booking this trip, but I knew I wanted to explore somewhere that was home to lakes and mountains for a few days.

Unknowingly, the start of the trip coincided with the beginning of the mass Covid-19 outbreak in Italy, which of course borders Slovenia. You wouldn’t have known from the journey there, but one quick read of the news headlines and it became clear this was likely to be my last trip for a while.

Flying into Slovenia reminded me of why I always book the window seat on the plane. The snow-capped mountains below gradually grew closer, yet the multi-mile-wide lakes looked like rock pools from that height. In just a few short hours we touched down and made our way to Lake Bled.

I booked three nights at a small hotel at the foot of Lake Bled, just a short walk from some of the best viewpoints in the area. An aptly designed chalet-style building inside and out, Vila Alpina was an ideal spot to spend our long weekend in Slovenia.

Our first day was spent walking the entire way around the lake, climbing to the best photo spots and getting to grips with the town centre, which was unbelievably quiet. I still don’t know if that’s because of the looming pandemic or the fact we may have been visiting just outside of the main tourist season.

On day two, we woke in our cosy cabin to heavy snowfall. It made the walk a bit more challenging but we warmed up with a strong coffee at a local restaurant before hopping aboard the public bus to Lake Bohinj.

The journey was stunning, passing by partially frozen rivers and gorgeous villages, before arriving at yet another impressive lake spanning as far as the eye could see.

We set foot on the hiking trail that loops the lake, not knowing how long it would take in the slushy snow conditions, and ambitiously took ourselves off-route in search of a waterfall which left us racing back for the last bus with soaked shoes and aching legs.

The third and final day in Slovenia was spent in Ljubljana, the capital city. There was a bitterly cold chill in the air following the previous morning’s snowfall, so we wrapped up warm and caught the coach bright and early before half a day of eating our way around the city and snapping photos of the beautiful buildings.

From just a few short days, Slovenia now holds special memories for me. Perhaps more so as it was the final trip before the pandemic changed the world and the way that we now travel.

If you’re on the hunt for a steal of a European city break, I highly recommend booking a flight to Lake Bled and allowing yourself to enjoy plenty of slow travel moments in the surrounding nature.

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November 5 2021

Exploring Edinburgh at Christmas

Katie Merkli Destinations, United Kingdom Destinations, United Kingdom

Choosing Edinburgh for a winter city break was an easy decision. Having found low-cost easyJet flights, and having the days between Christmas and New Year off work, it seemed like the perfect time to take a short flight north and embark on a festive Scottish adventure.

I spent four days and three nights in Edinburgh to celebrate my birthday. As everything ‘Christmas’ was wrapping up, the city was buys gearing up for its NYE Hogmanay celebrations (an event we missed due to other commitments, which I still kick myself for).

Like most city breaks, I walked more than I anticipated and loved every minute of it. But what I enjoyed even more was the food, especially a spot called Ting Thai Caravan, and the epic secret bars that are tucked away underground.

I’m sure there’s plenty left to discover along those cobbled streets and winding roads, so I’ll aim to head back to Edinburgh one day soon, maybe in the warmer summer months instead.