Isle Of Wight: Things To Do & Places To Stay

The fortunes of this estuary island are linked to the tides

If picturesque cycling, coastal walks and simple seaside pleasures float your boat, make the Isle of Wight your first port of call. Home to Queen Victoria’s summer retreat, Osborne House, the island has 20 beaches and a series of unspoilt coves. A network of cycle and walking trails covers 17 miles of coastline and countryside. Famous for the Cowes sailing regatta in July and August, the 147-square-mile island also offers every water sport going, from kayak surfing and windsurfing to paddle-boarding and parasailing.

Northern Ireland's second city and Ireland's northern-most county sit rather snug together in the corner of the island of Ireland. But many are yet to discover the two make a fantastic combination for a twin break. Blending thought-provoking history, striking landmarks and an incredible natural world, Derry~Londonderry and County Donegal's Inishowen Peninsula offer everything you could wish for in a short, action-packed getaway.

Woolacombe Beach is where soft sand meets the wild Atlantic and is perfect for our pooches. It consists of a wide, three-mile long sandy stretch from Barricane Beach down to Baggy Point, but dogs are restricted in certain areas. Parts of it are surfing areas and some kiosks even offered boards and lessons for dogs, though I didn’t want to embarrass Bob and Bertrand – our lovely Beagles – by insisting they try. Other pet owners were not so bashful. There are lots of dog bins and the cafes have bowls of water for four-legged friends. The Barricane Beach cafe is run by animal lovers, has great coffee and great-value curry nights.Gayle

On a Saturday morning in the Lake District, perhaps at the base of a popular fell or along the shores of a placid lake, you might think you were at a countryside Crufts. The region’s footpaths are bustling with spaniels, labradors and golden retrievers – and the ubiquitous cockapoo, of course – all in procession, dragging their owners up hills or along forested trails, tongues out, tails wagging, noses poised to sniff the behind of anything they might pass.

Scotland sports such a strong selection of tourist attractions – from castles and cabers to kilts and whisky – it’s easy to forget that there is much more to this land. Venture away from the cities and you'll find rugged mountains, remote glens and mile-upon-mile of wave-lashed beaches. Ready to explore? Here are seven Scottish places that you've probably never heard of, but must visit.

Everybody knows the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Skye. But what about the other 6000-odd British Isles? Yes, we did say 6000. From the chunky Shetland Islands in Scotland’s far north to the sunny Isles of Scilly slung out from the coast of Cornwall, the British Isles are made up of islands of all shapes and sizes. Pick the right one and you could even have it all to yourself.

In a city where it’s possible to pay up to US$250 for a rib eye steak, it is no surprise that most feel daunted at the prospect of visiting the pricy Russian capital, Moscow . Yet there are plenty of quirky cafés, hidden restaurants and expat haunts that will not break your budget. Here is a selection of some of the city’s best.

For a small country, Wales offers incredible diversity – so much so that it's one of our top travel destinations. Even better, many of Wales' (beautiful) landscapes and experiences remain surprisingly undiscovered. From pristine white-sand beaches and rolling, quintessentially Welsh valleys to tucked-away villages, here are the most beautiful places in Wales you really should visit.

Whatever your scene, from sweaty electronic music dancefloors to open-air beer gardens, Cape Town has it all. Being a hedonistic city – especially in the summer – Cape Town has plenty of great bars where you can drink and party, especially on Long and Bree Streets where it’s safe and busy, and there are taxis to get you home. In the summer, the Atlantic Seaboard is a great option, and the party starts with the first sundowners. Taken from the new Rough Guide to Cape Town, these are 7 of our favourite places to sample the city’s nightlife.

Letting it all hang out has been pretty newsworthy in recent years. There has been an influx of over-the-top pranks at World Heritage sites including Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu, and the Great Pyramids of Giza, while 2015 saw ten backpackers make headlines for baring all at the summit of Borneo’s Mount Kinabalu. Resulting in a brief jail sentence and a fine, the stunt prompted the UK government to issue a code of conduct for travellers.

In last week’s #RGchat, we asked our Twitter followers to tell us what ‘wild’ meant to them. We didn't expect to get such a beautiful response.