The Hedonist: What to see and where to be seen

From romantic city boltholes to splendid isolation in remote farmhouses, Trish Lorenz gets the experts’ verdict on the top places to get away from it all without leaving the country

This Cornish town has long enchanted creative visitors, says Hilary Macaskill

Phoebe Smith has camped alone in some of Britain's most dramatic spots. It all started with a trip to the Welsh national park, she explains

Hilary Bradt joins the professionals in Brighton to master the art of building castles

The Year of Natural Scotland is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the country's great outdoors from woodland walks to marvellous marine life, says Sebastian Lander

It certainly inspired Mark C O'Flaherty to attempt an epic road trip

From romantic boltholes in the Scottish Highlands to chic city-centre boutiques, Sophie Morris offers the experts’ guide to the nation’s greatest places to get away from it all

Riding coast-to-coast in Scotland is anything but bog-standard

What could be finer – now that the weather has improved – than a walk around some bucolic beds and borders?

Over the last 10 years Mark Rowe has selected his walk of the month for The Independent on Sunday. Here, he lists ten of his favourites

Come rain, shine or gale-force winds, Mark Rowe has donned his hiking boots for the past 10 years for Walk of the Month. To celebrate, he returns to his favourite destination – Bredon Hill in the Cotswolds

An old railway route has been turned into 13 miles of cycling pleasure, says Fred Mawer

In an extract from his new book '12 Months in the Saddle', John Deering relives a frozen bike ride on the Coast to Coast route from Whitehaven to Tynemouth

Eight centuries in the making, Britain's latest Youth Hostel opens its doors this weekend. Simon Calder gets a preview