A "soft, silver sadness in the sky". Carole King's lyrics sum up how last Sunday dawned over North Yorkshire. Yet despite the aftershocks from Storm Bert rumbling across the nation, the rest of the day brightened into a winter wonder.
I had woken at the end of line, in Saltburn-by-the-Sea. Many rail travellers know Saltburn solely because it is the ultimate destination of their train. From Manchester airport, TransPennine Express services call at Leeds, York and Darlington. By the time they reach Middlesbrough almost everyone has got off. Should any passengers dare one day to stay on to the terminus, they will discover a resort created as a cliff-top Victorian vision of travel joy. Cornwall and Scotland's Western Isles may face out to the wild Atlantic – but Saltburn (as well as the rest of Britain's east coast) gazes across the German Ocean. That, at least, was the common name for what we now call the North Sea until the First World War rendered it politically incorrect. Whatever you call the body of water separating Yorkshire from Schleswig-Holstein, it carves a spectacular coastline – as you discover by striding to the end of Saltburn pier, the only such structure on the northeast shoulder of Britain. Next, take the X4 bus from Saltburn to Whitby. The fare for this hour-long journey will increase on 1 January from £2 to £3. But the views will remain priceless: as you approach the port, the ghostly silhouette of the ruins of Whitby Abbey pierces the horizon. Britain's finest Youth Hostel shares the decaying abbey's natural pedestal. I have stayed in many YHA properties, but as far as I know Whitby is the only hostel that occupies a Grade I-listed medieval mansion. Dorm beds are available from Monday onwards at £15 per night. If you incline towards more privacy, at least call in at the hostel's excellent cliff-top cafe. You could then, as I did, complete a North Yorkshire adventure with another spectacular £2 (soon £3) bus trip: the Coastliner across the bleak and beautiful North Yorkshire Moors to Malton: Britain at its best. |
|
|
Ocean view: Saltburn Pier in North Yorkshire during Storm Bert |
|
| | Our team has rounded up the top savings on flights, hotels, cruises, ski breaks and package holidays. Read more. |
|
|
| The best fine dining, spas and adults-only getaways for a dose of winter sunshine in the Canary Islands. Read more. |
|
|
| From foraging to pasta-making, here's how to make the most of the culinary delights on our doorstep. Read more. |
|
|
Don't forget to complete your registration |
We've noticed that you still have not completed your registration to The Independent. Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism. It allows us to better understand our readers and tailor your experience. |
By registering, you'll also gain access to a range of exclusive benefits, including: |
- Limited access to Premium articles
- Access to The Independent app
- Access to more than 20 newsletters
- Commenting on independent.co.uk
|
|
|
| Treat the traveller in your life to this luxurious leather passport cover from Aspinal of London – now available at half price! |
|
|
The approach by rail to Saltburn leads through the industrial archaeology of Middlesbrough. Trains deliver views that other modes of transports cannot match: Alpine acrobatics across Switzerland, the Scandinavian corridor between Kiruna in Sweden and Narvik in Norway, plus the mesmerising loop required for trains to scale the Kiel Canal in northern Germany. Which is why I am excited by the prospect of a cut-price Interrail global pass – allowing unlimited international travel across Europe. Here's the deal: buy an Interrail pass by 17 December, and you get a straight 25 per cent off. You then have 11 months to start using the thing, which opens up almost of 2025 for a European rail adventure. Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries, the authors of Europe by Rail, say: "Normally, travellers can expect one or two Interrail promos each year, typically with a 10 or 15 per cent discount. So this current offer with 25 per cent off all global passes really is a surprise." With the saving, a pass allowing travel in 33 countries costs €213 (£178). This buys any four days of rail trips within one month. If you prefer to travel every day for a month, you will currently pay €522 (£423). For the chance to explore Europe at ground level, in the company of local travellers, that works out at less than £14 a day. And if you have the fortune to be under 28 or over 59, the price plummets further. Multigenerational rail roving is the future, say Nicky and Susanne. "Interrail is now embedded into the travel culture of some families." And if you have yet to sample train travel in Europe, they say: "Heed the lesson of early Interrail adventures – where young travellers set out to discover Europe, but returned home having discovered themselves." |
|
|
Check your passport dates |
If your passport was issued on 29 November 2014 or earlier, it is no longer valid for travel to the European Union. Fortunately, early December is an excellent time to renew passports. Online renewals are currently taking 10 days or less. The next surge in passport applications, which will slow things down a little, will be just before Christmas when prospective Yuletide travellers check their documents and discover they need to renew. Expect another bump in early January among people who have just booked summer holidays. |
One-third off Isle of Wight crossings |
Ferry fares across the Solent to the Isle of Wight are absurdly expensive. But if you buy no later than 6 December, Red Funnel Ferries is offering a straight one-third off tickets to the island from Southampton – for almost a year ahead. You can book for travel up to 3 November 2025. The deal applies on the car ferry from Southampton to East Cowes (which takes an hour) and the Red Jet passenger-only 28-minute service to West Cowes. The only blackout spell is 19-23 June, for the Isle of Wight Festival, which in 2025 features Sting, Stereophonics and Justin Timberlake. (Historical note: the Jimi Hendrix-led 1970 festival included Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, The Doors and The Who.) |
|
|
Fast track to Fiji, avoiding America? |
|
|
I want to visit Fiji as part of a trip to New Zealand next spring. What's the best way to arrange this (ideally not passing through the US during the Trump presidency), and what are your highlights in Fiji? |
|
|
The South Pacific archipelago is 10,000 miles away from the UK on the other side of the earth. The most direct route from London to the main airport, Nadi, happens to be via Vancouver in British Columbia rather than any US city. The more usual approach, via Los Angeles, is hundreds of miles longer, and a stopover in Vancouver is guaranteed to be worthwhile. Hong Kong and Tokyo are other possible routings. Continuing to New Zealand, there are direct flights from Nadi to Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. A good travel agent will be able to advise on the best-value ticket. Fiji is more substantial than most South Pacific island destinations and offers plenty of diversity, both cultural and geographic, beyond the excellent beaches. The country's people comprise a blend of Melanesian, Polynesian, Micronesian, Indian, Chinese and European influences. Viti Levu, the main island, is where you are likely to spend most of your time: it has deep valleys, friendly villages and mountains ideal for hiking, For a different dimension, make a side-trip to the sleepy island of Ovalau, which has a rich colonial heritage along with dense green foliage. Levuka, the main town, was the capital of Fiji until 1877. |
|
|
| Need a new toothbrush for your travels? There's almost 70% off Oral-B's iO5 model. |
|
|
| Stay powered up on your adventures – this handy portable charger duo is reduced to just £16. |
|
|
| Be the first to see big travel stories by following me on X/Twitter @SimonCalder. My direct messages are open – and I try to reply to as many as possible. |
|
|
| Follow me on Instagram @Simon_Calder. Join me here live every weekend at 5.30pm British time as I answer your travel questions. |
|
|
Join the conversation or follow us |
|
| Download the free Independent app |
|
|
Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Travel newsletter. To unsubscribe from The Independent's Travel newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345
Read our privacy policy and cookie policy
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Keep a civil tongue.