As the Omicron variant takes over, Covid-19 seems to be turning into one of those coronaviruses which (like some other non-corona viruses) cause the ‘common cold’ in its various manifestations. If so, that means that the virus is unlikely to go away altogether and may become ‘endemic’. However Omicron is less dangerous than earlier variants for those who have acquired … Read More
What about Covid-19?
As you know, since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 most countries have introduced travel restrictions, both within and across borders. There have also been national and local closures of hotels and B&Bs, restaurants, shops, and other buildings normally open to the public. Such restrictions and closures are temporary but may be long-lasting, even after the introduction and … Read More
Update 7 September 2021
For those travelling within Britain Covid-19 restrictions are effectively over. Rules for visitors from overseas were last updated on 30 August. See gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england There are links from that site to the sites for Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland, where there are mostly minor differences in the rules as compared with those for England. Those visiting England from other countries are still … Read More
Still no good prospects for visitors to Britain this summer
Update to UK’s green list. On 24 June the UK government updated its ‘traffic light’ colour lists, but there are still very few countries on the green list. The only green list territories in Europe are Malta, the Balearic Islands, Gibraltar and Madeira. There are no green list countries in N America. For full details see gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england Red and amber … Read More
Red, amber and green list rules for entering England
On 7 May the UK government published new rules for people entering the UK from outside the Common Travel Area (this is a long-established group of territories comprising the UK, Republic of Ireland, Isle of Man and the Channel Islands). All other countries will be temporarily included on one of three lists: red, amber and green. These rules will apply … Read More
Prospects for 2021 tours
The UK government is expected to issue new rules re lockdowns and travel on Monday 12 April. However it is already clear that travel into the UK for residents of other countries (except Ireland) will continue to be more difficult than travel within England and Wales for UK/Ireland residents. At present Discerning Traveller is not accepting new bookings from UK/Ireland … Read More
A walking holiday in England & Wales
Hallo and welcome! Here is our programme of self-guided hiking and walking tours in England & Wales. We have grouped the tours by region, one page per region. Within each region there are links to detailed tour pages, one page per tour. For each tour there is an interactive map showing the overnight stops on that tour as well as … Read More
24 hours on the Dorset coast
Weymouth is an overnight stop on The Discerning Traveller self-guided walking tour ‘Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset’ and at the end of August 2016 I stayed at this B&B (top left) overlooking the beach. The Dorset Coast Path National Trail (top right, note the sign on the left end of the brick wall) crosses Weymouth’s busy fishing harbour (bottom … Read More
A Beautiful Spring Walk
On the Saturday of Easter weekend we followed Offa’s Dyke Path from the market town of Kington over the windswept heathland of Hergest Ridge and down to the tiny Welsh village of Gladestry. Just outside Kington is one of England’s great gardens, Hergest Croft (www.hergest.co.uk). It’s open every day from April to October and the displays change dramatically with the … Read More