I’d like to explore some of Sweden’s islands by kayak this summer, and wild camp. Are there any trips you can do without a guide?
James Stewart, Derby
Gavin Brett replies
Going it alone in the tens of thousands of islands off Sweden is a constitutional right. The Swedes call it allemannsretten, which basically means everyone has access as long as they are respectful.
Try the Bohuslan coast, north of Gothenburg. There are 8,000 islands here, with few tidal fluctuations (easier on the arms), kelp forests and creatures galore, including harbour seals. You can line-catch a catfish or even a cuckoo wrasse for dinner while camping on uninhabited, forested isles. Nature Travels has three-day trips from £174pp, but you’ll need your own camping gear and food (naturetravels.co.uk). Fly to Gothenburg with Ryanair or BA.
Or head for the calmer but no less scenic Baltic coast. Do the North has a 57-mile self-guided, five-day kayak taking in seven locations across the St Anna, Missjo and Gryt archipelagos, including Harstena island, where a lake spawns vivid red water lilies. Along the way, white-tailed sea eagles show you how fishing is really done. Prices start at £505pp, including kit, food and transfers (dothenorth.com). Fly to Stockholm with easyJet.
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Too daunting? There are plenty of guided trips, too. The Koster archipelago, west Sweden’s last outpost before the sea, is a good introduction — 6,000 plant and animal species in a vast marine park. A three-day trip starts at £299pp, including kit and meals (upplevelsebolaget.com). Fly to Gothenburg with Ryanair or BA.
I’m getting married in East Lothian this summer. Do you have any suggestions for a romantic “mini-moon”?
Will Breakey, Newcastle upon Tyne
Jeremy Lazell replies
If you’re happy to travel, my favourite romantic escape in Scotland is Scarista House, in the Outer Hebrides, which has an edge-of-the-earth wildness that’ll make your inner Highlander sing. Marooned above a three-mile sweep of perfect custard sand on the west coast of Harris, the Georgian manse is a just-right blend of the creaky and the cosy: no TV or radio, the resident pug, Maud, curled up by the fire in the library snug, and killer cuisine featuring local scallops and lamb. Doubles start at £230, B&B (scaristahouse.com).
If eight hours by car and ferry via Skye is just too far, try Eriska. Three hours from East Lothian, this magical 300-acre private island, reached by a rickety wooden bridge just north of Oban, is host to a magnificent Relais & Châteaux castle hotel and spa. It has two hilltop cabins with outdoor hot tubs and views out across the Atlantic to the summits of Ardgour. They cost £499pp for three nights, self-catering, including spa treatments and one dinner in the hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant (eriska-hotel.co.uk).
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Just as remote, but only two hours from East Lothian, how about an open-plan wood and glass boathouse right on Loch Tay, with mighty views from beside the woodburner across the water to Ben Lawers? Dipper costs £538 for three nights in summer, self-catering, and comes with use of a beaten-up old Landrover (www.lochtay.co.uk).
Is it possible to reach Antarctica affordably?
Alison Reed, Oxford
Duncan Craig replies
As the likes of Shackleton and Scott once proved, you need commitment to reach the White Continent — and that goes for financial outlay, too. No one has much interest in seeing the world’s last pristine wilderness become mass-market affordable — and, while that keeps it at arm’s length, it also preserves its unique appeal.
The most accessible, and so affordable, option is an expedition cruise from Ushuaia, on the southern tip of Patagonia, across the fabled Drake Passage to the Antarctic Peninsula. This will cost a minimum of £3,000pp for a shared berth, with individual cabins far more. Gap Adventures’ Antarctica Classic is an 11-day expedition taking in the South Shetland Islands and mainland Antarctica, with regular zodiac trips and shore landings to view the unique wildlife — vast rookeries of gentoo penguins, leopard and elephant seals, humpback whales and possibly the occasional orca (from £3,299pp in a shared cabin; gadventures.co.uk).
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Quark Expeditions has an 11-day Discovering the 7th Continent trip aboard Ocean Endeavour from £3,400pp. It follows broadly the same route, and offers a raft of enticing extras, including kayaking, cross-country skiing and camping overnight on the ice (extras from £163; quarkexpeditions.com).
In both cases, you’ll need to get to Ushuaia. Latam is your best bet, with flights from Heathrow for the 2015 season beginning in November. They’re currently available for £796 (lan.com), though about £1,000 is more typical.