Norfolk is a gorgeous county. Many of its coastal towns and villages, such as Cley and Brancaster Staithes are still wonderful havens of peace and tranquillity, where the simple holiday pleasures of rock pools, buckets and spades and great seafood still rule the day. Perfect for a relaxing English  seaside break. Just a little further inland, are the Norfolk Broads; a winding trail of waterways that provide a haven for birds and wildlife.

Inspired by the glorious early June weather, we decided to head off to the Broads recently, in search of British birds and wildlife.

A bit of research lead us to the Norfolk Wildlife Trust which manages a number of nature reserves in the region.  We’d booked ahead to join one of their wildlife spotting boat trips and duly joined skipper Maurice and a couple of other visitors for what turned out to be a truly idyllic two hour journey through the reed beds.

It was like stepping back in time.  On the larger expanses of water, people were busy with the traditional ‘brown boat’ sailing dinghies, streaming along in the wind, for all the world as if they’d just dropped out of ‘Swallows and Amazons’.  The more sedate sailors were pottering around on houseboats and day cruisers, or sitting on deck in the sunshine with a mug of tea.

On our eco friendly electric boat, we were able to chug quietly up and down some of the narrower channels, keeping a sharp eye open for anything interesting along the way. We were rewarded with close up views of many birds, including Reed Warblers and Sedge Warblers and there were so many Marsh Harriers soaring on the thermals above us that we lost count.  Our eyes popped as we saw a grass snake swim from one side of the reed bed to the other and Swallowtail butterflies fluttered around in a mesmerising aerial dance.

A one stage, we briefly left the boat and climbed to the top of the Trust’s special viewing platform, to take in a panoramic view of the Norfolk Broads, with sailboats dotted like tiny handkerchiefs in the distance.  We fancied that we might have glimpsed one of the region’s breeding pairs of Cranes, but had to concede that it was in fact a Grey Heron lurking to fool us.

Topped off by a pleasant saunter around the reserve’s nature trails and finally a leisurely pub lunch, it would be hard to imagine a more perfect English summer’s day out.  It didn’t cost the earth, we learned a lot about the area and our visit helped to provide a little bit of the money that the Trust needs to keep protecting this precious environment for generations to come.

Who could ask for more?

Although it was something of a whirlwind trip – stopping off at more than 10 towns and villages during a two week visit – a recent trip to Morocco was absolutely fantastic.

There’s something utterly beguiling about sleeping under the stars in the Sahara Desert and boy, is it cold at night!  Sleeping is perhaps an overly ambitious description of the experience, because when you are sharing a section of sand with another 10 bodies, all at similar odds between sleep and wakefulness, it’s hard to get any meaningful shut eye.  That’s without factoring in the camels wandering around the camp and the spectacle of being under an inky midnight blue sky, showered with brilliant stars. A bit surreal, but definitely not to be missed.

Between visits to the major cities of Casablanca, Fes and Marrakech, we had chance to get somewhat off the beaten track and visit some remote villages in the Atlas Mountains, where the daily life of local people is still influenced by long standing traditions.  There was stunning scenery, bracing air and brisk exercise to be enjoyed (apart from the handful of people who cheated and hoofed it up on a mule that is) as we hiked up to Armd village for the night.  Traders had set up little stalls with Berber goods for sale and after some hard bartering, I found myself in possession of a rather fetching hand knitted woollen beanie hat.  It came in useful, as the mountains gave us another breath sucking insight into quite how cold Morocco gets in some places.

In Essaouira, we had the luxury of two days to potter around the town, to enjoy the active bustle of the fishing port and chill out at pavement cafes in the Medina, where we sipped the most glorious freshly squeezed orange juice – definitely the best we’d ever tasted.  Another highlight here was a visit to the local Hammam, but that’s another story…

As we neared the end of the trip, we set off for Marrakech, stopping en route to watch the famous goats of the Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz region, which nimbly climb trees to eat the fruits of the Argan tree.  Quite an astonishing sight.

Marrakech was everything we’d hoped for. Vibrant and hectic, full of curious smells and sounds and with a souk worth getting lost in for a couple of hours.  In Djemaa El-Fna Square we watched agog as colourful characters entertained the masses with acrobats, magic, storytelling and dance, whilst nearby stalls served steaming bowls of food scooped from bubbling vats.  Courage failed us though and we didn’t tuck in, but headed instead to the Earth Cafe Marrakech, where we sank gratefully into their comfy cushions to enjoy some superb vegetarian food.

Our trip was arranged through GAP Adventures which made it possible to see so many fascinating aspects of the country in a limited amount of time.  Our travelling companions were delightful – there was a staggering 65 year age span between the youngest, at 19, to the oldest, who at 84 was an inspiration to all of us.

It’s a joy to know that life really is what you make of it, whatever age you are

Number 1 – The Okavango Delta – bush camping 

Forget fancy hotel and lodges – for me, bush camping is the only way to stay when visiting the awesome Okavango Delta in Botswana. Travelling in quietly by Mokoro canoe reveals wildlife watching opportunities that simply wouldn’t be possible in a 4×4 or plane, giving anyone who is willing to get back to basics a real chance to be at one with nature for a few days.

There is something quite spectacular about camping in the wild and hearing lions roar and hyenas call in the early hours of the morning – scary but overwhelmingly exciting at the same time.  Added to this, few things can top the sight of elephants coming to drink at the river, just feet away from camp.

With no loo, shower or any other creature comforts it it takes guts to give it a go, but our guide was a wealth of information about the local wildlife and habitat, making it a privilege and pleasure to be there.  Using guides from the villages helps to sustain local communities, protecting traditional lifestyles and supporting conservation work.

If you don’t unpack unless you’ve checked out room service and the mini bar, it’s probably not for you, but it’s out of this world if you have a spirit of adventure.

Number 2 – The Daintree Rainforest – Cockatoo Hill Retreat 

We’re constantly searching for special little places to stay on our travels and came across the Cockatoo Hill Retreat quite by chance whilst we were searching for eco tours of the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland, Australia.

Our stay was for a special birthday, so we’d been desperately hoping that it would be as lovely as it sounded on their website. Stepping into our tree house room on arrival was almost overwhelming, as it was so utterly perfect, we couldn’t have asked for more.  With a veranda overlooking the forest canopy, the rainforest was alive around us and we knew we’d found somewhere exceptional.

Our hosts Carmen and Gilles looked after us superbly and made a special event forever memorable.

 Number 3 – Victoria Falls National Park – The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge 

The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge was apparently once listed in the Conde Nast list of the world’s best places to stay.  Located overlooking the Victoria Falls National Park, with its own water hole attracting elephants, buffalo and other wildlife for an evening spectacle in the sunset, we could well see why. Guests can stay in the main hotel, or opt for a more economical, but still fairly luxurious self catering Lokuthula Lodge in the grounds of the hotel, with access to the main hotel facilities.

It was a real heart twister deciding whether to include this place in my top five list, because it appears to be incongruously luxurious in a town that has been badly affected by the present economic and political instability in Zimbabwe.    However, as tourism seems to be one of the few remaining sources of income for Victoria Falls and its residents, it felt right to include it, as it was without doubt one of the most spectacular places I have been lucky enough to stay in. 

During our stay we tried hard to put some of our money into the local community by eating at local cafes, buying from independent craft outlets and engaging a local wildlife guide directly.

It was an awesome place to spend a few days and we can only desperately hope that life starts to improve for everyone there.

Number 4 – Tsavo National Park – Saltlick Lodge 

I love Africa, so it’s yet another African one, but then, it is my list.   The guest rooms at Saltlick Lodge are on stilts overlooking the African savannah of Tsavo National Park, so there is always a chance of spotting big game or wildlife from the comfort of your own room and the location is tranquillity itself.

To top things off, the rooms have canopied beds, which although designed to keep mosquitoes out, do add a touch of romance to the already fantastic setting.

The whole point of staying within the National Park is to see the wildlife, so a stay here rotates around sunrise starts and sunset finishes, as these are the best times of day to go game spotting with a guide. It’s all worth it to have the privilege of experiencing such a breathtaking place though.

Number 5 – Langley Castle – Hexham, Northumberland 

Langley Castle was built in 1350 and is one of the last remaining fortified mediaeval castles in England. Now operating as an independent hotel, it is absolutely steeped in history and if you ever want to plan a romantic surprise for someone, it is pretty much guaranteed to knock their socks off when you pull up at the castle gate.

It is most certainly worth paying a little extra to experience one of the 9 deluxe or feature rooms, which are in the castle itself and therefore have the full majesty of a castle room, such as 7ft thick walls with window seats and four poster beds. Sitting in the window seat of the Percy room, I was momentarily transported back in time to14th Century England, pondering the lives of Lords and Ladies of the realm who had no doubt occupied the very same seat to look out onto the estate’s woodland. 

If you take a pair of sturdy walking boots and explore the surrounding countryside and Hadrian’s Wall, you can retire to the hotel with a sense of smug satisfaction to toast in front of an open fire and enjoy fine dining in the restaurant.