After spending 5 hectic days in Marrakesh we retreated to the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, being about an hours drive from the city. The last 3 miles was across a rutted track through a couple of Berber villages before we arrived at the Kasbah Bab Ouricka in the Ourika Valley. The Kasbah, being a large country house, is perched high on a ridge overlooking the Ouricka Valley and with splendid views of the Atlas Mountains. This was to be our place of peace and relaxation for the next 5 days. There was lots of rest and reading and in my case a couple of days of treking with a guide and companions from the Kasbah. A perfect break in the mountains following the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh... read more

The readers of this travelblog will have noticed that over a period of time I have been walking Shakespeare's Avon Way. The walk follows the River Avon from its source in Naseby in Northamptonshire to where it joins the River Severn at Tewkesbury, a distance of 88 miles. Today is the last lap from Pershore to Tewkesbury. The weather was cloudy and overcast but the rain held off. The walk, as you can well imagine, is pretty flat with very few inclines encountered. After leaving Pershore it is not long before one reaches the pretty village of Great Comberton which has its fair share of attractive thatched cottages. On this 12 mile walk there are some wonderful long stretches where the walking is along the riverbank and the only companions are the occasional fisherman and the ... read more

Left Corfu on Monday on the ferry to the small island Paxos. The crossing took about an hour and was relatively smooth but chaotic on arrival at the small port at Gaios, the main town on the island. Our luggage was hurled out onto the quay with the resultant scramble to retrieve one's belongings. The island is delightful with a very relaxed atsmosphere radiating all round. A definite lack of hustle and bustle and an ideal venue for chilling out. Sitting in a taverna in the town square taping away over a coffee having picked up a wi-fi signal. Lynne has gone off browsing round the shops, which should not take too long. Tomorrow we are off on a boat trip round the island, which takes in a visit to a nearby island called Anti Paxos ... read more

After rising at the unearthly hour of 3.00am on Monday morning to get a 7.00 flight from Bristol we arrived in the warmth of Corfu at 12.00 noon local time. After picking up our hire car at the airport we drove through the crowded streets of Corfu Town to reach the coast road which we followed to the North Eastern part of the island. Corfu Town certainly looks worth a visit with the old fort jutting out into the sea. More on that later in the week. We are staying in a villa overlooking a lazy little village by the sea called Agni. The sum total of the village is 3 tavernas each hiring out small motor boats. From the villa we have wonderful views of the coastline and in the distance the mountains of Albania ... read more

The last leg and probably one of the hottest day of the year so far and so not ideal for walking. When I set out on the 11 mile hike from Alfriston along the river towards the coast I feared the heat may get the better of me. As I got nearer the coast there was a gentle cooling breeze which was very welcome. The coastal walk from Cuckmere Haven into Eastbourne was spectactular and must rank as one of the best in the UK, First there is the River Cuckmere meanering into the sea at Cuckmere Haven although it looks as though in years to come this will all change as the man-made sea defences are being abandoned and the Haven will revert to being a tidal estuary The Seven Sisters are next and this ... read more