WHERE I’D RATHER BE ...
SHORT HAUL
Last weekend I walked the Routeburn Track and it was so magical I’m already dying to go back and do it again. The three-day, two-night hike is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks and the scenery is spectacular. therouteburntrack.com
Eating: Doing the track with Ultimate Hikes means you don’t need to carry your own food. Three-course gourmet dinners await at the end of each day, as well as cooked breakfasts, picnic lunches, and fully-stocked bars. ultimatehikes.co.nz
Drinking: A celebratory pint at the Glenorchy Hotel after emerging back into the real world once the walk is complete. glenorchynz.com
Staying: In complete luxury at Kamana Lakehouse in Queenstown’s Fernhill — a beautifully-designed hotel with epic lake views and fantastic restaurant. kamana.co.nz
MID HAUL
Walking Tasmania’s Overland Track. The six-day walk takes you through the World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain — Lake St Clair National Park and is, by all accounts, simply stunning. taswalkingco.com.au/overland-track
Eating: All the delicious goodies at the Harvest Market Launceston, a weekly community farmers’ market selling the best local produce. harvestmarket.org.au
Drinking: Wine at the cellar door of Josef Chromy, a local Launceston winery founded by a war refugee from the Czech Republic. The cellar door is in the estate’s original 1880s homestead. josefchromy.com.au
Staying: In the Hatherley Birrell Collection, a group of contemporary art-filled apartments in Hatherley House, an 1830s heritage-listed mansion. hatherley.com.au
LONG HAUL
Walking the Laugavegur Trail, a 53km, 4-day hike — one of the most popular in Iceland — that takes in volcanoes, deserts, valleys, ravines, geothermal springs and glacial rivers. fi.is/en/hiking-trails/laugavegur
Eating: The seven-course New Nordic tasting menu at Dill in Reykjavik, the first restaurant in Iceland to be awarded a Michelin star. dillrestaurant.is/en/home
Drinking: Brunch cocktails at Snaps Bistro and Bar — a place that, according to CNN Travel, “feels like a giant, cosy greenhouse”. snaps.is/en
Staying: At the Hotel Holt, described as a “unique hotel for unique people”. There’s a strong focus on local culture and artworks, which you can find displayed throughout the property. holt.is