& very cold FactFile Vancouver covered ...inside six hours!
toe touch my lips – in the unlikely event it should come up in conversation.
If nothing else the alcohol numbed the cold, or at least it felt that way. And it certainly gets cold.
In the Yukon things can change in a matter of hours. On the round-trip drive to Dawson from the capital city of Whitehorse, the temperature changed by 20 degrees in only 48 hours.
Driving in these conditions is an experience all of its own. A four-wheel drive is a must and even then you can find yourself skidding across the wide (and thankfully deserted) highways.
But the views reward you with huge snow-capped mountains, miles of forest and enormous rivers.
We stopped at Five Finger Rapids, a viewpoint with a sweeping vista across the river (and its five fingers). Bundled up in layers and layers of clothing we braced the -22C temperatures and 3ftdeep snow and didn’t regret it.
White trees led down to the river, mini icebergs floated on the water, seemingly ready to freeze over at any moment.
Two days later we stopped at the spot again, this time it was a balmy -2C,
WE may not be able to visit the Emerald Isle right now, but you can still enjoy the beauty of Ireland from the comfort of your armchair.
The 12-part TV adaption of Sally Rooney’s Normal People is now being streamed on the BBC iPlayer. It follows the
WINDOWS On The Wild offers eight nights in the Yukon, Canada, next winter from £2,145pp (two sharing). Includes Air Canada flights from Heathrow via Vancouver to Whitehorse, intermediate SUV car hire, three nights on room-only in Whitehorse, two nights’ room-only in Dawson City, and three nights’ Taste Of Mushing at Sky High Valley Ranch. See windowsonthewild. com and visit travelyukon. com or explore-canada. co.uk. jumper weather in the Yukon, and it was like spring already with a sea of green trees leading to an ice-free river.
It’s far from the only scenic drive and people flock to the Top of The World Highway, from Dawson City to Tok, Alaska. The 187-mile route goes along the top of the mountains but becomes impassible in the winter.
The people are proud of their culture as well as the wild scenery. In the town of Carcross the “haunted” Caribou Hotel dates to the gold rush. And spectacular totem poles outside are a focal point for the area – the First Nations are integral to Yukon life and this is the home of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation.
One of the other big draws for tourists here is the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. Sadly, in Whitehorse and Dawson, the clouds covered all but a green tinge on the horizon.
Even without the aurora borealis, the sky is glorious. When the clouds clear, in the middle of the wilderness with no light pollution, you can gaze at endless constellations. I suddenly felt like I was in a dream – only this time without those gold-eyed salmon... relationship between Marianne and Connell and is set against some of Ireland’s most magnificent backdrops.
You can see the sights of Dublin and Trinity College, which the couple attend, watch them strolling down cobbled streets, walking along the dramatic west coast and, of course, they visit some lively pubs too.
It’s almost as good as going there yourself.
You’ll find even more to explore at visitireland.com.
THE journey to the Yukon is a bit of an epic one, with an almost 10-hour flight across to Vancouver followed by another two hours heading north to Whitehorse.
So it’s worth stopping over in Vancouver if you can.
Even if you only have six hours, as I did, you can do a whistle-stop tour of some of the best sights and feel like you’ve added an extra day to your holiday.
Jump in a cab to Grouse Mountain, in North Vancouver, and take a trip 4,000ft to the top via the cable car.
You’ll be greeted with beautiful views and, if you’re lucky, you might spot the resident black bears who live at the summit. Sadly they were hibernating for me.
After a cuppa and a warm cinnamon bun (they’re big in Canada) head back down, and a quick bus ride will take you down to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, bottom, which stretches 450ft across the river 230ft below.
The pictures alone are worth the stop and you can easily while away an hour around the winding pathways between the trees across the gorge.
Another quick taxi ride will take you to Downtown, where you’ll have just enough time for a fabulous meal at one of many good restaurants – we tried the excellent Nightingale near the cruise port – before heading back for your flight.
It certainly beats sitting in the airport…
A PICTURE-postcard village in the heart of the stunning New Forest, Beaulieu could be your next staycation destination.
It’s 90 minutes from London and just 20 minutes from Southampton, with the rest of Hampshire and the M3 easily accessible.
And you really shouldn’t visit without making time for a trip to Beaulieu’s National Motor Museum and Palace House, home of the
Montagu family.
The hotel has 24 beautiful rooms and suites, all of them elegant and classy.
Flowers are placed in rooms daily and toiletries are from the upmarket White Company.
A really nice touch is the complimentary tea or proper coffee brought to your room for you to enjoy before you come down for your breakfast.
Modern British food is the theme, with vegetarians equally well catered for. It’s a treat for wine buffs, too, with more than 2,000 different bottles on offer.
Montagu Arms guests can use the facilities at the award-winning SenSpa Thai spa, located six miles down the road at sister hotel Careys Manor.
With an indoor pool, gym, poolside Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna there are lots of ways to relax.
And of course you can splash out on a range of treatments.
But if you crave some less formal relaxation back at the Montagu Arms, check out Monty’s Inn – the fabulous on-site pub.