Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
Ask the experts
From two-wheeled trips around northern Scotland to traversing Canada by train and exploring the wildlife wonders of Ecuador – our experts offer their help
From cycling in the Highlands to riding the Canadian rails, our gurus tell you what’s hot – and what’s not
CYCLING IN SCOTLAND IN THE SPRINGTIME
QMy wife and I are spending a week in Scotland this spring, centred on Inverness. We’d love to spend a day doing a basic bike ride. Is there an easy-ish loop or route in the area to try?
Ian Tilbury, Essex
AInverness, the capital of the Highlands, is surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Grampian Mountains (south-east), Loch Ness (south-west), and the Black Isle and Cromarty Firth (north). All can be visited on cycle day trips of various lengths from the city. Rent bikes from Inverness Bike Hire in Church Street or Ticket to Ride in Bellfield Park.
An easy 48km cycle takes you east to two sites connected with the 1745 Jacobite rebellion, when Stuart pretender Bonnie Prince Charlie tried to wrest the British throne from Hanoverian King George II. First to Culloden, 9km from Inverness along National Cycle Network route NCN1, which passes within 1km of the battlefield. Here you can visit the site of the last military battle fought on British soil (1746), where the Duke of Cumberland’s army defeated the Prince’s Jacobite forces.
Quiet country roads take you north to the shore of Beauly Firth where an old military road leads to Fort George, built as a garrison for Hanoverian troops after Culloden. Part of the fort is open to visitors although it remains a barracks for the Black Watch regiment. Return to Inverness alongside Beauly Firth, partly on the A96 main road.
Mike Wells
TICKET TO RIDE THE CANADIAN
QI’m travelling the Transcanadian – coast to coast – but was looking to do a couple of stops along the way. How does the stop-off system work? And what would the best stop be to see some great Canadian forests? Rob Boynes, Newcastle
ACanada’s transcontinental train, known as The Canadian, starts in Toronto and ends in Vancouver, 4,446km away. To make it a coast-to-coast trip, you need to take the ‘Ocean’ train from Halifax to Montreal, and then a ‘Corridor’ train from Montreal to Toronto. This means you get to stop in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver without it affecting your tickets.
If you want to break your journey, you need to specify this in advance.
You’re allowed one free stopover per ticket, for as many days as you like. But if you want to stop off more than once, you need to buy separate tickets for each leg, which works out more expensive. If you’re planning to make multiple stops, consider buying a rail pass.
The best place for a stopover is Jasper, in the Rockies. It’s in a national park surrounded by forests, lakes and mountains, and within easy reach of the train. There are also some lovely forest walks near Vancouver: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and Lynn Canyon Park are set in lush temperate rainforest, easily reached by city transit.
Melissa Graham
GETTING OUT & ABOUT IN GUAYAQUIL
QWe’re travelling to the Galápagos – 25 years after my first adventure there – and thought it would be interesting to spend three or four days in Guayaquil. What is there to see and do within easy driving distance from town?
Lesley Packer, Devon
AGuayaquil is a tropical metropolis that has made strides to incorporate its waterfronts into pleasant bird- and iguanawatching spots. These include the urban boardwalks along the Guayas River and El Salado estuary, and the sparsely inhabited Santay Island, accessible via a long pedestrian bridge and notable for its endangered crocodiles and birdlife.
West of the city, Cerro Blanco protects 6,000 hectares of dry tropical forest with more than 200 species of bird, including rare Guayaquil macaws, and howler monkeys. East lies the Manglares de Churute, 35,000 hectares of Ramsar-protected wetlands. Pre-hispanic remains have been found here, but the main attraction is its more than 260 bird species.
Stephan Küffner