25 great ideas for autumn getaways

Summer was a write-off, but there's still time to make amends. From food festivals and wine tours to forest retreats, Beverley Fearis has some ideas to help you make the most of the season of mellow fruitfulness

Cycling holidays on the rise

Concerns over climate change, health and fitness and the glamour of the Tour de France are driving a huge revival in Britons taking cycling holidays, according to a report.

All aboard for a wild weekend

Fancy yourself as a mountain man, but stuck in a city boy schedule? Follow Tom Robbins on the sleeper train, for a great escape with not an hour off work

Flying visit: Liguria

Here you may catch the north Mediterranean sunshine washing one of Europe's loveliest hiking trails - and, from mid September, benefit from improved infrastructure.

Five madcap adventures

Hitch to Morocco | Home to Rome | Trek from Jordan to Hong Kong | Cycle Vietnam from top to Bottom | Drive your own husky team

Sick on arrival

It's no fun being ill on holiday. So why do so many of us succumb every time we finally wind down? Emine Saner finds out how to break the cycle.

Ayush Wellness Spa, Hotel de France

As spas go, Ayush is perfectly lovely - large, modern, airy and white with great treatments - but it is attached to a stuffy old place with patterned carpets and plastic flowers.

Best British cycle routes

The Tour de France, which ends today, has prompted cyclists of all levels to dust down their bikes and get pedalling. If you fancy a two-wheeled adventure, check out Rob Penn's guide to top UK trails, from a gentle eight miles in Wiltshire to 400-plus miles of Scottish splendour.

High walks and shear adventure

A 'free-range' holiday on a working farm in Cumbria has just the right ratio of spectacular hikes, hands-on activities and hearty food, writes Nell Card.