‘I’m as natural a horseman as Napoleon was a basketball player’
Anna Pickard rides a world-famous horse, gets pummelled by a Shaolin monk and learns when and when not to wear clothes - all in the space of one short break
How am I supposed to get up there?
Nick Bishop has cerebral palsy. He explains how he deals with the obstacles he comes across in everyday life - such as the steps that come between him and a pint with his mates - and, below, puts 10 award-winning London restaurants to the test
Five adventure trips for 2008
From a pioneering trip into remote Madagascar to an expedition to see the eclipse in China
Winter wanderland
The Munros may be more dramatic but the smaller, less taxing Marilyns are perfect for walking off post-Christmas bulges
Recycle yourself
Be good to yourself and the environment with Natalie Walsh's guide to 10 top green spa resorts
What do …
Macho men use to moisturise?
My outburst of volcanic activity
The volcanoes of Sicily and the Aeolian islands provide a spectacular backdrop for a holiday. But will walking to the paper shop be adequate preparation for climbing Mount Etna? Phil Hogan finds out
Stay in good health
Whether learning Tai Chi in Vietnam or detoxing in Ibiza, these are the best vacations for the body as well as the mind
Scotland’s finest: an eclectic selection by the man who knows it best
What's the best pub in the Highlands? The most scenic walk on Skye? The most romantic hotel? Pete Irvine has the answer to all these questions and more
The Slow Traveller
Continuing his low-carbon world tour, Ed Gillespie finds hitch-hiking across New Zealand too slow even for his tastes, but it's positively speedy compared to his next free ride ... on a glacier