Iron and mighty

Alf Alderson gets hooked on the alpine life, climbing the metal ladders that snake up the slopes of the Dolomites.

Ask the experts

We're a young couple planning to go to Costa Rica for two to three weeks over Christmas. We're eager to experience as much as possible of its diverse flora and fauna and activities such as horse riding, whitewater rafting, diving and hiking. What are the must-see sights and which is the best way to get about?

Skye light

A new art project combines drama, music, history and hiking - in the middle of the night. Rob Penn reports.

Sun, sand, sea and sickness

In an age of cheap, frill-free flights, more of us are venturing further on our travels than ever before, but what are the implications for our health? Joanna Moorhead offers some advice on how to stay healthy on holiday.

The vineyards of Slovenia

We'd like to tour the vineyards of the Vipava valley in Slovenia. Is there a good central place to stay? Do the wine cellars welcome independent travellers, or must we join a group?

Well earned rests

Surfing, mountain biking, hiking - there's always been plenty to satisfy the active, but where to unwind? Alf Alderson catches the new wave in Welsh hospitality.

Ride ’em, cowgirl

Gun totin', lasso spinnin' and cattle herding have typically been seen as cowboy work. Now cowgirls are taking over the ranch. Just America, which offers wild west holidays on nine ranches in America's southwest and Rocky Mountains, says female guests are set to outnumber men this year. Guests can choose basic ranches such as Kara Creek, Wyoming, where you sleep in bunkhouses, tents or tepees, or opt for more luxurious ones with spas like the four-star Tanque Verde Ranch, Arizona. Most offer horseriding and horse(wo)manship training, rodeos, riflery, western dancing and hiking.