Fossilised dinosaur prints, volcanic craters, ice-carved corries – there are places in Britain where the landscape is a portal to the past. Hanna Lindon takes a stroll through 4 billion years of British history

NEWCASTLE AND MARDU CIRCULAR Level Easy Elevation gain 217m Length 6.1km (1hr 49min) Description This round-the-hill loop trail from Newcastle leads through peaceful rural landscapes and small village

I still remember the first time I saw the island. It was the summer of 2008 and I was standing on the shore of neighbouring Walney Island with nature guide and former Mayor of Barrow, John Murphy. We

This week’s dream: the dazzling coral gardens of ...

Dreaming of escape on Ireland’s far-flung islands, David Bradford finds the reality of remoteness not quite as simple as it seems

Celebrating 100 years of the BBC Shipping Forecast, Jane Russell takes us on a series of coastal cruises through the forecast sea areas, exploring some of the special places on offer in each of them