The spine of the dragon

MOUNTAIN, RIVER & MOORLAND LOOP

Brilliant tarmac, great food and endless warmth, these are a great basis for a stunning biking holiday… and you can download the routes from www.ride.co.uk

If you want to experience some of the airiness associated with YR WYDDFA ’s (Snowdon’s) edgiest routes, but with a focus more on walking rather than scrambling, the South Ridge is hard to beat.

Jim Perrin conjures more Eryri magic, folding time on a lesser-known scramble to Wales’ highest peak

Moments enjoyed, lessons learned, handy advice, weird stuff that happened: welcome to the little bits and pieces that don’t make big stories, but do make all the difference.

It’s the busiest time of year for Britain’s beautiful places. Yet as these locations prove, you can find silence, sensational scenery and space to breathe.