Author Archives: Kateonhertravels

Viking Shetland

Up Helly Aa – the festival celebrating Shetland’s Viking past – would, in a normal year, have taken place last Tuesday in the island’s capital Lerwick. But it is not a normal year, and so it has been delayed until 2022. I was lucky to discover some of Shetland’s Viking history back in September, soContinue reading “Viking Shetland”

Feel the Burns

Last week, as I was mulling the approach of Burns Night, wondering whether to add a haggis to the food shop, up popped an email from National Trust for Scotland, entitled, ‘who was Robert Burns?’. It was then that I realised I really didn’t know that much about Burns, or the night dedicated to him.Continue reading “Feel the Burns”

Museum openings worth planning holidays for

Ordinarily, this is the season for spending lots of time indoors in museums and galleries, exploring new exhibitions and shows. As that obviously can’t happen at the moment I thought I would share some 2021 museum openings from around the world that I’m most excited about, as well as some culture fixes you can haveContinue reading “Museum openings worth planning holidays for”

A photographic journey into The Cairngorms

The area of the Cairngorms in northeast Scotland is not an unknown wilderness. Five of the UK’s six highest mountains are all in the park so to say it’s very well-trodden by walkers, tourists, walking tourists is a vast understatement. Not that you’d want to go walking if you could be there right now. RightContinue reading “A photographic journey into The Cairngorms”

It’s Christmas, again

No, I’m not in denial, and you haven’t overslept. If you read my piece last month about Christmas traditions around the world, you will have spotted an entry on the Orthodox Christian Christmas taking place in January. For most, that day is tomorrow, January 7th, in fact. And that’s because Those of us who celebrateContinue reading “It’s Christmas, again”

Christmas traditions from other countries

I don’t know about you, but I love learning about Christmas traditions in other countries. Read on for some of my favourites. 13th December: St Lucia, Scandinavia Today is the feast day of St Lucia, or Saint Lucy. Unless you are from a Catholic country, are Scandinavian or have a particular interest in saints, youContinue reading “Christmas traditions from other countries”

Saving Stanfords

In what has been a calamitous year on our high streets, I thought I would shine a spotlight on one of my favourite shops in the whole world: Stanfords. This temple to travel has sold maps and books to record-beating explorers and award-winning authors, curious travellers, the world’s governments and geographers alike since 1853. AndContinue reading “Saving Stanfords”