Enormous, 70' high, Grecian-style memorial to the poet Robert Burns, erected by subscription in 1823 and surrounded by attractive gardens. Nearby is the Brig o' Doon, Alloway Auld Kirk, Burns' Birthplace Museum and Cottage.

Photo: tormentor4555 via Wikipedia.

Named for the mountain Cairn Gorm, the Cairngorm National Park in North East Scotland was established in 2003 and is Britain’s largest.  Twice as big as the Lake District, it covers a diverse area of 1748 square miles (4,528 sq kilometres), which includes spectacular landscapes, wild mountains, moorland, forests, rivers and farmland.  There are 43 mountains over 3000 feet (914 metres); the highest point is Ben Macdui at 4294 feet (1309 metres).  So, this is challenging walking and climbing territory – and remote.  The forests are part of the ancient Caledonian Forest that covered much of northern Scotland thousands of years ago.  The Park is also home to some of Britain’s rarest animals, including the golden eagle, red squirrel and Scottish wildcat.

All of Scotland’s traditional wild creatures can be seen at the amazing Highland Wildlife Park and there’s a herd of reindeer that can be visited on the slopes of Cairngorm.  The Cairngorm National Park experiences some of Britain’s coldest weather.  It is one of the few places in Britain to offer the prospect of skiing on real snow – Aviemore being a favourite destination for this.  You can also bungee-jump and play golf (but not at the same time).

There are castles and country estates, like Blair Castle and Balmoral, one of the Royal Family’s favourite homes (parts of the Balmoral Estate are open to the public at specified times, but not during the summer).  The National Park has at least 6 whisky distilleries within its boundaries – and while you’re about it, why not attend one of the several Highland Games held at places like Braemar or Tomintoul.

Principal settlements in the Cairngorm National Park include: Aviemore, Ballater, Braemar, Grantown-on-Spey, Kingussie, Newtonmore, and Tomintoul.

Cambridge developed around an Anglo-Saxon bridge, the Danes used it as a trading post and William the Conqueror built a castle there.  The city’s greatest fame, however, derives from being home to Britain’s second oldest university, established sometime after 1209.  The first of Cambridge’s residential colleges, Peterhouse, was established in 1284 and it is these self-governing institutions that make up the university.  The entre of Cambridge is King’s Parade, where you’ll find King’s College (founded in 1441) with its breathtaking chapel and, close by, other colleges – like St John’s (1511) and Trinity (1544) – which can be visited.  In parallel with King’s Street are the Backs – a stretch of riverside gardens and lawns linking several colleges.  The university boasts more Nobel Prize winners than you can shake a stick at, as well as a multitude of well-known graduates including politicians, writers and entertainers.

Wander along in and out of colleges, , take a punt on the Cam, stop for a coffee, ice-cream, or a pint.  For visitors, Cambridge also offers notable churches (including one of only 5 round churches in England), outstanding botanic gardens, several museums with interests ranging from archaeology, computing, earth sciences and the polar regions – though the most famous is probably the astonishing Fitzwilliam Museum, which includes world-class artwork as well as major collections from antiquity.  Theatres and cinemas offer a variety of entertainment and there is a large general weekday market as well as specialist arts and crafts ones at weekends.  Nearby attractions include Duxford air museum, and the Cambridge American Cemetery just outside the city is a thought-provoking place to visit.

Ceibwr Bay is a relatively remote and tiny cove of rocks and sand hemmed in by tall cliffs. It is not a beach to swim from, but the scenery is wonderful and it is possible to spot dolphins offshore.  The coastline either side is wild and spectacular and it is well worth walking in either direction.  About a mile to the south of Ceibwr Bay is the popular Witches’ Cauldron sea cave.

North east of Molygrove.  There is limited roadside parking on the narrow road near Ceibwr Bay.  Post code approximate.

Chelwood Vachery forest garden may be considered of historical interest.  It is certainly a little different, and good to wander in, through the woodland, by small lakes, with splashes of sudden colour from rhododendrons and azaleas.  It is on the site of Vachery wood, the name likely derived from the Norman for ‘cow shelter’ (Vacherie? – the French ‘vache’ means cow). The garden was originally created for Sir Stuart Samuel, Liberal MP and banker, sometime around 1910, as a feature of his house and estate. It included four small lakes, each one with a weir and a sluice.  A ‘gorge’ was constructed for the new owner, FJ Nettlefold, in the 1920s, using limestone boulders brought from Cheddar Gorge in Somerset. Another feature is a folly bridge.  The estate became a management training centre for British American Tobacco in the 1950s, but the house is now privately owned and the woodland was acquired by the Conservators of Ashdown forest in 1994.  They embarked on a restoration project in 2008, clearing out intrusive rhododendrons conserving others, creating space for and views through oak, beech and maple and dredging the lakes.

Chelwood Vachery can be accessed from a number of car parks around Ashdown Forest; the one given is Long Car Park. It can also be reached from the small village of Chelwood Gate.