The ancient route from Great Malvern Priory to Worcester Cathedral
From the awe-inspiring stained-glass windows of the Great Malvern Priory to the booming hall of Worcester Cathedral, this journey along the River Severn should inspire any modern-day pilgrim. “I feel the ghosts of the distant past stirring in my pilgrim bones,” says Pamela Goodman in the Financial Times, recalling her own trip between the holy sites. Trekking between the chapels, through the idyllic apple orchards and fields of Worcestershire, can itself be a form of tranquil meditation upon the journeys of pilgrims past, and would make a perfect getaway after a long lockdown.
Stay at the Eckington Manor hotel (eckingtonmanor.co.uk, £158), says Harriet O’Brien in The Daily Telegraph, “an epicurean haven on the fringes of the Cotswolds”. Feast on the hay-smoked lamb and enjoy your well-earned rest.
Hiking Up Glastonbury Tor
Glastonbury Tor, a conical hill topped with a ruined church tower in the Somerset town of Glastonbury, has long been a site of pilgrimage for Christians, pagans and other mystics across the UK. “It’s as mysterious as Atlantis,” says Delilah Khomo in Tatler magazine – the town has rich historical and mythical ties to the legends of King Arthur, the Holy Grail and Avalon. If you’re looking for a path to inner peace, a long climb up the Tor is sure to set you on your way.
Subscribe to MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE
Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Stay in the nearby Durslade Farmhouse (dursladefarmhouse.co.uk), which costs from £350 to £1,500 a night. The Dursdale has a rustic, traditional aesthetic, but that’s been paired nicely with mind-expanding experimental art and a video installation by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist. The local Osip restaurant is headed by the appropriately named Michelin-starred chef Merlin Labron-Johnson.
The Old Stones Way in the Peak District
From the summit of Higger Tor on the Pennine moorlands southwest of Sheffield, you can see your destination 25 miles south: the neolithic burial site of Minninglow. Pilgrims on this trail will see various old stones and prehistoric sites dotted along the way, creating a mysterious landscape design of “horizon architecture”, says Guy Hayward in The Guardian. “There is a joy in engaging with this sight-line technology and feeling the awe our ancestors must have felt.”
The Cavendish Hotel (devonshirehotels.co.uk, £170) provides the perfect place to put your feet up at the end of the day’s walk. It’s “the swishest” hotel in the area, says Jane Knight in The Mail on Sunday. And if you still have energy after a day on the moor, the Cavendish can arrange tours of the 105 acres of gardens at nearby Chatsworth House.
-
A junior ISA could turn your child’s pocket money into thousands of poundsPersuading your child to put their pocket money in a junior ISA might be difficult, but the pennies could quickly grow into pounds – and teach them a valuable lesson about money
-
Cost of Christmas dinner jumps 6.5% as grocery price inflation rises againThe average Christmas dinner for four now costs £32.57 as grocery price inflation increases - but what does it mean for interest rates?
-
Autumn in Crete, the Greek island of cultureMoneyWeek Travel Katie Monk reviews the InterContinental Crete, Grecotel LUXME White Palace and the adults-only Asterion Suites & Spa
-
A voyage of discovery: Seven Seas Grandeur cruiseKalpana Fitzpatrick hops aboard the Seven Seas Grandeur cruise ship for a taste of the high life at sea
-
Umana Bali review: a warm welcome to the island of godsMoneyWeek Travel Umana Bali on the island in Indonesia is a resort unlike any other, offering wonderful food and a vibrant culture
-
Review: The Store, Oxford – purveyors of excellenceMoneyWeek Travel The Store is a luxurious, new hotel in Oxford that has set up shop in a former department store in the heart of the city
-
A luxurious haven: Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at AnahitaThe Four Seasons Resort Mauritius at Anahita is close to paradise
-
Thornbury Castle: a castle stay with pedigreeMoneyWeek Travel Few stately hotels can rival the fascinating history of Thornbury Castle in Gloucestershire – or the opulence, says Matthew Partridge
-
Two Turkish delights: Argos in Cappadocia and Vakko Hotel & Residence, IstanbulMoneyWeek Travel Katie Monk explores the unusual caverns of Argos in Cappadocia and the chic Vakko Hotel & Residence, located in Turkey's largest city
-
Jazz Age fun in Norway: Sommerro, OsloMoneyWeek Travel Sommerro is the latest and swankiest hotel to open in Oslo, says Chris Carter
