Sometimes there’s just no place like home
Imagine you’ve one year, to spend in one destination, and your entire objective is to let local people define your visit. Where would you go?
You’ve no plans and limited finances yet your bucket list is growing, so you decide to shun international travel and spend the next 12 months exploring your own backyard; flying by the seat of your pants during the four seasons that follow.
For travel writer and blogger Emma Higgins this was reality of her Great British itinerary. Crossing the UK and Ireland and immersing herself in the communities she visited, she chronicled her journey and documented the landscapes she explored along the way.
“Going where the wind took me was my intention throughout the entire year – to not have a plan. I wanted to produce something based on real, tangible experiences.”
Keeping her costs to a minimum by wild camping where possible, securing house and pet sitting stays when convenient, and traveling outside of peak seasons, Higgins found she was able to support 12 months of travel on a pretty meager budget and enjoyed a more authentic experience living like a local.
After 365 days of adventure she returned home and took stock of the content she’d collected. Scrawl-filled notebooks, half-finished sketch pads, and 12 months of photography to edit. However rather than fill a blog with top 10 tips and how-to guides, Emma self published her journal entitled A Year in the UK & Ireland, and the result is quite simply divine.
Here are a few of my favourites from the book.
Don’t Go to the Scottish Borders Without an Imagination
Today this region is serene and quiet, but the borders are steeped in a gory history - one that should be explored and evoked by anyone that visits. Utilising the opportunity to live rent-free and spend time with pets whilst reflecting on her previous few months of exploration, Higgins took the opportunity to house and pet sit. A move that would inspire her to find further sits throughout the year and widen the reach of her adventure.
“My journey through the Borders ended with a hike up to Fatlips Castle. This stronghold is curiously named because the original owners supposedly insisted upon greeting any lady who visited with a kiss; a preposterous thought in the 16th century. The castle – which doesn’t amount to much more than a single tall, square tower – sits in prominent position on a mound named Minto Crags, which is covered in woodland. From the bottom of the hill you can just make out the castle’s roof peeking out above the tops of the trees.”
A Reflection on Heritage Along the River
The Norfolk Broads are an idyllic network of waterways boarded by swathes of marshland and green rolling fields. Here amid the picturesque landscapes, a rich yachting heritage can be found. As the British summer began to fade Higgins took to the river aboard restored wherry yacht Olive, stepping back in time on a vessel entwined in the history of the region.
“From my perch on the trellis-work seat behind the Skipper’s well, Olive’s vast form unfurled before me. A sight seldom seen on the river, her presence turned heads and encouraged motor cruisers to slow down as they passed, their passengers looking on with cameras in-hand. Our route snaked its way west alongside the pristine wetlands of the Bure Marshes National Nature Reserve. Twisting and turning, the five and a half miles of river that wend their way from Ranworth to the Norfolk Broads’ boating capital of Wroxham are some of the most arresting.”
On the Edge at Antrim
The Antrim Coast is a top location for discovering Northern Ireland’s mighty natural scenery, and walking the long-distance path that follows its shoreline is one of the most primal ways to explore it. During her stay in November, Higgins spent two days walking 15 miles between Ballycastle and the Giant’s Causeway, with a bag packed with waterproofs, thick socks, a map, and a camera.
“The finishing step out onto the lookout point above the Giant’s Causeway was the most rewarding of all I had taken over the last two days. Although the wind was still strong, for a brief moment I managed to ignore it and savour the coast that curved underneath me. This panorama reminded me why I had wanted to reach it from the Coast Way: my very first sighting of this world-famous landscape was from way on high. It was like I was looking down on it from the heavens, and the scenery itself was undoubtedly divine. To my right, the towering headlands were a blend of brown, black, and green, and I could just recognise the top of the Giant’s Harp, one of the Causeway’s ancient rock formations.”
Planning a trip to the UK and Ireland? Follow Emma Higgins on Instagram @gottakeepmovin