Getting off the beaten track when travelling is no mean achievement in today’s world of mass tourism - especially in countries like Spain whose growing population hit 49 million last year.

Bamburgh’s golden beach - framed against the town’s majestic castle - has seen off fierce competition to be ranked third best in the world’s ‘one of a kind’ beaches.

January and February can be gloomy months - and not just weather-wise - with many of us counting the financial cost of Christmas and feeling demotivated and lethargic.

Festive cruising continues to gain momentum with many cruise lovers seeking a tonic before, during or in between Christmas and the New Year to immerse themselves in the season’s vibrancy and bonhomie.

With hazy summer days a distant memory, autumn brings a season of transformation with crisp, vibrant leaves, harvests of colourful fruit and vegetables and crackling log fires.

With hundreds of motorhomes and camper vans to choose from, selecting what’s right for you can be beyond bewildering. Will you be living and travelling full time in your mobile home - or will it be your holiday ‘go to’ mode of transport to explore your locally or further afield?

In 2007, Simon Cuncliffe-Lister, the owner of Burton Agnes Hall and passionate saxophonist opened the doors of his stately family manor home and hosted a jazz and blues festival. Fast forward eighteen years, and Burton Agnes Jazz & Blue’s Festival is hailed as a premier, talent packed Northeast event which pulsates with energy and fun.

The summer solstice is a formative day in the calendar year, heralding the astronomical first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. Whether you celebrated with wreaths and feasts or simply savoured the longest day of 2025, the milestone kicked off the summer which evokes sunshine-soaked days and balmy nights.

Connecting with nature and its wondrous wildlife and birdlife is therapeutic for our health, bringing a wealth of rewards and an enormous wellbeing boost. With almost 630 species of birdlife in the UK alone, the opportunities and magnificent backdrops to enjoy this leisurely pursuit are plentiful – whether it be the golden eagles in Scotland or ravens on the cliffs at Land’s End. Our Time for Life Correspondent, Sharon Cain, and photographer, Steve Hare, have been exploring in Northumberland – an acclaimed bird watchers utopia.

Did you know that listening to jazz music can bring a wealth of benefits which include lowering stress levels and blood pressure and boosting our mental and physical well-being? Additional bonuses result in the vibes stimulating our brain - which in turn can increase creativity, lower depression and lighten our mood.

Making time for a little pampering can have an enormous positive impact on our physical, emotional and mental health. So why don’t we do more of it? Luxuriating in the bath with candles and diffusers can feel deliciously decadent and provide a much-needed boost.

Staying up late might not have the same appeal after a performance of 2:22 – A Ghost Story, an acclaimed West End thriller now passing through the UK. The countdown is underway as time hurtles relentlessly to the bewitching hour in a plot imbued with diverse themes and powerful social dynamics.