Hiking Cheshire’s Baker Way: the joy of a less-known walking trail

They get less fanfare and footfall than the UK’s famous long-distance paths, but trails such as this – which starts in Chester and saunters through the local countryside – are just as rewarding

A cycling, walking and running break in France’s best area for trails

Bagnoles de l’Orne in Normandy is a traditional spa town reinventing itself with new hiking and cycling routes – and a focus on sustainable tourism

Medical tourism is booming. But is it a price worth paying?

The number of people flying abroad to have cosmetic procedures is higher than ever, but are the risks too high?

‘Plus-size people face a lot of barriers’: the campaigners helping larger walkers to enjoy the great outdoors

From being properly kitted out to planning a walking route up Mam Tor, our writer finds her feet and her tribe in the Peak District

Give it a rest, Keir? Readers on Starmer cancelling his holiday

We asked for your views on leaders forgoing a getaway when there’s business such as the riots to attend to at home

Scaling the fairytale peaks of Saxon Switzerland in Germany

The dramatic landscape was beloved of Romantic painters and hardcore climbers. But the spa town of Bad Schandau provides a gentler introduction for skinny-calfed explorers

How I found peace on a mindfulness retreat in south Devon

The Sharpham estate has been offering guests an escape from the stresses of modern life for decades. But could it help our writer to deal with his anxiety?

From a sauna to an ice bath in Scotland: my full immersion in hot and cold therapy

A peaceful woodland estate in Aberdeenshire now offers wellbeing breaks with adrenaline-boosting Nordic-style treatments

‘Stunning lakes and majestic mountains’: readers’ tips from Europe

Dramatic scenery, gleaming lakes and unspoilt views take the fancy of our adventurous tipsters, from France to Albania

How a solo retreat helped relight my creative fire

It felt selfish, but at home I couldn’t finish a thought without being interrupted by my kids – so I packed my bags and headed to the coast