Iceland

Five breathtaking beaches worth visiting

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We all love the seaside. We flock there in our droves to find relaxation, sunshine and good times. The world has an endless choice of beaches from palm-fringed idylls to wild inlets. Here’s five of the best beaches that left me with lasting memories. Please share your favourites too!

JOKULSARLON, ICELAND

This isn’t a beach to pop your towel down and sunbathe. Wrap up warm and marvel at the fragments of glacier scattered over black sands, giving it the popular name of Diamond Beach. Chunks of ice pepper the shoreline here on the southern Icelandic coast. A must-see on any trip to Iceland. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE ICELANDIC LANDSCAPES

Diamond Beach, Iceland

PRAIA DE CHAVES, CAPE VERDE

A dramatic stretch of sand on the island of Boa Vista in this Atlantic archipelago, with crashing waves on one side and dunes on the other. There’s plenty of warm weather and delicious sunsets. You can explore or simply crumple into a sun lounger. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

Bathers in crashing waves at Boa Vista, Cape Verde

KHOR AL ADAID, QATAR

This is a corner of the Arabian Peninsula where the desert dunes meet the sea. The chances are you’ll arrive in a four-wheel drive buggy after some stomach-churning (but fun) ‘dune bashing’. The swathes of sand and bright blue sea will relax you, while picnics and paddling are also options. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE

Khor al Adaid, Qatar

NINETY MILE BEACH, NEW ZEALAND

As the name suggests, this is one heck of a stretch of sand in the far north of New Zealand. With its huge blue skies and wide horizons, this place is a tonic for the soul. You might zoom along the beach in a bus and end up dune boarding. The Kiwis like to relax and exhilarate you in equal measure. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE OF NORTH NEW ZEALAND

Visitors on Ninety Mile Beach, New Zealand

PLAGE D’AGADIR, MOROCCO

This Moroccan seaside resort may not have the wow factor of some beaches, but has stuck in my mind as my most recent overseas destination. It’s an admirable stretch of Atlantic sand with plenty of life. It’s surprisingly photogenic and puts on marvellous sunsets. Paddling in the sea or ambling along the corniche make it a worthy destination. TAP/CLICK IMAGE TO SEE MORE ON AGADIR

Parasols on Agadir beach, Morocco

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2019 in 12 photographs

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Another year is drawing to a close, and there’s just enough time to glance back at 2019.

The year until October was dominated by travel, experiencing new places and creating new memories. The latter segment of 2019 has been about reconnecting with my neighbourhood and city of Manchester.

These photographs – just one for each month – distill the essence of each location and take me right back to that place, whether it’s on top of a Namibian sand dune, experiencing a magic Icelandic snowfall in May, or right here in Manchester.

It’s time to herald 2020 and wish you all a very healthy and Happy New Year.

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A year of travel

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It was a big decision taking a year out to spend travelling. Those 12 months passed very quickly and I’ve had time to take stock of places visited, people met and what’s next.

I came back with a lot of photographs and set myself the task of choosing one image to sum up every trip and country. They’re images I’m proud to have captured, but also are the most evocative of each place. It’s sometimes a strong personal memory, other times a striking impression.

The journey hasn’t finished for me. Travelling has sparked a desire to see more of the world and change my life.

Please share your memories of travel, particularly the ones that have stayed with you forever.

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Iceland’s cool capital

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Welcome to the world’s most northerly capital city. Reykjavik is the hub of Iceland, a small nation two hours north by air from my home in Manchester, UK.

Wrapped up warm, I spent a day exploring it by foot before seeing some of the country’s amazing landscapes and quickly realised it wasn’t your regular city.

It feels quite small and parochial in some respects, yet has some bold, landmark architecture including the elegant Hallgrimskirkja and ultra modern Harpa concert hall.

A bus ride to Perlan’s beautiful viewpoint makes you realise the rugged Icelandic landscape almost closes in on Reykjavik – a unique capital city for what is no ordinary country.

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The magic of Iceland

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Spectacular, awe-inspiring, amazing. Just a few of the superlatives that are given to Iceland and its magical landscapes.

This relatively small volcanic island close to the Arctic is packed with snow-capped mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, spurting geysers and a fantastic coastline scattered with glacial chunks and black sand.

I was lucky enough to visit some of these wonders on a tour of the country’s south in May and was even treated to a blanket of snow. If you enjoy landscape photography, Iceland is up there with the best of them.

But a note of caution. It’s now a popular destination and is organised to cope with many visitors. Some attractions are very busy and you may have to go further to experience real wilderness. Even so it’s hard to deny this country’s awesomeness.

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