Author: Ros Walford

A foodie pilgrimage along the Camino del Norte

After a foodie pilgrimage along the northern Spanish coast, Ros Walford shares some of her edible highlights of the Camino del Norte. There’s something magical about entering a city on foot. First, you see a rash of buildings in the distance; some hours later, you finally reach the centre, where, stomach rumbling, you follow your…

10 things we love about England’s Teesside

What image does the word “Teesside” conjure up? A stark landscape where heavy industry meets the wind-whipped North Sea coast, perhaps? While this stereotype certainly forms part of Teesside’s character, there’s so much more to the intriguing northeast region than meets the eye. Behind every gnarled relic of the bygone steel and coal industries, lurks…

Don’t get lost in translation: how to teach English abroad

During her career break Ros Walford took up teaching English as a foreign language in Chile. Here Ros tells all about the realities and practicalities of teaching English abroad. As the row of blank faces stared at me across the classroom, I trembled slightly and wondered what on earth I had been thinking when I’d…

Life is sweet in sucre: studying in Bolivia’s most relaxed town

Ros Walford recounts her time studying Spanish in Sucre, one of Bolivia’s most relaxed towns.  Sitting in Sucre’s shady central Plaza Mayor with my friend Katrien, it seemed that all was right with the world. The birds were singing, kids were playing, people laughing and strolling through the park and we were deep in conversation. Then,…

Sabbaticals: the options

Taking a sabbatical often requires meticulous planning and a little bit of courage. In the third of this four-part series, Ros Walford provides a little inspiration by giving the lowdown on just some of the many things you could do during a career break. What would you do if you had the opportunity to take a career break? Learn to…

Scaling the Metéora: the monastic mountains of Greece

Not for those without a head for heights: Rough Guides editor Ros Walford conquers one of the cliffs of the Metéora.  This is no ordinary day. I’m dangling by a rope from a vertical rock face in mainland Greece. All around me are towers of sandstone, jutting from a wide plain – carved by water…

Sabbaticals: why take a career break?

Taking a sabbatical often requires meticulous planning and a little bit of courage. In a new four-part series, Ros Walford draws on her own experience to explore why and how to take a sabbatical, and what to do with your career break. The canoe slips silently upriver. Palms drape from the dense jungle along the…

Sabbaticals: the logistics

 A career break isn’t just for the lucky few. In the second part of this four-part series, Ros Walford looks at the finer details to help you make it happen. Deciding whether to take a career break is the hardest part. After that, all you need to do is plan. There is a lot to…

On a budget: 15 cheap places to visit in Europe

If you’re short of cash, it doesn’t mean you have to starve the travel bug entirely; simply choose your destinations wisely. Europe can be pricey but there are many places where your money will go further. Here are fifteen of our favourites. For food: León, Spain In the barrios near León’s cathedral, delicious tapas is…

Sabbaticals: what the people say

In the fourth and final part of this series and to finally cement the idea of taking a sabbatical firmly in your head, find out what the experts say about taking a sabbatical. Here are six individuals who have taken sabbaticals and loved it: Alexandra, British, former travel editor What did you do with your…

Trail-running in the stunning Swedish countryside

Ros Walford goes leaping over granite rocks to give you the lowdown on Sweden’s only coastal trail-running race.  What is this strangely named Icebug Xperience? It has nothing to do with ice – nor bugs, fortunately. It’s actually a three-day 74-km coastal trailrunning and hiking event organised by a Swedish company called Icebug. The event…

The ultimate backpacking checklist: 20 things every traveller needs

Packing for a big trip often causes dilemmas. Should you take a large tube of toothpaste to last the trip? How many pairs of trousers to take? Should you invest in some ventilating undies? It’s all too easy to angst over your packing list – be selective and remember that you can buy most things while…