The Roaming Redhead

Iceland Day 7: Seyðisfjörður – Höfn

It was another cold night, but being sardined inside Jim’s tent kept us both toasty warm. We were so squished in fact, that when my phone alarm went about its morning ritual, I was so tightly bundled in my sleeping bag that I couldn’t move my arms to switch it off. Wriggling around like a…

Iceland Day 6: Lake Mývatn – Seyðisfjörður

We were greeted by a dusting of snow as we climbed out of Mývatn the next morning, which had become increasingly scattered across the road and over the barren hills beyond. Excited by the enchanting landscape, we pulled up into a lookout area to take in our surroundings. Jim proceeded to fall arse over tit…

Iceland Day 5: Blönduós – Lake Mývatn

Getting out of my toasty cabin bed was an enormous struggle, but I felt immensely grateful for a proper night sleep and was ready to take on the day; which, we soon found out, would be a repeat of the past four, weather-wise. I was beginning to wonder if we would ever see the sun…

Iceland Day 4: Drangsnes – Blönduós

I awoke stiff as a board. My whole body had tensed up from a night of relentless shivering. My feet, which were wrapped in three utterly useless pairs of socks, and the tip of my nose, stung in protest to the cold. I was going to have to get used to this. As my eyes…

Iceland Day 3: Ólafsvík – Drangsnes

I would wake up at regular intervals throughout the night, shivering uncontrollably. I felt unpleasant, to say the least, as I fumbled my way out of my tent in the morning; but a breakfast concoction of oats, granola, seeds, dried fruit and nut milk soon brought me back to life. Eager to get moving, we packed…

Iceland Day 2: Akranes – Ólafsvík

I awoke the next morning at the crack of dawn, feeling thoroughly invigorated for a night outdoors, yet superbly cosy. That was, until my skin made contact with the air outside of my sleeping bag, and I recoiled in horror, desperately scrambling around for a second layer of thermals. The sun was peeking behind the…

Iceland Day 1: Keflavík – Akranes

Flying parallel to the country’s south shores, we caught our first glimpse of what was to come; the late September landscape looked drained of colour and every contour was enveloped in an eerie bleakness. Ominous patches of rain cloud hung silently in otherwise clear skies, sinisterly blackening anything that lay beneath them. After the usual…

How Much Does a 2 Week Road Trip Around Iceland’s Ring Road Cost?

One of the first subjects that crops up when you plop Iceland into any conversation I feel, is cost. Indeed, this was something I was all too aware of before embarking on my adventure; though it wasn’t quite enough to put me off. I went to Iceland with my good friend Jim, who I am…

Where I Ate: Vegan in Reykjavík

Unlike most travellers, we decided to leave Reykjavík until the very end of our trip. For almost two weeks prior, we had successfully scrimped on camp stove-appropriate meals from Bónus; the supermarket equivalent to Ikea, as Jim aptly pointed out, and so it was time to nourish ourselves with some much needed nutrients upon our arrival in…

Gear List: Camping in Iceland in September

Iceland has been on my radar since I discovered my true affinity for the great outdoors in Tasmania, back in 2016. Since then, I have been on a mission to get closer with nature, be it day trips from Manchester to the Peak District, or adventures a touch further afield. On 17th September 2018, I’m…

How to get a B-2 Visa for Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Check your eligibility As a British national, I am eligible to enter the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) for business or pleasure. Sounds pretty simple, but there’s a catch; this only allows stays of up to 90 days and then I’d have to sling my hook. The Appalachian Trail takes roughly 6 months…

Adventures in the Peak District | Ringing Roger to Grindslow Knoll via Edale

During the May heatwave, it only seemed right to get out to the Peak District for a healthy dose of fresh air and sunlight, and so on the day of the Royal Wedding, we did exactly that. We had a new route in mind, one which encompassed two of my favourite things; a touch of scrambling…

Where I Ate: Vegan in York

I knew I would fall in love with York. Its charming streets are dotted with architectural wonders; from the grand old Minster to Britain’s most haunted pubs, every corner oozes history. I found it surprisingly compact, and within a day, we had pretty much walked around the entire city, twice. The country town feel to…

How to Spend 24 Hours in York

I’m unsure why it has taken me up until my 29th year to visit York, but a few weeks back, I finally got to check it off my bucket list, when myself and Lyndon treated ourselves to a brief trip. From the get-go, I was a huge fan of its quaint, rural feel, buildings steeped…

Where I Ate: Vegan in Barcelona

My trip to Barcelona would mark my very first experience as a vegan abroad, and I was both nervous and excited. Prior to my trip, a number of people expressed their ‘concerns’ about the abundance of cured meats and cheese, which I would undoubtedly come face to face with; but to my sheer delight, I…

How to Spend 4 Days in Barcelona

Despite being adored by virtually everyone I know, who had visited, Barcelona was never high up on my list of places to go. Having lived in a city for the majority of my 20’s, I find I am much more swayed by the call of the wilderness nowadays. Saying that, when my sister, Lucy presented…

6 Day Trips from Manchester for Nature Lovers

Over the past year, I have made it my mission to get to know my surroundings a little better. I’ll be the first to hold my hands up and admit that I’m usually dreaming of travelling to far off places, but I have slowly come to realise that Manchester is the perfect jump off point…

10 Australian Tours Well Worth the Money

I feel like there is a slight divide in opinion within the travel community when it comes to going on tours. Some, for instance, argue that they are a waste of money, overpriced and inflexible, whilst others swear by them, base entire trips around them and don’t want the hassles and responsibilities, which come when planning…

Where I Ate: Vegan in Edinburgh

Having dabbled with the idea of veganism for the good part of a year, I finally found my feet in November 2017. The very same month, Edinburgh would be my first trip away as a fully fledged vegan, and I was both nervous and excited. To make life as easy as possible, I consulted the…

How to Spend 3 Days in Edinburgh

Since returning from my long term travels towards the end of 2016, my aim for 2017 and beyond was to experience (and come to appreciate) a little more of my own turf. This is something a great deal of us neglect to do; we get so caught up in jetting off to distant lands, that…

Adventures in the Peak District | Mam Tor & The Great Ridge Walk

Another cold, sunny day, another train trip; this time to the quaint village of Hope. I became very fond of train journeys in 2017, having hopped on a fair few over the months. Mam Tor was the third and final hike on my Peak District bucket list for the year, and the one I was most…

Adventures in the Peak District | A Scramble at Dovestone Reservoir

Situated on the very edge of the Peak District, just a few miles from Oldham, Dovestone Reservoir is a picturesque spot, perfect for dog walkers, climbers and folks like myself and my friend Yasmin, wanting to escape the city for the day and gulp in as much fresh air as our lungs could take. It…

Adventures in the Peak District | Climbing Jacobs Ladder

Pulling out of Manchester Piccadilly, it occurred to me; I had lived on-and-off in the northwest of England for five years and not once had I set foot in the Peak District National Park. As the city disappeared behind us, a green landscape gently began to come into focus and roll past the windows. Buildings…

How to Spend a Week in Elounda, Crete

Elounda is situated on the North-East coast of Crete and is about two hours by bus from Heraklion Airport. Once a simple fishing village, it is now an ideal place to visit if you want to be out of the hustle and bustle, but not overly isolated. One of the first things I noticed whilst…

Norway in a Nutshell | Planning a 5 Day Trip

Having arrived back in the UK from Australia with no long term travelling planned for the near future, it became apparent that I needed some form of side trip to occupy my mind, scratch those itchy feet and keep my backpack from becoming lost in the depths of my wardrobe. How to hatch a plan So it…

Post-Travel Depression: 1 Year Later

One year ago, I touched back down on English soil after a whirlwind two years romping around Australia with my best friend. Nothing could really have prepared me for the difficult emotions I would have to tackle over the following six months and in truth, even one year on; though I feel a great deal more settled, I still carry the…

23 Things You’ll Love About Kangaroo Island | South Australia

In 2015, I was incredibly fortunate to find myself living on Australia’s third largest island for three and a half months. Without a shadow of a doubt, Kangaroo Island changed my life; the people I met, the lifestyle I led, the scenery that took my breath away, the wildlife I encountered – from the cute to the downright terrifying and the fascinating…

12 Steps Towards a Successful Working Holiday in Australia

Travelling to a new country can be daunting, confusing and is never 100% straightforward, especially if you intend to stay there for an extended period of time and work. If you go completely unprepared, you may feel bombarded by new information, rules and regulations, which is why it’s good to be in the know about a few…

11 Worthwhile Things You Can Do to Bring Positivity into Your Everyday Life

1) Lose the toxic people This can be as subtle as unfollowing them on social media, or as bold as stepping back from, or ending a particular friendship or relationship. There are always going to be negative people in this world, some of whom could be the loveliest of souls – but that doesn’t mean you are obliged…

Post-Travel Depression: What it Feels Like & How to Cope with it

Travel should come with a warning label; Did you read the small print? *May experience possible side effects* You essentially sign a contract, one in which you agree to open up your heart and soul to the world and welcome complete vulnerability; something us humans are usually incredibly cautious and particular about doing. I chose travel over comfort, safety, people. I willingly…