Going on a Bird Watching Tour

By Anna Price

A bird watching tour is a fantastic way of seeing unusual birds in their natural habitats all under the eye of a local guide. If you've never been on a bird watching or any other holiday tour then there are many great reasons to do so.

Travelling on your own can not only be lonely but it can also be unsafe in some parts of the world. By joining a specialist tour group you will meet like minded people and get the opportunity to visit places you may otherwise not have found by yourself.

An organised tour is also a good way of budgeting for your holiday. There is nothing worse than finding that you have run out of cash half way through a holiday but as you pay upfront for a tour and usually everything is included in the price such as park entrance fees you will not have that to worry about. A tour may also be cheaper than sorting out a holiday yourself as your operator can often get group discounts.

Your tour operator will also be able to help you sort out any difficulties you may encounter such as problems with accommodation, border checks or even unscrupulous taxi drivers. Your tour operator and guide will also have local knowledge and be able to advise you on the best places to eat and drink and visit if you want to spend any time away from the group. However, it is recommended that you spend as much time as possible with your party as the excursions that they lead you on will help make your holiday even more enjoyable.

Your local guide will have excellent knowledge of the local area and habitat of the indigenous birds and you it is likely that you will be taken to places where you will be able to spot rare species. Before you go buy a guide book and read up on the local flora and fauna. Make a checklist of the birds you would like to see and don't be afraid to ask your guide if he or she can help you find these birds. If you are travelling in a small group your operator may be able to customise your tour and will certainly try their best to accommodate your needs.

Take a good pair of binoculars, a digital camera and sketch pad. If you see a bird that you are unable to identify out in the field, make some notes and ask your fellow birders or your guide when you are back at the hotel.

Going on a bird watching tour is an extremely efficient way of seeing as many different species in a short a time as possible. You will be taken to locations at the best times of day to view different birds so you will not waste time waiting around or miss that all important rare sighting.

Choose a tour operator that is fully bonded and insured so if there are any problems you will be able to get home safely. However, do take out full adventure travel insurance and make sure you have any required jabs.

Bird watching tours operate in all four corners of the globe and with a bit of planning and research you could end up having the holiday of a lifetime. You can find a selection of bird watching tours at British Bird Lovers.

The Paths of Cornish Saints

By Tony Maniscalco
Cornwall: A Breeding Ground for Celtic Saints

For some reason or other, a large proportion of saints appear to come from Cornwall. This may have something to do with the region's history of Celtic missionaries in the area, although not many of these men were actually canonised. Perhaps the area just has a propensity for converting sinners into saints, and you will return from an English walking break in the area holier than ever.

In the 5th and 6th centuries Celtic missionaries began arriving from Ireland and Wales, and started to convert the local people to Christianity. The story of their arrival is enveloped in myth and legend, with stories of these men sailing across the sea on flimsy leaves, having been passed down through the generations.

On arrival, they were challenged by the great giants of Cornwall, where they fought their foes and, with a little divine intervention, were victorious over their towering opponents. When on a walking holiday in the UK, this region is particularly interesting to visit, as you can discover these stories as you stroll the paths once trodden by the saints themselves.

Celtic Saints Sail to Cornwall

The stories of how the saints sailed to Cornwall are intriguing in themselves. St Budoc braved the stormy seas bobbing across in a barrel, while St Piran made the swim using a millstone as a floating device. It is not recommended that you attempt this feat should you go to the region on an English walking break.

St Ia (the founder of St Ives) and St Fingar were perhaps the most impressive of all, as they sailed across the waters on leaves. A UK walking holiday will see you traversing their paths, and could perhaps turn out to be a spiritually enlightening experience.

A Saint for Tin-Miners

St Piran is the patron saint of tin-miners. He sailed to Penhale Sands with a millstone hung around his neck. It is said that he was thrown off an Irish cliff with the stone, and as he hit the water's surface, the waves ceased and he floated on the stone to Penhale.

He is known as the tin-miner's patron saint because he stumbled across the method for making white tin while sitting at the fireside one evening. The heat from the fire cracked open a hearthstone, revealing the shining white tin inside. Retread the path of this patron saint on your English walking break, as you wander through Penhale Sands, where St Piran is reputed to have lived.

St Piran died when he was 300 years old, one night when he was suffering the effects of inebriation and fell down a well!

Cornwall's Official Saint

St Petroc is the official patron saint of Cornwall, arriving from Wales in AD 540. As legend has it, he rid Cornwall of its last dragon, saving the region from its fiery wrath, and making it safe for your UK walking holidays. He also is said to have turned water into nectar, and converted Constantine to Christianity.

In Bodmin and Padstow, where St Petroc first landed, he established two monasteries. A wander through the region on your English walking break would be well worthwhile, as you follow in the footsteps of this spiritual man.

Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing for Ramblers Countrywide Holidays. They are dedicated to providing the very finest English walking breaks at the best value prices.

Adventure Hoots in the Ganges

Ganga has a lot to offer to anybody and everybody who touches her feet with full faith and devotion. The holy river, worshiped by the Hindus, finds its mention in many of the mythological stories and ancient epics of significance.

The river flows from the Himalayan ranges, purifies the land of most of North India and surrenders finally in the Bay of Bengal waters. Ganga is known for its unpredictable characteristic, as at some places its waters take the form of turbulent waves knocking down whatever comes in its path, while at other places it is calmly flowing and paving its way to the next destination.

If you are an adventure lover and want to experience an adrenalin rushing river rafting experience, you cant afford to leave out on the white water rafting in Rishikesh. This adventure sport is only for the daring, who would like to get on the challenging waves of the river, as their heart skips a beat. So, if you are that sought, then tie your head gear, wear your wet suit and life jacket, put on your floaters and get set to pierce the streams with all your strength in your arms, to win this heavy-duty battle.

Plan your river rafting trip carefully, keeping in mind the time you need for training before landing to the rushing streams and the various stoppages where you can trek and camp, if you are on a long rafting tour of about 5-6 days. Rafting point before the Tehri Dam, is the ideal location to start your expedition. Here you will encounter with grade 3+ rapids in the first gorge, after maneuvering through a stretch of calm streams.

In the second gorge, you will have to fiddle with 4+ rapids, as you reach Devprayag. Near Kaudiyala, you can enjoy a leisurely rafting experience between the mild ripples of the river, flowing high and low in the valley, after which you can smartly take over the exciting high rapids like the 'Three Blind Mice' and the 'Crossfire'. This perfect transition from high to low and from low to high rapids, will keep you guessing what to do next, and bring a new challenge at every step.

As you end your day, you can manage your camping and trekking expeditions to the nearby villages nestled in the Himalayas, carrying an amazing view of the rocky hills, green valleys and clean atmosphere. Beas Ghat, Naggar and Silver Sand Camp are some of the places used as common stopovers by rafters.

Once you experience the rules of the game yourself, you will get to know that river rafting is a perfect exercise for team-building, so don't think you can win over this challenge alone. A perfect test of concentration, skills and coordination among the raft-mates. The team of people on the raft have to come together and match each other in movements and timing, to become a part of the majestic river, as the heart beats faster at a rate matched only by the waves of the river. There is a different magic when you are fighting together and a different sense of heroic achievement when you reach your destination, signaled by the lulled streams of the river, at the final signpost.

Ganga Rally, which is an annual rally organized in the month of February, takes place for three days. It is an exciting and stimulating experience for the adventure seekers, who can participate in various water sports and also the Ganga marathon race on the final day of the rally to win and kiss the Benaras Trophy.

The river rafting stretch is around 36 km, commencing from Kaudiyal in Garhwal to Rishikesh. It consists of 12 high rapids which can be overcome only after rafting training, which are given in the rafting and adventure sports training institutes available in the area.

One should go for rafting only if he is medically fit and has not suffered from any kind of water-phobia. It is advisable to carry along basic medications like antiseptics, insulin and inhalers. Loose clothes of nylon or synthetic material should be worn to avoid any kind of discomfort due to the water temperature.

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