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Positively blooming

After what feels like the longest winter ever, spring has finally sprung in the northern hemisphere. In the UK the snowdrops appeared first, as usual, but more unusually coincided with actual snow this year. Then smatterings of crocus began to sprout pink, purple and yellow under trees and now daffodils are nodding their cheerful heads across the country. The Netherlands is one of the world’s most famous destinations for spring blooms, thanks to the rainbow displays of tulips across the country. Sadly, us Brits will miss it this year since the time to go is March until mid-May, so here’s a shot of Amsterdam framed by flowers. charitable.travel/europe

Pack a picnic

The Prime Minister’s ‘roadmap to recovery’ starts off small but one of the new sanctioned activities from March 8 is a picnic. After weeks of having to keep your park catch-ups with your mate constantly on the move, you are now allowed to actually sit down and enjoy a sandwich - perhaps even a cheeky alcoholic beverage – without fear of lawful retribution. And by March 29 we should be allowed to lounge outside with five other people. Expect picnic blankets to be the next big thing. Where is your ultimate picnic destination? Pictured here is the Hudson River Greenway, looking over New York City. charitable.travel/north-america

Spot of Bothy?

The combination of warmer weather and over-excited postlockdown Brits is bound to lead to overcrowding in some UK holiday hotspots this year. So if you’re the type who likes to stay away from people, you might want to think about some of the country’s more remote areas, like Scotland, which is home to nearly 100 beautifully isolated bothies. A bothy, in case you didn’t know, is a hut or small cottage which is no longer in use but left unlocked for walkers to use as a mountain refuge. It’s the ultimate hermit’s house and it’s free! But be warned, it’s camping under concrete instead of canvas. Get more staycation inspiration here: charitable.travel/ british-isles