Looking for a last-minute escape? Here’s four to put on your wishlist…
Cycle the newest link from moor to sea
Why go? Explore the newest section of the Moor to Sea cycle route, which links Easby and Low Dalby via Rosedale Abbey village. Easby to Rosedale Abbey is 30km of easy pedalling along disused railway and quiet lanes. After Rosedale it’s a further 24km downhill (mostly) through Newtondale, Yorkshire’s own miniature Grand Canyon!
Where to stay: White Horse Farm Inn was voted Yorkshire Pub of the Year 2012; B&B accommodation from £80.
Getting there: Catch the scenic Esk Valley Railway from Middlesborough to Great Ayton. For more info go to www.moortoseacycle.net.
Get spooked in the city
Why go? Halloween doesn’t get any spookier or more spectacular than at New York’s annual Village Halloween Parade. And you can join in with America’s largest public celebration of the haunted holiday: anyone in a costume can be part of the procession, which starts in Greenwich Village at 7pm on 31 October. Scaredy cats can watch the giant puppets, bands and more from the sidelines. Check out www.halloween-nyc.com for details.
Where to stay: The Larchmont Hotel in Greenwich Village is good value; doubles from $119 (£75) excluding tax.
Getting there: Many airlines fly from the UK to New York; there are often deals available. Flight time is around 6hrs 30mins.
Catch the end of whale-watch season
Why go? For a few months more, south coast Brazil will be a-buzz with southern right whales. Meet these magnificent creatures as they come right into the deep, calm bays around Santa Catarina to breed between June and November. Boat trips get you nearest, though the whales come in so close it’s even possible to see them from the shore.
Where to stay: Boutique inn Quinta do Bucanero in Praia
do Rosa offers a three-night whale-watching package from R$1,475 (£458).
Getting there: KLM and Air France fly to São Paulo via Amsterdam and Paris respectively from £680.
Check out Norway’s answer to The Shard
Why go? On 29 September Oslo’s Astrup Fearnley Museum reopens in a new building designed by architect Renzo Piano, who designed London’s Shard. The art museum, in the hip waterfront district of Tjuvholmen, will house works by the likes of
Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Cindy Sherman.
Where to stay: Comfort Hotel Grand Central is stylish and central; doubles from 1,460NOK (£158).
Getting there: BA has added more departures to Oslo from Heathrow; rtn flights from around £150. Also SAS flies daily to Oslo from Heathrow.
