Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for national parks
The End of the World Train
By Linda Tancs
There’s a certain finality to Argentina’s Tierra del Fuego National Park, the southernmost tip of the Andean-Patagonian forest, a place where a particular variety of red fox resides and birch forest predominates. It’s there that you’ll find the final part of the Andes. It’s also where you can catch the End of the World Train (Tren del Fin del Mundo), a historic, narrow-gauge steam railway journey between Ushuaia (commonly regarded as the southernmost city in the world) and the park. The hour-long journey (one way) presents stunning vistas accented by the Pipo River, Macarena cascade, a tree cemetery and the forest. An onboard audio tour is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and the train runs year-round.
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South Downs Way
By Linda Tancs
South Downs National Park is England’s newest national park (as of this writing), established in 2010. Spreading across Sussex and Hampshire, it covers an area of 627 square miles boasting fragile chalk and clay landscapes, woodlands and river valleys that earned it a previous designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The park is also home to the South Downs Way, one of 15 national trails in England and Wales (as well as the first bridleway national trail in England) and the only one to lie entirely within a national park. The nearly 100-mile route extends from Winchester in the west to Eastbourne in the east. Download a walking map or details of connecting bus services to your phone and get on the Way.
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Heights of Abraham
By Linda Tancs
Spanning 555 square miles and covering parts of the counties of Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire, Peak District National Park is the U.K.’s oldest national park. One of its most appealing destinations is the Heights of Abraham, a hilltop park in Derbyshire reached by cable car, providing spectacular views across the Derwent Valley. And you’ll likely not miss the park’s iconic symbol, the millstone, produced in Derbyshire as early as medieval times. Hundreds of them still lie scattered across parts of the park.
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The Top of Texas
By Linda Tancs
How can you view the top of Texas on foot? Take the Guadalupe Peak Trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, site of the four highest peaks in Texas. Not for the faint of heart, the day hike (8.5 miles round-trip) climbs 3,000 feet and travels through a conifer forest to reach the top of Guadalupe Peak. You’ll be rewarded with amazing views to the west and to the south.
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Peat and Reed in the Netherlands
By Linda Tancs
Thanks to human hands cutting peat and reed, the largest lowland bog in Northwest Europe was formed. That area now comprises Weerribben-Wieden National Park in the Netherlands. It’s a unique landscape brimming with lakes, reedlands, marsh and bogs. Some species are even dependent on the bogs for survival, such as water soldiers, water lilies and round-leaved sundew. The park also houses almost the entire Dutch population of the large copper butterfly and the Norfolk damselfly. The best way to explore the park is by boat. Electric boats, rowboats and canoes can be rented in Giethoorn and other places in the park. Be on the lookout for rare animals that live there, like otters and black terns.
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Music for All in North York Moors
By Linda Tancs
Moor, coast, forest and dale. It’s all there in England’s North York Moors National Park. And with sunlight extending well into the evening this time of year, there’s plenty of time to enjoy it. August also brings a flush of purple to the area’s prized heather, another reason to visit, along with the many village, arts and music shows. A favorite is the North York Moors Chamber Music Festival, a gathering of renowned classical musicians from around the world, bringing beautiful music to nine churches within the heart of the park. St. Peter & St. Paul in Pickering hosts the opening concert of the festival, taking place this year between August 11 and August 24.
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Creature Comforts in a Park
By Linda Tancs
Like any national park, Glenveagh in County Donegal, Ireland, has its share of extraordinary vistas, like bogland, woodland, freshwater and rocky precipices. And in the center of it all is the stately elegance of Glenveagh Castle. Built by a wealthy land speculator in the 1800s, the castellated mansion was subsequently occupied by army forces during the country’s civil war and later owned by an Irish-American until it was conveyed to the nation. Enjoy the surrounding courtyards, walled garden, pleasure grounds and woodland gardens. A shuttle bus runs there daily from the park’s Visitor Centre.
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Bali’s Iconic Bird
By Linda Tancs
As if Bali weren’t fabled enough, West Bali National Park is a lush oasis of forests, mountains, clear blue water and long stretches of protected beach and offshore coral reefs. But the reason for the park’s creation in 1941 is to protect the island’s iconic and endemic bird, the snow-white and critically endangered Bali Starling. It’s one of about 160 species recorded in the park. In addition to flora and fauna watching, the park’s offshore island Menjangan is a popular diving spot for coral reef and other marine exploration. The journey there from Denpasar, Bali’s capital, is about four or five hours.
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California’s Newest National Park
By Linda Tancs
Pinnacles National Park, California’s newest national park as of this writing (designated in 2013), is an old soul at heart. Its cliffs, crags and cave formations arise from volcanic eruptions that took place millions of years ago, sending volcanic matter 200 miles away to the park’s current location in the Salinas Valley. The towering, domed rock structures giving the park its name beckon rock climbers. Divided into an east and west side, climbing routes predominate on the west side of the park. Of course, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy, like bird watching for the park’s signature citizen, the California condor. Or maybe you’d like a hike that includes cave exploration. Camping is also available on the east side year round. You can’t drive through both sides of the park. The west side is accessible from Highway 101; the east entrance is off Highway 25.
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Tigers in Karnataka
By Linda Tancs
Established as a tiger reserve in the 1970s, Bandipur National Park in the southern state of Karnataka lies in the shadow of the Western Ghats, a mountain range running along the entire west coast of India. It was once a private hunting ground for the Maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore. Although perhaps best known for its small tiger population, it’s also a safe haven for elephants, spotted deer, bison, antelopes and numerous other native species as well as for much-desired sandalwood. A number of hotels are within close proximity to the park. Go now before the rainy season.
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