Spending time in the countryside can be rejuvenating and an escape from the rat race. Here are my top 5 rural places to unwind and enjoy the natural beauty….
Number 1: Switzerland
Switzerland has rolling valleys of the greenest of grass, grazed by doe-eyed cows with bells round their necks, in front of snow-capped mountains. Continue reading
Yellowstone is the first national park in the world. It got national park status in 1872, in case anyone is wondering. Yes that’s right, I paid attention!! Â But it’s probably thanks to that that wildlife is so abundant – no hunters!
When I saw my first Bison up close it was a special moment. Part fear – is he going to smash up my car? But mostly awe – he was a majestic creature and had a really muscular body and a surprisingly woolly face! Continue reading
We hit unchartered territory and left Old Faithful behind, past the vast Yellowstone Lake, and cruised down the John D Rockefeller Jr Parkway to Grand Teton National Park.
We drank in the views of the Tetons over Jackson Lake. It was stunning at sunset, and equally stunning at night. I have never in my life seen so many stars. Continue reading
The lovely couple we met over breakfast in Gardiner gave us some good advice. They said they had been coming here for 20 years but only just found the hike above the Grand Prismatic Spring, and they said that was even more stunning than walking up to it on the boardwalk. They were right!
The Grand Prismatic Spring is a stunningly beautiful multicoloured spring in Yellowstone National Park. the lovely colours are caused by a combination of minerals and thermophilic bacteria (bacteria that like heat) so at different temperatures attract different types of bacteria.
We “hiked” (aka. walked) up from the Fairy Falls trailhead to the hill at the back of the Grand Prismatic Spring. It wasn’t the easiest of hikes; at one point the people in front started walking back towards us, and we realised a bison was on the path coming towards us! Continue reading
The boardwalk around Fountain Paint Pots was almost an afterthought; a quick stop on our last day. It isn’t one of the “top sights” in Yellowstone, but what it does have is panoramic views across the plains. So if you’re after a photo of herds of bison in the background, with a geyser in the foreground, this could be a good call.
One of the main attractions of the Fountain Paint Pots at Yellowstone is the massive bubbling mud pools, Continue reading
We power-walked down to Morning Glory Pool in between waiting for Grand Geyser, and it was worth the walk!
This is possibly the most beautiful feature in the whole park. It gets its colour from bacteria which love heat, but different bacteria like different temperatures, so you can tell the temperature of the water from the colour of the bacteria that grows there. I mean, obv I can’t tell, but if you knew what you were doing, you could tell. Continue reading
If you want to see Geysers, this is The place to come! From being greeted by Old Faithful as you arrive, to the various geysers erupting at various times, this is a thrilling place to visit and can keep you entertained all day!
Old Faithful (photo below) is the best-known geyser, as it faithfully erupts roughly every 90 minutes (although the forecast depends on how long the last eruption was – but they publish the forecast at the visitors centre). Continue reading
Norris Geyser basin was the first Geyser basin we visited. We were greeted by two magnificent giant fumeroles (steam vents) emitting hot steam that smelled of egg but which also had lovely rainbows.
We wandered around the small boardwalk fascinated at the landscape – we could have been on the moon! Continue reading
Mammoth is a cute little village, more often than not filled with Elk wandering around historical buildings. However the jewel in the crown is the amazing travertine terraces standing above the town.
Travertine Terraces are basically limestone deposits forming shelf-like pools down a hillside. It’s kinda hard to describe – you have to see it! Â And there are lots to see at Mammoth, Continue reading
When we read that Beartooth Highway is billed the most scenic drive in the USA, we made a big detour to build this into our trip. And it didn’t disappoint; from vast glacial landscapes to lakes and pine forests, this was a lovely and varied drive.
We spent the night before in Red Lodge, Montana. This is a cute small town with enough amenities and life to spend an evening as a stop-over. Continue reading
Big Fat Tourist 