Adventure – @darrens

A few days in Cardiff for @StandUpPaddleUK

A weekend away with Visit Cardiff and @StandUpPaddleUK

Well it had been a while since I last posted on here but we’ve been busy! So, here’s @StandUpPaddleUK’s weekend away in Cardiff.. Enjoy!

It got to Friday and we were ready for another SUP adventure. Car packed with Stand Up Paddle Boards and gear so we hit the road. Both Dale and Darren setting off from different locations. Dale leaving Nottingham at 4pm and the journey was a breeze, driving into Cardiff Bay and arriving at Voco St David’s Hotel at around 7pm. Darren was coming in from Bedfordshire so an additional hour of travel for him.

The Voco St David’s looked epic when lit

Parking was easy and plenty of it in the hotel car park or a large public car park next door. Arriving at the Hotel it was clear to see why this is a 5* hotel. The lobby was quite spectacular and we were greeted by amazing hospitality. As we came by car we left our gear in the car but I’m sure the hotel would have stored them for us if needed. As Darren was arriving later in the day, Dale and his family took a short walk to Mermaid Key a very short walk from the hotel, within quick access to a lot of restaurants and other bars in the bay. Dale had a wander around and even took his family on Cardiff’s version of the Big Wheel, gaining sights over the bay during sunset which was spectacular! A quick bite to eat and back to the hotel for a good nights sleep for Dale and the family. Darren arriving slightly later, but a very smooth check in was greatly appreciated!

The rooms at Voco were amazing, both had huge views over the bay and what a view it was! Big rooms with excellent facilities this was a good night’s sleep.

We wanted to check out Cardiff and were drawn to the fact that albeit a city has a wide offering of watersports access. Cardiff hosts CIWW Cardiff’s White Water Centre and here you can paddle on the local river or try paddle boarding on the lagoon, whitewater rafting, and various other water based activities. They even have a surf wave!

A Quick Dinner Tip: Darren recommends the Yakatori1 restaurant in Mermaid Quay.. “Some of the best Sushi I’ve experienced”.

Saturday. We got up and checked out the hotels excellent cooked and continental breakfast offering, socially distances and well managed by hospitable staff, even going out of their way to entertain and make Dale’s daughter a little hot chocolate and talk to her.

After breakfast we headed to CIWW to check in. It was pretty close to our hotel, 5 minutes by car. We prepared our boards in the car park then headed down on to the water. If you want to paddle on the river it’s a small £5 payment and sign in at reception, so that’s what we did.

Plenty of space to prep kit in the car park

The plan was to head up the River Ely for around 2 miles as the weather was a bit dubious and we had afternoon plans with our partners. We changed in the car park, however there is access to changing facilities and toilets at the centre. We carried out boards through the side gates and down some steps to the pontoon which was an easy get on. It was really nice to launch in the marina. Heading right, the river was well protected from winds so it felt like an easy paddle. It is a pleasing start, heading through the boats in the marina and high rise buildings of Cardiff Marina.

A very cool back drop of Cardiff Marina on the Ely

The River was empty so it was plane sailing for us. We did a shade over 4 miles in 1hr 20 mins. Once we got off the water it was a quick deflate of our boards, pack up the kit and drive back to our hotel.

Whilst paddling, Dale’s wife took their toddler to Techniquest, a science attraction next door to the hotel and played for hours their until we returned. One thing about escaping to a city break to paddle is keeping the family entertained. We even managed to book into the pool and spa in the evening and have a swim and sauna before dinner.

Darren and Becky sampled some of the shopping in the area. St David’s Dewi Saint shopping centre was vibrant, busy and full of shops.. As you’d expect! Lots of parking and plenty of options for lunch.

The Stable Cardiff was a great Lunch spot

On Sunday we enjoyed another great breakfast and recharged our batteries before meeting at Channel View Leisure Centre. £5 to access the river per board, free parking and easy access, not bad at all. We met with a couple of local paddlers and headed up the River Taff. This route is excellent, especially for those who love a stadium. We cruised past the Principality Stadium, the views from the water were very, very cool.

Cruising past the Principality Stadium
📷 Dale Mears

Certainly a different back drop to other paddle routes! A very wide river at the base of Cardiff Bay which narrows down and gets quite shallow after you reach Cardiff Castle. We did a 5.5 mile route in 2hr20mins. Just watch out for those river boats ferrying passengers up and down the Taff.. they will leave you in a meaty wake!!

This section of river in constantly in use, remember to always stay to the Right

Just before getting off we also paddled out into the bay to check out the views over the hotel and large sailing boats the water here was glassy and definitely very different from a river paddle. Worth noting to make sure you understand the buoys to make sure you have a safe paddle.

Cardiff Bay was very calm and a nice flat paddle to end the session

After the paddle we head our separate ways. Darren heading home with the longer journey, with Dale and his family heading to Cardiff Castle another great attraction whilst in the city.

If your looking for a trip away and want to check out some easy city watersports we definitely recommend adding Cardiff to your list!

Better yet.. CLICK HERE to enter Visit Cardiff’s completion for a SUP adventure much like ours! Visit Cardiff have teamed up with partners Cardiff Harbour Authority, Cardiff International White Water & voco St. David’s Hotel to treat the winner and their guest to an exciting 2 day water sports break this October including accommodation, tuition and equipment!

Please note, you must be available to claim your prize experience on Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd October 2021. Get entering for an epic trip away!

Ciao for now! Darren and Dale

Red Original Accessories Paddle Board Lock

The Red Original Paddle Lock. Protecting your equipment! A review for @StandUpPaddleUK

Simple and effective. It may just be a lock, but does exactly what it says on the box…

With paddleboarding forever on the rise, and it’s ever more increasing popularity due to the COVID, it seems board theft is becoming quite prevalent.. Worry no longer..

The Red Original Board Lock features;

• 3.2mm Marine grade twisted stainless steel cable: Resistant to corrosion and provides increased cut resistance.
• Abrasion-resistant Coating: Protects the cable from fraying or from damaging other objects the lock is attached to.
• 340cm Long: Ability to lock multiple boards together with one lock.
• Programmable Combination lock: Easy to use carabiner combination lock can be set to a personal code further reducing the likelihood of board being stolen.

I locked my two boards to a sign post. It easily fits two boards stacked. I looped the cable through my D rings for a more secure locking but you could link the cable through grab straps (Although a sharp pair of scissors / blade will likely cut your straps) My suggestion is loop the cable through the strongest points on your board – this really depends on the brands / style. Red Original Accessories are a universal fit which is great.

Two boards stacked and Locked

The programmable lock is great and it’s also a carabiner which is handy. I’ve used this a couple of times now and have confidently left my boards outside on a main road in St. Ives during my last trip away.

Just don’t forget your Code..

RRP £32.95. Don’t forget we have a checkout discount, use the code StandUpPaddleUK15…

Is it worth it? 100% Yes – regardless of the haters, the cheapstakes and nay sayers. Spending £32.95 on a product which is protecting an items worth between £500-1000 each, it’s a no brainer for me.

As ever, find me on Instagram search @Darrens_Visuals / @StandupPaddleUK for more!

Red Original Accessories – Silent Air Remover

Shh! It is the Red Originals Silent Air Remover. A review for @StandupPaddleUK

Gimmick or Valuable tool? Yep, this one had already divided opinion on our recent IG Reel..

I’ve always been on the side of ‘it’s just air coming out of the board’ and I believe many would probably agree.

Red Original says; “The Silent Air Remover reduces the sound of a board inflated to 18psi from over 130 decibels at initial valve depression to less than 80 decibels. That is the equivalent of a jet taking off in comparison to background noise in a restaurant”.

I deliberately tested the Air Remover in my car park. I live in apartments, where any form of noise is complained about! So really, a good place to test it..

Tested where I knew people would hear any loud noises…

I set up my board to 15.5/16psi. A standard running pressure. As you’ll see on the video review (coming up shortly) I set up the Air Remover (AR) on the Rear and Central Valves, then using the ‘traditional’ press down without the AR.

Tested with a Decibel Reader in the same conditions for all

Rear Valve – 72db Max with the AR

Central Valve – 105db without the AR

Rear Valve – 114db without the AR

For the rear valve, that’s over 40db difference with the use of the Silencer, which may not sound like much but audibly it really is when you’re outside.

Ideal uses:
Morning/night paddles in built up areas
On Busy beaches
When kids are around
When boarding with dogs
Staying at campsites

The above are all opinions of course, but as a person who has been, for lack of a better word, bollocked, for unleashing my board air into the atmosphere by a river dog walker, I do feel it has its place and I’ll be keeping it in my bag. Maybe a bit on the expensive side, but, it is the only tool of its type as it stands.

Very simple to use and effective

Do you need it? Assess your paddle needs. Definitely valuable if you live in built up areas or paddle in crowded places with kids or animals.

We’ve seen comments of “Useless plastic” / “waste of plastic” – I disagree. You’re not exactly going to be throwing or leaving this on the ground somewhere for it to never decompose! You’ll be putting it in your bag/pouch and using it again. The device may not be to everyones liking or requirement but it does exactly what says it will do, Suppress exhausted air noise from a paddleboard – which it does well.

RRP £34.99

Don’t forget, Red Original have given us a checkout discount code of standuppaddleuk15..

UPDATE – the video test of the Silent Air Remover:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stand Up Paddle UK – Dale & Darren (@standuppaddleuk)

Red Original Accessories – The Waterproof Pouch Review

The Red Original Accessories Review of the Waterproof Pouch for @StandupPaddleUK – Find your Discount Code inside!

Oh, you had me a waterproof..

It has been a big week for us over on StandupPaddleUK. We’ve received a fair amount of kit to test, trial and review. We’ve always loved what the crew at Red Original are doing, it’s high quality products, made the right way, by a brand that really cares about the community.

A bumper delivery for Review!

I’ve got a few reviews to write for their products but let’s get on with the Waterproof Pouch..

So as I said at start of the review, ‘you had me at waterproof’.. Yeah, this thing is legitimately waterproof. There are photos on their website of a guy swimming in the sea holding the pouch, that is insane! I’ve used dry bags before but this thing is the next level.

I mean.. Wow..

StandUpPaddleUK as a collective have been using this item for some time. Dale is a huge fan of the pouch and really does swear by it too.

Dale out on the River with his Waterproof Pouch fitted to the central grab handle

Sizing: the pouch its self is 23cm long x 12cm deep x 5cm wide. You’re easily able to get your phone, keys and a GoPro in there.. We’ve even had a drone in there. It’s also the perfect place for something like an inhaler, the most important piece of equipment when I go out on my paddleboard after my PFD! So knowing that my medication is protected is also a great thing.

I’ve comfortably fitted my Keys, GoPro, Sony A6000 and iPhone in here with space to spare

On the board: The really great thing about the pouch is you are able to connect it to you and your board in several ways. The double Velcro strap system can be secured to grab handles, your deck bungee straps, the RO deck bag and the RO AirBelt. Personal preference for me and Dale is attaching it to your central grab handle as everything is then easily accessible beneath your feet.

As ever, we are testing in line with the use on a paddleboard however you could use it on a kayak, on your bike, open water swimming.. It really is a very versatile piece of kit. I’ve now used this pouch on two paddles and during one of them was a horrendous downpour of rain, the pouch protected my keys and phone. I like the integration with my board, I don’t use a Red Paddle board, so it is really great to see a product working on different brands products. We talk to brands a great deal about integration with other manufacturers/competitors so it’s really good to see that you don’t have to own a specific board to use their accessories..

Integration across the Red Original Range. The Waterproof Pouch and be connected via the velvro straps to the PFD Airbelt. A great idea for the paddler without the need for a bigger dry bag

The Pouch attached to the RO Deck Bag – Attached via the Bungee Cords

Quick Water Test: So the basic of the basic, let’s submerge this pouch and see what happens..

A full basin of water 💧

Submerged for about 2 minutes

100% dry internally

Absolute madness. No water droplets, runs or signs of moisture inside of the Pouch. That’s a pass on the water test.. Kind of the most important part of the review really!

I’ve never really been a ‘rating’ reviewer. I prefer more to explain how the products work, how they integrate with different things and essentially if they are practical in their use. I really do believe that the waterproof pouch is a 10 out of 10 product. I suggest you check out the product itself on their website (click here for the link). As usual a video review on our IGTV will follow.

RRP is £64.95. Oh also of note; Red Original have been kind enough to provide StandupPaddleUK with a discount code – use code ‘standuppaddleuk15‘ at checkout to get a discount!

Thanks to Ross over at Red Originals for the continued support and their immense products! Learn more about Red Originals over on our IGTV Series.

Cheers to another review, stay tuned for more Red Originals product reviews..

The Lake and it’s Mountains, Lugano

Lugano, an absolute gem in the Mountains

Another month, another trip.. This is becoming a bit of a thing for me..

Lugano was first on the hit list. I flew into Zurich, and caught the SBB cross country train into Lugano. The train ride was amazing, going past Lake Zurich, Zug..

The views were amazing. The train was worth the journey alone!

Trains in Switzerland are a doddle, SBB run a superb service which is rarely late or delayed!

I arrived into Lugano Station to this view. I’ve wanted to visit here for a long time, but never really knew how to fit it into a trip. The Swiss / Italian tour was the perfect blend. As usual I was set up for an Air Bnb, it was a little out of the main centre but it was amazing value for a country which is expensive, well.. most assume it is!

I don’t goto a city without seeing a stadium, that has become a thing for me too. This may not have been a huge Wembley like stadium, but what a backdrop. Nestled between mountains. What a place to play football..

I had four goals for my trip to Lugano; 1) Hike Monte Bre. 2) Hike Monte San Salvatore. 3) Swim in Lake Lugano. 4) Eat Immense Pizza.. Yeah that’s a goal.

My hike up Monte Bre started with the use of the Funicular. I’d been travelling all day and with limited time to hike I opted to cut some time off. You can find the Funicular on Via Pico.

At the summit of Monte Bre you’re met with a beautiful view over the Lake shame about the cafe umbrellas below! I walked a couple of trails and headed down to Ristorante Vetta Monte Bre…

Ristorante Vetta Monte Bre is probably the most picturesc restaurant I’ve ever seen on my travels so far.. Perfect spot for an Aperol, beautiful views of Lake Lugano..

I started my long hike back down the mountain, stopped off at a couple of view points. Probably one of the most peaceful places I’ve been. I didn’t see anyone during my descent..

I walked approx 2 hours back from the summit to my Air Bnb, and I was beat. I had planned to hike Monte San Salvatore the next morning, obviously it was time for a pizza and sleep to prepare.

I was up early for my hike of Monte San Salvatore. Mornings by Lake Lugano are beautiful..

The San Salvatore hike is no joke. There are a few options for your ascent; Use this website, it shows all the walks and trails… CLICK HERE!

I opted for a difficult route, up the side of the funicular, up the front of the mountain.. Paradiso-Pazzallo-San Salvatore was the route I used.

I saw 1 other person during my hike.. it was the ultimate reflective hike. It’s pretty well sign posted, but use the link and work out the trail which suits you.

Probably worth noting that the hike trails will require walking boots or a decent trainer.. the trails get wet, it’s very loose ground also. Be careful here, it does tend to rain at night and the trail was pretty raw during my hike.

Views from Monte San Salvatore are immense. My trips lately have become about goal setting, especially when it comes to a hike. The route by the locals said it was approx 2.5 hours, I crushed it in 1 hour 45.

Regardless of how long it takes you. The views are unforgettable.. There is also route for Via Ferrata, for those more experienced and wanting a challenge. I’d love to try Via Ferrata but I was warned that this route was a ‘high skilled’ route..

I didn’t use the San Salvatore funicular, but it’s worth noting it’ll save you some sore feet if you aren’t prepared!

The weather was HOT. Pushing over 32 degrees, after my hike I fancied a swim, and crossing off Goal 3. Lake Lugano was surprisingly warm! The water was cleaned and clear, swimming in a lake may but be for everyone but you should try it! I used the Lido which has access to the Lake, although there is plenty of places you can get into the Lake..

With Lugano being Swiss Italian you can guarantee food to be of the best quality. Of course, I opted for another Pizza by the Lake.

And this view was well worth waiting for..

Lugano has been a place I’ve wanted to visit for a few years. I’d recommend to anyone. You don’t have to do the hikes, you can use the funiculars. It’s very peaceful, you can swim the Lake.. it has so many options..

Lugano was done, I was headed across the border to Italy. Milano is next up.

24hrs in Montenegro

An amazing 24hrs in the Beautiful place that is Montenegro. Make this your next Destination..

So after a couple of beautiful days in Dubrovnik I was headed for the Bay of Kotor, Montenegro.

The drive from Dubrovnik to Kotor is around 90km

It’s a really simple border crossing, just remember that if you are planning to cross the border and you are using a hire car you will need a ‘Green Card‘ from the rental car company. It has all the relevant car details. Also worth pointing out that quite a few of the companies I checked didn’t allow a border cross. Goldcar allowed it, for approx £20 extra. The border crossing itself is free, but most companies hold the Green Card it seems.

FYA your phone data will be expensive here, mine was!!! I used Spotify for 3 songs.. it incurred a £42 charge – thanks Snoop Dogg. Check your network, only use Wi-Fi is my advice..

Montenegro

I got through the crossing and headed straight for the Bay. Stay on the E65 (then E80) which goes through Herceg Novi to Kotor – worth stopping at one of the supermarkets in H.N… there’s a short amount of shops from there until Kotor.

The Bay of Kotor is perfectly still in the morning

As the title says, 24hrs in Montenegro.. I was in a bit of a rush to get to Kotor. It’s really the only thing I had planned to do while here, as it was only a small amount of time.. On route I spoke and met up with my Air BnB host. I was staying in Jošice, a very quiet fishing town, where the crossing for Kotor is also available..

Jošice was perfectly located for my trip..

I have to say the cost of my Air BnB was exceptional. I paid £10 a night, and the cost would have been less if staying for more than one night! The rooms at the 4 Sailors were very good. Considering the cost I was expecting a pretty bad experience, I can only but recommend this place!

Check our the place on Air BnB; 4 Sailors

After quick hello and tour with my host I got back on the road. I’d opted against the Kotor Crossing as I wanted to explore the route around the Bay. The villages of Risan, Strp, Perast, Orahovac are pretty quiet. Most notably Orahovac, there’s a huge hotel on the Bay front which is completely baron. Pretty haunting consideing it’s location!

Perast / Sveti Dorde

A couple of lonely islands sit in the middle of the Bay, off of Perast. There’s a perfect little car park which sits opposite also. Obviously I was going to get the drone out.. there are two islands, Sveti Dorde and Ostrvo.

Just one of the reasons why I love a drone. Capturing perspectives you just wouldn’t be able to on foot

A beautiful location nestled between a mountainous Bay. Again there isn’t much here, there’s a couple of bars and restaurants down by the waterfront at Perast. I couldn’t explore this as the weather had turned and I didn’t fancy running in hail stones!

Kotor

The reason for my trip, the Ladder of Kotor. The Ladder is amazing. From the ground you can see parts of the trail but it really doesn’t take shape until you’re half way up atleast..

The entrance to the Ladder is difficult to find. I had to use Google maps as the guides were all pointing me to the Fortress, which didn’t feel I had time to do! Anyway, the Ladder of Kotor..

After approx 15 mins you can see the town of Kotor around the Bay

I ploughed up the Ladder, I passed a great deal of people who were giving up and headed back down. I’m not one to be beaten, and certainly not by a trail. I cracked on. Eventually the trails become more rocky, more undulating, and more difficult to foot. Of course those sorts of things make a man think.. “the drone would be a great idea”.. I got Cameron out and captured some absolute aerial GOLD…

The zig zag trail cannot be seen in such a way without a drone. This is the reason I got a drone. Being able to capture moments which are not possible with conventional cameras.

After a quick stop for water and droning I got back on the trail. I arrived at the summit approx. 1hr 20 mins of climbing. And it was totally worth it.. Over 70 switchback turns. A real highlight of my trip..

At the top I met a girl from Holland. We sat, had a little chat about the climb. Obviously she posed for photos being a solo traveller. It was cool to chat to some else on the journey at the top of a mountain! After a bit of time spent relaxing at the summit I headed back down the mountain trail, double time. It took me just over an hour to reach the base. I think this is a given but I’d advise solid walking boots or running trainers for this trail!

It was early afternoon so I grabbed some food from the shopping centre at the base of the mountain and headed back to my car. Kotor was my main aim for this part of my trip, but with time to spare I opened up the map and decided to drive down to the coastline to the South.

Budva

Approx. 20km from Kotor. This part of my trip was a bit on the fly. First stop was a car park, views over the beaches and coastline. It was perfect for a pit stop. I checked my map for local points of interest and there were two of value to me..

Mogren Fortress

The fortress is well hidden, and cannot be accessed by car (I tried..). You’ll have to park the next car park in Gospostina and walk back..

Immense coastline, the colours are unedited and look stunning..

The Mogren Fortress is pretty epic. I was here for around an hour… and saw one other person. Look out for the BROWN SIGN noting ‘Tvdara Mogren’. This place was hidden and I loved that. The Mogren Fortress was built in 1860 by Austro Hungarians to defend the Western borders of Budva. Due to earthquakes and lack of up keep the fortress is falling apart so be careful.. Excursions aren’t taken here so if the goal is seclusion then this is the place. Ideal for droning…

The island of Sveti Nikola aka ‘Hawaii of Montenegro’, can be seen from the fortress. When the tide is low you can see a sand trail into Budva beach under the water. If you want to go to Sveti Nikola you can grab a boat for €3 return..

I was slowly running out of daylight. I wanted to head further round to Sveti Stefan but I didn’t have time. Budva was an extra I didn’t expect but I’m really glad I took the trip.

On my drive back I found the one restaurant which looked open, Verige 65. The food, service and restaurant itself were excellent. I spent less than €20 for a starter, main and two beers. Really great value. The restaurant over looks the Bay, with views of Tivat and Kotor.

And that was it, my 24 hours in Montenegro was close to being over. I headed back to the Air BnB to prep up for my flight the next day, back to Dubrovnik.

As ever, if you have questions on any of my travels, or Montenegro specifically then please drop me a comment or message!

My gear;

GoPro Hero 6

Sony Alpha A6000

DJI Mavic Air

Adriatic Beauty; Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik, One of Croatia’s Coastal Beauties

Where do I start.. Logically I should start at the beginning… but f*ck logic.. I got myself a new camera a few days before this trip, so say hello to lots of Sony Alpha shots with plenty of swirly swirly cream cheese like bokeh! New trip, new kit..

Ok back to the travel; I set off for Stansted at 3am. Croatia has some excellently cheap flights from Luton and Stansted, you just have to pay in loss of sleep.. but for £100 return you cannot argue with that.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

I landed in Dubrovnik to that famous Adriatic Sunshine. Dubrovnik gets almost 130 days of sunshine each year..

I’d hired a car before my arrival. Now it’s notoriously cheap to hire cars here, and when you read reviews you’ll see a great deal of NEGATIVE comments regarding companies policies, claw backs of money, claims of damage etc. I cannot confirm this, my experience was excellent. I used Rentalcars.com who I purchased full insurance with, so if there’s any damage.. you pay and you’re refunded, regardless of how the damage occurred. FYI I used Goldcar (via Rentalcars.com). Anyway, in the famous last words of the Goldcar employee.. “Please drive on the right and don’t crash, bye bye“. I did have a good laugh as I drove away!

The drive from the airport to Dubrovnik is beautiful. There are a few stop off points for photos etc, well worth getting out and taking in the views over the coastline.

As usual for my trips I used Air BnB, I opted for a place outside of the Old Town, mainly due to having a car. I paid around £35 per night, and my accommodation was excellent. Arguably one of the best Air BnBs I’ve ever used. Really nice views from the terrace over the Port..

Never used Air BnB? Well here is a link for £25 off your first stay.. You are welcome! CLICK HERE

Old Town Dubrovnik (Poljana Paska Miličevića, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia)

The Old Town of DBV is amazing. One of the most cool and beautiful places I’ve been to. It has the charm of an Old Town, yet the Vibe of thriving city. Everywhere you turn are restaurants and stunning buildings. But I wasn’t there for the restaurants.. I was there for the Old City Walls..

The Old Walls entrance can be found directly to the right as you enter the Old Town..

A surprisingly quiet tour of the Walls..

Views to the South show off the Island of Lokrum

There are some really cool hidden spots along the way round..

Plan your days accordingly in Dubrovnik. It is worth checking the Port Authorities Arrivals, click here. I arrived on a Thursday, notably quiter than Friday, funnily enough a massive cruise ship had docked over night… Dubrovnik’s Old Town went from the relatively quiet town looking like this…

To this on a Friday..

Double check the Arrivals. It can really change your experience of Dubrovnik..

The Old Town has plenty of highlights and places to visit, here’s some of my favourites;

Any, and every side street is a visual gem. I love how the lanterns pepper the streets

The detailing at Rector’s Palace is beautiful..

Buza Bar (Aim for the signs which say ‘best drinks and views in Old Town)

There is several ‘Budza’ Bars to the west coastline of the Old Town.. all are worth a beer and view of the coastline

Now if Drones are your thing then you’ll like these shots. If you’re planning on using your drone in Croatia you will need to contact the CAA, sending off a form to the authority by post to Croatia. You need to ensure it arrives 8 days before you plan to fly.. Use this link for more info. Once confirmed you’ll receive an email to say you are now an authorised UAS operator.

I found a few good spots to take off from, one just by Hotel Excelsior and the other to the North of Lovrijenac, head to towards this address and walk the coastline until you find a good spot.. Rudimira Rotera, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia.

This is the place I used for the droning.. follow the address to get here

I use the DJI Mavic Air for all my drone shots. It’s light, compact and is perfect for the backpack traveller.

Check out my edit for this trip on YouTube.

Mount Srd (Cable Car: Ulica kralja Petra Krešimira IV, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia)

I’d prepped up my visit to Mount Srd for the evening, to capture the sunset and the night lit view of the Old Town.. and it really didn’t disappoint. When you get off the Cable Car you’ve taken to a viewing platform, it also has a restaurant. If you walk out of the building and round to the right you can climb down some rock face and set up your camera on the edge of the mountain..

A night view of the Old Town was pretty memorable

Such moody sunsets can be seen from here, the mist when drops over the Islands to the North it makes it a really beautiful scene

I walked around Dubrovnik for 2 days – walking over 35 miles. There’s a great deal of stairs and walking to be done..

Views from Lovrijenac over to the Old Town

There is beauty at ever turn in Dubrovnik. I will return in the future and I highly recommend it to any and everyone..

Any questions about Dubrovnik or travelling there? Get in touch!

My gear;

GoPro Hero 6

Sony Alpha A6000

DJI Mavic Air

Up in the Clouds – The Alps

Mountains, Hiking, Biking, Cheese.. What more could you wish for?

The snowy mountains are where I love spending time the most I’d say. However, this is the first time I’ve been solely to the mountains in summer. Myself and Becci had the chance to head out to the French Alps and it seemed too good to miss out on..

We picked up flights into Geneva for £80 return per person, and luckily for us we were collected from the airport and ferried to the Alps by car. The route from Geneva to Morzine is pretty simple. The main route headed past some places I’ve already travelled to, Lake Geneva and the Telepheric Salavé which over looks Geneva, the views are beautiful.. Non stop mountains and blue sky’s..

Morzine

We arrived in Morzine in around 1h30mins, the winding roads were not too favorable to a VW Caravelle! The trip could probably be done quicker in a smaller car..

We were staying with VIP SKI in a chalet on the Morzine main high street. The chalet was awesome, a massive place which slept 14-16 people, Chalet Alaska.

The view from Chalet Alaska over to the Super Morzine Gondola

Châtel Mountain Range (Pré la Joux, 74390 Châtel, France)

We headed out past Montriond, up into the mountains towards Châtel, through Les Lindarets.. The goat village.. Yes Goat Village.. We headed deeper into the mountains, up the chair lifts towards Châtel. At the top of the chairlifts we saw the Zipline which ran a couple of 100 meters above the ground below.. We queued up for our flight suit and prepped for the zipline..

Be prepared for a queue.. We waited around 40 minutes to get on to the zipline, but we did head up here just before midday so a peak time..

I watched Sarah and Becci zip off.. And I must admit.. The fear kicked in. I’d always been scared of heights but I’ve got over that slowly over the years.. So this was sort of a conquer my fear moment!

The experience was amazing. I’ve never done anything else like it. The speed, height.. An amazing view. It was well worth the €35!! Visit Fantasticable for more info…

Absolutely stunning views from the second zipline

Head over to my Instagram to see some zipline videos..

Lac de Montriond (Voie Communale N°2 de la Glière au Pont du Tannay du Chemin N°228, 74110 Montriond)

Lac de Montriond is a real beauty and it has lots to do. Kayaks, paddleboarding, swimming.. It’s a pretty clean lake so well worth venturing out on..

Paddling at a lake surrounded by Mountains is just epic

This was by far the most beautiful place we have ever paddleboarded. The setting is almost unreal. Hiring paddleboards cost us €15 each per hour, so not bad at all.

DJI Spark Pano shot over Lac de Montriond

Cascade de Nyon (Chemin sous le Rocher, 74110 Morzine, France)

The ‘Tour’ trail gives some beautiful views

The Cascade de Nyon was on Becci’s list.. I had no idea it existed but, as usually, she was right. The walk from Morzine took us around 20 minutes. Follow the ‘Tour’ trail until you reach the waterfall..

The waterfall as seen from the DJI Spark

Becci and I grappled with rocks and rushing waters to get up close to the waterfall.. Be aware.. The water.. Is BALTIC, and the rocks are slippery..

Pointe de Nyon (Chabalis Mountain Range)

Grab the Gondola next to the Cascade de Nyon, then the chairlift to the right. This will take you up to the Pointe De Nyon. There’s a little hike in store for you at the top though so wear decent footwear…

The half way point of the hike, views down to Morzine and the surrounding mountains are unbelievable

The Summit – with views over to a cloudy Mont Blanc. This is also one of my favourite photos from our trip..

After a 15-20 minute hike you’ll reach the summit at 2019m, Pointe de Nyon. On a clear day the Pointe boasts views of Mont Blanc on a clear day.. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudy but the view was still epic. You get a 360° view of the whole area and it’s honestly one of the most impressive sights I’ve seen to date..

Downhill MTB Morzine to Les Gets

I managed to haggle a hire to a downhill bike with a local shop in Morzine. 1/2 a day for around €50 including all protection (helmet, body armor etc).. Be aware, to ride the gondolas and chairlifts with a bike you’ll need a different pass.. I opted for a 5 hour pass at €22 – this covered Morzine, Les Gets and Mont Chéry.

It’s fair to say that this is a difficult sport.. I’ve never done it so I had no idea what to expect.. The closest I go to MTB is road cycling!

The runs are ranged, much like snowboarding.. I hit some ‘family runs’ which were far from family friendly!! I headed out from Morzine, across the mountain to Les Gets, looking to get up to the Top of Mont Chéry..

The above video was headed down into Les Gets.. I continued through the runs until I reached the town, and the Gondola up to Mont Chéry. The views from the summit of Mont Chéry were amazing. Mont Blanc was clearly visible in the distance.. My first real view of that mountain, and a moment to remember..

Mont Blanc standing out of the Mountain Range ahead

DJI Spark grabbing some Aerial shots of my ride

I’d recommend beginners take a guide with them for a tour. Most shops offer this service, and they’ll even teach you how to ride certain terrain..

There is tons for you to do here.. We even did a bit of Luge.. Not just for kids!

There’s lots of places offering parapenting also.. Something I would have done if we hadn’t hiked to over 2000m! I recommend this destination to anyone, especially those who think the mountains are just for snow.. I think me and Becci will head back for some more mountains adventures!

Here’s the cut from our trip:

All shots taken with GoPro Hero 5 and where noted, the DJI Spark Drone