The Lake District is one of my favorite places in the world. My most recent trip last month was my ninth time visiting this spectacular national park, which to me is simply heaven on earth. As the UK gradually eases restrictions and domestic tourism opens, the Lake District (also known as ‘the Lakes’) is undoubtedly… Read More Why You Should Visit The Lake District This Year
While a lot of my trips last year were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, I ended up doing a fantastic week-long road trip around the very north of Scotland, the North Coast 500. One of the best parts of the trip was the spectacular scenery of these remote northern regions. I loved all the… Read More Hiking Ben Hope: Scotland’s Most Northern Munro
The North Coast 500 was one of the most phenomenal experiences I’ve had in the UK so far, and one trip that definitely should be on your bucket list. However, you will need to do some prep before you go! This trip takes you to some of the most remote places in Scotland—there might not… Read More What To Pack For The North Coast 500 In Scotland
I first visited the Brecon Beacons National Park on a rainy weekend back in December 2013. And to be totally honest, I only spent a few hours in the actual national park limits. It took me a while, but I finally made it back for a proper trip to the Brecon Beacons last summer! This… Read More How to Spend a Weekend in the Brecon Beacons in Wales
UPDATED JULY 2023! While so many of my travel plans for 2020 were canceled due to the pandemic, I tried to make the most of the year and find the silver lining. For me, the silver lining of last summer (when I should have been spending a month in Minnesota with my family) was definitely… Read More A 7-Day Itinerary For Scotland’s North Coast 500 Road Trip
Wales truly has some spectacular scenery and the best way to enjoy it is to get outdoors hiking! Cadair Idris is one of the highest mountains in the south of Snowdonia National Park. It’s also spelled Cader Idris and known as Penygader—I couldn’t find any reason for spelling differences so just stuck with Cadair Idris!… Read More Cadair Idris Via the Minffordd Path: Hiking in South Snowdonia
There are so many amazing places in the Peak District! I have loved exploring more of this national park this summer and going on some incredible hikes. One of the reasons I love the Peak District so much is that it is so varied—the southern parts are so different from the northern parts. I finally… Read More Dovestone Reservoir and Saddleworth Moor: Hiking in the North Peak District
UPDATED JULY 2023! The North Coast 500 is one of the most epic road trips you can take in the UK! Having done this trip last year, I thought I’d do a full information post on what you should know before you go. This trip may require a bit more planning than you’re used to.… Read More What You Need to Know About the North Coast 500 in Scotland Before You Go
Hay-on-Wye is one of those places in the UK I’ve dreamed of visiting for years. When I visited the southern part of Wales waaaay back in December 2013 during my study abroad, it just didn’t happen due to limited time and bus schedules. On my most recent trip to Wales, I knew I had to… Read More What to Do and See in Hay-on-Wye, the “Town of Books” in Wales
I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve been living in Yorkshire for 4 years now, and I had only been hiking in the Yorkshire Wolds this summer!! The Yorkshire Wolds is an area of low hills, predominately in East Riding of Yorkshire and a bit of North Yorkshire. I thought it was mainly farmland and fields,… Read More The Wonderful Yorkshire Wolds: Hiking Around Thixendale
Five years ago today, I brought this space on the internet to life. Happy Five-Year Blog-A-Versary to me! I had no idea when I bought this domain in 2016 where it would take me, or what it would mean to me. This blog is my baby. During the times when I felt like I had… Read More My Fifth Blog-A-Versary: 5 Years Of Away With Maja!
This is probably one of the most painful blog posts I have ever had to write. The past few months have been the absolute worst of my entire life. I have experienced insurmountable pain and it has been so real and so raw. Unfortunately, I lost my job on 16 September, the day before my… Read More I Lost My Job, My Husband Cheated On Me, And Lockdown: Surviving The End Of 2020
The Peak District National Park is one of my favorite places in England. It’s such an incredible place but still so underrated! There are so many awesome spots to visit and it’s always nice to get away from the crowds. Thankfully, there are so many hidden gems in the Peak District and it’s easy to… Read More Hiking the Dragon’s Back: Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill in the Peak District
York is a fantastic destination to visit any time of year. Whether you come in spring, summer, fall, or winter, York will always welcome you. With autumn truly upon us now in the UK, the fall leaves have burst into color around the city. Here are the best places to see the autumn colors and… Read More Where to See the Best Autumn Colors in York
Well, today marks a big occasion for me. 4 years ago today, 13 October 2016, I moved to England. It has been a rollercoaster and I wasn’t really sure what to write about for this year. Life has been pretty tough lately, what with the pandemic and losing my job (you can read more about… Read More Celebrating 4 Years In England: On The Silver Lining Of UK Travel
Where to even start? I’ve put off writing this recap post. And like last month, I would 110% skipped doing it this time apart for the reason that I’ve been writing these monthly recaps for 3 years, and I don’t want to miss out on one. This month, and particularly the last few weeks, have… Read More September 2020 Recap
Like the rest of the world, I’ve been spending a lot more time closer to home. Thankfully for me, York is full of amazing places to discover! Recently, I walked the York Solar System Trail. I only found out about this in the last year or so, despite living in York for nearly 4 years… Read More Discovering the York Solar System Trail
This summer, I finally ticked a big hike off my bucket list: High Cup Nick, in the North Pennines AONB and Eden Valley area of Cumbria. I saw a photo from here a few years ago and became obsessed with visiting. The stars finally aligned in the middle of July, and I made it out… Read More High Cup Nick: An Underrated and Extraordinary Hike in Cumbria
August turned out to be a very difficult but surprising month. I’ve had so many adventures in August around Yorkshire and Wales and Scotland! But it’s been a really tough time. Things are really up in the air with my job now, and I’m unsure what the future will bring. It’s been a stressful few… Read More August 2020 Recap
I’ve made it one of my goals to explore close to home as much as possible this summer. Thankfully, there are so many wonderful places to explore in Yorkshire! This hike around Rosedale in the North York Moors is a fantastic walk, discovering industrial ruins from the area’s mining heyday. This is definitely one of… Read More Hiking Around Rosedale in the North York Moors
