Travel pictures and the worlds 10 best travel photography cities

There are thousands of places in the world you could grab travel pictures, but which cities offer up the best travel photography opportunities for the travel mad snapper/ photography mad traveller?

We are all travel photographers. Could be with a brand new DSLR, a happy snappy or an iPhone/ mobile phone; it’s still photography.

“You can find pictures anywhere. It’s simply a matter of noticing things and organising them. You just have to care about what’s around you…” (Elliott Erwitt).

So, whether you want a great city scape, a beautiful sunset or a bustling restaurant, all corners of the globe can provide a multitude of opportunities to capture creative images.

Here’s my 10 best travel photography cities and top spots to get those shots (I’m sure there are many more!).

read more

SB3 Challenge attracting applicants

A new event in the sailing regatta calendar which is open to the construction industry is proving popular, it has been announced.

A host of applicants have enquired about the Little Britain Laser SB3 Challenge, taking place on June 3-4 in Cowes, Isle of Wight, Little Britain Challenge Cup (LBCC) event manager Mary Scott Jackson said.

She added: “Since the announcement of the SB3 Challenge, just a few weeks ago, we have had a steady stream of interested applicants, and we plan to officially open entries early March.”

The summer sailing event, run with Pelican Racing, includes a picnic lunch and an informal evening supper – making it the perfect excuse to enjoy a day out on the seas.

David Smith, LBCC chairman, described the SB3 Challenge as a “great kick-start” to the year’s sailing events.

Race director Tony Poole says the boats are easy to handle, making a yacht charter in the United Kingdom an ideal option for newcomers and experienced sailors.

And if sailing enthusiasts find they enjoy the SB3 Challenge weekend, they may want to note down the dates for the main Little Britain Challenge Cup 2011, which takes place on September 8 to 11 in Cowes.

More places available for Fastnet

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has decided to increase the number of places available for the Rolex Fastnet Race, it has confirmed.

The club announced it would remove all “professionally” sailed classes from the 300 entry limit in order to allow more teams to enter the race – one of the most prestigious sailing events in the calendar.

All Volvo Ocean 70s, IMOCA 60s, Class 40s and Multihulls will race under their own class rules, and will not be counted in the previous limit.

The decision means around 50 more entries will be available for the race, which starts in Cowes, Isle of Wight, on August 14.

The Fastnet Race reached its previous limit within 10 days of opening applications, and has around 130 teams on the waiting list.

RORC Commodore, Andrew McIrvine, said: “We were staggered at the speed with which people signed up.

“We had to do something to satisfy the huge interest, and taking the non IRC yachts out of the total is a fair solution allowing more loyal RORC racers to get their boats into the race.”

Is London really the world’s best destination?

Not for adventure sports it’s not! Reading that the UK capital just won the prestigious World Travel Awards Leading Destination 2010 got me thinking: Who exactly is it the best destination for? Just how can you ever have a ‘World’s Leading Destination’?

For lovers of history, monarchy or fashion, you could have a world’s most historic, regal or fashionable destination. But you just can’t bulk it together like this and expect it to represent or reflect anything – adventure sports fans in UK love London, but more for its connections than its challenges.

London’s hidden strength is its location, because anywhere in the British Isles is within reach.

But as with every metropolis, there’s rarely any way to get really adventurous without leaving it behind. Think about it: does anyone visit London for its adventure sports? Well, not if they enjoy the great outdoors kind of sports that we specialise in. read more

The World’s Best Mountainbiking Destinations

Mountain bikes go where other cycles would never dare. Identified by knobbly tires and enhanced frames – some even have suspension set-ups befitting of a 4×4 – these machines are made ready for a ride on the wild side.

Straight off the road and onto a nearby track, you’ll soon notice the extra grip and feel the suspension compressing into the divots and drops.
But for real challenges, it’s likely you’ll have to look farther afield. So when the local field loses its appeal, just where can you head to get the really rough stuff and the most from your bike? read more

Forces Fitness: Have we found the ultimate challenge?

If there’s one group of people who push themselves well beyond the usual boundaries of fitness, it’s the military. The closest civilian extreme sports events get to military fitness is in overlanding, or outrageous ultra-distance events such as the Marathon des Sables.

Well, the Royal British Legion has laid down a challenge: Get a team together and test your fitness in the Exmoor 30:30.

It’s not for the fainthearted or the phoney brave; the event gets its name from the distance involved (30 miles) and the weight each competitor needs to carry (30lb/ 13.6kg). read more

The ultimate urban adventure sports challenge?

There’s a belief that adventure sports belong in the hills, on top of mountains or offshore. Well, a new breed of urban adventurer is running, jumping and riding through our streets. While others opt out, these adventure sports people are getting in on the latest urban challenge: the Rat Race.

And they take part in teams, as well. So much for adventure sports events being solo events; the Rat Race is as much about teamwork, as it is personal endurance. And you’ll need plenty of endurance and stamina to make it through; expect to run, bike, kayak, climb and abseil against the clock, all day!

If you still can’t imagine it, think team orienteering, just without the trees and torrent-driven streams.

So, how does it work? read more