Estella Shardlow

1 month ago | mrandmrssmith.com | Estella Shardlow

On a Saturday night in Niseko, northern Japan, the hottest place to be isn’t a new sake den or karaoke bar — it’s in the bath. Partakers are bobbing around in the steaming outdoor pools like a fresh batch of gyoza dumplings, while the snow settled in the surrounding gardens resembles mounds of fluffy white rice. This resort town is home to dozens of onsen — Japan’s hot-spring bathhouses — their mineral-rich waters ideal for soaking mountain-wearied muscles. There’s a catch, though: public nudity.

2 months ago | independent.co.uk | Estella Shardlow

As the world-famous NC500 route turns 10, Estella Shardlow says it’s time to consider exploring a less touristy stretch of Scotland’s beautiful coastThe ruins of Findlater Castle cap the headland like a broken crown – the 15th-century stones half covered by grass and gorse bushes – while the North Sea swirls 50ft below. This is Clan Ogilvy’s long-abandoned family seat, but seabirds reign over the place now.

2 months ago | independent.co.uk | Estella Shardlow

Scotland's Moray Coast offers a less crowded alternative to the popular North Coast 500 (NC500) route. This scenic drive features quiet beaches, charming fishing villages like Cullen and Portsoy, and opportunities for wildlife spotting. The region boasts a sunny microclimate and is home to historical sites such as Findlater Castle. While the NC500 faces overcrowding and infrastructure strain, the Moray Coast provides a more relaxed experience.

2 months ago | mrandmrssmith.com | Estella Shardlow

Teal, turquoise, marigold yellow: the apartment blocks lining the marina pop with paintbox brights, while the gleaming yachts tethered below bob on gently lapping waves. At the far end of the boardwalk, people are tucking into hand-churned gelato and knocking back Aperol spritzes on a sun-kissed terrace. Am I in Portofino, perhaps? Or some French Riviera resort? Think again: this is Exmouth, East Devon. When I was growing up in the area, this was a traditional buckets-and-spades town.

2 months ago | thespectator.com | Aidan Hartley |Estella Shardlow |Justin Brierley |Grace Curley

Laikipia, KenyaI am grateful to David, a reader of this column, who kindly sent me a packet of old Kenya maps his father used when the family lived in Nairobi in the 1960s. David’s envelope took about six months to reach my postbox, which is good going, since I’ve received other letters posted several years before. I adore maps and own lots, rolled up in tubes, hanging on walls, with piles of them folded in drawers, dog-eared, rain-stained and scribbled on.