Ski Edit from my time in Japan. Featured resorts are; Niseko, Hakuba and Rusutsu
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Ski Edit from my time in Japan. Featured resorts are; Niseko, Hakuba and Rusutsu
10 Unmissable Attractions in Edinburgh
For many years Edinburgh was known as the ‘Athens of North’ and it justifies that identity to this day. It is a small city, a subtle capital and a delightfully refreshing contrast to most capital cities. Old Smokey, as it is colloquially known nowadays (or ‘Auld Reekie’ if you are a local), can gain so much respect and pride from not allowing skyscrapers, flashing lights and concrete towers to shadow over its past and lose its heritage. Indeed it has expanded, but on their own terms; restoration. Old Smokey has restored itself when needed rather than reinventing itself completely. Edinburgh is a noble, dignified capital and despite being guarded by a castle, welcomes its visitors with open arms and of course, a dram of whisky.
1. Edinburgh Castle
Let’s begin at the top of the city - the most famous attraction. Edinburgh Castle stands tall and proud above the hustle and bustle of the city centre. No matter where in the city you may find yourself, you will always be able to see the Castle in all its glory. To get the most out of it, walk up the Royal Mile, enter the grounds and try to imagine the battles that have come and gone from Roman Legions to Jacobite Invasions. Simply put, without Edinburgh Castle, the Edinburgh of today would not exist. Take in the views of the city from the top and visualise the city developing over time.
2. The Royal Mile
Heading back down the Royal Mile, embrace and absorb the melee of sound, smells and sights. Walk to the sound of bagpipes, stumble into old pubs to the aroma of whiskey and ale and eat in some of the best restaurants in the city. The Royal Mile is the beating heart of the Old Town, connecting Edinburgh Castle to the historic St. Giles Cathedral. Explore the alleyways, stairways and ‘wynds’ to discover hidden pubs, cafes and secrets of the Old Town.
3. Murder and Mystery Tour
Staying on the Royal Mile be sure to pay a small fee for an award-winning tour. While Edinburgh is not a large city in terms of area, it has plenty of secrets underground. Yes, underground. Hidden under the Royal Mile is a labyrinth of tunnels, vaults, chambers. Get lost and prepared to be mystified by Edinburgh’s deepest, darkest secrets in an underground city tour. Be guided through alleyways and cobbled streets as your guide tells tales of plagues, torture and supernatural events before heading underground where your guide will combine history with humour…and a little horror. This is not for the faint-hearted so enter at your own risk.
4. Holyrood Park
New York has Central Park, London has Hyde Park, and Edinburgh has Holyrood Park. If you need to calm down after your Murder and Mystery Tour head across to the park and get a taste of Scotland’s wilderness with a Loch and an expanse of moorland. Be sure to perch on Arthurs Seat for fantastic scenic views of the city and clear your head by walking round the Loch.
5. George Street
For your evening antics, head towards George Street, a pedestrianised street filled with high quality restaurants and super stylish bars. After over indulging yourself with some glorious food, watch the area come alive as the sun goes down and make your way into the lavish bars and nightclubs – a fashionable contrast to the old unassuming pubs of the Royal Mile.
6. Shopping
If you are a little tired from sightseeing, or a little hungover after the overindulgence of food and alcohol, overindulge yourself in the shops. Edinburgh is a hive of shops and boutiques and there is plenty to go at. For high street brands head down Princes Street with shops on one side and an uninterrupted view of the castle on the other side. Venture back up to George Street where there are more shops or alternatively there is Multrees Walk for all your luxury fashion brands.
7. Eat Lunch in Princes Street Gardens
Grab a bite to eat and find a bench or patch of grass to lay on Princes Street Gardens. On a nice day, there are few better places. Under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle and below the streets of the city centre, Princes Street Gardens is a quaint sanctuary to relax and prepare yourself for an afternoon. Play games, wander around or simply sit and unwind. There are often shows and events that take place in the centre amphitheatre so it is worth keeping an eye out for those.
8. Whisky Experience
Here, you have a choice. Either choose to book a whisky experience where you will understand the process from barley to bottle and try various whiskies on a guided tour – very interesting and informative. Or, alternatively you can choose to do what most people do and that is to make your own whisky experience – a pub. The pubs in Edinburgh are very ordinary but that’s what makes them so great, they are pubs at their absolute humblest form. Get yourself to a pub and try a different whisky each time and create your own whisky experience.
9. Visit the Scottish National Galleries
If art is your thing then do not hesitate to visit the number of galleries that Edinburgh has to offer. Whatever your preference may be, there is a gallery that will meet your needs. The National Galleries Complex is situated in Princes Gardens, a majestic Greek-columned building and further down in New Town there is the Portrait Gallery. Furthermore there are two modern art museums towards Dean Village that are also worth a visit. Be sure to set an afternoon aside if this is your preference.
10. Royal Botanic Gardens
If you do prefer to visit Galleries and Museums then the Royal Botanic Gardens should definitely be on your list too. Dubbed to be one of the finest of its kind in the world, the Gardens are situated in 72 acres of splendid scenery. It is themed by area so choose to explore the weird and wonderful plants of Asia or walk through the towering Redwoods of California. Again, the Royal Botanic Gardens offer a tranquil alternative to what you would expect from a capital city.
Edinburgh is a city that allows you to do as much or as little as you so desire. A city that tempts you to aimlessly amble down one more cobbled street or alleyway in search of a secret of its past. Whether it be exploring the city limits with a jam-packed schedule or exploring your drinking limits sipping on whisky in the humble surroundings of a pub. No matter what you decide to do, Edinburgh’s culture is at the heart of it.
I'm running the GNR for Bloodwise, a charity that's very close to my heart after my family has directly been affected by it. Any donations are appreciated big or small. Please take time to read my story. Thanks x
Xunantunich, San Jose Succotz, Belize
In at the Deep End - Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan
Remember all those daydreams we had about those perfect bluebird powder days? The storm has come and gone over night, dropping thirty centimetres plus of that light fluffy stuff we crave. We hit the slopes early and we’re met with knee deep pow that splashes up to our faces after every turn. The adrenalines rushing, the hollas are echoing, the thighs are burning but we don’t care – this is the greatest day of our lives right?!
Sound familiar?
I know, I have these daydreams for weeks before an upcoming ski trip. Now let’s be honest, it’s a very rare thing when these musings are met with reality. Often a bluebird pow day is met with frustrating lift lines, tracked out tree runs and most of the alpine closed for avalanche risk.
Now what if I told you there was a place where all these dreams can come true? What if I told you of a mystical land where storms swoop in and the lightest, fluffiest and driest snow in the world drops day in and day out? A place where there is no alpine to close, and lift lines are non-existent, so much so it feels like the mountain is yours. Fresh lines of thigh deep snow will be there for slaying throughout the day, not just for the early bird risers. I welcome you to…Japow…I mean Japan.
I wonder if twenty years ago the likes of McConkey, Coombs and Jones ever foresaw a time an annual pilgrimage to Japan was a necessity. In fact I wonder if they ever identified Japan as a viable ski destination. Japan and its resorts on the north island of Hokkaido have cemented themselves deeply on every skier’s must-ski list.
Make Niseko your first destination for skiing in Japan. Take a two hour flight North from Tokyo to Sapporo followed by a further two hour bus journey to arrive in Japan’s most well-known ski resort. Made popular by frequent Australians who like to ski, but don’t enjoy the jetlag from visiting North America and Europe, Niseko has an increasing Australian influence with hostels, chalet hire and ski rental shops often owned and run by Aussies. Here, the language barrier isn’t an issue, there are high quality skis and snowboards available whether you are a beginner or fancy delving in to the backcountry with avalanche equipment. Be sure to check out Rhythm Snow Sports for your ski hire.
Elsewhere in the village, there are various restaurants that offer everything from pizza, sushi, ramen and French cuisine. My favourite; a small ramen restaurant down a side street in Upper Hirafu Village, Niseko Ramen Kazahana – so good I visited it twice and ordered the Spicy Niseko Ramen both times.
Now, the skiing. Believe everything you’ve heard; yes its deep, no it doesn’t stop.
The snow is like no other I have experienced. After spending a season in Whistler Blackcomb with clouds coming off the Pacific Ocean and bringing with it thick, heavy and wet snow, the snow in Niseko could not be more different. Here, the storms are blown over from Siberia in the West dropping the driest and fluffiest powder you are ever likely to experience. The ease you are met with as you carve in sometimes thigh-deep snow means you can go for longer, harder and bigger. Face shots galore, and you’ll never get sick of admiring your powder beard in the mirror.
The logistics of Niseko are fairly simple, split into four separate ski areas – Grand Hirafu, Niseko Village, Hanazono and Annupuri – all share a common lift pass, be sure to pay for this, each area are quite small so you will want to have the opportunity to venture where you wish. Personally my favourites where the two towards the outer regions of the resort, Hanazono and Annupuri. If you’re interested in backcountry, dip under the area boundary, slip on your skins and head out past Annupuri Peak where you will be deeply rewarded, oh and I mean seriously deeply rewarded, with vast areas of bowls, treeless powder runs and backcountry trees. If trees are your thing, then head to the other side to Hanazono and venture out away from the resort again and have fun in the trees, combined with some fun terrain. Be prepared to skin or hike out here. If you still have some energy left after a day playing in the snow or perhaps you slept in, then fear not, floodlit night skiing is available in Grand Hirafu. Incredibly there was still some powder to be found, a whole new experience in itself.
Day trips to other resorts in the area are also available for a fee (transport and lift pass) including Rusutsu. For all you ski nerds, you will know that Rusutsu is another up and coming resort, already made famous by Salomon’s YouTube coverage during their Freeski series. Rusutsu is famous for its side country park. Possibly the strangest resort I have visited, at the base of the hill lies an amusement park and a Ferris wheel with marshmallows of snow sitting atop each carriage giving the whole feel of Rusutsu an air of unreality. Rusustu makes you feel like you have stumbled upon a secret wonderland that only few know about it, the resort is deserted, the air haunting but the snow, you guessed it, powder city. Rusutsu is a powder haven; a sanctuary of perfectly-spaced trees, empty chairlifts and a unique side country playground.
Niseko is an already established resort and will continue to grow rapidly in size and popularity among us Westerners - it has the beginnings of becoming a top world resort. My advice, visit now before it becomes that. Niseko has character, it doesn’t yet have the off-mountain distractions (or to some attractions) of high fashion outlets selling the latest winter gear, or fine food restaurants, or a large hotel chain stamping its corporate foot over what is a charming and intimate resort. Right now in Niseko it is simple, no distraction, just one attraction: snow.
Useful Links:
Ski/Snowboard Hire: http://skihirejapan.com/rhythm-niseko/rhythm-niseko/
Chalet Hire: http://www.nisekocountryresort.com/
Niseko Ski Resort: http://www.niseko.ne.jp/en/
Rusutsu: http://rusutsu.co.jp/winter/
The time some very good friends and I spent a few nights in the British Colombia backcountry in a snow cave. Great memories with some great mates.
You never know if you don't go
The Three Lost Bois
Flute Bowl, Whistler B.C
Building up the footage piece by piece, adventure by adventure until I can put together an edit like this. #storyofmylife
The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man.
Unknown
Throwback to the ski season I spent in Whistler, British Colombia
Sorry.
Throwback to Zion National Park, my favourite NP in the States. This was whilst doing the Narrows hike. Its amazing how vulnerable the towering cliffs can make you feel.
Let’s Travel The World (by klatterros)
Caye Caulker, Belize
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” - St. Augustine