WHETHER we’re talking endless oceans, choppy channels or narrow canals, a holiday on the water is pure escapism. But once you’ve polished off a paperback and felt the benefit of fresh air, it can sometimes get a bit samey. The solution? To charter a private vessel with friends and/ or family somewhere a bit unusual or with a bunch of engrossing sights and activities.
Experiential travel is all the rage, especially when it’s you—and not the captain—calling the shots. Sasha King, founder of High Point Yachting, says it’s all the more fulfilling when charter companies work with the client to create bespoke itineraries. ‘Experiential trends are about getting to the heart of things and places that make us feel good and expand our interests. We recently booked a client on a heliskiing expedition to Greenland by explorer yacht (with a helipad), accompanied by world champion and Olympic gold-medal skier Bode Miller. Also in high demand,’ she says, ‘is kite surfing by superyacht. Being able to launch off the boat makes it more memorable. Specialised voyages are never black and white—it’s about what shade of grey the client wants.’
It is all about getting to the heart of things and places that make us feel good
What follows are our top-five charter picks for 2023, from bracing Scottish lochs to volcanic Pacific islands, and sleek superyachts to rustic old fishing boats. Ahoy adventurers!
Eda Frandsen, Western Isles, Scotland
Who? Perfect for watercolourists. Eight guests in single berths, so more for friends than couples.
Denne historien er fra March 01, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 01, 2023-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
