【推荐1】Marvelous Scenic Walks Near London

There are plenty of walking routes in London. If you fancy something a bit more rural, then the green and pleasant land has plenty to offer.

Goring Gap and the Thames Path

If you’re in the mood for a gentle rural walk, the Thames Path is far from boring. The 5-mile footpath follows the curve of the river, winding past wildflower meadows (草地).

Post-walk pub: Pangbourne’s seventeenth-century pub The Swan serves high-end dishes. Bag a table on the riverside or keep toasty by one of its open fires.

Box Hill

To admire these spots rural views, first you’ve got to jump across 17 stepping stones and climb 272 steps to the top of Box Hill, where the path begins. The total distance is 6.8 miles.

Post-walk pub: The cavernous Tree on Box Hill has an attractive menu and huge beer garden, or sample a glass of Juniper Hill at Denbies Winerie.

A South Downs Ridge (山脊)

If you’ve already done the classic Seven Sisters clifftop walk or can’t face all those hills, this is a long but lovely alternative. The route covering 14.3 miles snakes along a ridge and a river valley.

Post-walk pub: There are always 10 real beers at the old-school pub The Wellington.

Chess Valley in the Chilterns

Chess Valley in the Chiltern Hills isn’t home to any chess masters, but it used to produce a kind of water plant. This walk of 4.9 miles follows the river, winding through rolling meadows and woods.

Post-walk pub: The George & Dragon is a simple old coaching pub on the High Street with a log fire, real beers and giant burgers.

Which of the following walks covers the shortest distance?

【推荐1】Growing Green Thumbs Callie’s Kids by Calloway Nursery

Denton, 940/591-8865; Flower Mound, 972/691-2650; Lewisville, 972/315-3133. www.mytexasgarden.com

LEARN: Kids aged 5-12 can explore and plant in the Calloway gardens with a caregiver’s supervision at 9:30 am on the first or third Wednesdays from June to August. A garden expert will share tips and advice for the best gardening practices during the 45-minute session (beginning on June 2). Preregistration online is required.

COST: Free

Denton Children’s Community Garden

2200 Bowling Green Ave, Denton, 940/349-2883. www.dcmga.com

LEARN: Join the weekend work at the community garden, where caregivers, parents and master gardeners help children of all ages plant new vegetables, water the plants, harvest from the gardens and more. The instructors also lead games about nutrition, good and bad insects and more. 10 am-5 pm on Saturdays.

COST: Free

Coppell Community Gardens

255 Parkway Blvd, Coppell. www.copp11communitygarden.org

LEARN: Kids of all ages (with a parent/caregiver) can volunteer at either the Helping Hands Garden (255 Parkway Blvd) or Ground Delivery Garden (450 S. Denton Tap Road). Children will have the opportunity to till the ground, plant vegetables, harvest from the garden and more. Master gardeners are available on site; all harvested foods are either sold at the community’s farmers’ market or donated to the area food bank. Work begins every Saturday at about 9 am.

COST: Free

【推荐2】According to a new study from market analysts, 1 in 5 Britons say that watching cookery programmes on TV has encouraged them to try different food. Almost one third say they now use a wider variety of ingredients (配料) than they used to, and just under 1 in 4 say they now buy better quality ingredients than before. One in four adults say that TV chefs have made them much more confident about expanding their cookery knowledge and skills, and young people are also getting more interested in cooking. The UK’s obsession (痴迷) with food is reflected through television scheduling. Cookery shows and documentaries about food are broadcast more often than before. With an increasing number of male chefs on TV, it’s no longer “uncool” for boys to like cooking.

【推荐3】Black Valley, 63 kilometers from downtown Chongqing, is one of the best preserved natural wonders around the municipality. The national 5A-level scenic spot is a popular summer resort for sightseeing, forest adventures, outdoor camping, hunting and angling.

Located in Heishan town, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, the scenic spot spans over 103 square kilometers, 97 percent of which are covered by primitive forests. With over 110,000 negative oxygen ions in each cubic centimeter of air, it is dubbed as a natural oxygen bar and “the most beautiful healthcare-themed valley.”

Black Valley is also known as “the natural gene bank of Chongqing and Guizhou regions” for the diversity of its rare plants and wildlife, including Cathaya argyrophylla, Davidia involucrata, Trachypithecus francoisi and clouded leopards.

Scenic spot level: AAAAA

Address: Heishan town, Wansheng Economic Development Zone, 63 kilometers from downtown Chongqing Opening hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm (peak season from November to February), 9:00 am-3:00 pm (off season from March to October)

Ideal sightseeing season: from May to September

Ticket price: 60 yuan ($8.72) during off season and 100 yuan during peak season, sightseeing bus and cable not included.

Notes:

It is recommended that tourists start from the higher southern area for a downward journey.

The average temperature is 18.1 degrees.

It’s a good idea to experience the local folk culture of the Miao ethnic group, especially when you choose to visit in May when the traditional Caishan Festival of Miao ethnic group is celebrated.