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A Golf Travel Ebook

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Utah’s Moab Golf Course.

Golf travelers have more and more golf courses like Utah’s Moab Golf Course to play worldwide.

In their new ebook Golf Journeys & Culture, Andrew and Paul Marshall share a collection of golf trips to some of the world’s most beautiful and interesting golf courses.

The brothers traveled to 13 countries and played 65 golf courses.

Golf courses ranged from the wild Outer Hebrides of Scotland to the the tropical fairways of Jamaica to the lowest golf course on earth in Death Valley, California.

The book chronicles their experiences away from the courses including people they met and the situations they encountered.

Each of the 13 illustrated chapters have guides to planning trips to golf destinations including Northern Ireland; Canada; Jamaica; Portugal; England; USA; Denmark; Morocco; Austria; Dominican Republic; Scotland; France and Iceland.

The ebooks can be downloaded in PDF, epub and mobi formats.

For more info, visit GolfJourneys.net.

Image courtesy of DiscoverMoab.com.

Horses, Skis & Mountains

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The Schlosswirt in Austria.

Planning a horse riding and skiing holiday in Europe?

Then take a look at The Riding Company and its winter riding and skiing holidays in Austria.

The Riding Company specializes in “riding holidays in beautiful places” like Austria.

Based at The Schlosswirt, guests will ride Haflingers ponies western style through the deep snow and on winter moonlight forest rides.

New in 2011, the company will feature four-day White Spirit Weekends of skiing, free riding, ice climbing, ski touring and snow trekking on horseback.

Skiing, snowboarding, cross country skiing are popular activities at the Heiligenblut ski resort.

Here are more holiday scenes:

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SkiRideChaletLoneHorse Horses, Skis & Mountains

Images courtesy of The Riding Company

Cliff Golf Holidays

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Terravista Golf Course in Brazil.

Mountain golf courses can be challenging for every level of golfer.

In Brazil, golf travelers can play the 18-hole Terravista Golf Course which runs along the cliffs of Trancoso.

Designed by architect Dan Blankenship, the golf course takes players into Atlantic rainforest with lake holes, sand bunkers, jungle boundaries and upon ocean cliffs.

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Villa Golf at night.

Website WelcomeBeyond.com offers holidays here in Brazil at vacation properties.

Luxury boutique hotel and pousada Villas de Trancoso, Bahia, Brazil is located on Nativos Beach and a short walk away from the historic ,Quadrado’ of Trancoso.

Villa Golf, in the Terravista Complex, is a four-bedroom villa overlooking the 17th hole of the Terravista Golf Course.

The villa features two decks; three bar areas including sunken pool bar; waterfall; large entertainment center and four bedroom suites.

This home of panoramic views also comes with a full time maid and butler/bartender.

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The Beach.

For more info, visit WelcomeBeyond.com.

Images courtesy of WelcomeBeyond.com

Climbing The Sydney Bridge

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Climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Have you climbed Sydney Harbour Bridge?

Lonely Planet has included climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb as one of the ’10 Best Things to Climb’ in the world.

The trek to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge is 134 metres above sea level.

Says Todd Coates, BridgeClimb’s managing director:

“The climb we craft to the summit of the Sydney Harbour Bridge creates a lifetime memory for our customers. We are proud and humbled to have our climb recognized alongside other legendary ascents.”

The recognition was included in Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Travel 2011′ which covers trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for 2011.

For more info, visit BridgeClimb.com.

Image courtesy of BridgeClimb

New Zealand Biking Holidays

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Lake Dunstan. Photo credit: David Wall and Tourism New Zealand.

Fancy a mountain biking holiday in New Zealand?

Recently, the New Zealand Cycle Trail project has been approved.

The upcoming nationwide cycle network is expected to consist of 18 ‘Great Rides’ and 2000 km of cycleway.

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Rotorua. Photo credit: Legend Photography and Tourism New Zealand

Australasia travel company Austravel predicts an increase in Kiwi biking holidays.

Says Ben Briggs, spokesperson, Austravel:

“Keen cyclists already know that New Zealand is great for biking – there are few other countries that can offer such a diverse range of landscapes in one bike ride, from glaciers to fjords to beautiful beaches – but the trail will open cycling holidays up to one and all, even novices.”

The first sections of this cycle network project are expected to open by September 2011.

Right now, here are Austravel’s top bike rides:

  • The Central Otago Rail Trail – a 150 km track in the South Island that runs along the route of the former Otago Central Railway.
  • The Queen Charlotte Track – a 71 km route that takes in the historic sites, secluded bays and coastal countryside in the Marlborough Sounds.
  • The Kaimanawa Mountains – a helicopter flight takes riders to the summit of a trail that goes through countryside that overlooks the scenery of the Tongariro National Park.
  • Canterbury – here cyclists can undertake the Heli Bike Challenge, a 1300m vertical sprint down Mount Benmore on a narrow dirt track.

For more info, visit Austravel.com.

Free Golf In The Alps

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Grand Tirolia Golf and Ski Resort.

Planning your summer 2011 golf holiday?  If you’re going to Europe, one of the top golf courses will offer one month to play golf for free.

The 18-hole, Eichenheim Golf Course in Kitzbühel, will offer guests at the Grand Tirolia Golf and Ski Resort free golf for May 2011.

The offer will allow resort guests to one free round of golf.

Ranked among the Top 100 golf courses in Europe, the 71-par and 6.092m long Tyrolean Mountains course is considered challenging for even experienced golfers.

Set against the backdrop of the Wild Kaiser, the Hahnenkamm and the High Tauern mountains, the lush golf course has gentle hills, steep inclines, forests and streams.

“Anyone who plays at Eichenheim enjoys a golfing experience that is uniquely integral to nature and yet simultaneously offers an extreme sporting challenge” says Ulrich Drewitz, managing director.

For more info, visit the resort site.

Image courtesy of Grand Tirolia Golf and Ski Resort

Running In The Scottish Highlands

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The Scottish Highlands.

Scottish Highlands hotel The Lovat is launching a new running and fitness break, November 12 to 14, 2010.

At the southern tip of Loch Ness, The Lovat has designed the package for people who want to work on their fitness and endurance in an outdoor environment and learn about diet and nutrition.

Personal trainers John Macnamara and Lesley Laird, from Glasgow-based fitness firm Functional PT, will work with participants.

The two-night break is geared towards the regular runner.  Outdoor endurance running sessions will be combined with educational seminars to yoga sessions.

Says The Lovat’s Caroline Gregory:

“It is important for people to have variety in their training and everyone is continually looking for something that is a little bit different.  The Lovat has unrivaled access to the great outdoors – within two minutes of leaving the hotel you can be in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by hills, trees and fresh air – it is truly invigorating.”

The fitness and running weekend will include two nights accommodation in a twin room, breakfast, dinner, brunch and fitness sessions.

Image courtesy of The Lovat

Cheap Sleeps For Mountain Bikers

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Comrie Croft hostel, Perthshire, Scotland.

Planning a mountain bike journey in Britain?

You’re in luck.  The Independent Hostel Guide features lots of UK cheap sleeps – 300+ houses, cottages, camping barns and bunkhouses – many with overnight bike storage.

Each year, over 850,000 people stay at independent UK hostels, including walkers, ramblers and mountain bikers.

In Scotland, the Comrie Croft hostel, Perthshire (above) is located on its 0wn 230-acre estate featuring mountain bike trails.

Travelers can rent mountain bikes from the Slochd Mhor lodge, near Carrbridge in the Strathspey area of Cairngorm National Park.

For mountain bikers, backpackers, and hikers, the Independent Hostel Guide has created an annual handbook.  It profiles each hostel with descriptions of facilities, price guidelines, contact details and color photographs.

Image courtesy of the Independent Hostel Guide

World’s First Pop-Up Golf Course

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Engstligenalp, the site of the world’s first pop-up golf course, Adelboden, Switzerland.

Golf Mountain will become the world’s first pop-up, mountain golf course in Adelboden, Switzerland.

On beautiful nature reserve Engstligenalp, the golf course, at 1,964 metres, will be open for one month, from September 10 to October 10, 2010.  The reserve has stunning views over the village of Adelboden.

Golf Mountain will offer a full 18 holes ranging from a par 3 to a par 5.  Golfers will encounter typical mountain golf obstacles including streams and rocky outcrops, winds and extreme weather conditions.

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Solis Cambrian Sun Terrace in summer.

The greens will be created using artificial lawn.  Golf Mountain will also feature a driving range.

A traditional wooden Alpine hut has been converted into a clubhouse, complete with pro shop, changing rooms, bar and local restaurant.

The Cambrian, the only Mr&Mrs Smith hotel in Switzerland, has created a special Golf Mountain package.  It includes:

  • Two nights’ B&B accommodation in a deluxe room;
  • Four-course dinner on one night;
  • Two green fees;
  • Transfers to and from the hotel to the cable car that will take golfers up to the Engstligenalp;
  • A sports massage and
  • A small golf present.

For more info, visit The Cambrian online.

Images courtesy of The Cambrian

The Mountain Ironbike & Ironrun

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Are you a mountain biker?  Then you might want to enter the Ischgl Ironbike contest, a mountain bike event in the Austrian resort.

Called the toughest in Europe, the event gives recreational riders a chance to compete with the top stars of the mountain biking world.

The August 14 competition covers a 79-kilometre course with 3,820 metres of altitude to conquer and a trip across the border to Samnaun in Switzerland.

Some 1,000+ riders are expected to participate, competing for total prize money of 20,000 euros.  Lesser experienced riders can choose to do the full course, or one of two shorter routes.

One week earlier, on August 7, mountain runners can participate in the first Ischgl Ironrun.  This competition is open to beginner to competitive mountain runners.

Image courtesy of the Ischgl Ironbike.