Anything Robert Redford can do... our own Appalachian Trail right here on our doorstep

THE release of the film of Bill Bryson’s A Walk In The Woods is the subject of much excitement not least by Holiday Snaps. Its European release is on Wednesday in Belgium and it arrives here on September 18 so lots of time to read or reread the book. And to walk the Appalachian trail... Bill’s walk with pal Katz – played by Robert Redford and Nick Nolte – was along 3,500 kms of the eastern US from Mt Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain, Georgia. If you can’t get the time off or your boots won’t handle that jaunt do the next best thing... the International Appalachian Trail. The IAT is the brainchild of Richard Anderson, a fisheries biologist and it is 21 years old this year. Richard grew the trail by adding on parts of the Appalachians in Maine and Canada. From there it’s grown and grown. You see, 250 million years ago the Appalachians were bolted on to us and so the IAT recreated that by latching on Greenland, western Europe and North Africa. Our bit, added on in 2011, is as stunning as Bill’s... though without the bears. The 485km Irish route starts in the Slieve League mountain, Co. Donegal, and passes through the Blue Stack Mountains then crosses into the North. It picks up the Ulster Way, passes the Giant’s Causeway, the coastline and traverses the Glens of Antrim. For the IAT, see walkni.com/iat/ and for the AT, see www.appalachiantrail.org

SOME say an invisible thread still connects us to the US. Dublin tourist chiefs are celebrating winning the inaugural Trazees awards from Trazeetravel.com, a US online publication for tourists aged 18-35. And it named our capital ‘the favourite worldwide city’ in a top ten ahead of such as New York, London Paris and, Rome. Aer Lingus was named ‘favourite airline in Europe.’ Congrats too, to Ashford Castle which was voted the world’s No. 1 hotel by Virtuoso, an international network of luxury travel agencies. We bring you reviews of the hotel and Lodge on the back page of Travel this week.

A TRAWL through internetland will yield advice which falls into the bracket of ‘you don’t say’. One such site on restaurants warned not to eat anywhere the owner is standing outside trying to beckon you in.

Of course, as common sense is the preserve of Mrs M, your correspondent was enticed into La Parolaccia in Rome. La Parolaccia specialises in that type of entertainment

usually reserved for the Colosseum. The restaurant, established in 1941, employs actors who bait you in foul language and gestures. You don’t have to have a smattering of Italian to work out what they’re saying. I have, and that possibly made it worse.

They reserved the biggest insult for last with the bill – €200 for two adults and two children. I whipped a bottle of vino and dodgy liqueur and scarpered, followed by expletives. That said, of course, I’ll be back in Rome real soon.

Aer Lingus flies Dublin to Rome €43.99. Book by midnight August 26 for travel in September and October. ELSEWEHERE, GoHop.ie are offering a range of last-minute deals.

Seven nights in Majorca from €273pp. Return flights ex. Shannon, Seven nights on a room only basis, taxes and charges. To travel on September 9.

Five nights in Salou from €309pp. Return flights ex. Dublin, five nights on a room only basis, taxes and charges. To travel on September 5.

Seven nights in the Algarve from €329pp. Return flights ex. Shannon, seven nights on a room only basis, taxes and charges. Travel: September 4.

Hop to it, as nobody ever says any more.