There’s nothing better than slow travel for family holidays, according to Cat, our founder. She’s never owned a car, and is mum to a three and five year old who’ve been slow travelling the whole of their lives. Since not everyone’s as comfortable as Cat with the thought of leaving the car behind, we’ve compiled our top tips for smooth slow travels with children.

If you are feeling festive, look no further than a Christmas market. The smell of mulled wine, the sound of carol singers, the taste of that first mince pie: markets are a multi-sensory feast for all the family, and the perfect way to kick off your festivities.

Suie Hunting Lodge, in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, is the very definition of off the beaten path. No wifi, no phone signal — just you and the Highlands. Seize the chance to see the wild, ancient, and often macabre side of Scotland, and enjoy stars sparkling in dark skies as night draws in.

This summer Hannah and her two children packed their bags and jumped onto the train to the Isle of Purbeck, for a long-awaited post-lockdown holiday. They explored sandy beaches and ancient castles, hopping on and off the Purbeck Breezer bus - the open top deck was particularly popular!

As the nights turn darker and longer in Scotland the ghosts and ghouls come out to play. The shadows stretch out and the tales turn taller in the season of Samhain and Halloween. Scotland, after all, is the country of Jekyll and Hyde, of real-life Bodysnatchers; a shadowy land where past and present constantly intertwine – no wonder Diana Gabaldon chose Scotland as the setting for her time-travelling historical fantasy romance, Outlander. Autumn is a spooky time of year all right; otherworldly too as the dark skies bewitch you into looking beyond our world in search of others in the heavens. In this land of wandering souls and lingering shadows, you’ll still also find peace and solitude away from the summer crowds.

Scotland is a land of epic landscapes, soul-stirring views and camera teasing wildscapes. And in autumn it really excels as the leaves turn and the heather blooms. The deer descend from the mountains too, the mountain hares consider a change of coat to a white winter hue, the salmon are leaping and the red squirrels get serious about stocking up for winter.

Savvy Scots know the upside of shortening nights is the soft, dappled light, burning colours and sheer cosiness of a Scottish Autumn. What could be more life-affirming on a glorious autumn day than enjoying a bracing walk followed by a gorgeous single malt in the glowering gloaming?

This summer Hannah and her two children packed their bags and jumped onto the train to the Isle of Purbeck, for a long-awaited post-lockdown holiday. They explored sandy beaches and ancient castles, hopping on and off the Purbeck Breezer bus - the open top deck was particularly popular!

Byway member Megan and her friend Kimbers went on Byway’s first ever North Wales adventure to check it our for us and to celebrate Megan’s 40th birthday! They explored a medieval castle, took a coastal boat trip and scarfed delicious seafood chowder. To top it off, there were plenty of Welsh ales for birthday toasts overlooking Snowdonia’s gorgeous peaks.

We’ve closed £1.1 million in funding from Innovate UK and angel investors to build our team and tech, accelerating our mission to make sustainable, flight-free holidays mainstream.

Sarah and Nick finished work for the day and jumped on the train from Bristol to cross the country for a luxury twelve day holiday in Scotland. Think empty beaches, hilly walks and lots of rest and relaxation. They enjoyed remote islands, towering castles, fantastic food, and invigorating sea swims.

We’ve closed £1.1 million in funding from Innovate UK and angel investors to build our team and tech, accelerating our mission to make sustainable, flight-free holidays mainstream.

Sian and Peter jumped on the train from Newcastle to head south on a fourteen day Byway, full of island hopping, bird spotting and sea swimming. They enjoyed crab sandwiches, island ferries, view-filled walks, a Shepherd’s Hut, and a show from Red Arrows (for them, or the G7 dignitaries).

There are many ways to plan a holiday in Scotland by train. Some want to conquer the castles, others want to bag Munroes, and then of course there are famous Scottish Whisky trails to soak up. One of our most popular recent additions is our Cathedral tour of Scotland.

The River Aeron rises in the hills west of Tregaron in mid-Wales and performs a neat pirouette through rich dairy country and runs down to reach the sea at Aberaeron. Aberaeron is a gem, a handsome wee town with a rare architectural unity. And it’s the spot we’ve chosen for this month’s Byway members’ holiday.

If working from home is leaving you feeling a bit flat, why not use remote working to your advantage and work from ‘home’ somewhere different? Combining a holiday with working remotely allows you to spend more time away, settle into a place and ‘live like a local’. Here are our top tips for the perfect work-from-anywhere staycation.

We've combed the country to find you four slow travel gems for the upcoming bank holidays that haven't yet booked up (it wasn't easy!). Book yourself a May or August bank holiday roaming the Hebridean Isle of Mull, the Lake District, the South Downs or Sussex. Travel's unrestricted between England, Wales and Scotland and from 17th May hotels/B&Bs should be open, so the UK's our oyster - let's get out there!

As of yesterday self catering overnight holidays become possible, so we’ve pulled together our favourite self-catered UK holidays with last minute availability still remaining. Whether a romantic getaway for two, a fun-filled family adventure or a solo retreat, there’s a slow travel holiday to suit everyone, personalised to you by our team.

One of the perks of being a Byway member is access to exclusive holidays to our favourite off-the-beaten track locations, staying in an extra-special stays. With transport, accommodation, package protection and our full Covid refund guarantee included, members can sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey. Here’s a sneak peek into this month’s holiday.

Today, we celebrate our first birthday here at Byway. What a year it’s been! We were born in the first lockdown, and are celebrating our birthday virtually in the third - but this time with a clear travel timeline, with slow travel surging, and with spring in the air ☀️