Take me there
Every winter the Wash estuary in East Anglia is home to one of the UK's great wildlife spectacles. Tens of thousands of pink-footed geese from Iceland leave their overnight roosts on the mudflats at dawn, heading inland in huge V-shaped formations to feast on the remains of the beet harvest. The phenomenon is best witnessed from the RSPB reserve at Snettisham in Norfolk, which will be holding several Big Pink Breakfasts between now and January, combining an early guided walk along the estuary with a cooked breakfast. Upcoming dates: 4 and 19 December. £6 non-members; breakfast £7.50 (01485 210 779; rspb.org.uk). Booking essential.
Travel clinic
The dilemma My girlfriend and I want to book a cottage in Scotland for New Year – preferably somewhere remote and romantic. Giles
For a bohemian and romantic Hogmanay escape, the Roulotte Retreat – a charming encampment of gypsy caravans in the Scottish Borders near Melrose – is hard to beat. Wood burners keep things cosy and there will be mulled wine and marshmallows for toasting over the fire (£390 for three nights; canopy andstars.co.uk). Wilderness Cottages still has a good selection of crofts and cottages available throughout Scotland (wildernesscottages.co.uk/xmas-new-year.php). On the Isle of Skye, Katie's Cottage, a traditional croft house overlooking Glendale, is a contemporary retreat with bracing walks on the doorstep (£600 per week). And finally, for something a little bit special (and with a price tag to match), have a peek at the newest property on offer from Under the Thatch. Shore Croft is a five-star eco lodge built on the shores of Loch Eriboll in the far northwest of Scotland. Glass walls make the most of the loch views, and there's an outdoor hot tub for a decadent champagne celebration (£1,600 per week; underthethatch.co.uk/shore).
If you have a travel dilemma, email Joanne O'Connor at magazine@observer.co.uk. For more travel suggestions, go to theguardian.com/travel
Three of the best: Alternative Christmas shopping experiences
Who needs the mass-produced madness of the high street? These seasonal events allow you to get away from it all and put the finishing touches on your Christmas shopping
1) German Christmas Market, London Quaint wooden chalets selling gifts and seasonal goodies in Hyde Park. Until 3 January (hydeparkwinter wonderland.com)
2) Artists' Open Houses, Brighton Artists open their homes and workshops for an intimate shopping experience. 3-4 and 10-11 December (aoh.org.uk)
3) Durham Christmas Festival Victorian-themed gift market, with sleigh rides and carols in the cathedral from 2-4 December (durhamchristmas festival.co.uk)
