Episode 2: Barts Babbels the podcast, Sanne's winter sports and outdoor tips
Are you going on a winter sports trip for the first time? Then don't go up the mountain on day three. That is Sanne's golden rule. Sanne worked for Barts Boekje for years, worked two winter seasons in St. Anton am Arlberg, and now lives with her husband Chris and son Arthur (the sweetest!) in a village near Whitby, in the North York Moors. In episode 2 of Barts Babbels the podcast, we call her. all the way to the English country side, where an owl sits in the apple tree in the evening. Sanne shares her winter sports tips, her favorite spots in her own backyard, and how to keep such an expensive vacation affordable.
Episode 2: Barts Babbels the podcast, Sanne's favorites. Listen to the entire episode here.
Davos (Switzerland): Not a budget destination, but a place Sanne has never heard a bad story about from colleagues during her Austrian seasons. Davos is well-organized and clean, and offers something for everyone: from a chic hotel to a cozy Airbnb, from a good restaurant to a bistro for a quick bite. Bonus: you travel there from the Netherlands by train, so no stress with snow chains. davos.ch
Cairngorms National Park (Scotland): Yes, you can ski in Scotland. On CairnGorm Mountain near Aviemore, in the Highlands, there are over thirty slopes on paper, but often only a handful are open. Anyone wanting to cover nine to four kilometers will quickly get bored. For children learning to ski, however, it is ideal: easy to navigate, no getting lost, and no getting on the wrong lift. Is the snow disappointing? Then you go hiking or pop into the pub for a whisky. A friend of Sanne's goes there twice almost every year. cairngormmountain.co.uk
St. Anton is Sanne's point of reference for everything, and not just because she worked there. Good and varied slopes, good food, and easy to reach from the Netherlands, even by train. And the après-ski? According to Sanne, you can hardly top that. A word of caution: St. Anton is not a beginner's area. If you only want to ski blue runs, you have limited choice and have to challenge yourself. Or as Maartje's husband Dirk puts it: the best bars and restaurants are at the top of the mountain, and you only go there if you can get back down. Is not everyone in your group skiing? The village is cozy, with bars, snow playgrounds for the kids, and a swimming pool. With a few lifts, you can also go up on foot for a hot chocolate with a view.
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- MooserWirt: The après-ski institute on the descent to the village.
- Krazy Kanguruh: The other legend, a little further up the same descent.
- Arlberg WellCom: Indoor and outdoor swimming pool in the middle of the village, ideal for a day off skis.
Zlatibor (Serbia): A small ski area with a handful of slopes and a sleepy village, but with great restaurants for a beer and a good meal. Sanne walked straight onto the slopes from her cottage with her snowboard (unfortunately, that cottage burned down, so that tip is no longer available). What made it so nice: being outside all day, without crowds at the lift, and the feeling that you are part of the local ski community. skijalistasrbije.rs
Who you are going with: According to Sanne, this is the most underestimated part of a winter sports trip. Discuss beforehand whether everyone wants to be in the lift from nine until four, or if there is also room for a long lunch or a walk. In a small group, everyone needs to be on the same page, whereas in a large group, you will naturally find common ground.
First time? Isa recommends a smaller area, for example in Germany: cheaper ski pass, shorter drive. If you are coming mainly for the après-ski, then you should actually go to a large area. And count on spending double what you budget, says Sanne. Her little brother learned that the hard way.
The tip Sanne always passes on: Are you an inexperienced skier or snowboarder? Don't go up the mountain on day three. Not even if you think it's going okay. “It’s always a nightmare. Always.” Anyone who doesn't have technique yet skis on brute force, and that runs out on day three. Then you no longer have the strength to correct yourself (or someone else), and that is simply dangerous. Take a bath, go for a long lunch, or start the après-ski at twelve o'clock. I don't care, says Sanne. But don't go skiing.
Quaint villages, cliffs, forests, the Purple Moors, deer, and a somewhat grittier Newcastle just around the corner: according to Sanne, this corner of Yorkshire has it all, and she doesn't understand why it isn't busier. Cycling, walking, or just a pintIn the pub: nothing is required.
- Saltmoore (Sandsend): Luxury hotel just outside Whitby, on the edge of the coastal village of Sandsend. Small but immaculately maintained spa, a real hotel bar, and English cottage style with floral wallpaper and light blue paneling—tasteful and without becoming a concept. Sanne stayed there with Chris and their four-month-old baby, and having pizza delivered to the room was perfectly acceptable. Read also our review of Saltmoore in Whitby. saltmoore.co.uk
- The Homestead Kitchen (Goathland): The restaurant where Sanne works, in an old farmhouse in Goathland, features local products on the menu. For fans: Goathland station plays Hogsmeade in Harry Potter. Watch out for the sheep; they are simply lying on the road. Sanne is seeing more and more women there who are traveling solo and treating themselves to a getaway. thehomesteadgoathland.com
- Eskdale Fisheries (Sleights): According to Sanne, the best fish & chips in the area is in her own village of Sleights. Tourists in Whitby go to Trenchers or the Magpie, where there is always a line, but Sanne has never had good fish at the Magpie. Budget tip: the portions are huge, so you can easily share a main course of around twenty euros between two people. [CHECK – website not found]
- Cleveland Way: A walking route of about 175 kilometers, from Helmsley across the moors to the coast and via Whitby, Robin Hood's Bay, and Scarborough to Filey. Well-marked, and Sanne never felt unsafe there, not even alone. You can have your luggage transported from accommodation to accommodation, and would rather not go alone? Email the village hall: there is a good chance that you will join the local walking club the next morning. nationaltrail.co.uk
Sleeping on a budget? In the summer, farmers open up their fields to campers, sometimes for just ten pounds a night. A cottage in a village costs around a hundred pounds a night for two, with a kitchen so you can cook your own meals using groceries from the market. Sanne’s favorite season is autumn, when the moors are just turning purple and the trees turn gold and red. Winter is wetter, but quieter and nicer. gloomy, with mist over the moors, fireplaces, Christmas menus in the pubs, and a historic York that feels most magical then. More coast? These are the nicest coastal towns in Yorkshire.
Sanne: Sleep outside the center (buses run frequently) and buy a ski pass for four days instead of six. You won't be skiing on day three anyway. Pack sandwiches for the slopes and don't go to après-ski every day.
Isa: Through Sunweb, she scores deals around Easter: four nights and four days of skiing for two in a large area for 537 euros. Do you know where you want to go? Email the Austrian tourist offices two weeks before departure; they will send you a list of accommodations that still have last-minute availability.
Buying things: Do it at the end of the season, when the rental companies sell their old set. That is how Isa scored high-quality skis and boots for 500 euros.
UCPA: This French organization has centers in prime locations in the French Alps, all-inclusive with food, ski pass, equipment, and lessons. Also great if you're traveling solo. ucpa.com
Maartje's Google Maps trick: Zoom in on the location where most of your saved points are situated and place the Booking.com map next to it, using filters like “great for families”. That is how she found an idyllic, car-free mountain village in Switzerland.
Alone in Northern England? Sit at the bar in the pub late in the afternoon, preferably in the corner where two dogs are already lying. There is a good chance someone will strike up a conversation with you, and the humor is close to Dutch, only a bit drier. You can easily get around by bus and train. If going abroad is still a step too far, Maartje recommends the Netherlands:
- Elements Terschelling: Between the dunes near Formerum aan Zee and, according to Maartje, fully set up for solo travelers: bring a book, go for a walk, recharge. More tips: the best places to stay on Terschelling. [CHECK – website not found]
- Château St. Gerlach and Château Neercanne (South Limburg): Trap yourself in your room with a book, head out into the hills, and Maastricht is just around the corner for some entertainment. See also our tips for Maastricht. oostwegelcollection.nl
- Buy local: Eat, drink, and shop at local businesses and ask them for their tips. Then you will naturally hear about the neighbor's milk vending machine or the toaster that bakes its own bread on Saturday mornings.
- Just outside the hustle and bustle: Choose a smaller destination, or stay a few kilometers outside the center of a popular place.
- By train to the snow: Including Zell am See, St. Anton, Davos and the Jungfrau region are easily accessible by train.
- More than skiing: Cross-country skiing, fat biking, Nordic walking. At Schlosshotel Fiss in Tyrol, Maartje's children did the witch hunt in the winter, actually a summer activity. schlosshotel-fiss.com
Expensive destination? Stay affordably nearby and have lunch at that hotel you've been staring at for two years. This is how Maartje and Sanne plan their vacations.
- Chesa Marchetta (Sils Maria): Maartjes wishlist-hotel in the Engadin, near St. Moritz. The restaurant is also open to those who are not staying there. Read more about Chesa Marchetta.
- Hotel Seehof (Davos): An overnight stay is probably not an option for Sanne, but lunch or dinner is. [CHECK – website not found]
- Tschuggen Grand Hotel (Arosa): Futuristic, but so sleek that it disappears into the mountain, thanks to the spa by architect Mario Botta. Note: this hotel is located in Arosa, not Davos. Sanne just wants to pop in. tschuggen.ch
As Dirk said when another boat full of grumpy faces docked in Saint-Tropez: let's keep finding this special. Better to be as happy as a child at that one special lunch.
And one more tip: Iceland. Stay three nights in Reykjavik, drive the Golden Circle in your own car instead of on a bus full of tourists, and then get away. To Akureyri in the north, to the black beaches, or in the summer into the interior with a 4x4. Outside the capital, Iceland isn't nearly as expensive as you think. Maartje recommends the Icelandic series there. Trapped at. Start with our must-dos in Reykjavik en the restaurants in Reykjavik.
