The UK housing market is heading for a year of steady improvement rather than dramatic change in 2026. Falling interest rates, easing affordability pressures and new mortgage products are expected to support buyers. I warn against expecting a return to ultra-cheap borrowing or runaway house price growth. 2026 should be a great year to buy a property.

With the cost of living still biting many households, and projections of declining disposable incomes for the rest of the decade, many people are looking at ways of making extra cash. And around half of UK adults now have a second job, or a ‘side hustle’. Whilst average earnings are often modest, at around £200 a week, others can do well enough that it becomes their main form of income.

Despite the wintery weather hitting the UK hard in the New Year followed closely by Storm Goretti, bringing more snow to the already struggling communities, I consider myself to be extremely lucky ….. so far.

More than 85 percent of people across Yorkshire are considering taking up an outdoor hobby in 2026, signalling a growing shift away from screens and towards time outside. A UK-wide poll of adults found hiking and walking is set to be the nation’s most popular outdoor pursuit, with more than a quarter (26 percent) saying they want to spend more time on foot next year.

More than 1,000 people have submitted their names to be immortalised on a special Spirits Walkway in Whitby. The 80-metre walkway, which will be built in the shadow of Whitby Abbey, is celebrating the creation of the new £2.4m Whitby Distillery, which opens to the public in the spring of 2027.

Are you getting caught up in the wild swimming craze? Almost 10,000 people are searching Google for wild swimming every month, and Cumbria is one of the best places in the country for wild swimming locales that feel secluded and untouched by civilisation. “Isn’t it a little late in the year for wild swimming?” we hear you ask – and the answer is absolutely not!

It had been a while since I last visited Bradford’s Science + Media Museum. When my boys were younger, it was a fairly regular haunt thanks to its “vintage” gaming machines and interactive exhibitions, which were a fantastic, closer alternative to London’s brilliant Science and Natural History Museums.

Bus operator Stagecoach has teamed up with award-winning guidebook writer and photographer Vivienne Crow who shares her favourite walks this Autumn, and all accessible by Stagecoach bus. It’s the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’, according to the poet John Keats, and what better way to appreciate it than with a walk in the Cumbrian countryside?

This winter, Yorkshire’s Swinton Estate is inviting visitors to its inaugural Luminescence - A Winter Light Trail, set amidst the beautiful lakes and woodland garden of the Swinton Park Hotel near Masham.

In a month in which a similar bee clasp to that of Napoleon’s housed at Levens Hall and Gardens went under the hammer in the auction room, the Cumbrian visitor attraction is urging visitors not to overlook the joys of its house. Many visitors find it difficult to tear themselves away from the glorious gardens to step indoors.

Set against 500 acres of stunning landscape in West Bretton, Wakefield, YSP’s summer programme offers more than just a day out - it’s a chance to step into a world where art meets nature. With plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces, there is always something to do, whatever the weather. This year’s indoor exhibitions are as bold and thought-provoking as the landscape.

Connecting with nature and its wondrous wildlife and birdlife is therapeutic for our health, bringing a wealth of rewards and an enormous wellbeing boost. With almost 630 species of birdlife in the UK alone, the opportunities and magnificent backdrops to enjoy this leisurely pursuit are plentiful – whether it be the golden eagles in Scotland or ravens on the cliffs at Land’s End. Our Time for Life Correspondent, Sharon Cain, and photographer, Steve Hare, have been exploring in Northumberland – an acclaimed bird watchers utopia.

In a time of rising living costs and ever-increasing environmental awareness, public transport has become a crucial lifeline for many people looking to save money and lower their carbon footprint. While buses remain one of the most affordable and accessible travel options, there are several ways that savvy riders can stretch their pounds and pennies a little further.

A glittering experience is set to arrive in the North East this autumn as Raby Castle, Park and Gardens launches an extravaganza of light, music and storytelling. The Glittering North will be a celebration of the region’s Norse and Viking heritage, weaving together tales of folklore and myth, with live music, dance and captivating puppetry which comes alive after dark.

Every summer, sunglasses are a must-have for holidays, day trips, and outdoor fun. Yet, research has found sunglasses are the number one item lost outside the home, leading to inconvenient, unsustainable, and wasteful replacements.

Worried about getting some well-needed shut eye while away at a festival this summer? MattressNextDay recommend sleeping with your head higher than your feet and partying hard to wear yourself out. Getting to the barrier for your favourite artist, dancing and screaming lyrics with your best friends… the last thing on your mind at a festival is getting your full eight hours of sleep.

As the UK's biggest festival takes place next week, an addiction recovery expert has listed seven tips for those wishing to enjoy the festival without alcohol. Around 200,000 people are expected to attend Glastonbury this year, many of whom may wish to experience the festival sober.

Based on a farm in the heart of the Yorkshire Wolds, Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil creates delicious-tasting artisan oils, dressings and mayos using their own cold-pressed rapeseed oil. These are a few of a series of recipes devised and photographed by the marketing team in collaboration with Wensleydale Creamery.

Newborn lambs, daffodils and chocolate galore mark the beginning of the Easter holidays for parents across Cumbria. To give you a helping hand, we’ve pulled together our favourite activities to keep the kids occupied, whatever the weather.

The City of York, a destination rich in chocolate heritage, will be transformed into a chocolate lover’s paradise from the 27th to the 31st of March. The highly anticipated Chocolate Festival promises a five-day celebration, inviting attendees to immerse themselves in a variety of delectable activities, with many being complimentary.

Improved reliability and extra buses are being introduced to help residents and tourists explore more of Cumbria this summer.

Raby Castle has opened its gates for the 2024 season with an exciting new addition to its popular tour. The Housekeeper’s Sitting Room has been given a new lease of life as a reimagined visitor welcome space and will provide visitors with an additional snapshot into the fascinating history of the 14th century castle.

Auckland Castle’s first large-scale Christmas event opens to the public on Wednesday 22nd November, dazzling visitors to the County Durham destination and kicking off the festive season in fabulous style. Open until 31st December 2023 (excluding Christmas Day) AGLOW is one of the largest light trails in England.

Thinking of your next short break as we head into the colder months? York will make those chilly days and nights positively sparkle! My sister, Mum and I had been talking about ways we could boost our energy levels in advance of the busy Christmas season, and a visit to beautiful York offered the perfect remedy.

The flights of skateboarders, plastic vegetation in long gone nightclubs and the taste of whipped ice cream are just some of the experiences inspiring six illuminated artworks, titled Signs of the Times, that can be seen in Scarborough from this week as part of the town’s new Scarborough Light, festival of illumination.

Guy Fawkes Night, is a British tradition that lights up the sky on the 5th of November. It's a night of fireworks, bonfires, and celebrations, but amidst the excitement, it's crucial to remember the regulations that govern the safe use and transportation of fireworks.

Pubs and quizzes are one of the great English combinations – up there with fish and chips, salt and vinegar, scones and jam and the Lake District and staycations. Finding a pub quiz that’s worth visiting can be hard work, however – and making sure you win is even harder.

40 plus blogger Claire Kenny is attending a range of free and paid for events throughout autumn in partnership with @leeds2023, which tie into her work to help others plug into accessible community activities and celebrate real, everyday moments.