Q and A
LEAD: Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Q. I'm interested in getting information on taking a hiking trip on the Appalachian Trail starting in mid-October from Harriman State Park in New York and going to the end of the trail in Georgia. - Bennett Kotz, Glen Rock, N.J.
A. The segment of the Appalachian Trail you are interested in is about 1,130 miles long. The Appalachian Trail Conference, the umbrella organization of the 31 clubs that maintain the trail, estimates that the hike will take about four months. There are three-sided shelters all along the trail, each 10 or 12 miles, available on a first come first served basis. In October high temperatures in Harriman park average about 60 and the lows, 44. Into November and December, lows are consistently around freezing along the trail. And in Georgia, when you would be arriving in the winter, the highs at upper elevations may reach only 32 and the lows can be in the lower 20's. The conference says that hikers hitting the trail at the time you are considering should be experienced in winter camping and be equipped with low-temperature gear, especially a warm sleeping bag.
For information, you can contact the conference at Post Office Box 807, Harpers Ferry, W.Va. 25425; 304-535-6331. The conference will send a free booklet, 'Walking the Appalachian Trail Step by Step,' with basic information about planning a hike and describing the 2,000-mile trail from Maine to Georgia. The conference sells 10 detailed guides to segments of the trail. The cost of the guides range from $19.95 for central and southwest Virgina, with nine maps, to $14.95 for North Carolina and Georgia, with three maps. Maps are sold separately, and cost from $4.95 for the single Maryland map to $14.95 for the five maps covering Massachusetts and Connecticut. You may also contact your local club, the New York and New Jersy Appalachian Mountain Club, 202 East 39th Street, New York, N.Y. 10016; 212-986-1430.
Snorkeling From the Shore
Q. I enjoy snorkeling but frequently find that a boat trip is required to get out to the reef. Are there places where one can simply walk into good snorkeling reefs right off the beach? - Martin H. Birnbaum, Syosset, L.I.
A. The first place that dive-tour operators mention for offshore diving is Bonaire in the Caribbean, where the water is clear and the coral reefs begin just off the shore and slope down gradually. Nearby Curacao is also said to be good for offshore snorkeling. Other places recommended are the Cayman Islands (not beach areas like Seven-Mile Beach on Grand Cayman, but the Iron Shore, as the rocky part of the coast is called), Cozumel, the Bay Islands off Honduras and the outer islands of Belize, such as Ambergris Cay.
Hanauna Bay State Underwater Park, 10 miles east of Honolulu on Oahu, is popular for snorkeling from the shore. However, those familiar with the Pacific say that the best dives are remote from hotels and that boat diving is the best way to go.
Finding a Spa
Q. Do you know of a list of spas specializing in weight loss? - Pamelah Jills Jacobson, Hoboken, N.J.
A. There are at least 200 spas in the United States and the Caribbean, and hundreds more elsewhere, plus many hotels and motels with perhaps a whirlpool bath and exercise bike that call themselves spas. Many serious spas offer reduced-calorie diets, which combined with an exercise program result in weight loss. A number of them have notable weight-loss programs, and here are some of the books that list them.
'Fodor's Health & Fitness Vacations' by Bernard Burt (Fodor's Travel Publications, 1989; $13.95) has a directory that lists the spas within by programs, and under weight control there are about 60 spas.
In an introductory section in 'Select Spas in the United States, Canada and Mexico' (Somerville House, 1989; $12.95,) Anne Harding chooses her top 10 spa weight-loss programs.
'The Spa Book' by Judith Brode Hirsch (Perigee, 1988; $10.95) has a chapter listing 12 'medical weight-control centers.'
'The Best Spas' by Theodore B. Van Itallie, M.D., and Leila Hadley (Harper & Row, 1988; $21.95) includes foreign and domestic spas, though of the 11 listed for weight-loss programs only one, the Cormillot Clinic in Buenos Aires, is foreign. It also lists 14 weight-loss programs in hospital or university settings.
'Affordable Spas and Fitness Resorts' by Ryan Vollmer (Ventana, 1988; $12.95) reviews 80 spas, most under $1,000 a week, which includes the off-season rates of many otherwise higher-priced places.
'Guide to Health Spas Around the World' by Carol Wright (Globe Pequot, 1988; $12.95) tends to focus on spas in the old-fashioned sense of taking healing waters, though some have weight-loss programs.
Other sources of information are travel agencies that specialize in spa vacations, which can make recommendations based on a client's specifications. Spa Trek International Travel (470 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10016; 800-272-3480 or 212-779-3480) is one such agency. Another, Spa Finders (784 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003; 800-255-7727 or 212-475-1000), lists 329 spas worldwide in its catalogue (available from the agency for $4.95, which is refunded if a vacation is booked with the company). The company's founder, Jeffrey Joseph, is author of a book, 'Spa Finder's Guide to Spa Vacations' (John Wiley & Sons, 1990; $12.95), which contains coupons redeemable at spas.
Custom Spas Worldwide (1318 Beacon Street, Brookline, Mass. 02146; 800-443-7727 or 617-566-5144) arranges for stays at 500 spas worldwideand specializes in Switzerland.
Herriot's Darrowby
Q. My wife and I are considering a trip to Britain, including Scotland, this November. We would like to visit Darrowby in Yorkshire, home of the famous veterinarian James Herriot. Can this trip be made by train or must we rent a car? - Adam Stoler, Bronx, N.Y.
A. Darrowby is the fictional name for Thirsk, which is about 200 miles from Edinburgh, a drive of roughly three and a half to four hours. Thirsk can also be reached by train, from Edinburgh, with a change at Darlington. The length of the trip varies according to the layover at Darlington. The trains run four times a day as follows: Departing Edinburgh 9 A.M. arriving at Thirsk 12:04 P.M.; departing at 10 A.M. and arriving at 1:51 P.M.; departing at 12:30 P.M. and arriving at 3:03 P.M; leaving at 2:30 P.M. and arriving at 5:07 P.M. One-way first-class seats are $76; second class is $53. Round trip fare is double.