Which famous fight happened here?

This remarkable 800ft mountain waterfall is the site of a famous fictional showdown. Just outside Meiringen, Switzerland, the Reichenbach Falls are the backdrop for The Final Problem, the 1893 Sherlock Holmes story where, on a precipice near the falls (which in the 19th century gushed with far more power than our recent image shows), the genius detective enters a death duel with the criminal Professor Moriarty. In the end, both men plummet to their presumable doom.

Though the action in The Final Problem was set on 4 May, it's 22 May which is celebrated as Sherlock Holmes Day, as that is author Arthur Conan Doyle's birthday. The doctor-turned-writer created Holmes with A Study in Scarlet in 1887 and intended to kill off his famous protagonist with The Final Problem, to move on with his literary life. But pressure from Doyle's anguished, sleuth-starved public led him to 'resurrect' Holmes (but not Moriarty) a decade later with The Adventure of the Empty House. In all, Doyle wrote four novels and more than 50 short stories starring Holmes over four decades. They've gone on to inspire other books, plays, radio dramas, movies, TV shows, comics and video games featuring the super-sleuth.

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Where's this amazing waterfall?

Sunwapta Falls is one of several waterfalls in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, formed by hanging valleys. These valleys were created 8,000 years ago when glacier ice receded. Sunwapta Falls is actually a pair of waterfalls, a lower and upper one. The water comes from the Athabasca Glacier and there is more of it in the summer than the winter, due to seasonal glacial melting. Jasper National Park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies, with more than 4,000 square miles for camping, hiking, water sports and other activities. Wildlife in the park includes elk, grizzly bears, moose, bighorn sheep and caribou.

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A view of Sutjeska National Park, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bears, boars, wolves and Balkan chamois roam through a dramatic and sweeping landscape of ancient forests and jagged limestone mountains. There’s plenty of room for them to wander: Sutjeska covers some 43,000 acres in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Established in 1962, it’s the country’s oldest national park and protects Perućica, one of Europe’s few remaining primeval forests. (A 207-ft Norway spruce tree here is said to be the world’s tallest.)

Sutjeska Park’s creation was not only inspired by environmental concerns, but historic ones as well. A decisive battle of WWII was fought here in 1943, in which a small Yugoslav army defeated the much larger German invading force. Standing in the park is an enormous stone monument commemorating the fight.

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Morskie Oko lake in Tatra National Park, Poland

Wouldn’t you love to just walk right into this photo? If you could, you’d find yourself on the shore of Morskie Oko, a deep lake in the hills of Tatra National Park in Poland. The Tatra Mountains form a natural border between Poland and Slovakia, with each side of the border having its own Tatra National Park. (This photo was taken in the Polish park. But the Slovakian park has the same name.) Morskie Oko means Sea Eye, which is thought to be a reference to the old belief that there was a hole at the bottom of the lake, connecting it to the sea.

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What type of rocks are these?

Welcome to the coastal rocks of Pemaquid Point, in the US’s easternmost state, Maine. With roughly 5,000 miles of jagged, rocky coastline, Maine boasts dozens of charming lighthouses but the light at Pemaquid Point is one of the most celebrated. US President John Quincy Adams commissioned the lighthouse in 1827 but it needed to be rebuilt in 1835 after the original began falling apart. (Lesson: Don't use saltwater when mixing your mortar.) At the top of its 38ft tower is the beacon's original Fresnel lens, which is still in use. Below, the ancient metamorphic coastal rock has stripes of lighter igneous rock, creating banded ledges and lots of scenic drama.

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Bioluminescence in the surf near Shirley, Vancouver Island, Canada

Day or night, the shores of Vancouver Island in British Columbia offer striking views. This is especially true when the light show arrives. Pick a moonless night, venture out to a part of the coast far removed from city lights, and cast your eyes seaward. When ocean conditions are just right, bioluminescent ‘sea sparkle’ will glow as the waves churn. The single-celled plankton (called Noctiluca scintillans) is one of the many organisms capable of bioluminescence, or the emission of light. The behaviour has a number of purposes, including attracting a mate or luring prey. Or it could be to scare away predators, as some scientists believe this sea sparkle is doing while the waves jostle the microscopic critters around.

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Why did this castle fall into ruin?

Welcome to Seacliff Beach in East Lothian and its enviable view of the last of Scotland’s mighty medieval fortresses, Tantallon Castle. Spectacular by day or by dusk, Tantallon has perched high on the cliff edge here since it was built for nobleman William Douglas in the mid 14th century. The house of Douglas split into two branches, the Black and the Red, and it was the Red Douglas dynasty which owned the castle for three centuries, occasionally clashing with the Crown. Tantallon saw off sieges in 1491 and 1528 but was finally left in ruins by Oliver Cromwell’s troops in 1651.

Its imposing 50ft red sandstone wall was built to withstand trebuchets, battering rams and arrows in the days before gunpowder. These days you can walk along the top for fabulous views over 98ft cliffs, the Firth of Forth and the Bass Rock - an internationally renowned seabird colony. There’s also plenty to see in the remains of the castle itself, including a spooky pit prison - if you are feeling brave (there has been at least one reported ghost sighting at Tantallon).

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Where do bluebells thrive?

The sweet scent of wild bluebells wafts through Micheldever Wood, in Hampshire, at this time of year. This ancient wood, largely made up of beech trees, offers the perfect leafy cover for the native Hyacinthoides Non-scripta, as they thrive in the dappled shade on the forest floor. Bluebells are great for woodlands’ ecosystems, attracting pollinators like bees and butterflies but they are delicate and take a while to get established – so watch where you step and don’t go picking them, native wild bluebells are protected by law.

Can you tell the difference between them and the invasive Hyacinthoides hispanica, the Spanish bluebell, which was introduced to the UK in the late 17th Century? The native version’s flowers are narrow with straight sides and mostly appear on one side of the droopy stem. The Spanish variety tend to have cone shaped flowers, straight stems and flowers all the way around. And you can sniff out a native bluebell while the Spanish one has little to no smell.

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How old is this cathedral?

We're in Wiltshire to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Salisbury Cathedral, the towering Gothic marvel behind these grazing sheep. The massive church's first foundation stones were laid here, then called New Sarum, on 28 April, 1220. The structure itself dates back even further, the bulk of it having been moved over a mile, piece by piece, from the former Roman stronghold of Old Sarum.

The building's main body was complete by the time the cathedral was consecrated in 1258, and the magnificent spire was finished in its centennial year, in 1320. Even taller towers were built for cathedrals in London and Lincoln, but the Salisbury spire outlived both of those and, for more than four centuries now, has been the tallest church spire in England.

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Where's this natural bridge?

The story of this striking sandstone formation in the US state of Utah begins around 10 million years ago. That's when tectonic shifts began slowly lifting the 130,000 square-mile Colorado Plateau above the surrounding plains. Later streams from the Colorado River cut through the elevated land, creating deep canyons. When water broke through a canyon wall, sometimes a natural bridge like this one remained above the gap between canyons.

The Natural Bridges National Monument – a protected area similar to a national park - protects three major bridges: Sipapu (pictured, and the largest), Kachina, and Owachomo. But its status can't stop the slow ravages of time. Thousands of tonnes fell from the inside of Kachina in 1992, slimming the bridge, and the remains of many other fallen bridges are scattered across the area, hinting at the fate awaiting those which remain. When the sun goes down, the stars shine extra bright here, with some of the lowest levels of light pollution ever recorded.

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Which island is this river on?

Although not the longest of the trio of rivers situated on the Isle of Wight, the River Medina is considered the island's main river. Medina is the Latinised form of its Saxon name 'Medene' meaning 'middle river', as it nearly splits the Isle of Wight in half, flowing 12 miles northwards through the centre of the island. On its journey, the river passes through the capital Newport towards the twin towns of Cowes and East Cowes (situated on either side of the Medina and connected by a chain ferry), and the Solent, the strait that separates the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England. The river is a renowned yachting location, with Cowes home to one of the oldest and biggest sailing regattas in the world.

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Which waterfall feeds this lake?

Natural lakes reflect surrounding mountains, fells and forests here in Cumbria’s Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage site whose picturesque landscape has inspired writers from William Wordsworth to Beatrix Potter. Crummock Water and its neighbours, Buttermere and Loweswater sit in one of the prettiest parts of the Northern Lakes, the Vale of Lorton. Their chilly, clear waters make them an ideal home for the Arctic char as well as brown trout, sea trout and salmon. Also look out for Lakeland sheep wandering onto the roads and for red squirrels around Loweswater.

The Lake District gets busy during the summer but Crummock Water is considered one of the quieter lakes. It is a favourite with swimmers however and going for a dip is a popular way to cool off after a walk around its shores. The lake itself is 2.5 miles long, about half-a-mile wide and, in parts, more than 140 feet deep. It’s fed by streams, including one from Scale Force, the Lake District’s tallest single-drop waterfall, at 170 feet high.

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Dare you cross?

A head for heights is definitely required here at one of Northern Ireland’s most eye-catching attractions, the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, off the coast of County Antrim. This 20m (66ft) long bridge spans the chasm between the mainland and Carrick-a-Rede Island, which takes its name from the Irish ‘Carraig a’ Ráid’ or ‘rock of the casting’. No-one lives in the restored fisherman’s cottage on the island now but at one time it was the place to go to catch migrating salmon, and it is fishermen who built the first bridge here in 1755. If you think today’s bridge looks daunting, you should’ve seen some of its earlier incarnations. As late as the 1970s there was only one handrail, not to mention large gaps between the slats.

As numbers of salmon dipped, commercial fishing came to an end in 2002 and the bridge became a tourist attraction for those willing to test their nerve, swaying 100ft above the Atlantic. Game of Thrones fans may also recognise the area from the show’s scenes featuring Storm’s End, the seat of House Baratheon in the series.

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When was the first spacewalk?

If this photo from 200-plus miles above Earth makes you dizzy, imagine how it felt to be Alexei Leonov on 18 March, 1965. The Soviet cosmonaut achieved the first-ever extravehicular activity (EVA - but let’s just call it a spacewalk). He spent about 20 minutes outside the orbiting Voskhod 2 capsule. It was the ultimate risk: no one knew just what could happen to a human body in the vacuum of space. Near heatstroke, drenched with sweat and with his suit dangerously inflating, Leonov barely made it back inside the airlock.

Of course, the art of EVA has been refined since then, and that vertigo-inducing panorama is now the view from the office for those working on the International Space Station. The astronaut you see here isn't Leonov but Nasa's Robert Curbeam, replacing a faulty component. On this mission in 2006, Curbeam set a record with four EVAs in one spaceflight, spending over 24 hours outside the vehicle. Since the ISS's first spacewalk in 1998, more than 227 have been performed by a large cast of astronauts — including a milestone excursion in 2019, which employed the first all-female crew.

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What is a tarn?

As the sun rises on Loughrigg Tarn, in the heart of the Lake District, you can see why the poet William Wordsworth likened it to Italy’s Lake Nemi, describing it as “Diana’s looking glass … round, clear and bright as Heaven”. This small, nearly circular tarn just north of Windermere reflects surrounding fells in its clear waters which, in the summer, are decorated with water lillies. Of the 16 lakes in the Lake District, only one is actually called a lake – that’s Bassenthwaite Lake. All the others are “meres” or “waters”. And then there are numerous smaller tarns like this one - "tarn" is derived from the Old Norse word for pool.

While Loughrigg Tarn, nestled beneath Loughrigg Fell near the popular tourist destinations of Grasmere and Ambleside, is considered one of the Lakes’ hidden treasures, it’s pretty accessible as it is one of the lowest tarns in the national park. It’s also (relatively) warm and popular with wild swimmers. Offering great views, including of the rugged slopes and summits of the Langdale Pikes, it won’t disappoint visitors. And if it looks familiar, it might be because it also featured in a film about another famous writer inspired by the Lakes – the Beatrix Potter biopic Miss Potter.

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What's the Green Mountain state?

Welcome to the picturesque US state of Vermont, known for its snowy mountains, lakes and forests. This frosty aerial shot captures Otter Creek, which has been an important waterway here since people first settled in the area about 10,000 years ago. A trade route for the indigenous Abenaki, Algonquin and Iroquois nations, it remained a vital part of the economy for European settlers throughout the 19th century.

Otter Creek winds through some of the Green Mountain state's most scenic towns before emptying into Lake Champlain. It is also the water source for more than one of Vermont’s many microbreweries. While this small state is well known for its maple syrup production, it also has the most beer brands per-head in the USA, with at least 60 breweries serving just over 600,000 people in the state. Cheers!

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Where is this stargazing spot?

Light pollution can pose a problem for stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way. But for those prepared to wrap up warm and head out on these dark nights, some of our national parks offer stellar views. Our homepage image was taken over the village of Malham, in the Yorkshire Dales National Park which, alongside the North York Moors National Park, offer some of the best night skies in England.

Now running their fifth annual Dark Skies Festival season, low light pollution and clear horizons offer visitors the chance to see up to 2,000 stars at a time, away from streetlights. In some spots, you can see our galaxy, the Milky Way, with the naked eye and across the parks you will get great views of the night sky. There are also ghost walks, night-time zip wires as well as moonlight canoeing and mountain biking for the more intrepid would-be astronomer while others may want to relax and enjoy the stars quietly, sipping on a hot chocolate.

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What kind of clouds are these?

Whitehorse, Yukon's only city and the largest in northern Canada, will have just seven hours of daylight today - but nature has a way of compensating the locals. The area enjoys frequent and spectacular light shows, thanks to the aurora borealis. The mechanics of northern lights are still not fully understood, but scientists agree that solar winds (big pulses of energy from our sun) pass through the Earth's magnetic fields, especially at the polar regions, resulting in shimmering colours. The nearby mountains help facilitate another unusual phenomenon: lenticular clouds. These lens-shape clouds usually develop on the downwind side of a mountain range, and we think they add an otherworldly element to our image.

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The glacial beauty of Kluane National Park

Home to Canada’s highest mountain, largest ice field, glaciers and a sizeable population of grizzly bears, the alpine grandeur of Kluane National Park and Reserve has plenty to offer the intrepid hiker. This vast wilderness, high in the south western corner of Yukon Territory, is home to 17 of Canada’s 20 highest peaks – including the biggest, Mount Logan, at 19,550ft (5,959m) high.

Its topography ranges from alpine tundra with colourful Arctic blooms at higher elevations, to aspen, poplar and spruce in the lush lower valleys. Wildlife thrives here and consists of large numbers of the park’s trademark Dall sheep, as well as caribou, grizzlies and black bears. At 8,499 sq miles, the park forms part of one of the world's largest protected areas and was designated a Unesco World Heritage site in 1979.

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Where's this island castle?

Our homepage castle might look like something out of a fairy tale but it can be found in one of the larger islands of Lake Galvé in the historic Lithuanian city of Trakai. Construction on this fortress was started in the 14th century by the Grand Duke of Lithuania and completed years later by his son. It served as a strategic and bustling centre of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a former European state. Like much architecture from so long ago, the castle was damaged and fell into disrepair, only to be reconstructed and reopened as a museum. These days it’s known as one of Europe’s most striking medieval castles.

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What formed these arches?

Las Catedrales (The Cathedrals, or As Catedrais in Galician) is one of the most beautiful and mysterious beaches in northern Spain. It’s on the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and its real name is Aguas Santas (Holy Waters) beach. It’s known as Las Catedrales because its arches, thought to have been carved by the action of salty water and wind over millions of years, look like the buttresses of a Catholic church.

However some geologists have argued that these arches and caves are not entirely natural but are the remains of an ancient Roman gold mine and believe certain formations suggest they were created by men, rather than nature. What is unarguable is that Las Catedrales offers breath-taking views of the Galician coast, either from the beach or from the top of its 98ft (30m) cliffs.

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Which hit TV show filmed here?

This ancient stone footbridge connects the tiny island of Gaztelugatxe to the mainland of northern Spain in Basque Country. Two hundred and forty-one steps lead up to a small Basque church, dating from the 10th century. But we're not here for the stunning view alone. This location added some real-life majesty to last season's Game of Thrones TV series, when it stood in for the mythical Dragonstone. It’s the spot where – spoiler alert if you’re lagging behind – Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow are plotting how to defeat the Night King and his swarming army of the dead. Though Daenerys is also keeping her eye on a point south – the Iron Throne. Will she succeed? We’ll just have to watch.

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Where's this wintry scene?

Winter hits Kuhmo hard, but it sure is beautiful. The town, which lies in an area that borders Russia, was under Swedish and Russian rule in centuries past, but is now proudly Finnish. The boreal forests in this region are home to wolves and bears as well as the rare, and rarely seen, Finnish forest reindeer, who forage among the trees.

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Where's lighting up the hillside?

Artist Bruce Munro was camping at Uluru (the Australian monolith formerly known as Ayers Rock) with his family in 1992 when he envisioned the art installation on today's homepage. Called Field of Light, it's on display at an arts venue called Sensorio in Paso Robles in the US state of California, the latest stop in a tour of sites around the world. Visitors will find 58,800 solar-powered spheres, lit by optical fibres that change colour.

When the sun sets, the fibres illuminate, creating a shimmering, interactive landscape in the meadow. The art installation changes a bit at each destination, but as Munro puts it: “The one constant is that it does make people smile." For a taste of his work a little closer to home, another Munro light installation, Time and Place, which includes a field of hay bales with moons projected onto them, is on show at Messums Gallery in Wiltshire, until 26 January.

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Where are these ancient stories?

We’re marking the winter solstice here on the Hebridean Isle of Lewis, where the 5,000-year-old Callanish Stones (or Calanais Stones in Gaelic), provide an atmospheric backdrop as the sun rises and sets on the shortest day of the year. There’s some debate about why these Scottish megaliths, which predate Stonehenge by at least two millennia, are there in the first place. But whether they were intended as an astronomical observatory or a place of rituals and religious observances, they are a great place to watch the sun, moon and, on occasion, the Northern Lights.

One of several prehistoric stone rings in the area, the Callanish Stones were actually buried in peat for thousands of years but were cleared in 1857, to reveal their full Neolithic splendour. If these dark days are getting you down, look on the bright side – tomorrow sees the days start to lengthen and the nights become shorter here in the Northern Hemisphere, as we start our six-month journey to the summer solstice.

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Where is this key whirlpool?

This frozen scene might be a picture of tranquility right now but once the snow melts in northern Finland's Oulanka National Park, this gentle swirl will turn into deafening rapids, hosting rafters and waterfall-seekers. But there's plenty of time to enjoy the winter calm, as the region's wintery cold regularly stretches into April or May. The partly frozen whirlpool churns near Myllykoski, a defunct mill which is now a resting point along Finland's busiest nature trail, Karhunkierros. The 50-mile route begins more than 500 miles north of Helsinki, with midsummer hikers enjoying treks lit by the midnight sun. For determined skiers and intrepid types in snowshoes, portions of the trail remain open through the freezing winter. Not feeling it? Chill at home instead with a hot drink and enjoy this wintery scene from afar.

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