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I have the pleasure of both working for the Ironbridge Gorge Museums and being a local resident, so I hope that you can accept my short review!

Founded in 1967, the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust is a registered charity whose twin aims are education and heritage conservation.

The Trust cares for 36 scheduled monuments and listed buildings within the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site and operates 10 museums which collectively tell the story of the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. These museums received 567,000 visits in 2010, including around 70,000 school visits.

The largest of our sites is Blists Hill Victorian Town, which in 2009 saw the completion of a £12m development, supported by Advantage West Midlands and European Regional Development Funding. Following this generational investment, Blists Hill Victorian Town received 9 major regional and national awards including reaching the final of the Art Fund Prize for Museums & Galleries 2010, the largest arts prize in the United Kingdom.

As well as 10 museums, the sites in the Trust’s care include a research library, a tourist information centre, two youth hostels, archaeological monuments, historic woodlands, housing, two chapels, and two Quaker burial grounds.

In 2011 Ironbridge celebrated its 25th anniversary as one of the UK's first World Heritage Sites. We hope that many people take the opportunity to discover the many charms of this beautiful and historic site for themselves.

For more details visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

My boyfriend (Lugano native) decided to take me here last week, as he has always wanted to see it and has never had the chance, and he knew that I would love it. We drove around Monte San Giorgio for a little while before he finally stopped and asked for directions from one of the locals. They sent us to Meride, where again, we were unsure where to go. He stopped another local and asked for directions again.

We parked in the main parking lot of Meride just below the vineyards and walked around the town a little bit. It appeared deserted. We found the little museum mentioned in your article, with a little note on a closed door, and went inside. We watched the video and looked around. The fossils that were on display were very well preserved and AWESOME! They also had drawings of what the creatures looked like and what the environment that they were living in at that time probably looked like. A step back in time.

After about 15 minutes in the museum, we wanted to see the site. We walked up the hill to the little church (which was beautiful), dipped our heads in the fountain (it was in the 90s) to cool off and started up the trail to see the fossil site at the top of the mountain. There's a sign that said it was about an hour and a half walk to the site.

The trail was paved with little stones …

It's hard to believe that this is the first review of this WHS, because the Dolomites are a popular destination for passionate hikers and climbers. But many of the most popular destinations are also accessible for less experienced hikers. The disadvantage is, that some of the trails are very crowded, at least in summer. At some moments of our hiking tours I felt like I was in a shopping center on the day before Christmas. However, I can understand this enthusiasm. With its various spectacular forms, the Dolomites are unique among the alpine landscapes. Steep peaks and pinnacles tower over green foothills and offer plenty of magnificent panoramic views.

During our week-long stay we have made several tours in four of the nine inscribed areas. Of course, we went to the Drei Zinnen/Tre Cime, probably the best-known place in the Dolomites (area 5). We started at the car park near the Hotel Tre Cime (at 1400 m) at the road between Toblach/Dobbiaco and Cortina. The path leads through the Valle di Rienza and the Valle di Rinbon to the Drei Zinnen hut (at 2400 m), from where you have an amazing view to the Drei Zinnen (photo). The last part is very steep and you have to be in good shape. We walked back through the Valle di Rimbian, the tour took us about 8 hours. But you can also make it easier: by car or bus to the Auronzo hut (road charge) at the rather unspectacular south side of …

During a trip to the Dolomites, I took the opportunity to visit Molina di Ledro and Fiave. These sites are two of the rare places where original remains of the pile dwellings can be seen. In Molina di Ledro, at the shore of Lake Ledro, is a small museum and the reconstruction of a pile dwelling. From a footbridge you can see some piles in a small area near the shoreline. In Fiave, 35 km north of the Lake Ledro, is a small wetland with about 80-100 piles (photo). The site is one kilometre before Fiave on the left (coming from Lake Ledro). There is only a small signpost that can easily be overlooked. Both sites are located in a beautiful mountain landscape, but the remains themselves are not very impressive and do not tell much about what this WHS represents.

At least, I have seen my first pile dwellings and have an idea how the original remains look like. To learn more about it, one has to rely on museums and replications. In this respect, it reminds me of my experience with the Limes, the German part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire, where also only a few original remains are visible.

Certainly, the pile dwellings are the oddest WHS that I've visited so far. I will not count the WHS as visited and I'm uncertain when I can tick it off. But my first visit made me curious to learn more about it.

The cathedral, supposedly the largest in Central America, dominates the square and its massive walls are most impressive. Despite the citation's reference to natural light I found the interior dim and many of the paintings darkened by age. There are several other churches in Leon of note, though none approaches the size of the cathedral. The mix of styles may be more apparent to art historians than the casual visitor and those who have visited the silver and gold laden cathedral of Mexico City or the churches of Cuzco and Quito may be underwhelmed by the ornamentation of this cathedral.

The city of Leon itself is an interesting contrast to the more visited Granada, Leon's historical rival, in both its architecture and culture. (Unlike Granada, Leon was a battleground during the fight to oust Somoza in the 70s and there are many reminders of this struggle throughout the city.) It is well worth a visit.

There is frequent bus service from Managua and the ruins of Leon Viejo, another world heritage site are nearby as are some interesting "fumoroles" or steam vents from the nearby volcanoes.

I had previously only seen rock art in Kakadu National Park in Australia, so I looked forward to seeing Tanum's much more recent ones. I'm not really an expert on this, and I can't say I was blown away by what I saw there, but walking through the forest to search for scattered sites was still a nice experience (the most famous paintings are just across the road from the Vitlycke Museum). The museum does a good job of showing the context of rock paintings worldwide and also serves as a visitor centre. Since I went there by public transport, I only saw the sites at Vitlycke, which seem to be the most important ones. Even though my LP guide said that going there by public transport was not feasible, it was actually possible - it just involved a walk of about 5 km from Tanumshede Train Station (direct trains from Göteborg and Uddevalla). Luckily, for the way back, I could take one of the few bus connections.

I visited the Mogao Cave site with my husband and daughter just last month as part of our 31 day drive from Shanghai to Xinjiang and back. It was the middle of summer and very, very crowded - I guess with such a famous site that is to be expected. The caves themselves were fascinating and it certainly helped to have purchased a book in advance so we knew a bit about what we were going to see. However, our overall experience was very like the one Paul Tanner and his group had. After living and travelling in China for the last 13 years we consider ourselves to be experienced China travellers who are used to the challenges of China but Mogao Caves was a tough day for us.

A few years ago it was very common for tourist sites to charge different prices to foreigners but Mogao Caves is the only place we have come across in many years that still does it. I can't help wondering at the uproar is would cause if Chinese tourists who visited Western countries were asked to pay a completely different price just because they were Chinese?

After quite an argument about not paying the "extra" fee just because we were foreign it was decided that we could join a local tour. This meant the guide only spoke in Chinese. This was fine for my husband and daughter but I missed a lot of the stories the guide told because of all the …

This is one of the sites that you just visit to tick them off, but then turn out to be quite pleasant. I'm not really an expert in technical matters, but the importance of this station in the early days of radio technology was well presented in a guided tour, a movie, and a small exposition (there is a brand new visitor centre with a café). After the tour, you can explore the site on your own, and there is a trail with informative signs leading to the massive antennae. It should be noted that even though the site is called Varberg Radio Station, it is actually located in the village of Grimeton, easily 12 km away. There are occasional buses, but since I had to rush to catch one of the 2 daily tours in English, I took a taxi. It is also recommended to spend some time in Varberg, a pretty seaside resort with an impressive castle and a quite un-Scandinavian beach ambience.

The fossil cliffs were really amazing, especially with the Bay of Fundy (known to have the highest tides in the world) right there beside them. We arrived there just in time for a tour with a docent, who took us to the beach during low tide. My daughter loved beachcombing for seaglass, which people are allowed to take. Fossils and rocks are prohibited for taking. Our docent was knowledgeable about the area and was available for people's questions, even after the tour. The centre is just as impressive, as it houses the fossil of the oldest reptile in the world. It also takes children into account and has a cave-like movie area in which one needs to crawl to enter. Stay in the centre for lunch, as the food is tasty and fairly priced. The souvenirs are also high quality. A couple of things to note: 1) the tour is a separate price from the entrance fee and 2) be aware of when high tide occurs, which will be posted in the centre. No tours on the beach will take place after high tide, much to the disappointment of some guests who arrived too late.

I must say that I'm usually pleased with how Canadians take pride in their World Heritage Sites. Old Lunenburg is no exception. A lovely area in the old town (to the right of the town's bandstand) is dedicated to the site's inscription as a WHS, which includes the WHS plaque, the UN flag, and information about other WHS in Canada. A bonus is the playground next to this area. My kids played while I took pictures! Although hilly, it's easy to walk around the town. I saw many people mowing their lawns or just relaxing on the front porches. Enjoy looking at old homes with beautiful exterior colours!

In my 2 weeks in Sweden, this was the most interesting WH site I have come across. The landscape of the Stora Alvaret is unique and fascinating, like nothing I had ever seen before. A barren limestone plateau, it covers the southern half of Öland and combines many historic sites with unique natural features (I think it should be a mixed WH site). Driving or cycling is probably the best way to explore Öland, but public transport is also an option. I took the bus from Kalmar (a great city by the way, with a fantastic castle and a nice old town) across the impressive Öland Bridge to the pretty port of Färjestaden. From there I went to Eketorp, an interesting Iron Age fortification that is today a major tourist attraction. Next I went to the Ottenby Nature Reserve on the southern tip of the island, which features a wide range of habitats for migrating birds - and I also climbed Scandinavia's tallest lighthouse there. I thought this was the most interesting place I saw on Öland. Taking the bus is a bit complicated, because even in summer, they don't run very often, but with a bit of planning, it works out fine, and many interesting landscape features can be admired just as easily from the bus.

Karlskrona is Sweden's major naval port and a good example of a planned town of the 17th and 18th centuries. The WH site covers several buildings in the city itself and on the islands nearby. The major attraction is the huge Kungsholmen Fortress, which is still today operated by the Navy, so you need a special permit to visit. The tours on the day of my visit were already full, so I could only do a harbour cruise that stopped at the island but did not include a visit. There is still quite a bit to see from the outside, though, and it is certainly an impressive sight. A pleasant stroll through the city takes you to several historic sights, including churches (the Admiralty Church is the largest wooden church in Sweden), squares, fortresses and other military installations. Everything here is quite nice and well-maintained, and you can easily spend an enjoyable day in Karlskrona. Don't forget to visit the Maritime Museum, though - this is really a first-class sight.

I visited the Valley of Flowers last week. While there were quite a bit of hardship on the route because of landslides, the valley provided an exhilarating experience. The flowers were in full-bloom and moist with rains. I could not see much of the mighty peaks due to clouds though!

These have to rank as some of the best places I have visited in Britain. At the start of November 2006 we visited the Castle at Beaumaris and spent a night in Conwy, and it was fantastic.

The castle at Beaumaris is situated on the Island of Anglesey at the end of this quaint town that overlooks the treacherous Menai Straits. This castle was the most technically progressive of King Edward's 'Ring of Iron'. It is quite easy to see how the main defences work; they provide a barrier to invaders, if that is breached you are then in a kind of void where it would be easy for the defenders to pick you off. All in all there are about four separate lines of defence, with masses of other small details that would help to protect the castle from invasion. There is plenty for you to explore inside the castle, and the view from the wall walk is great as you look out across the Straits to the Snowdonia Mountains. If you have an interest in Bridges this is also a great place to visit, the two Bridges across the Menai are some of the finest pieces of engineering from the Industrial Revolution.

We then carried on to Conwy, which is completely surrounded by impressive Town Walls, and the walk along the top of them was perhaps the highlight of the trip for me (picture). The town itself is lovely, and the castle in the corner of the walls …

To my mind this is Britain’s finest World Heritage Site, both in terms of what there is to see and also the visiting experience.

I knew that Edinburgh was a rather hilly city, but I was still surprised by just how craggy it was. The castle sits atop an extraordinarily high outcrop, especially when viewed from the bottom of Princes Street Gardens, which sit in the ravine that divides the old and new towns. To my surprise Edinburgh also manages to contain a ‘mountain’ in the heart of the city, with the looming presence of Salisbury Crags and Arthurs Seat providing the backdrop for the new Parliament Building and Holyrood Palace.

The World heritage inscription makes a point of this being the Old and New towns of Edinburgh and there is a very big difference between them. The Old town feels very medieval, focused around the touristy Royal Mile. I enjoyed strolling along here, but had more fun ducking off down the side alleys to clamber up and down streets of stairs or fine lovely secluded parks like Dunbar Gardens. The well planned New town reminded me of Dublin and Bath, and I really enjoyed strolling around here and heading down to the Stockbridge area for a leisurely brunch on Saturday morning.

The differences between the Old and New towns were a large inspiration on Jekyll and Hyde, written by Edinburgh native Robert Louis Stevenson. This is just one of the points that illustrates Edinburgh’s huge literary heritage. It ranges …

A truly stunning experience. Walking through the gate building and there it presents itself in all its splendour and glory: the Taj Mahal. Not too crowded (may 2010). As a part of a trip to northern India, the golden triangle, this was the summit.

I now belief the marker on El Fuerte de Samaipata (El Cascabel) is marking the parallel heliacal rise of our brightest planets Venus and Jupiter on August 20 in the year 1066 AD instead of the parallel heliacal rise of Regulus and a planet.

These two planets, as two bright celestial eyes, could be seen almost always in a year of Halley's Comet return.

The listed locations of this site are to be found within as well as in the areas surrounding the modern city of Al Ain. Jebel Hafeet, a huge monolith stands to the south of the city, while Bida Bint Saud lies to the north, not far from the suburb of Hili which itself has several archaeological sites. These peripheral sites are easily accessible by road.

The oases, each with its date palm plantations, aflaj, watchtowers and protective fort are within the city and are accessible by local bus services.

Edirne (known as Adrianople until the Ottoman period) is easily accessible by bus from Istanbul and Canakkale.

This fine example of Muslim architecture is regarded as Mimar Koca Sinan's master work, eclipsing that of his Selimiye Mosque in Istanbul. An unusual feature is the statue of Sinan that stands within the gardens of the mosque.

Besides being a Muslim Holy Place, the mosque in Edirne is also regarded as a Baha'i Holy Place. Between 1843 and 1848, Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i faith was exiled to Adrianople by the Ottomans, and during that period he and his family worshipped regularly at the Selimiye Mosque.

In July 2011 I planned a long weekend Germany. After my visit to the Fagus Factory (Alfeld) I drove to the Kellerwald NP. The Kellerwald is part of the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany. Kellerwald is inscribed in July 2011. I arrived late in the afternoon and decided to visit first the Kellerwald information centre. The centre is build in 2008 and easy to find at the edge of the parc. The building is very nice and I paid 6 euro for the little exhibition about the wildlife inside the parc. The information is totally made with computergraphics. Also at the end they showed a 3D-movie about the parc.

The visit to the centre is a good start before the hiking. Free maps with the trails are available at the desk of the centre. I went to my hotel at the other side of the parc, near the Wildtierparc (animalparc). That was a ride of almost 40 minuts along the Edersee. Beautiful !

The next day it was raining and cold, not really perfect for a good hike. The trails where slippery and muddy . So...I changed my plan and decided to go up with the cable train (standseilbahn). In 10 minuts I was 300 meters higher into the forest. First I walked to the viewpoint and later I walked a little bit on different trails.

Kellerwald NP is easy to visit. There are a lot of trails (difficult and easy). The …