THE SKID of wheels on gravel behind me makes me jump and I glance back to see another rider fast approaching.

Despite taking the hairpin turns at speed, I’ve been caught up on the exhilarating descent down Austria’s Harschbichl mountain.

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Welcome to mountain carting – where the three-wheel off-road trikes have no gears or pedals, just brakes.

Because that’s all you need when the only way is down.

Of course, my five year old, Poppy, can’t get enough.

Speeding past luscious alpine meadows and towering pine trees, she squeals with delight from my lap the whole way down the 3.8km track – helmet safely on.

Sadly, our son Raffy, three, is too young for the £16 ride – but luckily he won’t have to sit out on other adventures.

We’re in St Johann in Tirol, nestled between two mountain ranges and just over one hour’s drive south-west of Salzburg airport.

Tucked away within the town’s charming streets are stylish boutiques, excellent eateries and buzzing bars, so on our return from the mountain, I pop into recently opened Juice + Jewelry (@juice.jewelry), which has cute trinkets galore, before buying a blouse from Pircher Moden (Pircher-moden.at).

Sound of the underground

A few days earlier, our drive from the airport takes us through Bavaria, so we make a tiny detour to the German salt mine in Berchtesgaden, set beside a stunning turquoise river.

Donning overalls, we board a small train to whizz 650m below ground, just like the miners did 500 years ago.

Once inside, two long slides drop us further down into the caverns – much to the kids’ glee.

We learn all about the salt extraction process before boating across an underground lake to a dazzling light show, jumping on a funicular and boarding the tiny train once again.

For transport-mad Raffy, all his Christmases have come at once. Adult entry costs £21, kids over four cost £10.50 (Salzbergwerk.de).

I’m soon to lose count of the number of times the kids whisper “wow” on this adventure.

One night, it’s as violinist Benjamin Bow plays tracks like Pharrell Williams’ Lucky alongside a DJ and performers on stilts in animal costumes parading the cobbles.

We’ve joined the kids’ festival Lang & Klang, which runs every Wednesday in summer, where a whole street is filled with all kinds of bouncy castles, including Gladiators-style duel sticks, Velcro walls and Raffy’s favourite – an inflatable fire station with a slide.

Dumpling delight

An evening drive up the mountain to Alpengasthof Hirschberg, a family-run restaurant for over 37 years, also proves a highlight.

The kids play on the verdant grass, feeding the pet rabbits as the sun sets gloriously behind the rocky peaks and my husband Andy and I sip Hugo cocktails – sparkling wine, elderflower liqueur and soda, £5.90.

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I wasn’t a fan of dumplings before – but now I’m in the town with an annual festival dedicated to them, I realise I’ve just never had a good one.

Here, the venison stew with dumpling, croquettes and cranberries, £22, is divine.

Owner Katrin’s home-made bakes – including slabs of shortbread-topped plum cake, £4.80 – are a knockout, too (Gasthof-hirschberg.at).

I’m also many apple strudels down when we hit the Moor & More Adventure World at the foot of the Kaiser mountains.

The 4.3km Törfchen elf trail has play stations along the route, including a treehouse, zipwire and bowling game.

Despite it being Austrian school holidays, we have the wildflower-lined paths mostly to ourselves.

The real crowds appear on Friday, when the weekly market packs out St Johann’s Baroque streets with foodie treats, stylish threads and traditional crafts, and locals glug sparkling wine for brekkie.

Our lodgings are Hotel Post, which is as central as you can get – just a few paces from the main square – and home to a brilliant bistro.

Family rooms are spacious, with rain showers, and the breakfast buffet offers treats such as chia-seed puddings, among an array of ham, cheese and bread.

Rooms cost from £160 B&B, and guests get free access to nearby public baths, Panorama Badewelt (Dashotelpost.at).

The outdoor pools with slides and diving boards are set in lush gardens and there are more flumes inside (Badewelt.at).

Climb every mountain

Back up Harschbichl mountain, Raffy is thrilled to join Poppy on the mini high ropes course at Hornpark.

Then we hop in the cable car to the top station to lunch at Harschbichlalm, 1,604m high, feasting on beef broth with sliced pancake, £4.50, and steaks with fried bread, dips and salad, £16.50 (Harschbichlalm.at).

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A trampoline keeps the kids occupied as Andy and I soak up the breathtaking vistas, before he climbs Hornpark’s hardest courses at a nerve-tingling height, and with challenges including a hairy skateboard crossing.

A zipwire across the lake completes his kid-free mission.

Adult tickets cost from £26, and children from £10 (Hornpark.at). Last – but by no means least – we spend a day of pure joy at Badesee Going, a swimming lake 15 minutes’ drive away with a terrific toboggan-like flume set into the hillside and an undulating slide that locals bring bodyboards to ride.

There’s plenty of chilling space on the grassy banks, a big sandpit and play equipment, plus beach-volleyball courts.

As we squeeze in one last ride for Team GB, we all agree that we bagged gold with this trip.

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A WETHERSPOONS pub had made the shortlist for the UK’s best pubs.

The Savoy in Swindon has been shortlisted in The Campaign for Real Ale’s (CAMRA’s) Good Beer Guide 2025.

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The annual guide looks at thousands of pubs across the UK, with hundreds making the shortlist.

And the Swindon Wetherspoons has made the shortlist.

Also the oldest Wetherspoons in Swindon, The Savoy is in a former cinema built in the mid 1930s.

The ‘super cinema’ seated as many as 2,000 people, with showings including the “best films across Britain and America” as well as stage shows and cinema clubs.

The Art Deco cinema sadly closed in 1991, before being converted to the Wetherspoons under the same name in 1996.

Not many of the original cinema features have remained in tact.

The pretty exterior has been restored, with the large billboards and double doors on the front.

Only the ground floor remains, although the pub has beautiful curved bookcases lining the main drinking area as well as vintage movie posters on the walls.

And like most Wetherspoons, it also has arcade machines and the classic Spoons carpet.

According to CAMRA: “The long bar has a very large selection of well-kept beers.

“The atmosphere is friendly and it is close to theatre, cinema, restaurants and shopping.”

It’s ranked highly with previous punters too, with many giving it five stars for great service as well as being cosy and spacious.

One said: “The food was excellent one of the best Wetherspoons I have been to.”

A second wrote: “One of the better Wetherspoon spots! The staff are exceptional and truly deserve 5 stars for their service.”

Someone else agreed: “This is a great Wetherspoons, it’s in an old cinema and has loads of character.”

Another simply said it was their “favourite Swindon pub”.

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It’s not the only amazing Wetherspoons pub to visit in the UK.

The Samuel Peto in Folkestone is one of the prettier Spoons pubs, built in a former church.

Harrogate’s The Winter Gardens , built in the former Royal Baths, has been named one of the most beautiful in the country.

We also went down to the biggest Wetherspoons in the world.

How can I save money at Wetherspoons?

FREE refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.

Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.

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So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.

Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.

For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.

Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.

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Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it. 

Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.

Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.

It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.

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As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.

Victoria Pavilion is found in the seaside town of Ramsgate – and its right on the beach.

And a new Wetherspoons hotel with a “tower suite” is set to open in an English seaside town soon.

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