The Virgin Mini Marathon, central London

The leaders in the U13 girls race approach the Houses of Parliament. The two girls from the North West team went on to finish first and second in the  British Athletics Road Championships 

Held just before the London Marathon, the Virgin Mini Marathon is a youth race across the final three miles of the main route, taking in the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. Featuring teams from each of the 33 London boroughs and regions across the UK, including Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Mini Marathon attracts some of the best teenage athletes in the country. Although the different age groups (coloured-coded by t-shirts) have staggered starts, the races inevitably overlap as the best youngsters overtake the laggards in the older age groups.  Participants are rewarded with an impressive medal, a couple of t-shirts and a bag full of goodies. Although it involves an early start, the Mini Marathon should be on the bucket list of both young runners and their parents.

Rolls Royces at the Guildhall, central London

Only very high-end motors are allowed to park outside the City of London's Guildhall.

Hanseatic Walk, central London

Post work drinkers gather outside the Oyster Shed bar on Hanseatic Walk in the shadow of Cannon Street Station

Sunshine on the Scoop, More London, central London

Office workers congregate in the sun trap created by The Scoop - the 1,000 person sunken amphitheatre in the More London development opposite The Tower of London.

Easter skiing in the Monterosa region, Italy

Branded Italy's Three Valleys, the Monterosa region offers some decent high altitude skiing between the resorts of Champoluc, Gressoney and Alagna. The area is dominated by long, pacey and varied red runs, ideal for intermediates, rather than beginners and experts. In fact, the handful of hard blues and easy blacks would probably have been lined by red poles in another resort.  Still, experienced skiers will find plenty of challenging off-piste terrain. During the week, the slopes and the lifts are pretty empty, but the resorts can get uncomfortably busy at weekends and on public holidays when many Italians make the relatively easy drive up from Turin.

Breithorn Chalet Hotel, Route Ramey, Champoluc, Valle d'Aosta, Italy

More than 100 years old, the Breithorn Chalet Hotel exudes traditional Alpine solidity and period charm. Built from sturdy timbers and dry stone walls, this handsome hotel retains many original features, including paned windows, rustic old floors, wooden vaulted ceilings and even a massive vintage bellows in the comfortable lounge. Next door is a small library, lined with old books. These communal areas sit on top of the very spacious dining room, plus a sauna and steam room, in the basement. Upstairs are 31 en-suite bedrooms of varying shapes and sizes spread over four floors. Although the hotel WiFi only works downstairs and the bedrooms can be a little compact, they have plenty of charm, are well equipped and are comfortable. Some rooms also have small wooden balconies and fine views of the mountains. And larger families might be able to secure two adjoining rooms, if you book early enough. The staircases are decorated with crude, but charming, sketches of the local wildlife and the hotel in the early twentieth century.

The Finsteraarhorn, Switzerland

An ariel view of the west face of The Finsteraarhorn, the highest peak in the Bernese Alps and the highest summit in the Alps lying outside the main chain, according to peakery.com. Over 4,200 metres high, The Finsteraarhorn is part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch World Heritage Site in Switzerland.

Campo Base, near Frachey, Aosta Valley, Italy

At the top of the chair lift up from Frachey, Campo Base is a cut above the average mountain restaurant. It serves excellent and substantial panini (4-5 euros), creamy crepes (7-8 euros) and more substantial fare, such as a generous veal stew with polenta (about 12 euros). The delicious focaccia bread panini filled with ample ham and cheese is particularly good value. A low rise wooden building, which seems to be partially submerged into the mountain, Campo Base is festooned with Tibetan prayer flags, while the wooden walls are lined with framed photos of Tibet. By Champoluc standards, the service is fairly smooth, if a little slow. You find a table and then queue up to order at the till. The waiting staff then bring your food and drinks over. Campo Base is a good place to eat lunch. 7/10