Bog snorkelling ideal for holiday this year

At least, that's the suggestion from travel guide publisher Lonely Planet, which has put together a book of 52 exotic and unusual travel ideas for 2014.

Its travel experts are suggesting themed holidays in far flung countries, from flower arranging in Japan, practising yoga in India, being taught to paint by Tibetain monks in China – and bog snorkelling in mid Wales.

The down to earth experience is one of only three in Britain to be included in the electronic book: Travel Resolutions: 52 New Ways to Experience Planet Earth.

The inclusion has delighted the organisers of the Bog Snorkelling world championships that are held each year in the town of Llanwrtyd Wells.

Lindsay Ketteringham, chairman of Green Events which runs the August bog snorkelling festival, said the news of the inclusion had come as a great surprise.

"It can only encourage more people to visit Llanwrtyd Wells which is great for the economy of the area," he said

Bog snorkelling competitors are allowed wetsuits, snorkels and flippers to make their way through a trench cut out of peat bog.

They are not allowed to use swimming strokes and can surface only to navigate.

There is also mountain bike bog snorkelling and a bog snorkelling triathlon.

Lonely Planet spokeswoman Jane Cook said the latest guide incorporated wacky, weird and wonderful once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

She added: "Bog Snorkelling in the UK's smallest town was one of 52 experiences hand-picked by Lonely Planet's global team of expert authors, who called the festival 'an inspired roll call of unconventionality'."

It is one of just three ideas in the UK, the others going on a ghost tour of York and attending a guided event in one of the London Museums.

The book is available at www.lonelyplanet.com