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Category Archives: Events

Amma of India brings lots and lots of hugs to London

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Posted by trev on November 18, 2011 – 10:56 am
Filed under Events

London is sometimes seen as a place where people just don’t interact, but for a couple of days this week at least a lady called Amma of India (meaning “mother”) sought to fix this by simply giving hugs to over 6000 strangers in the capital.

Amma, who’s real name is Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, was born in Southern India to a low cast family and only educated until 9 years old. She then followed the traditional route of leaving school to help her family, where she would search for food scraps to feed her animals.

She however defied some Indian traditions and being a naturally caring person, would give a hug to anyone who needed it regardless of cast or gender – the latter being very frowned upon. Over time she saw the extreme poverty of those around her and eventually became a Hindu spiritual leader.

Amma is most famous for the most simple of acts – giving anyone and everyone a hug. This week she was in London where people queued up from all around the country to receive a 2 minute hug from Amma. Judging by the response on this BBC video of Amma of India, most found this act a very moving experience.

For more details of when Amma will be back in the UK again, see the official Amma of India UK web site.

Scotland’s Winter Festival launch

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Posted by admin on November 15, 2011 – 5:02 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

The Winter Festival (26th November 2011 to 25th January 2012) brings together three of Scotland’s most culturally significant celebrations: St Andrew’s Day, Hogmanay and Burns Season.  The festival will kick off with the lead up to St Andrew’s Day on 26th and 27th November 2011 with the Visit for Free weekend which this year will entail free or discounted entry to even more of Scotland’s best-loved visitor attractions.  Popular Historic Scotland attractions, such as Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart Castles, will again take part with Camera Obscura, Discovery Point, Glasgow Science Centre and the Scotch Whisky Experience among those joining in this year.

There is also the launch of an international photo competition via the Blipfoto website to find the best image of the global celebrations, as well as the world’s biggest online ceilidh.

On the 30th November 2011, St Andrew’s Day parties and celebratory events will be taking place the length and breadth of the country and all across the globe.

What have the tin can, pencil and corkscrew got in common?

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Posted by trev on November 10, 2011 – 10:12 am
Filed under Events

The answer is they are all everyday objects which are simple but genius at the same time, and are being celebrated in a new exhibition at the Science Museum in London.

In the “Hidden Heroes, The Genius of Everyday Things” exhibition, the museum hopes to unravel some of the mystery behind how these everyday objects along with many more came to be invented and how such simple ideas have transformed our lives.

For example, did you know that the humble pencil was invented close to Keswick in Cumbria (formerly Cumberland) when someone discovered what they thought was a deposit of lead in 1565. It actually turned out to be graphite and shortly afterwards Cumberland Pencil’s were born. Contrary to popular myth, pencils never contained lead – this was simply a mistake in the identification of the graphite, although the paint on the wood often did contain lead.

Another example is bubble wrap was actually invented as a type of wallpaper, until the inventors realised it was actually rather good for safely packaging objects. They quickly changed the patent application and bubblewrap as we know it is largely unchanged since.

For these and hundreds of other every day brilliant inventions, you need to pop down to the Science Museum in London where the exhibition is available until the 5th June 2012.

London 2012 Festival – The UK’s biggest ever festival announced

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Posted by trev on November 9, 2011 – 3:07 pm
Filed under Events

In the run up to the 2012 London Olympic Games, over 1000 events are planned across the UK in what is billed as the “biggest festival the UK has ever seen”.

The festival is due to take place over 12 weeks prior to and running through the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, will feature a vast array of cultural events from nationwide bell ringing to art installations at The Giant’s Causeway and the BT River of Music featuring groups such as the Scissor Sisters and Baaba Maal.

Many of the events are planned to be free such as what it billed as a spectacular concert and associated fireworks display on the banks of Lake Windermere in the English Lake District entitled Les Commandos Percu – a show which “shows perfectly blend musical rhythms and amazing effects, as fireworks dance to a thumping soundtrack”.

Tickets and event details are available on the 2012 London Festival Web site. Keep an eye on the UKSeries Blog as we’ll announce more details as they appear!

More UK Resources:
Tourist attractions and event locations around the UK
Hotels in the UK
UK self-catering accommodation

Exmoor becomes new International Dark Sky Reserve

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Posted by trev on November 9, 2011 – 2:01 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

Exmoor has become only the second location in the world to gain International Dark Sky Reserve status meaning not only is the ground protected from development, but the skies above Exmoor are too.

Current problems: One of the problems both amateur and professional astronomers have faced for many years is that both air-bourne pollution and excessive street lighting which prevents them getting a clear view of the skies. In recent years, the problem has been given more recognition outside the scientific communities which resulted in the recent designation of Sark as a “Dark Sky Island” and Galashields Forest as a “Dark Skies Park”.

Both of these are European and UK based initiatives, but now Exmoor National Park has gained the prestigious honour of being only the 2nd location in the world to receive the International Dark Sky Reserve accreditation.

The award process: The award is the result of over 2 years hard work by numerous groups including the Exmoor National Park Authority, the Royal Astronomical Society and local amateur astronomers who have helped identify areas of the park which are especially good for stargazing.

Although the International Dark-Sky Association who make the final decision have no legal powers, part of the application procedure requires the relevant authorities to include planning controls to regulate lighting usage in the area. This includes working with the residents and businesses to ensure any new lighting is focused downwards and doesn’t interfere with the views of the night sky and that air-bourne pollutants are kept to a minimum.

Future effects: As with Sark and Galashields, it is not only the astronomers who benefit. The increase in astronomy tourism in these areas is seen as crucial to their economic future with potentially thousands of extra UK and international visitors arriving each year to take in the night sky like no-where else.

More Exmoor Links:
More details about Exmoor International Dark Sky Reserve
Map of Exmoor and local visitor attractions

Biggest public archaeology project to launch in Manchester

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Posted by trev on November 9, 2011 – 9:10 am
Filed under Events

The people of Manchester are to be offered a chance to take place in one of the biggest public archaeological digs ever staged, with around 9000 volunteers spread across 11 sites in Manchester & Blackburn.

Uncovering remains from the Medieval to the Industrial Revolution, the sites will allow people from the Manchester communities alongside school and university students to work beside professional archaeologists and find out much more about where they live.

Each of the 10 Greater Manchester boroughs will have a site, and the digs will run alongside lectures and presentations on the history of the area. Norman Redhead, Greater Manchester County Archaeologist said “I suspect local communities will be amazed at what they uncover on their doorstep”.

The project is expected to last around 4 years and should start sometime in 2012. Details should be appearing in local media.

More Manchester Resources:
Visitor attractions around Manchester
Hotels in Manchester

Dundee Mountain Film Festival

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Posted by admin on November 8, 2011 – 4:30 pm
Filed under Events

Set in the University of Dundee’s Bonar Hall, the 29th annual Dundee Mountain Film Festival will celebrate tales of great courage and wild adventure as it serves up a fantastic programme of speakers and award winning films and exhibitions. This year welcomes Mark Beaumont, world record breaking cyclist and mountain climber, to present his extraordinary career and climbing feats. The morning of Saturday 25th November 2011 features an all Scottish film programme while adventure junkies will love energetic films by The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour on the Sunday 26th November 2011.

Useful links:
Hotels in Dundee
B&Bs in Dundee
Self-catering in Dundee
Tourist attractions in Dundee

Major new Leonardo da Vinci exhibition opens in London

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Posted by trev on November 8, 2011 – 3:24 pm
Filed under Events

One of the biggest and most important Leonardo da Vinci exhibitions ever staged opens at the National Gallery in London on the 9th November bringing together many works never seen together before.

Described by the gallery as the “the most complete display of Leonardo da Vinci’s rare surviving paintings ever held”, the exhibition took over 5 years of negotiations to organise.

Paintings and drawings from all over the world will be appearing at this unique exhibition with loans from as far afield as Williamstown in Canada and St. Petersburg in Russia. Many of the paintings were previously displayed in galleries around Europe including 6 from Millan, 2 from Florence and 11 from Paris.

However, surprisingly over 1/3 of the paintings came from just down the road in Windsor, held as part of the Royal Collection, which exhibition curator Luke Syson says certainly helped to persuade the other galleries.

Previous exhibitions: There have been many previous exhibitions of Leonardo da Vinci’s works, but as Luke Syson explained to the BBC recently, most of these focused on the finished paintings rather than the drawings for which Leonardo was equally famous. This new exhibition will include a selection of both, with some standalone drawings and others believed to be tests and studies for later paintings.

One of the biggest coup’s for the National Gallery, was to get the two versions of The Virgin Of The Rocks painting hanging side by side, which has never been seen previously. One version has been restored by the National Gallery, and the other normally shows in the Louvre in Paris.

Loans in return: Galleries naturally don’t want empty spaces within their walls, so as is standard practice, the National Gallery also lent out other works in exchange. An example was the Ambrosiana gallery in Millan which sent the Portrait Of The Musician in exchange for Boticelli’s mystic nativity to coincide with that galleries own exhibitions.

Tickets are on sale for the exhibition, plus a further 500 tickets will be available each day for ‘on the door’ enquiries, although these are expected to go quickly.

Dates: The exhibition runs from the 9th November to 5th February 2012 so there should be plenty of time to see it.

More London Resources:
Leonardo da Vinci exhibitions at the National Gallery
BBC guide to where the paintings originated
More attractions around Charing Cross
Hotels near the National Gallery, Charing Cross

Oban sees probably the UK’s most spectacular fireworks…briefly

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Posted by trev on November 7, 2011 – 5:10 pm
Filed under Events

On the 5th November, the people of Oban saw what is probably one of the most spectacular fireworks displays this year, and possibly the quickest display in the country too.

Oban council had been promising the people of this quiet Scottish town a really spectacular fireworks display and donations had been sought for several months according to many reports to pay for the £6000 worth of fireworks.

On the night of the 5th, the people of Oban gathered round at the Mossfield Stadium in anticipation and indeed did see one of the most impressive sets of fireworks ever to grace the town – except what was meant to be a 20 minute display with fireworks and music in perfect sync, lasted around 50 seconds and then abruptly ended.

After a little berwilderment, Councillor Roddy McCuish who helped organise the event had to announce that due to a massive technical malfunction all the fireworks had gone off at once. As this video shows however, Oban really was treated to one heck of a lot of fireworks:

 

Good news for Oban:

Following the hitch, the company behind the fireworks has offered Oban a completely free (and hopefully glitch free) fireworks display at the end of November to co-incide with the Winter Festival in Oban. The fireworks will be visible across Oban harbour on the night of Sunday 27th November.

Good date your everyone’s diary if you can make it as this should be quite spectacular over the water!

More Links in Oban:
Pyro 1 (the company behind the fireworks)
Things to do in Oban (guide to activities & attractions)
Hotels in Oban
Oban self-catering accommodation

Jingle all the way to South East England this Christmas

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Posted by admin on November 5, 2011 – 11:15 pm
Filed under Accommodation, Attractions, Eating & Drinking, Events, Transport

With Santa and his elves hard at work, the nine counties making up South East England have been equally busy putting the final touches to its exciting events calendar for Christmas 2011. So why not escape to South East England this winter and make the most of a huge array of events, days out and short breaks with your loved one?

Couples visiting Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire can see how Queen Victoria liked to spend Christmas at Osborne House, take a ride with Santa on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, skate against the backdrop of Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, shop for stocking fillers at one of the UK’s largest Christmas markets, and much more.

Get your skates on at the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink
East Sussex; 12th November 2011 to 22nd January 2012
Following the enormous success of its inaugural year in 2010, the Royal Pavilion’s Eastern Lawn is set to return as the quintessential festive skating experience in Brighton. The real-ice rink will be set against the backdrop of King George IV’s historic royal palace and will offer lessons, group skating packages, and one of the most romantic and beautiful settings for skating couples this Christmas. Hour-long sessions will be available daily between 12th November 2011 and 22nd January 2012, except Christmas Day. Adult tickets booked via Ticketmaster cost £13 per person for a one-hour session including skate hire.

A Victorian Christmas at Osborne House
Isle of Wight; 19th & 20th November 2011
If you ever wondered how the Victorians used to celebrate Christmas then there’s no better place to find out than Osborne House, the former home of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the 1800s. On 19th and 20th November 2011, the spectacular stately home will be converted into a festive 19th-century scene with Christmas trees, traditional Victorian fairground stalls, entertainment from a bygone era, and Dickensian characters including the cheeky chimney sweeps. The sumptuous ground floor rooms will be adorned with festive decorations as they would have been when Queen Victoria celebrated at her family home, with colourful trees bedecked in the style favoured by Prince Albert. Adult tickets cost £13.50 for non-members, or £2.10 for members, and include entry to Osborne House.

Victorian Festival of Christmas
Portsmouth; 25th-27th November 2011
It’s nearly time to step back in time… at the Victorian Festival of Christmas. The magical three-day event will see Portsmouth Historic Dockyard transformed into a Dickensian-style bygone era of snowy white streets with seasonal carols, the ever-eventful Fagin’s Tavern, and the largest Christmas market on the South Coast with over 140 stalls! Visitors can meet real-life baby reindeer, take part in Victorian dancing with piping pipers, learn how to cook traditional recipes, enjoy the visually stunning Victorian Magic Lantern show, indulge in roasted chestnuts and steaming mulled wine, and meet a whole host of colourful characters from the 19th-century as they ride by on their Penny Farthings. Adult tickets cost £14.50 and include entry to the attractions of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Dickens Christmas Market and Festive Food Fayre
Kent; 30th November – 18th December 2011
Christmas is coming and there’s no better place to get in the seasonal spirit than the Dickens Christmas Market and Festive Food Fayre. Set in the beautiful grounds of Kent’s Rochester Castle, overlooking the River Medway, the event will kick off with the “Big Christmas Lights Switch-On” with legendary American rapper Vanilla Ice, followed by an enchanting Lantern Procession led by the local choir and a host of quirky characters from the Dickensian era. A truly festive atmosphere awaits at the Castle where visitors will find one of the largest German-style Christmas markets in the UK, complete with Christmas chalets selling a variety of Christmas gifts, hand-crafted goods and festive treats. Live street entertainers, Dickensian characters, musical bands and carol singers will further add to the excitement of festivities. This is a free event open to all.

Light Night throughout Oxford
Oxfordshire; 2nd December 2011
Celebrate the arrival of the Christmas season in Oxford as the city comes alive with a buzzing evening of extravagant illuminations, dance, art, live music and performance, all thrown together with a generous helping of festive cheer. During the evening of Friday 2nd December 2011, Oxford’s museums, Castle, Town Hall, theatres and galleries will throw open their doors to the public for one-off late night viewings of their exhibitions and displays, which will be enhanced by special performances. There will also be parades of people holding lanterns through the street to add a bit of extra sparkle, in addition to festive choirs singing carols, brass bands playing amidst the opening of Oxford Christmas Market and mesmerising street performances. This is a free event open to all.

Christmas Market at Oxford Castle
Oxfordshire; 2nd-18th December 2011
Roasted chestnuts and Glühwein will fill the air at Oxford’s star tourist attraction, Oxford Castle, as the ever-popular Christmas Market returns for another year. Over the course of 17 Christmassy days, the Norman medieval castle will be transformed into a winter wonderland with beautifully-decorated wooden stalls offering an array of Christmas gifts and seasonal treats. The market will feature local choirs and brass bands performing a varied selection of festive carols and spreading seasonal cheer, while a Victorian carousel and Father Christmas will provide additional entertainment. Admission is free and open to all.

Santa Specials on Isle of Wight Steam Railway
Isle of Wight; 3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th & 21st-24th December 2011
It’s “all aboard” as Santa lets off steam on a magical 50-minute journey on the award-winning Isle of Wight Steam Railway. The Santa Special service will run on selected dates from 3rd-24th December and will allow passengers to enjoy festive drinks, visit Santa’s grotto, or stock up on last-minute gifts at the Railway Museum at Havenstreet. The festive fun will continue after Christmas with the railway’s “Mince Pie Special” service on 26th and 27th December, where passengers can settle back in a warm and comfortable Victorian or Edwardian carriage and experience the Isle of Wight’s unspoiled winter landscape. Adult tickets cost £22.50* and include return Wightlink catamaran tickets from Portsmouth Harbour, a 10-mile steam train journey, and seasonal refreshments. *Adult prices increase to £23.50 between 18th-24th December 2011.

Denbies Late Night Shopping & Craft Fair
Surrey; 5th & 19th December 2011
This year, why not get into the festive spirit and do a spot of last-minute shopping at the UK’s largest winery? There will be free mulled wine, mince pies a-plenty, Christmas carolling with live music – not to mention a wonderful opportunity to stock up on an award-winning range of wine and local artisan crafts – at Denbies Vineyard. What’s more, on selected days leading up to Christmas, visitors can enjoy a ride through the gently falling snow on the indoor train to Santa’s Grotto. Set in 265 acres of Vines in Dorking, Denbies is an all-weather destination and the UK’s largest single estate vineyard. Admission is free.
www.denbiesvineyard.co.uk

A Victorian Christmas on board HMS Warrior 1860
Portsmouth; 16th December 2011
This December, step on board HMS Warrior 1860 and enter the world of a Christmassy Victorian sailor. From 7pm to midnight, visitors can enjoy a traditional Victorian Christmas celebration complete with carol singers, mulled wine and Christmas fare. The beautifully-restored ship will be festively dressed and each guest will receive mulled wine, dinner, entertainment and a lively disco to dance the night away and celebrate the approaching arrival of Santa. Tickets cost £65 per person and can be purchased individually or for tables of 10.

Southampton City Art Gallery Eco Christmas Workshop
Southampton; 17th December 2011
Budding artists and those with a creative leaning can learn how to make festive decorations from wire, beads and other recycled materials, as part of an Eco Christmas workshop at Southampton’s City Art Gallery. The day is designed to help visitors reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfill and discover ways in which we can better support our environment this Christmas. Among the exhibitions that participants in the Eco Christmas workshop will be able to see are recent works by Boo Ritson, who is known for her unique style, merging painting, sculpture, performance and photography. The one-off workshop is open to anyone aged 13 years or over and will take place between 11am and 1pm. This is a free event but pre-booking is essential.

Creative Christmas Crafts at St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery
Hampshire; 20th & 21st December 2011
Ever since Kirstie Allsopp hit our screens with her Homemade Home programme, artistic souls around the country have been putting their creative skills to the test by making things for the home or adding a personal touch to gifts for friends and relatives. Now the St Barbe Museum and Art Gallery in Lymington is running a Creative Christmas Crafts event for those who want to design and create their own Christmas cards, gifts and decorations for friends and family. The drop-in workshop, which will take place between 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm, is included in the price of admission to St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery. Tickets to the museum cost £4 for adults.

Burning the Clocks – Winter Solstice Parade
East Sussex; 21st December 2011
Celebrating the winter solstice’s longest night of the year, Brighton’s annual Burning the Clocks – Winter Solstice Parade sees thousands of people gather to make paper and willow lanterns to carry through the city and illuminate the darkness of winter. This spectacular event attracts over 20,000 spectators who flock to watch many of the paper lanterns being burnt on the beach as a token for the end of the year. Visitors can also join free lantern-making workshops held from late October onwards.

Cosy Christmas retreats for couples
Isle of Wight; from 24th December 2011
Couples visiting the Isle of Wight this Christmas can take advantage of half price ferry travel once they’ve booked their cosy Christmas escape. When booking their car crossings online with ferry operator, Red Funnel, customers will receive 50% off their ferry transfers. Discounted stays are available at various charming retreats, including The Bernay in Sandown. This four-star B&B makes for a wonderful get-away for couples with easy access to sloping sandy beaches for winter walks. Whether looking for a romantic festive holiday, or an idyllic base to chill-out away from life’s busy schedule, The Bernay is sure to add an extra special sparkle this winter. Prices start from £612 per room for a four-night escape.

Christmas at a Great Country Pub
Kent; 25th December 2011
Christmas is the one of time of year when hearty food, tip top hospitality, great company, and a bucket full of laughs are an absolute must. Visitors are guaranteed to find all of the above at one of the region’s great country pubs this winter. An ideal choice is The Grove Ferry, situated near Canterbury in Kent and dating back to 1831, which offers the finest local produce from a gorgeous riverside setting. The team that transformed The Wiremill into one of the finest pubs in the land have teamed up with the oldest brewer in the UK, Shepherd Neame, to return The Grove Ferry to the traditional coaching inn it once was. It’s the perfect location to enjoy a Christmas feast with all the trimmings before retiring, with a rounded Santa-esque belly, to one of the six beautifully-furnished en-suite rooms. An overnight stay starts from £64 per night for a double room.