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Allendale – a Northumbrian hidden gem

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Posted by admin on January 28, 2012 – 1:58 pm
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A pretty, stone-built village with an eclectic mix of shops and attractions, Allendale is the gateway to the picturesque Allen Valleys where you’ll find stunning scenery, wonderful views and rare wildlife including red squirrel and black grouse.  Nestled in the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, you could spend hours wandering its many walking tracks without meeting another human.  Sounds tranquil, doesn’t it!?  But don’t worry about being bored, what with the great restaurants, interesting crafts and amazingly large number of festivals.  Whether you like walking, beer and wine, flowers, or carrying flaming tar barrels on your head, they’ll definitely have a festival for you!

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Can hotel ghosts read “do not disturb” signs?

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Posted by trev on January 10, 2012 – 4:45 pm
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There are of course plenty of haunted hotels, but the discerning ghost requires a little more refinement such as these rather haunted hotels we’ve collected below.

Each hotel is from the Best Western group of independent and rather luxurious hotels, although we’ve still to test the idea of whether these particular presences will give you a peaceful nights’ sleep.

1) The Queen Hotel in Chester is one of Best Western’s Premier class of hotels, and as such attracts a certain refinement of ghost it seems.

The Giggling Girl is one of the most seen and experienced ghosts, but rather than floating through doors as is traditional, she rides through rooms on a tricycle. Certainly one of the happiest ghosts, she resides mostly on the 2nd floor which was previously a nursery and is often known to gently tug on guests hair.

2) The Vine Hotel in Skegness seems to have the ghost of a Customs and Excise officer who was found bricked up in one of the walls, presumably having come to a rather sticky end at the hands of smugglers who often frequented the building many moons ago.

Rooms 8 and 23 are the most likely to experience disturbances with various strange almost smoke-like apparitions having been photographed, and someone who insists on turning on the radio.

There have even been reports of ghosts attempting to remove jewellery during the night, although it is unclear if this is the smugglers or the tax inspector come to check that duty has been paid on them.

The hotel is created from the oldest building in Skegness however so it would seem appropriate that it might well have the most ghostly activity too.

3) The Lion Hotel in Worksop has one of the less happy ghosts, but it seems her grumpy nature comes from any changes being made to the building.

She has been spotted many times in the older area of the building, but mostly appears to builders who she seems to consider are rather ruining her lodgings. It is believed that Alice lived in the building around 1800 although she was far from lady of the manor, but more like a serving girl in the manor house.

She can have her advantages however such as a report that she folded one guests’ clothes for him! Perhaps she simply doesn’t like mess?

One of her rather quirky aspects is that she likes to be in control, such as the report about a manager of the hotel who couldn’t lock a door one night. When she asked another member of staff, they told her to ask Alice’s permission…which she duly did and the door locked.

4) The Walworth Castle Hotel near Darlington has to be one of the most elegant hotels to haunt in Britain with its castle structure and equally luxurious interiors.

Dating from the 12th Century the hotel naturally has its fair set of ghosts, but one which seems perfectly suited is the teenage lovers.

According to the story, the ghost was the daughter of the Lord of the castle who fell for a stable boy. Unfortunately such an affair was seen as completely unreasonable and despite their best efforts to meet in secret, they were eventually discovered.

The ghostly girl is now mostly seen in the oldest part of the castle walls
walking up the spiral staircase and around the hotels first floor. She sometimes also rattles objects and has even sat on the beds.

5) The Rose and Crown in Colchester takes us from the lovetorn teenagers to the wayward bride who is believed to have been the unfaithful bride of a local farmer.

Quite why she haunts the hotel is unclear, but she still wears her white lace wedding dress and pearl necklace, and is often seen around room 204.

For even more luxury hotels some of which are most definately haunted, see the Best Western Independent Hotels

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Cornwall Dolphins trying for a place in the Olympic team?

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Posted by trev on January 9, 2012 – 1:02 pm
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According to reports from Cornwall, it seems a dolphin off the coast of Cornwall might have been trying for a place in the British Olympic team albeit with limited chances as Zapcat powerboating isn’t currently part of the Olympic schedule.

The Zapcat powerboats are essentially inflateable dingies but with a powerful motor on the back (similar to those used by coastguards), but by all accounts the Dolphin which interupted proceedings for around half an hour, was doing significantly better at the sport than its human counterparts.

Perhaps out of sight, Dolphins have their own Olympics including with fairly familiar sports such as the 100 metres dash (underwater), hurdling over the waves and tag which isn’t admittedly an Olympic sport yet but give them time.

Eventually the Dolphin decided it’d shown them daft humans how to do things and moved on, allowing the races to continue. However, we’re still not sure if the Olympic rules actually prevent animal entrants.

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What do you do with 600,000 Lego bricks and a few days…?

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Posted by trev on January 9, 2012 – 11:48 am
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…build a giant Lego Christmas tree in St. Pancras Station naturally. At least that’s what a group called Bright Bricks did this year and created what has to be one of the most spectacular Christmas trees in the UK.

At 10 metres tall, this certainly out-does most Christmas trees you’ll find in the average home or even quite a lot of shopping centres, but it has the distinct advantage of never losing a needle….at least not unless someone forgot to squash the bricks together hard enough.

No special bricks or glues were used to make sure this giant creation stayed upright – simply a lot of time and an awful lot of sore fingers we suspect going by personal experience of those in UKSeries Blog HQ at least.

The tree was lit up and included over 1200 custom made lego decorations which makes this feat even more impressive!

For a few more pics and other creations by Bright Bricks see their Facebook page.

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Absolutely fabulous England

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Posted by admin on December 15, 2011 – 11:39 am
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This Christmas the award-winning Absolutely Fabulous returns to BBC with three special episodes to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The Ab Fab story picks up in the present day – Eddy and Patsy are back, 20 years on, a little older, none the wiser but definitely still Absolutely Fabulous.  And, in celebration of everything ‘sweetie-darling’, VisitEngland has picked some of the country’s most lavish fads and frolics.

Is Champers alright with you, Patsy?

Eddy and Patsy were often found at the bottom of a Champagne glass and in 2012 The Cadogan is set to take luxury to a whole new level, offering its guests the ultimate indulgence: a Champagne bath. From Valentine’s Day, guests can bathe in 120 bottles of Champagne, prepared by their very own bath butler, whilst sipping vintage Champagne and nibbling on chocolate-coated strawberries in this prestigious Knightsbridge hotel. Divine. From £4,000 per bath.

Its ‘green’ darling!

Eddy is into every new fad imaginable and right now being ‘green’ is bang on trend. For the perfect combination of nature and nurture, look no further that the Ekopods campground near Bodmin Moor – an eco-friendly glamping heaven. Arriving, you might just think you’ve stumbled across an alien settlement. But take a peek inside the futuristic, dome-shaped tents and you’ll find reassuringly cosy touches like candle-lit lanterns, free-standing baths and (wait for it) an enormous king-sized bed. Set in three acres of wildflower meadow, Ekopod is the brainchild of former city-dweller, Simon Cathcart, and swaps soggy feet and pongy portaloos for low-carbon luxury. From £95 per night.

If you HAVE to eat, make sure its low-cal

Whether there’s a thin person inside you dying to get out or, like Patsy, you haven’t eaten since 1974 (apart from that rouge crisp) then perhaps Liverpool’s Sapporo Teppanyaki could tempt you. This restaurant offers everything from slimline sushi to sumptuous sashimi. However, Sapporo Teppanyaki is more than a great place to eat. Savour a Japanese cocktail or sample Eager Ninja, 18 year-aged Yamazaki whisky, and Saké. From cosmopolitans to Cristal Champagne, you can toast to the big night out ahead in style. Chin Chin. Dishes from £5 per person.

It’s La Croix sweetie, La Croix

If your idea of a perfect day out is a little mosey down Bond Street, a sniff around Gucci, a sampler of Ralph Lauren, a skip through Browns and then on to Quags for a light (liquid) lunch, then Katherine Elizabeth is right up your street. Katherine Elizabeth is well-renowned for hosting Mad Hatter’s Couture parties and now you can immerse yourself in the sumptuous world of millinery couture, insider hat etiquette, up-to-the minute fashion and seasonal trends with a chance to create your own couture. Have fun, share Katherine Elizabeth’s secrets and create your very own bespoke masterpiece to wear time and time again. No prior design experience is required. Hat-making experiences from £55 per person.

Just because it’s plain old fabulous

An invitation to stay at Cliveden, Berkshire was seldom refused in Lady Astor’s day and is the perfect place to have your very own Ab Fab moment – not least because the bedrooms are so luxuriously appointed and the staff so attentive. Each room is named after a prominent guest or figure from Cliveden’s past, and furnished accordingly. Whilst staying at Cliveden all residents can enjoy being pampered at The Pavilion Spa and the exploring National Trust grounds. There is even a chauffeur driven fleet, including Rolls-Royce, Porsche and Bentley, at your disposal both before and during your stay. 2-night stays from £695.

And one for all the Saffys out there…

If the thought of a wild night on the tiles leaves you cold, how about a spot of culture? From January 2012 the Royal Academy of Arts will showcase the first major exhibition of new landscape works by David Hockney RA. Featuring vivid paintings inspired by the East Yorkshire landscape, ‘David Hockney: A Bigger Picture’ will span a 50 year period to demonstrate Hockney’s long exploration and fascination with the depiction of landscape. The exhibition will include a display of his iPad drawings and a series of new films produced using 18 cameras, which will be displayed on multiple screens and which will provide a spellbinding visual journey through the eyes of David Hockney. Visit the exhibition, and then hot foot it to East Yorkshire to see the beautiful landscapes that inspired the artist. 21st January – 9th April 2012; adult ticket: £14 per person.

Out of luck with Leonardo? Don’t despair… there’s more to the National Gallery

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Posted by admin on December 3, 2011 – 4:09 pm
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You may recall that last month we mentioned an incredible Leonardo da Vinci exhibition being staged at the National Gallery in London on the 9th November bringing together many works never seen together before.  Tickets are proving to be difficult to come by but, even if you can’t get your hands on some, don’t forget you can explore more than 2,000 Western European paintings at the Gallery – and admission to see them is free.

Discover inspiring art by some of the world’s greatest ever painters, including van Eyck, Titian, Holbein, Velázquez, Rembrandt, Turner, Monet and Van Gogh.

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Wild bird migration spectacle across the UK

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Posted by admin on November 6, 2011 – 8:33 am
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Millions of migratory swans, geese and ducks are arriving in Britain after long and arduous flights from colder regions and can be seen at some of the UK’s nine Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust centres. They will overwinter at UK wetlands which provide food and safety until temperatures rise sufficiently for the birds to return to breeding sites. Their stay at WWT sites creates some of the most memorable natural spectacles anywhere in the UK – get yourself along to one to experience a truly magical sight.

The UK is one of the most important places for migratory waterbirds with its long coast line and protected reserves. WWT centres are central to ensuring these birds’ survival. Last year, WWT Martin Mere in Lancashire had the best autumn migration in 15 years, with more than 1,300 whooper swans and 30,000 pink-footed geese.

More than 9,000 whooper and Bewick’s swans overwintered at WWT Welney in Norfolk while WWT Caerlaverock on the Solway Firth is expecting more than 35,000 barnacle geese

WWT’s Castle Espie reserve overlooking Strangford Lough in Northern Ireland hosts most of the world’s light-bellied brent geese while around 35,000 migrating wildfowl are likely to overwinter at WWT’s flagship reserve at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire.

Log on to WWT’s Migration Watch this Autumn and watch this season’s skies come alive.

Consider the UK for that next holiday…

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Posted by Doug Scott on November 2, 2011 – 1:12 pm
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When thinking of holidays we often dream about sun-kissed beaches on tropical islands but it is possible to have a fantastic, if different, kind of holiday in the UK. Often when you live in a country you disparage everything about it. The countryside is not quite as spectacular, the sea not as blue, the food not as wonderful and well let us not start on the weather. However, in reality the UK has great coastline, vibrant cities, a fascinating history, some amazingly varied countryside and the food is definitely improving!

Variety is really the key to the UK’s attractions. Scotland has its remote beautiful highlands and fantastic cities of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Both cities offer world class hotels and restaurants. Quality and luxury are not just for the cities as there are plenty of resorts out in the wilds of Scotland, many offering golfing holidays on some of the world’s most famous courses.

Northern Ireland’s stunning countryside is also the major draw of that part of the country. Again, the major cities provide top end accommodation for the visitor all within easy reach of local airports.

Wales too has its scenery. Snowdonia is breathtaking as is the coastline. Whichever part of Wales you aim for you can enjoy great hotels, not only in cities but also in rural areas. Swansea and Cardiff are the major urban centres and offer everything you would expect from major cities.

No visit to the UK would be complete without a stay in London. The major problem with London is there is so much to do and see that it is almost impossible to put its attractions into a few words. London has some of the world`s most famous hotels offering incomparable service to those who can afford it. In addition, restaurants and nightlife abound.

Outside of London, England has so much to offer. The north not only has some of Britain’s liveliest cities but also some breathtaking areas of outstanding natural beauty. There are great cities to see from the nightlife mecca of Newcastle to the historic beauty of York down to the lively cities of Leeds and Sheffield. Crossing the Pennines brings you to Manchester and Liverpool which are both well worth visiting for their history and culture. All these cities have top class amenities for the well-heeled visitor, both are within easy reach of the Lake District and the Peak District too.

The south west has the stunning counties of Cornwall and Devon as well as the cities of Bath and Bristol. The southern counties of the UK have rolling countryside and famous towns such as Bournemouth and Brighton. From London, you can head further east to Kent or into Norfolk and Suffolk to encounter a completely different landscape.

The Midlands is perhaps the best place to start any tour of the UK, thanks to its proximity to the rest of the country`s attractions as well as its own. The city of Birmingham is close to Stratford, Oxford, Cheltenham and Worcester and convenient for every part of the country. Hiring a car can be one of the best ways of getting around and it is easy and convenient to arrange.

Doug Scott is Owner of 121carhire.com.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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UK travel links of the week

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Posted by admin on October 23, 2011 – 9:26 am
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Every weekend we bring you a semi-random selection of UK travel links to encourage our visitors to get to know some places in the UK that they might not otherwise be familiar with. Click on each link below to discover more. Or, if you’re a UK travel-related business and would like to be listed in a future UK travel links of the week blog post, then please get in touch.

A holiday home in the Highlands, sleeping 18 people: Assynt House
See the magic of the undersea world at Blue Reef Aquarium, Portsmouth
Did you know that Blackpool is home to the world’s largest mirrorball?!
Discover the award-winning showcaves at The National Showcaves Centre for Wales

Jersey Walking Week

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Posted by admin on August 25, 2011 – 9:31 am
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Jersey Walking Week (10th-17th September 2011) is an annual event in the Channel Islands calendar encouraging visitors to explore the other side of the island that is not accessible by car… and best of all, it’s FREE!

It’s a chance to explore the island and see the sites that would normally pass you by. From a food trail feast to a stroll along the countryside or along the cliff paths, there is something to suit everyone – and the best part, all walks are led by the island’s most experienced tour guides and are all free of charge.

Here’s some of the top walks you won’t want to miss:

Saturday 10th – “Memory Lanes”
Sunday 11th – “Lazy Sunday Views”
Monday 12th – “Nearer to France – Closer to home”
Tuesday 13th – “Simple Pleasures”
Wednesday 14th – “Coasts of Contrast”
Thursday 15th – “Cows, Cockles and Cabbages”
Friday 16th – “Valleys, Vines and Views”
Saturday 17th – “Almost downhill all the way”

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