tlm Winter 2010/11
£3.50
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
the travel & leisure magazine
BALI HIGH
Paradise island bounces back ARABIAN SPLENDOUR The dazzling Gulf States
CULTURAL ROUTE CANALS Adrift in Venice
LONE RANGERS
Holidays for singletons
PUSHING THE BOAT OUT Luxury cruises
DINO-SIGHTS
Exploring the Jurassic Coast
Winter 2010/11
PLUS Maritime Britain, Rooms with a View, London's villages and regular features
win
, rt break o h s n n i a Tall Manor stay, a Celtic hotel and airport more & g n i k r pa www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
tlm the travel and leisure magazine
■ Saluting on HMS Victory, Portsmouth
4 6 15 21 27 28 36 41 42 47
contents
VisitBritain
from the
in the frame Leica competition winner getting to know the Gulf states escape to Venice let’s try solo holidays competition WIN – a £1,250 Tallin short break with Swissotel uk uncovered Britain’s maritime heritage off the beaten track Indonesia’s paradise island, Bali subscribe to tlm and WIN – one of 55 Michelin London guides a touch of class luxury cruising in your flightbag what to take on the flight WIN – a complete set of Insight Select guides, worth £49.95
48 in your suitcase what to pack for your holiday
WIN – one of four wristlet BAM Bags, worth £34.99 each
50 travel tech gizmos and gadgets to take away
WIN – one of two copies of the Insight Guide to Travel Photography worth £14.99 each in our fun winter photography competition
53 on your doorstep the Jurassic Coast 59 competitions
WIN – a £500 break at Ryder Cup host resort Celtic Manor WIN – an overnight hotel stay and 15 days’ airport parking with Holiday Extras, worth £250
61 pack your clubs England’s Golf Coast + golf news 67 travel update travel news WIN – 20 pairs of tickets to Adventure Travel Live, worth £8 each
70 10 of the best hotel rooms with a view 74 checking out focus on new hotels + reviews 78 london life London’s villages + London news READER OFFER – get 33% off City Cruises’ new London Showboat dinner cruise
82 out & about what’s on outside London 90 coming next what’s in store in the next issue reader survey WIN – a £180 Flip MinoHD video camera EDITORIAL TEAM: Editor Peter Ellegard Editorial assistant Julie Thompson Writers Peter Ellegard, Julie Thompson, Sara Macefield, Debbie Ward, Jonathan Hart, John Law and Colin Callander Design Nick Blaxill Production June Barnard Publisher Terry Stafford Digital Publisher Peter Lewsey Published quarterly by TLM Media Limited Castle Court, 41 London Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 9RJ Tel: 01737 735575 Fax: 01737 735001 Email: info@tlm-magazine.co.uk Printed by BGP © TLM Media Limited The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Whilst every care is taken, all material submitted to TLM Media Limited is done so at its owner’s risk and neither TLM Media Limited nor its agents can accept any liability for loss or damage. TLM Media Limited is a completely independent company and can hold no responsibility for the actions of outside agents. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without prior written consent. All private advertisers are totally responsible for their own wording within their advertisement, and TLM Media Limited can therefore take no responsibility as to their content. Please seek legal advice and thereafter verify all the details of your purchase in writing before proceeding. Front cover photo: Bali dancer, Laguna Resort & Spa – © Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Winter 2010/11
editor Peter Ellegard
W
ith freezing weather bringing the country to a grinding halt and VAT and air passenger duty up, it seems this is the winter of our discontent. If those January blues are getting you down, flick through our latest issue – and hopefully we can bring a little ray of sunshine into your lives. You’ll find we have crammed even more into the new, quarterly tlm. There are still all your favourite sections, plus we have added new ones including 10 of the Best and UK Uncovered, which explores Britain’s maritime heritage. We have also expanded our travel tech and hotels sections, and there are even more prizes and special offers, including the chance to win a MinoHD video camera in our reader survey. After an amazing response to our summer photography competition with Leica (see page 4), we have a fun winter one with Insight Guides. Need a winter warmer? Our features on tropical paradise island Bali, the exotic Middle Eastern Gulf states and our new spotlight on upmarket holidays, looking at luxury cruising, should give you a nice glow inside. On the home front, we delve into the appeal of the Jurassic Coast in Dorset and Devon, discover the delights of England’s Golf Coast in the North West, and join the village people in London Life. Happy New Year, and happy reading.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
3
in the frame ■ leica competition results
■ Anthea Holloway’s winning photo of Deer Lakes, Colorado
Leica winner Anthea snaps up our summer holiday photo star prize
T
he results are in – and we can finally reveal the winner of our summer-long photo competition in association with legendary camera maker Leica. After narrowing down the hundreds of entries to 12 finalists, we put it out to public vote. You responded in your droves, and the result was a clear win for Anthea Holloway from Dorset. Her picture of Deer Lakes Campground, taken on holiday with her husband in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains in September, earned her a fabulous Leica
Other top readers’ picks v 4 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
V-Lux 20 camera and leather case, worth £565. However, the judges also decided to make a special award for the picture which they felt best captured the summer holiday spirit of the competition. That went to Steve Mayor, from Bolton, for his engaging picture of his son splashing in the sea off Cadiz, Spain. He wins an iRiver S100 MP4 player worth £129.99. Congratulations to our winners and many thanks to all who took part and voted. You can see the winners and all the finalists on the tlm website, www.tlm-magazine.co.uk.
■ Devon Tour Guide by Rachel Jennings
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
■ A Local’s Recommendation by Rebecca Watson
■ Steve Mayor’s photo of his son won the judges’ award
■ Bounding through the Barley by Rose Pearson
Winter 2010/11
getting to know ■ gulf states
Arabian heights With the rise of the Gulf states as tourist destinations, Peter Ellegard finds life is very much in the fast lane as he reports on these modern Middle East oases
I
am standing on the observation deck of the world’s tallest building, 124 floors up Dubai’s futuristic Burj Khalifa tower, surveying the incredible panoramic vista from my eyrie. All around, citadels of glass and steel rise up from the parched land in huddled pockets, many of them topped by cranes, while others stretch far out into the waters of the Persian Gulf on man-made islands. It is incredible to think that, barely three decades ago,
6 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
most of what I am surveying was little more than desert. A fact vividly brought home by special viewing binoculars on the observation deck which, at the press of a touch screen, show you the same view as it was 30 years ago from photographs taken at the time. Now, a spider web of highways threading between these needles of commerce and high-rise living and even spanning waterways; then, bare scrubland crisscrossed by dusty paths and the odd road.
Winter 2010/11
getting to know ■ gulf states
The relentless growth in Dubai and neighbouring United Arab Emirates state Abu Dhabi over recent years has astonished the world, and continues to do so. The mind-boggling scale of it was emphasised even more by where I stayed during my recent visit. On my previous trip to the emirate about 10 years ago my base was a luxury hotel on the beach, fronted by nothing but sea. Today, that view has been replaced by an artificial archipelago of gargantuan proportions built on reclaimed land in the shape of a huge palm tree, with fronds of land fanning out from a central trunk – The Palm Islands. And my home for five nights was the fantasy Atlantis mega resort at the end. I was unsure of what I would find on my recent trip. Whereas Abu Dhabi’s
Winter 2010/11
wealth is built on vast oil deposits, Dubai’s success was founded on becoming the trading and commercial hub of the Middle East. When the global economic crisis hit in 2007, Dubai’s economy was seemingly heading for the buffers, with reports of ex-pat workers losing their jobs and abandoning their cars at the airport to return home, while several major developments were put on ice. From what I could see, things are very much getting back on track, with construction sites a hive of activity and many major projects due to open in the next year or two. The mighty Burj Khalifa – which opened to great fanfare last January – is testament to the emirate’s rediscovered confidence. Dubai is far more than a business city state, however. It has turned itself into an exotic holiday destination with the construction of luxury resort hotels, golf courses, shopping malls, top-class restaurants and leisure facilities, from theme and water parks to the world’s largest indoor ski park. All of which has helped bring the whole Gulf region
■ Dubai at night Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
7
getting to know ■ gulf states
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
■ A game drive on Sir Bani Yas Island
■ Arabian Oryx
indigenous to the region. It currently has one luxury resort, the Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara. Now a further two are to open later this year. New zero-emission electric buses are to be introduced on the
“Dubai…has turned itself into an exotic holiday destination” ■ A falcon – the region’s symbol
Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
Nature and tourism are becoming increasingly entwined in the Gulf. Abu Dhabi is developing a new nature-based tourism retreat in its Western Region. Sir Bani Yas Island, part of a cluster of eight desert islands in the region, where exclusive retreats and wildlife are being combined. The island is home to 10,000 animals in the Arabian Wildlife Park, originally set up as a wildlife reserve in 1971 and dedicated to breeding and rehabilitating animals
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
nature in the gulf
island this year. In Dubai, 4x4 desert safaris are operated in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, which has a population of Arabian Oryx that can often be seen by guests.
into tour operators’ brochures and encourage people to consider taking their holidays there. Indeed, a predicted 15 million international visitors will visit Dubai by 2015. Interest in the region as a whole is likely to increase, too, following the success of tiny state Qatar in winning football’s World Cup in 2022, while other Gulf destinations are also now wooing tourists. And while Dubai took the initiative, Abu Dhabi has taken up the baton with gusto. It embarked on an ambitious plan to harness tourism, targeting 2.3 million hotel guests by 2012, and has been developing world-class leisure and entertainment facilities. They include the recently-opened Ferrari World theme park, the world’s largest theme park which is located on Yas Island alongside the Formula 1 race track and sinuous curves of The Yas Hotel. Here’s a look at what the two neighbouring emirates have to offer visitors and how some of the smaller states also shape up.
■ Dhow under sail
8 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
dubai The Burj Khalifa is set to become the new symbol of Dubai and forms the centrepiece of the new Downtown Dubai district. Towering an incredible 2,717ft, beating the record for highest building in the world by 1,000ft, it is over 200 storeys tall, 160 of them habitable. The observation deck, At the Top, is the world’s highest and is reached by the world’s fastest lifts, which take just 60 seconds to reach it. The tower includes the 160-room Armani Hotel Dubai and there are also over 1,000 residences. Dubai is known as the shopping capital of the Middle East for its many malls and gold souks. Downtown Dubai is where you will find Dubai Mall, a sprawling shopping and entertainment centre which incorporates over 1,200 shops, one of the world’s largest aquariums in Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, the
Winter 2010/11
getting to know ■ gulf states
■ Dubai’s Al Fahidi Fort at sunset Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
Yas Island
■ The Yas Hotel
Olympic-sized Dubai Ice Rink, the world’s largest indoor gold souk, an indoor-outdoor streetscape – the Grove – under Dubai’s only retractable roof and the dancing sprays of the Dubai Fountain, choreographed to sound and light. Undoubtedly Dubai’s most iconic building is the Burj Al Arab, built on an artificial island to resemble the sail of a dhow. Billed as the world’s only seven-star hotel, it is the world’s tallest hotel and is close to sister property Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which resembles a giant wave. The Wild Wadi water park, set in 12 acres between the two hotels, has some of the highest and fastest water slides outside the US.
indoor skiing
■ Skiing in Dubai Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing
When the weather starts warming up, the coolest place to head to in Dubai is Ski Dubai – the first indoor ski centre in the Middle, featuring chairlifts and offering five runs including the world’s first indoor black run as well as gentle beginner slopes. Atlantis, The Palm is the flagship hotel of The Palm Island and is a destination in itself, with the largest water park in the Middle East, Aquaventure. It features a Mesopotamiam-styled Ziggurat temple with seven water slides, two of which send riders through shark-filled lagoons. The resort has over 1,500 rooms in its Royal Towers and also offers 17 restaurants, bars and lounges, as well as the Lost Chambers maze of tunnels through the fabled ruins of Atlantis and an interactive dolphin experience at Dolphin Bay. Although high-rise towers crowd the skyline, you can still get a feel for Dubai’s heritage by taking a guided walk of its old quarter, visiting the textile market and Old Souk area followed by a water taxi across the Creek to the Deira side for the spice and gold souks. You can also explore Dubai’s history at the Dubai Museum, housed in the 200-year-old Al Fahidi Fort. And for adventure, you can escape the city to go on a desert safari, cresting sand dunes and ridges in a 4x4 vehicle in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve to watch the sun setting over the desertscape followed by dinner under the stars in a desert camp, with optional camel rides, henna tattoos
10 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
and entertainment from a belly dancer. Dubai is also a great place to take spa breaks, as a number of hotels in the city have extensive spa facilities. While for golfers, there are now several excellent courses (see panel overleaf).
abu dhabi The largest of the UAE-member emirates, Abu Dhabi covers 80% of its area. Having watched neighbouring Dubai take the lead in tourism development, it is now playing catch up – and how. Two islands close to the city centre are being turned into world-class leisure and cultural destinations. Yas Island, just 10 minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport, is home to the Yas Marina Circuit, where the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the setting for the season-ending climax of the F1 Championship just a year after hosting its inaugural grand prix. The ultramodern Yas Hotel straddles the track, allowing guests to experience racing cars hurtling under a bridge and between the two sections of the hotel, the lights on its flowing exterior changing hue to dramatic effect at night. But if it’s speed you want, the new Ferrari World theme park just across the track will have your hairs standing on end. Opened in October, it is the largest indoor theme park in the world and sports a huge Ferrari logo on its roof. There are over 20 Ferrari-inspired rides and attractions in the theme park, the Formula Rossa ride being the world’s fastest roller coaster and producing the same G forces as those exerted by an F1 car braking at maximum speed. The Yas Links golf course, close by, is one of two new facilities by top-name designers to have opened in the last year in Abu Dhabi and is the work of Kyle Philips. The other recent addition is Saadiyat Beach Golf Club by South African legend Gary Player.
cultural district One of the most striking features of the club will be the new clubhouse, which has been designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry – the man behind the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao among other landmark buildings. It will mirror the style of the Guggenheim
Winter 2010/11
getting to know ■ gulf states
other states
There are seven UAE states in all plus other nations which border the Persian Gulf. This is what some offer:
bahrain Rich in culture and history, the Kingdom of Bahrain is a unique tourism destination within the Persian Gulf. The island is home to some of the region’s most recognised tourist attractions including the Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park, the Al Areen Wildlife Park and the
Winter 2010/11
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
■ Dhows racing off Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Abu Dhabi Museum being built on Saadiyat as part of a multi-billion dollar cultural district and will also include a boutique hotel. No date has yet been set for its opening. Besides the Guggenheim Museum, the Saadiyat Cultural District will encompass the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Norman Foster-designed Zayed National Museum as well as a performing arts centre. All are due for completion during 2013 or 2014. The whole Saadiyat Island project is projected to be completed in stages up to 2020 and will include nine hotels, five of which have been announced and will be finished between this year and 2013. Among key sights in Abu Dhabi are the imposing Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which boasts 82 domes and gold-plated chandeliers, and the Abu Dhabi Falcon hospital, which is a popular family attraction. A visit to the opulent Emirates Palace Hotel – the world’s most expensive hotel – is also a must, if you are not lucky enough to be staying there. There is gold leaf everywhere, and you can even have it sprinkled on your chocolate cake. Beyond the city lies the oasis city of Al Ain. Here you can hear birds singing, water trickling and palm leaves rustling in the verdant Al Ain oasis. At the historic and picturesque Al Jahili Fort and Park, a permanent exhibition highlights the work of British adventurer Sir Wilfred Thesiger, who was affectionately named Mubarak Bin London by the locals. You should also visit Al Ain Central Market, which combines a camel market and livestock souk. It is the last of its kind left in the UAE and provides great photo opportunities.
■ Camels in the desert
■ Sheikh Zayed Mosque
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
■ Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi
Bahrain International Circuit which plays annual host to the Gulf Air Formula 1 race. There is something to appeal to every visitor to the island. For the adventurous or sporty type, there is karting or off-roading at the BIC or water-based sports such as swimming, sailing, fishing, diving and parasailing. Those looking for a quieter pace of life can enjoy a dolphin-watching trip from the Bahrain Yacht Club, a visit to one of the country’s excellent spas or a shopping
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
11
getting to know ■ gulf states
gulf states facts
■ Arad Fort, Bahrain
qatar Tiny, independent state Qatar shocked the football world when it won its bid to host the 2022 World Cup, against the odds. That will help catapult it into the world’s consciousness. But for those going to the matches and visiting before then, what is there to do? It may be just 100 miles by 50 miles, but it has plenty for visitors to see and do. Sights range from geological marvels such as the Inland Sea and Singing Dunes to historic forts, Doha Zoo and the city’s Museum of Islamic Art. It is also noted for its souks Action and adventure options include sand boarding and sand skiing, plus desert safaris and diving.
Airlines flying direct from London to Dubai include Emirates (www.emirates.com), Virgin Atlantic (www.virgin-atlantic.com) and British Airways (www.ba.com). Etihad (www.eithadairways.com) flies to United Arab ■ Cycling tours Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, 90 miles away, as does British Airways. Qatar Airways (www.qatarairways.com) flies from London to Doha.
getting around Local taxis are the best way to get around in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other Gulf states. They charge by the km.
accommodation Dubai: Atlantis, The Palm (www.atlantisthepalm.com), The Address (www.theaddress.com), Burj Al Arab (www.burjalarab.com) Abu Dhabi: Emirates Palace (www.emiratespalace.com), Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri (www.shangri-la.com), The Yas Hotel (www.theyashotel.com) and the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr (www.fairmont.com)
attractions Dubai: Ski Dubai (www.skidxb.com), Burj Khalifa (www.burjkhalifa.com), Wild Wadi (www.wildwadi.com) Abu Dhabi: Ferrari World (www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com)
tour operators
sharjah Nature and adventure are the main appeals for visitors to UAE member state Sharjah. You can get close to the local flora and fauna on a kayaking trip through the Khor Kalba mangroves, or see the endangered Arabian leopard at the Arabian Wildlife Centre. Head to the outdoor playground of its sand dunes for off-road adventures and camel trekking, or delve into its natural history, heritage and archaeology at several museums.
golf states Dubai has established itself as one of golf’s most high-profile destinations in recent years. It now hosts the European Tour seasonending Dubai World Championship, on the new Greg Norman-designed Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, as the climax of the Race to Dubai, the renamed European Order of Merit. Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course – the
12 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
getting there
■ Dubai Creek Clubouse
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
trip to the gold souk. There is also a range of world-ranked heritage sites that are well worth a visit and several interesting museums, such as the Museum of Pearl Diving, which tells the story of Bahrain and its traditions and is housed in one of its oldest buildings. The National Museum of Bahrain houses artefacts covering 6,000 years of Bahrain’s history. A notable historic landmark is the 16th century Arad Fort, which has undergone extensive renovation and is lit up at night.
September to May is the most comfortable time to go, with pleasantly warm winter days. January temperatures average 24ºC. After that, it gets very hot, with summer temperatures reaching as high as 50ºC.
Burj Khalifa
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
when to go
■ Burj Khalifa
Companies featuring Dubai and Abu Dhabi holidays include Virgin Holidays (www.virginholidays.co.uk), Premier Holidays (www.premierholidays.co.uk) and Cox & Kings (www.coxandkings.co.uk)
tourist information Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing: www.dubaitourism.ae Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority: www.visitabudhabi.com
course that first began the Gulf golf boom in 1988 – hosts the Dubai Desert Classic in February. Besides the other original, Dubai Creek & Yacht Club, with its iconic, sailshaped clubhouse, there is now quite a sprinkling of courses in Dubai including ones by Ernie Els and Colin Montgomerie. Abu Dhabi now has three courses, with the opening of the Saadiyat Beach Club and Yas Links course augmenting the existing Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
Winter 2010/11
14 tlm â– the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
escape to ■ venice
sighs
City of sights and
With its network of canals lacing the city between architectural gems, Venice is a city like no other. John Law gives a guided tour
T
Inghams
here are few more appealing sights to wake up to than the vision of the serene San Giorgio Maggiore basking in early-morning sunshine across the Venice lagoon. From our base at the stylish waterfront Hotel Londra Palace, we were bang opposite this stunning Palladian church set on a little island at the mouth of the Grand ■ Bridge of Sighs
Winter 2010/11
Canal. Opening the curtains in our room, my wife and I decided to make it our first port of call. One of the joys of this intriguing city is that you’re never far from the main attractions – and a little exploration can reveal many other treasures. The view from the top of San Giorgio’s is among them. It’s a great way to get your bearings, so we
■ Gondolas on the Venice lagoon
Fototeca ENIT/Vito Arcomano
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
15
escape to ■ venice
Inghams
■ St Mark's Square and the ornate Basilica San Marco
■ Rialto Bridge
10 things to do in venice
Inghams
● Visit St Mark’s Square, the Basilica and Doge’s Palace for stunning architecture and history. ● Go up St Mark’s and San Giorgio’s bell towers for fantastic views. ● Take a vaporetto along the Grand Canal for more amazing sights. ● Explore the Rialto fruit and fish market for a true Venetian shopping experience. ● Visit the islands of Murano and Burano and watch glass-blowing. ● Discover the peaceful district of Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto. ● See an opera or concert at La Fenice Opera House. ● Take an evening ghost walk through tucked-away backstreets. ● Renaissance art is everywhere, but visit the Guggenheim Museum for its eclectic modern collection. ● If you can afford it, take a gondola ride.
■ Venice has changed little over time
caught a vaporetto waterbus across to the church and took the lift up the bell tower. And what a vista awaited us! Our 360-degree panorama gave us St Mark’s Square, the Basilica and Doge’s Palace in all their glory and a fine view of the canals and countless islands. Nowhere in the world is quite like Venice. Its magnificent buildings were built on timber piles driven into a swampy lagoon and the network of tiny streets and winding canals has changed little over the centuries. From the Middle Ages the city was at the heart of a great naval and trading empire and the nobility and well-heeled merchants built the grand houses, or palazzi, we see today. Some date back to the Byzantine period of the 12th and 13th centuries, with Gothic, Renaissance and ornate Baroque styles arriving later. For the best view of these historic gems, we hopped on a No. 1 vaporetto to meander along the length of the Grand Canal. This is the main thoroughfare, buzzing with vaporetti, barges and gondolas.
Fototeca ENITGino Cianci
gothic masterpiece
■ Lido di Jesolo – Venice’s own beach
16 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Stepping off at St Mark’s, we visited Venice’s two mustsee sights. The Doge’s Palace is a Gothic masterpiece with sumptuous decorations and lavish artworks by Tintoretto and other Italian masters. The awe-inspiring Basilica San Marco (St Mark’s Basilica) dates back to the 11th century, its interior an extravaganza of mosaics, marble and gold. We went up
Winter 2010/11
families Venice may not be a natural first choice destination for
Winter 2010/11
■ A Venice canal
families, but there are attractions for youngsters apart from the beach. Most kids find it exciting to travel everywhere on water, and feeding the pigeons in St Mark’s Square is great for a family photo. There are play areas with swings and slides in a couple of parks, such as the waterfront Giardini in the Castello area. If your older children find Renaissance art heavy going, they might find the surrealist Magritte paintings and other modern works more fun at the Guggenheim Gallery near the Accademia Bridge. Outside there is a sculpture garden and a patio on the Grand Canal suitable for families. If you’re shopping, look out for unique items of hand-blown Venetian glass vases, tableware and
“Nowhere in the world is quite like Venice”
Fototeca ENIT/Vito Arcomano
the church’s adjacent bell tower for another fabulous view across St Mark’s Square below and city rooftops. Bagging a table outside Caffe Florian in the piazza, we had a cappuccino and slice of cake and listened to the orchestra. It cost a robust 20 euros but was worth it. The local tourist board used to advise visitors to “get lost in Venice”. We did just that, wandering around the maze of narrow streets and over canal bridges, stopping off for the odd ice cream or refreshing beer at tiny bars favoured by the locals. It was always a pleasure to discover you had not the faintest idea where you were. We explored the quiet waterways and shopping streets of Cannaregio, in the northwest of the city, and Castello, one of the oldest parts. At every turn we encountered a Baroque church, faded palazzo, delightful square or bar serving drinks and food at a fraction of the city-centre’s high prices. When you’ve had your fill of the history, head for the beach. It’s easy to forget the city has its own stretch of sand, but a quick dip at Venice Lido is a great reviver after a day’s footslog. Only 10 minutes by boat from St Mark’s, the beach isn’t the greatest but it’s a good place to relax. Afterwards, admire the grand Hotel des Bains and other Liberty-style buildings dating from when the Lido was a fashionable watering hole of European royalty.
Fototeca ENIT/Vito Arcomano
Inghams
escape to ■ venice
■ Carnival masks
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
17
escape to ■ venice
ornamental pieces from Murano and delicate lace from Burano. Silver and glass jewellery can be good value, while carnival masks are novel. Fashionistas should head for the streets winding between Campo San Fantini and Piazza San Marco where they’ll find Gucci, Prada, Valentino and the rest. Beware, though, of street traders selling designer knock-offs. You could be hit with a huge fine for buying counterfeit goods. Few young people can afford to live in Venice, so don’t expect a riotous nightlife. Evening entertainment revolves solely around the restaurants and bars. You can eat very well here, though the cost can be frightening if you’re not careful.
venice facts when to go
Fototeca ENIT/Vito Arcomano
getting there Several airlines fly from London. Check out www.skyscanner.net for the best deals. Tour operators featuring Venice include Italy specialist Citalia (www.citalia.com), Kirker (www.kirkerholidays.com), Cresta (www.crestaholidays.co.uk) and self-catering specialist Interhome (www.interhome.co.uk).
view
accommodation Fototeca ENITGino Cianci
■ Water bus
For a stylish canalside base, try the four-star Canal Grande hotel (www.canalgrandehotel.it) or, for a Lagoon view, the Londra Palace (www.londrapalace.com). Hotel booking agency HotelConnect (www.hotelconnect.co.uk) has over 70 Venice hotels and Dormivenice (www.dormivenice.com) has hotel deals.
getting around The best way of exploring is on foot, or by inexpensive vaporetti waterbuses. The no. 1 service runs the whole length of the Grand Canal. Water taxis are fast but pricey, gondolas slow but pricey (though romantic). ■ Burano Island
tourist information Venice Tourism: www.turismovenezia.it Italian State Tourism Board (ENIT): www.italiantouristboard.co.uk; 020 7408 1254
Fototeca ENITGino Cianci
Frequented by Hemingway and countless celebs since, the legendary Harry’s Bar is famous for its Bellini cocktails – and eye-watering prices. For a touch of glamour and some of the best food in Venice try the Villa Cipriani Hotel restaurant, or the Danieli Hotel terrace where you can enjoy a great view of the lagoon. More easily affordable are places serving traditional Italian cuisine, such as the San Trovaso Taverna in Dorsoduro, near the Accademia Bridge, and the Serenissima, near Ca D’Oro. The modern Cavatappi wine bar in San Marco is ideal for an inexpensive simple pasta or risotto lunch. Alla Madonna is a favourite for its fresh fish at reasonable prices. Owned by the same family since 1954, this time-warp trattoria near the Rialto Bridge was heaving when we visited. Service was fast and friendly as we tucked into wonderful squid-ink pasta and fish platters washed down with a delicious local Veneto white wine. A ride on one of those famous gondolas after dinner would have been the romantic thing to do. But being a tight-wad unwilling to part with 80 euros or more for a 40-minute ride, I resisted the temptation. But if you succumb, negotiate a price in advance with the gondolier – and be prepared to pay extra if he bursts into song!
■ Doge’s Palace
Venice gets hot, humid and crowded in high summer, so the best times to visit are generally the spring and autumn. Winter has its own appeal, but between November and March there is occasional flooding.
A travel journalist for 35 years, John Law loves Italy and frequently returns to rekindle his passion.
■ Lace-making
18 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Fototeca ENITGino Cianci
venice in winter In winter, the crowds have disappeared and the mists rolling off the lagoon add to Venice’s mystical atmosphere. There’s no oppressive heat and humidity to drain your enthusiasm for sightseeing and no queuing to visit the museums and galleries. Venice is ideal for a relaxing and uncommercialised Christmas. You can buy elegant Murano glass necklaces, silver jewellery and other gifts at the Craftsmen’s Market, experience Midnight Mass amid the gilded splendour of St Mark’s, and tour near-empty museums on Boxing Day. On New Year’s Eve there are lively celebrations in St Mark’s Square and gala dinners in hotels and restaurants. The Carnival, held each February, is a great time to visit for the colourful parades, balls and concerts. Winter visitors may encounter acqua alta, the occasional flooding. But don’t be put off. For the locals it’s tiresome, but many tourists find it fun.
Winter 2010/11
20 tlm â– the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
let’s try ■ solo holidays
e n o al
Going it
Taking a holiday by yourself isn’t just for single people, these days. There are many reasons for going solo overseas and, as Debbie Ward reports, you are likely to end up feeling anything but alone
mpany The Adventure Co
il, Morocco ■ On the Kasbah Tra
W
e may have had the same sense of humour but when it came to holidays we were poles apart. I loved to travel, globetrotting up to 15 times a year; my boyfriend had been abroad once, to Paris, and had reached the age of 35 without setting foot on a plane. We probably wouldn’t have lasted the five years we did if I hadn’t been prepared to holiday solo. I visited friends in
Eastern Europe, enjoyed off-season sightseeing in Med and to top it all, I became a travel journalist. Fast forward to the present day and my present partner shares my wanderlust, but I still often find myself travelling alone for work. Only last March I was enjoying a candlelit dinner on a Sri Lankan beach, just a book and the sound of the waves for company. As my experience shows, reasons for travelling solo are not as clear cut as they may seem. While some lone holidaymakers are divorced, widowed or otherwise unattached, ■ Solo travellers at the summit
The Adventure Company
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
21
let’s try ■ solo holidays
■ A coach tour with Grand UK Holidays
■ Photo call at the Taj Mahal
Grand UK Holidays
■ White water rafting
The Imaginative Traveller
The Adventure Com pany
looking for love? While many singles are just looking for platonic company on their travels there are numerous tales of holiday romances that started on tour and stood the journey home. The Adventure Company has claimed three marriages in the last two years from couples who met on their trips, citing the high singles count, shared experiences and holiday atmosphere as natural ingredients for bonding. One couple who met on a Grand UK Holiday got engaged on another and spent their honeymoon on a third. Sales director Harold Burke says: “We’re not a dating agency and most customers just find friendship on our tours but we are always delighted when solo travellers return to us as a couple.” Ramblers Worldwide marketing manager Tony Maniscalco adds: “You’re not on display, there’s no strings attached, if it happens it happens but there are some people in our office who met that way and are married now and have children.”
22 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
others have interests not shared by partners and some have different financial or family commitments to those they might otherwise have hit the road with. Tour operators have even noted a rise in solo bookings from people who’ve taken voluntary redundancy during the recession. Whatever your reasons for taking the plunge, travelling solo for the first time can be a daunting experience. However, there are many ways of making it easier. Firstly, many solo travellers are only alone as far as the airport – because they join groups of like-minded travellers on holiday. Some companies cater specifically for solos but, pick the right regular tour and you’re still unlikely to find yourself the only singleton on the bus.
make friends Grand American Adventures, whose customers are generally aged over 30, sees around 80% travelling solo. “People are often nervous about joining a tour group on their own, but our past passengers consistently tell us that it is more like travelling with a group of friends than on an organised tour,” says marketing manager Toby Butland. “Sharing campsite duties, participating in adventure activities and experiencing those unique travel moments with a small group of like-minded individuals is the perfect environment for making new, life-long friends.
Winter 2010/11
let’s try ■ solo holidays
Ramblers Holidays
■ Ramblers taking a well-earned break
You’ll also benefit from the safety and security of the group, and save money by sharing costs.” Other tour operators aiming at “active professionals” and offering both camp and hotel-based trips include Acacia Adventure Holidays, which sees a solo majority on its tours, and Exodus and The Adventure Company, which each attract a roughly equal solos and couples split. Coach tours and river cruises, favoured by the over55s also see a relatively high lone traveller count; for instance, sister companies Trafalgar Tours and Insight Vacations welcome about 27% solos per trip. Special-interest holidays are another solution for solo travellers who naturally bond with like-minded people while they cook a curry, paint a watercolour or learn to sing. Niche passions can even be a motivator for going it alone. My boyfriend’s a great skier while I quake at the thought, so he’s been known to hit the slopes solo. Likewise, walking specialist Ramblers Worldwide points out that the lone travellers who make up 45% of its clients are not all single. Noting many were married but with different interests from their other halves, the company has introduced Cruise and Walk holidays where couples can split by day for rambling or poolside relaxation then spend the evening together. Despite all the attractive options, it seems there are still many who need encouragement to travel solo. A
Winter 2010/11
solo holidays tips ● For solo relaxation, think spas ■ Friends united and yoga retreats. ● For company, choose group holidays where there will be a high proportion of other solos. ● For independent travel, Englishspeaking destinations are easier while backpacking hotspots mean you’ll meet other solos. ● Beach holidays are harder for solos so consider resorts with plentiful excursions and Ramblers Holidays activities. ● On city breaks, think hotels aimed at business travellers – the bars and restaurants will be full of other singletons. ● For solo dining, choose less formal restaurants, take a book or newspaper and choose a window or terrace seat with a view. ● Consider a niche interest or learning experience such as cookery, walking or language study for group interaction. ● On longer, independent trips, start with a tour – you’ll get your confidence up and may meet others planning the same onward journey.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
23
let’s try ■ solo holidays
■ Cycling in Cuba
solo holiday facts
single supplement
high solo count
Of course, it’s not only lack of confidence that is the deterrent but the dreaded single supplement. Few hotel rooms are singles and as hoteliers don’t want to sell their doubles and twins at half price they levy an extra charge on solo bookers. The good news is, there are several ways around this problem. These are:
●
Debbie Ward has been a travel journalist for over 10 years. Her most unfortunate solo travel experience was becoming a stooge for Merlin and Minnie’s jokes as she sat eating alone, in a suit, at a Disney “character breakfast” full of giggling children.
24 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
●
active/adventure travel
Acacia Adventure Holidays: 020 77064700, www.acacia-africa.com The Adventure Company: 0845 609 0889, www.adventurecompany.co.uk Exodus: 0845 863 9600, www.exodus.co.uk Grand American Adventures: 0845 313 2615, www.americanadventures.com Imaginative Traveller: 0845 077 8803, www.imaginative-traveller.co.uk On The Go Tours: 0207 371 1113, www.onthegotours.com Ramblers Worldwide Holidays/Ramblers Countrywide Holidays: 01707 331133, www.ramblersholidays.co.uk and www.ramblerscountrywide.co.uk ●
activities and learning experiences
Arts courses: The French House Party Experience: 01299 896819, www.frenchhouseparty.co.uk ●
cooking courses
On the Menu: 08708 998844, www.holidayonthemenu.com On the Go (see above) Ramblers Worldwide (see above) The French House Party Experience (see above) ●
language courses
Journey Latin America: 0208 747 8315, www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk
■ The Inca Trail
■ Making friends
Grand UK Holidays
Solo specialists: Companies specialising in solo travel like Solo’s and Just You usually offer a room of your own at no single supplement, there’s just one upfront price for the holiday. Room shares: Companies which attract a high solo count, including The Adventure Company, Exodus, Grand UK Holidays and The Imaginative Traveller, have a “no single supplements policy” on all or the majority of their tours. They usually endeavour to pair travellers with a same-sex room-mate and those who don’t get matched may still be given a single room at no extra cost. Pal finders: Some independent solo travellers put classified ads in travel magazines seeking like-minded companions heading to the same parts of the globe. You can do the same online at www.someone2travelwith.com, which was founded by a travel agent. Dedicated solo departures: Some companies, including The Adventure Company, Exodus, Grand UK Holidays, Great Rail Journeys, Saga and Titan HiTours dedicate certain departures for solos, with room-shares and no single supplement typical. Cheaper destinations: If you’re travelling independently your destination can help. In regions like Asia, good-value accommodation makes the supplement less painful, while in Spain the huge volume of hotels means you’re more likely to find single rooms. Specialist rates: Some solo-friendly operators manage to negotiate low single supplements with hoteliers; for instance Ramblers asks around £38 extra a week on Italian holidays and £30 in the UK.
coaching, trains, river cruising
Leger Holidays: 01709 833805/0845 4080769, www.leger.co.uk Grand UK Holidays: 01603 619933, www.grandukholidays.com Great Rail Journeys: 01904 521 936, www.greatrail.com Insight Vacations: 01475 741203, www.insightvacations.com Saga Holidays: 0800 096 0074/0078, http://travel.saga.co.uk Titan HiTours: 0800 988 5823, www.titanhitours.co.uk Trafalgar Tours: 0207 8288143, www.trafalgar.com
veller The Imaginative Tra
Imaginative Traveller
survey last year by leading market research company Mintel revealed 38% of the adult population is single yet accounts for only 6% of holidays taken.
■ Three’s a crowd Friendship Travel: 0871 200 2035, www.friendshiptravel.com Just you: 0800 5677393, www.justyou.co.uk Solo’s: 0844 815 0005, www.solosholidays.co.uk One Traveller: 0844 800 5053, www.onetraveller.com Someone2travelwith: 01271 862626, www.s2t2.co.uk and www.someone2travelwith.com
The Imaginative Tra veller
solo specialists
Winter 2010/11
Winter 2010/11
tlm â– the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 25
competition ■ tallinn break
All pictures: Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts
■ Exterior of Swissôtel Tallinn
■ Tallinn’s medieval Old Town
WIN a long weekend for two at Swissôtel Tallinn in Estonia – worth over £1,250*
S
■ Amrita Spa pool
Winter 2010/11
tep into a world of ease, luxury and Swiss hospitality at Swissôtel Tallinn, a deluxe hotel set amidst the business district of Estonia’s capital and boasting unrivalled postcard panoramic views across the UNESCO-listed Old Town – Europe’s Capital of Culture in 2011. Tallinn’s restored medieval Old Town, with its cobblestone streets world-class entertainment, shopping, art galleries and museums, is just a short stroll away while the airport can be reached in 10 minutes. Swissôtel Tallinn promises excellent accommodation, business and leisure experiences. With 238 guestrooms and luxury suites, you can revel in a wealth of facilities inclusive of three restaurants and the Amrita Spa & Wellness fitness centre while enjoying breathtaking views of Tallinn. Now, tlm has teamed up with Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts for this easy-to-enter competition to win a long weekend for two at Swissôtel Tallinn. The lucky winner will enjoy a stay from Thursday to Sunday including breakfast, plus return flights from London to Tallinn. It is a prize worth 1,500 euros – more than £1,250! Swissôtel Tallinn offers 30 floors of luxury and elegance with 238 rooms including 34 Executive rooms, 11 one-room suites and a Presidential Suite. All rooms offer a wide range of amenities including complimentary high-speed internet access, private espresso machine, extensive tea station, iron and ironing board, flat-screen LCD TV, desk, air-conditioning and en-suite bathroom with heated floor system.
■ The hotel's Café Swiss
how to enter For a chance to win a three-night break for two people at the deluxe Swissôtel Tallinn, simply answer the following question: Question: What is the name of the fine dining restaurant and bar on the top floor of Swissôtel Tallinn? To enter, go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk and click on Competitions. Closing date is January 31, 2011. Terms & conditions apply; see website for details. More information on Swissôtel Tallinn can be found on www.swissotel.com/Tallinn. *Sterling equivalent, December 2010. Prize value: €1,500.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
27
uk uncovered ■ maritime britain
Sails of the
Centuries Britain is chock-a-block with maritime heritage thanks to its long seafaring history, so tlm weighs anchor to check out what to see
A
s an island with a long seafaring tradition, both trading and as a colonial power, Britain is rich in maritime history and heritage. All around our coastline, there are reminders of the country’s nautical legacy and our relationship with the sea. They endure in the form of maritime museums, once-thriving docks and ports now preserved as heritage areas, mighty naval dockyards surplus to requirements in the modern world and historic boats and ships which have survived the ravages of time, neglect, war and the scrapyard. With the sea being our only link with other countries until we could take to the skies, it is unsurprising that it is etched so deeply in our psyche and in our souls. And less surprising still that the nation’s favourite hero, Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, is glorified in London’s best-known monument in the centre of Trafalgar Square – itself named after his most famous naval victory, against the French, in 1805. Fittingly, his flagship, HMS Victory, is today the centrepiece of one of Britain’s top visitor attractions:
28 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. So it also makes sense for us to start our tour of the country’s maritime heritage at the historic home of the Royal Navy, where almost two-thirds of its surface ships are still based today.
portsmouth Nowhere can you feel Britain’s close association with the sea more than at the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. It was in June 1911 that the Dockyard Museum was opened by King George V, a treasure house of naval objects displayed in the space now occupied by the Victory Restoration Workshop. While some of the original objects were sent to the new National Maritime Museum in Greenwich upon its opening in 1937, many figureheads and other key items remained and now form part of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, located opposite HMS Victory in the Victory Gallery. Launched in 1765 at Chatham, HMS Victory is the Royal Navy’s most celebrated warship and the world’s oldest commissioned ship. Visitors can explore the ship
Winter 2010/11
uk uncovered ■ maritime britain
tall ships races
and see the Great Cabin, where the Battle of Trafalgar was planned, as well as the spot where Nelson died. This year marks another major milestone at the dockyard – the 150th anniversary of HMS Warrior, the world’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship, which was powered by steam and sail. It is now called HMS Warrior 1860, marking its launch on December 29, 1860, although it was commissioned in August, 1861. Restored and returned to its home port 23 years ago, the ship vividly portrays the life of a Victorian sailor. Yet another significant anniversary is being celebrated by Tudor warship the Mary Rose, with 2011 marking 500 years since it was commissioned by King Henry VIII. Raised from the seabed in 1982 in front of a global TV audience of 60 million, having sunk in battle with the French in 1545 in view of the king, the ship has been undergoing conservation ever since. A new £35 million museum is currently under construction to house the ship, so the vessel will not be on view until it opens in mid-2012. However, you can still
Winter 2010/11
Imperial War Museum
ports of call in Scotland, the Orkneys and Shetlands. Apart from the spectacle, it provides young volunteers the chance to join the vessels as crew. The deadline for this year has already passed. The Tall Ships Races are organised by Sail Training International. More information: www.sailtraininginternational.org www.tallshipsraceslerwick.com
see the amazing artefacts recovered intact from the wreck in the existing museum. Visit the sail-shaped Spinnaker Tower for the best views over the adjacent historic dockyard. Nearby Gosport is home to the Royal Navy Submarine Museum, where exhibits include HMS Alliance, commissioned in 1947, and the Royal Navy’s first submarine, Holland 1, which first sailed in 1901. Lost while being towed to the breakers’ yard in 1913, the wreck of Holland 1 was discovered and salvaged 69 years later. It is now housed in a special dehumidified gallery following an extensive restoration project completed in its centenary year.
greenwich
VisitBritain
■ Stirring sight: Tall Ships Race fleet at sunset
Sail Training International
■ HMS Belfast
■ Climbing the rigging
Maks-Stempniewicz
The annual Tall Ships Races provide one of the most stirring sights, with dozens of sailing ships convening on ports around Europe for races and events. After Hartlepool was host port in 2010, the 2011 event will see the tall ships fleet race between Waterford in Ireland, Greenock in Scotland, Lerwick in the Shetlands, Stavanger in Norway and Halmstad in Sweden between June 30 and August 8. Over four days, from July 21-24, crews, locals and visitors will able to sample Shetland culture and hospitality in the intimate setting of Lerwick harbour before the second leg of the race gets under way to Stavanger. Prior to that, the Cruise in Company event will involve the ships sailing on a non-competitive, nine-day journey from Greenock to Lerwick, calling in at 12
The importance of Maritime Greenwich is underlined by its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, granted in 1997. Besides its royal associations with Tudor and Stuart sovereigns as well as its pivotal position in the world of science, Greenwich has played a key role in Britain’s sea power for over 400 years. Over the centuries, it saw the establishment of the Royal Hospital for Seamen and associated school (from 1696-1869), the Royal Naval College (1872-1998), the Dreadnought Seamen’s Hospital (from 1870 until the 1980s) and the National Maritime Museum. Around £200 million worth of investment and £70 million in grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund have underpinned regeneration since 1997, which has included the opening up of the Royal Naval College to the public. The world’s largest maritime museum with a collection totalling almost 2.5 million items, the National Maritime Museum includes a narrative and interactive Nelson display which depicts the Battle of Trafalgar, his death, funeral and
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
29
■ HMS Victory: one of many reminders of Nelson's role in history
VisitBritain
■ Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
commemoration in London. Nelson’s Trafalgar coat, with the hole made by the fatal French musket ball, is currently undergoing essential conservation but will go back on display in the summer. Among popular things you can see at the museum currently are the state barge of Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales and son of King George II; The Bridge simulator, in which visitors can try their hand at captaining a ship; and the All Hands interactive gallery for children of all ages. A major new wing, the Sammy Ofer Wing, opens in summer 2011 to create a new south entrance, interactive galleries and substantial new space for special exhibitions. Following its disastrous fire in 2007, venerable tea clipper Cutty Sark is being restored to its former glory with a glazed viewing gallery underneath thanks to a £46 million funding package, and is due to open in time for the 2012 Olympics.
london docklands and city Just across the river, London’s Docklands have regenerated into a financial and business hub. The capital’s history as a port from the time of the Romans is told through collections and galleries at the Museum of London Docklands, in a former
VisitBritain
uk uncovered ■ maritime britain
sugar warehouse on West India Quay. Next to Tower Bridge, the 160-year-old warehouse buildings of St Katharine Docks are now home to apartments, restaurants and shops, with the docks themselves a marina where historic sailing barges sit alongside luxury yachts. And just upriver, HMS Belfast is the only surviving light cruiser to have seen active service during World War II. Part of the Imperial War Museum, it was saved from destruction in 1971 after serving Britain for 32 years and is staffed by volunteers, many of them veteran crew members. Tucked in a wharf off Southwark’s Clink Street is a replica of one of Britain’s most famous ships, the Golden Hinde. A full-size reconstruction of the Tudor galleon in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the globe from 1577-1580, it offers visitors a living history experience on self-guided tours. Downriver, Tilbury is the temporary home for the world’s oldest restored steamship, the 120-year-old SS Robin, following two year’s restoration at Great Yarmouth. It will become a museum and learning centre in London.
chatham The Historic Dockyard Chatham is the world’s most complete example of a historic dockyard from the age of sail and played a vital role for the Royal Navy for over four centuries. Its collection of three historic warships comprises the three-masted Victorian naval sloop HMS Gannet, built at nearby Sheerness in 1878, as well as the Royal Navy’s last operation World War II destroyer, HMS Cavalier, and HM Submarine Ocelot, the last warship built for the Royal Navy at Chatham and launched in 1962. Visitors can tour all three vessels. Other attractions in the dockyard include a D-Day locomotive, midget submarine and Kitchener’s Railway Carriage in 3 Slip – Europe’s largest wide-span timber structure when built in 1838 – as well as 17 historic RNLI lifeboats, the Victorian Ropery with its quartermile Rope Walk, a reconstruction of a wooden warships dockyard and the Royal Dockyard Museum.
You can experience several historic ships and boats at sea. One of the best-known preserved ships which runs passenger cruises is the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer, Waverley. Based in Glasgow, the vessel and classic cruise ship, Balmoral, spend part of each year touring Britain’s coast to operate trips from various ports, piers and harbours. Another paddleboat, the Kingswear Castle, runs excursions on the Medway and Thames. Sail enthusiasts can also indulge their passion. Topsail charters offers East Coast
30 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
■ Waverley under Tower Bridge sailing trips aboard Thames barges from Ipswich, Maldon, Brightlingsea, Tilbury and London. And if you fancy climbing rigging, you can
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Waverley Enterprises
sail away
volunteer to crew on the Jubilee Sailing Trust’s tall ships, Lord Nelson and Tenacious, specially designed to allow able-bodied and disabled people to sail together as equals.
Winter 2010/11
HE>CC6@:G IDL:G
Y\jk m`\nj" Y\jk jkfi`\j
:ldYf]YbWY VfYUh\hU_]b[ dUbcfUa]W j]Ykg cZ Ecfhgacih\ UbX VYmcbX# ;Xi\ kf nXcb fe k_\ cXi^\jk ^cXjj ]cffi `e <lifg\ fi j`k YXZb Xe[ i\cXo Xk :X] `e k_\ :cfl[j _`^_ XYfm\ Gfikjdflk_ ?XiYfli%
7f]hU]bÆg VYgh j]Yk]b[ [U``Yfm `j fg\e [X`cp ]ifd ('Xd
WU`` %'( .'-* ,*'% cf Vcc_ cb`]bY Uh
kkk#gd]bbU_YfhckYf#Wc#i_
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 31
SAILING BARGE CRUISES Relaxing Days and Weekends Away exploring Essex & Suffolk Rivers on historic sailing barges
Shetland’s maritime story starts here ...
www.shetlandmuseumandarchives.org.uk
• PRIVATE HIRE FOR BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES • PUBLIC DAY TRIPS • WEEKENDS FOR GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS
www.topsailcharters.co.uk
Visit the award winning Dock Museum for a fabulous day out - and it’s FREE to all
The Dock Museum is a unique building in a stunning coastal setting built within a Victorian dry dock. incorporating three floors, the original Victorian graving dock provides an impressive backdrop to the galleries. The museum tells the story of Barrow through displays, ship models, graphics and film show. Our facilities include: Cafe, themed playground, events and exhibitions programme, waterfront site, fully accessible and walkways linked to the Cumbria Coastal Way. Suitable for all the family, the Dock Museum makes an ideal day out. The Dock Museum, North Road, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 2PW Tel 01229 876400 Email: dockmuseum@barrowbc.gov.uk www.dockmuseum.org.uk
32 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
uk uncovered ■ maritime britain
south and south west england Southampton has a rich and colourful history which continues today, as home to the transatlantic Queens. It was also the departure port for the ill-fated Titanic. The chronicle of its crew forms an exhibition at Southampton Maritime Museum. Currently located in the 600-year-old Wool House warehouse, it will be renamed Sea City when it moves to a new facility in a former magistrates’ court in April 2012, with a gallery devoted to the Titanic. Buckler’s Hard is a preserved 18th century village on the banks of the Beaulieu River in the New Forest National Park where three Battle of Trafalgar warships were built. Its maritime museum gives an insight into the history of the village, the ships built there, the Nelson connection and its role in the D-Day landings. The National Maritime Museum Cornwall, in Falmouth, was formed as a partnership between the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich and the former Cornwall Maritime Museum and combines their extensive collections. Displays include traditional craft and sailing boats from the first Mirror dinghy to Olympic medal-winners. At Bristol, you can relive the age of Victorian genius aboard Brunel’s SS Great Britain. Abandoned in 1937 in the Falklands and rescued 40 years ago, it was the world’s largest ship and a technological marvel when launched in Bristol in 1843 with its iron hull, screw propeller and steam engine. This popular, award-winning attraction now sits on a glass “sea” in a dry dock. The Pilgrim Fathers sailed in the Mayflower to America in 1620 from Plymouth. The City Museum details that and the history of naval seaport Devonport as well as its association with Antarctic exploration through local boy Captain Robert Scott. Gloucester Docks is linked to the sea by the 16-mile Sharpness Canal. Tall ships still visit from time to time and it is home to a lightship now converted into a floating holistic therapy centre. Bideford in Devon is home to 1900 three-masted schooner Kathleen and May.
Winter 2010/11
■ Brunel’s SS Great Britain
The darker side of Britain’s seas is told in the form of artefacts from wrecked ships at the Isle of Wight Shipwreck Centre and Maritime Museum and the Isles of Scilly Museum.
wales and the north west of england A Grade II listed former dockside warehouse in Swansea houses the National Waterfront Museum, Wales’s newest national museum, which explores the country’s industrial and maritime heritage. Nine million people emigrated through the great port of Liverpool. Their story is brought to life in a gallery at the Merseyside Maritime Museum in the preserved Albert Dock, which also includes the national museum of HM Revenue and Customs covering smuggling and taxes, the Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland gallery and displays of boats and ships, paintings, ship models and items from wrecks. The history of shipbuilding centre Barrow-in-Furness is detailed in the Dock Museum, which includes ship models, paintings and exhibitions.
■ National Maritime Museum Cornwall
northern ireland Belfast’s Harland and Wolff shipyard was where Titanic was built and its legacy lives on in the city. Excitement is building in the run up to the centenary of its sinking on April 15, 1912. An iconic Titanic visitor attraction is planned to open in Belfast’s £7 billion
National Maritime Museum Cornwall
Hartlepool was a host port for the Tall Ships Races in 2010, when nearly 60 historic vessels took part. Hartlepool Maritime Experience is a recreation of an 18th century seaport, bringing to life the times of Nelson, Napoleon and the Battle of Trafalgar. It includes a maritime museum, Britain’s oldest warship afloat, the 1817-vintage HMS Trincomalee, and a “mari-time machine” to experience life aboard a 19th century British naval frigate. Hull Maritime Museum features ship models, a fullsize whale skeleton and displays of the whalers’ craft of scrimshaw, or whalebone carving. Lowestoft Maritime Museum’s new extension was opened in May 2010 by the Princess Royal. Exhibits include model ships and marine art. In Essex, see traditional Thames barges moored by the sea wall at Maldon and the preserved cockle fishing village of Old Leigh, where the Pilgrims’ Mayflower picked up provisions and passengers.
VisitBritain
east of england
local heroes Two of Britain’s foremost naval heroes, Captain James Cook and Horatio Nelson, are celebrated in museums where they lived. Whitby’s Captain Cook Memorial Museum (www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk), set in the house on Whitby harbour where the 18th century explorer and navigator lodged as a young apprentice, recounts his life and explorations, as does the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum (www.captcook-ne.co.uk), in Middlesbrough. Great Yarmouth’s Nelson Museum (www.visitnorfolk.co.uk) illustrates the early life in Norfolk and naval career of Lord Nelson. You can also visit places he frequented in the county, see where he learnt to sail at Brancaster Staithe and even try Nelson’s Blood – a rum-based brew unique to the Lord Nelson pub in Burnham Thorpe.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
33
uk uncovered ■ maritime britain
maritime uk facts
■ World Greenwich Maritime Museum: www.nmm.ac.uk of Boats Titanic’s Dock and Pump-House: www.titanicsdock.com Titanic in Belfast: www.titanicinbelfast.com Merseyside Maritime Museum: www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime Southampton Maritime Museum: www.southampton.gov.uk Scottish Maritime Museum: www.scottishmaritimemuseum.org Inveraray Maritime Museum: www.inveraraypier.com Buckler's Hard: www.bucklershard.co.uk World of Boats: www.worldofboats.org National Maritime Museum Cornwall: www.nmmc.co.uk Hull Maritime Museum: www.hullcc.gov.uk/museums/maritime Lowestoft Maritime Museum: www.lowestoftmaritimemuseum.org.uk Aberdeen Maritime Museum: www.aberdeencity.gov.uk National Waterfront Museum (Swansea): www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/swansea Isle of Wight Shipwreck Centre & Maritime Museum: www.iowight.com/shipwrecks The Dock Museum, Barrow-in-Furness: www.dockmuseum.org.uk Jersey Maritime Museum: www.jerseyheritage.org Plymouth Museum: www.plymouth.gov.uk/museumpcmag.htm Submarine Museum: www.submarine-museum.co.uk Museum of London Docklands: www.museumindocklands.org.uk
ships Cutty Sark: www.cuttysark.org.uk SS Robin: www.ssrobin.com SS Great Britain: www.ssgreatbritain.org ■ Royal Yacht The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour: Britannia www.glenlee.co.uk HMS Trincomalee: www.hms-trincomalee.co.uk Kingswear Caslte: www.kingswearcastle.co.uk Royal Yacht Britannia: www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk HMS Belfast: http://hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk Golden Hinde: www.goldenhinde.com Discovery Point: www.rrsdiscovery.com Frigate Unicorn: www.frigateunicorn.org National Historic Ships: www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk
sail away Waverley Excursions: www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk Topsail Charters (Thames barge sailing): www.top-sail.co.uk Jubilee Sailing Trust: www.jst.org.uk
34 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
World of Boats
museums
■ Belfast waterfront
Titanic Quarter waterfront development in 2012. A special Titanic exhibition from the collections of National Museums Northern Ireland opens on May 31 – 100 years to the day when the ship was launched – at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum. The Titanic Made in Belfast Festival takes place each April. Tours of Titanic’s Dock and Pump-House, once the heart of Harland & Wolff during the construction of Titanic and its White Star sister ships Britannic and Olympic, take place throughout the year and include a footprint of the doomed ship to show its scale. Titanic’s little sister, the tender SS Nomadic, has returned to the shipyard and awaits restoration.
scotland
Royal Yacht Britannia
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard: www.historicdockyard.co.uk Mary Rose Museum: www.maryrose.org HMS Victory: www.hms-victory.com The Historic Dockyard Chatham: www.thedockyard.co.uk St Katharine Docks, London: www.skdocks.co.uk Hartlepool’s Maritime Experience: www.hartlepoolsmaritimeexperience.com Gloucester Docks: www.gloucesterdocks.me.uk
VisitBritain
docks and ports
The Scottish Maritime Museum occupies three sites, at Irvine, Dumbarton and Braehead – although Braehead’s Clydebuilt Museum was due to close by the end of 2010. The Irvine harbour location includes historic ships such as the Clyde Puffer MV Spartan as well as ship models and a preserved shipyard worker’s tenement flat. The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour attraction, centred on the three-masted Glenlee which has just reopened after renovation, is moving to a new berth alongside the Riverside Museum this year. Meanwhile, the touring Titanic: Honour and Glory exhibition featuring the largest private collection of Titanic artefacts in Scotland is open at the harbour until February 27. Edinburgh’s port of Leith is home to the former Royal Yacht Britannia. Tour the bridge and the ship’s five decks, including the gleaming engine room, state rooms where world leaders were entertained and the Queen’s bedroom. The 1930s racing yacht, Bloodhound, which was once owned by the Queen and Prince Philip, is moored alongside. Visit Discovery Point, Dundee, to see Antarctic explorers Scott and Shackleton’s ship, RRS Discovery. Dundee is also home to the frigate, Unicorn. Inverary Maritime Experience is housed in the 1911built iron-hulled schooner, Arctic Penguin, moored at Inverary Pier. It also includes the Vital Spark, one of the last Clyde Puffers to be built. World of Boats is a collection of almost 400 boats and over 300 models from across the world at the East Coast fishing port of Eyemouth. At its core is the former Exeter Maritime Museum collection of ethnic, European coastal and other craft of historic significance. Aberdeen Maritime Museum, in the city’s historic Shiprow, highlights shipbuilding, sailing ships, whaling, fishing and the North Sea oil industry.
Winter 2010/11
off the beaten track ■ bali
Paradise
regained
Indonesia’s serene “Island of the Gods” has always evoked images of paradise. Its innocence brutally shattered by terrorist bombs, Bali has put those traumas behind it and is once again on a high, albeit more commercially, as Jonathan Hart reports. We also focus on neighbouring Lombok island
36 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
off the beaten track ■ bali
I
f the soul has changed, pure magic remains in Bali. Surrounded by whispering palms, a gentle breeze carrying the faintest scent of frangipani, I’m sitting cross-legged on my own little patch of earthly paradise, reflecting on the after effects of terrorism in the fabled Island of the Gods. As ever on cue, the clinking of bamboo chimes mingling with the swish of a rushing river below are the only sounds as I stare dreamily across an uninterrupted panorama of sweeping rice terraces; my thoughts drifting randomly in the soporific heat. Five years on from the last of two outrages, such musings are common among frequent visitors and expatriate lotus eaters in or around the artists’ colony of Ubud where I’m fortunate to retain, still untouched and undeveloped, a rare and idyllic sliver of unused land. Leased to me many years ago by a kindly village elder, it is a place where, unlike the average visitor, I can regularly retreat without noise or interruption to privately ponder the deeper inner complexities and underlying moods of an island traditionally driven by the spiritual and metaphysical. Once again a major tourist magnet, Bali’s remarkable recovery is evident in no vacancy signs and an admirable new selection of elaborate rural resort and villa complexes, for which the island originally set the global benchmark in stylish, spacious and much-copied tropical luxury. Yet it’s hard not to argue that Bali might also be losing its soul to commercial necessity. The inevitable
heightened security apart, you’ll now also find here a rash of could-be-anywhere tourist compounds, indifferent service, permanent traffic jams and, in some parts, a visual and aesthetic mess compounded by woefully uncontrolled, get-rich-quick construction. This is particularly true in the already concrete heavy south of the island where, for example, the once cheap and cheerful Kuta – Australia’s back yard equivalent to Magaluf – has spread its shoulder to shoulder tentacles to create an amorphous and unsightly breeze block morass. Excellent for knockabout bars, shopping and surfing but far removed from any cerebral notion of a far distant paradise.
traditional spirit Most Europeans paying a premium to travel from the other side of the world have anyway come to expect more than the sun, sea and sand offerings that can be found nearer to home. Like the lead character in the recent Julia Roberts’ movie Eat, Pray, Love which was filmed here, many gravitate instead towards the central Ubud area on a journey of soul searching and self-discovery; to balance earthly delights with a spirituality that can be as illusory as it is intoxicating in conjunction with transcendental local devotions to satisfying the good omens of the rice terrace-carved mountains while appeasing the demons of the sea. Formerly just a jumble of market stalls, cafes and art and craft shops mixing the eastern philosophical with
Kuoni
■ Tanah Lot temple
Winter 2010/11
■ Paddy fields near Ubud
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Peter Ellegard
■ Beach at St Regis Bali Resort Starwood Hotel & Resorts
Kuoni
■ Market stall
37
off the beaten track ■ bali
lombok – bali’s tranquil neighbour
■A Balinese dancer
Kuoni
■ Gili Islands off Lombok
■ Local transport
Kuoni
For those who want a real escape, Lombok offers tranquillity even neighbouring Bali cannot match. Its tourism industry is years behind that of Bali and there are far fewer hotels. Most are concentrated in Senggigi on the western coast and Kuta in the south. Beach bungalows offer budget accommodation alternatives. Unlike Bali with its majority Hindu culture, Lombok’s population of 2.5 million is 80% Muslim. And while hordes of mopeds, cars and commercial vehicles fill Bali's roads, Lombok’s are relatively empty away from the main towns. The horse and buggy, or cidomo, is a common form of transport which is used as a taxi as well as to transport produce. For longer journeys, motorised taxis – bemos – can be chartered for a day for just a few pounds. Tours take visitors to see traditional villages and buy local hand-crafted items including bamboo and pottery. Among popular tour destinations are the waterfall at Sindang Gila above the terraced paddyfield foothills of towering Mount Rinjani – a popular area for trekking, and involving an arduous walk down and back up steep steps – and the monkey forest in the hills behind Senggigi. Outrigger canoes and sailing boats take visitors for trips off the coast. Hotels operate day trips to the Gili islands of Trawangan, Meno and Air off Lombok’s north-west coast. There, cidomos are the only form of transport and local hawkers sell souvenirs such as exquisite necklaces of tiny farmed pearls. The islands boast
white sand beaches, while clear waters and colourful reefs teeming with tropical fish make them one of the best snorkelling and diving sites in the region. During my visit, I dived with a local operator and was treated to an underwater natural show which included five turtles, seven white-tipped reef sharks, huge shoals of trevally and snappers, and a herd of
the western esoteric, Ubud these days boasts sleek art galleries, exotic spas, fancy restaurants and a growing share of suffocating traffic. Yet it remains the centre from which the, albeit fading, traditional spirit and still amazing rural scenery of Bali are best absorbed or discovered. Besides, as the late and eclectic local artist Antonio Blanco once told me: “Just close your eyes to the ugly or irritating, dear boy. The true essence of Bali is found in the heart rather than the eye.”
exploring Wherever you stay, you won’t have to travel far to experience the powerful off-shoot Hinduism at the heart of Balinese life. Oblivious to tourists, ritual offer-
bumphead parrotfish which barged through the reef like rampaging football hooligans. Above the water, Lombok has an untouched natural beauty where you can still find empty beaches. It does not have the culture Bali has, and its people have a more simple way of life. But that is Lombok’s charm. Peter Ellegard
ings of flowers or fruit are made daily at up to 20,000 temples across the island, from the smallest of family compounds to largest places of worship. Almost as frequent are the vividly-colourful processions and cymbal-crashing dances accompanying festivals that can last for a week or more. Similar processions accompany funerals, to which an invitation should be prized. Chances are that your car, van or tour bus will be held up by one of these processions on the predominantly narrow roads that snake through the island in a spider-web of often-unfathomable directions. This means that excursions can often take longer than expected and, together with the humid climate, can demand patience and stamina. The choice of tours is
Starwood Hotel & Resorts
38 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
off the beaten track ■ bali
bali facts
■ Kite flying at Nusa Dua beach
when to go May-September is usually dry with a breeze cooling average temperatures of 30° C.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Flights from the UK are indirect via Amsterdam with Garuda Indonesia (www.garuda.com) and KLM (www.klm.com) or via Far East points with Singapore Airlines (www.singaporeair.com); Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) and Thai Airways International (www.thaiairways.com). Visitor visas, valid for 30 days, cost US$25 on entry at Ngurah Rai International Airport.
10 things to do in bali
formidable, the operators professional and the majority of official guides informative and helpful. Chief among tours are major temples, such as Tanah Lot and Uluwatu, and volcanoes, such as Mount Agung and Mount Batur, with a variety of options including local market shopping and visits to artisan villages in between. From the south, day trips to Ubud frequently include visits to the silverwork centre of Celuk and woodcarving centre of Mas.
getting around Cheapest, but inadvisable for all but experienced riders, are motor scooters. Cars or vans, with or without a driver, are available for hire at the airport and in key centres. Inter-island buses link main areas and are inexpensive. Taxis, with optional sharing, are inexpensive for short journeys and offer fixed rates for inter-island links.
accommodation
Peter Ellegard
● Play golf among the clouds – in cooler climes – at Bali Handara Kosaido in the northern mountains. ● Canoe on the lake and cycle around the villages in the shadows of Mount Batur. ● Go shopping for hand-crafted clothes, jewellery and decor in the boutiques of Seminyak, Legian and Ubud. ● Splash out on a helicopter or private aircraft flight over majestic mountains and temples. ● Dine on freshly-caught fish, under the stars on Jimbaran Beach. ● Combine jungle trekking with biking and rafting on the Ayung River near Ubud. ● Stroll through the Butterfly Park at Tabanan and Botanical Gardens at Bedugul. ● Relax at a superb choice of spas offering traditional and cutting edge therapies. ● Ride the giant breakers at Uluwatu, for experienced surfers only. ● Go yachting, diving or cruising from Benoa port – or go fly a kite from any beach.
Luxury resorts, including Amanresorts (www.amanresorts.com), Four Seasons (www.fourseasons.com), Oberoi (www.oberoihotels.com), Ritz-Carlton (www.ritzcarlton.com), Bulgari (www.bulgarihotels.com) and the Westin Resort & Spa, W Retreat & Spa, Westin Resort Nusa Dua and St Regis Bali Resort – all members of Starwood Hotels’ Luxury Collection (www.starwoodhotels.com/luxury) – are ■ Pimms o'clock among the finest in the world and priced to match. A good selection of boutique hotels and private villas supplements exceptionally high standards. In contrast, mid and lowercategory hotel accommodation is unremarkable. Traditional guest houses, or “home stays”, are now few and far between.
tour operators Companies tailor-making Bali holidays include Silverbird (www.silverbird.co.uk), Kuoni (www.kuoni.co.uk) and Hayes & Jarvis (www.hayesandjarvis.com).
tourist information Indonesian Embassy: 38 Grosvenor Square, London W1K 2HW. Tel: 020 7499 7661, www.indonesianembassy.org.uk.
40 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
■ Sunset reflections, Lombok
Peter Ellegard
hidden gems Hire a car – or motorbike – and travel east and north for the ancient relief at Bedulu; the regency city of Gianyar, the peaceful east coast and exquisite, unspoiled scenery of Sidemen. See the fabric markets of Klungkung or the tile factory at Sadus. Go white-water rafting on the Sunda River or discover the vineyards on the north coast.
Kuoni
■ Outrigger
getting there
Veteran travel journalist Jonathan Hart first visited the Far East in the early Seventies and reckons he has since spent more time in the region on assignment or holiday than he has at home in London.
Winter 2010/11
subscriptions ■ reader offer
Subscribe to tlm – and WIN one of 55
Michelin London guides W
ant to guarantee getting every issue of tlm? Then take out a subscription: just £10 for 6 issues delivered to your door every three months. That’s a saving of over 30% off the cover price. What’s more, we have teamed up with renowned guide and map publisher Michelin to give away a FREE copy of the Michelin Guide London 2011, worth £10.99, to to the first 55 people who subscribe. The Michelin Guide London 2011 helps travellers find great places to eat and stay, with obsessively-researched recommendations to more than 50 hotels and 450 restaurants. This guide, updated annually, appeals to all tastes and budgets. Local, anonymous, professional inspectors carefully select restaurants, using the celebrated Michelin food star-rating system. So what are you waiting for? Sign up to get all your favourite features in tlm on a regular basis – and if you are quick enough off the mark, you will also be able to get the lowdown on London’s hotel and restaurant scene. Go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk and click on the Subscribe button for details, or call 01442 879097.
tlm
-
tlm March/April 2010
May/June 2010
£2.50
the travel & leisure magazin
the travel & leisure magazin
e
£2.50
e
GREEK IDYLLS
Exploring Greece’s
islands
HELPING HAND
Voluntourism holida S ys
IN HIGHS MOUNTA mountains holidays
OCEAN COLOUR SCEN E
America’s Pacific
Lakes and
Northwest
DUTCH MASTER
Amsterdam
WOWS WHALES AND e Harris in the Azores Author Joann
GARDEN-BY-SEA Maritime Kent
FLOAT YOUR BOAT ’s waterways Navigating Europe
AT SEA FAMILIES ys with children Cruise holida
ISTANBUL
Cultured pearl PLUS n’s South Golf in Tenerife, Londoout ideas Bank and Easter days
Winter 2010/11
SCILLY LOVE SONG
win
a £5,000 cruis luxury hotel e on a barge Plus lots more . prizes …
Passionate about
GOING SOLO
the Scilly Isles
Cruising for singles PLUS London’s nature, golfing in Northern France and regular features
win
ra in our a Leica came st, a fab photo conte break £650 hotel & more…
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
41
a touch of class ■ luxury cruises
Lap of Luxury Lie back and be pampered by crew members who know your name and your favourite drink, and who will even monogram and alter your bathrobe. It’s all part of the luxury cruise experience, as Sara Macefield reports in the first of our luxury-themed feature series
Oceania Cruises
I
■ Oceania Cruises’ Polo Grill
magine that you’re stretched out on a sumptuous sunlounger on the deck of a luxury mega-yacht, sipping an exotic champagne cocktail, perfectly shaken and stirred to your taste. A handsome young crew member approaches and asks to polish your sunglasses. A few minutes later another emerges with a tray of mouthwatering frozen fruit kebabs, followed by a third who offers to spray you with suntan lotion. Could this be a dream or is it just fanciful thinking? It’s neither. This is the world of luxury cruising where attention to detail and top-notch service rule the waves, leaving you – the pampered guest – to sit back, relax and revel in opulent surroundings where nothing is too much trouble. Forget everything you’ve ever seen or heard about mass market cruises, dominated by massive mega-ships that carry thousands of passengers. Luxury cruising is a completely different proposition with smaller, more intimate ships that generally carry hundreds of passengers rather than thousands.
42 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
One of the biggest advantages is that such ships can offer more varied itineraries featuring different ports that bigger vessels cannot squeeze into, thus enabling them to sail more off the beaten track. Another is that crew members get to know you by name and bar tenders can have your favourite drink ready without even being asked. On my first luxury cruise with Seabourn, when one of the passengers – an Italian contessa, no less – complained that her bathrobe was too long, staff had it shortened and her initials stitched on, too. When another passenger needed a tuxedo for a formal night, the ship’s tailor appeared with a spare dinner suit, measured him up and swiftly altered it to fit. I was struck at how the army of waiters and deck staff, along with everyone else I encountered, hit the perfect balance of being intuitive and attentive without being irritating; of being friendly without being overfamiliar; and efficient without being impersonal.
what to expect on a luxury cruise
For many passengers – or guests as they are called by the exclusive “six-star” lines – first-rate service is
Winter 2010/11
■ SeaDream in Monte Carlo
what makes a luxury cruise?
● ● ● ●
■ Caviar and champagne on the beach with Seabourn
the key to luxury cruising. But there are also the lavish surroundings; the high quality décor and haute cuisine dining. The fact is that all staterooms are suites – often with en-suite luxury marble bathrooms and spacious verandas – and there is no such thing as an inside cabin. Far more is included in the price, too, such as gratuities, fine wines and soft drinks, and even some excursions or special events which are hosted ashore. There are no supplementary charges for eating in the speciality restaurants and you can dine when and where you want to and with whom you please. For such a quality experience, cruise customers can expect to have to dig a little deeper in
Seabourn
● ● ● ●
SeaDream Yacht Club
a touch of class ■ luxury cruises
Smaller ships and fewer passengers More exotic and off-the-beaten track itineraries Gourmet food and no fixed dining times More “fun” events such as champagne and caviar beach parties, dance parties on deck and barbecue dinners Spacious suites and more deck space per guest Higher numbers of staff per guest and more personalised service Free treats such as on-deck mini massages and special baths drawn by your suite stewardess Complimentary concierge service for personalised shore excursions
“Attention to detail and top-notch service rule the waves”
their pockets – but not as deep as you might think. Rising competition and an influx of new ships means there has never been a better time to take a luxury cruise. Over the last year or so, this sector of the cruise industry has seen the biggest growth in years with a sprinkling of new ships offering the latest sumptuous, state-of-the-art facilities. With more cabins to fill – against an increasingly tough economic climate – the six-star lines have become ever more competitive. Prices have been cut – though most companies have opted to add value rather than devalue their brand by pricing too cheaply. Instead there have been some tremendous special offers that have included onboard credits of $1,000 per person; spa credits, free excursions; and free flights. One-week cruises in the Mediterranean could be snapped up for as little as £1,500 for a week, which, when you think of what this includes, is barely much more than you would pay for a similar cruise with one of the midmarket lines.
who are the main players?
■ Bubbly with your spa bath bubbles Seabourn
Winter 2010/11
The first thing to remember is that the “ultra-luxury” market consists of a handful of “six-star” cruise lines, including Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Silversea Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Windstar Cruises and Crystal Cruises. But if you can’t stretch to this, why not opt for the
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
43
44 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Crystal Cruises
luxury crusing facts sample cruises Seabourn (0845 070 0500; www.seabourn.com) offers a one-week Gems of the Adriatic roundtrip sailing from Venice on July 8. It costs from £1,949, excluding flights and calls at ports in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro.
Seabourn
premium lines which tend to fall between luxury and midmarket? These include companies such as Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line (HAL), Oceania Cruises, Cunard and Azamara Club Cruises. Their ships are still elegant and classy. However, they tend to be larger than the ultra-luxury lines with more dining venues, bigger theatres and more lavish spas – but less personal service. And one of the biggest differences to remember is that while prices are lower, items such as gratuities, drinks and speciality dining are not necessarily included. Most luxury cruise customers tend to be more mature couples or single travellers and few of the truly exclusive lines cater for families. The exception is Crystal Cruises, which has its own dedicated children’s club. However, premium lines such as Celebrity, HAL and Cunard cater admirably for youngsters with kids clubs and family-friendly facilities. Even some of the larger ships are getting in on the luxury act. Italian line MSC Cruises has introduced a special VIP area on its newest ships, called the Yacht Club, where passengers have their own bar, solarium, hot tubs and pool. They also have access to an Observation Lounge where they can enjoy light meals, while on excursions they have their own private transport. On Norwegian Cruise Line’s newer ships, passengers staying in Garden Villas and Courtyard Villas on their own private decks can enjoy a host of other benefits such as in-suite dining and preferential treatment at the ship’s restaurants. Most ships have butlers and personal concierges for passengers who book suites and higher-grade cabins and some, such as Princess Cruises, even have private deck areas which, for an extra fee, cater for passengers wanting to relax in comfort. With so much choice, taking a luxury cruise could be easier than you think.
■ Crystal Serenity off Sicily
SeaDream Yacht Club (0800 783 1373; www.seadreamyachtclub.com) offers a one-week Caribbean cruise from Antigua to Barbados, departing on November 13 from £2,198. The price does not include flights, but it does include drinks and gratuities. Ports of call include Montserrat, St Lucia and Bequia in the Grenadines.
Holland America Line (0856 351 0557; www.hollandamerica.co.uk) offers a 12-night round trip sailing from Venice through the Mediterranean with ports including Athens, Istanbul and Mykonos. It departs on October 15 and costs from £1,789 excluding flights.
more information ● The Passenger Shipping Association represents the main cruise lines and its website www.discovercruises.co.uk gives details of cruise lines offering deluxe and ultra luxury cruises.
Windstar Cruises
■ Room service with Silversea Cruises
SeaDream Yacht Club
Silvesea Cruises
a touch of class ■ luxury cruises
Winter 2010/11
46 tlm â&#x2013; the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
in your ■ flightbag
Misty rose
Fresh insights S ince they were launched four decades ago by young German graphic designer Hans Hoefer, who was frustrated at the lack of information on Bali, Insight’s travel guides have transformed into in-flight must-reads. A new range of stylish pocket guides with striking linen covers has been launched to mark the recent 40th anniversary. Insight Select guides highlight secret corners and off-beat haunts, and include a unique In the Mood section allowing readers to plan their day according to their mood. Titles currently available cover New York, Rome, San Francisco, Istanbul, Hong Kong and London, with
more titles to follow in 2011. The striking covers, a stylish ribbon bookmark and an elegant interior are backed by top quality writing compiled by local experts who know the cities inside out, clear mapping and evocative photography, the hallmarks of Insight. The Select Guides cost £9.99 each. For more information, go to www.insightguides.com. ● You can WIN a complete set of all six currently-available Insight Select guides, worth a total of £49.95. Just go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk and click on competitions. Terms and conditions apply. Closing date January 31, 2011.
Glow into winter W inter weather can leave your skin looking ready for a holiday and it needs a make-up range to keep you looking healthy from the minute you step off the plane. Awardwinning glôminerals features products to highlight your face, lips and cheeks to give your skin a boost straight from the aircraft and beyond. The range includes the tinted base foundation glôSheer Tint Base, the new glôMetallic smoky eye kit and the gloDust 24K in Bronze and Gold to give subtle sparkle
Winter 2010/11
to the face, body or hair. For details of your nearest stockist, call 0800 121 886 or visit the website for details of the full range: www.gloprofessional.com.
Rose petals distilled in water and made into a refreshing and hydrating facial mist makes an ideal skin pick-me-up both on the flight and for the fresh-as-a-daisy look on arrival at your holiday destination, whatever the weather. Kosmea’s Hydrating Rosewater Mist is now available in a convenient 50ml size, making it ideal for your flight bag. Costing just £8, it is available from www.mypure.co.uk. For more information on Kosmea’s range of natural skin care products, visit www.kosmea.com.
Pur-fect for travel Travel-sized Extra Pur essentials from Compagnie de Provence are ideal to pop in your handbag or washbag. The 30ml tubes of hand cream, body lotion and liquid soap are available in scents including wild rose, orange and cherry blossom, grapefruit and lavender. These perfect treats cost from 99p for the 25g soap and just £2.50 for the 30ml body lotion or the unperfumed hand cream and are available from www.moosie.co.uk.
Totally4 you Ideal for weekends away, the travel kits from Totally4 include travelsize toiletries and accessories in a lightweight and handy case. There’s even a reusable laundry bag included to keep used and dirty items in one place. Available for men or women, the kits are completely reusable and the case can be also be used to carry phones, keys and personal belongings on arrival at your destination. There is also a unisex version which includes deodorant wipes, travel toothbrush and a clear re-sealable PVC bag to fit current airline requirements. Men’s and ladies travel kits are available at £19.99 each, with the unisex version costing just £9.99. For more information, go to www.totally4.com.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
47
in your ■ suitcase
Zip it A Bag those shoes Keeping things neat and tidy in your suitcase can prove to be a challenge with shoes often proving the trickiest to squeeze in. The new Travel Bag from online shoe storage specialist Tszuji – set up by two male businessmen who were tired of tripping up over their wives’s shoe collections – ensures shoes are properly protected and safely stored away from clothes. Fully lined, and with a clear window so you can easily grab the pair you need, these pink bags are available from £7.95 for one bag from www.tszuji.co.uk.
Box clever Keeping track of make-up brushes and beauty products is never easy, home or away, and BeautyBoxes have a range of products that are ideal for travel. From the Venice Pouch/Brush Holder to the Powder Room range, the pouches are ideal for storing make-up and brushes, while the Zarrin beauty cases are available in three sizes and five different colours and are perfect for storing everything from make-up to jewellery and accessories; each case has its own mirror and a soft velvet lining. Other products include the Valene beauty case and the Lyon men’s jewellery case, which can safely store cufflinks and tie-pins. Prices start from just £5.99 for the Venice Pouch/Brush holder. For more information go to www.beauty-boxes.com.
48 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
new range of bags from the US, made from a continuous high-strength zip, is now available in the UK. And with many different styles and colours which can be used by men, women and children, they make ideal bags to take away on holiday. BAM Bags are the creation of Colorado designer Beth Metsch and evolved from a prototype ZipPurse for her mother, when she bought a roll of zip, cut it in half and made a prototype continuous zip bag. Having been sold in the US for the past eight years, BAM Bags are now available in the UK as hand-
bags, tote bags, messenger bags and wristlets. They retail from £19.99 and are available from
www.bambags.co.uk. ● For your chance to WIN one of four wristlet BAM Bags, worth £34.99 each, go to www.tlmmagazine.co.uk and click on competitions. Terms and conditions apply. Closing date January 31, 2011.
Blowing in the wind
L
ooking for calm and comfort while you are away from home on a trip? The Travel Candle Collection from NEOM has been created to transform your hotel room into your own personal haven. Three different trios of 75g candles which burn
for 20 hours are available, each in a white and gold travel case. The Morning, Noon & Night Trio includes: Refresh (with Sicilian Lemon & Fresh Basil), the perfect morning pick-me-up; Sumptuous (with Rose & Neroli), a daytime pampering treat; and Tranquillity (with English Lavender, Sweet Basil & Jasmine), which is ideal for that prebedtime wind-down. The Relaxing Trio and Pampering Collections complete the set. The candles are available online at www.neomorganics.com, or call 0870 460 4677 for your nearest stockist.
Winter 2010/11
POCKET TRAVELER. FOR IMPRESSIVE EXPERIENCES The Pocket Traveler is the ideal companion for every trip. An outstanding optical performance, high contrast spectacular diamond-bright images and impressive optical system all wrapped up inside a handy lightweight compact construction. Bring the world closer in vivid lifelike colours.
SMALL AND LIGHTWEIGHT handy, lightweight and folds up to 5.6 cm (2.2 in)
WATERTIGHT AND STURDY the smallest watertight pocket binoculars â&#x20AC;&#x201C; allowing you to get out and about whatever the weather
HIGH-QUALITY COATING maximum colour !delity and bright, high-contrast images thanks to high-quality coating technologies
SEE THE UNSEEN
WWW.SWAROVSKIOPTIK.COM SWAROVSKI U.K. LTD. Perrywood Business Park, Salfords Surrey RH1 5JQ Tel. 01737-856812, Fax 01737-856885
BY APPOINTMENT TO HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II SWAROVSKI OPTIK SUPPLIER OF BINOCULARS
travel ■ tech
Be social with Sony’s Bloggie Touch
S
hare your special moments on your travels with Sony’s stylish new Bloggie Touch HD video camera. A radical evolution from the first-generation Bloggie model, it features a slim, rounded body with brushed aluminium finish and an all-in-one solution for shooting and sharing videos. The three-inch LCD touch-screen allows you to breeze through images at the flick of a finger and the high-quality, autofocus lens goes from wide angle to macro. It also records 360-degree panoramic videos using a supplied lens adaptor, at twice the resolution of its predecessor, and can capture movies in both
landscape and portrait formats. When you have shot your video clip, just connect to a PC or laptop using the flipout USB arm, which also charges the camera’s battery. The built-in software launches automatically and you simply drag and drop to upload your footage to social network sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Flickr. The Bloggie Touch records up to four hours of HD on its 8GB internal memory, and costs £189.99. www.sony.co.uk
Music to your ears Listen to music in style as you travel with the classy new Crossfade LP headphones from V-MODA. Developed over four years with some of the worlds top DJ’s, producers and musicians, and composed of luxurious fabrics and lightweight materials, the headphones are ideal for travelling comfortably yet provide high quality sound with deep vibrant bass, organic mid-range and crystal clarity. They come with a three buttoned remote control – and there is even a high fidelity microphone, so you can
50 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
All for one, and one for all... T he makers of the universal remote control, One for All, have come up with a solution for charging all your portable devices even when no power sockets are available. Ideal for a plane, or anywhere you cannot access power, the Universal Travel Power Pack has a 1050 mAh battery which, once pre-charged, gives up to 100 hours of extra power. Ideal for your iPhone or digital camera and suitable for use right across Europe, with both a UK and EU adaptor, it also comes with seven different charging tips. With a retractable cord for hard to reach places and a USB connector, this device is invaluable in
helping you to keep plugged in and its battery indicator tells you how much power is left. Available from Comet
make phone calls while on the go. Crossfade LP headphones are available for £199.99 from Carphone Warehouse stores and online, and come with a case. www.v-moda.com
Snap-on saviour
Worried about your shiny, new iPhone4 dying on you while you are out and about, or scratching it when you put it in your pocket or handbag? Made exclusively for the iPhone4, Exolife’s snap-on battery case not only protects your pride and joy in a polycarbonate hard shell and bumper shield, it also contains a 1500 mAh battery which virtually doubles the life of the phone, giving
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
and Amazon and other leading retailers from £29.99. For more information go to www.oneforall.co.uk.
an extra seven hours of talking or six hours of web surfing. The only Apple-approved battery case on the market it costs £64.99 in black or white, with blue, green or clear bumper cases £11.99 each. Both are available from www.exolife.co.uk.
No Blu-ray blues
If you can’t bear to be without your favourite 3D or high definition Blu-ray movies while you are away, Plextor has come to the rescue with its portable PX-B120U Blu-ray player. The handy little player has an RRP of £92 and it is USB-powered for portability and connects to your laptop or PC. It will also be able to connect direct to TVs with the PlexMedia box when it launches in early 2011. www.plextor.com
Winter 2010/11
travel ■ tech
What does this button do?
APPS CORNER
Learn how to use your camera…
G
ot a new camera for Christmas and want to make the most of it on your holidays? The new Insight Guide to Travel Photography provides an inspirational and practical guide covering need-to-know essentials from composition to lighting as well as the history of travel photography. Suitable for beginners with point-and-shoot cameras or enthusiastic amateurs using SLR equipment, the guide also includes a month-bymonth destination calendar highlighting the most
photogenic time for certain locations – from January in Antarctica to Yosemite National Park in June and Agra in
December. A useful At Home section also helps readers with trip planning, covering what to take, observing local customs and protecting your camera as well as processing and organising images on your computer once back home, and even how to make money from it. A glossary also helps cut through the technological jargon. The Insight Guide to Travel Photography costs £14.99. More information from www.insightguides.com.
…and enter our winter photography competition to WIN one of two handy guides
W
e have teamed up with Insight Guides for a fun photographic competition. All you have to do is send us your favourite snow, ice or frost pictures from this winter – either home or away. It can be fun, as opposite, or more serious. Two copies of the Insight Guide to Travel Photography will be awarded for the best picture sent in during January and February, with one each per month being voted for on tlm’s Facebook page from a list of finalists chosen by judges from tlm and Insight. Go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk for details of how to enter, and don’t forget to check out tlm’s Facebook page: http://on.fb.me/tlm_facebook.Terms and conditions apply. ● See Insight’s new app in Apps Corner.
Winter 2010/11
■ Hot pants: tlm editor Peter Ellegard sports polar bear trousers in Arctic Canada
The Landmark London has launched its own free iTunes app for iPhone and iPod Touch as a guide to the five-star hotel’s amenities and the surrounding area. It gives information on the hotel’s restaurants, bar, rooms, spa and health club, special offers and events. An interactive map highlights transport links, attractions and nearby restaurants, bars and shops. www.landmarklondon.co.uk The Rough Guides World Lens App is now available on the iTunes App Store for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. This free travel app showcases the best of Rough Guides’ picture library, with 200 images users can view in slideshow mode, download or geo-locate on a world map. Evocative captions and short essays accompany each image. www.roughguides.co.uk Insight Guides has also launched its free Travel Photography app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, again via iTunes. It showcases the best shots from Insight’s range of travel guides, covering 90 countries. Users get a new picture every day, accompanied by related cultural insights, travel advice, seasonal recommendations and photography tips. www.insightguides.com/travelphoto.asp VisitScotland, with Historic Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, has launched a new, free Days Out app on the iTunes store. It showcases Scotland’s wealth of attractions and lists over 1,000 places to visit, restaurants, bars and cafes, and special offers – and includes a fruit machine-style option for nearby suggestions. www.visitscotland.com/daysout
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
51
52 tlm â&#x2013; the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
on your doorstep ■ the jurassic coast
Rock of ages E
ssex born and bred I may be, but my heart is firmly rooted in Dorset. Some of my earliest memories are of family holidays around Swanage, Lulworth Cove and the amazing coastal rock formations such as Durdle Door, with their twisted and tormented strata layers. I vividly recall stays on my grandfather’s houseboat in Poole Harbour, watching crabs scuttle about in the shallows below our windows when the tide was in, and scrambling over the Purbeck hills around the chocolate-box village of Corfe Castle, where he lived. His grave, and that of one of my uncles, lies in the village cemetery just below the evocative conical hill and ruins of the castle. Surely there is no prettier or more peaceful resting place, and whenever I return there it lifts my soul rather than filling me with sadness. Yet what draws me back to this beguiling area again and again is more than just the rose-tinted recollections of my childhood and family ties. Sure, the summers were endless, the skies bluer and the sea
VisitBritain
The rocky coastline of Dorset and East Devon is England’s first natural World Heritage Site. Peter Ellegard takes a walk back through time to explore the Jurassic Coast
■ Lyme Regis cliffs
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
53
DoorstepTLMwinter11v1pp53-56_T&L 23/12/2010 10:03 Page 54
National Trust
on your doorstep ■ the jurassic coast
■ Lazy day at Corfe Castle
■ Seatown beach and cliffs, Dorset
www.visit-dorset.com
warmer in my mind’s eye. But I have explored far beyond that Eastern corner of Dorset into neighbouring Devon over the years, and the sense of wonderment and thrill of discovering new delights is just as strong as ever. When I took up diving in my twenties, I went back to delve under the waves, off the rocky ledges at Kimmeridge Bay, beyond the wave-churned pebbles of Chesil Beach and in the clear waters off Devon’s crumbling cliffs. Below and above the water, both are every bit as extraordinary along this fascinating part of Britain’s coast. It seems that I am not the only one who thinks it is special, either. The 95-mile stretch of stunning Devon and Dorset coastline from Exmouth in the west to Studland in the east has been designated England’s first natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO – ranking it as important in global terms as the Grand Canyon, Galapagos Island and Great Barrier Reef. Welcome to the Jurassic Coast. Its importance is because of those rocks, which rep-
step through time As you walk along the Jurassic Coast, every step you take is a step through time – literally. Because the coast is made up of sedimentary rocks – sandstones, limestones, mudstones and chalk – which are tilted from west to east, so the exposed rocks at the western end are much older than those at the eastern end of the World Heritage Site. They span 185 million years. So each step from west to east is the equivalent of travelling back 1,000 years through the earth’s history.
!" tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
resent a geological walk through time spanning the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Or, in simple terms, 185 million years of the Earth’s history.
fossils For fossil hunters, and the general public, the sedimentary rocks hide a wealth of fossilised remains. Walk along the beaches at Lyme Regis, Charmouth and other places and you will be amazed at the ancient treasures you can find among the rocks brought down from the fragile cliffs by erosion or washed up by the sea. Of course, what brings most visitors to the region are its beauty, the sandy beaches and the charming towns and villages. There are so many places to see and things to do, quite apart from fossicking for fossils, that you would need to explore it over several visits. There are a number of gateway towns along the coast, identified by special road signs, where you can stay and use as a base or make time to visit. On the western end, Exeter is the major town. It bristles with history which, although somewhat newer than that encased in the nearby rocks, includes a glorious gothic cathedral and historic quayside as well as its Guildhall, which dates back to 1330, and medieval underground passages. One of England’s oldest seaside resorts with two miles of sandy beach, Exmouth lies at the western edge of the Jurassic Coast, with National Trust-owned Orcombe Point at the western boundary, marked by the Geoneedle sculpture unveiled by Prince Charles in 2002 to inaugurate the World Heritage Site. The cliffs in this
# $%&’()*+,+-,,
www.visit-dorset.com
on your doorstep ■ the jurassic coast
VisitBritain
■ Windsurfing off Chesil Beach
fossil hunting
Some of the most important fossils in Britain have been discovered along the Jurassic Coast, including the first ichthyosaur skeleton correctly identified, the first two plesiosaur skeletons ever found, and the first pterosaur discovery outside Germany. All were in the Jurassic rocks at Lyme Regis by celebrated 19th century local fossil collector and palaeontologist Mary Anning. The beaches and rock-strewn shore from Lyme Regis to Charmouth are the best places to fossil hunt, especially in the winter when waves churn up the rocks. Fossils formed 200 million years ago in the Jurassic period are constantly being exposed. Join a guided fossil-hunting tour from the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre (www.charmouth.org/chcc) or Lyme Regis Museum (www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk). There are regular Fossil Walks throughout the year. Anyone can collect fossils, provided they do not use hammers on cliffs or ledges. But hunters should follow safety advice: stay away from the cliffs, watch out for rock falls and mudslides, hunt on beaches on falling tides, and beware large waves in rough weather.
area are made of dramatic red Triassic rocks. To the east, the town of Budleigh Salterton is famed for its associations with literary greats including Noel Coward and PG Wodehouse, while Sidmouth is a charming town with lovely gardens, beaches and a Regency history. Branscombe is reputed to be the longest village in the UK and is one of East Devon’s prettiest. Many buildings are owned by the National Trust. Ottery St Mary’s 14th Church of St Mary is a remodelled miniature copy of Exeter Cathedral, while Honiton is famous for its lace making.
landslides
Winter 2010/11
■ Beer Head, Devon
■ Shaftesbury’s town crier
VisitBritain
The cliffs around the pretty fishing village of Beer are unusual because they are of chalk. The high-quality Beer Stone has been quarried since Roman times, creating Beer Quarry Caves. The Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs National Nature Reserve is an important wilderness area. Formed by landslides, which still occur, the reserve is a diverse habitat for many species of plants and animals. Lyme Regis itself is a delightful resort of narrow streets winding down to the harbour, where the Cobb – the ancient causeway – is best known for its starring role in the movie, The French Lieutenant’s Woman. Life doesn’t get much better than eating an ice cream while sitting on a bench overlooking the harbour on a summer’s day. But watch out for seagulls dive-bombing and stealing your treat. The safe, sandy beach is great for kids.
Aaron Brett/South West Coast
■ The cobbled street of Gold Hill, in Shaftesbury
VisitBritain
■ Fossil hunting
“Lulworth Cove is the pictureperfect bay and a magnet for tourists in summer”
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
55
rock arch Also away from the coast are the must-see towns of Sherborne, with its medieval buildings, abbey and two castles, and pretty Shaftesbury – where steep, cobbled street Gold Hill was used as the location for the celebrated Hovis bread TV adverts. Back on the coast, the Isle of Portland lies at the end of Chesil Beach, with its fortress, Portland Castle, worth visiting. At Weymouth, you can make your own sand castles or see the amazing sand sculptures created by Mark Anderson and his late grandfather, Fred Darrington, at Sculptures in Sand on the seafront. The area surrounding Lulworth has long been used by the Army for exercises and firing ranges, and you can trace the history of tanks at the Tank Museum, near Wool. Lulworth Cove is the picture-perfect bay and a magnet for tourists in summer. Half a mile west is the stunning rock arch of Durdle Door, one of the most photographed sights on the Jurassic Coast. Kimmeridge Bay is another famous fossil area, and its rock ledges create shallows where snorkelling and diving are popular. Rich in marine wildlife, it is part of the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve. Swanage is the archetypal British resort and great fun for the family with its Victorian pier and Punch & Judy Show. The chalk stacks of Old Harry Rocks mark the eastern end of the Jurassic Coast. Beyond it is the broad sandy sweep of Studland Bay and the chain ferry across the Poole Harbour entrance to Sandbanks. As a child I remember walking across the white-sand dunes from the houseboat to paddle on Studland Beach and collect razor clam shells from Shell Bay – as sharpedged as their name suggests. Part of the beach is a haven for naturists. I wonder if they know.
56 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
■ Durdle Door rock arch, Dorset
jurassic coast facts The Jurassic Coast covers 95 miles of the Dorset and East Devon coast, from Studland to Exmouth.
getting there Gateway towns giving access to the coast by road include Exeter, Lyme Regis, ■ South West Dorchester and Poole. The Sandbanks Ferry Coast Path (www.sandbanksferry.co.uk) is a chain ferry connecting Poole with Studland. South West Trains (www.southwesttrains.co.uk) operates services from London’s Waterloo to Weymouth via Dorchester and as well as services to Exeter via Axminster.
NTPL/Nick Meers
where is it?
getting around For those who want to leave their cars behind, the CoastlinX53 Jurassic Coast Bus Service operated by First (www.firstgroup.com/ukbus) runs daily, year-round between Poole (peak times to/from Bournemouth) and Exeter via Weymouth, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Seaton. Several operators run local bus services. Swanage Railway (www.swanagerailway.co.uk) operates steam trains on six miles of track through the heart of the Isle of Purbeck to Corfe Castle and Norden.
south west coast path The South West Coast Path National Trail spans the entire length of the Jurassic Coast. A network of local footpaths link to it, making circular walks possible. There are free downloadable walking routes at www.southwestcoastpath.com.
events
NTPL/David Levenson
Between Lyme Regis and Charmouth is where most fossils are found. Visit the Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre or Lyme Regis Museum to find out more. The beautiful cliffs around the harbour village of West Bay include Golden Gap, at over 625ft the highest on the South Coast. Take the South West Coast Path across the cliffs for views stretching from Portland to Brixham. Chesil Beach is one of the world’s finest barrier beaches and stretches for 17 miles, with the pebbles increasing in size towards the east, as does the beach height. The Fleet Lagoon, a brackish natural lagoon behind it, is rich in wildlife and is home to the world’s oldest managed swan population, Abbotsbury Swannery. Sub-tropical gardens, a tithe barn and children’s farm can also be visited nearby. Just inland is Hardy’s Monument, celebrating the famous author. This is Wessex – Thomas Hardy country – and you can follow a trail linking places where he lived, such as Hardy’s Cottage in Higher Bockhampton, and wrote about, as well as the world’s largest Hardy collection at the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester. The Dinosaur Museum, Maiden Castle and the Roman Town House are among other attractions in Dorchester.
Among the many events along the coast and inland is the Lyme Regis Fossil Festival (www.fossilfestival.com), from April 29May 1, 2011.
information
■ Studland Beach sands For information on the Jurassic Coast including places to see and what to do, visit www.jurassiccoast.com. For more details on Dorset and Devon, including accommodation, go to the websites of Destination Dorset (www.visit-dorset.com), Visit Devon (www.visitdevon.co.uk) and West Dorset (www.westdorset.com).One-third of the Jurassic Coast is protected by the National Trust, which has a dedicated Jurassic Coast section on its website (www.nationaltrust.org.uk).
Winter 2010/11
VisitBritain
on your doorstep ■ the jurassic coast
• • • • •
52 Ensuite Bedrooms Stunning Sea Views The Perfect Wedding Venue 2 First Class Restaurants Special Breaks Available
Celebrating 200 Years of Hospitality and Tradition
The Royal Beacon Hotel in Exmouth, Devon is situated in a quiet elevated position on Exmouth’s finest Regency Terrace – once the home to Lady Nelson and Lord Byron. Visitors are treated to breathtaking views over the well-tended gardens on of the Devon coastline, from the River Exe to Lyme Bay, and guests are offered a tradition of genuine hospitality.
ROYAL BEACON HOTEL
The Beacon, Exmouth, Devon EX8 2AF Tel: 01395 264886 Fax: 01395 268890 Email: info@royalbeaconhotel.co.uk www.royal beaconhotel.co.uk
Visit www.heartofdevon.com for places
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 57
competitions ■ welsh stay + airport hotel/parking
WIN a £500 luxury stay at Ryder Cup venue Celtic Manor
■ Roman Road course
The Celtic Manor Resort
W
e’ve teamed up with The Celtic Manor Resort in South Wales to offer one lucky reader and a guest the chance to play and stay at the venue for last year’s Ryder Cup. Celtic Manor capped a glorious year in 2010 by being voted Europe’s Golf Resort of the Year by international golf tour operators in the prestigious annual IAGTO Awards (see Golf News, page 65). The winners will enjoy a luxury two-night stay in the fivestar resort hotel, playing rounds of golf on both the Roman Road and The Montgomerie championship courses. Full Welsh breakfast is included for both nights’ stay as well as complimentary use of the leisure facilities at The Forum Health Club.
As well as three championship golf courses, The Celtic Manor Resort also boasts a luxury spa, tennis courts, mountain biking and walking trails as well as a children’s creche, family games room and playground, with more family adventure activities opening in 2011. For more information on a range of attractive offers, including stay and play golf packages, visit www.celtic-manor.com or call 01633 410262.
and 15 days’ airport parking with Holiday Extras
As the UK market leader in travel add-ons, HolidayExtras.com understands the importance of those little extras that help make holidays hassle-free. To make sure you get your holiday off to a relaxing start, HolidayExtras.com offers hotel accommodation at the UK’s 27 major airports so you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night to travel to the airport for early check-in. Now, HolidayExtras.com is teaming up with tlm and giving one lucky reader the chance to win an overnight stay in a double or twin room at a top airport hotel as well as 15 days’ parking in this easy-to-enter competition. It is a prize worth £250 – money that can be put towards your holiday spending instead. For a full range of add-ons including airport lounges, travel insurance and car hire, visit www.holidayextras.com.
How to enter For a chance to WIN a two-night break for two people at The Celtic Manor Resort, simply answer the following question: Question: Who sank the winning putt to give Europe victory over the USA in the 2010 Ryder Cup?
How to enter For your chance to win this relaxing start to your next holiday, simply answer the following question:
To enter, go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk and click on the competitions button. Closing date is February 14, 2011. Terms & conditions apply; see website for details.
Winter 2010/11
Question: At how many UK airports does HolidayExtras.com sell hotel accommodation? a) 105 b) 27 c) 1
The Celtic Manor Resort
■ The Montgomerie course
WIN a hotel stay
To enter, go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk and click on the competitions button. Closing date is February 28, 2011. Terms & conditions apply; see website for details. You do not need to have booked your holiday to win the prize, since it can be redeemed at any stage over the next 12 months.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
59
Leasowe Castle
Mid Week Golf Accommodation and play the Home of The Open • This Hotel is perfectly situated in between the Royal Liverpool Golf Club 5 miles away and Wallasey Golf Club 2 Miles away. • With other Wirral clubs Heswall and Caldy only 10 minutes away and the Southport Courses Royal Birkdale only 40 minutes away. £49.00 per person in a Twin Room Bed & Breakfast • £71.00 Single Bed & Breakfast
0151 606 9191 reservations@leasowecastle.com
GOLF s o g i m A
Golf holidays with a difference
Sueno Golf Resort Hotel - Turkey 7 Nights Half Board Accommodation Unlimited Golf on the Sueno Pines & Dunes courses Airport and golf transfers plus services our resort representative from only
£449 pp
GOL GOLF L F s o g i m A
Algarve Winter Special 2010/11
Dom Joao II Hotel - Alvor 7 Nights Bed & Breakfast 4 Rounds of Golf (Pinta, Gramacho, Alto & Silves) 7 Days Car Hire from only
£259
pp
Spain * Portugal * Tenerife * Mallorca * Gran Canaria *Madeira * Tunisia * Turkey * Cyprus * South Carolina * South Africa * Thailand call 0845 230 3100 for info or quotation or visit our website www.golfamigos.co.uk 60 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
pack your clubs ■ england’s golf coast
Coast of
plenty ■ The 18th at Royal Birkdale All Photos: England’s Golf Coast
With well over 200 courses including three venerable institutions boasting 29 Open Championships between them, the North West of England is a golfer’s dream. Colin Callander gives a guided tour of what is simply known as England’s Golf Coast
T
he 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale saw more than 200,000 golfing enthusiasts descend on the famous links and its surrounding seaside town of Southport to witness Ireland’s Padraig Harrington defeat a world-class field and claim back-to-back Open titles. Royal Birkdale is one England’s most illustrious courses, having staged the Open on no less than eight occasions, in 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1983, 1991, 1998 and 2008. However, golfers have many other glorious courses to choose from when they head to the North West, for Southport lies at the heart of arguably the finest stretch of golfing coastline in the world, an area known as England’s Golf Coast. England’s Golf Coast stretches from Cumbria and the Lake District in the north down to the Wirral and Chester in the south and offers golfers the chance to play on more than 200 courses, including two other Open venues. Together, the links courses of Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool and Royal Lytham & St Annes have hosted the Open 29 times since 1897. The area also features six regular Open qualifying venues and several courses that have staged men’s and women’s tour events.
Winter 2010/11
The combination of sea, sand and the forces of nature offer a simply irresistible challenge for players venturing out on the renowned and beautiful courses in the area. These are some of the region’s golfing highlights:
southport This delightful seaside resort is the capital of England’s Golf Coast and offers some of the best golf courses in the country, all within a 15-minute drive. Royal Birkdale is renowned for its towering sand hills and features an outstanding set of par 3s that rank among the best in world golf. Besides its eight Opens, it has hosted the Amateur Championship in 1946 and 1989, the Walker Cup in 1951 and the Ryder Cup in 1965 and 1969. Formby Golf Club, situated among sandhills and pine woods is a classic links which has hosted three Amateur Championships, the Home Internationals, the English Amateur, and the Curtis Cup. Hillside Golf Club is widely regarded as the finest links not to have staged an Open. Since the 1960s, it has hosted several major amateur events, including the Amateur Championship and the Ladies’ British Amateur, and will stage the Amateur Championship again in 2011.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
61
pack your clubs ■ england’s golf coast
■ Southport & Ainsdale was the first course to host two Ryder Cups
■ The Lake District
off-course attractions
England’s North West is full of striking landscapes and vibrant cityscapes. From the elegant and ancient city of Chester to the inspirational vistas of the Lake District, and from the award-winning industrial heritage of Manchester to the outstanding cultural attractions of Liverpool, Europe’s 2008 Capital of Culture, there is so much to see and do you will want to spend time away from the fairways to explore some of it. Add to these a spectacular coastline and Britain’s favourite seaside resorts and the delightfullyundiscovered countryside of Lancashire, and it’s easy to see why this region is so popular with visitors.
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club was the first course to stage two Ryder Cups and co-hosted the 2005 Amateur Championship with Royal Birkdale. West Lancashire, founded in 1873, is one of the 10 oldest clubs in England and is one of the most natural and underrated links in the British Isles. Six miles south of Southport, Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa is one of the newest courses on England’s Golf Coast. The course was hewn from marshland and has already hosted several Challenge Tour European Seniors’ Tour events. The resort recently completed a £10 million investment, resulting in it becoming the UK’s first PGA National Residential Golf Academy. Hesketh Golf Club, set amidst the towering Victorian villas of one of Southport’s premier residential areas, is a course of contrasts, with half of its holes meandering through sand dunes and the rest overlooking the glorious Ribble Estuary.
wirral A selection of parkland and links layouts grace the Wirral, presenting some tough challenges and offering a stunning and diverse range of scenery in naturally beautiful surroundings. Among them is Royal Liverpool, host of the 2006 Open – memorable for Tiger’s relentless march to victory and his third claret jug. The Hoylake course played a pivotal role in the development of English golf, being responsible for
62 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
“Southport lies at the heart of arguably the finest stretch of golfing coastline in the world”
starting the Amateur Championship. It also staged the inaugural English Amateur, the inaugural international golf match between England and Scotland and the first match between Britain and America. Wallasey Golf Club, described as “the Diamond in the Dunes”, has a notable claim to fame. It was where the Stableford scoring system was developed, by club member Dr Frank Stableford, with the first Stableford competition being held in 1932. It has also hosted numerous Open qualifiers, with the legendary Bobby Jones qualifying there in 1930. Caldy Golf Club is a striking course with a character all of its own, down to an unusual combination of clifftop, link-style holes that are complemented by a stretch of parkland-style ones that wind their way inland by the River Dee.
lancashire and fylde area Situated near the seaside town of Blackpool and founded in 1886, Royal Lytham St Annes has hosted 10 Open Championships and two Ryder Cups. Within five miles there are also two other superb courses that are ideally suited for golf enthusiasts of all abilities. Fairhaven Golf Club opened in 1932 and is a championship venue that has hosted many prestigious tournaments including Open qualifying. Founded in 1901, St Annes Old Links is a classic seaside links course with windswept undulating fairways
Winter 2010/11
pack your clubs ■ england’s golf coast
england’s golf coast facts where is it? England’s Golf Coast takes in the North West coastline from Cumbria in the north down to the Cheshire in the south. Pack your rain gear – the Lake District is England’s wettest region and rain from Atlantic depressions can sweep in off the Irish Sea at any time.
getting there The area’s courses are all easily accessible by road and are within easy reach of the rail network, via Virgin Trains (www.virgintrains.co.uk), and Liverpool, Blackpool and Manchester airports.
accommodation and tee times England’s Golf Coast has a wide range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets ■ Hillbark Hotel – from B&Bs to luxury hotels such as the Wirral’s Grade IIlisted Hillbark Hotel. Accommodation and tee times can be booked using the online England’s Golf Coast booking system, on www.englandsgolfcoast.com.
green fees Green fee prices are good value for the quality of golf on offer. Summer weekday rounds at Formby Hall cost £45 per round and weekends £55, while playing Royal Birkdale in summer will set you back £165 and £195.
packages that run through dunes and wild grasses. It has been used as an Open Championship qualifying venue and has also staged the English Ladies’ Amateur Championship.
other courses England’s Golf Coast takes in three of the top 20 and seven of the top 36 courses in UK and Ireland, while three of its links courses are among the world’s top 75. Three other gems not to be missed in this wonderful part of the country are De Vere Carden Park, Windermere and Silloth-on-Solway. De Vere Carden Park Golf Resort & Spa is set on a stunning 750-acre estate in gently-undulating Cheshire countryside. With two championship courses and a challenging 9-hole course, there is plenty for golfers of all levels. Windermere Golf Club is a classic and very pretty parkland course in the middle of a National Park and in the heart of the beautiful Cumbria countryside. Silloth-on-Solway is regularly ranked among Britain’s finest golf courses, and deservedly so. Situated on the northwest coast of Cumbria, you can enjoy striking views of the Galloway Hills to the north, and south to the Lakeland fells and the Isle of Man. Formerly editor of Golf Monthly, Colin Callander has been involved in the golf business for almost 30 years and is a single-figure handicapper.
Winter 2010/11
Golfbreaks.com (www.golfbreaks.com) offers stay and play packages in the region in partnership with England’s Golf Coast. Other operators with packages include Your Golf Travel (www.yourgolftravel.com), Golf Planet Holidays (www.golfplanetholidays.com), Driveline Golf (www.drivelinegolf.com) and Leisure Link Golf Holidays (www.leisurelinkgolf.com).
tourist information England’s Golf Coast: www.englandsgolfcoast.com; Liverpool: www.visitliverpool.com; Manchester: www.visitmanchester.com; Southport: www.visitsouthport.com; Lancashire & Blackpool: www.visitlancashire.com; Cumbria/Lake District: www.golakes.com; Chester & Cheshire: www.visitchester.com
courses Royal Birkdale www.royalbirkdale.com Royal Liverpool www.royal-liverpool-golf.com
■ Formby Hall Golf Resort
Royal Lytham St Annes www.royallytham.org
Wallasey www.wallaseygolfclub.com
Southport & Ainsdale www.sandagolfclub.co.uk
Silloth-on-Solway www.sillothgolfclub.co.uk
Formby Hall www.formbyhallgolfresort.co.uk
Hesketh www.heskethgolfclub.co.uk
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
63
golf ■ news
Golf stars
GOLF CLIPS
R
■ PGA de Catalunya
The Celtic Manor Resort
yder Cup host Celtic Manor has been named Europe’s top golf resort in the golf tourism industry’s annual “Oscars”. Golf tour operators from around the world voted the Welsh resort, which saw Europe’s golfers lift the trophy after beating their American counterparts in a nailbiting climax on the first-ever Monday final day following torrential rain on previous days, as European Golf Resort of the Year when the 2011 IAGTO Awards were held at a glittering gala ceremony in Spain “This award caps a fantastic year for the resort following the hosting of what has been acclaimed as the greatest Ryder Cup ever,” said Matthew Lewis, director of golf & leisure at Celtic Manor. In a Ryder Cup double, victorious Europe captain Colin Montgomerie was given the IAGTO Honorary Award in recognition of his achievements in golf. Other winners at the awards,
■ Celtic Manor
■ Monty with his award
held at Valencia’s Museo de Ciencias in the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, included South Africa, Argentina, Australia, North West Ireland and Scottsdale. These were the winners:
Golf Destination of the Year – Europe: North West Ireland Golf Destination of the Year – Latin America & Caribbean region: Argentina Golf Destination of the Year – Africa & Gulf States: South Africa Golf Resort of the Year – Europe: Celtic Manor Resort Golf Resort of the Year – North America: La Quinta Resort & Club/PGA West, California Golf Resort of the Year – Rest of the World: Puntacana Resort, Dominican Republic Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Winter warmer
Winter 2010/11
Atlantic Links
F
orget the winter snows and frost and head down to the balmy South West of England for a few rounds to warm yourself up. England’s Atlantic Links, a collection of five premier links golf clubs in Devon and Cornwall, is offering a range of Winter Wonder Links packages until the end of March. The special offer consists of a two-night package costing from just £240 which includes three rounds of golf, or a four-night package with five rounds starting at £485. The Atlantic Links consortium comprises the six championship
■ Saunton
links of Burnham & Berrow in Somerset, Royal North Devon and Saunton (East and West Courses) in Devon, and St Enodoc and Trevose in Cornwall. “The milder, temperate climate of the north Atlantic coast of the South West means that the greens, fairways and tees on all our courses will still be in good condition despite the time of year,”
comments Michael Blight, manager of Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. Accommodation is at Trevose Golf & Country Club and the George Hotel, Braunton. The breaks are available from London Golf. Email simon@londongolftours.com or call 01932 222448. More information: www.atlantic-links.co.uk.
Brittany Ferries has boosted its Spanish golf programme by adding the Costa Brava to its 2011 Golf Breaks guide, with the addition of the PGA Golf de Catalunya and the coastal resort of Platja d’Aro. The company is also boosting ferry services to northern Spain when it launches a new Portsmouth-Bilbao link from March 27, taking over the route from P&O. A five-night Costa Brava golf break including three nights’ bed and breakfast in a hotel and two nights cruising in an ensuite cabin, costs from £454. www.brittanyferries.com/golf Golf equipment manufacturer Ping has launched a new range of lightweight clubs tailored for children. There are three sets of Moxie clubs, each aimed at different ages and heights, comprising four, six and seven clubs. The Moxie K set, for juniors aged 6-7, has a 23º fairway wood, 7 iron, sand wedge and ■ Ping’s putter plus Moxie dual-strap clubs bag, and costs £225. The Moxie G, for those aged 8-9, adds a 16º driver and 9 iron and costs £215, while the Moxie i set, for 1011s, also has a hybrid club. www.ping.com
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
65
travel ■ update
Snow joke
Clubbing it The Ski Club of Great Britain has relaunched its website to provide more up-to-date and accurate advice for skiers, including news, resort guides and snow conditions. Skiers can join a chat forum as well as add opinion into the information and advice sections. www.skiclub.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
Atout France
■ Check your winter sports trip cover
correct cover for your winter sports trip, Defaqto’s new comparison tool identifies and compares features and benefits offered by
different policies – go to www.defaqto.com/compare/wintersports-insurance for more information.
Ice and easy does it
F
or cold weather fans, a stay in an ice hotel is the height of cool. The Hôtel de Glace in Canada has a brand new location for 2011, just 10 minutes from downtown Quebec City. From January 7 to March 27, spend the night in a cosy Arctic sleeping bag with an ambient room temperature of between -3ºC and -5ºC in one of 36 rooms and theme suites. Bales Worldwide’s Ice Hotel Experience includes two nights in Montreal plus a night in Quebec City and one in the Ice Hotel. Prices start from £1,325 per person including flights, accommodation and some transfers. More information: www.balesworldwide.com. The 14-room, boutique Ice Hotel Romania, complete with Ice Bar and Ice Chapel, is built from ice harvested from nearby Lake Balea and this year features even
more innovative room designs. From the oversized chess pieces that fill the Monarch’s Retreat Room to the Carpathian Forest Room where tall ice trees extend up to the roof, this unique experience is available until the beginning of May. Untravelled Paths offers a range of packages starting from £365 per person which start and end in Bucharest and also include a visit to Bran (Dracula’s) Castle. For details, go to www.untravelledpaths.com or call 0871 662 9521.
■ Cool stuff: Ice Hotel Romania
Scott Dunn
Skiing takes its toll on the body, and a spa treatment is one of the best ways to alleviate the aches and pains from the day’s exertions. What could be better than having that treatment brought directly to your chalet or hotel room? Launched last year, Beauty & the Piste’s luxury mobile massage and beauty therapy service has added Nendaz’s luxurious Hotel Mont Fort to other properties in resort there as well as in Verbier and Crans Montana. Until the end of April, relaxing or rehabilitating sports massages are available for men or women, as well as a range of spa quality beauty treatments which can be either booked in resort or online in advance of travel. For more information, go to www.beautyandthepiste.com.
W
Family fun
Untravelled Paths
Beauty on the piste
inter means snow, and snow for many means skiing. If you have booked or are yet to book your ski holiday for this winter, it is important to check that your travel insurance provides sufficient cover. Independent financial research company Defaqto has found the coverage provided by different insurance policies varies greatly. Of the 349 single trip policies that have winter sports cover, 64% provide £500 worth of cover or less for winter sports equipment, 45% cover £200 or less for total piste closure and 7% provide cover of £150 or less for the loss of a ski pass. To help make sure you get the
Family ski specialists Scott Dunn is offering free childcare for pre-school children on its Tots with Altitude package in selected chalets in Val d’Isere, St Anton and Courchevel during the weeks of January 9, 16 and 23 and March 6 and 27. Packages start from £1,095 per adult for a week in St Anton. www.scottdunn.com
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
67
travel ■ update
Trip picks for 2011
■ Get ideas for your adventure travels
If you have yet to book your holiday for 2011, take your pick from some of the new programmes for this year from leading tour companies:
A
Inghams new-look Lakes & Mountains 2011 brochure features four new tours, including Discover the Julian Alps, a four-centre holiday in Slovenia. It is also offering weddings in stunning lakes and mountain settings in Austria and Italy for the first time. Prices start at £399 per person for a week in Austria. www.inghams.co.uk
68 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
dventure Travel Live is the ideal platform for anyone looking for an off-thebeaten-track travel adventure. Packed with inspiration and travel advice to help organise the journey of a lifetime – be it wildlife encounters, trekking or family adventures – the show runs from January 28-30 at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London. New features this year include a display of the winning images from the 2010 Travel Photographer of the Year competition plus the chance to learn
about travel photography from leading travel photographers including Chris Coe, the founder of the prestigious TPOTY awards, in two evening seminars. Seminar tickets cost £45 in advance or £55 on the door for one, including entrance to the show, or £75 for both. Tickets for the show cost £8 in advance or £10 on the door; under 16s are free. More information: www.adventuretravellive.com. ● You can WIN one of 20 pairs of tickets to Adventure Travel Live we have to give away. Just go to www.tlmmagazine.co.uk and click on the competitions button. Terms and conditions apply. Closing date January 21, 2011.
Busch trek online
I Siblu
Siblu Villages has savings of up to £125 on its family holidays to 14 locations from Normandy to the Cote d’Azur in France for bookings made before January 31. Easter sevennight holidays are available from only £265 for a family and Whitsun week from just £340. www.siblu.com
Adventure Travel Live
Venture far and wide
Accor Hotels
Originally built by Thomas Cook in 1899, The Sofitel Legend Old Cataract in Aswan will re-open in September 2011 after a multi-million dollar renovation and is included in Thomas Cook Signature’s 11-night Cairo, Aswan and Luxor trip as part of its 2011 programme. Prices start at £1,365 per person. www.thomascooksignature.com
Adventure Travel Live
European Waterways has three recent additions to its fleet of luxury hotel barges for its 2011 programme including La Bella Vita, a stylish newlyrefitted 20-passenger vessel that will cruise the Venetian Lagoon between Venice and the gorgeous Renaissance city of Mantua, with prices from £2,190 per person for a six-night cruise. www.gobarging.com
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
f Florida is on your holiday list for 2011, you can now make the best of each SeaWorld park using the new online Planning Tool. Explore interactive 3D maps of SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Busch Gardens, as well as selecting specific rides or shows and dropping and dragging them into your own customised itinerary. New attractions for 2011 include Cheetah Hunt at Busch Gardens Tampa; a high-speed multiple-launch coaster which
mimics the speed, power and agility of the cheetah with super-fast twists and turns and a final 37-metre plunge.
Discovery Cove Orlando opens The Grand Reef in June, where you can choose from paddling in shallow waters to deep diving adventures where you can come face to face with a vast array of sea life. The Discovery Cove Ultimate Package and the 3-Park Ticket are the best value and for all tickets booked by the end of May, there is a three-parks-forthe-price-of-two offer currently available. See www.seaworldparks.co.uk for more details.
Winter 2010/11
Sailing
A1 Sailing Mallorca Sea School Luxury Sail & Motor Yacht Charter
Warm breezes, crystal sea & sunshine Modern high specification yachts from 32 to 72ft available for charter • RYA practical & theory courses • Beginner to Yachtmaster • Flotilla and bareboat holidays • Dedicated RYA school boats Get more enjoyment from sailing
WWW.A1SAILING.LTD.UK Tel: +34 971 547 986 Email: enquiries@A1Sailing.ltd.uk
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 69
10 of the best ■ rooms with a view
10 st: he be
2
Orient-Express Hotels
of t ith w s m o ro a view
2 Peru: Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge
Sitting pretty
From Paris to Australia, Peru and the Maldives, we search out 10 of the best views you can enjoy from your hotel room 1 France: Hotel Plaza Athenee, Paris
The view: Gaze across the rooftops of Paris to the Eiffel Tower from your room or balcony. The room: Sumptuously furnished in classic 18th century décor or art deco. Deluxe suites have private balconies where you can dine with a romantic backdrop. The hotel: Chic and refined, this favourite of Jackie Kennedy and Grace Kelly with its trademark red blinds and red geraniums is set on the Avenue Montaigne, home to top fashion houses and haute couture shops, and is still very much in with the In Crowd. Stay: Elegant Resorts (www.elegantresorts.co.uk) has three-night stays, with flights, from £1,400. www.plaza-athenee-paris.com
70 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
3 3 Australia: Longitude 131°, Uluru, Northern Territory
The view: Wake up to the brilliant, morphing dawn colours of Uluru – the politically-correct Aboriginal name for Ayers Rock – visible through large glazed doors. The room: 15 luxurious elevated, heated and air-conditioned tents set on a sand dune close to the UluruKata Tjuta National Park wilderness. Each pays homage to an early Australian pioneer. The hotel: The resort is a haven of privacy, solitude and closeness to nature where guests can immerse themselves in the environment of Australia’s Red Centre and the Aborigines’ spirituality. Stay: Abercrombie & Kent (www.abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers custom itineraries with stays at Longtitude 131º. www.longitude131.com.au
Winter 2010/11
Voyager Resorts
1
Dorchester Collection
The view: Guest room windows and patio doors frame the haunting spectacle of Sacred Mountain and ruins of Inca citadel Machu Picchu. The room: The 29 rooms and two suites have a casual feel with all the comforts of home. The hotel: At 8,200 feet high in the Peruvian Andes, Orient-Express Hotels’ Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is the only hotel located within the sanctuary of the Inca site. It can be reached from Cuzco by train, bus or by foot along the Inca Trail. Stay: Journey Latin America (www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk) features the lodge as part of tailor-made tours. www.sanctuarylodgehotel.com
10 of the best ■ rooms with a view
Peter Ellegard
4
4 Canada: Quirpon Lighthouse Inn, The view: Stunning seascape panorama from an isolated island at the northern tip of Newfoundland with migrating whales and icebergs drifting along “Iceberg Alley” just offshore. The room: 10 rooms in two houses next to a now-automated lighthouse are simply furnished with shared bathrooms and locally-made furniture. The hotel: Reached by a 45-minute boat trip from the mainland, close to the L’Anse aux Meadows Viking settlement, it was once the lighthouse keepers’ cottages. Guests enjoy home-made traditional suppers, and there is no TV or telephones. Stay: Windows on the Wild (www.windowsonthewild.com) offers Quirpon on Newfoundland tours. www.linkumtours.com/site/inns_quirpon.htm
6
Jade Mountain
entertainment complex which includes a Nobu restaurant and the city’s largest spa. Stay: Hayes & Jarvis (www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk) features the One&Only Cape Town. http://capetown.oneandonlyresorts.com
Newfoundland
5 5 South Africa: One&Only Cape Town
The view: Guests staying in the crescent-shaped, seven-storey Marina Rise enjoy spectacular views of iconic Table Mountain. The best views are from the Table Mountain Suite. The room: All rooms have a private balcony offering grandstand views. They are the most spacious in Cape Town. Two suites have their own spa treatment rooms. The hotel: Opened in April 2009, One&Only Cape Town is a contemporary urban chic hotel in the city’s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront shopping and
Winter 2010/11
One&Only
6 St lucia: Jade Mountain
The view: Savour sweeping vistas of St Lucia’s jagged Pitons and the Caribbean from your bedroom, living area and private infinity pool. The room: The Star, Moon, Sun and Galaxy “infinity pool sanctuaries” feature 15ft high ceilings, floors comprising over 20 species of tropical hardwood and no fourth wall, giving glorious views. The hotel: Rising above the 600-acre Anse Chastanet resort, of which it is part, Jade Mountain boasts extravagantly bold architectural design, a spa and art gallery – and is a techno-free haven with no TVs, radios or telephones. Stay: Nightly rates for a Star Sanctuary start from $1,250 (about £800). www.jademountain.com
7 Dubai: Atlantis,The Palm
The view: Stay in one of two Lost Chambers Suites and gaze at the teeming underwater world of the resort’s three-million-gallon Ambassador Lagoon from your bedroom and bathroom windows. The room: Stretching over three floors, the Neptune and Poseidon Suites have a grand foyer leading down a staircase, and elevator, into an aquatic-themed dining
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
71
9
Mandarin Oriental
10 of the best ■ rooms with a view
9 America: Mandarin Oriental,
8 8 India: Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
Do you know of somewhere with better views? Tell us on tlm’s Facebook page: http://bit.ly/tlm_facebook – and see our suggestions for 10 of the rest.
The view: Feast your eyes on the world’s greatest monument of love, the Taj Mahal, as it changes mood by day and night just 600 metres away. The room: Every room looks out onto the Taj Mahal, the Luxury Suites having two private terraces and bathroom window views, plus four poster bed. The best views are from the Kohinoor Suite. The hotel: Built in a style inspired by Moorish and Mughal architecture, the Oberoi Amarvilas features terraced lawns, fountains, reflection pools and pavilions with rich interiors. Stay: Prices from £252 per person per night including breakfast with TransIndus (www.transindus.com). www.oberoihotels.com/oberoi_amarvilas
72 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Oberoi Hotels& Resorts
and living area, with butler’s pantry for the dedicated private butler. The hotel: Set on man-made island, The Palm, Atlantis incorporates the Ambassador Lagoon, The Lost Chambers tunnels recreating the Atlantis myth, spa, Aquaventure water park and dolphin habitat Dolphin Bay. Stay: The Poseidon or Neptune suites cost over £5,000 per night. www.atlantisthepalm.com
10 10 Maldives: Island Hideaway Spa Resort and Marina
The view: Laze in your circular bath while surveying the turquoise-blue lagoon of Dhonakulhi Island from one of two Hideaway Water Suites. The room: Erected on wooden stilts in the shallow lagoon and with an extensive timber deck, the Hideaway Water Suites have their own ocean-view spa treatment room, sauna, steam room, outdoor bathtub, sundeck, lagoon access and 24-hour personal butler service. The hotel: Crescent-shaped Dhonakulhi Island, in the Maldives’ Haa Alifu Atoll, is reached by plane and boat from capital Male and features an over-water restaurant, Mandara Spa and the Maldives’ only marina. Stay: Prices start from £2,107 for seven nights. www.island-hideaway.com
Winter 2010/11
Island Hideaway Spa Resort and Marina
7
One&Only
New York
The view: You can almost touch the skyscrapers of New York’s familiar skyline or the trees of Central Park through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The room: All 248 guestrooms and suites offer breathtaking views and advanced in-room entertainment technology. The hotel: Situated in the heart of Manhattan in the Time Warner Centre, the Mandarin Oriental is one of the city’s most striking and sophisticated luxury hotels, with a spa, lobby lounge on the 35th floor with a panorama of Manhattan and the chic MObar. Stay: Get a fourth night free when you book a threenight Suite Temptations stay in a luxury suite, from $2,175. www.mandarinoriental.com/newyork
checking out ■ hotels
Chocolate lovers can indulge themselves until January 30 with a special Chocolate Package at the Kempinski Hotel Dukes’ Palace in Bruges. It includes a chocolate-themed gift on arrival, buffet breakfast including hot chocolate, two tickets to the Bruges Chocolate Museum, hot chocolate on your return and entry to the spa, pool and gym to burn off the extra calories! From £221 per night. www.kempinski.com
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Corinthia Hotels
■ Lobby entrance of the Corinthia Hotel London
Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
■ London Syon Park
■ The Savoy
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Following the success of the hit Sherlock Holmes film and TV series, the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes on Baker Street (above) has seen a rise in requests for directions to 221b Baker Street – now the Sherlock Holmes Museum. Sales of memorabilia at the hotel are up, too, with the distinctive pipe top seller. A new film and second TV series are planned for 2011. www.parkplazasherlockholmes.com
T
he UK’s economy may be sickly but the country’s hotel sector is in rude health, with a spate of new openings and even more planned. London is the epicentre of the hotel boom as it prepares for the 2012 Olympics and this spring’s royal wedding. Early 2010 saw the £350 million, four star deluxe Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London’s largest new-build hotel for 40 years with over 1,000 guest rooms, open opposite Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The von Essen group’s stylish new Hotel Verta, next to London Heliport in Battersea, is described as an “integrated hotel helicopter solution”. Also new in 2010 was the Pestana Chelsea Bridge Hotel, opposite Battersea Park, and the Town Hall Hotel & Apartments – a restoration and conversion of the former Bethnal Green Town Hall into a hip, boutique designer hotel. But most headlines were grabbed by the rebirth of a London icon, the Fairmont-managed Savoy, after a three-year revamp costing £200 million, reaffirming it as one of the capital’s elite hotels. This year’s new entrants will include the former Midland Grand Hotel, the glorious Victorian Gothic edifice next to London’s St Pancras Station, being reborn as the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel London in May after a £150 million facelift. The luxury new London Syon Park, part of the Waldorf Astoria hotel group, opens its doors in the parkland setting of South West London’s Syon House grounds in February, as does the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, on the site of the Inn on the
Park with a 1930s theme, and the glass-fronted W London – Leicester Square Hotel. The 40-room Eccleston Square Hotel, is claimed will be London’s most high tech hotel when it opens in April near Victoria Station, featuring 3D TVs and Blu Ray players, smart glass walls which turn opaque, £12,000 electronicallyadjustable beds and fingertip control pads for lighting, enter■ The Four Seasons Hotel, London Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Park Plaza Hotels
Athenaeum
The luxurious Athenaeum apartments in Mayfair are offering “minimoon packages” in line with the trend for shorter honeymoons for busy couples. Minimooners who book a twonight stay will receive free dinner for two plus a his and hers massage using REN products from the newlyrefurbished spa in the comfort and privacy of their own apartment. Packages start at £399 per night. www.athenaeumhotel.com
74 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
Going up Focus: new hotels
hotel news
tainment and curtains. The upscale Corinthia Hotel also opens in Whitehall in April, with the 85-room Belgraves Hotel in fashionable Belgravia in May and boutique Bulgari Hotel in December. Early 2011 will see the Dorchester Collection’s 45 Park Lane open in the former Playboy Club and the Four Seasons Heron Tower open in what will be London’s tallest building, with 46 floors. However, Renzo Piano’s striking 1,000ft Shard of Glass building, incorporating the Shangri-La Hotel, will supersede it to become the UK’s highest in 2012. The boom continues in 2012 with Sol Melia’s luxury new ME London, designed by Norman Foster, among several other newcomers.
Winter 2010/11
checking out ■ hotel reviews
Take off ■ Heli-heaven
factbox Hotel Verta Battersea, London SW11 3BE Tel: 020 7801 3500 www.hotelverta.com Rooms from £175 ex-VAT
Best for ● Flights of fancy ● Spa breaks ● Style gurus Could do better ● No iPod docks
von Essen Hotels
Looking to take off for a few days in London? The von Essen group’s new Hotel Verta could be just the ticket – especially for high flyers. The hotel gets its name from the adjacent London Heliport, Battersea, also owned by von Essen. They now comprise Europe’s only integrated hotel-heliport, what it calls London’s Vertical Gateway. To underline that, the décor throughout the hotel reflects the aviation theme and recreates the pizzazz of the golden age of flying. A giant 1930s-style searchlight sets the tone by the dining room, while miniature representations of helicopter blades are suspended above tables like a giant child’s mobile inside. Right outside the soaring windows is the heliport – with parked helicopters – and the Thames just beyond. It is a surreal view as you tuck into your breakfast or dinner. The hotel’s 70 rooms continue the theme. Paper planes made from a London A-Z
von Essen Hotels
Hotel Verta, Battersea
Guide were framed as a picture on a wall of my lavish, fifth-floor room, and the picture windows gave a pilot’s eye view of the heliport below. But the quadruple glazing meant that when helicopters took off or landed they were whisper quiet. The room was a geek’s paradise, with electronic touch switches to operate everything, including the flat screen TV at the end of the bath. My only gripes were the stained bedspread and the surprising lack of an iPod dock in such a high-tech room. Sadly, there was no time to use the cosy spa, tucked in the basement. The £45 Flight Rescue foot and leg reviver massage would have been uplifting. Peter Ellegard
Clock watching
factbox Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London South Bank, London SE1 7UT Tel: 0844 415 6780 www.parkplaza.com/westminster Rooms from £139 ex-VAT
Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, South Bank, London
Best for ● Great views ● Central location ● Well-thought out room
Winter 2010/11
Park Plaza Hotels
S
taring at a clock is generally considered a sure sign of boredom, and that you can’t wait to clock off work. But stay at the new £350 million Westminster Bridge Park Plaza and if you get a room looking out across the bridge the view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament will transfix you. Avert your gaze and you will find a comfy, spacious and very well-appointed room. At over 1,000 rooms it is a large hotel, yet it doesn’t feel it. Although busy during my stay, the first floor lobby and other public areas never felt crowded. And the curved exterior made
it feel far less imposing than many smaller hotels. Free wi-fi throughout the hotel is a boon, especially for those who work on the move. There is also a spa and fitness centre, with a 15-metre pool and 24-hour gym – handy for nightbirds – while the five dining and entertainment
options include the acclaimed Brasserie Joel French restaurant. But the room was the star for me, and not just for the view. My suite (there are 54, including penthouses) had 37-inch LCD TVs in both the lounge area and bedroom, and both had sport channels. Result! With Chelsea
Could do better ● Awkward closet
playing Liverpool on Sky and the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix on the BBC, I had the luxury of leaving one screen tuned into each, and followed the action by walking from one room to the other. As for the view? I was tempted to leave the curtains open all night. If only Big Ben had an alarm setting… Peter Ellegard
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
75
for luxury day spa and retreats
The Lorrens Ladies Health Hydro Cary Park, Torquay 01803 329994 www.lorrens-health-hydro.co.uk 76 tlm â&#x2013; the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
• 83 en-suite rooms • 7 conference and banqueting rooms • City centre location • Ideal touring base • Restaurant and two bars • Free car parking
The place to stay in the heart of Herefordshire - now taking bookings for 2011 including Turkey & Tinsel
Norton Grange Coastal Resort ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Inclusive half board short breaks Beautiful secluded setting Spectacular Solent views En Suite Chalet Accommodation Live entertainment & cabaret Leisure Facilities Exclusively for adults Ferry inclusive breaks available. Weekend breaks from just £139pppb, quote 22TG8 Halletts Shute, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight PO41 0SD Tel. 01983 760323 Fax. 01983 760468
www.nortongrange.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 77
london life ■ london’s villages
■ A busy summer’s day on the Thames path at Richmond
visitlondonimages/britainonview/Pawel Libera
Far from the
madding crowds
Leave the big city frenzy behind and join London’s village people
78 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
town hall and a coat of arms with many streets named after their trade, such as Bread Street and Threadneedle Street, with Westminster being home to the clergy. The arrival of the railway in the 19th century expanded the
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
hampstead and highgate
capital; yet away from its centre, many of the old villages have survived to form captivating suburbs. For more information on London’s villages, go to www.visitlondon.com/areas/villages. Here are some examples of village life in London: ■ Houses fronting onto the heath at Blackheath
visitlondonimages/britainonview
A
village green, cricket whites, a local pub and maybe a notice board of events. Not to be found all over the city – but London is home to many villages where you can visit art galleries and craft shops, see rows of pretty cottages and stop for a piece of homemade cake. Many of London’s villages have a history that goes back even beyond the Domesday Book of 1086 to Saxon times. The earliest hamlets grew among coaching inns, rivers and markets with a scattering of medieval churches and with no borough boundaries, just natural barriers of woodland and ancient walls. Central London was run by merchant guilds, each with a
Hampstead is one of London’s most desirable places to live, due in no small part to its position alongside the 800-acre heath, as well as it pretty, leafy streets lined with Georgian buildings. Former residents include Lord Byron, Ian Fleming, John Constable, and Keats, whose house is open year round; you can even sit in the garden where the poet wrote Ode to a Nightingale. Nowadays, celebrities such as Sting and Kate Winslet call Hampstead home; the village has more millionaires in its boundaries than any other area of the UK. It is well known for its pubs, such as the Holly Bush, a tradi-
Winter 2010/11
visitlondonimages/britainonview
■ Outside the village deli in Dulwich
harrow-on-thehill/pinner framed High Street was built when Pinner was an important coaching stop. The London coach left from the 1540-era Queen’s Head pub, which now hosts a Sunday Farmers’ Market. Harrow-on-the-Hill/Pinner information: www.harrow.gov.uk
Harrow-on-the-Hill is a perfectly preserved Victorian village, overlooking London from its hilly vantage point. Although it was one of the first villages to be connected by the railway in 1880, it is still relatively untouched by development and is surrounded by parks, playing fields and a golf course. Harrow comes from the Saxon hergae, which means temple or shrine, and the spire of St Mary’s Church, founded in 1087, still dominates the hill. Around the picturesque Kings Head Green, where the town stocks once stood, are some great restaurants and cafes including the Dolls House on the Hill for proper afternoon tea. Neighbouring Pinner, two stops farther on the tube line, dates from the 1230s although its 16th to 18th century timber-
Winter 2010/11
Valued in the Domesday Book at £28 in gold when it was a farming village of just 82 people, it is now one of the most “villagey” areas of the city. The old village centre around St Mary’s Church is archetypal chocolate-box – boasting pretty cottages and an overgrown churchyard with Orford Road being an original village high street and Elizabethan houses around the corner. Modern day life is evident in Walthamstow High Street, where you can stock up on fruit and veg in Europe’s longest daily street market. A night out watching the greyhound racing at Walthamstow Stadium, a 15-minute walk from the village, was popular until the track closed in 2008. Walthamstow information: www.walthamforest.gov.uk visitlondonimages/britainonview
■ A waitress pours herself a cup of tea at Orange Pekoe in Barnes
walthamstow
Georgian houses, an art gallery and some classic, independent shops, such as Jags for the best in designer bags, shoes and accessories, together with a visit to Panino D’Oro for coffee and cake or to the Crown and Greyhound, the only pub in Dulwich, for some real ale and you have the perfect village visit. Neighbouring Crystal Palace Park, with its lake and recentlyrestored Victorian dinosaur park as well as the largest maze in London, makes a great picnic spot. Dulwich information: www.southwark.gov.uk
did you know?
● There are 166,000 names engraved on the 51,000 headstones in Highgate Cemetery, of which more than 850 are considered notable. ● A Heath Robinson museum is planned for Pinner, which is also where Elton John hails from – when he was still Reg Dwight. ● One explanation for the origin of the term OK is that it comes from “Observatory, Kew”, where essential maritime equipment used to be repaired. ● England’s first game of golf was played on Blackheath, most probably by James I in 1603, and the Royal Blackheath Golf Club was the first golf club in England. ● The fictional Walford of the BBC’s Eastenders is a portmanteau of the “wal” from Walthamstow and the “ford” from Stratford.
kew/richmond/barnes This Thameside trio of tranquil villages typifies England. Kew is quintessentially English with a cricket pavilion on its green and its impeccable Royal connections, while Barnes is virtually a hamlet with its cluster of shops and cafes. Richmond takes its name from Henry VII’s Richmond Palace and its huge park with wild deer means that it has more green space than any other London borough. Kew Gardens is, of course, a main attraction but enjoying a glass of Pimms watching cricket, perhaps a stroll through Richmond Park or maybe browsing the Kew Books shop, makes this area worthy of a much longer visit. Barnes/Richmond/Kew infomation: www.richmond.gov.uk
dulwich Picture a village in your head, and Dulwich would fit the bill; picket fences, white wooden fingerposts, a pond and a parish hall. Add some beautiful
■ Kew Palace in Kew Gardens
■ The Princes Head Pub in Richmond
suits you
visitlondonimages/britainonview/Pawel Libera
tional English pub serving one of the best roasts in London, as well as its pretty shops and, of course, the heath. That is one of the highest, greenest points of London, shared with neighbouring Highgate, a village with a true country feel and home to the cemetery where luminaries such as George Eliot and Karl Marx are buried. Hampstead information: www.camden.gov.uk Highgate information: www.haringey.gov.uk
visitlondonimages/britainonview/Pawel Libera
london life ■ london’s villages
● For families: take in a traditional cricket match on the green plus a stroll with the deer in Richmond Park. ● For couples: a leisurely Sunday morning brunch in a village cafe in Dulwich’s village centre. ● For value: Take a walk up the hill from Hampstead Heath and take in the view – not many better for free. ● For luxury: Indulge in a piece of jewellery from an independent shop, made to your specifications.
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
79
london ■ news
■ New winter cruise
11pm. In January and February, it will operate on Fridays and Saturdays, with Thursdays added to the schedule during March. For ticket information, call 020 7740 0400 or visit the website: www.citycruises.com. ● tlm readers can enjoy a 33% DISCOUNT and get the London Showboat for just £50 – just go to http://bit.ly/showboat_offer and enter the code SHOWBOAT when prompted.
■ Tropic-Kew
RBG Kew
City Cruises has unveiled its winter schedule for its sightseeing cruises and The London Showboat dinner cruise. The sightseeing service, onboard modern boats with panoramic windows and open deck areas, runs at regular intervals between Westminster, London Eye, Tower and Greenwich piers from 10am until 6.10pm. The London Showboat is a great value dinner, cabaret and dance cruise on the River Thames and the £75 cost includes a fourcourse meal, a welcome drink and half-bottle of wine. The leisurely evening cruise through the heart of London features a live singer and dancing and departs from Westminster Pier at 7.15pm, returning at
City Cruises
Showboating
Typically tropical T
he annual Tropical Extravaganza festival at Kew Gardens is celebrating the importance of the tropical rainforest as 2011 is the UN International Year of Forests. Orchids and tropical flowers will be displayed in Kew’s Princess of Wales Conservatory and sculptures of birds and rainforest sound recordings will add to the atmosphere, while the central display in the pond area will symbolise a flooded rainforest. To illustrate the threat to rainforests,
the north end of the Conservatory will represent a “scorched” forest with the sounds of animals moving away and logs being cut down. The festival runs from February 5March 6, 2011; Kew Gardens is open daily from 9am. Admission is £13.90 for adults, £11.90 for concessions, with children under 17 free accompanied by an adult. For more information go to www.kew.org/visit-kewgardens/whats-on/tropicalextravaganza-2011.htm.
Feast fit for a king ■ Looking good at ninetyeight
Ninetyeight and counting... The newly-opened ninetyeight bar and lounge in Shoreditch is brightening up Sundays with its Vintage Sundays, a twist on traditional afternoon tea. Guests will be offered a unique range of alcohol-infused tea and coffees as well as 1940s-themed cocktails with an atmospheric vintage soundtrack and old Hollywood movies. Handcrafted classic cake stands filled with traditional sweet and savoury treats will be served by maids, at £25 per person. This eclectic venue will also offer art exhibitions, burlesque shows and a guide to mixing its unique cocktails. www.ninetyeight-bar-lounge.com
80 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
■ Feast your eyes on this
Richard Lea-Hair HRP
I
magine a kitchen comprising 55 rooms staffed by 200 people and providing 600 meals twice a day – such were the Tudor kitchens at Hampton Court during the reign of King Henry VIII. For the last few years, the kitchens have been home to a research project run by Historia food archaeologists who, throughout 2011, bring the kitchens to life in a series of live cookery demonstrations experimenting with traditional recipes, ingredients and cooking methods. Held on the first week-
end of each month, starting from February 5-6, you can feel the heat of the vast Tudor kitchens before trying a dish for real in the Tiltyard cafe. Admission to this
exciting live event is included in the price of your admission to Hampton Court. For more details go to www.hrp.org.uk/ HamptonCourtPalace.
Winter 2010/11
Experience the Household Cavalry Story in London’s Royal Heartland
Open daily from 10am
2 for 1 entry on a £6.00 adult ticket with this advert. Offer ends 31/08/10
The Household Cavalry Museum Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX www.householdcavalrymuseum.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 81
out & about ■ what’s on and where
What a load of scallops “T Hastings Borough Council
Clive Sawyer
■ Rye Harbour
■ Scallops
Scallop trivia: did you know? ● There are more than 300 species of
scallop in the world. ● You can tell the age of a scallop by its Hastings Borough Council
shell, one ring forms each year. ● Scallops can be traced back 300 million
years in fossil form. ● The scallop is a mollusc and the only
bivalve that can swim. ● The orange roe in a scallop is called coral.
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Mark Jarvis
Chocolate, shoes and champagne – sound like a perfect evening? The world’s first chocolate themed hotel, Bournemouth’s Chocolate Boutique Hotel, is offering chocolate shoe evening workshops where, as well as learning about the history of chocolate, you create and decorate your own edible version of Jimmy Choos to take home in a beautiful display box. The workshops cost £69 per person including a glass of champagne and nibbles and run on selected Sundays throughout 2011. To find out more about the shoe workshops and the Chocolate Boutique Hotel, call 01202 556857 or visit www.thechocolateboutiquehotel.co.uk.
82 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
■ Mods in Eastbourne, not Brighton
■ Chocolatier Gerry Wilton and edible shoe
Eastbourne rocks
T Chocolate Boutique Hotel
Eat my shoes
■ Shucking scallops
he cheapest sea-towne for provision of fish for our house” – so said King Charles I of Rye in 1628, and he would undoubtedly embrace the annual scallop festival in this lovely coastal Sussex town. The nine-day event, from February 12-20, incorporates the tempting delicacy into all aspects of Rye restaurant and pub life, with special scallop-themed menus available throughout Rye and beyond; nearby Winchelsea and Camber Sands also playing host to events. Scallop-shucking demonstrations, cookery schools and menus featuring various recipes of this delectable seafood are on offer throughout the event. Visitors can choose to visit just for the day or maybe spend a two-night special themed break at the 10-bedroom, 15th century Strand House Hotel in Winchelsea. That includes a five-course scallop-themed dinner and the chance to sample their famous breakfast of black pudding, locally-smoked bacon and pan-fried scallops. On the last day of the festival, the third annual What a Load of Scallops race will take place, with entrants racing barrows of scallops through the streets of Rye to win the coveted wooden scallop plaque. For more information on the festival and the related events, go to www.ryebayscallops.co.uk.
he Boulting brothers’ 1947 version of Graham Greene’s book, Brighton Rock, is considered by some to be the best British film of all time; its remake by Rowan Joffe, due out in cinemas from February, was in actual fact filmed mostly in Eastbourne.
Now tourism officials are inviting visitors to follow in the footsteps of the film makers, taking in Beachy Head, Eastbourne’s seafront and the iconic pier. For more information on Eastbourne’s film locations connections and to plan your visits, go to www.visiteastbourne.com.
Winter 2010/11
■ Olney Pancake Race
Pancake mix P ■ Pancake flashback VisitBritain
market town of Olney has been host to an annual race since 1445 and the race is a 380-metre dash started by the churchwarden at 11.55am using a
T
he Great Western Railway has linked the South West of England with London since 1838 and, in 1841, joined forces with Isambard Kingdom Brunel to form what was to become one of the most outstanding industrial centres in the world – Swindon Works. In its heyday, it employed over 14,000 people and produced over 60 locomotives a year, leaving behind a legacy of wonderful buildings with unique architectural features. Many of these have been preserved and have alternative uses today, including STEAM museum, the Designer Outlet Centre, the Glue Pot pub and the National Monuments Record Centre. The newly-created Swindon Heritage Trails take in 20 unique stopping points, all of which are in the centre of Swindon and within easy walking distance of each other.
Winter 2010/11
Fun family days
large bronze “Pancake Bell”. In Liberal, Kansas in the US, a similar event takes place on the same day and the times of the winners in Olney and Liberal are compared with the international winner being declared through a weblink. The mayor of Olney will be in Liberal for the race there. Both races take place on Tuesday, March 8. For more information, go to www.olneytown council.gov.uk.
Poems and science
Roald Dahl is a family favourite and on February 22, the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden plays host to poet and guitarist James Carter, performing poems from his brand new science-poetry anthology How to Turn Your Teacher Purple. For information on this, and other details of the museum, go to www.roalddahlmuseum.org.
■ STEAM Museum, Swindon
Octopussy
The Blue Reef aquarium in Portsmouth hosts Suckers Week during half term, in celebration of the octopus. Find out how these amazing creatures have adapted
to survive in our seas and enjoy close encounters with members of the cephalopod family from the giant Pacific octopus to the prehistoric nautilus. For more information, go to www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk.
Ice rink
Worthing’s town centre hosts its annual ice rink from February 5-March 6; tickets can be purchased online or at the box office onsite. Family tickets are available from £17 for a one-hour session. To book tickets go to www.worthingicerink.co.uk.
For more ideas and information on events in the South East, go to www.funfamilydaysout.com.
■ Blue Reef Aquarium
For further information and to download the free trail visit www.swindonheritagetrails.co.uk or phone 01793 429250.
Blue Reef Aquarium
Full steam ahead
■ Roald Dahl Museum
Keeping the kids entertained during a chilly February half term needn’t be a chore; here are a few ideas for some family days out to appeal to all.
Evening Star/Hellen Barnes
ancake races are a tradition which take place in towns, cities and villages across the UK on Shrove Tuesday, when competitors race against each other while flipping a pancake in a frying pan. They are thought to have begun in the 15th century when a woman lost track of time while cooking pancakes and ran to church still holding her frying pan and wearing her apron. The Buckinghamshire
Roald Dahl Museum
VisitBritain
out & about ■ what’s on and where
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
83
84 tlm â&#x2013; the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
Winter 2010/11
tlm â&#x2013; the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 85
The costs of producing this advert were kindly donated to MSF
MÊdecins Sans Frontières (MSF) gives free professional medical care to the people who need it most. In countries devastated by conflict, natural disaster or poverty, our staff battle epidemics, run emergency clinics and provide basic health services. Find out where we work, what we do and how you can help at www.msf.org.uk
English Charity Reg No. 1026588
travel and leisure directory Budget Accommodation
Cornwall
Trenona Farm Holidays ROSELAND PENINSULA, CORNWALL
• Bed and Breakfast or 4 Star self-catering cottages • Wheelchair accessibility • Children and pets welcome • Superb accommodation in idyllic rural setting near St Mawes and the South coast
www.trenonafarmholidays.co.uk Tel: 01872 501339 Mrs Pamela Carbis Channel Islands
Dorset
L’Eree Bay Hotel
L’Eree Bay Hotel overlooks the wonderful picturesque bay of L’Eree and is situated only 50 yards from its beautiful sandy beach. The Brasserie style restaurant offers a wide selection of meals using local produce, fish, shellfish and a traditional daily special board. For those who want a change from the beach, there is a large outdoor heated swimming pool with a secluded terraced sunbathing area.
SPECIAL OFFER
Book before 28th Feb and receive FREE HALF BOARD worth £24.00 per couple, min stay 4 nights, N/A July & August L'Eree Bay, St Peter's, Guernsey GY7 9LG reservations@lereebayhotel.com tel: 01481 264161 fax: 01481 266293 www.lereebayhotel.com
ALDERNEY - Channel Islands B & B from £30pppn. Situated between the harbour and town, only 5 minutes walk to the beach.
L’HARAS Guest House
Newtown Road, Alderney, Channel Islands GY9 3XP Email: lharas@internet.alderney.gg Website: www.internet.alderney.gg/lharas
Tel/Fax: 01481 823174 (Mrs. N. Jansen)
To advertise in the travel & leisure magazine please call 01737 735587
Cornwall & Devon Perfect for exploring North Devon and Cornwall
Cottages sleeping 2 to 8, set in a 1.5 acre site, with good facilities situated in picturesque parish of Welcombe. Only half a mile from local beach and pub. Good network of footpaths, taking you through Devon wildlife conservation areas with plentiful wildlife and flora to observe, and coasting of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Please contact for special discount quoting TLM
Winter 2010/11
tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine www.tlm-magazine.co.uk 87
travel and leisure directory Motor Homes
Worldwide
Motorhome hire in Scotland
France
Worldwide Tailor-made Holidays & Tours
2, 4, 5 and 6-berth motorhomes. Ideal for touring within Scotland and further afield. All vehicles are fully equipped (bedding optional). Our package includes unlimited mileage, full insurance, AA cover. End-of-season motorhome sales For brochure contact
0800 028 1951 www.othertravel.co.uk
Brown’s Motorhome Hire, Garrion Bridge Larkhall ML9 2UD (nr Glasgow)
100% financial protection
Tel/Fax: 01698 886255
Sussex
Best of Brighton and Sussex Cottages Fully furnished, assessed and graded self catering houses, flats, cottages, studios and apartments in Brighton & Hove and also East and West Sussex. Try our various websites for full info and more pictures:
www.eastbourneapartments.com www.apartmentsinbrighton.com www.bestofsussex.co.uk www.bestofbrighton.co.uk Lets of from 3 days to 3 months.
Tel: 0044 (0)1273 308779
Florida
• Luxury 4 bedroomed villa on a gated community • Secluded pool area • Only 15 minutes from Disney World • Visit www.sgbvillas.co.uk for more details • Contact Graham on 0208 482 2830 or 07941 661796
e m annexe gite in th oo dr be 2 ed in ta n Self co on in s wine growing regi beautiful rural Ger ort , one hour Pau airp South West France ), fully ed ights from Stanst (Ryanair cheap fl ing, UK TV, central heat + equipped kitchen, ai ent, em l for pics m ge n ra ar by ol po swimming k from £200 per wee more details, prices on. depending on seas .fr ne.barnard@orange ju or 61 87 85 3 0147 Menorca
Northern Cyprus France One of the finest collections of hotels in Northern Cyprus with something to meet everyone’s expectations and budget.
THE NORTHERN CYPRUS SPECIALISTS Get mor e fo your £££s r a non-Eur : destinat o ion
tel: 02392 230030 www.cyprusdirectholidays.com
To advertise in the travel & leisure magazine please call 01737 735587 88 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11
coming next + reader survey
Tell us what you like about tlm Bournemouth Tourism
■ Bournemouth seafront
Don’t miss out on the Spring 2011 issue of
Gloria Hotels & Resorts
H
get to know Turkey’s Med resorts Sands of time
Peter Ellegard
off the beaten track China & Tibet
Delights beyond the Great Wall
Swissotel
escape to Tallinn
Europe’s Capital of Culture
let’s try theme parks
Peter Ellegard
Thrills and spills around the world
luxury spa hotels Bubbles and bubbly
Pharaohs and fairways
Out March 2011
90 tlm ■ the travel & leisure magazine
Unique code 53697
tlm May/June 2010
the travel & leisure
£2.50
magazine
GREEK IDYLLS
Exploring Greece’s
islands
HELPING HAN
Voluntourism holidDS ays
OCEAN COLOUR SCE NE
America’s Pacific
Northwest
DUTCH MASTER
Amsterdam
Peter Ellegard
And all our other regular features, special offers, competitions and giveaways
ere’s your chance to tell us what you like about tlm – the travel & leisure magazine and the tlm website…and win. Just complete the survey online on tlm’s website and you can win a brand new, second-generation Flip MinoHD video camera, with an RRP of £179.99. The latest addition to the popular Flip Video line-up, this little marvel makes shooting and sharing experiences in crystal clear HD quality simple and affordable. The next-generation model features a larger, two-inch anti-glare screen and double the memory capacity of its predecessor, with up to two hours of recording time on the move – and all in stunning 720p HD video resolution. The Flip MinoHD also features an HDMI jack to view videos on HD televisions. For more information, visit here: www.theflip.com To win your own Flip MinoHD, all you have to do is go to www.tlm-magazine.co.uk and click on the Reader Survey button, then fill in the survey by January 31, 2011, quoting the unique code below. We will choose one lucky reader. We are also giving five other readers a years’ subscription to tlm magazine, worth £10. Terms & conditions apply.
von Essen Hotels
pack your clubs Egypt PLUS london life Royal London on your doorstep Constable Country uk uncovered beach resorts 10 of the best romantic hideaways
– and WIN a Flip MinoHD video camera
SCILLY LOVE SONG
Passionate about
GOING SOLO
the Scilly Isles
Cruising for singles PLUS London’s nature, golfin Northern France and g in regular features
win
era in our a Leica cam test, a fab photo con l break £650 hote & more…
■ The Flip MinoHD
www.tlm-magazine.co.uk
Winter 2010/11