Out of Africa

Lynn journeys to Livingstone and gets up close and personal with Namibia’s desert elephants

Top 10 Valentine’s breaks

Boutique hotel experts Mr & Mrs Smith have sifted through the schmaltz to find Valentine’s packages that will really set hearts aflutter (and won’t involve soggy petals clogging the plughole). Here are 10 hot properties that offer something a little bit different…

Defra Pet Travel Scheme

From the website:

“This site explains what you have to do to bring your pet dog, cat or ferret into (or back into) the UK through the Pet Travel Scheme (or PETS for short) without putting it into quarantine. It also explains the requirements for bringing many other types of pet animals into the UK. This site also tells you about quarantine in the UK for animals that don’t qualify for PETS. Printable factsheets are available for both vets and the public.”

Volunteering at Linlithgow

Would tourism be as successful or indeed as profitable as it is without volunteers? The industry relies on us to turn up week in, week out to act as guides, parking attendants, ticket sellers, watchful glances to keep an eye on visitors, information kiosk minders and goodness knows what else. Why do we do it?
The main reason is that we like it. No, we enjoy it. Which is just as well because, just like charity shops, many attractions and sites may not open without the volunteers.
Take this coming Saturday at Linlithgow Peel next to the famed palace in Scotland.

The Lure of the Salmon

Think of the Scottish Borders and one thing that will come to mind will be fishing. Salmon fishing. The Tweed is one of the great salmon fishing rivers we have but over some recent years catches have been disappointing. Not last year though which has been a bumper one. In fact it has been the best year since records began 64 years ago.

Donkeys at Colwyn Bay

Last year, severe weather took its toll on the coastal area around Colwyn Bay in North Wales. This popular holiday seaside destination needs to shore up its coastal protection so it has announced a £8 million improvement project to safeguard homes and the prom. New defences will also provide a breakwater and a new beach for visitors and residents alike to enjoy. Apparently, the old coastal defences are over 100 years old so some improvements are justified. This week, the plans will be available for the public to see, consider and comment on.

Bank on a good time in Grand Cayman

Forget Barbados and the Bahamas. This time around it’s Grand Cayman that is stealing the scene. After years in the second rank of Caribbean destinations, this idyllic, sun kissed location is an island on the move