CD Traveller » Lake District

Where the experts holiday: Dr Jill Nash, best selling travel author

Editor — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:23:41 +0000

Dr. Jill Nash, owner of independent guidebook publishing company ‘Luxury Backpackers’, on Canada, Cornwall and the Lake District’s best kept secrets

Dr Jill Nash

What do you like to do on holiday?
I always find it difficult to ‘sit and do nothing’, so I usually tend to go on yoga breaks, diving trips or active holidays, where I can indulge in both exercise and a bit of relaxation! I also love sightseeing, so hitting a few historical landmarks is always high on my agenda!

Where did you last go?
My last work trip was St. Moritz in Switzerland, but my last ‘holiday’ (without the need to review or write-up), was Sorrento, Italy.

Do you know where you’re going this year?
As a travel writer I’m always planning ahead for press trips, so 2012 is already pretty busy with both work trips and family holidays. For work I’m heading to Chicago, Southern Spain, Dubai and Cornwall. For family holidays I’ve booked Sicily, Lanzarote and the South of France. But it’s likely a few more trips will be booked, before the year is out!

The Philippines

Of all the places you’ve been to, what was your favourite and why?
It’s difficult to answer, as all the destinations I’ve visited have their strong points. I particularly loved the Philippines though for the incredible diving and pristine beaches.

Which destination do you wish to travel to, but haven’t yet been?
Canada. It’s been on my list for quite a while!

In your own country, what would you recommend tourists see that isn’t in the travel guides?
I’m originally from the Lake District, and obviously most of it is covered in the guidebooks. However, Grassmere is my favourite spot. Especially the Gingerbread factory, the local walks and the small boutique eco-friendly ‘Moss Grove Lodge’, which is a chic and friendly place to stay.

How do you plan your holiday?
I plan my own trips independently. Sometimes I’ll go off friends recommendations – or from other fellow travel writers.

How often do you go away?
For work, at least twice a month. But this could be anywhere from Leeds to Laos! On average I’m away 70 per cent of the year.

Who do you travel with?
If it’s for work, then I usually go solo or team up with other journalists. If my husband has the time, he will travel with me or sometimes I’ll travel with my daughter – if its not long haul.

The Lake District

Where do you see tourism in your country, in 10 years?
I think domestically, tourism will continue to grow as there will always be locals who want to stay ‘close to home’. Obviously places such as the Lake District, Cornwall and Wales will always be popular for family holidays. Its difficult to say in terms of foreign tourism, I guess that largely depends on the global economy.

Dr. Jill Nash is a Cheshire based travel journalist and owner of independent guidebook publishing company ‘Luxury Backpackers’. Visit www.luxurybackpackers.com for more details on her best-selling guidebooks, including her new book, ‘Family Adventures in Style’ RRP £16.00

The Album: January 2011

Editor — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 11:37:50 +0000

CD Traveller reader, Emilie Scholey, takes us on a tour of her five favourite destinations

Cartmel (Lake District)

England’s largest national park is one of the most popular holiday spots in Britain and for good reason. When it comes to recharging body and soul, a week in the Lake District (think welcoming B&BS, bracing walks and hearty, home-cooked meals) can’t be beaten. In particular, I’ve got a soft spot for the medieval village of Cartmel which my Dad introduced me to, having camped there as a boy scout. Situated in a quite valley, Cartmel is wonderfully unspoilt. One of my favourite things to do there, is to pack a picnic (including the obligatory sticky toffee pudding – Cartmel is the birthplace of the delicious dessert) and head to the racecourse where you can sit next to the longest known ‘run-in’ to get a perfect view of the horses.

Marrakech (Morocco)

Marrakech casts a spell on you – especially Djemaa el Fna. One of the busiest squares not only in Africa but in the world, it’s a cacophony of shopkeepers, fortune tellers, food sellers and performances. While it can be a tad touristy, behind heavy unmarked doors lie restaurants with courtyards and secret rooftops – the perfect place to sip Marrakech’s sip sweet mint tea and sketch the inspiring surroundings. As an art teacher, I found that I couldn’t put my sketchbook down!
If you can, try and stay in a riad – a traditional Moroccan house with an interior garden or courtyard. Checking into a riad is like stepping into a fairytale.

Barcelona (Spain)

After spending the summer of 1992 watching the Barcelona Olympics, I had to book a break in Barcelona. I remember that I simply couldn’t wait to get there and cried when I left.
Spain’s capital has everything you could want from a city break: stylish shops, spectacular architecture, mountains, buzzing nightlife, beaches and of course, fab food. Seriously – the cuisine alone is reason enough to place Barcelona at the top of your winter wish list. Whatever you do, don’t skip town without trying the tapas at Barcelona’s biggest food market, La Boqueria. Mmmmmm. This is food heaven!

Kerala (India)

Treasured temples, palm fringed, pristine beaches, verdant vegetation, brightly coloured saris, happy herds of elephants… It could be a cliché, if it wasn’t all true, but it’s all here in India’s most southern state. Little wonder then, that Sir Paul McCartney hailed Kerala as being ‘truly God’s own country.’ Every corner of Kerala has something of interest but one essential – no matter what your budget – is to take a memorable boat cruise on Kerala’s backwaters. A backwater tour allows visitors an intimate glimpse into the lives of local people completely hidden from the road. As you meander through miles of waterways (think lakes, canals, rivers and green swaying stretches of paddy fields), expect to see trails of underwear, washing lines and villagers cleaning both themselves and their clothes in the water.

Ruka (Finland)

Ryan Air might fly to Finland but, for the most part, Finland (more specifically Ruka), is a secretive and intriguing destination that’s cut off from the rest of the world: I loved the feeling of being totally isolated. The air in Ruka is so fresh it will make you feel giddy while the snow is softer, deeper and whiter (even more so than Simon Cowell’s teeth), than any I have ever seen. For me, what made Ruka was having a husky ride; drinking vodka in an igloo was a first-and being able to ski down slopes with nary a sole in sight. Bliss!

Thanks Emilie! Fancy sharing your top travel experiences with fellow CD Traveller readers? Email: kholland@cd-traveller.com

Cumbria and Dubai

Editor — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 09:42:30 +0000

In the last week or so both Cumbria and Dubai have been hit by disasters of different sorts. As you will all know, Cumbria has been hit by some of the worst floods in memory and Dubai by a financial crisis which few thought would ever happen. Both are heavily dependent on tourism and both have been quick to say that both are open for business.

In Cumbria, courtesy of “Travel Weekly,” there is the story of Cockermouth Travel, a travel agency which was flooded with four feet of water by 1pm. Power was cut off but within 3 hours they were back up and running with staff working from home. A day later, they were sharing offices with a chemist, a doctor’s practice and a bookshop. Only one customer has cancelled and that was because of the loss of their house and car.

In the meantime, the Prince of Wales and the head of Cumbria Tourism have both said that Cumbria is open for business and tourism is alive and well. In some parts at least.

Earlier in the week I received a press release entitled, “Why Dubai is on top of the World,” which I would imagine, by the end of the week, they wish they hadn’t sent out. The media has been full of stories about the greed of Dubai and how much of the growth was built on sand. Yes, the puns came out as a stream as newspapers began writing the blackest of stories. Like Cumbria, Dubai still wants tourists to keep coming and unlike almost any other country they have spent at a ferocious rate to attract tourism. That isn’t going to disappear; they still have hotels to fill and the attractions aren’t going to close. In fact there could be some bargains you be had by the savvy visitor

What both stories show is the importance of tourism. Even with all the troubles both areas are anxious you should continue to think of these places as holiday destinations. Not tomorrow, but today

What Do Visitors Want to See in the UK?

adrian — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:50:29 +0000

Westminster Abbey

Two recent surveys, one by Visit England and the other by the foreign exchange bureaux company, First Rate both claim to be able to reveal what visitors to our shores want to see. Unfortunately the two say different things. the findings from Visit England are based on visitor entry numbers and since places like Trafalgar Square and Tower Bridge are free to walk around (unless you want to go into Tower Bridge), visits aren’t counted. The First Rate survey is many times smaller but asks about any place whether it be just a place to walk around or where some thing is laid on. Visit England also includes any visitors not just overseas ones.

From Visit England, the top free attractions are the British Museum, Tate Modern and the National Gallery. The first non London attraction is the Sheffield Winter Garden at number 6 and the Grand Pier at Weston-Super-Mare at number 8. For paid for attractions the top 3 were Westminster Abbey, Kew Gardens and Chester Zoo followed by Windermere Lake Cruises, the Eden Project in Cornwall, Tate Liverpool and Coventry Cathedral.

At number 8 was Stonehenge which also appeared as number 9 in the First Rate list. Interestingly, according to First Rate, the French are the most likely to go outside London and the Irish seem to be attracted to shopping areas.

But perhaps, the key event was that at Tate Liverpool. There, visitor numbers shot up by 68% which is largely put down to a Gustav Klimt exhibition. It goes to show that if you find out what people want and then deliver it, attractions and destinations can pull in the crowds.

Gurning and Crab Apples

adrian — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:46:48 +0000

742 years ago, the local lord of the manor drove a cart through Egremont in Cumbria. It was laden with crab apples and he offered them to the poor. Was this an insult or a gift? Unless you make crab apple jelly with them they are pretty sour as I can testify from the tree that hangs over my garden from the neighbouring churchyard.

It has been suggested that the looks on the faces of people as they bit into them started the traditional of gurning; that odd and eccentric habit of making peculiar faces which look like a cross between stepping into something you’d rather not and eating something you’d rather not.
Anyway, this Saturday sees the world gurning championships in Egremont, an event which will be carried by television stations throughout the world as they all seem amused, confused and bewildered by this strange event. As some of you will be aware, you have to push your head through a horse collar or any gurning attempts are not acceptable as a championship entry. Apart from that any face you pull gets an entry.

The championships don’t start until 6pm so you have time to have a pleasant walk around this part of the lake district before it starts.

Enjoy the National Parks

adrian — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:22:00 +0000

This is National Parks Week. Not only that but it is 60 years since the first one was opened. Unfortunately the weather hasn’t been kind to them this week. I was going to write about this yesterday but it was raining so I thought, wait a day, things might improve. It hasn’t. It’s raining again this morning. And to be fair, even though the scenery is wonderful, it does help if you’re not squelching through puddles.
In 1951, the first national park came about, the Peak District, some two years after the legislation was passed. Now visited by 22 million people per year, its tourism appeal is bigger than lots of countries..
But the idea of a national park to be enjoyed by everyone is quite new. Although we all know the schoolboy stories of William II being shot by an arrow in the New Forest in 1100, then the forest was the king’s own hunting reserve. And it was only 4 years ago that it became our 14th national park. The Lake District had a guide book written about it 200 years ago but it only became a national park in 1951.
The park authorities don’t necessarily own the land within a park. A lot is privately owned but the management of what is done within each authority is controlled by that authority. And if there is a conflict between development and conservation, conservation takes priority. But that was only decided on in 1995.
So it has taken a long time in our history to enable you to enjoy some of our most stunning scenery. And largely, it costs nothing so make the most of it. Even in this weather.