The reunion attracted past employees from all over the world including Peter Dixon and his wife who travelled especially from Australia for the occasion and stayed on to see friends in the Lake District. Also present was Kurt Hartmann and his wife who travelled from Germany. Kurt was Head Chef at the Lodore Falls Hotel for 27 years and it was he who taught current Head Chef Mike Ward.

The reunion began with afternoon tea at Lake District Hotels ltd Lodore Falls Hotel, followed by an evening trip into Keswick for drinks and a friendly pub catch up.

On Sunday everyone gathered again at the Lodore Falls for Sunday lunch and a group picture before departing home or on holiday.

Organised by Head Chef Mike Ward, Sales Manager Tanya Sentance, and past employee Vikki Brier, they all agreed the effort of finding everyone was worth it. Finding staff was made easier by using social media sites like Facebook and friends reunited. Mike said “Social media has made an impact on being able to keep in close touch with friends across the world. It made finding everyone and keeping them informed so much easier. It was a monumental occasion and great to meet people who worked here years ago.

Mike really enjoyed catching up with his Head Chef mentor and it was especially important that lunch was perfect. Having over 60 people at the event shows how much people fondly remember their time working here at one of the most famous Keswick hotels. It was also nice for our current team to catch up with old friends.”

Getting away for August Bank Holiday in the UK is a great idea especially in 2010. The Sterling to Euro exchange rate is still fairly poor and with holidays and prices abroad rising, staying in the UK has been a popular choice this summer. A long weekend is an excellent choice if money is tight and a holiday for a whole week is unaffordable. Another reason could be or if the time off work cannot be had.

Cumbria – The Lake District is a great place to visit for a Bank Holiday weekend as it is easily accessible, has a wide range of locations, activities and places to stay and visit and offers something different from a city break or holiday abroad. Keeping children entertained is easy in the Lake District with such a broad range of Lake District attractions. Listed below are a selection from across the region.

A World in Miniature, Houghton Hall, Carlisle
This truly amazing museum contains of one the world’s top three collections of quality miniatures, from remarkable 1/12 scale copies of antique furniture, paintings and china in beautiful room settings, to everyday items at sizes you just won’t believe!

Made with breathtaking skill and craftsmanship and displayed with care and attention to detail, our museum is sure to thrill and delight collectors and the curious alike. We even have the world’s smallest teddy bear!
Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal, Cumbria
The Gallery is housed in one of Kendal’s most important buildings, a Grade I listed villa, on the banks of the river Kent. The galleries offer two floors of light-filled spaces in which to see art. The intimate rooms and tranquil setting are used to show British painting and sculpture, without pretention or overload, to uplift the spirits in an enjoyable and relaxed atmosphere.

As well as a fine permanent collection, Abbot Hall is widely acknowledged as having one of the most imaginative and independently minded exhibition programmes outside London.
Blackwell, The Arts & Crafts House, Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria
Blackwell is one of Britain’s finest houses from the turn of the last century. Designed by M H Baillie Scott, Blackwell was built between 1898 and 1900 as a holiday retreat for Sir Edward Holt, a wealthy Manchester brewery owner. The house survives in a truly remarkable state of preservation retaining almost all of its original decorative features, including the rare and fragile hessian wall-hangings in the Dining Room.

Coniston Launch 2010, Coniston, Cumbria the Lake District
Lake cruises and group charters on Coniston Water in the Lake District. Coniston Launch offers a variety of ways that you can enjoy a beautiful boat cruise and day out on Coniston Water in the Lake District. Regular services covering three different circular routes on Coniston Water. Stay on the boat for the full cruise or stop off at any of the jetties to catch a later boat back. Combine a boat cruise with a walk around the shore of Coniston Water

If fast cars and fabulous spas are your passion, then why not check in to the Brooklands Hotel in Surrey. Situated on the site of the legendary racetrack and airfield, the hotel features a selection of simply stunning packages bound to satiate the most demanding spa divas and the most passionate petrol heads – perfect with the British Grand Prix fast approaching in early July.

If thoughts of indulgence and utter relaxation make you and your partner purr with pleasure, then the Fast and Fabulous Spa Experience is the package for you. You will be treated to two sumptuous spa treatments each, choosing from the signature Jane Scrivner High Velocity Massage, to the Body Brushing treatment or even the Butter LONDON 30 minute Manicure, you can be sure you’ll both be left quintessentially pampered!

Alternatively if your partner’s more of a thrill-seeker than a pleasure-seeker, and would prefer to race round one of the UK’s most famous tracks, rather than succumb to spa treatments, then the His and Hers Spa & Car Experience is bound to keep you both happy. As you enjoy a relaxing Full Body Massage in the hotel’s destination spa, your partner will be having the time of his life negotiating hair?pin bends and high?speed manoeuvres with an exhilarating 30 minute driving experience at Mercedes-Benz World.

The unique, design-led Brooklands Hotel opened its doors this March on the site of the iconic Brooklands race track. Brooklands Hotel brings a sensational property to the market. The much anticipated opening offers the ultimate combination of contemporary design with a vibrant history. Predominantly glass, this super style-statement of a property has been designed for luxury, while embracing the rich legacy of the Brooklands race circuit. Complete with a destination spa, cocktail bar, restaurant, and state-of-the-art conferencing facilities, the 120 luxury rooms and suites offer unrivalled luxury within this area of Surrey. Priding itself on personality, individuality, and an unparalleled level of uniqueness – where else will you find a spa on a race track, with luxurious suites only thirty minutes away from central London?

The ‘Fast and Fabulous Package’ rate is based on two people sharing a standard room (single occupancy in a double bedded room is £179.00 per room, per night). Spa treatments times are subject to availability and should be booked at your earliest opportunity prior to your stay to avoid disappointment. For more information on the newest Surrey spa hotel visit http://www.brooklandshotelsurrey.com.

The other main attraction for visitors to Cartmel is the racecourse. With the first recorded race said to have taken place on the mid 1800’s, Cartmel races continues to grow in stature and popularity year on year. The creation of a new grandstand, with the back drop of the beautiful southern Lake District coupled with catering to rival any top race event has really put Cartmel on the map.

Cartmel is very much becoming a gastronomic destination. Cartmel and its surrounding villages have some of the best examples of Lake District gastronomy in the whole of Cumbria and the Lake District. Even though many of the restaurants and public houses are located within historic buildings, the food served is right in the 21st century using the finest locally sourced produce that is found in an abundance in the south Lakeland area.

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding is one of the most famous exports from Cartmel. The pudding is now sold all over the United Kingdom and even world with high class restaurants in London serving this still handmade in Cartmel pudding.

With its top quality food, beautiful historical buildings, race course and spectacular scenery, it’s not hard to believe that Cartmel attracts a cosmopolitan visitor. Luckily, Cartmel offers some stunning Lake District self catering accommodation. When it comes to Cartmel races accommodation, what better place to stay in than a beautiful Grade II listed manor house or a beautiful double-fronted period property in Cartmel.

Nearby attractions also include Holker Hall (a stately home with lovely gardens and grounds and a cafe, Cark-in-Cartmel), the Lakeland Motor Museum (In addition to vintage and classic motors, the museum now features of faithfully recreated period shop fronts and also has a themed gift shop. It is now located at its new site in Backbarrow, on the main A590) and Brantwood (an historic house & gardens which used to be the home of John Ruskin with a shop, café and terrace on the east side of Coniston Water).

There has been much talk about renewable energy and new technologies such as ground source heat pumps and grey water recycling for use around the home. Most new domestic technologies are still in the development stage, and have twenty or thirty year pay-back periods.

A wind turbine in the garden would suffer from limited wind speed in urban areas, needs planning permission, and unless 2 or 3 metres in span produces very little electricity. However, if you live on the top of a hill in Scotland a wind turbine is a good idea. Solar panels for generating hot water are worth considering, and are cost effective on your house rather than on your garden office.

The investment in new technologies is definitely worthwhile personally and globally if you are building a new house or if you intend to live in your home for life. But there are simple measures that all of us can take in our homes and our garden offices to help reduce our carbon footprint.

So what are the simplest and fastest ways of reducing energy consumption in new garden offices, granny flats and in our homes?
Here’s an energy check list below: -

1. High levels of insulation. Is your loft insulated? Have you got cavity wall insulation in the house? Have you got building regulation levels of insulation in your garden office to help balance your carbon footprint?
2. In a larger garden offfice you could heat with a woodburning stove. Woodburners burn efficiently and the resulting ash can be compsted or spread straight onto your garden.
3. Double glazing. Have all the rooms in your house, including your garden office, got double glazing?
4. When choosing new domestic appliances and garden office equipment ask for an energy rating. Don’t leave any electrical equipment on stand-by. [Plasma TVs use more electricity than traditional televisions.]
5. Building materials. Have the building materials in your new extension, loft conversion or garden office been manufactured in the UK to reduce carbon miles and do the manufacturers care about their carbon footprint? Do they recycle, how do they fuel their manufacturing plant?
6. Small but effective measures are energy saving light-bulbs. Washing your clothes at 30 degrees. Walking!

Over 25% of the UK’s CO2 emissions come from inadequate insulation in domestic buildings.
Many garden office suppliers are building offices using SIPS panels which are made from a thin layer of plastic insulation sandwiched between two sheets of OSB. This means that air cannot circulate and condensation and mould will form unless you use air-conditioning and as we all know, air conditioning is costly to the pocket as well as the environment.

There are no Government insulation or building standards for smaller garden offices. This means that badly constructed and inadequately insulated buildings are being supplied as garden offices.

With the world’s increasing concern about climate change, many garden offices are built to consume less energy and reduce their contribution to global warming. For example, walls that are 200mm thick, ceilings 310mm thick and floors 255mm thick. All are filled with double layers of insulation and designed and checked with government approved software to ensure that condensation cannot form within the building or the walls.

Over 25% of the UK’s CO2 emissions come from inadequate insulation in domestic buildings. To further cut down on CO2 emissions, eco-friendly insulation can be put into a garden office. These eco-friendly materials have been manufactured using as little energy and chemicals, and as much recycling, as possible. Two examples are below: -

1. Rockwool.
•    Rockwool a mineral fibre insulation that is manufactured using as much recycled material as possible. The Rockwool factory in South Wales heats its own offices using waste heat from the manufacturing process. Rockwool won the Wales Environmental Award in 2002 and continually strives to reduce its energy and water consumption.
2. Thermafleece Sheep’s wool insulation.
•    Thermafleece insulation is manufactured from the wool of British hill sheep. The manufacturing process uses little energy and the resulting eco-friendly insulation is a natural, low allergy, breathable material.

Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle is one of the largest inhabited castles in England, and proudly known as “The Windsor of the North.” Built as a medieval fortress, today it is home to the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland and their family. The castle has fun and things to do in Northumberland for everyone. Their friendly guides are happy to answer questions, bringing to life 700 years of Percy family achievements and adventures in front of your very eyes. From Harry Hotspur to Harry Potter, Alnwick Castle offers history on a grand scale.
State Rooms
Alnwick Castle is different. It is still a family home, but behind the stark and foreboding walls lie lavish State Rooms packed with a stunning array of art and furniture collected over the years by the Percy family.These intermingle charmingly with signs of modern living belonging to today’s generation.
Knight’s Quest
Hands on fun and games for the younger members of the family, with some new and exciting additions for the 2009 season. Dress as a knight or lady of the realm and follow in the footsteps of Alnwick’s most famous battlingson, Harry Hotspur. Learn some of his fighting skills and put them to good use in accepting the challenge to defeat the dreaded monster in Dragon’s Quest.

Beamish Open Air Museum
For an extremely varied Northumberland attraction then a visit to Beamish is a must. A world famous open air museum that tells the story of the people of North East England at two important points of their history – 1825 and 1913.  Beamish, Britain’s favourite open air museum, is set in over 300 acres of beautiful countryside. You can step on board our trams and be transported to the past.

Chillingham Castle
This 12th century stronghold, just twenty minutes from the seaside and the home of Sir Humphry Wakefield and his family, became ‘base-camp’ for the 1298 conquering attack on William Wallace by “Hammer of the Scots”, King Edward 1st. Wallace had raided the previous year, burning the women and children to death in the local abbey. The Castle was given permission to add battlements by King Edward III in 1344 (See the actual License in the Castle). The Elizabethans added ‘Long Galleries’ and Capability Brown designed the park in 1752. The glorious Italian garden was laid out in the 19th century by Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, fresh from his royal triumphs at Windsor Castle. Royal visits from 1200s to this century, and winner of many architectural awards.

The Castle is now open to the public and also available for weddings, private functions, tours and has self catering apartments. It is ideally situated for exploring the breathtaking Northumbrian countryside, located 10 miles from the coast and around 70 miles from both Newcastle and Edinburgh for the perfect of Northumberland days out.

Darlington Railway Museum
Venture into our original 1840’s railway station, the home of Locomotion No.1 Head of Steam – Darlington Railway Museum is located on the original 1825 route of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, the world’s first steamworked public railway. The Museum is devoted to the area formerly served by the North Eastern Railway, with particular reference to the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and the railway industry of Darlington. Journey through the galleries and find out why Darlington was the birthplace of the railways. A range of smaller items including station and lineside signs, uniforms, furniture, tableware and paintings, complement the larger exhibits. The entrance hall and ticket office are restored in period style, enhanced by displays of items such as porters’ barrows, luggage, posters and advertising signs.

So, for the whole family and especially historians, these attractions can’t be beaten for Northumberland days out.

The Construction and Operation of Modern Fire Extinguishers

Modern portable fire extinguishers are typically Stored Pressure or Cartridge Operated Fire Extinguishers. Manufacturers of fire extinguishers tend to produce both types of fire extinguisher with stored pressure fire extinguishers being the most common.

Fire Extinguisher Construction Materials.

Typically modern fire extinguisher bodies are constructed from Steel, Aluminium or Aluminium Alloy. These materials give the fire extinguisher a durable exterior to withstand knocks, external temperatures and corrosion. The cartridge in gas cartridge operated fire extinguishers is usually coated in plastic to give the cartridge extra protection against the contents of the fire extinguisher. There are two types are gas cartridges in modern fire extinguishers, these are; piercing disc and frangible pip cartridges. The piercing disc gas cartridge features a diaphragm which is pierced by a suitable shaped spindle. The frangible pip gas cartridge features a pip which is broken by a blunt spindle. In a gas cartridge operated fire extinguisher only the cartridge itself is pressurised whereas in a stored pressure fire extinguisher the entire body of the fire extinguisher is pressurised.

How the different fire extinguishers work.

Stored pressure fire extinguishers work in the following way:-
1.    The fire extinguisher is operated by releasing the pin, breaking the tamper seal and pressing down on the fire extinguisher handle.
2.    The pressure stored within the top of the fire extinguisher (dry air or nitrogen) is released.
3.    The pressure forces down on the extinguishing agent within the fire extinguisher (water, foam, powder etc.)
4.    The extinguishing agent is forced up the syphon tube within the fire extinguisher, through the head cap and hose onto the fire.
5.    Some fire extinguisher hoses are fitted with a squeeze grip control to regulate the flow of the extinguishant.
Gas cartridge fire extinguishers work in the following way:-
1.    The fire extinguisher is operated by releasing the pin, breaking the tamper seal and pressing down on the fire extinguisher handle.
2.    The action of pressing down on the fire extinguisher handle pushes a pin down onto the seal of the gas cartridge.
3.    The pin pierces the seal on the gas cartridge and releases the pressure in the gas cartridge.
4.    The pressure within the fire extinguisher from the gas cartridge then forces down on the extinguishant.
5.    The extinguishant is then forced up the syphon tube, through the head cap and hose onto the fire.

One of the main benefits of A Radio Fire Alarm System is that they reduce the needs to run cables to each individual device on the fire alarm system.  Modern radio fire alarm systems will only need cables to be installed to the control and signal booster panel positions to provide a mains supply.  This benefit of radio fire alarm systems means that have been ideally suited to listed type buildings.  It allows the installation of a fully functioning fire alarm system within the building while not ‘running’ cables where it is impractical to do so.  Examples of installations of this type are in Windsor Castle and The Ritz Hotel, both of which have radio fire alarm systems installed.  In some instances conservation bodies would also prohibit the installation of cables within protected buildings and radio fire alarm systems may be the only solution to allow the building to comply with current regulations and standards.

Another huge benefit to a radio fire alarm systems is the vastly reduced installation times.  As each device is battery powered and does not require a cable to connect it to the fire alarm system, a single device could be installed in a room in around 30 minutes.  A hard wired alternative system would in comparison take weeks or months to install, greatly increasing the installation time and the amount of disruption within the building.  In a hotel for example installing a ‘hard wired’ type system would take months to install.  It may be more cost effective to install a radio fire alarm system when the amount of ‘down-time’ is taken into account i.e. the hotel may lose much more revenue in shutting areas of the building while the installation of a fire alarm system is taking place.

Due to the flexibility and ease of installation, radio fire alarm systems are also being used as temporary systems.  Some building companies for example use radio fire alarm systems on sites where fire detection is required whilst building work is ongoing.  These systems can be installed as the building work commences and be used on the project until the project is finished.  The system can then be simply taken down ready to be used on their next project.  The benefit of flexibility can also seen when using radio fire alarm systems on projects with phased construction works.  The devices can be simply added and removed as work is on going without having to add and remove cables and therefore speeding up the construction process.

Advances in battery technology have enabled radio fire alarm systems to become easier to manage in terms of maintenance.  As the devices on a radio fire alarm system are all battery powered, there is no escaping the fact that these batteries will need to be changed.  However radio fire alarm manufacturers are embracing new battery technology to increase the battery life of their devices.  Many radio fire alarm system manufacturers are now using lithium batteries.  These batteries have a much greater life span than the batteries that were traditionally used and many radio fire alarm manufacturers are quoting life spans of up to 5 – 7 years for the batteries used within their system devices.

In conclusion radio fire alarm systems if correctly surveyed and installed offer huge advantages over traditional ‘hard-wired’ fire alarm systems.  Offering greater flexibility, reduced installation times and huge leaps forward in the reliability in the systems over the last 20 years.

The construction of sealed lead acid batteries is in actual fact it is not as complicated as people may let you believe.  The following is a short piece on exactly how these batteries are constructed.

The whole ethos of how the battery construction is designed is basically to eliminate the loss of electrolyte through evaporation, gassing or spillage.  The basic premise that the batteries are sealed leads to a longer battery life and also reduces the amount of maintenance needed compared to other varieties of batteries.  Other types of batteries have simple valve caps to let gas escape from the batteries, whereas sealed lead acid batteries are constructed using pressure valves which open in extreme conditions.  To reduce the release of oxygen and hydrogen in the air by galvanic action as the sealed lead acid battery is charging the electrolyte needs to have an adapted design.  The electrolyte is designed in sealed lead acid batteries in such a way that it triggers the oxygen and hydrogen to re-amalgamate into water and is often known as a recombinant technique.  Because of the reasons given above and the sealed nature of the batteries, sealed lead acid batteries are much safer than other variants of batteries and are used for mobility scooter battery requirements.

Hopes Grove Gardening Nursery continue to take orders by phone, fax, mail and email as they understand not everyone can or wants to order online. They also continue to provide a printed catalogue which can be ordered through the methods above or online.

Hopes Grove Nurseries are a medium sized, family owned nursery situated in the heart of the Garden of England. Much of the 30 acre site was originally laid down to hop gardens. From small beginnings in 1992, the production of quality hedging had steadily increased to over half a million saleable plants each year.  The fertile soil produces robust bare rooted plants of good quality.  Pot grown plants are produced on our container unit now expanded to over 35,000 square feet of polythene tunnels and almost two acres of outside beds to meet the rising demand for quality pot grown items.  Our grading, packing and despatch facilities now extend to 8,000 square feet to offer an efficient service to customers all over the country.

Almost everything is produced on site, giving them complete control over all aspects of plant quality and handling.  This is backed up by friendly advice and their written guarantee to offer their customers a unique standard of service and complete peace of mind when ordering.

Further information on products and delivery can be found at http://www.hopesgrovenurseries.co.uk or by telephoning 01580 765600.

As with many professional services such as office and house clearance, the company has years of experience and can carry out the service in a quick and efficient manner. Other services that a house clearance company normally provide are transportation, removals, waste disposal, probate valuation and antique and collectables valuations.

Each house or office clearance job is different and is required for different reasons so it is important to use a well established house clearance company that can take care of all the matters concerning the clearance from valuations to the recycling of waste.

Many people are very aware of the need to reduce waste and preserve resources. When using a house or office clearance company, responsibility of both the client and service provider to be committed to recycling and re-using the items that are cleared. You should check the environmental policy of the company you are using and ensure all possible steps are taken to recycle or send items to be re-used.

The transportation of waste to responsible recycling facilities should be carried out. Items that can be re-used or re-sold can be taken to a wide range of businesses and charities to sell as second hand goods. This means items are being re-used so benefiting the environment but also money made from sales benefits charities.

Another service associated with house clearances is probate valuation. Probate is often a distressing and difficult process and a house clearance company can work closely with solicitors and private clients providing probate valuation services. Services provided include written probate valuations, insurance valuation and the advice on selling antiques, collectables and art etc. From then the same house clearance company can clear the property leaving it clean and tidy ready for sale or transfer.

Strangely, Windermere [town] used to be called Winandermere and before that there were actually three small hamlets [Applethwaite, Birththwaite and Heathwaite] which were combined in the 1800’s when there was a greater attempt to encourage people to visit the area. The railway arrived in 1857, making the area much more accessible to visitors and with this demand grew a wealth of Lake District Hotels. The railway still exists today and brings people from all over the world to this special area of the Lake District National Park. As well as being a sustainable way to travel, most of the Windermere hotels are only a short walk from the station, or at worst a five minute taxi ride.

Lake Windermere is well known as England’s largest Lake at over 10 miles long and is also the deepest at 65 metres. There are numerous outstanding viewing points within easy reach either by car, or by short walk. Gummer’s Howe is probably the most famous being situated at the south end of Lake Windermere. You can drive most of the way, leaving only a 30 minute walk to marvel at the panoramic views over Lake Windermere and across to Morecambe Bay. To see the Lakes from a different perspective, Arnside Knott rewards those who take this gentle climb with stunning views of the Kent Estuary and Morecambe Bay; simply head for the viewpoint.

It is not just in the professional and commercial sectors where there has been an advance in tableware design. Top designers such as Terrance Conran and Vera Wang have designed collections and home owners are paying more attention to how their table looks. Dinner parties are back. The popularity of cooking programmes, the ability to buy high quality produce in supermarkets now and factors such as the recession could be contributing factors. Having a spectacular looking dining table makes guests feels special.

There are so many different ranges on the market to choose from with some very modern and distinct styles such as the Villeroy and Boch dinnerware ranges or for a more traditional look, Wedgwood, Denby and Aynsley produce timeless design ranges. Versace has even designed a range of Versace china.

Patterned dinnerware and tableware can date so if longevity is what is required then a simple white set cannot be beaten. White tableware goes with every colour scheme but should a more distinctive or modern look be required then there are some amazing modern designs around at the moment. Leaders in this field are designers such as Terrance Conran and Villeroy and Boch. Clean line designs in white are the dinnerware sets that are being most favoured at the moment. In a very practical sense of breakage, a broken white piece can be replaced even with a different range.  Buying key patterned pieces though to use with a plain white set is an excellent way to introduce colour or patterns whilst still keeping to predominantly white.

To complement the interest people have in cooking and dinner parties the items on a dining table and the settings should be strongly considered. How the food looks on a plate is extremely important as well as how the plate looks within the table setting. The look of the food is the first impression and as is regularly said, you eat with your eyes. The food itself needs to look appealing but what it is presented on can also greatly affect the way the dish looks. Top chefs know the importance of this and they will be the ones that choose the dinnerware range for the restaurant. Only a few years ago, a standard plate would be used to serve all the dishes. Now there are curved, square, rectangle, oval and shallow bowls.

You cutlery then needs to match the dinnerware. A traditional set of cutlery would look out of place next to a modern square plate for example. Likewise, a modern set of cutlery would not feel right with a traditional set of china plates. Leading cutlery brands such as Arthur Price cutlery have been manufacturing high grade cutlery for over 100 years. Their traditional ranges remain popular but they have introduced contemporary ranges in keeping with the modern look that many home owners are requesting.

One of the leading modern cutlery brands at the moment and one which is synonymous with innovative design is Villeroy and Boch. Villeroy and Boch cutlery as with other brands of such stature retain a timeless design but firmly keeping with a contemporary look. Due to the nature of stainless steel, cutlery can be a real statement on a dining table. For a customer wanting to achieve a very contemporary look, modern cutlery perfect finishing touch.

A franking machine protects the environment by actively:

• Checking that all machines manufactured since June 1st 2006 are RoHs compliant
• Reducing pollution by recycling and minimising landfill
• Using recyclable packaging wherever possible
• Using incoming delivery boxes to ship goods out wherever possible
• Remanufacturing machines and parts to very high standards, reducing the amount sent to landfill
• Encouraging staff to be energy efficient

When franking machines are sourced from a specialist supplier they are still the very competitively priced and the added environmental services and features do not add to the cost. It is often the case that a product whether it be for the workplace, home or a food item is more expensive if it has green credentials. This is something that has to change, especially in the current economic climate when money saving is a must for most consumers and businesses.

Franking mail ensures that business expenditure is kept under control and reduced whenever possible. Franking machines can save on average at least 2p on a first class, 3p on a second class and 6p on large letters and at the same time, giving mail a professional image. A professional image on an envelope could give you the edge when tendering for new business for example with personalisation of the franking imprint.

A franking machine saves instantly on postage costs but also labour costs compared with the process of weighing and sticking individual stamps on. That coupled with the more professional look mean franking machines are the way forward for today’s businesses.

Security is high on business agendas and many franking machines use modern encryption technology and fulfills the highest security requirements. A digital, thermotransfer print head and integrated security device create a universal partner for your franking needs. A high quality, immediately smear-proof indicium can include your company advert and ensure that your outgoing mail is an advertisement for your business further enhancing professionalism. This is also another feature that helps reduce waste and unnecessary production of labels as the transfer goes directly onto the mailed item.

There is an excellent choice of accommodation available within Eden including hotels, guest houses, Cumbrian cottages and caravan parks. Away from the main holiday season many of the Lake District holiday cottages offer the flexibility of short breaks rather than just whole weeks, so visitors can enjoy a long weekend in the area and perhaps buy some fresh local produce to cook yourself at the property. However your eating requirements are catered for by the many excellent restaurants and traditional pubs that reflect the local flavour.

Historic Penrith, often referred to as the “Gateway to the Northern Lakes”, is the major town in the Eden Valley, with a good mix of traditional shops selling locally made products and crafts, including famed Cumberland Sausage and Penrith Toffee.

When it comes to places to visit during your stay the Eden Valley offers a wide range of historic houses, castles, gardens, craft workshops, galleries and museums. In fact there are over seventy visitor attractions in Eden. For the more active there are many sporting facilities including sailing, windsurfing, horse riding, golf, squash, tennis and fishing.

One of the area’s key activities is Appleby Horse Fair, which takes place every June. The Horse Fair gathers together travelling folk from all over the country, buying and selling horses, keeping alive a 300 year old tradition. This is Britain’s largest gypsy gathering, with hundreds of tradition horse-drawn caravans converge on nearby Gallows Hill.

Walkers will find Eden is wonderful walking country, either a leisurely walk along river banks and lake shore or you can take to the higher paths over the Pennines and Lake District fells. In fact, the Pennine Way National Trail reaches into the Eden Valley at Appleby-in-Westmorland as it winds its way towards Scotland. Cyclists can follow the coast to coast (C2C) and Cumbria Cycle Way, both routes are clearly marked along the way.

The River Eden provides challenging fishing, and has in place a “Go Wild” scheme to enable visitors to try wild fishing on the river.

The first modular building we installed as a temporary walk in centre, was a used 6 bay modular building.

Prior to arrival on site, jackpad foundations were used to erect the building instead of traditional concrete foundations.

Portable Building Sales have agreed to purchase the building back after the Primary Care Trust no longer have a use for the building and in addition will also purchase the jackpad foundations leaving a clear and clean car park area once again.

The Portable Building Sales “buy back” scheme ensures that the building is removed safely, professionally and to the current Health & Safety and CDM regulations. They ensure that the Primary Care Trust has no disposal problems and receives payment for the building before it is removed.

Portable Building Sales Ltd is one of the few companies in the UK to provide this type of service.

The used steel framed modular building that was supplied consists of six plastic coated steel modules which have white Upvc double glazed windows. The building also has a plasterboard lined ceiling and walls and a double thickness plywood floor.

This used modular building was decorated internally, cleaned externally and reinstated electrically to the latest regulations.

This temporary modular walk in centre building complies with the current Part L2A 2006 building regulations and is extremely environmentally friendly as it only uses 3% of the energy required to manufacture an equivalent new modular building. This is because the embodied energy is transportable and therefore can be relocated to a new site.

Also there are significant cost savings to the client and in this instance the tax payer as well, as this building was approximately a third of the cost of an equivalent new manufactured modular building.

Portable Buildings completed the installation of this building within four weeks from the date of order and to the client’s complete satisfaction.

Even though this modular building is pre-owned, Portable Building Sales still provide a 12 months guarantee with the building.

Portable Building Sales provided the Coventry Primary Care Trust with complete peace of mind throughout the process of attending meetings, submission of our Health & Safety plans, supply and installation of the used modular building, arrangement of the crane, to even organising the transportation and temporary traffic management to enable the building to be off loaded from a road adjacent to the site.

For more information please visit http://www.portablebuildingsales.co.uk or telephone 01482 656590

The event was organized by Kit Graves in conjunction with Hilary Cookson from the renowned dress shop Maureen Cookson from Whalley in Lancashire and a regional a lifestyle magazine. Whilst there were a number of ladies from Lancashire, Liverpool and beyond, there were also tables of local ladies from Cockermouth and Keswick.

The fashion show was presented by Hilary Cookson from the Maureen Cookson shop and during her show she also gave a humorous talk about what to pack in a suitcase for holiday.

Local ladies include Susan Farrell and her team from Solway Heaters in Workington, they regularly book their Christmas parties but took the opportunity to have a look at the autumn clothing from Maureen Cookson. Her collection included a mix of practical and very stylish clothing and of course, some sparkle for Christmas.

Kit Graves, managing director of the group of hotels in the Lake District said “it was a wonderful opportunity for ladies outside the Lake District to experience what we have to offer. The autumn weather was lovely so they had a fantastic drive through the lakes. We were especially pleased to see a group of ladies who had been dropped off by their husbands for a surprise treat – they went on to do some walking and collected their wives on the way home!”

During the lunch, £750 was raised to support Keswick Mountain Rescue.  Anyone interested in finding out more about organizing charity events at the Lodore Falls Hotel should contact Stephen Johnston at the Lodore Falls Hotel on 017687 77285.

With such spectacular scenery, Lake Windermere attracts thousands of tourists each yeaar from anglers, to canoeists to yachtsmen and dingy owners. The cruises on Lake Windermere are truely worth a go as the magnificent scenery can be taken in fully. Starting from the south of the lake and Newby Bridge is where you will be.

Continuing up the lake and you pass Cartmel Fell, Far Sawrey, Bowness-on-Windermere, High Wray and the lake comes to an end at Waterhead, only a short walk into the centre of the bustling Ambleside. The views are of course sights to be hold all the way down but the most spectacular are towards the north of the lake where the Fairfield Horseshoe, Great and Little Langdale and Coniston Old Man are in view. The Windermere Marina continues to thrive with around 400 boats having mooring there, the largest inland marina in the North of England.

Sailing on Lake Windermere is an excellent way to travel. In the summer months the roads are blocked continually due to the high number of visitors. Sailing on the lake is direct, allows the stopping off at the top destinations along the lake such as Bowness, Ambleside and to the many Lake District hotels and makes for a very relaxing journey with not a hint of road rage!

Taking out a Lake District boat charter is an excellent way to celebrate a special occasion. Windermere Lake cruises can be taken out for half days, full days or as bespoke charters. High quality food and beverages are served and it makes a very memorable day.

Independent Wheelchair Lifts
Wheelchair lifts are extremely beneficial for disabled drivers with manual wheelchairs who wish to be independent. They fit most cars and operation is easy. These wheelchair lifts offer enclosed protection from the elements, for the wheelchair and the cost of transferring it to your next vehicle is minimal.

Wheelchair and Scooter Lifts
Wheelchair and scooter lifts are designed to lift manual wheelchairs and scooters and can be fitted to hatchbacks, estate cars, 4 x 4’s and MPV’s. When not in use, these devices store neatly away and can be transferred should a new car be purchased. The wheelchair and scooter lifts come in various models depending on the weight of the wheelchair or scooter, typically around 40 to 150kg lifts.

Person Lifts
Person lifts are for lifting people from their wheelchair into a vehicle and out again. Some models enable the person to stay in their wheelchair which then becomes the car seat. These devices are extremely practical and useful and can be bought for use in the home or the car. It makes the lifting of people effortless and with complete comfort for the disabled person.

Swivel Seats
Swivel seats for cars are a quick and easy way of making getting in and out of cars much easier. Pulling a simple lever allows the seat to be manually swiveled through approximately 90 degrees, making it easier to either stand up or doing a sliding transfer onto a wheelchair or scooter. Each swivel seat usually come with glide rails to enable the user to position the seat for optimum comfort when travelling. The seat can be used on either the passenger or driver side. When used on the driver side, there may be limited rotation. There are even special swivel seats available for MPV’s and 4 x 4’s which can also be utilized on mobile homes. These seats swivel out but also lower the person as well.

Hand Controls
There are various push pull hand controls available for installation in to cars. These devices can be for a single control use or can multiple controls for example integral indicator switches. There are devices that operate secondary functions at the touch of a button can also include:

• Indicators & hazard lights
• Headlights
• Horn
• Windscreen wipers (front and rear)
• Windscreen washers (front and rear)
• Fog lights
• Other functions may be possible, e.g. Radio on/off, heated windscreen, etc

Should a person not be to operate the foot pedals in an automatic car then there are push pull systems that can be fitted which enable them to do so. The rods connecting the controls and the pedals are fixed within the steering column for safety and ease.

Other devices that can be fitted are steering wheel balls for one handed steering, easy release mechanisms for handbrakes and one that enables the switching of the accelerator operation from left to right.

Firgarth Windermere Guest House has the advantage of car parking, and is situated just a short walk from Windermere centre, with its many shops and restaurants and rail/bus station. We make an ideal base for touring, walking or just a relaxing break at any time of year.

Just take a 15 minute walk through ‘Millerground’ to the shores of Lake Windermere or alternatively climb to ‘Orrest Head’ from where stunning views of Lake Windermere and Morecombe Bay can be enjoyed.

Firgarth offers eight bedrooms comprising of double, single, four poster and king size double which are all ensuite. All rooms are centrally heated and decorated in a combination of modern and traditional design, all have colour TV, tea and coffee making facilities, hairdryer and a range of toiletries.

Three rather special Ambleside cottages have been imaginatively converted from the barn and stables of our 17th century farmhouse. The Hawkshead cottages are set above a quiet country lane [National Grid Reference: 33420,49970] on the edge of Black Fell [a ‘Wainwright’ fell] close to Tarn Hows, near Hawkshead.

Each of the Hawkshead cottages has its own individual character and is centrally heated for all year round comfort. Benches outside the cottages and on the fell side, as well as the al-fresco dining area and barbecue, make an ideal location in which to absorb the peace and tranquillity of the area whilst enjoying the views and abundant wildlife.

Now there are integrated audio visual, or AV, installations that can really make a difference at a conference, meeting or pitch to a prospective client. There are various audio visual and sound system installation packages available, many of which are tailor made to each specific requirement. For example, a large conference room can have 3 separate audio visual installations enabling the room to be divided into three, acoustically isolated rooms for hire to individual groups. Such installations can be operated completely independently but also have the ability for all of the projection systems to display the same image when the main hall is completely open for large delegations.

To further engage delegates and in addition to an audio video installation, interactive whiteboards can be used to energise presentations and motivate learners. Interactive whiteboards combine the simplicity of a whiteboard with the power of a computer and engages students and audiences. The touch-sensitive display connects to your computer and digital projector to show your computer image. You can then control computer applications directly from the display, write notes in digital ink and save your work to share later. And what is a huge plus point with these interactive whiteboards is that if a person can use a computer, they can use one of these systems.

Hardcragg Hall is the latest addition to Holidaycottagescumbria.com Cumbria portfolio of 5 individually owned luxury Lake District holiday cottages. Hardcragg Hall is the pinnacle of 5 star luxury self catering accommodation and can facilitate large groups of up to 14 guests with its 7 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. This stunning Elizabethan manor house makes an excellent choice for luxury family holidays, short breaks, celebrations, special occasions, wedding guests, parties, large groups or for a get together of family or friends.

Hardcragg Hall is steeped in history and dates back to 1563 and this grade II listed country manor house is reputed to be the oldest building in the local area. There are several spacious reception rooms that all interconnect, including the dining room, drawing room, bar area, breakfast room, library, the oak panelled entrance hall area with its roaring log fire and the snug lounge with patio doors leading out into the landscaped gardens and grounds. The recently furnished farmhouse kitchen is superbly equipped with everything you will need to cater for large groups or couples alike and boasts a four oven Aga.

This large Lake District self catering accommodation sleeps 10+ is ideally located in Grange-over-Sands on the Southern edge of the English Lake District. Grange over Sands is one of Cumbria’s secret gems and is the Lake District’s principle sea side town. This is an ideal location for scenic fell and woodland walks, together with a mile long, traffic free promenade overlooking the sands of Morecambe Bay.

Holidaycottagescumbria.com is owned, managed, and run by Simon Cleasby with the help of a team of good housekeepers, and maintenance staff. Simon is a knowledgeable local Cumbrian (nee Westmorland) with a huge passion for the Lake District and Cumbria. Simon travelled and worked his way around the different continents for a few years before coming back to live in the South Lakes to start up this luxury Lake District holiday cottages company.

Scottish golf courses are all over. The particular Scottish areas doing well for golf include Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dumfries & Galloway, the Scottish Borders, Perthshire and pockets of the Highlands. The supreme Scottish golf hotspots, containing golf courses which frequently host the Open Championships, are to be found on the Ayrshire Coast, The Angus Coast, the Fife Coast and in the heart of Perthshire. Scotland golf location meccas include Troon, Turnberry and Prestwick on the Ayrshire Coast, Montrose and Carnoustie on the Angus Coast, St Andrews on the Fife coast and finally Gleneagles luxury golf resort in Perthshire. International golf visitors are well served by airports near these Scotland golf hotspots. For the Ayrshire golf coast head to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, for the Angus golf coast look to Aberdeen Dyce Airport and both St Andrews and Gleneagles are just a reasonably short drive from Edinburgh Airport and the many Edinburgh hotels.

Troon on the Ayrshire coast, alongside Prestwick and Turnberry, is renowned for its place within the history of Scottish Golf. The Royal Troon golf course plays host to numerous world class golf competitions including the Open. Golf lovers will want to take a turn on the Old Course at Royal Troon, touching golf history and admiring the splendid views from the course across the Firth of Clyde.

You could certainly describe Prestwick as a Scottish centre for golf. The famous Prestwick Golf Club is home to the Open Championships – the first Open was held here in 1860. Situated off the A79 and just one mile to the north of Prestwick Airport, you can be literally straight off the plane and playing golf here on this historic Scotland Course.

Turnberry on the Ayrshire Golf Coast boasts two splendid luxury golf courses, both part of the luxury golf resort and golf hotel complex Westin Turnberry. The two on-site Turberry golf courses here include Turnberry Kintyre, with a Par 72 and Ailsa golf course, one of the world’s best golf links course. Ailsa is remembered particularly for the Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson showdown in the 1977 Open Championships.

St Andrews on the Fife Coast of Scotland is a pilgrimage for golf fans looking to play golf in the footsteps of golf champions. The famous six golf links St Andrews courses are open to the public so you can touch golf history on the Old Course (Handicaps required). Cottages in Scotland are a great idea for accommodation.

Bassenthwaite Lake, a key habitat for the ospreys, is a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation owned and managed by the Lake District National Park Authority.

Each year these beautiful and rare birds return to nest and this Easter was made ‘eggstra’ special by the return of our male and female Osprey 2 weeks ago.  The female osprey laid her first egg of 2009 at the nest near Bassenthwaite Lake on Thursday 16th April.  The female bird is now incubating the egg and it is hoped that further eggs will be laid in the coming days.  Ospreys normally lay a clutch of three eggs.  Incubation is carried out mainly by the female and takes between 34-40 days.

Peter Wells, General Manager of The Castle Inn Hotel Keswick said: Staff at the hotel are very ‘eggcited’ that the first egg has been laid.  We are hopeful that there will be more eggs and that the clutch will hatch in time for our Spring Bank holiday visitors in May.

Hundreds of people visited the Bassenthwaite area over the Easter weekend to get a glimpse of the Lake District Ospreys.   Visitors can get great views of the birds from a Viewpoint in Dodd Wood, only 400 metres away from the nest.  The Viewpoint is open all daylight hours, with staff on hand with telescopes from 10am-5pm daily, as part of the RSPB’s ‘Dates with Nature’ Project.

It is also possible to see the birds on the nest on a giant videowall at the Visitor Centre on the Forestry Commission estate at Whinlatter Forest, near Braithwaite.  Live pictures from cameras overlooking and inside the nest are also beamed to the screen and can also be viewed on the Project’s website www.ospreywatch.co.uk and the BBC Cumbria website at www.bbc.co.uk/cumbria.

It is now easier than ever before to visit Dodd Wood and Whinlatter thanks to the Osprey Bus which was launched in 2008.  The liveried bus service named after the spectacular birds of prey operates around Bassenthwaite Lake taking in the Whinlatter Exhibition and the Dodd Wood viewpoint and runs weekends from 4th April to 31st August 2009, except during the following school holidays, 6-17 April, 25-29 May and 18 July – 31 August when it runs every day.  A bus timetable is displayed at the hotel as the liveried bus service picks up from and drops off at The Castle Inn Hotel during these times.

Of course, it isn’t just leisure guests that need to be lured. With businesses cutting staff and budgets, the business guest is just as important to target. Cumbria is an excellent stop off for business guests from the south on their way to Scotland. Another market is conferencing. Conferencing facilities and packages are offered in most of the larger hotels Lake District now. With most conferences held on week days, it is an excellent market to target. Creative marketing campaigns are springing up such as the Best Western ‘message focussed menu options’ where bread and water is an option if a team has recorded poor performance. This is an eye catching campaign but which saves the business money but helps to improve the performance of their team as the same time.

Short breaks offers for leisure guests have been popular for some time but short breaks are a great way to get away when money is tight. Keswick hotels are popular with leisure and business guests due to its location and facilities. Easily accessible from the M6 motorway, Keswick has some of the most equipped hotels in Cumbria and with such fantastic scenery and walking, it creates a very cost effective break. An area full of activities and stunning scenery is the area of Keswick and Bassenthwaite. There are many Keswick hotels that offer child friendly rooms with excellent leisure facilities on site. These facilities include heated swimming pools, gyms, tennis courts, putting greens and some even have games rooms with both board games and computer games such as Wii consoles installed. The practical facilities within these hotels come in the form of flexible meal times for children, the use of complimentary high chairs and cots, bed time books and stocks of essential items such as nappies, baby milks and food and dummies.  Bassenthwaite the village itself is one of the most beautiful Lakeland villages and is an ideal base for discovering the woodlands of Thornthwaite Forest and the trails of Dodd Wood. It is the northernmost and only true ‘lake’ in the Lake District; it is renowned for its peacefulness, accessibility and continually changing scenery caused by changeable weather and seasons.

With hotels keeping creative with their offers, listening to the needs of their guests both leisure and business and keeping up a high standard, it should hopefully keep them in a much better position during this recession.

This exclusive development of Lake District lodges for sale offers you a tranquil retreat with nature and luxury sitting side by side. Each of the log cabins for sale in Cumbria is finished to the highest standards, ideal for comfort. It is the perfect holiday base to get out and enjoy the many wonders of the English Lakes.

Whether it is relaxing, getting back to nature, outdoor pursuits or sight seeing, High Bracken Lodges provide ideal Lake District holiday homes for sale. The farm boasts fantastic open views of the fells, with walks through bluebell woods and a river to splash your wellies in.

The seasons bring many changes on the farm from new lambs in Spring, to the Summer grass mowing, right through to Winter cattle feeding, find out all the latest with the news and pictures on The Farm page.

The Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales are filled with things to do and it is all on your doorstep here, the local tourist board site has lots of information.

If it’s shopping, restaurants or culture you want then these lodges lie just a short distance from Kirkby Lonsdale with its boutique shops, delis and pubs or the historic market town of Kendal.

For more information and to arrange a viewing please call Eileen or Stephen on 015395 67219. We have regular open days and are open for viewing every weekend 12 – 4pm. We look forward to hearing from you.

Open for viewing every weekend 12 – 4pm.

Alston, Newby and Kirkby Stephen are lesser know areas in the Eden Valley. Kirkby Stephen is a market town with cobbled streets and rural scenery leading to wild uplands. Kirkby Stephen has a great atmosphere and community making it a great place for a drink or a bite to eat. It has three public houses and individually owned shops.The distinctive local stone used is very different to the slate used in structures in south Cumbria.

Newby, with its Pennine backcloth, delightful Jacobean Hall, and surrounding landscapes really have a rather special unchanging beauty. Newby, neighbouring Lake Ullswater and picturesque Appleby in Westmorland, it is a small mediaeval market town of distinction.

Alston is the highest market town in the UK at 1000 metres above sea level. The road leading to Alston is a motor biker’s paradise, the A686 up Hartside Fell. The road climbs steeply and bends almost at right angles and has been voted by The AA as one of their “Ten Great Drives”. The views down into the Eden Valley are views to savour with the craggy Lake District fells to one side and the pennies to the other. Passing right through the Eden Valley is the Coast to Coast route which runs from St Bees on the West Cumbrian coast across to Whitley Bay so this area is very popular with cyclists.

The Eden Valley will surprise with its wide range of activities – strenuous mountain walks to gentle riverside strolls, watersports, golf and even activity centres where paintball shooting, archery and quad biking can be experienced. For such an activity packed holiday, Lake District cottages and Cumbrian cottages are a good choice of accommodation type. They give greater room for equipment, for cyclists especially, and are located in settings where a hotel or bed and breakfast would never be.

Marbella is a playground for the rich and famous although in recent years, more affordable holidays have become available. This area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. This is typified west of the town at Puerto Banus, this area attracts visitors from the UK and Ireland but also Northern Europe. A St Tropez like marina at Puerto Banus is home to million pound plus ocean going boats. Marbella as a whole has a very cosmopolitan community which has built up during the years. Many famous people have resident’s in Marbella which has all the characteristics and facilities required to serve them, casinos, boutique and designer stores, street cafes, world class restaurants and luxury night clubs.

As with most of the Costa Del Sol, golf in Marbella is a very popular activity. There are around 50 golf courses many with huge country clubs. The 320 days of sunshine a year mean as with all of the Costa Del Sol, it is the perfect.

Marbella as with most of this coast is steeped in heritage so it isn’t just all shopping and golf when it comes to leisure activities. The White Village “Mijas” is well worth a visit. The village set 428 metres above sea level and it is obvious why it is called the White Village due to the hundreds and white-washed buildings. The views from the village are spectacular, right across the whole of the Costa Del Sol coast. Due to the nature of the village with its narrow cobbled streets, Mijas has a very close community especially with those over 60, many of which are English speaking.

It isn’t hard to find the real Spain in Marbella. There is the Old Town, which is based around Orange Square or ‘La Plaza de los Naranjos’. In this vacinity are three historical buildings: The 16th Century Town Hall, the old Governor’s House and the Chapel of Santiago. As in Mijas, you will find small cobbled streets, small boutiques, galleries, local tapas bars and other authentic restaurants.

There is a varied range of Marbella accommodation from apartments and hotels to private Marbella rentals. Some properties are beyond most people’s wildest dreams. Rental Marbella can be found in the forms of villas, apartments, townhouse, marina properties and golf accommodation. Short and long terms lets can be found with most providers. Properties can be found in central locations where a car is not required or for a more peaceful holiday, there are retreats away from the central locations.

The climate on the Costa Del Sol is the mildest in Europe with over 300 days of sunshine per year and an average temperature of 18c. This is reflected in the number of holidaymakers that fly into Malaga airport each year, over 2 million. The 2 million visitors have a plethora of beaches to choose from the largest, Calahonda at a length of 4500 metres to the more modest El Bombo beach. It is a destination for everyone of all ages and interests which is why it’s popularity has continued to grow.

The Costa Del Sol encompasses some of the most famous holiday destinations in Europe, Torremolinos, Benalmadena and Fuengirola. Along the coast is Marbella with its famous marina at Puerto Banus.
As with much of the Spanish coastline, the Costa Del Sol has many golf courses, around 70. Golf is a major attraction in this area with the Volvo Masters held at Valderrama and the large choice of courses to suit all abilities. The views from courses such as the Baviera Golf Club are stunning over to the sea and the mountains.

It was in the 1960’s that the Costa Del Sol felt the tourist boom with the introduction of the package holiday. Until then, it was either Spaniards of the rich and famous that came to this part of Spain. The package holiday made the area accessible to the. To meet with demand, the area had to be developed and large high rise apartment blocks started to spring up. The many communities within the Costa Del Sol are now very international but there are still large number of Spaniards and the real taste of Spain can still be found especially in the small hillside villages with their low rise, white washed buildings.

There are types of Costa Del Sol accommodation to suit every requirement, taste and budget from a Costa Del Sol apartment to one of the many types of holiday rentals Costa Del Sol offers. There are apartments, townhouse, villas and golf properties and these can be situated right in the heart of an area or just off the beaten track for a quieter experience.

Summer time in the Western Lake District – Sun, sails and sound-checks
Summer’s here and the time is right for dancing in the streets of Whitehaven, Silloth, Cockermouth… Local festivities and music festivals abound. Don’t miss Workington’s ‘Paint the Town Red’, the multi-award-winning Solfest, the Seaton Carnival, the Festival of Fools at Muncaster Castle, Millom’s Scarecrow Festival or the impressively named CockRock, to name but a few.
What better time to hit the quiet beaches of Allonby, St Bees and Haverigg, to try the fascinating town and harbour walks in Egremont and Harrington – or to set out by foot or on bike along the famous Coast to Coast routes? There are many Lake District Accommodation venues and Lake District hotels to stay at. There are strolls, hikes and rides for all the family, from coastal walks at Flimby to pony rides on Silecroft beach, organised through the Murthwaithe Green Trekking Centre. Golf at Workington and the Harrington driving range? Or what about a perfect, lazy day’s fishing on the Salterbeck reservoir, or from the pier at Whitehaven?
Of course when the sun is dancing on the Lakes, the urge to get out on the water is irresistible. So don’t resist.

Autumn time in the Western Lake District – Local colour like no other
Always majestic, the landscape of the Western Lake District turns magical with the change of season. As the days grow crisp and morning mists gather on the lakes and in the valleys, the fells become a golden swathe of bracken. With Lake District hotels set amidst such breath-taking scenery, there can be no better place to appreciate the woodland colours – from the soft carpets of oak and birch leaves in the Miredale valley to the striking red maples of Giggle Alley near Eskdale.
The bird sanctuaries of the coast are a hive of activity with new arrivals settling down ahead of the winter, or just passing through. Visit the Dodd Wood view-point near Bassenthwaite and you may catch an impressive glimpse of the rare and beautiful ospreys which fish the lake, perhaps before they migrate to their African wintering grounds.

Winter time in the Western Lake District – Rediscover the spirit…
Whether you think the season starts on the shortest day of the year or sometime soon after Halloween, the Western Lake District allows you to experience it to the full. Snow-capped mountains, glorious sunsets, roaring log fires and traditional evening entertainments will remind you what winter used to be, should be – and can be – all about.
Take the Swinside Stone Circle near Broughton-in-Furness, It’s an atmospheric time of year to visit this megalithic site, one of the earliest and finest in Britain. The fifty-five stones are set in a ninety foot diameter circle and seemingly aligned with the midwinter sun. Or the extravaganza of Darkest Muncaster and its mile-long trail of twinkling lights and seasonal effects – by turns spooky and truly magical. To complete the picture, add the welcoming warmth of cosy pubs and inns, of home-made soups and Cumberland Rum Nicky, a rich sticky tart with exotic ingredients that draw on the region’s historical trade with the West Indies.

Coniston is surrounded by a tremendous landscape of streams, lakes and mountains including the most famous and distinctive, Coniston Old Man. Coniston Old Man rises to 2,633 feet and can be walked in various ways to suit all abilities. Dow Crag provides some of the best rock climbing in Great Britain, while lake-shore walks to Torver are very popular. Grizedale Forest, located nearby is the ideal landscape for mountain biking, viewing the many sculptures within the forest, walking and there is a Go Ape experience there too if you are staying at one of the Coniston hotels.

Tarn Hows is a location that a huge number of visitors to the Lake District make a trip to. Its stunning setting and panorama brings some three-quarters of a million people a year to view it. This view looks almost due north across the foot of the Langdale valleys towards Helvellyn.

Coniston Water is only 10 minute walk from Coniston village. On the lake there is a Steam Yacht Gondola, a plush Victorian steam-powered yacht and the Coniston Launch. The Coniston Launch has been converted to solar-electric power and has a regular sailing timetable in the season with the ability to also hire each boat for private functions.

Synonymous with the lake is Donald Campbell. It was on Coniston Water where he lost his life attempting the world water speed record in the famous Bluebird boat. His body is now laid to rest in the local cemetery. Donald Campbell successfully broke the water speed record in 1955 but it was when he was trying to regain it in 1967 that he lost his life. Coniston has lots of references and memorials in memory of him including information regarding him in the Ruskin Museum.

Brantwood is the home of John Ruskin. It can be visited by cruising across the lake or a pleasant walk by foot. It is a house of historical importance but also a centre for contemporary arts attracting 30,000 plus visitors each year. John Ruskin was a very influential man inspiring the founders of the welfare state, the National Health Service, the National Trust and public libraries. Brantwood is now an essential attraction to visit when in Coniston.

There are a number of plus points that make a self catering holiday attractive. Here are some examples:
1.    Of course, top of the list, kitchen facilities, allowing cooking to be done yourself. A huge money exercise especially for families. When in a group, the cooking can be shared and the it can actually be quite a fun event.
2.    Storage facilities and space. If having an activity holiday or a family holiday where there are bikes, walking gear or sailing equipment, most self catering properties have the space to store this equipment and space for drying is necessary.
3.    Lake District cottages are often set amongst fantastic scenery and tranquil locations, allowing a complete “get away from it all” holiday. A complete change from the hustle and bustle of a city and a chance to spend time in a property completely different from home.
4.    The ability to come and go when you please unlike a hotel when rooms need to be cleaned and door are locked at a certain time.
5.    Children can play with other family’s children and parents can take it in turn to babysit so that each set of parents can have a night to themselves.
6.    The more the merrier for fun and money saving. Clubbing together between 2 or 3 families, a group of friends or couples saves a huge amount of money. There is greater interaction compared with staying in separate hotel rooms.

Recent years have seen a tremendous rise in the number of self catering properties to choose from. No longer is a self catering holiday spent within a dingy flat. Lake District self catering cottages can be found for 2 persons right up to 16 and from the basic small house to luxury cottages complete with flat screen TV’s, wood burners and luxury interiors with all the modern conveniences of washing machines, dryers and dish washers.

Self catering holidays benefit the environment too. The carbon footprint of a self catering holiday is significantly less than a hotel based holiday. Many factors contribute to this, the amount of lights, sheets and towels washed and spa and swimming pool facilities. Some self catering property owners and developers are creating a more eco friendly property, for example, installing solar panels, wind turbines and worming and composting facilities.

What better location for a self catering holiday than a farm.  More and more self catering accommodations are situated on working farms or properties that were once working farms providing a great opportunity to help farmers who are diversifying into tourism in order to subsidise incomes.

Pre-owned structures are an even bigger advantage in terms of both cost effectiveness and environmentally. Pre-owned modular buildings have been recognised by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister as being extremely environmentally friendly compared with an equivalent new manufactured building.  The reason for this is that the embodied energy required to manufacture a modular building is transportable as the embodied energy is locked within the fabric of the building. Therefore the energy contained within pre-owned modular buildings can be transported and relocated to another site. In traditional buildings this is largely lost when they are no longer required and demolished, even when the materials are re-cycled. However, with modular and portable buildings the embodied energy can be relocated along with the modules to another site

The nature of a temporary structure means it can be installed, moved or sold quickly and easily. Most portable and modular buildings suppliers offer purchasing and collection services. Collections are carried out under strict health and safety guidelines in compliance with the currently required CDM regulations.
In the current economic climate, this versatile, cost effective and limited risk approach to a business premises or an extension is very advisable. Moving to whole new business premises or building a classroom extension is not viable at present. A temporary structure solves all requirements without compromising on safety or quality.

“The decision to use Woodfuel was initially brought about by the cost savings involved and a wish to reduce our reliance on LPG. The type of woodfuel we chose, chip rather than pellets, was motivated by a wish to use a locally sourced product that would reduce our Carbon Footprint further, whilst benefiting not only the local economy but also local woodlands and their biodiversity.” Nick Lancaster, Langdale Estate.

The Langdale Estate provides luxury Lake District hotels, spa, timeshare and self catering holiday accommodation. As a tourism facility situated in the heart of an area of outstanding natural beauty, The Langdale Estate management team is striving to balance the requirements of its visitors with the sensitivities of the local and wider environment. The Biomass boiler project is part of an overall Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility policy that has been adopted at Langdale with the aim of creating a sustainable tourism destination and as an ethical employer.

The Langdale management team have taken a conscious decision to enable safe access for the purposes of demonstrating the various processes of taking raw timber and converting it into heat for the hotel. There is a safe viewing area in the wood processing/storage areas at Birch Hill Wood. Viewing panels have been fitted in the on-site fuel bunker with safe access to the main boiler for guided visits further enhancing The Langdale Estate as one the most environmentally conscious hotels in the Lake District.

Further information regarding the Biomass project can be found at http://www.langdale.co.uk/environment/index.htm

The Grand Design Live exhibition is to be held at ExCel London between 25 April and 4 May 2009. Grand Designs Live 2008 was a huge success for Kris. Making numerous contacts and gathering an outstanding amount of new orders, this exhibition was worth all the hard work. A huge draw to Kris’s stand was him painting his canvas artwork live at the exhibition. It enabled Kris to speak one to one with his prospective clients.

Kris is not averse to painting is canvas art live and speaking to people whilst working. Kris appeared on ITV’s 60mm last year and is going to be on 5 more shows in the next.

Last year Grand Designs Live saw a massive increase in visitor numbers up from 40,000 in 2007 to a staggering 100,000 in 2008. 2009 is set to be as if not even more popular with the launching of domestic gadgets and gizmos that haven’t been released yet and new and innovative products of today and tomorrow’s house builds. That coupled with over 450 exhibitors.

Kris is very excited to be exhibiting at Grand Designs Live again this year. Kris graduated from the University of Huddersfield in June 2000 but he is no stranger to London after completing a 2 year MA at the Royal College of Art between 2000 and 2002. He has been producing contemporary canvas art since graduating and has exhibited work in various exhibitions, show homes, bars and salons around the UK and abroad, working with a number of interior designers to supply art work to them. He also exhibits in over 20 John Lewis departments stores, primarily in London. Through exhibiting at Grand Designs Live, he is hoping to showcase his artwork to a wider audience, different to those of John Lewis and his home town of Hull.
The launch of his website http://www.krishardy.com in 2006 has meant he has a travelling portfolio of his previous, latest, bespoke and John Lewis work. Incorporating an ecommerce system has enabled his work to be purchased online delivered to anywhere in the world.

His very contemporary approach to his artwork style and attitude to artist – client relations is refreshing. The approach he takes with his work is to produce high quality, original acrylic-on-canvas paintings that complement the client’s interior. All artwork is painted to order by Kris himself and comes in standard sizes depending on the painting format. The refreshing approach is highlighted greatly by his comment “I more than happy to do bespoke sizes and colours, as I believe if you want a piece of art for a specific space then you should not have to compromise”.

Grand Designs Live
London Excel 25 April – 4 May 2009
Tickets weekday advanced £10/on the door £15
Weekend and Bank Holiday Monday advanced £13/on the door £18
For more information on Kris’s exhibition and latest work visit his website www.krishardy.com and for directions and opening times for Grand Designs Live go to www.granddesignslive.com

Grove Farmhouse is the latest addition to the four holiday cottage lets already on the farm. This new renovation comfortably accommodates 8 – 10 people. Grove Farmhouse has been finished to a very high standard and contains all the modern conveniences expected from a luxury holiday let without compromising the original features of the farmhouse. Grove Farmhouse has two lounges each with log burning stoves, wireless broadband access and in the kitchen, a traditional Rayburn cooking range. A total of three bathrooms make this property an excellent choice for a large group.

The luxury Lake District cottages lie in the beautiful Stock Valley in Ambleside. They are reached by a private drive from Ambleside, which runs past Stockghyll Falls and nature park, climbing to 700 feet to offer some of the finest Panoramic views in the Lake District. Each of the Cumbrian cottages has been lovingly converted from a traditional Lakeland barn. Guests are invited to relax in the secluded gardens, or explore the farm and its wildlife.

Andrew Howard together with his brothers Max and Ross, took over the running of Grove Farm in the summer of 2008.Their family has been farming for over 150 years on the edge of Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire. Grove is a typical Lakeland hill farm, running to some 160 acres of grass and woodland on the slopes of the Stock Valley. The pastures on the farm are home to the Howard’s herd of pedigree Dunn Galloway cattle. The cattle are sold to local speciality butchers.

Grove Cottages at Grove Farm have given them the opportunity to share their love of the Lakeland countryside, and guests can enjoy firsthand the same amazing views and sense of peaceful serenity that attracted us on their first visit. Previous visitors to Grove Farm will know that we are blessed with a fantastically stunning location, and with Ambleside being so close there is plenty to do without spending too much of your valuable holiday  time in the car.

For further information and to check availability go to http://www.grovecottages.com or telephone 015394 33074.

With this beautiful lake and the mountains at the doorstep, including Helvellyn, one of England’s highest peaks, there is always somewhere new to explore in this lovely region and you will never be short of something to do.

Your hosts, Keith and Lindsey Morgan, have been providing Ambleside bed and breakfast accommodation for over twelve years and will endeavour to make each and every guest’s stay  as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

there are eight attractive and well appointed en-suite rooms. Visitors can choose from family, triple, twin, double or single with either a bath or shower room. Stylishly simple and tranquil, all eight en-suite rooms have been newly decorated to offer a comfortable, warm and relaxing place to unwind after a day’s activities.

Motorcycle theft has been rising year on year although it must be remembered that the number of motorbikes on the road has also grown. 80% of motorbikes are stolen from the home. According to the Police, around 50% of motorbikes stolen were not locked. In the UK, mopeds and scooters are the most stolen forms of motorcycles.

Established in 1992 by Northumbria and Essex Police with the help and backing of the Home Office, Sold Secure is an independent body funded by UK insurers that tries to set a bar to eliminate low-level products from the market. Manufacturers and suppliers can apply to have their products approved by Sold Secure. They assign three levels: bronze, silver and gold.

Sold Secure: Bronze: These products offer resistance or attack from the basic tools (aimed at preventing opportunist crime). Sold Secure: Silver: These products offer theft resistance against enhanced tool list (aimed at preventing more determined attacks). To award Gold they test the products on the bikes to recreate a real-life theft situation. Disc-locks undergo some of the hardest tests to pass on a bike: wedge test with hammer chisel and screwdriver. Locks without double-locking pins do not pass. The Gold testing also involves lock picking, drilling, slide-hammering, sawing, wedging test and a torque test. Testers require 6-8 samples, and they study technical drawings before the tests to determine weak points. They re-test annually. It isn’t just for the assurance that the lock has been thoroughly tested but having a lock approved by Sold Secure can even reduce your insurance premium.

Leading manufacturers of motorcycle security devices are Xena, Squire and Oxford. Squire Locks are well respected in the motorcycle sector. Henry Squire and Sons Limited have been manufacturing locks and theft prevention devices in England since 1780. XENA Security began in the early 1990s when a group of UK engineers and motorcycle enthusiasts set out to design a better motorcycle lock and Oxford Products was founded in 1973 by a group of enthusiasts at University City of Oxford. Still today, Oxford Products is staffed by active enthusiasts who test and develop the product range.

The romantic nature of this area unsurprisingly attracts couples looking for a wedding destination. Year on year the Lake District is attracting more and more couples with hotels in the Lake District seeing steady increases in weddings throughout the year. There is an excellent choice of Lake District wedding venues due to the high number of hotels. Having this choice enables a wedding party to select the best venue for the size and theme of the wedding. Many hotels offer a cruise on one of the lakes on the wedding day. This can be for the bride and groom only or for the whole wedding party.

The area is very much geared up for Lake District weddings. The large number of weddings held in Lake District hotels has meant other facilities are readily available such as car hire, photographers, DJ’s and cake makers. Should the bride and groom live out of the area, no services need to be brought with them. This of course makes organisation much easier and keeps costs down.

1. Live availability and online bookings – Many customers will not wait for you to get back to them with your latest availability, they will just go elsewhere. Therefore you need an online booking system that displays your live availability and allows customers to make a booking with instant online payments.

2. Easy to use and install – You should look for a system that someone with only basic web editing skills can install, with no complex installation instructions. This way you will easily be able to manage and maintain your booking calendar without the need to call on your web developer each time something needs amending.

3. No commission charges – You should look for an online booking system that can be purchased for a fixed annual fee rather than having to continually pay out a percentage of each booking taken through the system.

4. Customisable booking pages – It is crucial that your reservation system can be fully customised in order to fit in with the look and feel of your website in order to maintain the professionalism of your brand. 

5. Full Control – Your booking system should enable you to deal direct with your customer and all payments need to go straight to you, not through an agency. You should also be able to choose whether to offer real time online bookings, or provisional bookings which allow you to liaise with the customer in order to confirm the booking. 

6. Help and support – It is important to choose a booking system that includes telephone and email support, as well as a quick and easy guide to getting started with the system.

Kendal is right in the heart of South Lakeland so it is the perfect location as a base for walking, touring and enjoying the unique pleasures of the Lake District. The A591 dual carriageway means easy access to Kendal from the M6 motorway, just 8 miles. Continuing down the A591 and Windermere is only a further 8 miles and just 4 miles on is Ambleside. A Kendal B&B is the perfect location for exploring not just the Lake District but also the Yorkshire Dales and Cumbrian coastline.

There are some great local walks in Kendal and some brilliant ones for low level walkers. A very popular walk is up to the observation point on Scout Scar where there is a 360 degree panorama with the Lake District fells to the north and Morecambe Bay to the south. Walking is not the only activity. Kendal has a climbing wall, a swimming pool, two golf courses and driving ranges. Kendal Golf course is on the side of Kendal Fell with some of the best views from a golf course in the UK.

Kendal itself is a bustling market town full of good shopping from big names to local speciality businesses and luckily, there is a good choice of Kendal bed and breakfast venues to stay in. The market in Kendal, held on a Wednesday and Saturday, attracts many visitors and also now a monthly farmers market. Kendal has a large number of shops and delis supplying local produce and these are growing year by year.  

There are lots of cultural accents in Kendal. The nationally acclaimed Brewery Arts Centre features live drama, music, film, dance and art exhibitions. In fact, Kendal has an excellent artist community with many local artist exhibitions at The Brewery. The Abbot Hall Art Gallery, situated on the banks of the River Kent, has exhibitions from influential artists such as Frank Auerbach and David Bomberg.

Kendal is famous for Kendal mint cake and snuff. Snuff making in Kendal has been operational since 1792 and holds a lot of history in the area. It is still made in Kendal today by two companies which both stem from the originator of snuff making in Kendal. Mint cake is also still made in Kendal by three companies all of which with a long heritage, a combined trading time of over 300 years.

Finally, Kendal also offers Kendal accommodation for business travellers. Kendal is home to offices of national and multinational companies such as Lowe Alpine, The North Face and Furmanite.

The western Lake District covers a large area from the Solway Firth at the northern most tip right down to Barrow-in-Furness. It is extremely diverse in its landscape having some of the largest mountains but also having miles of coastline. It is the most enriched areas of Cumbria but which offers real escapism from the hugely busy South Lakes.

Silloth-on-Solway on the very northern coast is home to a championship golf course and which holds Open qualifiers. It attracts many visitors to play this links type course. Still on the coast and moving down to Whitehaven. Whitehaven has undergone much regeneration in the last few years and the harbour there is really worth a visit especially the biennial Whitehaven Maritime Festival. Further down the coast and you get to St Bees. St Bees has one of the best beaches in the UK. Clean sand and wonderful views towards St Bees Head. Heading down the A5395 for around 14 miles and you get to Muncaster Castle. The Pennington family have resided there since 1208 but early indications are that the castle has been around since 1026. Set on roman foundations, Muncaster Castle offers tours inside of the castle, an owl centre, playgrounds, a wildlife pond, ghost sits and is one of the most popular Lake District attractions.

The mountain and lake panoramas are the most dramatic of the whole of the Lake District. The market town of Keswick is a haven for walkers attracting thousands of visitors each year to walk the famous fells of Skiddaw and Helvellyn and hence there are many Lake District B&B venues to choose from. It also situated next to the beautiful piece of water, Derwentwater and only 3 miles away is Bassenthwaite. Bassenthwaite Lake is the only piece of water that is officially a “lake”. All the other bodies of water are either a “mere” or “water” for example Buttermere and Crummock Water.

Finally, panoramas do not get any better than the view from the southern end of Wast Water looking towards Great Gable and Scafell Pike. This view won “Britain’s Favourite View” on the ITV’s television programme in 2007 out of 16 views around Britain. Wast Water is the deepest lake in the Lake District at 260 feet deep but only 3 miles long. Wasdale Head offers some of the most remote Lake District accommodation but which is always busy with walkers attempting Scafell Pike.

Cark-in-Cartmel and Allithwaite are both located at the southern end of the Cartmel Valley and are classic ‘working’ Lakeland villages. This area is beautifully quiet without being remote and has a gentle pace of life. With its location so close to Morecambe Bay this area brings a milder climate than the rest of the Lake District.

The medieval village of Cartmel lies just 1½ miles north and is the oldest and most picturesque village in South Lakeland. The 12th century priory escaped destruction during the Dissolution of Henry VIII and remains one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in the north of England. The ancient village square is home to two good pubs and is a lovely place to sit and enjoy a drink and watch the world go by. There are another two good pubs just around the corner to visit when staying in Cumbrian cottages.

Cartmel Valley is a gentle, undulating landscape of lush green fields, rolling hills, leafy lanes and tranquil forests. The woodlands are an ideal base for easy access of the whole of the Lake District, Morecambe Bay, the rolling sand dunes of the Cumbrian coast, the Forrest of Bowland and the Yorkshire Dales National Park.

Walkers can put away their car keys as there are dozens of walks from their Lake District self catering cottage. The ancient Cistercian Way pass through Cark village and links up to all major walking routes in the Lake District. The Cumbrian Coastal Way also goes through both Cark and Allithwaite and provides spectacular coastal and fell walking for mile after mile. Morecambe Bay, with its vast areas of sand and marshes is a popular haunt for bird watchers, as is nearby Leighton Moss bird sanctuary. The Bay and the Cumbrian coast are great for windsurfing, with clear winds from the south.

If walking is not on the agenda when staying in one of these Lake District cottages then a visit to Holker Hall is a must. Holker Hall is Cumbria’s premier stately home, the home of Lord & Lady Cavendish. Residents and visitors of the village are granted permission to walk freely around the extensive parklands stocked with herds of deer and rare breed cattle and sheep. They also have a farm shop on site where produce from the estate can be purchased.

And finally, for families, a 10 minute drive north leads you to the nostalgic Haverthwaite to Lakeside Steam Railway. This connects to the awaiting Lake Windermere steamers and cruise boats that travel the full length of England’s longest lake where stops can be made at Waterhead (for Ambleside) or Bowness-in-Windermere.

Taking an environmentally conscious approach is one such way. This approach most obviously benefits the environment but is an excellent marketing tool to help a business grow and attract new customers.

The hotel and leisure industry is notorious for its energy consumption. There is the lighting, the washing and laundry, all the electrical goods within the rooms, the heating, kitchens and then Jacuzzis and swimming pools in the Lake Disitrict spa. All contribute to a huge carbon footprint but also high energy costs. The cost of electricity and gas has increased by 20 % in the last year which is creating a huge impact on the profits of a hotel or bed and breakfast. With the economy being in such a bad way at present and customer confidence in spending is decreasing, this industry can’t afford to put up its prices. After all, it is a highly competitive industry to start with.

Hotels have for some time now put notices in the bathrooms relating to the towels situation, in the bath if you would like them changing, on the rail or elsewhere if they are ok to be used again. This of course makes a difference if you think of how many hotels there are in the world but there is so much more that can be done.

The English Lake District is a haven for walkers and people relocating to live and work to provide a better standard and healthier living than in a city. It is understandable that the Lake District has a high number of environmentally conscious hotels. There are various levels of implementations that can be put into practice within Lake District hotels and accommodation providers from recycling and reusing of materials, to sourcing materials, services and supplies locally. There is then a next step that can be taken for example in the form of creating a renewable energy source for the hotel. One of the hotels in the Lake District that has installed a biomass energy production system which has been enabled by its location amongst a 35 acre managed woodland area. Such a system requires expert input but with the correct guidance, an economically feasible and attractive alternative to the use of LPG can be achieved. After a report had initially been produced, it was summarised that a biomass system would be far more efficient than a new high efficiency LPG boiler, an anaerobic digestion system or solar power system. To put this biomass system into context, the saving made should be at least £35,000 per year for this hotel and leisure complex when comparing it to its previous gas boiler system.  With such a saving, it is extremely evident the amount of unsustainable energy that will be saved.

Most improvements or refurbishments on houses and gardens end up costing far more than was originally expected. By trying to do as much of the work yourself within your capabilities is going to help at times like these. Garage doors for example are items that if working properly are marvellous and add to a property’s aesthetics and value. When not working properly, for example, when they are not opening or closing properly, a car is not safe when inside or imagine the horror if the door won’t open and the car is stuck inside!

An old garage door can look shabby and make the whole property look less desirable especially when it comes to selling a property. A nice, well looked after and in good decorative order garage door is part of the external appeal of a house. With car parking at such a premium these days, having a garage next to the house or integrally can add a lot of value and provide that extra decision making draw for a property.
The cables are components on garage doors that do tend to stop working properly over a period of time. These can be quickly and easily repaired by visiting a garage door spares supplier. Cables can be repaired following careful instructions.

If changing garage door cables yourself, there are some important points to follow:

1. Read carefully any Instructions that are available for your door
2. Always replace both cables/wires at the same time
3. Make sure that you have the correct tools available to enable you to complete the job
4. Make sure that you have the correct garage door parts for the repair.
   (If you are replacing the cables, please also check the roller spindles for wear, as this is a good time to also replace them)
5. Always oil all moving parts.

Finding the model of your garage door is important in order to obtain the correct parts. This information if not known straight away can be found using the points below:

1. Firstly look on the garage door handle, this usually gives you the manufacturers name, ie, Henderson, Cardale, Garador etc.
2. If there is no name on the lock, then look inside the garage, usually on the inside of the garage door there is a manufacturers label, ie, Henderson, Cardale, Garador etc

Safety is always important when carrying out maintenance work yourself. Before attempting to carry out any maintenance or repairs to a garage door it is important to read carefully any Instructions provided for that particular make of door and also to make sure you have all the correct parts and tools necessary. Whilst starting out, remember the springs on garage doors are usually held under a good deal of tension. Finally, before any work is attempted on the garage door, the tension on the spring or springs must be isolated or released, only after this has been done can any work be completed in safety.

There is in fact only one piece of water that is officially a lake and that is Bassenthwaite Lake 3 miles from Keswick. All the other bodies of water are either a “mere” or “water” for example Windermere and Ullswater or a tarn which means a small body of water.

There are 20 major lakes of which the largest and busiest is Windermere. Windermere is a thriving tourist destination with an excellent choice of Windermere bed and breakfast venues but there are many Windermere hotels available as well. Windermere the town is located 1.5 miles from the lake but Bowness-on-Windermere sits right by the lake swarming with boats, tourists and tours. At nearly 11 miles long, Windermere can fit a lot on it including 14 islands. The speed limit of 10 miles per hour maximum has caused some controversy but of course it has also pleased some people. Another very fascinating fact is that in the heavy rain of January 2005, Windermere rose by nearly a meter overnight. That equates to an extra seventeen thousand litres of water!

The next largest lake is Ullswater in a different part of the county but which offers a much quieter experience. Ullswater is set amongst some of the largest mountains, the main one being Helvellyn, the Lake District’s 3rd largest. The Ullswater Steamers operate on the lake so not only does this area appeal to walkers, but also some sightseers for the spectacular views and quiet lake.

Derwentwater is the 3rd largest lake and offers a very good choice of Lake District guest house venues surrounding it and is located just a mile from Keswick which is a haven for walkers. Derwentwater is only 3 miles long which is significantly smaller than the Windermere and Ullswater.

The deepest lake is Wastwater, being 79 metres or 258 feet deep. At the end of Wastwater at the head of the Wasdale valley are some of the highest mountains in the Lake District, Scafell Pike (which is the highest), Great Gable and Lingfell. The Screes is a mountain that catches the eye on wastewater. It measures 2000 feet from top to base but 200 feet of it is below the surface of Wastwater. The view towards Scafell Pike from the other end of Wastwater, won Britain’s Favourite View in the ITV programme last year.

It is not just the size of the Lake District that attracts tourists but the density of the area. No other National Park in the UK has the amount of fells and lakes so it is truly special and should be visited by everyone.

The new cottages are in four different locations all offering different forms and sizes of accommodation. The first, Rosegarth Cottage at Newby in the Eden Valley. The second Lake District cottage is Edenfold Cottage, Bolton near Appleby. The third cottage is Pheasant Cottage in the Eden Valley and the fourth of the Lake District cottages is Stonegarth also in Newby.

These cottages are the latest additions to their already 35 strong cottage portfolio. This amount of cottages lead to the need for a new website which was put live last year and which enables the visitor to check the live availability of each cottage. It also gives clear information on each particular property with either “available”, “booked” or “a please phone” status. If one of the cottages is “available”, indicated under the availability status is the price for that week. This enables the visitor to know instantly the cost and eliminates the need to telephone or email for a price.

Goosemire Cottages are a small family run agency offering holiday cottage accommodation in the Lake District, UK (with just a few exceptions) an all-inclusive rental price. Their limited overheads mean low prices and they pride themselves on their value for money approach. There are open all year round and offer out of season or last minute breaks. To help you relax, Goosemire Cottages adopts a “nothing is too much trouble” approach, ensuring a welcoming, informed and personal service. On arrival you will find your cottage carefully prepared, to give your holiday a perfect start. In fact from the point of your initial enquiry onwards they guarantee they will give both you and your holiday the warm friendly attention deserved.

Goosemire Cottages have available over 39 traditional self-catering holiday homes for discerning visitors (Ranging from 1 to 7 bedrooms, sleeping up to 10). Most are rustic 17th or 18th Century Lake District self catering cottages or lovely barn conversions, where antiquity and modern comforts have been beautifully combined. The atmosphere and idiosyncrasies of each Lake District cottage property are reflected on our website, and while some maybe more luxuriously appointed than others, all are carefully prepared and maintained.

They offer Cumbrian self catering holiday cottages in the following locations – Bowness on Windermere (largest lake), Lake Ullswater,( the Lake Districts second largest lake), Haweswater, the Eden Valley, Bassenthwaite, Grasmere, Kendal, Ambleside in the central lakes, the South Lakes peninsulas, and Wastwater. If you are feeling energetic you can go fell walking, climbing or even mountain biking. Other activities include sailing, wind surfing, fishing or bird watching.

For further information on the areas, availability and prices of all 39 cottages visit www.goosemirecottages.co.uk or telephone 01539 731 801.

Static caravans are a good choice for combing the freedom of self catering whilst being in the heart of the area you are staying in. They provide a cheaper alternative to a cottage rental and the caravan sites often have a convenience shop and a bar. There are many caravan sites in Devon and this area attracts a lot of tourists for its good weather, long white sandy beaches and an excellent range of activities. Alternatively, many of the Devon caravan sites offer touring caravans for sale.

The magnificent North Devon coastline has a choice of beaches including Woolacombe, which has been acknowledged as one of the top ten beaches in the world and is a regular winner of both Blue Flag and Premier Awards for beach safety and cleanliness. There are also the beaches of Croyde, Saunton and Westward Ho!, all of which rival the most exotic of Mediterranean resorts.

The astonishing natural beauty of North Devon combines the superb coastline with the distinctive countryside, often meeting with stunning consequences. Neat patchwork quilts of fertile farmland, wild rugged moorland and wide open spaces all combine to make this corner of England so unique. It’s difficult to imagine any part of Britain more awe-inspiring than the rugged wilds of nearby Exmoor. Covering an area of 250 square miles, this National Park is every rambler’s idea of heaven, where red deer and wild ponies stalk the steep valleys and gorges while buzzards and falcons soar overhead. Popular with a broad clientele, this stretch of coast was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural beauty in 1959 and spans from Marsland Mouth on the Cornish border to Combe Martin and the edge of the Exmoor National Park.

Wherever you choose to go, whatever you choose to do, there’s always the peace and tranquillity of the countryside to offer a means of escape from the demands of everyday life. In fact the Council for the Protection of Rural England classifies North Devon as one of only three areas in the country that can still officially be called “tranquil”.

There is plenty to see and do for every type of person. Here is a brief list, for more information on attractions visit the official North Devon Website.

• Arlington Court – National Trust House and Gardens
• Clovelly – One of the worlds unique villages. Picturesque cobbled streets leading down to 14th century harbour
• Combe Martin Wildlife and Dinosaur Park – 250 species of plants and animals
• Exmoor Brass Rubbing Centre – Collection of over 100 brasses and rubbing plates
• Exmoor Zoological Park – Over 150 species of Wildlife
• Lundy Island – North Devon’s own Atlantic Island
• The Milky Way – A galaxy of entertainment for all the family
• Once Upon a Time – Fantasy Land for children aged 3 -11
• Quince Honey Farm – Fascinating insight into the life and work of the honey bee
• Surf South West – Learn to surf with a Surfing Association Approved School
• Watermouth Castle – Entertainment centre set in restored castle and grounds

International trusts are governed by the International Trusts Law of Cyprus. International trusts are not taxed in Cyprus.

Tax aspects
Cyprus trusts enjoy important tax advantages, providing significant tax planning opportunities to interested parties. The following advantages are indicative of the possible options for tax minimization: All income, whether trading or otherwise, of an international trust (ie a trust whose property is located and income is derived from outside Cyprus) is not taxable in Cyprus Dividends, interest or other income received by a trust from a Cyprus international business company are also neither taxable nor subject to withholding tax provided that the beneficiaries are not tax resident in Cyprus. Even though a trust with shares in a Cypriot company may not be an international trust, the exemption relies on the fact that Cyprus tax is imposed only on Cyprus residents. As the beneficiaries are not residents of Cyprus, no tax is imposed on the distributions made to the trust Gains on the disposal of the assets of an international trust are not subject to capital gains tax in Cyprus An alien who creates an international trust in Cyprus and retires in Cyprus is still exempt from tax if all the property settled and the income earned is abroad, even if he I a beneficiary An international trust created for estate duty planning purposes would not be subject to estate duty in Cyprus.

The nature of a Trust
A trust is established by an individual (the Settlor) and is a means whereby property (the Trust Property) is held by one or more persons (the Trustees) for the benefit of another or others (the Beneficiaries) or for specified purposes. The Settlor can be a Trustee and the Settlor and the Trustees or any of them can be Beneficiaries. In law, the Trustees are the owners of the trust property, although they may not deal with it as absolute owners but rather in accordance with the provisions of the law relating to trusts and the rights of the beneficiaries as set out in the trust documents. In other words, the trustees are under a binding obligation to deal with the trust property in accordance with the law and the direction set out in the trust document. The trust property can include all kinds of assets situated anywhere in the world. Trusts are usually used by wealthy individuals for the purpose of protecting their estate from inheritance or capital gains taxes in their home country. They can also be used by expatriates settling into a trust before repatriating assets acquired while working abroad, to protect such assets from the tax of their home country.

Other aspects
There are many situations other than saving in taxes where Cypriot trusts can prove advantageous. These
include the following: an individual, through the use of a Cypriot trust, can ensure that minors, mentally impaired persons or persons unable to deal with the management of the individual’s estate are well provided for, even after the individual’s death an individual, through the use of a Cypriot trust, can arrange to be inherited by persons, who due to the legislation of the individual’s country, would otherwise be excluded from the inheritance an individual who wishes to divest himself of personal assets for fiscal or other reasons can achieve that by transferring them to a Cypriot international trust an individual who wishes to keep the ownership of a company anonymous and confidential, can do this by setting up a discretionary Cypriot trust to own the shares in the company an individual who has or may have income arising overseas, which they do not wish to remit to their country of residence, can arrange for such income to be directed to the trustees of a Cyprus based settlement and be held in a discretionary trust in accordance with their wishes an individual with assets outside their country of residence – which country may in future extend its exchange control restrictions to include remittance of overseas funds – may wish to retain the flexibility of overseas funds by transferring them to a discretionary trust.

Other advantages
In addition to the tax and other aspects set out above there are other favourable factors for creating a trust in Cyprus The favourable legal system relating to trusts together with the advantageous geographic position of the island make Cyprus a particularly attractive trust location. Cypriot international trusts are not subject to exchange control. Bank deposits with Cypriot banks, either local or international, or with any bank around the world, are also not subject to exchange control. The absence of exchange controls and the availability of excellent telecommunications and international banking services, make Cyprus a convenient base for the remittance and transfer of funds The presence of a number of reputable international fund management companies on the island and the high standing of the legal and accounting professions ensure the availability of expert advice as well as the competent management services required for the proper operation of a trust. There are no, registration or reporting requirements for trusts established in Cyprus nor are the names of the trust or of the persons referred to in the Trust Deed disclosed. Cypriot law is flexible in that it allows the removal of a trust from its jurisdiction and vice versa. This could be important in cases where a change in circumstances may render such a transfer advantageous for fiscal or other reasons.

For the last 20 years, more and more families have been going abroad to Europe for their summer holiday and year on year the UK market has been decreasing. The UK seaside used to be thriving and although such places as Devon and Cornwall are still busy in the summer, on the whole, it is less popular. The UK has so many fantastic places like Scotland and Wales for walking, the Northumberland coast where there is 10 miles of coast with some of the cleanest and whitest sand in the country, down to Dorset and the Isle of White.

The UK of course does have a downside in the weather but what the UK lacks in sunshine, it makes up for in activities and good old fashioned fun. This area is especially suited family holidays in the Lake District with its vast choice of activities. Firstly there are the fells. Walking and taking in the spectacular scenery in the Lake District is not only good exercise but it is free. Other activities in Cumbria and the Lake District are Muncaster Castle, the World Owl Trust, Ravenglass Steam Railway, Lake District Coast Aquarium, Puzzling Place and Derwent Pencil Museum in Keswick, Beatrix Potter Museum and cycling tours at Grizedale Forest. A trip to the Lakes isn’t complete without a boat trip. Windermere, Coniston, Ullswater and Derwentwater are the main lakes for boat trips. It gives a different perspective on the fells from the water than on land.

Organized Lake District family breaks takes away all the stress of having to think of what to do each day. An organized package takes care of all the booking of venues and has an itinerary each day. This kind of holiday helps families get the most out of their Lake District holiday and can include activities such as sailing, walking, museum trips, picnics and cycling. Many have been designed to enable families to spend time together but also making consideration for the parents by giving them a few hours of freedom with the children only activities.

The Euro is not the only reason UK family holidays are predicted to increase. The awareness of climate change and the impact of flying on the environment is something that is making families think twice about going abroad. A return flight from London to Barcelona for example produces half of tonne of carbon dioxide per person. That is an awful lot when compared with a return car journey from London to the Lake District which creates a 10th of a tonne of carbon dioxide. Once a family has realized what good they are doing for their children’s future, money saved and most importantly, how much fun can be had on a holiday in the UK, it is sure to make the UK tourism industry flourish once again.

Unlike many of the suppliers to the show, Kris will be producing his canvas art in real time within the 60 minutes. He is due to be painting under a canopy outside. The colour pallet will be given to him by the show’s designer which in the case of the Cobham show will be Derek Taylor. Derek will advise Kris on the colour scheme so his artwork can complement the decor. He is due to be interviewed regarding the work he is supplying by Terri Dwyer, the shows presenter.  Kris is hoping this fantastic opportunity will showcase his art to a wider audience. Launched in 2004, 60 Minute Makeover is a very popular daytime, reality television show on ITV aired at 2.00pm until 3.00pm. The designers and crew makeover four rooms in each house as a surprise for a nominated owner or resident. At the end of the show, the revamped rooms are revealed to the deserving person.

It has been a very exciting year for Kris so far not just in the form of 60 Minute Makeover but in May he exhibited at Grand Designs Live at London Excel. Kris had the idea of actually painting whilst on his stand which made for a very productive and effective show and achieving a high number of commissions.

It is often under estimated the importance of wearing the correct type of motorcycle clothing from gloves through to boots and even the correct garments underneath. Most motorcyclists know the importance of wearing a helmet but there are still some that do not wear adequate clothing on the rest of their body.

Leathers come in a wide range of styles to suit the bikes, riders and different needs and situations. The leather used for motorcycle gear is a very tough form of leather to give maximum protection. All aspects of the suit or separate are tested from the seams to the zips to check for tearing, impact abrasion, cut and burst resistance. Armour for extra protection is inserted into the shoulder area, back, hips, knees and elbows such as in the Alpinestars clothing range. Leather is the most traditional form of motorbike clothing but even that has advanced in recent years. Kangaroo skin is now used, especially for race suits, as it gives great protection and maximum comfort. The kangaroo skin moulds to the body ergonomically with great movement which is why it is so popular when in a racing position.

Specialist motorcycling clothing has really gone forward during the past few years with advances in manufacturing techniques, materials and product development. Leather used to be the only material for motorcycling clothing but there are now a choice of materials including nylon and Kevlar. These materials are much lighter than leather making them more comfortable whilst riding but they are also far better for protection against the weather. The ballistic nylon and Kevlar materials have fantastic anti abrasion properties. These materials took over 1700 cycles on an abrasion test before failure. If you put that against a pair of jeans which failed after 50 cycles, it is evident the importance of such protective clothing.    

Ballistic nylon (e.g. Cordura) and Kevlar materials keep warmth in when needed but also allow vents in the design of the garment to let air in when it is hot. Textile garments dry out much faster than leathers so when touring, clothing made from these materials are a good idea. Many of the top motorcycle clothing brands such as Dainese and Spidi do both leather and textile ranges.

Another major point is the importance of the correct size of clothing, helmets and accessories. A helmet that is too big can cause injury in the event of an accident and also distract the rider whilst riding. An ill-fitting jacket can also cause injury especially is the armour dislodges. Wind noise caused by a baggy jacket is another distraction along with another consequence, wind drag.

French illustrator Marine has created a number of stunning wall art limited edition prints, which are clearly inspired by her love for music and fashion, the Ye-Ye movement in sixties France, her childhood and all the different people she meets.

Marine was born in Paris, grew up in South of France and moved to Brighton to study Graphic Design.
Now living and working in Brighton as an illustrator she divides her time between commissions for clients such as The Guardian, Penguin, Coca-Cola, TruThoughts, Amelia’s Magazine, Jazeera Airways … and personal work that she exhibits regularly. Her work has been described as vivid, vibrant, sometimes retro or slightly surreal and has been published in Computer Arts, Etapes Graphiques, Illusive and the Secrets Of Digital Illustration.

Most recently Marine is noted for four quality portraits including Gossip’s singer Beth Ditto, Dance Girl, Guitar Girl and Tea Girl, which are all printed on 400 gsm uncoated Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) approved paper are available in a very limited edition of just fifty signed and numbered screen-prints.
This Beth Ditto print is exclusively available from Design Supremo, which is an online creative hub that brings together cutting edge design, illustration, photography, street art and other hybrids in between. Design Supremo collect and supply original, vintage and screen prints, art posters, unique t-shirts, and other assorted creative products.

The weather in Cannes can top 40c in the Summer months but even through the Winter months pleasantly mild temperatures are seen with low rainfall making this city a year round destination.

Cannes is probably best known for the Cannes Film Festival. The film festival takes place every May and takes over the whole of the city. Much revered within the film industry, Cannes attracts high profile actors, actresses, directors and royalty. The Festival de Cannes has been going for 61 years now and seems to get more popular each year.

The concentration of famous faces brings many fans and tourists during festival time. All but a handful of the many luxury Cannes villas are fully booked. Being a very affluent area, Cannes has some of the most stunning holiday villas in France. Many villas south of France are even located within private gated communities, extremely sort after by celebrities. With such clientele, it is no surprise that Cannes is also famous for its luxury shops, exquisite restaurants and prestigious hotels such as the Majestic Barriere. Popular with famous faces all over the world, this legendary hotel epitomizes the Cannes Film Festival.

When staying in Cannes, of course a shopping trip must be done but on from that there are many sights and cultural experiences to be had. One such is a walk up Mont Chevalier up to Suquet. The panorama up there is breathtaking and whole of Cannes including the Lerins Islands can be seen. For those interested in fishing, the Vieux Port is a must see where the fishermen work alongside the sightseeing boats. And then what everyone does when they visit Cannes is walk the three kilometres of one of the most famous promenades in the world, The Croisette. This stretch follows the curve of the bay and is adorned with palm trees, lawns, planted gardens and flowers.

Another activity that must be done is the boat trip to the islands of St Marguerite and St Honorat. St Marguerite is famous for the cell at the Fort of St Marguerite, now called the Musee de la Mer, which is said to have held the “Man with the iron mask” for 11 years. It is also the location of many shipwrecks. St Honorat is only inhabited by Cistercian monks. There are the ruins of the 11th century monastery on the edge of the island right by the sea and the monks spend their days praying and making the famous Curvee St Honorat red and white wine.

The Nice Cote d’Azur Airport is located just 15 miles from Cannes making it an easily accessible destination. By car, the A8 motorway goes all the way from Paris to Nice. Transportation by rail is also available with services from all the major French towns but also from Brussels, Rome, Milan and Venice.

The basic premise is to maintain a great website and produce a free to guests/take one A5 brochure (100,000 print run in 2008) which is distributed throughout the like minded but highly individual participating hotels.

Envisaging continued growth, FIH will be aiming to have 75 hotels in 2009.

Mike Bevans said: “In 2008, Fine Individual Hotels doubled the number of hotels from 25 to 50 and more growth is expected next year. With hotels well distributed in the North of England and Scotland like illustrious award winning hotel such as the stunning Ballathie House Hotel, near Perth; we have new hotels in the South such as the highly individual Hoste Arms in Burnham Market; the near the sea Millstream at Bosham; the top Devon country hotel Combe House, Gittisham; Cotswold’s famous Grapevine, Stow-on—the Wold; and the Castle at Conwy in Wales. We will continue to grow from strength to strength.”

Whether you are looking for Perthshire Hotels, Conwy Hotels, Devon Hotels, Cotswolds Hotels, Norfolk Hotels, or Chichester Hotels you will find the perfect venue on www.fihotels.com.

The reason for this is that the embodied energy required to manufacture a modular building is transportable as the embodied energy is locked within the fabric of the building. Therefore the energy contained within pre-owned modular buildings can be transported and relocated to another site. In traditional buildings this is largely lost when they are no longer required and demolished, even when the materials are re-cycled. However, with modular and portable buildings the embodied energy can be relocated along with the modules to another site.

Where a modular or portable building is relocated, with minimal alteration, the amount of energy used is less than three percent of the energy that would be required to manufacture an equivalent new building. Even when the modular building is refurbished and reconfigured internally, the energy used is no more than ten percent of the energy that would be required to create a new modular building.

The Modular and Portable Buildings Association has produced an energy performance standards document (ADL-2A) which provides supporting information and guidelines for compliance with the Government’s special considerations relating to the design and construction of modular and portable buildings.
So buying a quality pre-owned modular building not only saves you money and is an immediate solution to your accommodation needs, but it also makes a difference to the environment by recycling the embodied energy contained within the building.

Modular and portable buildings come in all different sizes including multi-story they can be used for such a wide variety of functions including mobile classrooms, temporary offices, construction site accommodation and portable storage buildings.

One very famous artist by the name of David Hockney, although from West Yorkshire, produced a series of paintings of the East Yorkshire landscape. David Hockney is arguably the most famous and influential British artist of the 20th century. David Hockney’s paintings are renowned around the world having exhibited his canvas art in New York, Germany, Japan and Portugal.

A series of five East Yorkshire landscapes were shown for the first time at Tate Britain in 2007. This beautiful area is often misunderstood by the people of the UK associating this area with fishing and flat, unspectacular landscapes. Hockney changed this perception and along with the regeneration of East Yorkshire, most notably Hull, this area is finally being put on the map for the right reasons.

These canvas artwork pieces were all painted in the same location in Woldgate Woods during the course of one year. Quite different from many of Hockney’s other work, this series of five were all 12 feet long. Hockney has described the area as having “the sorts of wide vistas you get all the time in the American West,”. Canvas art is synonymous with David Hockney but it is watercolour that he would first create his painting of East Yorkshire in. He would then revisit the site and again, almost entirely in situ, paint the finished canvas art in oils. Watercolour enabled Hockney to capture the landscape quickly through the changing light.

The Hull has begun to champion young artists and The University of Hull art collection features British art, paintings, drawings and sculpture 1890-1940, including works by Sickert, Steer, Lucien Pissarro, Augustus John, Stanley Spencer, Epstein and Moore. Camden Town and Bloomsbury artists are particularly featured. Hull is also luring artists to the area from as high an education at The Royal College of Art.

There are many art galleries in East Yorkshire exhibiting canvas artwork, contemporary and classical art and watercolours and oils. This area of Yorkshire has strong sea, coastal and fishing ties being such a large part of its heritage and these themes can be found in the art here.

It is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland has a long history of neutrality and it has not been at war since 1815. The country hosts many international organizations, including the Red Cross, the World Trade Organization and one of the U.N.s two European offices. However, it is not a member of the European Union. Switzerland is multilingual and has four national languages – German, French, Italian and Romansh.

When it comes to places to stay, there is a great choice of Switzerland accommodation available including serviced accommodation such as hotels and bed and breakfasts, plus Switzerland self catering accommodation such as simple hostels, or perhaps a luxury Switzerland apartment.

Unlike many holiday destinations, Switzerland makes an ideal holiday destination during all four seasons of the year. During winter months, Switzerland offers world class conditions for both skiers and free riders alike and during summer months, the spectacular mountain scenery provides awesome paragliding, alpine mountaineering, mountain biking, rock climbing and beautiful walking trails for all levels. With plenty of shops, bars, restaurants and other year-round attractions available, Switzerland really is ideal for a holiday throughout the year.

Getting to Switzerland can be fairly inexpensive as a number of the budget airline operators including Easyjet, Bmibaby and Jet2 all fly into Geneva airport. Other major airlines including Swiss Air, British Airways, Lufthansa and KLM also offer competitive fairs from the UK. Flights to Sion airport are available every week during the winter season from London Heathrow airport. Basel, Zurich and Bern also accommodate flights from the UK.

Not everyone has the money to buy modern canvas art produced by famous artists so it has enabled the not so famous but equally as talented new artists to produce work and be successful selling them. Canvas art is quite dramatic as the medium used is either oil or acrylic paint. Both achieve high depth in colour and on a bright white wall, a piece of canvas artwork on a stretched canvas frame has maximum impact.

Oil and acrylic are very versatile and both give the option for alteration after the painting has been finished. This is especially the case for oils as they take a number of weeks to dry. It enables a piece of canvas art to be produced and a step taken back from it. It can then be revisited and adapted should the artist feel it is required. Watercolour for example is quite final once completed. Oil and acrylic come alive even more when a few coats have been put on and textures are built up. An example of this is in the artwork for Howard Hodgkin and Gillian Ayres. Both use bright colours and layer and layer paint to create not just high impact in terms of depth of colour but also texture. These particular canvas artwork pieces look breathtaking on a white wall.

Clean lines and minimal aesthetics are the keys with many of the latest wave if modern art pieces. Another impressive move in the artwork is that artists today are actually quite happy to produce bespoke artwork specifically for the client from their own specifications. For example a piece of artwork is often created to specifically suit the interiors of the room it is commissioned for both in style and colour. This is quite a shift from what many people conceive in artists. It is making modern art even more modern and allows the owner of the artwork to have input creating an even more personal piece.

The economy in Dubai is staggering. In 2007 GDP was registered at 54.3 billion US dollars and over the past 7 years, the economic growth was 18% Compounded Annual Growth Rate. Amazingly, the tourism, real estate and finance sectors are taking over as the main economic areas which used to be oil.

Growth of the population is detrimental to the growth of the economy. Between 2003 and 2007, the population created an 8% Compounded Annual Growth Rate which is sure to be logged down as higher as there are now an estimated 1.6 billion inhabitants in Dubai. This is predicted to increase to 2.2 billion by the year 2010. The Dubai property boom is going to be required with an increase in population such as that although it has been said that this should be capped to avoid saturation which is all too common in a situation like this.

It is the diversification of the economic sectors and their growth that has created a strong economy in Dubai. This diversification has attracted Westerners to move to Dubai especially to the finance and tourism businesses. Dubai is becoming a world centre for finance institutions due to its specially designated business communities. These purpose-built mini cities such as Business Bay are making Dubai a recognized global commercial and business center. Business Bay for example is spread over an area of 64 million square feet with numerous landmark towers within.

To entice white collar workers and tourism specialists into Dubai, the regulations for entry have been changed. They have been reduced making it easier to live and work in Dubai. This has then affected the Dubai property market in a way that there are now a greater number of investors selling houses on the owner occupier basis and not for rent. This of course suits Westerners who are very keen on purchase and not rent. The stature of the workers entering Dubai is also shown by the high numbers of luxury Dubai properties. The high-income section of Dubai is most definitely the largest. The developers of the higher end Dubai property structures are seeing a greater occupancy rate too.

So, to conclude, it appears that in terms of the Dubai property market, luxury is the way forward in the current economic crisis.

The spectrum of wildlife here is diverse, all the more interesting because its southern location attracts a unique combination of East and Southern African wildlife, both resident and migratory, and particularly a curious and colourful assortment of over 440 known species of birds. Some of Africa’s most sought after game can be found in Selous Game Reserve including elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and herds of plains game, yet it remains one of the least visited of the great game sanctuaries on the continent.

The Rufiji River Delta is a striking feature of the game reserve. It connects the Great Ruaha River with the Rufiji River and not far from the park boundaries empties out into the Indian Ocean along the Tanzanian Coast. The Rufiji River is the largest water catchment location in the region, and as such, is home to varied water and bird life. Along its shores, you will find hippos wallowing in the water and crocodiles sunning themselves with their mouths wide open.  Stiegler’s Gorge, where the Great Ruaha River meets the Rufiji River, is a breathtaking example of the diversity and spectacular scenery along the game reserve’s waterways.

The Selous is unique among Tanzania’s more renowned preserved areas because it is a game reserve, not a national park, and therefore a larger range of activities are permitted. Boating safaris are becoming a popular alternative to vehicle-based trips, and offer visitors a chance to see the diverse life along the Rufiji River up close in all its splendour. Hiking safaris and fly camping are also ideal ways to explore the country and add a bit of adventure to your African experience.

The Selous Game Reserve was named after Frederick Courteney Selous, a British explorer and hunter in East Africa who wrote a book about the region and his travels, and was tragically killed in the Beho Beho area of the reserve during the First World War.

One of the best methods of experiencing the Selous Game Reserve is to use one of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) approved tour guides who will be able to recommend some of the best Selous accommodation and also provide a tailored Tanzania Safari.

Ambleside is mostly a Victorian town, although there has been a settlement there since pre-Roman times.  Galava, a fort located beside Borrans Park in Ambleside was built by the Romans and was used to house around 500 soldiers. The fort was built to defend the lower fells of South Lakeland from invasion by the Picts and Scots, and also to guard the road to the Roman Port at Ravenglass which is accessible from Hard Knott Pass.

Many well known characters have been connected with Ambleside, including William Wordsworth, John Ruskin and Beatrix Potter.  The Armitt Museum in Ambleside provides more information about each of these famous characters and within easy reach of Ambleside visitors will be able to experience the World of Beatrix Potter in Bowness, Rydal Mount in Rydal which was the home of the Wordsworth family from 1813 and Dove Cottage in Grasmere, which is where William Wordsworth wrote most of his greatest poetry.

Waterhead pier is only a mile south of Ambleside town centre and this ferry terminal allows visitors to experience scenic ferry trips on Lake Windermere.  The ferries run regularly throughout the day between Waterhead, Bowness-on-Windermere and Lakeside at Newby Bridge.

A short walk from the centre of the Ambleside leads up to Stock Ghyll Force, a highly picturesque waterfall, which can be reached through Stock Ghyll Woods. This spectacular seventy foot drop to a bowl shaped pool can be viewed safely from a hand railed vantage point.  The ghyll once powered twelve watermills. The scenery around Stock Ghyll is truly magnificent and for any visitors wishing to stay in a rural location, but with the convenience of a town close by there are some excellent Cumbrian Cottages available for rent in the area.

Stephen Wilcock was Deputy General Manager at the Lodore Falls Hotel during the last four years and was instrumental in minimising disturbance for hotel guests during the £2 million pound Lodore Falls refurbishment. His move to the Borrowdale Hotel coincides with imminent plans to update the lounge, dining areas and remaining bedrooms at the hotel. Work has already started in some of the bedrooms and regular guests have given very enthusiastic praise for the work so far. The lounge will be refurbished during November – in plenty of time for Christmas and there are exciting new plans for the dining room which are due to start in the New Year.

With over 25 years in the industry, Stephen began his career under the tutelage of Francis Coulson and Brian Sack at The Sharrow Bay. He spent 15 years with them learning hospitality in the first establishment to coin the phrase Country House Hotel. Since then he worked at the Michelin star L’Enclume at Cartmel and The Samlings in Windermere before joining the Lake District Hotel Group as Deputy Manager at the Lodore Falls Hotel.

Stephen’s passion for fine food and good wine led him to become a Master Sommelier, a role he has enjoyed at the Lodore Falls and one he is eager to develop at his new hotel next door. As well as his appreciation of fine food and wine, Stephen brings with him years of experience in running small family hotels and will draw on the lessons learned while managing the refurbishment at the Lodore Falls.

 “I feel I have come full circle, beginning my career in a small country hotel, working in large, busy hotels too and now at the helm of a small country hotel with a great reputation for food,” said Stephen. “ We now open all day for food in the bar and lounges and guests are giving us great feedback. The Borrowdale Hotel is a small family run hotel that focuses on customers. I appreciate the special attention given to the many regulars and am looking forward to working with the staff who have a wealth of experience. By Christmas we will have roaring real fires in the lounge which will create a great atmosphere for the festive season and as a Master Sommelier, matching food and wine during the festive season will be a real joy.”

Kit Graves, Managing Director of Lake District Hotels said “We play to the strengths of the individuals in our teams and we like to give our Managers the chance to face new opportunities. Our philosophy has always been to promote from within wherever possible and it is even more rewarding to see someone take on their first role as General Manager.  Stephen has a real love of food and wine and has years of experience in running small country hotels. We know he will feel at home at The Borrowdale Hotel, he is very customer orientated and has the leadership skills to take the hotel forward during and after the refurbishment.”

For more details on the new look and the exciting new plans for the dining room at The Borrowdale Hotel please contact the General Manager – Stephen Wilcock on 017687 77224.

It’s all change too for Manager Chris Attwood who has moved from The Borrowdale Hotel to face new challenges as Deputy Manager at the Lodore Falls which is more than double in size. He spent 12 years next door and has an excellent rapport with customers. For Chris his new goal is to look after a much greater number of guests to the same exacting standards he has set in the past!

Kit Graves summed up the changes by saying “we can certainly say that customers travelling to our Borrowdale hotels will be looked after exceptionally well!”

In 2003 Saadani was upgraded to become Tanzania’s latest National Park under the direction of TANAPA (Tanzania National Park Authority). Boundaries have been expanded to include land north of the Mligaji, which is an important area containing the only permanent elephant population in the area as well as sable antelope. The total protected area now covers over 1000 sq km and the TANAPA headquarters are based at Mkwaja ranch.

Saadani is geographically the closest reserve to Dar es Salaam (130km) and, even considering the present situation of no coast road, it is still a similar distance in terms of time to Mikumi National Park, the next closest wildlife destination. Construction of the coast road from Dar es Salaam is underway and once completed, this will reduce driving time to around two hours from Dar making Saadani the closest wildlife destination to Dar offering an irresistible combination of beach and wildlife viewing.

Saadani sits directly opposite Zanzibar’s Stone Town, which is located approximately 42 kilometres away. Regular flights are available from Zanzibar to Saadani and these only take about fifteen minutes.  Visitors to Zanzibar will find an excellent choice of Zanzibar hotels and most other types of Zanzibar accommodation, including villas and lodges.

The combination of beach and big game is unique in Tanzania. Whilst the diversity of animals is comparable to most parks, it is the numbers and accessibility that TANPA, the Tanzania National Parks Authority has been working on. The large game animals currently seen in the Saadani National Park include giraffe, buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, sable antelope, eland, hartebeest, wildebeest, zebra, waterbuck, reedbuck, greater kudu, warthog, hyena, mongoose, civet, baboon, crocodile, hippo, three species of duiker as well as a great variety of birdlife.

Saadani is dominated by acacia woodland and coastal thickets. It also protects a large area of mangrove swamps along the coastline North from the Wami river, and includes several species of palm including the mysterious looking ‘walking palm’, which is not actually a palm at all!

Dolphins are sometimes seen offshore and whales pass through the Zanzibar channel on their migration. Of particular interest is the green turtle project at Madete Marine Reserve. This endangered species is under particular threat from fishing practices offshore from Saadani and a conservation project has been established to help protect both turtles and their eggs.

One of the best methods of experiencing the Saadani National Park is to use one of the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO) approved tour guides who will be able to offer a choice of Tanzania Safaris, as well as recommending places to stay during your visit.

This refreshing approach has been welcomed by groups and companies in the Cumbria region but also further afield who are determined to ensure spirits remain high this Christmas and they are already booking their parties. Sometimes company Christmas party celebrations are combined with team building events and of course, due to the nature of the Lake District, it is the perfect place for both. Companies still want to celebrate, but they are looking for something different and something flexible enough to fit their budgets. This is why the hotels in the Lake District are creating packages from just the themed drinks and food right through to full provided on site entertainment and events.

Your Lake District mobile dj will guarantee you a night to remember. Their philosophy is a simple one – Great music, reliable equipment and meticulous attention to detail, which enables them to provide the highest standard of service.

They take the view that it is your day, your party, your music. So they will always play your requests, either in advance from a playlist provided by you or on the night of the party.

For your peace of mind, all of Dancing in the Dark’s equipment is safety checked (PAT) annually and they do carry Public Liability Insurance.

The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty status means the area is nationally protected for the beauty of its landscape. It is made up of several distinct landscape types, each with its own special habitats and geology, including the most vulnerable and beautiful parts of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve centred around the village of Braunton and its estuary.

Due to the fantastic beaches, plentiful attractions and distinct landscape, Devon holiday homes are a popular choice. Excellent transport links mean travelling to North Devon is quick and easy. The M5 motorway takes you right down to the junction with the main link road, the A361 leading to Barnstaple and then even Exeter airport is only 40 miles away.

The area hosts a wide variety of gardens and houses, family attractions, theatres and leisure facilities. Sea and coarse fishing are accessible nearby and there are three top golf courses including two championship courses at Saunton. For golfers, second homes in Devon are the ideal choice. Holiday Lodges in Devon will provide much welcomed relaxing accommodation after a hard round of golf but with the space to store golf clubs and other kit.

Woodlands Hotel in Windermere is a handsome Edwardian Villa situated between the villages of Windermere and Bowness in Cumbria – the Lake District, just a few minutes away from the shores of Lake Windermere. Guests will enjoy the luxury, stylish and contemporary Boutique accommodation being offered at Woodlands, which has now been formally recognised as being one of the finest hotels in the Lake District. There are a total of fifteen luxury and en-suite guest bedrooms including a choice of single, double or twin bedded rooms. The resident’s bar and lounge is an exciting space for guests to relax after a long day’s site seeing and exploring.

According to the AA, a five star Guest House needs to demonstrate an awareness of each guest’s needs with nothing being too much trouble. All bedrooms must be en-suite or have a private bathroom, with excellent quality beds and furnishings. Breakfast must include specials/home-made items, high quality ingredients, and fresh local produce.

The AA inspector who recently undertook an overnight inspection of Woodlands said it was lovely to return this Windermere Guest house and find the refurbishment completed with a high level of comfort being offered to guests. The inspector commented on the brand new bedrooms and bathrooms, saying they had the biggest impact on the level of quality, stylishly decorated and well equipped. The standards of service and hospitality were also highlights of the stay with members of staff demonstrating a friendly, welcoming attitude and spontaneity. The choice at breakfast has been increased, with quality items offered on the buffet and a tasty, accurately cooked hot dish.

One such example if The Lodore Falls Hotel situated on the edge of one of the most beautiful lakes in the English Lake District, Derwentwater. The Borrowdale valley where Derwentwater and The Lodore Falls Hotel is situated, is dominated by this 3 mile long lake. It is very close to Keswick and with large connections with Beatrix Potter. There are easily accessible points to get down to the lake with a path that runs all around the shore. It is a very popular area with lovers of all activities and it is one of the few pieces of water in the Lake District that has retained its peaceful atmosphere despite being right in the heart of the most popular area for walking. Lake District spa treatments can be anything from a variety of massages to facials, tanning, waxing, manicures, pedicures, anti-ageing, eye treatments, facials, sunbed and bridal treatments. With the popularity of getting married in the Lake District, a Lake District spa offers ultimate pampering for the bride.

Elemis is a high rated brand of facial, massage and body therapy treatments. The Lodore Falls Hotel offer Elemis Spa Therapy which is developed by a specialised team, with extensive clinical & scientific studies. Elemis professional spa-therapies are world renowned for their powerful massage sequences combined with the most dynamic activities, available in the world today. Lake District pamper days are also available in some of the Lake District spas. Locals can then use these facilities or guests who just want a full day of relaxing.

The name “Ullswater” is believed to have come from an early Viking settler but due to a stone circle called The Cockpit at Barton Fell, some say it could have been earlier. The valley has many farms which is now the main economy of the area along with tourism. Some of the farms which are still working today, date back to as early as the sixteenth century.

Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Lake District at a length of 8 miles. The lake is surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the area and is a very popular place to stay for walkers wanting to tackle Helvellyn, Highstreet and Fairfield. The Coast to Coast walk goes through Patterdale with the Patterdale YHA situated on the route. For less adventurous walkers, there are many lower level, less strenuous walks such as the lovely Hallin Fell walk. It is approximately 3 miles long and of the same distance, the Aira Force Walk. Aira Force is the most spectacular waterfall in the Lake District and the beautiful walk through a leafy glen is wonderful.

If staying in the youth hostel is not for you, the area is blessed with a plethora of hotels in the Lake District ranging from small bed and breakfasts to luxury 80 bedroom hotels with bars and restaurants. At the Pooley Bridge end of the Lake which is the North of the Lake, there is a choice of camp sites so the area really does cater for everyone.

As a break from the walking, a trip down the Lake from Glenridding to Pooley Bridge or vice verse is perfect. The vessel is a steamer boat and the Ullswater Steamers have been operating on the lake for nearly 150 years. Staying at one of the Lake District hotels at Glenridding means you are perfectly situated for the Steamer pier.

One such ground breaking example is the Ski Dubai, 400 metre indoor ski slope constructed at a cost of 272 million US dollars. The artificial ski slope holds over 6000 tonnes of artificial snow which is made through revolutionary methods. Due to the amount of sunshine, Dubai is becoming a centre for sports. Dubai Sports City is growing by the day with high profile developments within it such an Ernie Els designed golf championship golf course called,”The Els Club”. Launched in January 2008, the course was opened by the creator and golfer himself, Ernie Els, ranked 5th in the world and the former Open and US Open champion. “The Els Club” was the first completed venue at Dubai Sports City and also the first in The Els Club brand in the world. This course has then led to residential developments being built with the focus on golf with many properties having views of the golf course. Further major sports choosing Dubai for large tournaments if Cricket. The ICC will be moving their headquarters to Dubai with planned projects such as a global cricket academy at an expected cost of 25 million US dollars.

All these high profile sports and subsequent sports and related people are then creating an even more cosmopolitan community and not just at Dubai Sports City. With the diverse range of Dubai property on offer, it is not just celebrities or the rich that are purchasing Dubai properties. Of course, the land mark towers such as the very highly anticipated revolving tower, will be of top most exclusivity but there is so much more to offer in Dubai. For example, many very well equipped apartment at Dubai Sports City, such as Eagle Heights and the Elite Sports Residence collection are beyond comprehension for most people compared with the investment property in the UK.�