Quirky Traveller's Tales

In the fifth of the ‘Challenge Zoë’ activities for The Kendal Courier  I had an extremely indulgent pampering session at local Bellissimo Beauty Salon.  Here’s a version of the original article that appeared in the magazine.

Now you may be wondering quite how such an ‘adventure’ could possibly come under the title ‘Challenge Zoë’.  Well, let’s just say I find it very difficult to justify spending time on myself when I ‘should’ be working, looking after my son, planning the next article and fretting about not doing the housework.  So when The Kendal Courier Editor Dan asked if I’d like to try out have a couple of beauty treatments for my next assignment, I was round there before you could say ‘aromatherapy massage’ …

Situated on Stramongate in the heart of Kendal, Bellissimo Beauty Studio owner Sue Nicholson immediately made me feel welcome, with a friendly smile and offer of tea or coffee.  (Unlike some places where you feel as you’re being assessed the minute you walk through the door.)  I loved the contemporary black and white décor and spacious  reception – calming with a hint of luxury.   After I had filled in a rather lengthy questionnaire on my current health and beauty regime (what?!) beauty therapist Fiona took me downstairs to the treatment room.

There followed the most heavenly two hours of luxurious relaxation and rejuvenation I have had in a very long time.  Fiona explained the treatment I had booked – the Indulgent Beauty Package (£72).  First she was going to give me a head, shoulders and back massage and asked how I liked it – firm, medium or strong.  Medium/strong please.  Then she’d apply Aroma Boost facial using Eve Taylor products.  “I’ll start with a purifying wash using a special cleansing brush, then a deep cleanse followed by exfoliant, accompanied by arm and hand massage.  I’ll apply a soothing aromatic masque and whilst that’s taking effect I’ll give you a leg and foot massage.  Finally you’ll have a moisturiser to suit your skin type followed by a spritz of toner to seal all products onto the skin.” It all sounded good to me so I lay back and put myself in her very capable and soothing hands. 

I really appreciated that she didn’t talk during the session so I could totally unwind with just background music as accompaniment.  The massage was extremely effective and managed to unravel some of the knots caused by spending too much time in front of the computer.  The delicious scents from the facial made me feel nice and relaxed; as you can see from the picture above I almost dozed off during it.  After that treatment I had a quick pedicure, choosing a vibrant shade of pillar box red nail varnish to celebrate the new me.

I floated out of Bellissimo Beauty Salon feeling totally refreshed, vowing not to leave it too long before I was ‘challenged’ like this again!

Read about my next Challenge – in an electric car called The Twizy at Langdale Hotel – great fun

Ernest Hemingway wrote, “Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bull-fighters.” In the same spirit, I believe that as life goes by so fast there are only a few moments that you really live to the max. Walking the Camino de Santiago, as opposed to bullfighting which is not for me, was one of those times where I felt truly alive. For a few days, weeks or months, I was able to extract myself from my day to day routine and focus on myself.

Camino Frances sign – photo c/o Follow the Camino

Lately, I walked the Camino Frances from St Jean de Pied to Pamplona with a company called Follow the Camino, which organises accommodation, meals, maps and heavenly luggage transfers. They have added a twist to the Camino that really attracted me and made my journey so much easier.  This twist was to link one of my favourite authors, Ernest Hemingway, to the Camino. The American author based his first and most celebrated novel ‘The Sun Also Rises’ during the Pamplona Festival, the San Fermin, which he used to attend regularly.

Bull-running Monument in Pamplona – photo by Владимир Шеляпин

The storyline follows a group of American and British expatriates who travel from Paris to the Festival of San Fermín in Pamplona to watch the running of the bulls and the bullfights. The setting was unique and memorable, showing the seedy café life in Paris, and the excitement of the Pamplona festival, with a middle section devoted to descriptions of a fishing trip in the Pyrenees and end sections in San Sebastian and Madrid.

Follow the Camino therefore launched a new walking holiday called the Camino Heming-Way where you walk in the footsteps of Jake and Bill, two of the main protagonists of the book, from Saint St Jean de Pied in France to Pamplona in Spain. It is undoubtedly one of the most scenic, challenging and rewarding of all the Camino routes and a unique journey through time and literature.

Vierge D’Orisson in French Pyrenees - photo c/o Follow the Camino

The Camino Operator booked me into charming 2-3* hotels along the Way, which was a very welcom comfort. The staff were simply lovely and so typically French and Spanish! I did not want to try walking the Camino without pre-booking hostels etc. Although this option might suit some, I find it difficult to cope with the stress of not knowing where I am sleeping and if I will find a dorm before arriving in a town. Not to mention the snoring, little levels of comforts and the smell… No, I was more than delighted to pay the tour operator services so I had my own room, bathroom and all I needed to rest and refresh after a hard day’s walk. And then was I ready for a few tapas and vino! I never had to use their 24/7 emergency phone, thank God! 

St Jean Pied de Port – photo c/o Follow the Camino

The route departs Saint Jean Pied de Port, a quaint French market village in the heart of the Pyrenee. There are lots of things to see including the ancient bridge, historic buildings, full of history and a lovely old Church for pilgrims. In only five days,  I crossed the Pyrenees (tough but so exhilarating having achieved it), experienced French gastronomy - think yummy cheese, locally-produced charcuterie and traditional baguette, discovered the legendary Basque country and finally arrived in beautiful Pamplona. En route I stayed in the small quiet village of Burguete, on the Irati River where the two friends (from the book) fished.

Hemingway’s house at Burguete – photo by Phillip Capper

In Pamplona, they treated me to a Heming-Way style city tour. Thanks to Mickel, our lovely Spanish guide I found the Cafe Iruna and had a drink beside Hemingway’s statue.  I also had the chance to try a special Hemingway favourite: trout stuffed with chorizo.  I recommend this tour to Hemingway enthusiasts and anyone looking for an alternative to the last 100km of the French Way, the most popular section. So why not follow this route and take the walk from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona?  And if you are able to make it for the San Fermin Festival in July, you’ll be able to celebrate this famous Festival in true Heming-Way style!

Hemingway at Cafe Iruna Pamplona  - photo c/o Follow the Camino

This post is brought to you by Follow the Camino, a world-wide leading tour operator specialising in organising walking, cycling and horse riding holidays along the Camino de Santiago since 2006.  They created a new approach to this ancestral pilgrimage, respecting its spirit and enhancing its values, whilst making it more accessible, enjoyable and achievable for all. Find out more about the Camino Heming-Way here.

Via de la Plata Santiago de Compostela – c/o Follow the Camino

If you like walking you will enjoy ‘Fell Wandering – Slow Travel at its best’ and also

The Twizy is quite simply fantastic fun on four wheels. It’s a tiny electric car that thinks it’s a Ferrari. And when you drive one you’ll get as much attention, if not more, as if you were driving one of the most iconic cars in the world.  For the sixth of the ‘Challenge Zoë’ adventures for the Kendal Courier I whizzed off round the little lanes of the southern Lake District to test it out.  Here’s the article that appeared in the December edition of the magazine. 

 “Oh, it’s adorable … What is it?”  The American woman’s response was typical. Everywhere I went in the Twizy, people smiled, took photos, and wanted to have a go.  I explained that it was an electric car and yes, of course she and her friends could all take photos.  Then I was off again on my silent way through the lovely lanes of the Lake District.

An hour or so earlier I had left the Langdale Hotel, where I was staying, having been given a quick briefing on how to drive the Twizy.  “It’s very easy. All you do is turn on the engine, put it into Drive and off you go.  It’ll do at least 40 miles before it needs charging and here’s a map showing routes and free Charge points.  You could head over to the L’al Ratty via the best drive in the Lake District or go over Kirkstone Pass to the Ullswater Steamer. Or just have a wander about the villages and country roads.”

Guests at the hotel can hire a Twizy for £10 per hour.  They are part of Cumbria tourism’s Go Lakes ‘Drive Less, See More’ transport initiative which includes lots of interesting ideas about how to travel around the Lake District.  The Langdale Estate leases the vehicles from Co-Wheels Car Club which provide an eco-friendly alternative to private car use.

 When I parked near the ferry at Ambleside, people gathered round, asking questions and taking photos.  As I pushed up the gull-wing door to get out, there was a little “aaah” from the audience.  A group of Air Cadets insisted on having their picture taken with me holding a mascot and they had lots of questions.

Yes, you can charge it from an ordinary plug, top speed’s about 50 miles per hour and yes, it is a bit chilly with no windows so wrap up warm.   And there are a number of places in the Lakes where you can hire them.  But be warned  – you won’t go unnoticed. This tiny vehicle really has got the X-Factor … and it is so much fun to drive!

You can read more about my stay at the luxurious Langdale Hotel here and experience of Go Lakes ‘Drive Less, See More’ sustainable travel initiative here.

“Ah, you’ve got Room 105.  Very special.  You’re going to love it.”  When the charming guy carrying your bag tells you that, after you’ve checked in to a hotel, you could be forgiven for a slight air of scepticism.  After all, he’s not likely to say, “Oh Room 105 – poor you.”  However, when he opened the door I saw exactly what he meant.  In front of me were TWO seductively curvaceous baths facing out towards a huge bed, a spacious seating area, large bowl of fresh fruit, bedroom slippers, fluffy bathrobe, quality toiletries, huge flat screen TV and iPod deck.  It’s not often I’m really impressed by a hotel bedroom but this time – oh yes.

The room exuded warm, seductive charm – the only drawback was that I didn’t have a warm, seductive guy to share the romantic atmosphere with.  The Langdale Hotel describes it as “Luxurious, Cool, Romantic, Unusual, Stunning, Contemporary, Surprising, Fun, Naughty, Cheeky, Relaxing, Exciting, Different.” Yep, I’d agree with that – and add ‘Quality Quirky’ to the list!

I’d been invited to see for myself what the Langdale offers their hotel or timeshare property guests and also to test drive the Twizy, a tiny electric car that is causing more of a stir on the roads and lanes of the Lake District than any Ferrari or Porsche would.  A quick wander round the hotel was enough to see that there’s every facility you could wish for on a luxury holiday, whether for a family, on a romantic break, business trip or solo traveller like me.  Here are a just three of my favourite things:

• The Langdale Spa – having a facial or massage is always a real treat. When you can combine both in one blissfully relaxing session then tis heaven indeed.  Spoilt for choice with an extensive menu of treatments, beautician Louise suggested I opt for the Elemis Face & Body Sensations which promised a “thermal-soothing massage followed by an anti-ageing facial designed to restore youthful radiance.”  What she actually gave me was an hour or so of sheer relaxation and  indulgence and I certainly FELT rejuvenated, whatever the age I looked …

• The Swimming Pool – with 20 metres to paddle up and down in I could happily avoid the half-term kiddies splashing around and then take a few minutes time-out in the ‘Sanarium’, a Scandinavian-type wooden cabin combining the heat of the sauna with the less dry atmosphere of a steam room. And no, I was not tempted to try the chilly ‘deluge shower’.

• Purdey’s Restaurant – now this is where the Langdale exceeded my expectations by a country mile.  I’d been told the food was very good, but then you’d expect that in a luxury hotel of this calibre.  What I was not prepared for was dishes that would merit a Michelin Star and provide a superb sensory sensation.  Having opted for the Tasting Menu, which at £49.50 is excellent value, I was presented with plate after scrumptious plate of divine taste bombs.  Outstanding was the combination of roast artichokes, Scottish girolles & crunchy samphire. But the craziest dish, which surprisingly worked really well. was the lemon meringue cheesecake & raspberries with a heady basil sorbet.  Masterly, Chef …

After a great night’s sleep wallowing in king-size splendour, I was back in Purdey’s for breakfast.  The restaurant was buzzing as people fueled up for a day out in the autumnal Lakeland sunshine.   Now it was time for my Quirky Travel adventure in the Twizy.  The cute little electric car was fully charged and it’s really easy to drive.  Switch engine on, foot down and off you go.  It charges from an ordinary plug socket and there are power points around the south Lake District.  And what an eye-catching little wowzer it is!

I drove out along the Langdale Valley, through Ambleside and up to Grasmere, relishing the autumnal colours whilst wishing I had brought some gloves, as the car doesn’t have windows.  It has a neat turn of speed and is easy to manoeuvre.  As you probably know, electric cars are virtually silent from the outside (though not from the inside!) so I had to be careful not give the Lake District walkers a heart attack as I crept up behind them on the narrow country lanes.  Everywhere I went people smiled, children laughed and it was more photographed than James Bond’s Aston Martin … With a battery distance of 40+ miles I didn’t need to recharge and was really sad to have to hand back the keys a couple of hours later.  (More details of my trip in The Kendal Courier magazine and to be posted on the blog shortly.)

The Langdale Hotel leases the Twizys from the Co-Wheels Car Club so their hotel and timeshare guests can hire one from just £10 an hour.  Great value for one of the most fun ways to get around the Lake District.

Many thanks to the staff at the lovely Langdale Hotel for making my stay so enjoyable and for that gorgeous bedroom.  Find them on Face Book here. You can discover other interesting ways to get around the south Lake District, including ferries and electric bikes, with Go Lakes ‘Drive Less, See More’ campaign.

‘The Road to Grasmere’ by Joseph Farington

In 1769 Thomas Gray, best known today for his poem Elegy in a Country Churchyard, went on an extensive tour of the Lake District in NW England, writing it up in one of those notebooks.  A few years later watercolourist Joseph Farington RA followed in Gray’s footsteps, painting views of this beautiful landscape as seen through Gray’s eyes.

Fast forward 250 years and you can see the results of that duo’s work, intriguingly updated by publisher John Murray, in conjunction with the Wordsworth Trust in Grasmere, Cumbria.  “In 1993 I inherited six small Thomas Gray notebooks, each filled with his tidy handwriting and all housed in an elegant box specially made for them …  Having always been a lover of the Lake District (known as the English Lakes until the beginning of the nineteenth century) … I immediately opened ‘Cumberland, Westmorland, Lancashire and Yorkshire.”  

So began John Murray’s personal journey of exploration, resulting in the  beautifully illustrated book, A Tour of the English Lakes with Thomas Gray & Joseph Farington RA, and Pen, Paint & Pixels at the The Wordsworth Trust Museum.  John Murray has meticulously researched the scenes and taken a series of superb photographs; Nicholas Crane, presenter of BBC ‘Coast’, said at the opening, “The combination of John’s remarkable modern photographs beside Farington’s watercolours and sketches give you an evocative sense of how the landscape has changed over time.”

Pen, Paint & Pixels at The Wordsworth Trust

The exhibition is really easy to navigate, showcasing not only Gray’s notebooks alongside Farington’s paintings and engravings, but also a variety of artefacts from their journeys.  I was most intrigued by the ‘Claude Glass’, a notebook-like device that enabled the observer to turn their back on a panoramic scene and see it as a neat view – ideal for artists and lady travellers who might be of a nervous disposition in this area of ‘terrifying beauty’.  Most people enjoy the game of comparing the ‘Past and Present’ views clearly displayed in a brand new addition to this world-class research centre.

Pen, Paint & Pixels display

The Wordsworth Trust Museum, set on the edge of Grasmere, is home to a truly world-class collection of priceless manuscripts, paintings , books and memorabilia celebrating Wordsworth, his life, works and the Romantic Movement that has influenced so very many people ever since he moved into tiny Dove Cottage.  A tour of this historic, quaint little building, which used to be an Inn called the Dove & Olive Branch, gives the visitor a glimpse of the poet’s daily life when he was at his most creative.  It’s next door to the Wordsworth Trust, showing Pen, Paint & Pixels until January 2013.

Dove Cottage, Grasmere

There is an excellent Smartphone App to accompany the book and exhibition which enables visitors to explore the actual sites around the Lake District and take photos to compare with the originals.  Read how I got on trying it out in A Photography Treasure Hunt.

A version of this article originally appeared in the Visit Britain SuperBlog

Bath was en fete for the Diamond Jubilee, and the Highgrove shop was doing a roaring trade. People were queuing outside the famous Roman Baths and Pump Room.  (When you visit, just be warned – the water tastes … well, let’s just say that it must do you good!)  The glorious Cathedral nearby has been recently renovated and in the square opposite a young woman in a red coat serenaded shoppers with operatic arias.

 The River Avon runs through this World Heritage city and the Robert AdamPulteney Bridge, its broad street lined with quirky little shops and inspired by the Ponte Vecchio in Florence was busy with shoppers intent on enjoying this special holiday.  Another well-known sight is the oh-so-very elegant Georgian Royal Crescent, the first of its kind built anywhere in the world, with its imposing Ionic columns, Palladian cornice and inviting doors.

The city attracts pilgrims of one of our most famous writers and a visit to the Jane Austen Centre, just up the road from where she actually lived, was at the top of my list.  A guide gave us a brief history of the author, with special reference to her time in Bath – it seems she was NOT keen the city considering it rather shallow and concerned with frippery things!  We wandered round the charming little exhibition exploring Jane’s life, family, homes and society goings-on in Bath.  Then it was a really excellent lunch in the tea room at the top of the house.

Stepping back in time even further, the medieval village of Laycock is familiar to many as the setting for numerous TV and films, including Cranford and Lark Rise to Candleford.  There was a Scarecrow competition throughout the village which went over into the grounds of ancient Laycock Abbey (National Trust), which was getting ready for their Jubilee Picnic. Roses clung gracefully to stone wall and in the kitchen garden bees made tentative forays in the warm air. Harry Potter learnt the Dark Arts in one of the vaulted rooms.  In the Fox Talbot Museum of Photography there was an fascinating exhibition of photos from Michael Palin’s travels around the globe.

A friend and I were staying at the Best Western Blunsdon House Hotel, near Swindon, ideally situated for Bath and a whole variety of places to suit even the fussiest of visitors.  For train buffs the Steam Museum of the Great  Western Railway in Swindon will get the pistons going.  Kiddies can splash to their heart’s content at the Cotswold Water Park and fans of world music can groove the day and night at the annual WOMAD festival in Malmesbury.  Fashionable Cheltenham has festivals and racing almost every day.  The pretty villages of the Cotswolds are only a short drive away and for ancient history enthusiasts, Stonehenge and Avebury are at the very top of the itinerary.

The hotel ticked all my quirky travel boxes … With a huge bedroom and balcony we had plenty of space to spread out and unwind with a glass of wine on the balcony whilst enjoying vies across the gold course and splendid gardens.  On the first night, before our evening meal I had a quick swim and sauna in the Leisure Centre and then a very satisfying roast dinner from the excellent buffet in the informal surroundings of Christopher’s restaurant.

Dinner the following night in Nichols a la carte restaurant was superb – no other word for it.  An asparagus fan with frothy, light-as-air Hollandaise sauce, venison cooked to perfection with beetroot and pan fried potatoes, then a scrumptious frangipane tart, home-made ice cream and berry sauce.  Hotel owner Carrie Clifford joined us after the meal and regaled us with stories of the hotel’s fascinating history, the staff who seem to be with them from cradle to grave and the gardens with over 16 thousand plants.

The next morning, after a substantial breakfast to set us up for the day, I treated myself to a rejuvenating facial in the Spa – so lovely to lie back and be pampered!  The friendly reception staff sent us on our way with directions to Cirencester, a very attractive old market town, ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’ and a whole lot more places to discover …