Sorry, I can’t seem to start off a blog about whiskey without channelling Father Jack, although in all accuracy he’d probably be extolling the virtues of Toilet Duck and not the finest single malt. Probably due to the weather, drink is of course a very British tradition, much to the despair of government health types who think we’re all bingeing knickerless on a park bench somewhere, rather than being trustworthy and sensible enough to imbibe the stuff in moderation. Hic.
Ale from Oxford, cider from Somerset and even tonic wine from Buckfast Abbey are all traditional in England, drawing visitors from around the world as well as from within the country. But head further north, to Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the tipple of choice favours towards tough spirits, more specifically, whiskey. Whether this is down to the cooler weather conditions can be left to debate. Here’s our guide to the whiskey trail:
The best, and only, malt whiskey specific tour in the globe has to be the imaginatively named Malt Whisky Trail, located in the Scottish Highlands. The trail takes in eight working distilleries all around Speyside, which is the centre of Scotland’s whiskey industry and where half of all Scottish malt distilleries are based. Setting up camp in this location will leave you as spoilt for choice as the whiskey, as there are almost 100 campsites in the Highlands and Islands area listed on Pitchup.com, with two directly at Speyside. If you want to get a real feel for the Highlands then a week or so is a recommended time to stay for.
Moving swiftly on from Highlands to the Hebrides, and the next location for alcohol consumption is on the island of Islay, which is the proud home to eight distilleries. All of them offer guided tours, from the large distilleries such as Ardbeg to the small farm of Kilchoman which malts, distils and bottles its whiskey onsite. (There’s also a brewery on the island producing seven different types of real ale.) As with the Highlands, the Hebrides are a good place to stay for a week to take in all the distilleries as well as everything else in the area try birdwatching on the Isle of Colonsay, sailing around the Isle of Mull or go to the Whiskey Galore festival at the Isle of Barra, named after the book and film of the 1940s and based on the real event of a shipwrecked WWII cargo vessel loaded with whiskey… which was soon gone on the island. There’s a choice of over 30 sites in the Hebrides on Pitchup.com, and two on Islay itself.
Next up is Edradour, the smallest whiskey distillery in Scotland and with a staff of just three, who distil the whiskey in the same way it’s been done since Edradour opened in 1828. There are only 12 casks distilled a week, meaning the whiskey is rare and a perfect present for connoisseurs back home (yes, you keep telling yourself that as you load all 12 into your campervan). Edradour is in a glen above Pitlochry in Perthshire, where there are five sites, with 39 available in Perthshire itself. Take some time out from the whiskey consumption and spend some time in Cairngorms National Park, which is well known for its array of outdoor activities, such as cliff jumping and microlighting.
Finally, take your campervan on the ferry or get a cheap flight with your backpack across the Irish Sea to check out the Bushmills Distillery in Co Antrim, the oldest working distillery in Ireland and producing whiskey since 1608. There are two caravan parks in the Bushmills area, and 25 in Co Antrim, an area popular with visitors from all over the world check out the Giant’s Causeway or the coastal towns of Portrush and Portstewart and the villages of Cushendun and Cushendall, or just take in the Causeway coast or the Glens of Antrim.
One last suggestion: print out what you’ve just read, leave it somewhere (casually) around the house, and you may get treated to a whiskey trail tour that you had no idea about. Just be sure not to include this bit. Hope is a many-splendored thing.
In the West Midlands in England lies the city of Birmingham. It is the second most populous British city; only London boasts more people. In the 1700s, Birmingham rose from a market town to an internationally recognized metropolitan area as the Midlands Enlightenment led to the Industrial Revolution. One might expect a town that has grown so greatly to feature many interesting attractions to visitors from around the world, and that is certainly the case. There are several worthwhile tourist attractions in Birmingham.
Birmingham has long maintained a rich musical culture. The city has spawned such popular music luminaries as Electric Light Orchestra and Duran and Duran, but its claim to fame just may be the annual Birmingham International Jazz Festival. Fans of jazz can enjoy the musical output of artists from around the world. Music enthusiasts also love Symphony Hall, the home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The National Indoor Arena is another venue that holds many musical acts for guests to appreciate.
The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery attracts tourists with its collection of art pieces from the old masters, including Bellini and Rubens. Though smaller, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts possesses a collection that is just as impressive with many exquisite pieces of Western art dating back to the 13th Century. For a museum of the scientific, a trip to Thinktank is in order. It contains an IMAX cinema, a planetarium, and the worlds oldest functional steam engine.
Tourists with a sweet tooth especially enjoy Birminghams Cadbury World. This internationally renowned chocolatier treats guests to a tour of the companys history as well as an exhibit on the process of making its chocolate. Sarehole Mill is a location that many people may not know by name, but probably recognize in another form. It served as inspiration to a young J. R. R. Tolkien before he began writing his Lord of the Rings books, as his boyhood home of four years is located within 300 yards of the mill. The structure appeared in one form or another in his books years later. A stroll down Broad Street will reveal the Birmingham Walk of Stars, a strip that features star emblems in the pavement that hold the names of entertainers who have performed in the city.
For lots of people, Maine isn’t the most familiar state on the map. And to be honest, it is a place that tends to fly so low under the radar that a lot of people don’t have a clue as to what it might offer as far as a vacation destination. Let’s pull back the veil and take a peek at what this part of New England has for individuals who come here.
In terms of icons, Maine is home to famed lobsters and its famed author of horror fiction, Stephen King. Also, it is referred to as the northernmost and easternmost tip of the continental United States. It is one of the original states to be claimed by Europeans and established colonies as far back as the early days of the 1600′s, way before the U.S. was formed. There are many of excellent spots to see here if you enjoy history, and museums will certainly be able to educate any traveler about the start of the birth of the U.S. by European colonists not only from Britain, but France as well. The booming fur trade may be gone, but Maine is still home to numerous Atlantic Ocean related activities like ship building and commercial fishing. Several travelers in fact relish in venturing out into the waves themselves or visiting the beaches during the warmer season.
Typically, Maine’s popular visiting period starts late in the Spring and ends around mid Autumn. This is in large part because winters here are very cold. However, all through the summer it is a lovely source of mother nature that lots of folks enjoy hiking through, maybe paying a visit to one of the various parks and nature preserves that present endless amounts of unique plants and creatures. Photo opportunities are everywhere in Maine, so it is often that one will see tourists from every corner of the world snapping a picture of the mountains, flowers or even the local wildlife.
Bangor and Portland are the two most visited cities and usually where the majority of travelers will stay unless they are seeking a smaller, more intimate bed and breakfast style experience. Motels, hotels and many Bluegreen resort alternatives are available for those who want to book a trip from the Bluegreen resorts corporation, but arranging in advance is wise as this is quite a tourist friendly place.
As we can now see, Maine is definitely kind of a mystery when it comes to the states. Its genuine beauty, lengthy history and welcoming of tourism make it a great choice for many that want an idyllic get away to somewhere special. Visit during the summer months to capture the kind of photos that will definitely not be forgotten for a long long time.
For lots of people, Maine isn’t the most familiar state on the map. And to be honest, it is a place that tends to fly so low under the radar that a lot of people don’t have a clue as to what it might offer as far as a vacation destination. Let’s pull back the veil and take a peek at what this part of New England has for individuals who come here.
In terms of icons, Maine is home to famed lobsters and its famed author of horror fiction, Stephen King. Also, it is referred to as the northernmost and easternmost tip of the continental United States. It is one of the original states to be claimed by Europeans and established colonies as far back as the early days of the 1600′s, way before the U.S. was formed. There are many of excellent spots to see here if you enjoy history, and museums will certainly be able to educate any traveler about the start of the birth of the U.S. by European colonists not only from Britain, but France as well. The booming fur trade may be gone, but Maine is still home to numerous Atlantic Ocean related activities like ship building and commercial fishing. Several travelers in fact relish in venturing out into the waves themselves or visiting the beaches during the warmer season.
Typically, Maine’s popular visiting period starts late in the Spring and ends around mid Autumn. This is in large part because winters here are very cold. However, all through the summer it is a lovely source of mother nature that lots of folks enjoy hiking through, maybe paying a visit to one of the various parks and nature preserves that present endless amounts of unique plants and creatures. Photo opportunities are everywhere in Maine, so it is often that one will see tourists from every corner of the world snapping a picture of the mountains, flowers or even the local wildlife.
Bangor and Portland are the two most visited cities and usually where the majority of travelers will stay unless they are seeking a smaller, more intimate bed and breakfast style experience. Motels, hotels and many Bluegreen resort alternatives are available for those who want to book a trip from the Bluegreen resorts corporation, but arranging in advance is wise as this is quite a tourist friendly place.
As we can now see, Maine is definitely kind of a mystery when it comes to the states. Its genuine beauty, lengthy history and welcoming of tourism make it a great choice for many that want an idyllic get away to somewhere special. Visit during the summer months to capture the kind of photos that will definitely not be forgotten for a long long time.
Traveling with children needs some extra care especially you need to be selective in packing. Regardless of your transportation mode, you need to pack in a compact manner, and bring along things that could keep your children occupied, and would prevent them from making your vacation a hellish experience. Read on for some basic packing tips.
First of all, keep in mind that kids feel hungry at odd times while traveling so you should pack your own snacks depending on the mode of traveling; keep them in plastic bags and cooler coils. Kids often complain of getting bored so you must plan something for their entertainment. Bring along board games, small video games, puzzles, books, and any other small techno device that can keep your kid entertained. For young children, toys are very, very important, as this is their main source of entertainment and fun.
Younger children are mostly interested in pictures and sceneries, and they love commenting on them.You can keep a couple of picture books for them. Other than that color books, drawing books and novels or story books for the elder kids would be a good packing item. Older kids also would like to have mp4 players, or even ebooks along!. This is sure to catch your children’s attention and certainly going to keep your children busy for a long time. This also develops a bit of reading habit in them.
You can even bring along audio books or podcasts that could enhance your child’s listening skills as well as giving him a chance to enjoy a story. You can also have some activity books which are full of activities such as drawing, coloring, jumbles, finding words, forming words, solving puzzles, guessing words, mazes, etc.
Moreover, you can have a complete collection of music to listen to during traveling. You can have portable music players for this purpose and if you are driving your own car then you can ask your kids to choose and decide what they like to listen and you can all sing it together.
Sometimes, kids get sick while traveling or they may get hurt, so it is always handy to keep a first aid box in your baggage. There are different first aid kits; make sure the kit contains stash of band-aids, an instant cold-compress, first aid cream, pain reliever and Dramamine (it is if your kid faces motion sickness) and some extra plastic bags.
In case you have a small baby, do not forget to bring along packs of diapers!.
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