Home in Time for Tea

Reindeer, Whisky Tours, and Snowy Mountains! A short break in Aviemore gave me a great insight into the snowy, windswept and unspoiled Scottish Highlands, and I certainly would have stayed longer, if not just to see it in summer too...! Following a brief stopover in atmospheric Edinburgh, Richard and I drove up to Aviemore and passed some absolutely stunning scenery on the way. I couldn't believe how naturally beautiful the sparse landscape was, and how much it resembled parts of Iceland. With swathes of snow gathered on the mountains, and gleaming lochs reflecting the wintry light of day , I wanted to stop to admire the view for most of the way, so we just had to carry on or we would never get there... Cairngorms National Park Home to an enormous range of wildlife including rare wildcat, red squirrells and eagles, this national park is both diverse and vast. There are endless walks and hikes available and the scenery is spectacular. The weath

Hit the slopes this winter with cheap and affordable ski holidays!  The following flights, resorts and hotels are excellent options for making short ski trips less expensive, as well as taking advantage of the availability of other exciting attractions in case of sore legs or bad ski weather... Cheap Ski Holiday #1: French Vosges – Gerardmer & La Bresse Colmar Town The Vosges mountains are a great place to visit for lots of great food, scenery and history. The towns Colmar, Plombieres-Les-Bains, and Munster are beautiful and packed with history and delightful little shops, buildings and restaurants. Also the city of Strasbourg is also close by with a stunning cathedral and its 'Little Venice' with photogenic canals and beamed buildings. A car ferry from the UK to Dunkerque or Calais is a great option for a cheap skiing holiday and mini road-trip. It takes approximately 6 hours, through Belgium and Luxembourg on the toll-free roads, and into Franc

Driving up to the Cairn Gorm ski resort in Aviemore in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, the snow was fresh and the resort was finally open after a number of days of rain, fog and high winds. Richard pulled the car around a bend, and suddenly announced "It's full." He'd seen a sign whilst I was busy snapping photos, and my heart sank . We drove on with our fingers crossed... After arriving at the top my hopes came crashing down. L ining up in droves across the car park was a sea of Gore-Tex and fleece-clad skiers and boarders snaking along in what could only be an immensely long (and very British) queue , to get their padded paws on ski passes. It has to be said, I have never come across such a thing in all the European ski resorts we have visited. To top it all off, it was a beautiful day - sunny with a massive recent snowfall. It would have been perfect skiing if the rest of the UK hadn't had the same idea... We drove onwards, North East, and reached t