On-demand bus service to expand across Rutland after trial scheme
She added: "It's a new way of travelling that requires a change to how we use public transport, but the benefits are significant and I hope many more people will get on board."Journeys can be booked using an app or by phone, the council said.
The council said changes would also be made to the R1 fixed-route service between Melton, Corby, Oakham and Uppingham, after money had been secured from the government to add additional hourly journeys.The council said the R5 service, between Uppingham and Stamford, would be paused from Saturday to Thursday 28 August.The resumed service will have a new school term-time only timetable including a direct bus service between North Luffenham, Edith Weston, Ketton and Tinwell to both Stamford and Uppingham.
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Times
10 hours ago
- Times
20 of the best places to go for an easy bank holiday weekend
We're a bit hard done by in the UK when it comes to public holidays. Discounting Christmas and New Year, in England we get only five freebie days every year (those of us who live north of the border in Scotland or over in Northern Ireland get one and two more respectively, but it's still remarkably stingy). Contrast that with most other European nations, whose calendars are stuffed with feast days, kings' days, saints' days, holy days and martial commemorations — any excuse for a day off, it seems —and it's hard not to feel a little shortchanged. So it's essential to make the absolute most out of the few bank holidays we do get. That's where this list comes in: 20 ideas for quick-hit adventures, both close to home and a little further afield, that are easily doable over a long weekend. Spot puffins on Lundy, spy orcas in Shetland, check out street art in Berlin or ride Switzerland's iconic mountain train. This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue Boating around the Broads is a popular bank holiday pursuit, but for something a little different, how about learning to pilot a half decker? These wooden sailing skiffs were the traditional way of getting around in the days before outboard motors and diesel engines, and they have an elegance that harks back to a simpler, quieter age. Hunter's Yard in Ludham has a fleet of half deckers and larger cabin yachts, and runs Royal Yachting Association-approved courses to teach you the boating basics and improve your skills. Since you're in the Broads, you'll want to be by the water, so try the Hotel Wroxham, six miles west of Ludham. It has a lovely waterside location on the banks of the River Bure, and you can watch boats puttering past as you breakfast on the deck. • Discover our full guide to Norfolk• More great hotels in Norfolk Hordes of folk catch the Eurostar to Paris every bank holiday, but far fewer make the trip to explore the handsome northern French city of Lille. It's a graceful place, with architecture that blends French and Flemish styles, and it serves some of the best beer and chocolate this side of the Belgian border. A wander around the old town is essential, including the vast Place du Général de Gaulle; the Bourse, the city's old stock exchange; and the fabulous fine arts museum, Palais des Beaux Arts. Have dinner somewhere on Rue de Gand, a lively thoroughfare where you can eat at a traditional estaminet, Lille's version of a Flemish gastropub. Mussels and chips, carbonnade flamande (beef cooked in beer with gingerbread) and poulet au maroilles (chicken pieces in a cheesy sauce) are the classic dishes to try. If you can spare an extra day, a trip to La Piscine — Musée d'Art et d'Industrie, Lille's funky modern arts museum, is a must. Mama Shelter Lille, an outpost of the funky urban chain, makes a fun place to stay, with its characteristic pop art decor and clashing colour schemes, and a very handy location about ten minutes walk from Lille Europe train station. • Eurostar guide: everything you need to know It's only ten miles off the north Devon coast, but the little island of Lundy feels a million miles away. Just three miles long and half a mile wide, Lundy is a haven for all kinds of seabirds: gannets, Manx shearwaters, razorbills, kittiwakes and guillemots roost on the island in large numbers, but it's the playful puffins that most people come to see. The only way to the island is aboard the MS Oldenburg, which travels over three times a week from either Bideford or Ilfracombe. While bank holidays can be busy, the crossing takes no more than two hours, so it's eminently doable as a day trip. Privately owned for many years, the island was donated to the National Trust in 1969, and is now managed by the Landmark Trust, which offers a range of holiday cottages on the island. Otherwise, base yourself somewhere near Ilfracombe: the Watersmeet Hotel is a smart seaside choice. • More great hotels in Devon This peculiar peninsula is England's strangest landscape — flat as a pancake, mostly treeless and made almost entirely of sand and shingle, it has an edge-of-the-world feeling that's hard to describe until you've been there. The artist and filmmaker Derek Jarman fell in love with its bleak beauty: his house and garden at Prospect Cottage has become a place of pilgrimage. It's a wonderfully odd area to explore, especially for photographers and artists: climb the Old Lighthouse for the views, watch birdlife at Dungeness Nature Reserve, and ride the quaint steam trains of the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway. The best sunset spot is near the lighthouse, where conveniently, the Pilot also serves excellent fish and chips. Buses run regularly to New Romney from Rye and Folkestone; better still, catch a train to Folkestone and bring your bike. Stay at a charming clapboard cottage on Dungeness beach — on the same stretch of shore as Jarman's house — which has its own patch of garden looking out over the shingle, so you can watch the steam trains puffing past the front door. • Best beaches near London• Best hotels in Kent One way to escape the bank holiday crowds is to go wild — and Shetland definitely fits that particular bill. Shetland Wildlife, run by the renowned naturalist and photographer Hugh Harrop, provides fantastic trips to see some of the island's wonderful wildlife, including seabirds, seals, dolphins and, if you're lucky, orcas and whales. You can book a multi-day tour, or arrange your own accommodation and just sign up for one of their daily wildlife cruises instead. Busta House Hotel has a splendidly remote location on the shoreline of Busta Voe, near the small town of Brae, 25 miles north of Lerwick. Rooms are simple, but the sea views are superb — and will whet your appetite for wildlife adventures. • Most beautiful places in Scotland• Discover our full guide to Scotland It's likely that you'll have the wild North York Moors largely to yourself while the crowds head for the Lake District and the South Downs. Take a guided hike from Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey (above), then spend a day or two exploring the Yorkshire coastline or fossil-hunting around Whitby and Robin Hood's Bay. And don't overlook the night skies: the North York Moors is a Dark Sky Reserve (one of only six in the UK), and many local organisations, such as Adventures for the Soul, offer stargazing adventures. The Feathers Hotel, in the traditional market town of Helmsley, makes a lovely base and is handy for exploring the national park and Castle Howard too. • Best hotels in Yorkshire Stirring scenery abounds in Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly the Brecon Beacons) and while some parts are guaranteed to be busy — including the ever-popular summit of Pen y Fan — there is ample opportunity to dodge the crush. Lose yourself among the wooded trails and waterfalls of Fforest Fawr, hike one of the quieter trails through the off-the-radar Black Mountains, head for the River Wye for some canoeing — or just spend a day browsing the bookshops of Hay. Sounds like bank holiday heaven. The Swan at Hay in Hay-on-Wye is perfectly placed for exploring the area and offers some great-value packages including B&B and dinner. • Read our full guide to Wales This fortified Breton town can be reached on an overnight ferry from Portsmouth, making it ideal for a quick cross-Channel jaunt. It's a dramatic sight, encircled by walls constructed by the French military architect Vauban. The town's lanes and alleyways are eminently strollable, and you can climb up onto the battlements for a view across La Manche to Blighty. There are pleasant beaches nearby and if time allows it's worth spinning along the coast to the seaside village of Cancale, renowned across France for its oysters. There are lots of hotels in the old town (known locally as 'Intra-Muros'), but unless you want to lug your baggage for miles, it's more practical to stay outside the walls — Hôtel Particulier Ascott is a fine choice, in a 19th-century mansion about two miles south of the old town. • Most beautiful places to visit in France Four hours from the south coast by ferry (or an hour by air), Jersey makes an eminently practical place to escape to for the bank holiday — and its beaches are way less crowded than the ones on the mainland. Sea kayaking is a fun family activity, and the kids will definitely want to factor in Mont Orgueil Castle and the underground maze of the Jersey War Tunnels. And for the best beaches? Portelet Bay and Plémont Bay are beauties. Most people stay around the main town of St Helier, but the Moorings is in the little seaside village of Gorey Pier, a picturesque spot on the island's quieter east coast. • Best hotels in Jersey• What to do in Jersey The compact capital of Slovenia receives far fewer British visitors than it deserves — and yet it's one of Europe's most ravishing little cities, a perfect concoction of shady streets, riverside cafés, medieval architecture and a belter of a hilltop castle, reached via a funicular railway. It's a fine city to explore on foot or by bike, and there are longer cycling and hiking trails within easy reach of the city. A day trip to Lake Bled is also a must. Direct flights to Ljubljana depart from several UK airports, including Manchester and London Luton. Hotel Cubo has everything you could ask for: art deco style, spacious rooms, attentive staff and a brilliant old-town location. It also hosts one of the town's top restaurants. Iceland is all about its landscapes, and for the wildest views of all, the fabled Laugavegur trail has a legendary status among hikers: taking in lava fields, glaciers, hot springs, active volcanoes (including the notorious Eyjafjallajokull) and the otherworldly valley of Thorsmork, this is a once-in-a-lifetime route. At 34 miles long, it's doable in a week — Exodus has a well-organised, fully guided seven-day expedition, starting and ending in Reykjavik, with four nights of wild camping in the valley itself. For your nights in Reykjavik, choose Ion City Hotel, a sleek, modern space where rooms use natural materials such as lava stone and reclaimed wood. Junior Suites have private saunas and overlook the city and mountains. • More great hotels in Iceland Best for history Berlin is one of Europe's coolest cities, and makes a less crowded place for an urban break than Paris, Rome or London. The edgy east is the most interesting part of town: take a street art tour, visit the sobering DDR Museum, browse the artworks of Museumsinsel (Museum Island) and visit Cold War landmarks including Checkpoint Charlie and the Oberbaum Bridge. If you have time, a day trip out to see the ostentatious architecture of Schloss Sanssouci is well worth it. Roomers Berlin Steinplatz shimmers with the elegance of the art nouveau era. It's a favourite hangout for the city's design crowd, with a great restaurant and a knockout rooftop spa. Best affordable hotels in Berlin While Amsterdam gets the crowds, Rotterdam is all but ignored. This frees it up for you to see its adventurous architecture and urban design, with innovative buildings like the De Rotterdam tower, the redeveloped Centraal Station, the reborn docklands around Kop van Zuid and the new Markthal (market hall). There's art galore at Museum Boijmans van Beuningen and the Kunsthal too, but like Amsterdam, this is a canal city — and seeing it from the water on a cruise is essential. Best of all, it's easy to reach thanks to the Eurostar, which runs direct in just over three hours. The luxurious — and very modern — Haven Hotel Rotterdam has views over the city's waterfront, but is also very handy for Centraal Station. • Best underrated cities in Europe• Best things to do in Rotterdam Estonia's capital has history in spades, fascinating architecture and a thriving café culture — and its old town is a pleasure to get well and truly lost in. Our advice is to take a guided tour on the first day to get your bearings, then spend the rest of the holiday exploring on your own. Don't miss the Kohtuotsa viewing platform for the best view of Tallinn's rooftop jumble. You should easily be able to find budget flights from most major UK airports. Splash out at the smart Schlossle Hotel, with a super location in the heart of the old town, and lots of antique atmosphere thanks to its 13th and 14th-century architecture. • Best Baltic cruises The peaks of Switzerland are perfect for an easy, accessible Alpine adventure. Grindelwald, overlooked by the Eiger, makes a great base: it's perfectly placed for walks around the Jungfrau, and kids will love riding the gondolas up to the mountain tops, or catching the train up to Jungfraujoch, the highest train station in Europe at 3,454m (11,332ft). The best way to get there is a flight to Zurich followed by a train ride to Grindelwald: it's doable over a long bank holiday weekend, but better if you can allow four or five days. The Romantik Hotel Schweizerhof has bags of Swiss charm, with its traditional timber architecture and epic views of Grindelwald's peaks. It also has a great spa, and a restaurant serving gastronomic Swiss delights. • Most beautiful places in Switzerland• More great hotels in Switzerland Few cities are as instantly charming as the capital of Denmark — although there's a lot to see, so you might not pack it all in. In a weekend in Copenhagen, you should be able to cover the castles of Amalienborg, Christiansborg and Rosenborg, as well as a visit to the National Museum, the city's Botanical Garden and the Round Tower, which offers the best vistas in the city. Save the best for last: the magical pleasure gardens and rollercoasters of Tivoli are utterly magical after dark. Modern Danish design (and art) is showcased at the über-stylish Hotel Skt Annae, located on the edge of the lovely harbourside neighbourbood of Nyhavn — super for dinner and late-night drinks. • Best affordable hotels in Copenhagen On the northwest coast of Wales, the island of Anglesey is within a few hours' driving distance of Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Bristol. Encircled by craggy cliffs and coves, it's super for a wild weekend away. Try sailing, surfing, coasteering, kayaking or a white-knuckle Rib ride along the coast; alternatively, go birdspotting in Breakwater Country Park, ponder the past at the castles of Beaumaris or Aberlleiniog, or explore the post-industrial moonscapes around Amlwch, once home to the world's largest copper mine. For ostentatious architecture, Château Rhianfa is the only choice. Inspired by the châteaux of the Loire, it was dreamt up by Sir John Hay-Williams, 2nd Baronet of Bodelwyddan, who created a fantasyland of turrets, battlements, gables and towers. • Best beaches in Wales If you're dead set on the Lake District, you need to choose your spot. The eastern part of the park, especially around the Eden Valley, generally stays much quieter than the busy area around Windermere. There's excellent hiking around Haweswater; a wonderful steam-powered railway in Alston; and one of the Lake District's most evocative ruins, Lowther Castle, where the restoration of the once-grand gardens is well under way. Stay at the George and Dragon in Clifton, a popular gastropub that offers smart, cosy rooms and top grub. Most produce comes from the owner's family farms and kitchen gardens at nearby Askham Hall. Read our full review of the George and Dragon Cornwall's idyllic archipelago is perfect for a last-minute getaway — and it's now possible to fly direct to the main Scilly island of St Mary's from Exeter and Newquay, which avoids the long journey down to Penzance. The islands' temperate, Gulf Stream-warmed climate means more sunshine than the mainland, so it's a good bet for some beach time. Most people base themselves on St Mary's, but the smaller island of Tresco makes a quieter alternative: bikes are the only way to get around, and the renowned Abbey Garden is right on your doorstep. The New Inn in Tresco has bags of island atmosphere, and even if you're not staying, it's a cracking spot for a pint — the sunsets over to New Grimsby are something to behold. Read our full review of the New Inn A weekend in the woods awaits at these forest cabins, which — despite their rustic location in the Forest of Dean — come with luxuries including an outdoor hot tub, underfloor heating and even wi-fi. Activities such as archery, riding, mountain biking and canoeing are all on your doorstep, making the forest ideal for a family adventure — and a yomp up to the top of Symonds Yat Rock is essential for the views. The impressive Golden Oak Treehouse occupies a secluded corner of the forest, and even has a spare bedroom reached via its own rope bridge — the kids will love it. • Best romantic breaks in the UK with a hot tub Do you have a favourite spot for a bank holiday weekend break? Please share in the comments below
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
A history of royal transport, from luxury trains to yachts and planes
It was in the early 1840s that Queen Victoria – a woman not least known for her exacting standards – made history, becoming the first British monarch to travel around the country aboard her very own train. Since then, members of the Royal family have dashed about the UK aboard several iterations of regal rolling stock – and, for that matter, around the globe on various other royal modes of transport, from the 'King's Flight' to the Royal Yacht Britannia. But all good things must, it seems, come to an end. Today, the royal train is the last official survivor of the royal transport fleet; and in March 2027, it was recently revealed, it too will be decommissioned, with senior royals instead making greater use of public trains and helicopters. It is the sad end of a glorious era of royal travel – but one whose significance can only be truly appreciated in the context of its earliest beginnings. The royal trains When the first royal train took to the tracks, it changed not only how the Royal family travelled, but its entire public perception, too. Before the British rail network had expanded sufficiently in the 1840s, the only modes of royal travel were by horse-drawn carriage or ship. With the very limited spread of public information available in those days, little attention was paid to royal travel, with the focus – if there was any – usually on the destination, where grand decorations and receptions would be the order of the day, rather than the journey. That all changed when Queen Victoria began traversing the country aboard her own train. From the 1840s onwards, Britain's rail network expanded rapidly, meaning that she was able to conduct more and more of her journeys by rail. Queen Victoria – the first monarch to recognise the importance of traversing the country and meeting the public – became more visible, and the public became increasingly fascinated. The lines benefitted too: when travelling between London and Scotland, Queen Victoria's preferred supplier was the London & North Western Railway (LNWR), who then – understandably – used this fact to market themselves as 'The Premier Line'. From its earliest beginnings, the train was housed at the railway works at Wolverton on the outskirts of Milton Keynes, the world's first 'railway town', built on a grid system to house workers – where the current version still resides today. In 1869, Queen Victoria commissioned her own set of train cars, day and night saloons lavishly painted with 23-carat-gold and blue silk details. The carriages were again built at Wolverton, at a cost of £1,800 – £800 of which the monarch contributed from her own purse, equivalent to £82,500 today. These new carriages were the heart of the long royal train, and – in a blatant PR exercise – the LNWR published postcards of them which were widely featured in the press: images of luxurious saloon interiors, otherwise only seen by royalty and staff, which created myth and mystique about its workings. When King Edward VII came to the throne in 1901, he requested a new royal train with all mod-cons – including cooking facilities, baths and telephones – for himself and Queen Alexandra. He instructed the LNWR that the interior should resemble the royal yacht of the day as closely as possible, and new postcards were duly published. During the First World War, King George V used the train so frequently that it became his temporary home, while the Second World War saw the very existence of the royal train become a closely guarded state secret. Wolverton-built armour-plating was fitted to the royal saloons, and the train was extensively used to boost public war morale with numerous visits across the rail network. Gradually, more technological advancements were added, including radio and telephones to create a mobile office; innovations which always eventually trickled down into ordinary public trains. After the formation of British Railways in 1948, individual regions continued to maintain the constituent railway companies' royal train carriages, until 1977, when Elizabeth II's silver jubilee demanded that a single royal train be constructed. The late Leo Coleman, a D-Day veteran who started at Wolverton in 1937, was asked to project manage the 1977 royal train construction scheme. In 2013, he told me that Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and Sir Hugh Casson were heavily involved in the interior design, requesting a functional carriage interior rather than a luxurious one. It was to be a home from home where 'The Principles' (as the train's royal passengers are known) could, in Leo's words, 'Kick off their shoes, relax in their lounge, have a meal or go to their on-board office and be briefed for their next engagement.' 'The Principles did not want change,' explains Chris Hillyard, the final royal train foreman, who retired in 2013 after a lifetime at Wolverton and on the train. 'They knew how the train worked, [and] trusted the railway staff involved who carried out the train's operation to perfection. This is why it was the preferred method of travel for them.' The royal yachts It's tricky to pin down the first British iteration of a royal yacht – though there have, officially, been 83 designated as such since the Restoration in 1660. Was it Henry VIII's golden-sailed craft, for example; James I's Disdain – the first royal vessel intended purely for pleasure cruising, rather than battle; or those of Charles II, who was gifted the extravagant Mary by the Dutch on his ascension to the throne, establishing the owning of a yacht as a royal tradition? In its strictly modern sense, British royal yachts have been around for about the last 350 years – sometimes officially naval owned, sometimes privately owned – and have included the likes of HMY Alexandra, named for Edward VII's wife; the stately SS Gothic, used for Elizabeth II's 1954 tour of Australia; and, briefly in 1953, the RY Surprise. But the most famous is, of course, the 400ft Royal Yacht Britannia, built specifically for the royal household, launched in 1953, and decommissioned in 1997. Unlike the royal trains, royal yachts are designed not only for travel, but also for hosting state receptions and boosting the UK's presence and influence around the world – a role Britannia played with panache. During her tenure, she travelled more than one million nautical miles around the world, calling at more than 600 ports in 135 countries – hosting dignitaries, presidents, honeymooning royals and even, during the South Yemeni Crisis of 1986, 1,000 refugees. The interiors were – famously – grand, designed in the style of an elegant English country house, with floral sofas and antiques, a large state drawing room, a teak-clad sun deck, several sitting rooms and six bedrooms. The late Queen once described the yacht as 'the one place where I can truly relax', and was seen to shed tears during its decommissioning ceremony. The royal planes 'The King's Flight', as the fleet of aircraft used to transport members of the Royal family was known, was instituted in 1936 when King George VI became the first UK monarch to take to the air, flying from Sandringham to London to attend his Accession Council. It was the world's first air organisation dedicated to a head of state, and was subsumed into the RAF in 1942, then resurrected after the war and based at RAF Benson near Oxford, with five aircraft. Unlike rail and sea travel, the King and Queen always flew in different planes, each accompanied by Princess Elizabeth or Margaret, but never both. When Princess Elizabeth became queen in 1952, the fleet was renamed 'the Queen's Flight', with royal helicopters being added in 1958. The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles qualified as pilots, often flying themselves to appointments. The Queen's Flight was disbanded in 1995, and again was subsumed in the RAF, combined with the royal air fleet of BAe 146 aircraft, which was used to fly members of the Royal family and other dignitaries for 39 years, until it was retired in March 2022. What's next for the royal train? The expectation at Wolverton was that the train would cease operations once King Charles stopped using it – though that time has arrived a little sooner than anticipated. Now comprising just seven carriages, the interiors of the current train are surprisingly sparse and practical, with an enduring 1970s aesthetic that feels somewhat corporate and increasingly dated; a far cry from the sumptuous carriages of Victoria's day. Before its official decommissioning, the train is likely to travel around the network on an emotional farewell tour in 2026 – after which, its fate remains as yet unknown. Nevertheless, with two of the Royal family's former vehicles now open to the public – the Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh, and one of the BAe 146s at the Duxford Imperial War Museum near Cambridge – it's not unreasonable to hope that the royal train's seven remaining carriages might yet live out its golden years on display in Wolverton.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
I stayed at the budget Travelodge hotel that can save you money before a flight
IF you need an airport hotel without the steep cost, then there is a Travelodge just one stop away that can be half the price. Here is everything you need to know about staying at the Travelodge Crawley. 3 Where is the Travelodge Crawley hotel? The budget hotel is a short walk from Crawley Train Station, which is less than an hour from central London. The walk is easy, going through the centre of town and is a great affordable option near the airport. What is the hotel like? The hotel is what you would expect from a Travelodge - simple but clean. There is an on-site restaurant where you will find the breakfast being served. Otherwise there are vending machines with snacks for late night munchies What are the rooms like at the hotel? My Super Room room is one of the newly designed rooms, with a large double bed so soft that I fell asleep quickly after a late night arrival. Along with a working desk, Freeview TV and chair there are tea and coffee making facilities (and the classic bottle opener attached to the side of the wall). I loved that there was USB chargers in the walls as I am always forgetting to bring a plug. Our bathroom didn't have any hand soap in the machine, so we had to lean over and use the soap in the shower. Despite this, the room was extremely clean, with fresh towels and extra bedding if needed. Rooms start from £35 - nearly half of the average price you will pay for a Travelodge near the airport. What is there to eat or drink there? The breakfast buffet is small, with a few hot and cold options. I was slightly disappointed that you had to request vegetarian sausages to be cooked, with just bacon, pork sausages, hash browns, eggs and beans on offer already made. But if you want something quick and easy without having to go too far, it will definitely fill you up for the day. Don't forget, kids under the age of 14 get to eat for £1 per adult. Otherwise the bar serves alcoholic drinks like wine and beer, as well as food from 5pm to 10pm from nachos and pizza to burgers and curries. 3 What else is there to do there? Being an affordable hotel chain, there is little else to do in the hotel itself. But it is in a great location, being a short walk from the nearby shopping centre. All of the pubs and bars are also a short walk away if you want a night out on the town. Otherwise it is a great option if you have a flight to London Gatwick but don't want to pay the price of an airport hotel. Taxis take around 10-15 minutes from the hotel to the airport, while the train is one stop and takes 9 minutes. Is the hotel family friendly? The hotel has some family rooms with adjoining doors, as well as cots on request, depending on availability. Is there access for guests with disabilities? The hotel has two lifts, as well as a number of accessible rooms. Looking for a place to stay? For more hotel inspiration click here. 3
