Six Senses Kyoto and five more of Japan's best hotels
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Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
The Scottish seaside village with beautiful beach that appeared in Outlander
It is a wonderful destination for a day out by the coast. We are approaching the end of August, which means summer is coming to an end. While there are still hopefully a few weeks of good weather left before autumn rolls around, now is the last chance to plan a proper summer staycation. Anybody struggling to decide where in Scotland to head for a day or two might want to consider Troon. Situated around just 45 minutes out of Glasgow by car, it is a great choice for those living in Scotland's biggest city. Troon is a seaside town in South Ayrshire that is best known for its beach and golf course. Troon Beach offers panoramic views out across to the Isle of Arran, and features clean sands that make it a great place for a bit of sunbathing. Anyone who is a fan of Outlander has even more reason to visit Troon, and especially its beach. This is because the town was used to film an important scene of the beloved historical drama series. The first season of Outlander ends with Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall, portrayed by Sam Heughan and Caitríona Balfe respectively, setting sail for France. These scenes were in fact filmed at Troon Beach, making it a must-visit for those looking to follow in the footsteps of the iconic characters. Even if you aren't an Outlander fan, Troon has plenty to offer anybody seeking a fun-filled staycation. While Troon Beach is a definite standout, there is lots else to see and do. The Royal Troon Golf Club's Old Course is among the host courses for prestigious Open Championship, and is a great destination to enjoy a game amidst lovely green surroundings. Elsewhere, younger visitors will love the magical Fullarton Fairy Trail walk. In Troon, visitors have a variety of options when it comes to accommodation. The town is home to both hotels and holiday rentals. On Airbnb, holidaymakers can rent out an entire cottage that features two bedrooms and fits up to four visitors. Known as 34 South Beach Lane, it can be booked for £398 for two nights. The cottage is situated one street over from the beach, and is a couple of minutes on foot from the Royal Troon. Inside, there is an open-plan contemporary kitchen with a dining island and a living room that leads through French doors to a private enclosed rear garden. The accomodation has a rating of 4.98 out of five on Airbnb based on 112 reviews, and is classed as a 'guest favourite' property on the site. It has been praised in reviews for its beachside location and "lots of extra little touches". Elsewhere, slightly further afield is The Wee Lamb Cottage in Maybole that can be booked through for £557 for two nights. The property, which is a short distance from Troon by car, sleeps up to two guests. The cottage features a sizeable living room, a "well-equipped" kitchen, and a shower room. French doors lead outside where guests can enjoy an enclosed back garden. On The Wee Lamb Cottage has earned very positive feedback from guests. One recent visitor described the accommodation as "very clean and tastefully furnished", though holidaymakers may prefer to stay closer to Troon. Back in Troon, the Marine Troon is one of the most popular hotels. Featuring a restaurant, a bar, and an indoor pool, the hotel has a rating of 4.4 out of five on Tripadvisor.
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Spanish overtakes French to become most popular foreign language GCSE
The popularity of Spain as a holiday destination, as well as its standing as a 'global language' may have contributed to the GCSE's success, it was suggested. But while the increase in Spanish entries has been seen as a positive step, there are concerns about the impact of declines in entries for other foreign languages, such as French and German. Entries for GCSE Spanish were up 2.6% this year – from 133,395 in 2024 to 136,871 in 2025, figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) – which cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland – show. Meanwhile, entries for French dropped to 132,808 – down 1.4% from 134,651 last year. German continued to see a fall in entries – down 7.0% this year compared with 2024 (from 35,913 to 33,391 entries). Vicky Gough, British Council schools adviser, said the growing popularity of Spanish shows 'real appetite for language learning'. She said: 'We need the success of Spanish reflected across all languages through exchanges, cultural programmes and real-world connections that demonstrate why languages matter. 'Our research also reveals a significant socioeconomic gap: pupils in the top fifth of the most advantaged state schools in England are around 32% more likely to take a language GCSE than their peers elsewhere, meaning many young people from less privileged backgrounds miss out on opportunities their peers benefit from. 'At a time of increasing global tension, helping young people connect across borders, build friendships and foster trust has never been more important. 'We must ensure access to language learning for all, it remains a powerful gateway to opportunity and a more connected future.' Jill Duffy, chief executive of the OCR exam board and chairwoman of the JCQ board, said: 'Spanish is a massive global language, lots of people around the world speak it and also, as we know, Spain is a popular holiday destination for Brits, so that might have contributed to Spanish overtaking French this year.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said falls in French and German are a 'source of concern'. He said: 'The rising popularity of Spanish is great to see, but we cannot escape the fact that over the past 20 years or so there has been a massive decline in language take-up overall. 'It is imperative that we find ways of promoting a love of languages or we will become an increasingly monolingual society with consequent implications for our ability to trade and travel abroad.' Sir Ian Bauckham, chief of England's exam regulator, Ofqual, said the numbers taking German are now 'really quite small.' He told PA: 'I think it's important that students continue to have the opportunities for speaking languages and learning languages, not only because of the intrinsic enjoyment that the process of learning a language and being able to speak it can bring, but also because it's important that young people leave school with the ability to communicate with speakers of other languages in other countries.'
Western Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Spanish overtakes French to become most popular foreign language GCSE
The popularity of Spain as a holiday destination, as well as its standing as a 'global language' may have contributed to the GCSE's success, it was suggested. But while the increase in Spanish entries has been seen as a positive step, there are concerns about the impact of declines in entries for other foreign languages, such as French and German. Entries for GCSE Spanish were up 2.6% this year – from 133,395 in 2024 to 136,871 in 2025, figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) – which cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland – show. Meanwhile, entries for French dropped to 132,808 – down 1.4% from 134,651 last year. German continued to see a fall in entries – down 7.0% this year compared with 2024 (from 35,913 to 33,391 entries). Vicky Gough, British Council schools adviser, said the growing popularity of Spanish shows 'real appetite for language learning'. She said: 'We need the success of Spanish reflected across all languages through exchanges, cultural programmes and real-world connections that demonstrate why languages matter. 'Our research also reveals a significant socioeconomic gap: pupils in the top fifth of the most advantaged state schools in England are around 32% more likely to take a language GCSE than their peers elsewhere, meaning many young people from less privileged backgrounds miss out on opportunities their peers benefit from. 'At a time of increasing global tension, helping young people connect across borders, build friendships and foster trust has never been more important. 'We must ensure access to language learning for all, it remains a powerful gateway to opportunity and a more connected future.' Jill Duffy, chief executive of the OCR exam board and chairwoman of the JCQ board, said: 'Spanish is a massive global language, lots of people around the world speak it and also, as we know, Spain is a popular holiday destination for Brits, so that might have contributed to Spanish overtaking French this year.' Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said falls in French and German are a 'source of concern'. He said: 'The rising popularity of Spanish is great to see, but we cannot escape the fact that over the past 20 years or so there has been a massive decline in language take-up overall. 'It is imperative that we find ways of promoting a love of languages or we will become an increasingly monolingual society with consequent implications for our ability to trade and travel abroad.' Sir Ian Bauckham, chief of England's exam regulator, Ofqual, said the numbers taking German are now 'really quite small.' He told PA: 'I think it's important that students continue to have the opportunities for speaking languages and learning languages, not only because of the intrinsic enjoyment that the process of learning a language and being able to speak it can bring, but also because it's important that young people leave school with the ability to communicate with speakers of other languages in other countries.'
