Latest news with #GayGordons
Scottish Sun
02-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside the perfect Scots family resort after £5m makeover, from animal experiences and playpark to incredible dining
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MANY of us will remember our gym teachers saying: 'Pack away the basketballs and hockey sticks, it's time for social dancing.' Those school sessions, where we'd enter an unknown land of Dashing White Sergeants and Gay Gordons, set us up for being whirled about at weddings and parties in later life. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 The hotel has had a major revamp 7 You get up close with red deer 7 Cocktails in the bar were a real treat 7 The adventure park is perfect for kids And I got to relive that dance floor adventure with my wee boy on a mini-break at Crieff Hydro. The stunning Perthshire resort is a haven for families, full of activities to entertain kids, both big and small. And, for me, our highlight was the Saturday night ceilidh, where I spun five-year-old Jimmy around the ballroom for jigs and reels, leaving us grinning like loons. We arrived on a rainy Friday and checked into our spacious family room with gorgeous views. Gin and tonics had been left for the adults while the wee one was delighted with a bag of pick and mix — welcome, thoughtful touches. Each day, guests are provided with a daily activity rota with fun to be had every hour. We ditched our cases and immediately headed for an Animal Man session, where youngsters were introduced to amazing creatures while the adults relaxed — at one point I spotted a chicken wandering across the ballroom, and I'd only had a half pint! After a quick jaunt round the expansive grounds, we got dressed for the evening activities, starting with cocktails in the Ballroom Bar. You couldn't ask for a better vista to enjoy a cool drink, looking out over the rolling Perthshire Hills. My Penicillin was bitter and punchy, just how I like it, while husband Ryan loved his decadent Kir Royale and Jimmy was delighted with his bubblegum spritz mocktail. Dinner was at one of the Hydro's new restaurants, East, established after a multi-million pound revamp. Serving Asian fusion small plates, the menu has so many tempting dishes. A couple of highlights were black pepper beef fillet and sticky corn ribs, while Jimmy hoovered up sticky pork belly. Ronan Keating enjoys family holiday It was early to bed as we were up at the crack of dawn for a delicious buffet breakfast before a Highland Safari, an amazing must-do experience just 40 minutes from the hotel. We packed into a Land Rover with an expert guide who drove us high into the mountains passing through Dull on the way — and the trip was anything but. We learned about the flora, fauna and history of the area while we gasped at the stunning scenery. Jimmy loved hearing some of the wackier facts, like how a woodpecker wraps its tongue around its brain to soften the impact of drilling into trees with its beak. 7 The views on the safari were stunning 7 East has amazing fusion flavours Next on the agenda was a red deer experience back at Highland Safari base. We found out all about the beautiful creatures before getting up close to feed them. And before we headed back to the hotel we got to pan for gold, sifting through stones to find hidden gems — I was hooked on delving deep for gemstones like jasper and pyrite. We arrived back at the Hydro around 3pm, just in time for a treasure hunt, looking for hidden clues in a bid to win a medal. Glory secured, we had time for a relaxing dip in the pool before more cocktails and dinner, this time at the family-friendly Italian Piccolo. And, after fuelling up on pizza and pasta, it was time for my main event, the ceilidh. GO: CRIEFF STANDARD double rooms from £120 per night for midweek bookings. Grab 15 per cent discount plus a free experience, such as afternoon tea or Action Glen Adventure passes, this summer. Find out more at We danced into the night with expert musicians taking us through the steps and throwing in kids' classics, like the Hokey Cokey, to keep everyone on their feet. We were checking out on Sunday, but not before we headed for the on-site Action Glen where you can try everything from mini Land Rovers and disc-golf to axe throwing and archery. We had a fantastic time sampling almost everything before home-time. Crieff Hydro really is an exceptional escape for families — and we'll be St Bernard's Waltzing back as soon as possible.
Telegraph
13-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
How posh are you really? Take my privilege test
Firstly, is your dog named after a Scottish river? Around a year ago, when I was considering getting a puppy, a nice lady called Gail Garbutt sent me her book Spot On: Good Names For Dogs. It lists hundreds of options, in various categories, and my favourite of all was the suggestion that you call your dog Oykel, Brora or Lossie. Picking one of these would definitely make you (and your dog) a bit privileged. Although there is also a Scottish river called Garry, which I didn't know before reading this book, and would slightly let the side down. Secondly, do you know that the Cresta Run is, in fact, not a run? Very privileged if so. Add on 100 bonus points to your score if you've actually done it. Do you have a very small, very old telly instead of a vast flat-screen? Privileged! Do you play charades three or more times a year, and sometimes have scrambled eggs for supper? I'm afraid you may be an enemy of the people if so. Do you have a tin of Colman's Mustard powder in your cupboard (probably you call it a larder or pantry), because you much prefer making it yourself, in an eggcup, rather than the ready-made stuff? Whoops, this is an absolute giveaway. I would imagine, if you do feel this way about Colman's Mustard, you may also still refer to Kenya as Keeenya? I once challenged a member of my family who referred to the country as such, whereupon he blinked at me, confused, and said 'What? It's just the same as still calling Zimbabwe Rhodesia.' If you happen to be in the Keeenya or even Rhodesia camp, I'm afraid that's quite a few privilege points. If you refer to the drawing room, and that's also where you open your Christmas presents but strictly after lunch (never before), then these mean you're similarly awful and entitled. Do you also have a downstairs loo which contains any of the following: a school team photo; a framed engagement or birth announcement; a photo of a relative on a horse; a Matt cartoon compendium; a well-thumbed pile of Country Life copies, dating back to the 1980s? Should you have all of these things, you might as well go straight to the nearest police station and hand yourself in. Do you believe that central heating, and certainly a house that's too warm, is slightly common? This has the whiff of privilege, as does any snobbery towards visitors' books. I've grown up being taught that it's enormously naff to leave comments in the visitors' book, and that you should simply write your name and your address. Sometimes, I look at the entry in the visitors' book before mine and think how lovely and cheerful it is that the previous guest wrote so eloquently and charmingly about the food and the comfort of the beds, and I forlornly wish I could bring myself to do the same. But the trouble is I'm been conditioned to believe that compliments like that in the visitors' book are infra dig and should be left for my thank-you letter. I'm so sorry. Forgive me, Father, and all that. Are you either alarmed by the sound of the Gay Gordons, or an enthusiastic participant? Westminster City Council would be appalled if you're the latter.
